Steven Jackson, probably more than any other player on the current Rams squad, is the new face of the Rams, carrying our hopes for the present and the future. Prior to SJ, that player was probably Marshall Faulk, and Jackson has appropriately set his sites on Faulk's record for yards from scrimmage as the symbolic embodiment of the Rams' goals.

Jackson's statement, I'm sure, seems like a lot of typical NFL hyperbole to some, but, outside of a championship, no other event would put the Rams back into the national spotlight and bring more fans into the family (or back into the family) for what could be some of the most exciting football that St. Louis has seen in a long, long time. We here at TST wish Jackson all the best, but I think he'll have a tough time breaking that record with the addition of Brian Leonard and what's shaping up to be a very well-rounded offense featuring a number of real threats to break the field wide open on any play. I'd also hate to put Jackson at risk for injury by overloading his workload

As the NFL draft prepares to hit the prime time airwaves next year, I suppose you have to some credit to Major League Baseball for trying to bottle the frenzy that football fans experience every April. However, there's just something inherently dull (and I'm a pretty big baseball fan too) in watching Bud Selig read off the name of a high school kid you've never heard of and won't see in a professional uniform for at least a year and half. "Oh, that guy. Wow."

You've heard by now that the Redskins, so pleased with Adam Archuleta, have signed cast off Jerametrius Bulter. The fan reaction over at Hogs Haven is mixed, with more of a wait-and-see feel on Butler. He'll be a depth guy to start out the season...providing his body will allow him to start the season.

Fox Sports gives the Rams a conservative #18 in their most recent power rankings, hedging their bets with "If the defense holds up, they could very well be playing football deep into January." Seattle comes in at #6 and the Niners sit at #12. The more things change...

Rams minicamp kicks off next week, on Tuesday, June 12. Finally.

It's never too early to start thinking about fantasy football. Stlcardinalsfang is pulling together a TST league, so sign up as soon as possible. Oh, and if I don't get to draft Steven Jackson, the complaining won't stop. Kidding. It's a free league, so no excuses. We will however make it interesting with some kind of Rams related prizes TBD.