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BY RANDY GARDNER

The Rams lose another one against the 49ers at home, but let’s look back what I wrote after the opening day debacle against Carolina.

In an earlier column I wrote that the Rams should not charge full price for tickets in the preseason, well they shouldn’t have charged full price for this game (the opener) either. The team hung in there during the first two quarters but just absolutely fell apart in the 3rd quarter. Wasn’t much better in the third quarter against the 49ers either, but it was a more exciting contest.

Marc Bulger better be glad that he signed that big contract before opening day because he was totally off all day long. This goes to prove that some of these guys really do need some time in the preseason. This includes Bulger and the receivers as timing is a huge issue in this league and today it was totally off opening day and only slightly better the next week.

We have talked about a healthy Orlando Pace in the past, but now we see how much of an impact he has when is gone. The offensive production totally fell off when he left the game with a right shoulder injury. This could cause a problem all year long for Bulger, because this is protection of his blind side.

How about Steven Jackson? Again a man who had no game time in the preseason and it showed. You have to take some hits in the preseason and get used to game speed. This was just a bad day all around and what could have made it worse was that the Rams on the last play of the game throw a long pass to Isaac Bruce who almost got his head knocked off. This reminded me of Aneas Williams a few years ago going out with a leg injury on a nonsense last minute play. All I can say, is “What the H#@l!

Will David Beckman Show Up in K.C.?
As the game gets closer, The Kansas City Wizards are getting nervous as David Beckham from the Los Angeles Galaxy is hurt. Will he play or not? That is the 30,000 seat question as the attendance has jumped from the usual 10,000 to 30,000 or more.

Will the fans that have already paid feel cheated as they make the trek to KC and him not play? Maybe not even be there. I talked this week to Wizards staff and they said whether or not if he plays, it will be a spectacle with that many people and the circus atmosphere on the Sept. 27. I would agree, there are several stars in this game including the great Landon Donovan. If you get a chance go to KC and see this one, take the kids and enjoy because it looks like it will be a few years before we see the MLS in the St. Louis area, perhaps 2009 or 2010.

What are your thoughts on Rick Ankiel, mine are kind of mixed as we find out more about the allegations of HGH. It seems like it is a fact that he did receive them back in 2004 before they were banned. The question is did he use them after the ban was in place. That is I think the only question. I do think that most people are questioning him but I don’t think the fans are as hard on him right now as if it were Barry Bonds or another big name star. I think we are all being homers as we enter this final race. What will you think if this is all true and he is taking HGH? Will be all be yelling like we have been about Barry with the asterisk next to his name. Rick said in a press conference that he has had a hard life both personally and professionally. I’m not sure how to take that, is it a small admission or what. To me that is no excuse at all, we have all had a hard life in our own terms but I guarantee you that most of you haven’t turned to an illegal substance to get by.
Only time will tell here.
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