When Al Saunders was the Rams' receivers coach in 1999 and 2000, players marveled at how he was always on the go, running down the field to talk to receivers and constantly being in their ear.

Wide receiver Dane Looker remembers his first training camp in 2000, when he caught a pass and was slowing down and easing up down the field.

"All of a sudden, here comes Al from behind, knocking the ball out of my arm," Looker said. "That taught me a valuable lesson."

After hiring Saunders as offensive coordinator, coach Scott Linehan said he heard the stories. After the first day of minicamp, Linehan said, "It was pretty famous, the lore around here about Al. I asked him if he was going to still chase the receivers. He said he had been training. He said, 'You'll see.'

"I was pretty impressed. I don't know how old Al is, but at his age I hope I can run that well."

Saunders is 61, but that didn't stop him from being a whirling dervish during practice. He wore a T-shirt that said "Gotta Go to Work," (the team's slogan in 1999) and really opened the eyes of the rookies.

Said wide receiver Keenan Burton, a fourth-round pick, "He runs up and down the field like a maniac."

Added second-round pick Donnie Avery, one of the fastest players in the draft, "He's pretty fast. I think he probably has a step on me."

Saunders was just one example of a heightened intensity within the team, something needed after a 3-13 season.

"I was really pleased with just the tempo and the attitude, the whole deal," said Linehan. "They came out here with a whole new life and energy, and it was really inspiring for me to see that. It came from the leadership of the team, the core leaders, and the young kids followed them. That's what we need.

"There's a pretty refreshed feeling around here. It's amazing what a new season and some new faces will do to everybody's attitude."

Concluded quarterback Marc Bulger, "Where is last year? We don't want to mention that much more. We started clean; we're not going to look back. We learned what we had to from last year, but as of a couple of months ago, I'm not going to learn anything more from 2007. We're just going to move on and expect good things from us this year.

"We have the talent; it's just a matter of playing as a unit and staying healthy."

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