RAMS DRAW 2,500 FANS TO OPEN PRACTICE

About 2,500 fans showed up at Lindenwood University's Hunter Stadium on Sunday to cheer on the Rams in their final practice before training camp begins next month.

As the buses pulled up to drop off the players and coaches, fans cheered, including several who bolted out of their spots in concession stand lines to catch close-up glimpses of the team. During practice, the crowd reacted loudly to anything slightly compelling, and afterward they lined the fences to snag autographs. Some didn't even care if they asked the wrong player to sign jerseys. For instance, quarterback Trent Green signed at least four Kurt Warner jerseys.

"I think the players looked forward to coming out here. I know I did," Rams coach Mike Martz said. "It's fun to be around people who are excited about you, and it always picks the tempo of practice up."

Martz said he plans from now on to make the final minicamp practice each offseason open to the public and free of charge. Next year, the difference will be the location. Martz said he would have liked to have had the open workout at the Trans World Dome, but by the time he tried to schedule the event there, the Dome already had been booked.