Los Angeles Times - 27.08.2019

LATIMES.COM/SPORTS TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019D3

A guy who doesn’t even
play for the Indianapolis
Colts anymore has a gener-
ous offer for angry fans who
apparently bought season
tickets only to watch An-
drew Luck play.
Long snapper Matt
Overton, who is going into
his third season with the
Jacksonville Jaguars after
playing five seasons with
the Colts, posted a tweet
Monday morning “to any
angry Colts season ticket
holders who are seeking a
refund.”
“I’d be more than happy
to buy your season tix off of
you & donate them to @Ril-
eyChildrens patients &
their families,” wrote Over-
ton, who referenced making
regular visits to the Riley
Hospital for Children in his
goodbye letter to Indianap-
olis in 2017.
The 2013 Pro Bowl selec-
tion has posted a series of
tweets in support of Luck
since the quarterback sur-
prisingly announced Sat-
urday his retirement from
the NFL.

Overton’s most recent tweet came soon after Zak Keefer of the Athletic re- ported that fans were “call- ing Colts HQ today, de- manding refunds for their season tickets.” The Colts website lists season-ticket prices ranging from $448 to $2,648. And based on the boos that rained on Luck at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday night, there could be a lot of fans looking to be repaid for some very expensive tickets. Surely, Overton can’t be serious with his offer to buy

each and every one of them out. “I’m serious,” Overton tweeted.

Your favorite sports moment What is your favorite all-time L.A. sports moment? Email me to tell us what and why and it could appear in a future Morning Briefing. And yes, if your favorite moment is about the Angels or Ducks or a team just outside of L.A., we’ll count that too. Today’s moment comes from Jerry Chris of Mission Viejo: “When the 1984 Olympics were held in Los Angeles, I was a very fit [or so I thought] 35-year-old. The men’s bicycle road race took place in my hometown of Mission Viejo and it was announced in advance that the course would be pre- pared the day before — bales of hay on the downhill turns, etc. This was my chance to prove myself Olympics worthy. “After much training and with a great bike, I com- pleted ONE lap of the hilly

course in just over 50 minutes. Lying on my back, near death at the finish line, I could only dream I belonged in the real race. The next day, an American named Alexi Grewal won the gold medal by less than half a wheel with most of Mission Viejo screaming encourage- ment — the first ever Ameri- can to win the Olympic road race. His time: An AVER- AGE of 29 minutes over 12 laps. He averaged for 12 laps about half what I did for one. I learned a valuable Olympic lesson and experi- enced my greatest sports moment in L.A.”

Rickrolled You’d think Boston Red Sox fans would have been a little suspicious when they heard the opening notes of “Sweet Caroline” blasting from the speakers at Petco Park on Sunday afternoon. Why would the San Di- ego Padres staff play the Neil Diamond classic that inspires a mass sing-along during every game at Fen- way Park? And why would they play it before the bot- tom of the eighth inning, the song’s traditional spot

during Red Sox home games? Even if they were a bit skeptical of the hosts’ inten- tions, those loyal Red Sox fans just couldn’t help themselves and started singing along, with the giant video screens in the park showing them gleefully belting out their team’s theme song. But just when they were getting to the chorus — when they typically get to tell the world that they’re feeling “SO GOOD! SO GOOD! SO GOOD!” — something else suddenly appeared on the screens. Rick Astley, singing his 1980s hit “Never Gonna Give You Up.” Yep. They got rickrolled, which is a prank involving the unexpected appearance of the Astley song. So any Dodgers fans in San Diego for the series against the Padres that concludes Wednesday, let this be a lesson to you. If Randy Newman’s “I Love L.A.” starts blasting through the Petco Park speakers, don’t get sucked in. Or else you might find yourselves rickrolled as well.

MORNING BRIEFING

Sounds like this former Colts player just snapped

ANDREW LUCK’S retirement has some Colts fans in an uproar.

