Fred Stokes

Defensive end Fred Stokes, who was presented with the opportunity to make more than $2 million this year, has agreed to leave the Washington Redskins and sign with the Rams today. Agent Jack Reale said he and Stokes, a former Ram, will fly from Atlanta to Palm Desert this morning to meet with Jay Zygmunt, Ram senior vice president, and Coach Chuck Knox to sign a three-year contract. "We have a deal," Reale said.

The fans, who came to watch the Rams, were booing. Nothing new, of course, but this was a little different. Referee Ed Hochuli turned on his microphone in the second quarter and announced: "Penalty on Los Angeles." In hindsight, 49er linebacker Gary Plummer said after San Francisco's 44-10 demolition of St. Louis in front of 59,915, "That was appropriate. "The fans didn't appreciate it, but that was right on: that's the way they played." It was ugly, Anaheim ugly.

The first audition for the job of becoming Flipper Anderson's partner at wide receiver goes to Nate Lewis, who will start Saturday against the Green Bay Packers in Madison, Wis. Several others will get a look. Chris Chandler will play the first half at quarterback. "Chris is throwing ball well," Coach Chuck Knox said. "When he was a rookie, (Indianapolis) won nine games. He's still young." * Defensive end Fred Stokes, a key to the Ram pass rush, has been rehabilitating his left knee.

In an apparent changing of the guard, Darryl Ashmore practiced at right tackle with the first-string offense Monday in place of 19-year veteran Jackie Slater. "If the season started today, the starter would be Ashmore," said Jim Erkenbeck, offensive line coach. "But it could be Jackie tomorrow. There's really only one job locked up on the offensive line right now, and that's (center) Bern Brostek."

Defensive end Fred Stokes improved his pay as a Plan B pioneer in 1988, and now after signing with the Rams in the early days of unrestricted free agency, Stokes has once again padded his bank account. Stokes earned $335,000 in 1992, but Friday he signed a three-year contract worth almost $4 million to leave the Redskins and play for the Rams. The Rams gave Stokes a $1.5-million signing bonus and will pay him $700,000, $750,000 and $800,000 in base salary the next three years.

Defensive end Fred Stokes, a key to the pass rush, has been hard at work rehabilitating his left knee. Stokes, who strained a ligament Friday, began stretching on Sunday and worked out on a stationary bicycle and in the swimming pool this week. Stokes, expected to be out three weeks, wouldn't commit himself to a return date. "Doctors and trainers look at a situation and set a certain period of time," Stokes said.

Defensive end Fred Stokes' wife, Regina, delivered Sunday night--a 7-pound 5-ounce boy, Landon Foster Stokes. And the Rams delivered on Monday, announcing they would pay Stokes even though he skipped most of Sunday's 40-17 loss to San Francisco at Candlestick Park to be with his pregnant wife at an Orange County hospital. The team said that Stokes would be paid because of the "special and unique circumstances involved."

In an apparent changing of the guard, Darryl Ashmore practiced at right tackle with the first-string offense Monday in place of 19-year veteran Jackie Slater. "If the season started today, the starter would be Ashmore," said Jim Erkenbeck, offensive line coach. "But it could be Jackie tomorrow. There's really only one job locked up on the offensive line right now, and that's (center) Bern Brostek."

Alongside ice castles, ice sculptures, ice-fishing shacks and instant ice coffee--just take a cup outside--this year's Super Bowl landscape is littered with wind-swept debris from the recent self-destruction of the Anaheim Rams football team. Thurman Thomas is here, a reminder of Ram draft miscalculations past. Thomas had this bad knee, the Rams insisted. They flunked him on his pre-draft physical.

Defensive end Fred Stokes, presented with the opportunity to make more than $2 million this year, has agreed to leave Washington and sign today with the Rams. Agent Jack Reale said he and Stokes, a former Ram, will fly from Atlanta to Palm Desert this morning to meet with Jay Zygmunt, Ram senior vice president, and Coach Chuck Knox to sign a three-year contract. "We have a deal," Reale said.

The first audition for the job of becoming Flipper Anderson's partner at wide receiver goes to Nate Lewis, who will start Saturday against the Green Bay Packers in Madison, Wis. Several others will get a look. Chris Chandler will play the first half at quarterback. "Chris is throwing ball well," Coach Chuck Knox said. "When he was a rookie, (Indianapolis) won nine games. He's still young." * Defensive end Fred Stokes, a key to the Ram pass rush, has been rehabilitating his left knee.

Defensive end Fred Stokes, a key to the pass rush, has been hard at work rehabilitating his left knee. Stokes, who strained a ligament Friday, began stretching on Sunday and worked out on a stationary bicycle and in the swimming pool this week. Stokes, expected to be out three weeks, wouldn't commit himself to a return date. "Doctors and trainers look at a situation and set a certain period of time," Stokes said.

Phoenix team owner Bill Bidwill's ultimatum that Coach Joe Bugel direct his team to nine victories this season or else be fired was obviously unfair. The Rams, after all, were scheduled to play the Cardinals only once this season. The best the Cardinals (4-8) can hope for now is falling one game short of Bidwill's goal, but on Sunday the Rams had Bugel looking like NFL coach of the year after taking a 38-10 nose-dive in Sun Devil Stadium.

Defensive end Fred Stokes' wife, Regina, delivered Sunday night--a 7-pound 5-ounce boy, Landon Foster Stokes. And the Rams delivered on Monday, announcing they would pay Stokes even though he skipped most of Sunday's 40-17 loss to San Francisco at Candlestick Park to be with his pregnant wife at an Orange County hospital. The team said that Stokes would be paid because of the "special and unique circumstances involved."

Fred Stokes hoped it could wait for the bye week. But it couldn't. Stokes, the Rams' starting right end, received permission from Coach Chuck Knox to miss Sunday's game against San Francisco to be with his wife, Regina, who had gone into labor. Stokes left San Francisco at 7 a.m. Sunday to be with his wife, who had been in labor since 3 a.m. He returned to Candlestick Park with two minutes left in the game after paying $3,300 of his own money to charter a plane to get back to San Francisco.

Defensive end Fred Stokes improved his pay as a Plan B pioneer in 1988, and now after signing with the Rams in the early days of unrestricted free agency, Stokes has once again padded his bank account. Stokes earned $335,000 in 1992, but Friday he signed a three-year contract worth almost $4 million to leave the Redskins and play for the Rams. The Rams gave Stokes a $1.5-million signing bonus and will pay him $700,000, $750,000 and $800,000 in base salary the next three years.

Fred Stokes hoped it could wait for the bye week. But it couldn't. Stokes, the Rams' starting right end, received permission from Coach Chuck Knox to miss Sunday's game against San Francisco to be with his wife, Regina, who had gone into labor. Stokes left San Francisco at 7 a.m. Sunday to be with his wife, who had been in labor since 3 a.m. He returned to Candlestick Park with two minutes left in the game after paying $3,300 of his own money to charter a plane to get back to San Francisco.

Defensive end Fred Stokes, presented with the opportunity to make more than $2 million this year, has agreed to leave Washington and sign today with the Rams. Agent Jack Reale said he and Stokes, a former Ram, will fly from Atlanta to Palm Desert this morning to meet with Jay Zygmunt, Ram senior vice president, and Coach Chuck Knox to sign a three-year contract. "We have a deal," Reale said.