- Joined
- Feb 9, 2014
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- Peter
These are selected questions and answers only. Lots of Q&A on other teams. To read the whole chat click the link below.
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http://sports.live.stltoday.com/Event/NFL_chat_with_Jim_Thomas_18?Page=0
NFL chat with Jim Thomas
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Poll: Which NFL team will you follow in 2016?
Rams - 23%
Chiefs - 10%
Bears - 4%
Colts - 4%
Titans - 4%
Other - 15%
None - 41%
Hey JT would you say our projected OL is Grob Saffold Barnes Brown Havenstein? And who goes in first if Softfold goes down? Reynolds or Wichman?
I think that's how you have to read it at this point. I think Reynolds is the first o-lineman off the bench and Wichman the second.
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What percentage do you see Nick Foles on the roster week 1
Zero.
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Rams drafted Sean Mannion in the 3rd Round last year- High IQ guy. I see more potential in him than Goff.
Mannion has a strong arm as well. He had the strongest arm among the QBs on last years team. He is very smart, but so is Goff who apparently scored very highly on the Wonderlic, The one thing Mannion doesn't have that Goff has is mobility, an important factor with a still developing offensive line.
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Would you rather the Rams trade the farm for Jameis in 2015 instead of Goff in 2016?
At this point, I'd say yes.
-------------
I just really want the Rams to be bad. I want the media exposure to backfire and Goff to get bulgerized. Give LA some 2-14 football and let's see what fans stick it out
I'm sure your not the Lone Ranger here. And you just may get your wish.
-----------
Losing Daren Bates hurts. He was a productive back-up with solid special teams play.
It won't help. Although he occasionally committed the dumb penalty, he brought energy and an edge to special teams. Plus, he was a good dancer before kickoffs.
-----------
Does Higbee have any shot of beating out Kendricks?
No. But minus Jared Cook, Higbee should get some playing time.
----------
Another 7-9 season in store for the Rams this year. Good enough defense to keep us in games, lack of continuity on offense to sustain winning form.
The Rammies do seem to be stuck in that rut.
------------
Percentage that Fisher keeps his job winning 6-8 games next year?
If it's less than 8, I would say less than 50 percent. Then again, I thought that would be the case last season.
----------
Is there any truth to the rumor that in LA the daily surfer reports are more popular than updates on the Rams?
Appreciate the humor, but it looks like the LA area papers are giving the Rams a decent amount of coverage at this point.
-----------
Hey Jim if you had to pick a starter at FS right now who would it be out of Davis, Alexander or Bryant?
I thought Alexander improved a lot over the course of last season, and in the little bit he got to play last season in place of McDonald, he was surprisingly effective. Has good speed, and the potential to be a big hitter. I'm not exactly sure if he has the range to be a free safety, but I think it's worth a try.
----------
What's the odds Trey Watts finally makes the roster?
Well, first he's gotta get off the suspended list.
-----------
Is the LA nfl franchise going to learn the lesson that the Lakers are learning right now? It seems like free agents aren't going to come just for the address. If a team like the Lakers can't get stars in the door to even talk to them, what chance do the kroenkes have?
I think the dynamics are a little different in the NFL. Money always talks, but that being equal, most players do want to go to a place where they have a chance to win, get in the playoffs, have a chance at the Super Bowl, etc.
------------
I was born in 1994 and despite destroying my heart these past ten years, I am and will always be a RAMS fan. Regardless of where they play and how they do, this team has and will always provide me an outlet from the daily rigors of my life.
You are part of a generation that grew up with the Rams in St. Louis, so I get where you're coming from. Really all three of my sons _ages 28, 25, and 20 _ are kind of in the same boat. Were you old enough to remember the Super Bowl victory when it happened?
----------
Jim, how difficult has it been for you to interact with the Rams organization since they have moved to LA? Are the Rams blocking STL media from covering the team?
Not really too bad other than my inability to interview Stan Kroenke. Although I haven't tried recently, Kevin Demoff almost always gets back to me quickly. I was able to get special teams coordinator John Fassel on the phone for a draft story I did on the influx of Australian-born kickers and punters in the NFL. But the relationship certainly isn't the same now that the team is physically removed from St. Louis. Nor do I expect it to be.
