A little midday Random Ramsdom seems a good way to welcome the weekend.
Quick aside - even though this is a community for Rams fans and that's where we butter our bread, it's worth saying that everyone at TST has the victims and families of everyone involved in this morning's tragedy in Colorado on our minds and in our hearts. Just horrible.
On to things of lesser importance, like football.
Tomorrow Marks Random Ramsdom Fourth Birthday
Wow. I don't even know what to say. Every so often I'm reminded how far TST has come. This is one of those times.
Rams Previews - Insiders and Outsiders
No, not Football Outsiders, awesome though they are. I just enjoyed the juxtaposition between Athlon Sports' Rams preview (ranking us 31st in the league...) and the Sporting News' Rams preview, written by the P-D's very own Jim Thomas, was pretty stark. On one hand, the Athlon piece feels national. Thomas, on the other hand, can't ignore his familiarity with the team in the SN's preview. I feel like I've read a thousand of these by now.
Top 25 NFL Prospects...In the NFL
Speaking of FO, the site's Aaron Schatz contributed an interesting post to ESPN (insider subscription required) earlier this week that I'm not sure we mentioned. In fact, I'm not sure we mentioned it because it's a list without a Ram on it.
The piece looked at all players who fit the following criteria and ranked the top 25:
We limit the pool to players who fit the following criteria: drafted in the third round or later, or signed as an undrafted free agent; entered the NFL between 2009 and 2011; fewer than five career games started; still on their initial contract; and age 26 or younger in 2012.
Are there any Rams who should have made it? Maybe Hoomanawanui? Greg Salas maybe? FWIW, no 49ers made it. From the Cardinals, just OLB O'Brien Schofield made the list at #14. The Seahawks surprisingly had three WRs make it: Doug Baldwin at #1 (a fair selection, IMO), and Ricardo Lockette and Kris Durham in the final two spots.
All-22 Is All Good
Not gonna lie. This All-22 breakdown over at Battle Red Blog, the SBN community for the Houston Texans, makes me a little sweaty.
Kenny Britt Needs Help
Yes, Kenny Britt got a DUI. But I mean that subhead. His life is heading in the wrong, wrong, wrong direction. I have too much sympathy as a human being to see someone ruin their lives this fashion and not hope for someone to intervene.
Be good people out there today and this weekend. We all deserve as much from each other.