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.