St. Louis Rams continue to make staff changes
The shake-up continues at Rams Park, with the most recent changes involving an overhaul of the scouting staff and the replacement of the team’s longtime security chief.
General manager Billy Devaney has let go three of the team’s eight field scouts — Cary Conklin, Dick Daniels and Mel Foels. Daniels, who has worked in the NFL for 41 years, had been with the Rams since 2000. Foels had eight years with the team and Conklin three.
“I gave it a year working with some guys. After the draft, there were some guys available that I’d worked with before and just decided to bring them in,” Devaney explained.
The new hires are Drew Casani, Joel Patton and Jonathan Gannon. Also, Brad Holmes was promoted from combine scout to area scout; Gannon is now the combine scout.
Former Kirkwood Police Chief Dan Linza has been replaced by Steve Miller as director of security. Linza spent 10 seasons with the Rams. Miller is a former member of police department at Lambert Airport.
“It wasn’t a reflection on anybody,” Devaney said. “But again, it was a chance to bring somebody in that I got to know since I’ve been here, and I just decided to make a change.”
Team photographer Bill Stover also has been dismissed. A replacement has not yet been named.
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Notes & quotes:
*WR Brooks Foster made a couple of nice catches at Friday’s practice. Foster was the Rams’ fifth-round draft pick last month.
*With Keenan Burton still nursing a hamstring injury, Laurent Robinson is working as the No. 2 wideout, with Tim Carter as the slot receiver.
*Seventh-round draftee Chris Ogbonnaya, an RB from Texas, got in some return work.
*CB Jonathan Wade appears to be getting comfortable in the nickel-back role.
*RB Antonio Pittman remains absent because of a family matter.
*DT Kirston Pittman (he’s no relation to Antonio) missed practice to get a second opinion on a heel injury.
All for now . . .
Brooks Foster is going to surprise some people if he can make the right moves, he showed a lot of skill in college when given the chance and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him become the #3 or #4 receiver.
I suck.
Maybe these new guys (scouts) can actually spot “real” talent. Those other guys didn’t have a clue. I guess they went to the “George Boone & Matt Millen’s” school of recruiting college football players. Or Scouting for dummies!!!!
Always enjoy the Tye Hill comment postings. I don’t know why, but I laugh every time… Thank you for the momentary bump in my flat work day.
Finally the team gets rid of that loser Bill Stover! If it wasn’t for his crappy photographs they would’ve been in the playoffs the past two years!
I believe Stover is the widow of the woman Leonard Little killed. I remember a couple of years ago that FSN Midwest did a piece about how the husband of the Little’s victim was the Rams main photographer and how we would take pics of the entire team except Little of course.
BRooKs WaS HeRE
I’m not sure you’re right about that. According to this SI story, Susan Gutweiler’s husband’s name was Bill Gutweiler.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writers/mike_fish/04/30/fish.little/index.html
If it makes you feel any better Tye, I always thought you did a great job covering me in practice.
Drew,
You give me too much credit. It’s pretty easy to cover someone who is always dealing with an injury. By the way, you suck too
No we aren’t going to sell the Rams…… no not at all,,,,,, oh i had my fingers crossed…….We miss you Georgia………
Drew Bennett doesn’t suck. He hasn’t played enough to qualify. He did steal enough money from the Rams to be considered a felon.
I am sorry to hear of Bill’s departure. He gave a lot of time and energy to his job and took pride in his position with the Rams. One of my favorite images of his is of Farr, Carter and Faulk celebrating in the Super Bowl season “arm in arm” with big smiles at an away game. It was a great icon of the specialness of that season.