Rams LB Gets More Than $5-Mil In Steroid Judgment

U.S. District Judge Rodney Sippel ordered a Florida supplements company, the Anti-Steroid Program LLC, to pay Vobora more than $5-million to St. Louis Rams LB David Vobora.

Vobora sued the company over what he said was a contaminated supplement that led to a four-game suspension by the NFL for violating its anti-drug policy. The player says he used the company's "Ultimate Sports Spray" in June 2009 without knowing it contained the banned substance methyltestosterone. His lawsuit accused the company of intentionally misleading him.

The judge's order includes $2 million for damage to Vobora's reputation...

Vobora was known before his Rams career as Mister Irrelevant 2008...
((HT: ESPN/NFL/youtube))


From Kathleen Nelson and Robert Patrick of STLToday:

"Vindication," Vobora told the Post-Dispatch. "That's the single word I'll continue to use. From the get-go, my lawyers and I were on the same page about that. Compensation was secondary. The number one thing was to right the ship and restore my reputation."

One of Vobora's attorneys, R. Daniel Fleck, said in a statement, "This judgment is believed to be the largest of its kind for any athlete who has been suspended from his or her sport because of a contaminated nutritional supplement. This case should be a warning to all supplement companies to improve their manufacturing processes and ensure their products are steroid-free."

Vobora claimed he followed all the steps through league channels to make sure he wasn't taking an illegal substance. The owner of A-SP, even went as far as to tell the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that there was nothing illegal in the spray Vobora used at the time of the athlete's suspension from the NFL...

Good luck with that one...

Tuesday Carousel: McDaniels To St. Louis, Samurai Mike TO Vikes

The St. Louis Rams hired Josh McDaniels as their new offensive coordinator.

The team announced the hire on its Twitter feed- OneRamsWay. McDaniels replaces Pat Shurmur who was hired as the new Cleveland Browns head coach.

Coach Steve Spagnuolo called McDaniels one of the top offensive minds in the NFL.

The HQ wonders if we'll get any of this...???

Because, after all, he's trying to win...
Ah well, you know the rest...
((HT: NFL/NFL Network/youtube))


Elsewhere, ex-San Francisco head coach Mike Singletary is joining former teammate Leslie Frazier on his staff in Minnesota.

Singletary told ESPN 1000 in Chicago during a radio interview earlier in the day he's coming to Minnesota. He'll be linebackers coach and assistant head coach...

He and Frazier were part of the "Monsters of the Midway" defense...
All that does is give the HQ the excuse to post DJStevePorter's "Press Hop 2"
((HT: DJStevePorter))

Reports: Pat Shurmur will end up in Cleveland

Pat Shurmur with the Rams/Courtesy: ramsgab.com

It should be a done deal by the end of the day today...Friday morning at the latest. Multiple outlets are reporting that Mike Holmgren and the Cleveland Browns have found their man. And he is Rams offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur.

Shurmur, who had a big hand in the development of Rams QB Sam Bradford this year is considered an up and comer. His family is widely known in NFL circles, his uncle being Fritz Shurmur, who worked for Holmgren in Green Bay and in Seattle.

More from Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer RIGHT HERE

Shurmur probably wouldn't be a bad pick for the Brownies, who despite getting rid of the Mangenious after the season, did show some potential signs of life in 2010. From QB Colt McCoy to a pretty good defense, the pieces are slowly coming together.

Apparently, most current coordinators in Cleveland are interviewing for other jobs, so expect Shurmur to bring in a lot of his friends when he's tapped for the job.

Kroenke Wants The Rams

Missouri billionaire Stan Kroenke has decided to exercise his matching rights clause and will try to purchase the remaining 60-percent share of the St. Louis Rams.

The surprise move was announced Monday by a Kroenke spokesman.
((Here's a copy of the statement...))

Illinois businessman Shahid Khan had reached an agreement-in-principle with owners
Chip Rosenbloom and his sister, Lucia Rodriguez on February 11th.
((Here's Khan's statement...))

But, Kroenke had 60 days to decide whether to keep his 40 percent stake, sell it, or exercise his right to buy the team outright. He did the latter...

