St. Louis Shows Its Spirit In Supporting Rams

NFL training camps

The honeymoon officially began Monday for the St. Louis Rams, who got a police escort to their first training camp workout.

Authorities were stopping traffic to let the team’s three buses pass unimpeded on the mile or so route from Maryville University, the permanent camp site, to Parkway Central High School, the substitute site for the first four days. It was like being in a parade as blocked drivers enthusiastically waved them on, happy to be a small part of the Rams experience.

“In L.A., when you’re stopping traffic, people are flipping you off and you know, ‘Get out of the way,’ blowing their horn,” linebacker Roman Phifer said. “Yeah, this is something I could get used to.”

Wearing everything from swimsuits to business suits, 3,000 fans showed up to view the team’s first practice.

Aikman dodges confrontation

Troy Aikman, one of the Cowboys’ most valuable players, was their most vulnerable player on the practice field in Irving, Texas.

That was apparent after an incident in which police arrested a distraught woman at the Dallas’ training facility and charged her with criminal trespass. The woman scaled a black chain-link fence surrounding the team’s practice field, slipped past security personnel and confronted Aikman as Cowboys players prepared to run wind sprints.

Police arrested Linda Oxley of Fort Worth and charged her with criminal trespass after she approached Aikman on the practice field. The woman, who was unarmed, did not appear to make contact with Aikman.

Dolphins off and running

In a celebration of July, coach Don Shula opened the Miami Dolphins’ training camp in Davie, Fla., with his traditional timed sprints - three sets of 300-yard shuttles.

The only players required to be in camp were rookies, but everyone showed up to get a jump on the season. Veterans are not required to report until Wednesday evening.

“All of the veterans made the decision to report. I’m happy about that,” Shula said, adding the extra couple of days of practice would allow him to give the players a day off later on.

49ers commence title defense

With Steve Young and Jerry Rice leading a group of early reporting veterans, the San Francisco 49ers put their Super Bowl title behind them and began seeking another with their first workout in Rocklin, Calif.

“Yes, we won the Super Bowl. But some people say, ‘Are you guys satisfied?’ We’re not satisfied,” said linebacker Lee Woodall, who was among the veterans in camp three days before the team’s first scheduled full-squad workout on Thursday.

“We want to win another one. That’s the desire that this team has, to win a championship, to be where we were last year, to do it all over again.”

Jaguars’ Boselli injured

Tony Boselli, selected second overall in the NFL draft by the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars, sprained his left knee during training camp in Stevens Point, Wis.

The 6-foot-7, 323-pound offensive offensive tackle went down during a one-on-one drill against defensive lineman Jeff Lageman.

Boselli, 23, was carried off the field in a cart, and later underwent an MRI at St. Michael’s Hospital.

Back in black

The soon-to-be Oakland Raiders began preparations for their first season back in the Bay Area with a closed workout at their headquarters in El Segundo, Calif.

For more than 80 players, it was a chance to meet and talk with new head coach Mike White, a former assistant, who replaced the fired Art Shell.

Pro Bowl receiver Tim Brown applauded White’s introduction of a new playbook, which features more timing routes for pass receivers and many shorter routes.

“I feel we finally came from the ‘60s on a quantum leap to the ‘90s,” Brown said.

“What we’re going to do is no different than what you’re going to see the 49ers running, or the Cowboys running … all the teams with good offenses are running this kind of timing offense.”

Extra points

The San Diego Chargers signed former Washington State University defensive tackle Don Sasa… . St. Louis signed first-round pick Kevin Carter, a defensive end from Florida, to a six-year, $10-million deal. … The New York Jets signed their first round draft pick, former Penn State tight end Kyle Brady, to a four-year, $5.035 million contract.