Rams Having a Hot Time During Practice in St. Louis

When the St. Louis Rams moved Monday’s practice to 7 p.m. because of sweltering heat, nobody cheered louder than tight end Troy Drayton.

“I think it’s good news for everybody,” said Drayton said, who collapsed of heat exhaustion last week and missed Saturday’s 27-22 loss at Oakland. “When you have 15-20 guys in there after practice getting IVs, you have to do something.”

A heat advisory was issued Monday for St. Louis and St. Louis County, with the temperature expected to reach 97 degrees. At least a half-dozen players had to be administered fluids at one time or another last week and Coach Rich Brooks, who says the adverse conditions will help whip the Rams into shape, finally said enough.

“Loss of fluids is one thing, but when you have to check into the hospital and the emergency room with severe cramps, there’s just no sense in it,” Brooks said. “I just don’t want to put anybody in the situation we were in last week.”

The only question is, will the time change offer enough relief?

“When we got back here from Oakland it was 88 or 90 degrees at midnight,” defensive end Fred Stokes said. “So, when do you practice?”