Little's brother is back from Iraq

[RamWraith]

By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
11/26/2006

Leonard Little's older brother, Army Sgt. Lamont Hughes, is back in the U.S. after a one-year tour of duty in Iraq. Hughes and several members of his unit will attend Sunday's Rams game against San Francisco at the Edward Jones Dome.

"I think 10 of them are coming," Little said. "They're all (stationed) at Fort Leonard Wood. I was sitting down with my brother at Thanksgiving, and they went through a lot of stuff over there. There's a lot of stuff that they're not reporting on the news that they went through over there."

Little said it was nothing for his brother to come across dead bodies while performing his main Army duty in Iraq. "Basically, what he did was he found roadside bombs and blew 'em up," Little said.

More soldiers from Hughes' unit will attend a Rams home game later this season. When Little found out his brother could watch some of the Rams' games on television in Iraq, Little began his ritual of saluting the troops after every sack.


Little is taking care of the tickets for the soldiers. He can afford to, more so than ever, after signing a three-year, $19.5 million contract extension Tuesday. Of that total, $9 million is guaranteed, mainly in the form of signing bonus and 2007 base salary. The way the deal is structured, Little will get $17 million in the first two years of the contract — '07 and '08 — which is roughly equivalent to playing for the franchise tag amount for those two seasons.

Two for Glover

After registering only 1 1/2 sacks in the Rams' first nine games, defensive tackle La'Roi Glover dropped quarterback Jake Delhomme twice last week at Carolina. It was the first multiple-sack game for Glover as a Ram, and his first since an October 16 game last season for Dallas against the New York Giants.

"I've always said they come in bunches," Glover said. "When you have an opportunity to get one-on-one (blocking) against a guy, you've got to take advantage of it. And that's what I've been trying to do here as of late."

Glover has 75 career sacks, ranking eighth among active NFL players.

Run or pass?

Coach Scott Linehan said the Rams checked out of about six running plays last week in Carolina, a game in which 41 of the Rams' 49 plays from scrimmage were passes, or attempted passes that resulted in sacks.

"It's a run-pass call in the huddle," quarterback Marc Bulger said. "I do it pretty much based on the (defensive) look. It's something we prepare for all week, and if I get that look, and I'm told to switch it to the pass, I do."

Linehan was roundly criticized for not running the ball enough in last week's 15-0 loss to Carolina. And it looks like there will be a different approach Sunday against San Francisco.

"I think this week, we might not have that (run-pass) option," Bulger said.

Even so, Bulger says the best way to prevent teams from stacking the box is to throw the football.

"If I can get some time back there, and make my throws and hurt them when they close the middle, then they have to get out of it," Bulger said. "The one way to fix it is to be able to throw the ball. That cures a lot of things in the run game."

Ram-blings

Offensive guard Adam Timmerman will wear a protective wrap to protect his bruised ribs against the *****.

— Rookie Mark Setterstrom is expected to start ahead of Adam Goldberg at left guard Sunday. Setterstrom hadn't even played in a game this season until the Carolina contest.

— After being hospitalized last weekend for the flu, workaholic offensive assistant coach Randy Hanson has been instructed by Linehan to drastically reduce the number of nights he sleeps over at Rams Park.

— Bulger is 22-6 as a starter at home, with a 99.5 passer rating (158.3 is perfect) in those games.

[UtterBlitz]

I am glad Little's brother has made it home safely. My brother has stopped talking to me which could mean he is thinking about extending again.

Why do you guys stop talking when a big decision is being made?

[RamsFanSam]

I am glad Little's brother has made it home safely. My brother has stopped talking to me which could mean he is thinking about extending again.

Why do you guys stop talking when a big decision is being made?

Usually because you ladies have already told us exactly what our decision will be.

[UtterBlitz]

Usually because you ladies have already told us exactly what our decision will be.

Could be Sam.

His wife told him that she would divorce him if he extended again so he may already have been told what to do. I sent him an email discussing the situation to which I got no response. I am sure that the money is hard to give up, but perhaps the wife is hard to give up also. I don't think she would follow through with her threat, but you never know.

[Rams4Life28]

Glad he made it back safely. I have so much respect for the people who are fighting for us

[ramsanddodgers]

Luckily my nephew came home from his tour unscathed, and his baby brother is to report to the MCRD on Jan 2 to begin basic.

I am not sure what it is in these youung men that calls them to serve our great country knowing they put their life on the line for us, but they do not get enough thanks and respect.

The younger of the 2 is a Rams fan so it is not as if they are brain dead!

RnD

GO RAMS!!

[RamFan_Til_I_Die]

Glad to see him home safe. I wish him and all our troops a safe return. Little's salutes mean so much more now that I know what they mean. Here's to hoping we see him average 2 salutes a game for the remainder of the season.