Michael ConroyAssociated Press

By Chuck Schilken
and Houston Mitchell

The reunion began with a
connection, quarterback to
wide receiver, which is the
way it works in football.
On and off the field, ap-
parently.
Shortly after Dontrelle
Inman was granted his re-
lease by the New England
Patriots on Aug. 18, he heard
from Philip Rivers.
Four days later, Inman
was practicing with the
Chargers.
“Phil made it a lot easier
for me,” he said. “He called
me, texted me, like, ‘Come
on home now. You’ve been
gone for too long.’ It was
good to have that feeling of
being wanted.”
Inman spent parts of four
seasons with the Chargers
before being traded to Chi-
cago in October 2017. He re-
signed last week and is ex-
pected to be a part of the
wide receiver rotation. He
said he spoke to two other
teams, and it’s known that
he had a visit with and an of-
fer from the New York Jets.
But his relationship with
Rivers sealed matters.
In 41 games as a Charger,
he had 107 receptions for
1,463 yards and seven touch-
downs. “He knows he can de-
pend on me to make the
play,” Inman said of Rivers.
Inman said he also heard
from Rivers during the off-
season before he opted to
sign with the Patriots. In
New England, he was proj-
ected to be a possible re-
placement for Chris Hogan,
who moved on to Carolina.
But things weren’t work-
ing out with the Patriots and
Inman asked to be released.
Now 30 and entering his
sixth season, he explained
that it was time to seek an-
other opportunity.
“At 24 or 25, it’s easy,” In-
man said. “You grind it out.
You do whatever you got to
do. But when you become a
veteran, you have more op-
tions. It was a mutual deci-
sion, and it worked out.”
The Chargers like In-
man’s route running and his
understanding of the of-
fense. He was part of a simi-
lar system last year with In-
dianapolis. In nine games
with the Colts, he had 28
catches for 304 yards and
three touchdowns. He was
productive in two playoff
games, totaling eight recep-
tions for 108 yards and a
touchdown.
“I can come in and help
this team win, especially
since Tyrell [Williams] left”
via free agency, Inman said.
“It worked out well. I knew
this was a great opportunity.
This ended up being one of
those things where it felt like
family.”

No Luck for Colts

No opponent will be more
immediately affected by An-
drew Luck’s retirement
than the Chargers, who open
the season Sept. 8 against
Indianapolis in Carson.
Coach Anthony Lynn

said he learned of Luck’s de- cision in the locker room Saturday before the Char- gers’ exhibition game against Seattle. “Andrew’s a franchise quarterback,” he said. “We’re going to miss him. I’ve known of this young man since he was in high school. He’s a great person, comes from a great family. “It’s just a shame that in- juries caught up with him and he had to retire so soon. I’m sure he’s doing what’s best for himself and his family, and I wish him all the best.” With Luck gone, the Colts will turn to Jacoby Brissett, who is entering his fourth season and has 17 NFL starts. He started 15 games in 2017 when Luck was out because of a shoulder injury, going 4-11. The previous year he started twice for New England in place of an in- jured Tom Brady. “It’s going to be a chal- lenge,” Lynn said. “They’ve got a lot of good things going for them. ... “That was one of the hottest teams last year at the end of the season. It was more than just one man, though. That’s a good football team.”

Starters to sit Most of the Chargers’ starters will not play Thurs- day in the final exhibition at San Francisco. Lynn suggested some of his younger offensive line- men, such as Trent Scott and Forrest Lamp, would receive some snaps. Rookie safety Nasir Adderley, a second-round selection, is expected to make his first appearance after missing most of training camp because of a hamstring injury. Another draft pick, Trey Pipkins, is expected to play as the Char- gers try to accelerate his progress. Pipkins, an offensive tackle, was taken in the third round out of Sioux Falls. “Trey’s getting better,” Lynn said. “His technique, his fundamentals. He’s com- ing along just fine. But I want to see him maybe get an opportunity against some starters in this league and see how much he’s de- veloped. He won’t get that opportunity Thursday night, but maybe down the road.”

Etc. Safety Roderic Teamer, who is vying for one of the final roster spots, missed Sat- urday’s game because of a sore hamstring. Lynn said he is fine. ... Lynn on running back Troymaine Pope: “He’s making plays. He’s not making mistakes, and he’s showing special-teams val- ue. Exactly what you want in a young player.” ... The Char- gers will practice again Tuesday before departing for the Bay Area on Wednes- day.