----------
You know all those game-influencing calls that went against the Rams the last 5-10 years will start being called in their favor the next few seasons.
We'll see. For the most part, I'm not really into Oliver Stone theories.
-----------
What are you hearing about Tru being signed to a long term deal by this Friday's tag deadline? Is TJ McDonald going to attend camp?
I've heard no chance in hell on Trumaine Johnson being signed by Friday. Not sure on T.J. I will be in Rams camp for the first weekend of full-squad practices _ July 30 and 31st.
----------
If given the choice, which NFL franchise would you like to cover the most going forward?
I'm kind of intrigued by the possibility of moving around a little bit, and getting more of a feel for the rest of the league. Obviously, we will have budget constraints, but looking forward to seeing some Chiefs, Colts, Bears, and Titans as well as their opponents. And as I think I mentioned earlier, we will be covering the Rams home opener. In addition, I think plans call for me to do a Rams rewind - for lack of a better title - where I look at game tape from that week's Rams games and write an on-line only blog of what I see.
-----------
Who will be the special teams return man this year?
It should be Tavon Austin on punt returns. And as has been the case for the past several years, I think the Rams will look at several candidates for kickoff returns, but Benny Cunningham is always Mr. Reliable.
----------
I grew up an LA Rams fan, followed them to St Louis, and will follow them again in LA. I appreciate I am not alone, and do understand some fans resentment, but St Louis lost the Cards, wooed the Rams away from LA, and now feel spurned by another move. Not being a St Louisian (?), what's wrong with your market to lose two NFL teams? Many teams have bad owners. And I ask that with all due respect. Too small and baseball-centric?
Sorry, but with all due respect this is not a valid argument for someone in LA,. Los Angeles, with all its people and all its resources, has lost 3 NFL teams to other cities.
-----------
Charley Armey was never given the credit he deserved for building GSOT. The Rams couldn't keep from stumbling over their own feet until he was brought in to right the ship
I'm a big Armey fan. He wasn't perfect, but he certainly had a very good batting average as Rams GM.
---------
Anyone going to the Legends of the Dome game on July 23rd? In what should come as no surprise, coach Mike Martz already is putting together his "game plan" for the Legends of the Dome game.
stltoday.com
**************************************************************************************
http://sports.live.stltoday.com/Event/NFL_chat_with_Jim_Thomas_18?Page=0
NFL chat with Jim Thomas
-------------------------------------------
Poll: Which NFL team will you follow in 2016?
Rams - 23%
Chiefs - 10%
Bears - 4%
Colts - 4%
Titans - 4%
Other - 15%
None - 41%
Hey JT would you say our projected OL is Grob Saffold Barnes Brown Havenstein? And who goes in first if Softfold goes down? Reynolds or Wichman?
I think that's how you have to read it at this point. I think Reynolds is the first o-lineman off the bench and Wichman the second.
-----------
What percentage do you see Nick Foles on the roster week 1
Zero.
-------
Rams drafted Sean Mannion in the 3rd Round last year- High IQ guy. I see more potential in him than Goff.
Mannion has a strong arm as well. He had the strongest arm among the QBs on last years team. He is very smart, but so is Goff who apparently scored very highly on the Wonderlic, The one thing Mannion doesn't have that Goff has is mobility, an important factor with a still developing offensive line.
-----------
Would you rather the Rams trade the farm for Jameis in 2015 instead of Goff in 2016?
At this point, I'd say yes.
-------------
I just really want the Rams to be bad. I want the media exposure to backfire and Goff to get bulgerized. Give LA some 2-14 football and let's see what fans stick it out
I'm sure your not the Lone Ranger here. And you just may get your wish.
-----------
Losing Daren Bates hurts. He was a productive back-up with solid special teams play.
It won't help. Although he occasionally committed the dumb penalty, he brought energy and an edge to special teams. Plus, he was a good dancer before kickoffs.
-----------
Does Higbee have any shot of beating out Kendricks?
No. But minus Jared Cook, Higbee should get some playing time.
----------
Another 7-9 season in store for the Rams this year. Good enough defense to keep us in games, lack of continuity on offense to sustain winning form.
The Rammies do seem to be stuck in that rut.
------------
Percentage that Fisher keeps his job winning 6-8 games next year?
If it's less than 8, I would say less than 50 percent. Then again, I thought that would be the case last season.
