SAN DIEGO GETS DISSED: The Chargers don’t think it’s possible to get a stadium plan on the ballot in San Diego prior to Dec. 15, a month before the NFL’s current deadline for teams to file for relocation, and the team, in so many words, said thanks, but no thanks in a statement issued Tuesday. Perhaps even more revealing was the last paragraph of the team’s statement, pointing out that they’d keep talking up to the special owners meeting on Aug. 11, a meeting that “may provide important information about what is likely to occur during the remainder of 2015.” Circle that date on your calendar; we may have an answer on the league’s future in Los Angeles that day.
Rise ‘n Grind: Are the Chargers done with San Diego?
Lots of NFL-to-Los Angeles news to digest this morning.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
IS THERE ANY HOPE?: The stadium situation in San Diego is complicated. The team’s been pushing for a downtown venue, heavily financed by the taxpayers, for several years now. That may not be possible, but a range of other options are. It may be too little, too late with competing stadium projects in Los Angeles.
JUST VISITING: The St. Louis (?) Rams announced their training camp dates on Tuesday, and it included a significant cutback in the number of open practices available to fans in St. Louis, because the team’s shuffling off to Oxnard, Calif., for joint practices with the Cowboys starting on Aug. 17. But don’t worry, head coach Jeff Fisher says that’s totally unrelated to the team’s interest in relocating back to Los Angeles. Interestingly enough, the team’s last open practice in St. Louis is Aug. 11, the same day of the special owners meeting focused resolving the L.A. situation.
BRADFORD WILL BE READY: Sam Bradford says he'll be ready to go when training camp rolls around at the end of next month. He better be since he's the closest thing to a franchise quarterback the Eagles have right now.
GOOD DEAL: Question: How do you know if the player your team just signed to a hefty contract extension is worth it? We have a three-point scale for determining an answer to that question.
THE YOUNG FOLKS: These kids today! The 49ers have invested in figuring out the best ways to reach the Millennials in their locker room, and they’re seeing results. Kevin Clark at the Wall Street Journal takes a closer look in one of the more fascinating offseason pieces you’ll read this summer.
STOLEN RING: Wait, Brandon Spikes’ Super Bowl ring, the one on eBay, was actually stolen?
THE STARTER: It’s official. Lovie Smith says Jameis Winston is the Buccaneers’ starting quarterback -- duh.
THEY’RE HERE: Michael Bennett and Bruce Irvin joined the Seahawks this week for minicamp.
PLAYOFFS: Matt Ryan says the Falcons can make the playoffs this year, which is a good thing to say. They almost made it last year in an ugly NFC South race. Also, Ryan has a pet mouse named Squeaks.
FORD TOUGH: Lions owner Martha Ford spoke with the media this week. Why is that a big deal? Because she’s NEVER done that before. Imagine if owners really were held to the same standards as the league’s players.
See More:
