Rams News

Ailing Hill hopes to play again this season

09/24/98

By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch Staff

His surgically repaired right leg heavily wrapped in white cloth, Greg Hill dropped in at Rams Park for the first time since Sunday's collision with Ted Washington.
Several players and coaches offered their condolences, greetings and best wishes. The irrepressible Hill, who navigated the halls Thursday on crutches, threw out a message of his own:
``I'm telling the St. Louis fans, don't blink,'' Hill said. ``Because as soon as you're finished blinking, I'm back. I'll be back.
``And if you were proud of the performance that I was giving you, you'll be just as proud when I come back. Because I'll be the same type of guy, if not even better, because I'm going to be lifting weights over this time. So I should be getting a little bulkier.''
Hill will be fitted for a ``boot'' cast on Monday, after which he can start lifting weights and riding a stationary bike. He will be in a cast for about three or four weeks, then he wants to get ready to return to the field.
``There's plenty of season left,'' Hill said. ``I can come back. Maybe they're worried about whether I'll be the same Greg Hill when I come back. But I haven't even gotten started yet. I'd only played two games in this offense.''
Of course, coach Dick Vermeil may have other ideas about Hill's return. In the next week or so, he may decide to place Hill on the injured reserve list, meaning Hill would be out for the season. But at the moment, ``injured reserve'' is a dirty phrase to Hill.
``The doctors said it's not actually as bad as they thought,'' Hill said. ``The down time is about six to eight weeks before I can come back and play. For me, of course, I'm going to say I'm coming back before that.''
Williams' debut: Robert Holcombe isn't the only Rams rookie who will play in his first NFL game Sunday. The Rams have decided to dress tight end Roland Williams, a fourth-round draft pick from Syracuse. Like Holcombe, Williams has been on the Rams' pregame inactive list in their previous games.
It's a sellout: Although a few hundred tickets remain for sale, many of which are returns from Arizona, Sunday's game has met NFL sellout requirements and will be televised locally.
Injury update: Quarterback Tony Banks (shoulder), wide receiver Isaac Bruce (hamstring), defensive end Kevin Carter (calf), cornerback Todd Lyght (thigh), and linebacker Lorenzo Styles (groin) all missed Thursday's practice -- which was held indoors because of rain. Safety Toby Wright (knee) tried to practice, but was still sore.

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