----------
Is there any truth to the rumor that in LA the daily surfer reports are more popular than updates on the Rams?
Appreciate the humor, but it looks like the LA area papers are giving the Rams a decent amount of coverage at this point.
-----------
Hey Jim if you had to pick a starter at FS right now who would it be out of Davis, Alexander or Bryant?
I thought Alexander improved a lot over the course of last season, and in the little bit he got to play last season in place of McDonald, he was surprisingly effective. Has good speed, and the potential to be a big hitter. I'm not exactly sure if he has the range to be a free safety, but I think it's worth a try.
----------
What's the odds Trey Watts finally makes the roster?
Well, first he's gotta get off the suspended list.
-----------
Is the LA nfl franchise going to learn the lesson that the Lakers are learning right now? It seems like free agents aren't going to come just for the address. If a team like the Lakers can't get stars in the door to even talk to them, what chance do the kroenkes have?
I think the dynamics are a little different in the NFL. Money always talks, but that being equal, most players do want to go to a place where they have a chance to win, get in the playoffs, have a chance at the Super Bowl, etc.
------------
I was born in 1994 and despite destroying my heart these past ten years, I am and will always be a RAMS fan. Regardless of where they play and how they do, this team has and will always provide me an outlet from the daily rigors of my life.
You are part of a generation that grew up with the Rams in St. Louis, so I get where you're coming from. Really all three of my sons _ages 28, 25, and 20 _ are kind of in the same boat. Were you old enough to remember the Super Bowl victory when it happened?
----------
Jim, how difficult has it been for you to interact with the Rams organization since they have moved to LA? Are the Rams blocking STL media from covering the team?
Not really too bad other than my inability to interview Stan Kroenke. Although I haven't tried recently, Kevin Demoff almost always gets back to me quickly. I was able to get special teams coordinator John Fassel on the phone for a draft story I did on the influx of Australian-born kickers and punters in the NFL. But the relationship certainly isn't the same now that the team is physically removed from St. Louis. Nor do I expect it to be.
----------
You know all those game-influencing calls that went against the Rams the last 5-10 years will start being called in their favor the next few seasons.
We'll see. For the most part, I'm not really into Oliver Stone theories.
-----------
What are you hearing about Tru being signed to a long term deal by this Friday's tag deadline? Is TJ McDonald going to attend camp?
I've heard no chance in hell on Trumaine Johnson being signed by Friday. Not sure on T.J. I will be in Rams camp for the first weekend of full-squad practices _ July 30 and 31st.
----------
If given the choice, which NFL franchise would you like to cover the most going forward?
I'm kind of intrigued by the possibility of moving around a little bit, and getting more of a feel for the rest of the league. Obviously, we will have budget constraints, but looking forward to seeing some Chiefs, Colts, Bears, and Titans as well as their opponents. And as I think I mentioned earlier, we will be covering the Rams home opener. In addition, I think plans call for me to do a Rams rewind - for lack of a better title - where I look at game tape from that week's Rams games and write an on-line only blog of what I see.
-----------
Who will be the special teams return man this year?
It should be Tavon Austin on punt returns. And as has been the case for the past several years, I think the Rams will look at several candidates for kickoff returns, but Benny Cunningham is always Mr. Reliable.
----------
I grew up an LA Rams fan, followed them to St Louis, and will follow them again in LA. I appreciate I am not alone, and do understand some fans resentment, but St Louis lost the Cards, wooed the Rams away from LA, and now feel spurned by another move. Not being a St Louisian (?), what's wrong with your market to lose two NFL teams? Many teams have bad owners. And I ask that with all due respect. Too small and baseball-centric?
Sorry, but with all due respect this is not a valid argument for someone in LA,. Los Angeles, with all its people and all its resources, has lost 3 NFL teams to other cities.
-----------
Charley Armey was never given the credit he deserved for building GSOT. The Rams couldn't keep from stumbling over their own feet until he was brought in to right the ship
I'm a big Armey fan. He wasn't perfect, but he certainly had a very good batting average as Rams GM.
---------
Anyone going to the Legends of the Dome game on July 23rd? In what should come as no surprise, coach Mike Martz already is putting together his "game plan" for the Legends of the Dome game.
stltoday.com
