The Rams have "had talks with UC Irvine officials about using the campus as a temporary training camp facility," according to Scott Reid of the ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER. Rams Exec VP/Football Operations & COO Kevin Demoff described the campus as the “main O.C. candidate.” He added that the Rams have also had talks with “other local universities about training camp.” Demoff said the Rams' goal is to "make a decision within the next 30 days.” Reid notes the team in previous seasons "has held its preseason training camp at Rams Park in Earth City, Mo., near St. Louis." The Rams also have "previously used Crawford Field on the UCI campus" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 2/12).
THE JERRY FACTOR: In St. Louis, Jim Thomas writes ESPN The Magazine's story about the Rams' move to L.A. by Seth Wickersham and Don Van Natta Jr. "provides rich behind-the scenes details of the NFL relocation vote," and it does "nothing to dispel the notion" that the NFL steered the Rams to L.A. It also does not discredit that NFL Exec VP/Business Ventures Eric Grubman "was pro-Inglewood and pro-Kroenke," and Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones "was a major player" in getting the Rams to L.A. -- and out of St. Louis (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPTACH, 2/12). Van Natta said, “We heard about a year ago that Robert Kraft was viewed by some as the co-commissioner. I think this episode it’s clear now that Jerry Jones is at the very least a co-commissioner, and, if not, has more power than even Roger Goodell. Jones called all the shots here." He added, "You can't overstate Jerry Jones' influence. He is seen as a visionary.” ESPN’s Bob Ley: “Jones emerges as a dominant figure coming out of it” (“OTL,” ESPN, 2/11). YAHOO SPORTS' Frank Schwab noted the ESPN report "makes it clear that he was the most influential of the league's owners in making sure" Kroenke's plan to move to Inglewood "was the winner" instead of the joint Chargers/Raiders project in Carson (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 2/11). In Dallas, Matt Mosley writes the report "gives a clearer picture of how vital" Jones was to the process. Jones "comes across like a veteran trial attorney," as he "pounced each time he saw an opening." While Panthers Owner Jerry Richardson reportedly "flew around the country trying to lobby for the Carson project on behalf of the Chargers and Raiders, Jones worked the phones from Valley Ranch" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/12).
CASTING CALL: ESPN's Scott Van Pelt said the "specific details and the power moves" detailed in the article are "fascinating to discover" and noted it "reads kind of like a film.” Chargers Owner Dean Spanos is in the “role of a guy who does everything right, appeases the old guard but loses in the end anyway." Van Pelt: "You feel badly for him, or as badly as you can feel for a billionaire who didn't get to move his team to Los Angeles. ... I wouldn't call Stan Kroenke the villain in this story. He’s just the type of man who probably hasn't been told he can’t do something he wants in business in a long, long time, if ever" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 2/12).
