RAM NOTEBOOK : Gary Says He’s Got What Knox Wants

Trade rumors abound. The coach says the situation at tailback is “still kind of a muddle.” But Cleveland Gary remains confident that he will soon solve Chuck Knox’s most pressing dilemma.

Gary, who was hampered by hamstring and knee injuries last season and has had similar problems this summer, made his first exhibition appearance Saturday night against Green Bay and managed only 16 yards in seven carries. He didn’t have much room to run, but did show a flash of speed when he went around end for an eight-yard gain.

“I’m not where Cleveland will be, but I felt good and competitive,” Gary said. “It was nice to get back out there and work on my timing.”

Gary’s hamstring is no longer a problem but he is nursing a sore knee, the result of an injury suffered in practice last week.

“Jackie Slater and I were making separate blocks and he rolled over on my knee,” Gary said. “It’s not a big deal, though. It feels pretty good today.”

Gary gained 808 yards and scored a league-leading 14 touchdowns in 1990, but will always be remembered for fumbling 12 times that season. Last year, he fumbled only once, but gained only 245 yards in 68 carries. Now, he’s determined to make a fresh start under a new regime, which he believes has given new life to an almost non-existent Ram running game.

“We’re getting more consistent, but this week we have to pick the running game up another notch,” Gary said. “Personally, I just want to get well and come back and do the things I have to do to help this ballclub win football games.

“The new atmosphere we’re in has everybody more focused. We’re all working in the same direction. The key is that everybody wants to win. Losing is getting old.”

Safety Michael Stewart signed a two-year deal Monday morning, ending a 36-day holdout, and made it to Rams Park in time for the afternoon practice. He seemed more upset with the NFL than Ram management.

“It’s just one of those unfortunate situations,” he said. “The way the system is set up now, it’s just one of those things you have to go through. It can happen to anyone who tries to get market value.”

Knox says it’s too early to tell whether Stewart will play in Thursday night’s exhibition against the Chargers at San Diego, but Stewart said there was “plenty of time” to get ready for the season opener Sept. 6 in Buffalo.

“I’ve stayed in pretty good shape,” Stewart said. “It’s a little hard to tell until you get out here and get the pads on and start running around, but I feel good.”

Stewart attended both exhibitions at Anaheim Stadium and said he likes what he has seen of the new, improved Rams.

“I had the chance to see the guys play and it looks like they’re having fun and enjoying themselves,” he said. “Coach Knox has come in and done a real good job. The players are confident. We’re all looking for a new start after last year and the guys are looking like that on the field.”

Rookie defensive tackle Sean Gilbert, who was listed at 315 pounds when the Rams drafted him in the first round, was told to report to training camp at 310. He’s now down to 304.

“Physically, I’m feeling pretty good,” he said, “but I want to make sure I don’t lose so much weight that I get weak. I want to keep my weight at the point where I still feel strong.”

Now that two-a-day practices are over, Gilbert doesn’t figure to have a problem maintaining, or gaining.

“Let’s just hope we don’t get to the point where I’m worrying about trying to keep it down,” he said.

Add weighty issues: Flipper Anderson, who had five catches for 128 yards in Saturday night’s exhibition, says he is heavier and stronger this year because of a program designed by strength and conditioning coach Chris Clausen.

“I’m playing better because I’m running my routes better than I ever have,” Anderson said. “I’ve put on some weight and I think that’s given me more confidence on those routes.”

You can go home: Linebacker Frank Stams, who was traded Monday to the Cleveland Browns, was born and played high school football, basketball and baseball in nearby Akron, Ohio.

“I lived about 30 miles up the road,” Stams said. “I went to Browns games as a kid and sat in the Dog Pound. It was fun.

“My brother and I own a house (near Cleveland) and I still have all my cold-weather clothes. I’m going to miss the winters out here, though. I know that.”