CHARGERS REPORT

Rivers, Inman

connect again,

first over texts

By Jeff Miller

roster spots. Next Saturday, when NFL franchises have to trim their rosters to 53 and select 10 more for practice squads, any of the four could make the club. Any of the four could be released too. “You build relationships with a lot of these guys that unfortunately won’t make the team,” coach Sean Mc- Vay said. “It’s never fun.” Yet, it’s an inevitable part of the preseason process. Deayon knows the drill well. The 5-foot-9, 159-pound cornerback from Fontana snagged a spot on the New York Giants practice squad after going undrafted out of Boise State in 2016. He made the team and played four games each in 2017 and 2018, but was waived last October. This preseason, he’s vying for one of Los Angeles’ last cornerback spots, again fac- ing unclear odds leading up to cut day. “You’re constantly learning so much,” he said. “Now, it’s more, what can I work on today? What can I do today? Now, it’s more looking in- ward.” What Deayon’s career has lacked in glamour it’s made up for in longevity, helping him grow the non- profit lifestyle brand he and his college teammates started. The group is called Goodeatz, a name derived from football slang — ‘I’m out here eating on the field,’ Deayon explained, “ ‘Yeah, that’s a good eat.’ ” — that carries out a meaningful mission, organizing every- thing from football camps to lifestyle seminars for kids from his community. “I always knew I wanted to do something outside of football that still incorporates a team — that chemistry, that bond, that grit — with other people I know that are like- minded,” he said. Staying in the NFL would help expand the brand. To do so, he’s had to learn mul- tiple secondary positions in a new defense. Four years as a pro have taught him to adapt. “Mentally, you can slow things down,” Deayon said. “You know what you can control now, you know your situation. You know the op- tions. So you can mentally navigate that when you get

older.” Hodge, who appeared in 14 games and caught two passes for the Rams last season, also has an interest outside of football. The athletic 6-foot-2, 205-pound wideout is an aspiring model, a pas- sion planted when his mom would make him pose for pictures as a kid. “I always had a little per- sonality in front of the cam- era,” he said, flashing a mil- lion-dollar smile above his manicured beard. His heart, however, still belongs to football. His In- stagram reads like a calen- dar. Artsy images of him on sandy beaches or dressed in sleek blazers were replaced by action shots on the grid- iron once the preseason began. “There’s no telling how things are going to go,” said Hodge, whose best chance to make the roster might be as a depth receiver filling a special-teams role. “This year, I’ve been more pre- pared, knowing the play- book, knowing more positions. Whenever time pre- sents itself, I’ll be ready.” Williams’ path to the Rams has been more circu- itous. As a sophomore walk- on at Alabama Birmingham in 2014, the cornerback com- piled 23 tackles, six pass breakups and an intercep- tion. Then, the school folded the football team. “It was gone,” he said. “And you didn’t know when it was going to come back.” Rather than take an offer to start over somewhere else, Williams decided to wait to see if UAB’s program would be saved. Instead, he went two years without playing a game, picking up a string of oddball jobs, in- cluding delivering flowers. When UAB football was finally revived in 2017, a moti- vated and more mature Williams flourished. He started every game, led Con- ference USA with five inter- ceptions and was named a first-team All-American by Pro Football Focus. Still, he went undrafted last year, played three games with the Baltimore Ravens, then was waived and acquired by the Rams in mid-October. Now, he’s also in the thick of the backup cornerback compe- tition.

“My whole life has been [as an] underdog,” Williams said. “Barely making something, barely making it somewhere, saying that you can’t — that’s life to me. I’ve never been the top dog.” Greene is new to this world. In his first NFL preseason, the rookie experi- enced a homecoming of sorts at the Coliseum on Saturday. The Gardena na- tive spent the first four years of his collegiate career at USC, originally as a quarterback before switching to receiver. But when the former three-star recruit never be- came a starter with the Tro- jans, he transferred as a graduate student to Utah State last season and made 44 catches for 689 yards and six touchdowns. He went undrafted and was picked up by the Rams only after an impressive spring workout. He’s hoping he won’t have to leave Los Angeles again to prolong his football career. “Every undrafted guy will tell you this: When you don’t get that call after the draft, for weeks you’re like, ‘Damn, what’s next?’ ” he said. “Then to get the call from my hometown [team], that was a blessing.” Most players in his posi- tion, though, are often cursed by the cut list. Often, treating practices like prime-time games and ap- proaching preseason con- tests with the intensity of a Super Bowl — to put film on display for the NFL’s other 31 teams as well — isn’t enough. The pressure of a roster bat- tle will turn only a handful of players into members of NFL teams. The biggest thing that Greene, Hodge, Williams, Deayon and the dozens of other Rams players in dan- ger of being cut have in com- mon: learning to cope with the uncertainty. “Whether you’re Taylor Rapp, the first guy drafted [by the Rams in Round 2], or me, the last guy brought in off a tryout, we’re all here for a reason,” Greene said. “In a perfect world, they’ll assign me to the 53. All I know is, at the end of the day, I can control what I put on film. Make sure that, if they do let me go, it’s a tough deci- sion on them.”

