Training camp headlines 8/2

The Rams began scrimmage at 9:50 this morning. Hope everybody up there got word about the schedule change...

* Steven Jackson holdout, day 9. Jackson's potential fine at the end of today will be $135,000. That's just short of what it would take him to buy a new Winnebago Adventurer and drive around Mequon in style...

There's also some confusion now on what date Jackson could lose a year of free agency. August 8, 30 days prior to the Rams' season opener, has previously been reported as that date, but the NFL season starts September 4 in the Meadowlands, so the date may actually be August 5. Either way, odds are we'll finally hear from Jackson sometime next week...

* Best news of training camp so far. Bill Coats blogs that Chris Long has "improved noticeably" since arriving in camp. Huh, I thought all these two-a-days were supposed to be useless wastes of time that only get guys injured. Anyway, this sure stokes the fires of those of us hoping Long will contribute right away, which is looking like a good probability...

* Injuries easing some. Tye Hill, Drew Bennett, Brett Romberg and others were back in action yesterday after missing some time with minor injuries. Then again, Dan Kreider is out now due to a knee problem, and Justin King is missing some time due to tight hamstrings...

* Why NFL refereeing still sucks. Never mind that the league itself appears to think Jeff Triplette's crew is one of the league's best. Members of that very crew were in camp yesterday to go over this year's "points of emphasis", which includes everybody having their chin strap fastened every play.

Yes, in a league where there's still too many dirty hits, too many quarterbacks getting roughed, too much offensive and defensive holding, and where half the crews have little or no idea what pass interference should be, this year, the NFL is going to crack down on unfastened chin straps.

The specter of a long and/or game-winning play getting called back because somebody not even in the play didn't have his chin strap fastened looms...

* Bulger goes deep? The highlight play of Friday's practice, according to Nick Wagoner's blog, was a deep pass down the sideline, not from, but to, Marc Bulger, thrown by fullback Russ Weil. Hey, that's what the article/entry said. So this may be the one trick play the Rams run next season. Hopefully it does better than last year's version, a flea-flicker play for Jackson seen in practice that only went for one yard when it was attempted in the regular season...