Simmering Rams, Titans boil over
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Camp Day 13/early report)
The heat was up on the field and under the collar Wednesday morning, when the Rams and Titans practiced together. It didn’t take long for the unpleasantries to begin.
Cheap shots by Tennessee defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch (shown below, with shaved head) and defensive tackle Antonio Johnson set the tone early in what amounted to a full-scale scrimmage. When safety Calvin Lowry hit Torry Holt high, knocking off Holt’s helmet after a 15-yard catch, the intensity picked up even more.
Associated Press photo
And sure enough, skirmishes soon began breaking out. Rams wideout Reche Caldwell tangled with cornerback Cortland Finnegan and Rams tackle Mark LeVoir squared off with defensive end Sean Conover.
In the main event, Rams offensive lineman Adam Goldberg, having seen enough of Vanden Bosch’s tactics, decided to take action after Vanden Bosch clubbed Rams rookie guard Roy Schuening on the back of the head. They went to the ground, but no damage was done, and the battle was ruled a draw.
Afterward, Goldberg played down the set-to — at first denying (with tongue in cheek) that it even occurred.
“Oh, you have misinformation,” Goldberg said. “Just a lot of friendly competition. Things get heated; it’s hot out there and everyone’s trying to protect their own guys. Nothing serious. . . . Ninety-nine percent of the time (fights) are a waste of time. But you never know when that one percent is going to happen.”
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Coach Scott Linehan was diplomatic after the scuffles. “We can’t get to where we lose our cool out here; we’ll get rid of the extracurricular stuff,” he promised.
But he also understood, and seemed to like the way his troops responded. “It’s that time of year. Guys aren’t in very good moods out here,” Linehan said. “Tempers flare when you’re competing sometimes . . . and I like the way we competed.”
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Wednesday morning’s practice reportedly is the only one of the four the teams will share in full pads. So, Goldberg was asked, will that cut down on the acrimony. “No,” he said. “I really don’t think it will.”
We hear Ring magazine is hustling a reporter here.
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Wednesday’s second practice starts at 3:30. Two more workouts are planned for Thursday, at 8:15 a.m. (special teams only) and 3:30 p.m. All are free and open to the public.
All for now . . . more following the afternoon practice.
Hey thanks for making Vince look good. You guys should be excited that he will only play a series Sat…also our 1st string D. Tell Drew to stop spending all that money and catch a ball.
The problem is that when you have a BAD TEAM you can’t match the intensity of a COMPETITOR. You play in a sissy-slap, wrist tackle division. I love Chris Long and can’t wait to see him in camp today, but the rest of your team is a joke. Notice how VY is torching your bad D while he couldn’t do anything right against ours?
Who do you think will honestly make it back to the super bowl first…the rams or the titans? I think the answer is obvious.
Rams suck…..get ready to loose saturday pussies
News flash - if anyone still believes the misguided posts below, let me point to the on-field performance exhibited Saturday. 1) Yes, it’s hot in Nashville, and conditioning was an issue. Next year, Rams, stay home. 2) 340 yards rushing for the Titans is a bad day for the Rams, even in preseason - 33 for starter LenDale White on 6 carries, 70 for rookie Chris Johnson who exposed the Rams’ lack of defensive speed, and 115 for Quinton Ganther (whodat?), who won’t even make the Titans’ roster. The fact that the 4th back gashed the defense is a tribute to the Titans’ depth at O-line… there is a REASON that the Titans didn’t try harder to keep G Jacob Bell - he was expendable on the Titans. 3) Rams’ offense - I was at the game. Yes, the Rams look that bad - first team was worse than the second team. Bulger has happy feet. 4) The point - these scuffles showed the overall lack of toughness by the Rams. The Titans are nasty, aggressive, and intimidating - they are a pretty good NFL defense. Get used to it.