Don't cha just love that new season smell - so hopeful; so full of promise? I mean it's faint right now, but it's gettin stronger. Pretty soon it'll be able to out-stink Knoxfan's GF on a Sattidy nite. That'll be a good thing.

Fearsome Foursome: Merlin Olsen, "Deacon" Jones, Lamar Lundy and Rosey Grier

Rosey Grier is WHAT???

I heard it was Rosey Grier's birthday (July 14th) a couple of weeks ago. When I went to investigate, I found he just turned !80! You kiddin me? I'm too young to have seen a guy play who just turned 'that age.'

3/4s of the Gruesome Twosome with Ray Milland in TTwTH

He was close to hanging up his cleats about the time I became a Rams fan, but he stayed in the public eye for many years on TV and in the movies (Daniel Boone, The Gong Show Movie, etc.). My search brought back some great memories of the man, plus some stuff I didn't know. Here's some of it - see more at NNDB:

• Roosevelt "Rosey" Grier played for Penn State and was named to the NCAA’s List of the 100 Most Influential Student-Athletes
• He was drafted by the New York Giants in 1955 and played DT for the LA Rams from 1963 - 1966 as an original member of the Fearsome Foursome (retired in 66 due to a leg injury)
• Famous for macrame and needle point - wrote a book about it. Football dudes didn't admit to that hobby back then
• Co-star of that sci-fi and social commentary icon The Thing with Two Heads (1972) with Ray Milland
• Maybe most significant and a detail I didn't remember (quoted from our friends at Wikipedia):

Grier served as a bodyguard for his friend, United States senator and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy. He was guarding Ethel Kennedy, the Senator's wife, who was then expecting a child, the night that Kennedy was assassinated in Los Angeles in 1968. Grier and Olympic gold medalist Rafer Johnson heard shots fired ahead of them. Reacting first, Johnson subdued the shooter (Sirhan Sirhan) followed by Grier. As Johnson grabbed the gun, Grier placed his hand over Johnson's to help secure the weapon. Grier later said, "I grabbed the man's legs and dragged him onto a table. There was a guy angrily twisting the killer's legs and other angry faces coming towards him, as though they were going to tear him to pieces. I fought them off. I would not allow more violence."

Here's Rosey in his own words from NFL.com Towards the end of the video, he talks about the 1963 Rams - a team much like ours today. However, they put something together on D that was, and is, special. Are we on the verge of the same thing????

So, Happy Belated Birthday Rosey. Thanks for stuffin the middle for the Rams, and be careful with them knittin needles!

Next, got a video you must experience if you haven't already, plus some other stuff. See ya on the other side.

Wal-Martians - you know somethin ain't quite right there

Every time I visit the place, it's like goin to the people zoo - with a huge gift shop that sells everything from lawnmowers to SlimJims. When the Zapocalypse starts for real, this will be ground zero.

I Want His Job

A friend sent me some of these "wave" photos, and I made the this one the wallpaper for my computer screen. Gets me thru the cold hard winters of 2-14. The photographer is Clark Little, and here's a link to his stuff.

Also, he's got video of how he gets his shots. There's a longer one from an appearance on Good Morning America.
It's actually better than this one after they get thru with the BSing. It's on the above link if you're interested.

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If these Rams can do it the St. Louis Rams can do it

By that, I mean if they can cling to an almost vertical dam, surely some receivers can hang on to a pass thrown right to em for a dang change!

These are European Ibex on the Diga del Cingino dam in Italy. Here's some more info from National Geographic.com

Last Day of Rookie Training Camp

Before ya go, here's Jim Thomas' Report on the Friday's close out of Rookie Traning Camp. No injuries except to Rokevious Watkins' tender feelings as he had to watch while the other reindeer got to play.

That reminds me. I also reported out of shape for training camp. My beer gut is nowhere near where it needs to be for football watchin. I gots to stop by the Beer-n-Cheetos (an optional Cool Ranch Doritos) Store and pick up some training aids. Don't you guys run out neither. Forewarned is ..uh .. uh.. just git down to the store before it closes.

See ya. Lets see what happens when the big boys come to town!