FanPost

Turf Show Times: Ramdude's RAMblins 8/17/13

Welcome to Saturday at long last Ram Fans.

As you know, today is when we take on the somewhat depleted Packers with our vanilla or vanilla-lite (nothing to see here) offensive and defensive packages. Will that be enough to get the job done? In the end, all that really matters is that Jeffrey gets another look under the hood before serious personnel decisions have to be made. (I'm looking at you, Jo-Lonn.)

I've made a slightly non-techie (kludge of a) video here, so you'll just need to bare with me and play along if you please.



First push play. You can watch the words if you like (substituting "9ers" or "Shehawks" or "Cardnuls" or even "Spiffies" for "bodies"), but the music video is intended to be the sound track for the ten photo assets (pitchers) below. BTW, the song is dedicated to the Rams 2013 Defense which be hhhhhhaaaawwwwwnnnnnnn--ggrreeeeeeee! Let there be stacks of SACKS this year in honor of - the Deacon!

We have had some great shots from Daniel and other various official and unofficial sources, but these are some I don't think I've seen yet (except maybe the QBs). They show some interesting facets of training camp. Plus, they have been nicely captioned by Fox Sports Midwest. So no worries about who's who if their number is hidden.

If you're like me, I'm sure you'll treasure these pics and tuck them away in a photo cosy made of dried grape vines, heirloom scarves, wild flowers and chutney. (Why always with the chutney?) Delicious ... and oh so satisfying!

Here we go:

1. St. Louis Rams defensive end Chris Long, left, and tackle Rodger Saffold take part in a drill during NFL football training camp at the team's practice facility Friday, July 26, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

2. St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, left, takes part in a drill along side fellow quarterbacks Timothy Jenkins (3), Kellen Clemens (10) and Austin Davis, right, during NFL football training camp Thursday, July 25, 2013, at the Rams' training facility in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)


3. Jul 26, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams Tackle Jake Long (77) blocks linebacker Alec Ogletree (52) during training camp at ContinuityX Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports


4. Jul 26, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams tackle Jake Long (77) blocks defensive end Robert Quinn (94) during training camp at ContinuityX Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports


5. St. Louis Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey practices blocking punts off the foot of punter Brett Baer during the NFL football team's training camp, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Chris Lee)


6. St. Louis Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin secures three consecutive punts in a drill during the NFL football team's training camp, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Chris Lee)


7. St. Louis Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin catches a fade pass in the corner of the end zone against cornerback Trumaine Johnson during the NFL football team's training camp, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Chris Lee)


8. St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, left, fakes a handoff to running back Isaiah Pead during an NFL football training camp scrimmage inside the Edward Jones Dome, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)


9. St. Louis Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins, right, grabs wide receiver Austin Pettis during an NFL football training camp scrimmage inside the Edward Jones Dome, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)


10. St. Louis Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey catches a pass during NFL football training camp on Thursday, July 25, 2013, at the Rams' training facility in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson See anything good there?

I thought 5 and 6 were particularly interesting. Jake Long looks like serious business - PROTECT THE MOTHERLAND!

The 411 on Jack Youngblood

Since DC and RamfanDubbaTrubba (the most nicknamed guy on TST) have found a way to go into the fewcha and scarf up weeks worth of Rams links in a single bound, I decided to go safely back into the past for mine. Jack Youngblood comes up in conversation here from time to time, so I thought I'd crack him open a little. Wikipedia alone has days worth of info on him, so I'll be as brief as possible - it's Saturday for gosh-sakes. I'm tarred.


Growing up on the east coast, I didn't get to see Jack play a whole lot. But the commentators loved to talk about him, plus his Hollywood and significant charity work kept his name in front of the public as with many LA Rams. He always looked like he left absolutely EVERYTHING on the field EVERY TIME he played.

I know he played with that broken leg (we'll get to that in a minute), but the thing that most impressed me is that he was drafted in 1971 to back up none other than DEACON JONES at Left DE. That first season, he had to start 4 games when Deacon was injured - no pressure there. Then in 1972, Deacon was traded, and Jack shared the starting job with Fred Dryer. Talk about big cleats to fill, and immediately! From 1973 - 1984 when he retired, the position was his. He played every game as a Ram and had 201 consecutive starts - only missed one game his last year.

Here's an NFL Network Top 10 Gutsiest Players List video with Jack as the number one. Watch him work!

(Oh, and Dierdorf - you don't have to be such a douche even though you got beat for an interception.)

Want moar? I gots lots moar - the man in his own words!



Here's some factoids much from the Pro Football Hall of Fame:

  • Full name: Herbert Jackson Youngblood III (He played with Jim Youngblood at LB, but they weren't related.)
  • Nickname: "Blood" - authored a book by that title with Joel Engel - sold wherever Devin Briar...
  • Birth date: January 26, 1950
  • Birthplace: Jacksonville, FL
  • College: University of Florida, bachelor's degree in business administration, helped test Gatorade, among the first four Gator legends to be inducted into the Florida Football Ring of Honor with Steve Spurrier, Danny Wuerffel, and Emmitt Smith
  • Other College Honors: All-American, Outland Trophy, College Football Hall of Fame
  • Drafted: 1st round (20th player overall) in 1971 by the Rams
  • Pro Career: 14 Seasons, 202 Games

  • Suffered fractured left fibula in 1979 first-round playoff: played every defensive down in both NFC title game and Super Bowl XIV (Steelers)
  • Played in five NFC championship games: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978 and 1979
  • All-Pro five times: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978 and 1979 (Second Team: 1973, 1977 and 1980)
  • All-NFC seven times: 1974 to 1980 (Second Team: 1973 and 1984)
  • Played in seven straight Pro Bowls: 1973 to 1979
  • Most complete game: Against St. Louis Cardinals in a 1975 playoff game. He had one sack (Jim Hart), one forced fumble, one blocked extra-point and one returned interception (Jim Hart) 47 yards for a touchdown.
  • Career Sacks: 151½
  • Enshrined into Pro Football Hall of Fame: August 4, 2001
  • Other Members of the Class of 2001: Nick Buoniconti, Marv Levy, Mike Munchak, Jackie Slater, Lynn Swann, Ron Yary

  • Personal Quote: When asked in 1984 about his underwear modeling contract with Munsingwear: "Football is something I'm into maybe six months of the year. But underwear, well, that's day-in, day-out." (For you, Ewe)

Thank you, Jack - got any younger relatives?

Oddz and Endz


The man's got Mad Fisher Skillz


Reminds me - I need to pick up a 6-pack of - er - exercise at the store
WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP DOING THAT!


Spiffy - you in there?

Have a great week-end guys and gals. And lets grate some Wisconsin Cheddah tonight!

    Happy Birthday Maurice - whoever you are