Complicating the issue is Kroenke's ownership of the NBA's Denver Nuggets ((and the Pepsi Center)), and the NHL's Colorado Avalanche which run on Kroenke's Altitude Sports Network along with his MLS Colorado Rapids ((who play in a Kroenke-owned stadium)), and the MLL Colorado Mammoth ((who have one of the best sweaters in the business)). He is also close to a 30-percent owner of the Arsenal Football Club.

NFL rules prohibit cross-ownership in dueling markets, and Kroenke will have some decisions to make...

Here's how Fox2 in St. Louis broke the news...
((HT: KTVI-TV/Fox2Now))
 

Like a lot of professional sports franchises these days, there's a loophole in the Rams' lease. It allows them to move after the 2014 season if the Edward Jones Dome is not deemed among the top 25-percent ((or 8th-and-up)) of all NFL stadiums by various measurements... whatever those are...

The dome is becoming one of the league's older venues. The city's convention commission spent $30 million upgrading the facility before last season, installing new scoreboards and video boards and upgrading club seating. Next season they're due for a new grass field that can be stored and used in subsequent seasons, a major upgrade.

But would the Missouri-born Kroenke move the team, say, back to Los Angeles...???
Remains to be seen... but an interesting thought nonetheless...

Rams Sold....to KHAN!!!!

It appears that the sale of the St.Louis Rams will finally be taking place. According to published reports, Urbana, Illinois businessman Shahid Khan has a signed agreement to buy Chip Rosenbloom and Lucia Rodriguez's 60 percent stake in the team.

The story from STLToday.com RIGHT HERE

((Shahid Khan photo and illustration//Courtesy: St. Post-Dispatch))

Khan, who made his fortune as an auto-parts manufacturer, won't have 100% of the team. Billionaire Stan Kroenke still owns the other 40% as of right now. According to the report, Khan has the wherewithal to purchase Kroenke's stake as well, it is just not clear if Kroenke wants to keep it or not. Kroenke is unable to be a majority owner due to the fact that he also owns the NBA's Denver Nuggets along with the NHL's Colorado Avalanche and the NFL does not permit cross-ownership. He does however have the right of first refusal to purchase the other 60% if he can divest in the Denver teams or get the NFL to waive the cross-ownership rules.

Khan, who has deep ties to the Illinois area is said to be a huge Rams fan with no desire to see them play somewhere else. Which may, potentially put a stop to the rumors of the team heading back to there original home in Los Angeles.

Enjoy the only appropriate video clip we could find for this story. Thanks You Tube:

Limbaugh wants to buy the Rams...

Yeah, you heard that right. Rush Limbaugh along with long-time Sports Executive Dave Checketts want to purchase the St. Louis Rams. Betcha they can get a decent price for what may be the worst team in the NFL this season.

There are some good ideas out of this however. No, I'm not going to make any dittohead jokes or anything like that. Yes, I know he's said some not so good things that were insulting to some. Yes, I know he may be too flashy for the uptight owners in the NFL; but I don't believe that will be a hindrance. Though I don't care for Limbaugh personally, he probably would be a very good owner for the Rams. He's obviously a big football fan...even with the horrible Monday Night Football experiment; however the biggest reason is that he would keep them in St. Louis. He's from Missouri and is very tied into his home state. In these days of little loyalty and the chase for the almighty buck, he, I'm guessing would do whatever he could to try and make them competitive again.

Anyway, the story from STLToday.com HERE.

The Rams have been in a bit of turmoil since the passing of Georgia Rosenbloom Frontiere. The team is in the hands of her kids and dare we say it...have gone steeply downhill since that has happened. Who knows, the team is in what the NFL calls "Stage 2" of the sale process and there are mulitple bidders for the team, we will undoubtedly keep track of it now since there is now a famous albeit somewhat loud voice potentially attached to the team.

Here is more from our friends at KTVI-TV in St. Louis and APTV:

Those of us at OSG HQ figure he'll have half his brain tied behind his back as an owner just to keep it fair, and that anything he reads about his team will be held in his formerly-nicotine-stained fingers...

Carry on... but not before watching this... it's old, but it's funny...

