Rams-Chargers on TV here? Probably not

[RamWraith]

By Bill Coats
08/13/2007 6:13 pm


The chances that Saturday night’s home preseason game vs. San Diego will be televised locally are dropping by the minute. More than 6,000 tickets remained Monday and if they aren’t sold by 7 p.m. Wednesday - 72 hours before kickoff – the NFL mandates that the game be blacked out here.

Team officials are saying privately that hopes for a sellout are virtually nil.

That might not be the case for the second preseason game at the Edward Jones Dome, though. A full house for the Aug. 30 contest vs. Kansas City remains a possibility.

***

The players were greeted with overcast skies and moderate temperatures when they hit the practice fields Monday morning. That came as a great relief after they slogged through a two-hour workout Sunday in 101-degree heat.

Coach Scott Linehan said he plans to hold all practices this week outdoors. That could change, of course, if the mercury soars too high. In general, a heat index of 105 or lower is considered acceptable for an outside practice.

***

You have to feel sorry for second-year linebacker Tim McGarigle, who spent his rookie season on the practice squad. After suffering a pulled hamstring on the opening day of camp, he finally got some meaningful work on the practice field Sunday. But the hamstring acted up again, and he was back on the sideline Monday morning.

“When you come into camp, you’re feeling excited, and the first day you have an injury that keeps you out for two weeks,” McGarigle said. “It’s really tough. But hamstrings are just one of those injuries that you can’t really tough out; that’s the bad part about them. You either can go or you can’t. It’s not like a shoulder injury or something. You’ve just got to wait it out.”

The wait is particularly difficult for McGarigle, who has watched undrafted rookie Quinton Culberson emerge as arguably the most pleasant surprise of camp. If Culberson makes the team, McGarigle might not.

***

Notes from Day 18 of training camp:

>>DE Victor Adeyanju is getting some work at tackle. The idea, Linehan said, is to increase Adeyanju’s versatility and give the team more options on the D-line, especially on passing downs.

>>Rookie CB Jonathan Wade probably hears secondary coach Willy Robinson’s voice in his sleep. Wade is getting a crash course from Robinson, who calls the third-round draftee over for consultation after virtually every play.

>>His new teammates are raving about what they see from DE James Hall, an offseason trade acquisition. He’ll start on the right side, opposite Leonard Little.

>>LB Jon Alston’s quickness and speed are striking. And he’s making rapid improvement in technique and positioning.

>>TE Aaron Walker is the emergency long-snapper behind Chris Massey. Given Walker’s less-than-sterling accuracy, Massey had better stay healthy.

>>The coaches are thrilled about LB Brandon Chillar’s progress. Chillar’s range is impressive, and he appears considerably more confident heading into his second season as a starter.

All for now…

[blood85]

Does anyone know if it will be televised on Sopcast (i.e. internet)?

[mikhal5569]

I don't get it, the game is going to be broadcast on NBC nationally. None of the preseason games I watched so far look like they have been sold out, but yet they are all televised. Why would NBC not air the program just because the game isn't sold out in St.Louis? Or can you only watch the game in St.Louis on local programming?

[supachump]

mikhal.. if it doesn't sell out then the game is blacked out only in St. Louis. So, NBC should still carry it if it is going to be a nationally broadcast game. It just won't be seen in St. Louis..

[Keenum]

According to http://www.myp2p.eu/NFL.htm, yes the game is on SopCast.

[RealRam]

A bit on 'off topic' (not really since it's part of the article) ... I'm hoping LB Tim McGarigle recuperates fully as I'm rooting for him to make the team, especially as part of ST but now I'm afraid that that stubborn hamstring may end up being a ball-and-chain burden and even clear the way for newcomer Quintin Culberson [???].

May the best man win. Get well Tim! :bash:

[BigGameMN]

The game is on CBS, not NBC.

The way the blackout rule works is that the game gets blacked out in a team's city and the surrounding areas if it isn't a sell out. So of course CBS still carries the game it's just the people in St. Louis that can't see it.

[TheBritishRam]

Wow, that blackout rule makes absolutely no sense, so the only people who can't see it are the ones who would really want to? The game will be on Sky Sports for people in Britain, i think its a 1am kickoff

[Flaw]

Can someone please explain the logic? I don't know much about this TV stuff or the "blackout rule." Are they punishing us for not buying the tickets? I don't get it. I thought TV was all about ratings, so you would think they'd want the Rams to be on. Or since the game isn't sold out, maybe they take it as there isn't enough interest and people won't watch it on TV either?

Oh well, if it's not on TV, I'll have to hit up the couch cushions for pocket change and head down to the dome.

[mikhal5569]

That rule is so stupid it's not even funny, but at least you guys in St.Louis can watch it on sopcast (only because it's being aired nationally on CBS.) But I guess this means if a home game isn't nationally televised and isn't sold out, than all of us end up getting screwed even if we could have used sopcast. Isn't that great?

[tomahawk247]

Wow, that blackout rule makes absolutely no sense, so the only people who can't see it are the ones who would really want to? The game will be on Sky Sports for people in Britain, i think its a 1am kickoff

Really? I will have to stay up and watch this then!

[81~BIG-GAME]

Really? I will have to stay up and watch this then!

Yeah it's on Sky at 1am I believe, will have to come home early from my saturday night out to catch it..

[BigGameMN]

The rule makes sense to me. What it basically says is that if your city doesn't care enough about the team to sell out the stadium then you won't be able to watch it on T.V.

Therefore if it looks like a game won't be sold out then some people who may have been planning to stay at home will go buy tickets because they know if they don't they won't be able to see it.

[prof22693]

So you guys in St. Louis can't just turn on CBS and watch it? This sounds strange for a nationally televised game..