Ronnie Jones

Ronnie Jones turned down an opportunity to stay with the Rams as an assistant coach, choosing instead Tuesday to become linebackers coach with the Raiders. Jones, who came along with since-fired defensive coordinator Jeff Fisher last spring to refashion the Rams' defense as linebackers coach, was told by new Rams Coach Chuck Knox last week that he would be retained on staff in some capacity if he found no other job.

Ronnie Jones, linebacker coach with the Rams, will join the Raiders in a similar role. Offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese is the only remaining member of former coach John Robinson's staff.

Ronnie Jones, linebacker coach with the Rams, will join the Raiders in a similar role. Offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese is the only remaining member of former coach John Robinson's staff.

Kevin Greene manages to incorporate the word "violent" into every other sentence. Even normally low-key Jerry Gray says he's "pumped up." The Rams began 1991 with six new assistant coaches and one radically different defensive philosophy. The players have embraced the new coaches. Of course, some have been hugging their playbooks, too. "One thing you have to do as a player is adjust to whomever is coaching you. You have to make the adjustment," Gray said.

Doug Chandler of Salinas won the national half-mile event of American Motorcyclists Assn. competition Saturday at Ascot Park in Gardena. Taking the lead from Chris Carr of Stockton on the 11th of 20 laps, Chandler stayed in front the rest of the way, while Carr slipped back to fourth place at the finish. The runner-up was Ronnie Jones of Oklahoma City, with Ted Boody of Sapulpa, Okla., finishing third.

A state trooper stopped a car for speeding and found 350 pounds of cocaine valued at $17 million behind panels in the trunk and under the seats, a spokesman said. Two men, believed to be from Chile, were arrested after the car was stopped Wednesday. Lt. Ronnie Jones said they would be booked later. Sgt. Jim McKenzie said the trooper was on his way to a police crime lab at the time. "He wasn't even on patrol," McKenzie said. The car was going about 75 m.p.h.

Chuck Knox, the new coach of the Rams, announced Friday that, as expected, four members of his former Seattle Seahawk staff were joining him. George Dyer, his defensive line coach, replaces Jeff Fisher, who was fired late Thursday as defensive coordinator. Secondary coach Rod Perry, special assignments coach Joe Vitt and running back coach Chick Harris all will assume the same jobs in Anaheim.

Ending two months of virtually nonstop hiring, the Rams Tuesday added two more assistant coaches--again selecting a former member of Buddy Ryan's Philadelphia Eagle defensive staff. Ronnie Jones, fired as the Eagles' linebacker coach last month, was hired as the Rams' linebacker coach, joining secondary coach Tom Bettis and defensive coordinator Jeff Fisher through the Philadelphia pipeline. Jones, 35, had been with the Eagles as strength and linebacker coach for four seasons.

Ronnie Jones turned down an opportunity to stay with the Rams as an assistant coach, choosing instead Tuesday to become linebackers coach with the Raiders. Jones, who came along with since-fired defensive coordinator Jeff Fisher last spring to refashion the Rams' defense as linebackers coach, was told by new Rams Coach Chuck Knox last week that he would be retained on staff in some capacity if he found no other job.

Kevin Greene manages to incorporate the word "violent" into every other sentence. Even normally low-key Jerry Gray says he's "pumped up." The Rams began 1991 with six new assistant coaches and one radically different defensive philosophy. The players have embraced the new coaches. Of course, some have been hugging their playbooks, too. "One thing you have to do as a player is adjust to whomever is coaching you. You have to make the adjustment," Gray said.

A barge carrying waste material for the Exxon Chemical Co. ruptured as it was being unloaded today, spilling up to 400,000 gallons of water mixed with lesser amounts of alcohol and oil into the Grand River, state police said. The barge owned by Palmer Barge Co. was carrying the waste for the subsidiary of Exxon Corp. when a tank in the barge buckled, releasing "300,000 to 400,000 gallons of combustible material," said Lt. Ronnie Jones of the state police. Jones said the company immediately placed booms in the river to contain the spill and sent cleanup crews from New Orleans to the swampy site, about 70 miles west of the city.

After losing three assistant coaches in the last two months, Raider Coach Art Shell hired former World League defensive coordinator Jim Haslett as linebackers coach Wednesday. Haslett, who played linebacker in the NFL for nine seasons with the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets, will replace Ronnie Jones, who is now with the Houston Oilers. Haslett, 36, retired in 1987 and coached linebackers for the University of Buffalo for three seasons.