The St. Louis Rams Are For Sale. Who's Buying

Chip Rosenbloom and his sister Lucia Rodriguez inherited the St. Louis Rams when their mother, Georgia Frontiere, passed away in 2008. Now they would like to sell their 60% majority ownership in the Rams. Forbes has the St. Louis Rams valued at $929 million. By the way, Stan Kronke owns the other 40% of the team but because his also owns the Colorado Rockies and the Denver Nuggets Kronke is prohibited to becoming majority owner due to the NFL's strict cross ownership policy.

Rosenbloom has hired investment banking firm Goldman Sachs to find potential buyers. That move seems to mean Rosenbloom is moving aggressively to sell even to non-local buyers.

All this has the city of St. Louis nervous about the future of the Rams. The city lost one football team, the Cardinals, back in 1988 and losing another would be a huge blow.

Someone with deep pockets could purchase the Rams and move the team is they so choose. Perhaps a Los Angeles billionaire could come in, purchase the franchise and move the team back to L.A.

What has been worrisome is no local investors have stepped up except one, Dave Checketts. Checketts put together a group to buy the St. Louis Blues hockey team and he is very interested in the Rams. In an e-mail communication with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Checketts wrote, "We have the ability to get this done and we have communicated this to the Rams. We approached this with the Rams months ago and have since that time put together a partnership of both concerned St. Louisans and outside capital."

"Last week, we communicated to Chip Rosenbloom in no uncertain terms, that he now has a clear St. Louis buyer. We are that buyer."

"We have reason to believe the NFL would approve our group as we have carefully explored their ownership requirements."

Of course Checketts would have to raise $450 to $500 million approximate to make that happen.

Bernie Miklasz column in Tuesday’s St. Louis Post-Dispatch lays it all out.

Photo Courtesy: Doug Benc/Getty Images

Monday Night Tackle Football Update

While the St. Louis Rams introduced Steve Spagnuolo ((pictured, thanks stltoday.com)) as their new head coach, the word "team" was implored a few thousand times during his press conference.

"I can tell you this," Spagnuolo said. "I was very blessed and humbled that I was able to talk to various teams throughout this process. What I was looking for in terms of a final decision was people. How it would be working with the people? It was a gut (feeling). I knew inside this was the right thing to do."

The rest of Jim Thomas' article from the Post-Dispatch is in black...

While on Long Island...
The New York Jets introduced Rex Ryan as their new head football coach.
The now-former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator takes over for Eric Mangini who takes over for Romeo Crennel who takes over for no one as of this posting.

Ryan, the son of former NFL coach Buddy Ryan, will be formally introduced at a news conference Wednesday at the Jets' facility in Florham Park, New Jersey.

"It's been a dream of mine to become a head coach in the NFL," Ryan said in a statement. "Coming here to the New York Jets, where my father once coached and was part of the Super Bowl III staff, is fantastic. I look around at the facilities and the people they have in place and see a first-class organization. I'm just proud to be part of it."

The Jets announced the hiring, but released no other details. The contract is for four years, a person with knowledge of the deal. The person spoke on condition of anonymity earlier Monday because the deal had not yet been announced.

The deal was finalized Monday afternoon after Johnson and general manager Mike Tannenbaum flew down to Baltimore in the morning to iron out the details, Jets spokesman Bruce Speight said.

"There is no doubt in my mind that Rex has the expertise and instincts to build on the foundation that we have in place and take this franchise to the ranks of the NFL's elite," Johnson said.

Ryan takes over a team that started 8-3, but missed the playoffs with quarterback Brett Favre after losing four of its last five games.

"I'm very much looking forward to meeting Coach Ryan," wide receiver Chansi Stuckey said in an e-mail to the Associated Press. "His reputation precedes him by the success that Baltimore has had, and I'm very excited to get started."

The Ravens' defensive coordinator the last four seasons is the twin brother of Cleveland defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. His Baltimore defense helped the Ravens to the AFC championship game and has been ranked in the top six in total yardage allowed the last four seasons under Ryan, including second overall this season while leading the NFL with 34 takeaways.

"I think it's a gain for them and a loss for us, but it's well-deserved," Ravens linebacker Bart Scott said. "It was a long time coming."

Pardon us here at OSG HQ if we reserve judgment as long as "4" is on an active roster...

Is Spagnuolo Ram Tough...?

Apparently...

