PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Joke on a Box Makes for Big News

Fox TV’s NFL pregame show broke the big news Sunday morning: Boxes had been spotted in the Rams’ scouting department and they were addressed to St. Louis.

And now the rest of the story . . .

There were three boxes there, all right; three boxes of 1988 college media guides that were going to be thrown out or given to some sports collector. As a joke, someone with the team had written on the boxes: “St. Louis Rams.”

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, meanwhile, reported Sunday the Rams have a deal in place with St. Louis, and the announcement could come as early as Monday. An ESPN camera crew arrived Monday at Rams Park, but left without hearing any such announcement.

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Wide receiver Flipper Anderson, who becomes a free agent at season’s end, said he’s tired of losing, but it won’t necessarily force him to go elsewhere next season.

“We’re all fed up with losing,” Anderson said. “We sat on an egg Sunday and it was ugly, but what can you do? You can only give it your best.

“I think we’re a good team. I like the guys here, the coaching staff and the organization has been good to me. If they want to have me, I’ll come back. I’ll be glad to stay in Southern California and play with the Rams.”

The coaching staff might change, however, and Southern California may no longer figure in the Rams’ future.

“I’m an optimist,” Anderson said.

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Coach Chuck Knox pointed to two Todd Kinchen punt returns as one of the main reasons for the Rams’ demise Sunday against the Saints. Kinchen has now fumbled away three punts in the last two games.

The Saints turned Kinchen’s fumbles into 14 points, which should prompt the Rams into replacing Kinchen this week with Johnny Bailey.

Kinchen’s reaction? After the game he ducked out of the locker room to avoid talking with the media.

Monday’s response? “I had a bad game,” he said.

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Saint quarterback Jim Everett spent $500 to treat his teammates, as well as the equipment men, trainers, coaches and front office staff to lunch at a deli to celebrate New Orleans’ second victory in a row over the Rams.

“I don’t care about the cost, it was worth it, going 2-0 that way,” Everett told the Associated Press. “I just enjoyed doing something for the guys. So many of them came up to me before the game and said ‘Let’s make this a team win,’ Everybody wanted me to know they were behind me.”