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 David Peacock, a former top executive at Anheuser-Busch who is
leading the stadium team along with attorney Robert Blitz, told
reporters, "The Rams are our team. We believe with this kind of plan
the Rams will continue to be our team."
Blitz, who was part of the legal team that brought the Rams to St.
Louis from Los Angeles in 1995, said, "We will fight for what is
rightfully ours."
No representatives of the Rams were at the announcement, but the
team issued a statement: "The St. Louis Rams have worked for many
years with several agencies and commissions and their senior
management responsible for stadium facilities in St. Louis. This
includes multiple discussions with the governor's recently formed
NFL Task Force. We received the Task Force materials shortly before
the press conference. We will review them and speak with the Task
Force representatives."
 The stadium plan has been in the discussion stages since 2012, when
an arbitrator ruled that the Rams would be free to leave the Edward
Jones Dome after the 2014 season if the now 20-year-old stadium were
not among the top 25 percent of NFL facilities. - - -
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is listed as probable
and expected to play against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday despite a
calf injury.
Rodgers was a limited participant in practice Thursday, and coach
Mike McCarthy told reporters Friday, "Aaron Rodgers came through the
practice with everything OK. Feels good today. I feel he's going to
be available for the game."
- - -
Wide receiver Philly Brown is questionable for the Carolina
Panthers' divisional playoff game Saturday in Seattle.
Also listed as questionable are safety Thomas DeCoud (hamstring),
linebacker A.J. Klein (ankle) and cornerback Melvin White (ankle).
For the Seahawks, tight end Tony Moeaki is questionable with a calf
injury and safety Jeron Johnson is out with an elbow injury.
- - -
The Chicago Bears have requested permission from the Detroit Lions
to interview defensive coordinator Teryl Austin for their coaching
vacancy, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The Bears are seeking a new coach after Marc Trestman was fired in
the wake of a 5-11 season.
 - - -
Eric Mangini reportedly will interview for the defensive coordinator
position of the Washington Redskins.
Mangini, the former coach of the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns,
has spent the past two seasons as an assistant in San Francisco.
- - -
The NFL is investigating whether text messages were sent to the
Cleveland Browns' sideline during games this season.
Texting would be a violation of the NFL's rules prohibiting
electronic communication during games.
Cleveland.com reported earlier this week that some coaches late in
the season became angered when play calls were requested or
suggested via text from the press box by a high-ranking non-coaching
staff member.
- - -
[to top of second column] |
The New England Patriots signed starting safety Patrick Chung to a
three-year contract extension through 2017, according to reports
Friday.
ESPN.com reported the deal could be worth up to $8.2 million and
includes $3.4 million in guarantees.
- - -
Rob Konrad, a former Miami Dolphins player, survived a fall from his
boat and swam nine miles in the Atlantic Ocean before reaching land
in Palm Beach, Florida.
The U.S. Coast Guard said Konrad, a fullback for the Dolphins from
1999 to 2004, was on a fishing excursion from Boca Raton to Lake
Worth on Wednesday night when he fell overboard from a 36-foot boat.
- - -
The Nevada Supreme Court has upheld a jury verdict of more than $12
million against Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam Jones stemming
from a strip club brawl that led to the shootings of two security
guards in 2007.
In 2012, a jury awarded $11 million to paralyzed security officer
Thomas Urbanski and his wife and $1.3 million to fellow security
guard Aaron Cudworth.
The jury found Jones incited the riot when he threw hundreds of
dollar bills on the strippers as they danced, "making it rain."
- - -
Detroit Lions linebacker Tahir Whitehead was fined $22,050 by the
NFL for a shot to Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Cole Beasley's head
during their wildcard playoff game last weekend.
Dallas receiver Dez Bryant also was fined $8,628 for taunting in the
Cowboys' 24-20 victory.
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Jason Worilds was fined $10,000 for
punching Baltimore Ravens tight end Crockett Gillmore in the head at
the end of a play in the Ravens' 30-17 win (Editing by Gene Cherry)
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