RAMS’ KhaDAREL HODGE, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound aspiring model, could make the final 53-man roster as a depth receiver filling a special-teams role.

Mark J. TerrillAssociated Press

Vying for a few spots

[Rams,from D1]

The fourth NFL preseason game is the last chance for players to im- press coaches and make a roster or practice squad, or at least put another performance on their resume. That will be the case for Rams players Thursday night against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Two days later, the roster will be cut from 90 players to

NFL teams can then sign
as many as 10 players to their
practice squad.
Several Rams veterans
used the final preseason
game to make practice
squads as rookies.
In 2016, defensive lineman
Morgan Fox was an un-
drafted free agent from Col-
orado State-Pueblo. In the
final preseason game
against the Minnesota Vi-
kings, he played 50 snaps on
defense, and had two sacks
and two quarterback hits.
“It’s kind of that last day
to show what you’ve got and
what you learned, and kind
of build on all the bricks
you’ve laid during the pre-
season,” Fox said Monday.
“You get the most reps dur-
ing that game, so you really
get to kind of show out.” Fox
did not make the roster, but
he was eventually activated
from the practice squad and
played in four games. He
played in every game in 2017,
and then suffered a major
knee injury during offseason
workouts, sidelining him for
all of last season.
Now he is back and re-
garded as a valuable rota-
tional player.
In 2015, cornerback Troy
Hillwas trying to make the
Cincinnati Bengals as an un-
drafted free agent.
In the preseason finale
against the Indianapolis
Colts, he played 45 snaps on
defense and 13 on special
teams.
“For the most part, I was
in there the whole game,” he
said.
Hill made the practice
squad and was eventually
activated for a three-game
stint. After he was waived,
the New England Patriots
claimed him. But he was
quickly released and
claimed by the Rams. He has
been a valuable special-
teams player, backup and
spot starter since.
Hill said he would always
remember his final pre-
season game as a rookie.
“It all plays a part in what
they assess,” he said. “Every-
thing matters.”

Happy to sit out Like nearly every Rams starter, running back Todd Gurleyhas been held out of preseason games so that he will be physically sound for the Sept. 8 opener against the Carolina Panthers. Gurley also continues to be given a lighter workload during practices, and on some days he is held out of those as the Rams manage the load on his left knee. Do friends on other NFL teams wish they did not have to play in preseason games? “Yeah, I call them all the time and tell them I had an off-day and they’re like, ‘Man, we just practiced for three hours,’ ” Gurley said. “I got a lot of friends that play in the preseason, so I’ll check up on them and see how they’re doing, how their preseason goes. “But yeah. They defi- nitely wish they weren’t playing, for sure.”

Etc. Linebacker Troy Reeder was fined $10,527 for an un- sportsmanlike conduct pen- alty in the preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys. Reeder was ejected from the game after a hit on quarterback Cooper Rush. ... Defen- sive lineman John Franklin- Myers, who had been slowed early in the preseason because of a foot injury, had a sack in Saturday’s victory over the Denver Broncos. Coach Sean McVaysaid it was Franklin-Myers’ best performance of the preseason. “He was able to push the pocket consistently, played physical against the run,” he said. McVay also said that Fox had his best preseason performance, and defensive lineman Tanzel Smartalso played well.

RAMS REPORT

Finale a

bubble

burster,

or maker

By Gary Klein

Los Angeles Times - 27.08.2019

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