Adam Schefter of the Shield's Network is reporting that New York Giants Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo ((pictured, thanks Bill Kostroun/AP)) will be taking over as head coach of the St. Louis Rams- replacing both Scott Linehan and Jim Haslett.

So much for that letter the players drafted for the front office, eh...?

From Schefter:

"The Rams have given Steve Spagnuolo a four-year, $11.5 million contract to be their next head coach. Spagnuolo has been the Giants' defensive coordinator for the past two seasons and directed a unit that helped lead New York to a 17-14 upset of New England in Super Bowl XLII.

In both of his seasons with the Giants, Spagnulo coordinated a top-10 defense. He was a defensive assistant in Philadelphia prior to his stint in New York.

The Rams have fielded some of the league's worst defenses since former defensive coordinator Lovie Smith left to become the Bears' head coach in 2004 and they hope Spagnuolo will solve those problems.

St. Louis has the second overall pick for the second straight year in the draft and has several young pieces in place, including second-year DE Chris Long, RB Steven Jackson and second-year WR Donnie Avery."

Those of us here at OSG HQ feel Spagnuolo will be paid very well to continue to lead a sub-standard product.

Sunday Carousel- Tackle Football Edition

Stop One: Cleveland

Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer lets us know that the futures of Browns GM Phil Savage ((pictured, thanks plaindealer.com)) and Head Coach Romeo Crennel are most likely done in Cleveland.
"The only way anything would happen tonight is if one of them forced the issue, a source said.

The Browns don't expect to hear anything from Crennel until he meets with Browns owner Randy Lerner, possibly on Monday. They are not certain if Savage will wait for a sit-down with Lerner to learn of his fate."

Crennel could be asked to stay on in some other capacity in the Browns front office. Savage, most likely, will be blown out unless he accepts a role where he would not have any final say on the 53-man roster.

Chris Mortensen, over at the four-letter, maintains Savage was fired over the phone by owner Randy Lerner already. Jay Glazer, over at Fox, says they're both gone.

The Plain Dealer's Tony Grossi has the line-up for Randy Lerner this week as follows...

Coach: Bill Cowher, Buffalo's Perry Fewell, Washington's Greg Blache, the Giants' Steve Spagnuolo
GM: Scott Pioli

Stop Two: San Francisco

Looks like Mike Singletary will get to keep his pants on for another few years.
We'll stick with Glazer again here...
Looks like a possible five-year deal for Samurai Mike. Mike Martz looks like he's out and Scott Linehan may be in.

Stop Three: Saint Louis

Is Jim Haslett the man or not...? The Rams players apparently drafted a letter for the front office maintaining their desire to have Haslett be the new head man.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes owner Chip Rosenbloom may have the letter in his hands sometime soon...

Thomas caught up with an anonymous veteran Ram about the whole thing...

"When asked if he thought the petition would do any good, the veteran player replied: "No. It's out of our hands. They don't pay us to make decisions on head coaches. But it's good for (Haslett) to know that we've got his back. All 53 players may not agree with it, but I think the vast majority wants this to happen."

Expect more fallout once the regular season craps out once and for all...

St. Louis Rams Fire Scott Linehan

A day after the St. Louis Rams suffered its 4th lobsided loss in a row, the team fired head coach Scott Linehan.

“I have enormous respect for Scott Linehan as a person and believe under the right circumstances he will be regarded one day as a fine head coach,” Chip Rosenbloom, owner and chairman of the Rams, said in a statement released by the team. “Unfortunately, the situation with the Rams as they exist today is no longer acceptable and we have to make a change."

“We do this with a heavy heart, and we thank Scott for his efforts and dedication on behalf of the Rams."

As of 4 games into his 3rd season as head coach, Linehan was 11-25 overall. This season St. Louis had been outscored 147-43 and 0-4 to begin 2008.

Linehan had tried to shake things up to right the ship including benching starting quarterback Marc Bulger, whose the highest paid player in franchise history, and replacing him with 38 year old Trent Green, who has a history of suffering concussions.

It didn't work as the Buffalo Bills clubbered the Rams 31-14 and that sealed Linehan's fate.

Jim Haslett will take over as interim head coach. Haslett has been the Rams Defensive Coordinator and also was the head coach of the New Orleans Saints before he was fired after the 2005 season.

Photo Courtesy: Getty Images