Just some Memories for us "Olders Guys"

[LesBaker]

Not old but seemingly forgotten was the real Battering Ram Jerome Bettis in a Rams uni before he left for Steel Town. He was a monster on a couple bad teams. Great vid here.

Those were really nice uni's. IMO they have to bring the horn back onto the sleeve to tie everything together when they change the colors.

 

[LesBaker]

Number 84, Jack Snow. My hero. My high school number was 84 and I was a wide receiver too! What a fine football player and an even finer gentleman.

A little story about Jack Snow. I told this on that other site that we don't mention so some of you may remember it. It was 1970. I was a freshman at a small private school in Downey, CA (home of the Apollo space program). OC Leftcoast knows the school because we played each other! Our Lettermans award banquet was being held and Jack Snow was the guest speaker. He brought a film projector and showed us highlights of the '68 season because as he said, last years wasn't very good.

After the film he gave a motivational speech. This was long before being a motivational speaker was popular. He implored us, challenged us to be the best at what ever we do. He pointed fingers, called out bad behavior and vices (smoking was one, drugs of course the other) and warned us of the consequences if we were engaged in any of these activities. Remember, this is just after the summer of love and the country was going through some major changes! A wild time to be growing up in.

It was time to hand out the awards and each of us were able to go up on stage and shake his hand as they called out our name, number and position. So after all that was done came the Q&A. I raised my hand and asked about a particular game I had watched on TV. I don't recall the opponent or the situation now but I do remember Roman Gabriel throwing it deep down the left side to Snow who reached out, extended his whole body parallel to the ground, reached out and made a fingertip catch, pulled the ball into his body as he hit the ground will all his weight. TOUCHDOWN! I described this play to him in my question but not in as much detail and I asked him, "How did that feel, making that type of catch?" His response to me, "Well, your a wide receiver, you should know". OMG! He remembered my number and position (wasn't too hard I guess). I just sat there and smiled then sat up a little straighter, threw my shoulders back a bit and held my head a little higher.

I was the big man on campus for a couple of days after that. Then everything went back to normal and my gym shorts were pulled down to my ankles in front of the girls PE class. Never did like wearing a jock strap after that. Ho hum.

I think that catch is in one of these vids that have been posted in this thread.

He catches the ball by the back half of it and pulls it in.

Snow left us too early, a gigantic loss to the Rams family and it was always great to have him talking about the Rams in STL knowing he had that connection to LA. It made him, in my mind, very special.

 

[lunker]

I was 11, I got my crying the years before that after losing in the NFC championships to Minnesota and Dallas lol.

i hear ya. i'm still in therapy from all the heartbreaks from '67 through '78.

 

[lunker]

View attachment 4931

what team is that in the green and gold...looks like Baylor.

 

[Stranger]

i hear ya. i'm still in therapy from all the heartbreaks from '67 through '78.

omg.... yes!

 

[snackdaddy]

Some of the guys, Fears, Hirsch, Van Brocklin were before my time. But a lot weren't. I can remember Roman Gabriel hooking up with Jack Snow for some long TD's. I can remember Deacon Jones and Merlin Olsen. Jack Youngblood, Tom Mack, Lawrence McCutcheon. Harold Jackson catching long TD's from John Hadl. I remember Billy Truax, Pat Studstill. So many from the late 60's through the 70's. The 70's were a great decade. I was there but I don't remember much aside from Rams football. :rockon:

 

[Blue and Gold]

what team is that in the green and gold...looks like Baylor.

Green Bay

 

[FrankenRam]

This isn't JUST for the Olders Guys, I thought You Youngsters would like these Pis's too!!
......
From Top left to lower Right; Waterfield, Hirsch, Fears, Tank Younger, Hacksaw, Snow, Saul, Mack Slater!! JUST FOR FUN!!

Cool beans!

I find it amusing sometimes when I hear people talk about how 'pass happy' the NFL has become today. But if you look at early 50's (?50-52? or so) Rams stats, they were heavin' the rock around pretty darn liberally.

For example...... http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/ram/1950.htm

Summing up a couple things from that page....
- The Rams had 7 games out of 12 played (regular season) in which they had > 300 yds passing.
- For the season they had 453 passing attempts for a total of 3529 yds, and 404 rushing attempts for 1711 yds.

That sure ain't the "3 yards and a cloud of dust" mentality.

 

[FrankenRam]

Some of the guys, Fears, Hirsch, Van Brocklin were before my time. But a lot weren't. I can remember Roman Gabriel hooking up with Jack Snow for some long TD's. I can remember Deacon Jones and Merlin Olsen. Jack Youngblood, Tom Mack, Lawrence McCutcheon. Harold Jackson catching long TD's from John Hadl. I remember Billy Truax, Pat Studstill. So many from the late 60's through the

I remember VanBrocklin...as a Philadelphia Eagle. And if you want a chuckle, ProFootballReference lists him as having been 6'1" & 190lbs. Managed to play in 9 Pro Bowls and was elected to HoF in '71.

Can you imagine how many "He ain't big enough to play QB in the NFL" threads would be posted on forums if he were draft eligible this year.

 

[snackdaddy]

I remember VanBrocklin...as a Philadelphia Eagle. And if you want a chuckle, ProFootballReference lists him as having been 6'1" & 190lbs. Managed to play in 9 Pro Bowls and was elected to HoF in '71.

Can you imagine how many "He ain't big enough to play QB in the NFL" threads would be posted on forums if he were draft eligible this year.

Yeah, he woulda been drafted in later rounds with that size. So many things have changed over the years. Not all good. Like throwing a flag on a defender for hitting a guy too hard. Deacon Jones head slap was outlawed. I can understand that. He prolly caused some concussions with that. :heh:

 

[Loyal]

Don't forget these memories from nearly 15 years ago!

How could we ever forget!

 

[LesBaker]

Something fun, memories of another recently departed

I remember VanBrocklin...as a Philadelphia Eagle. And if you want a chuckle, ProFootballReference lists him as having been 6'1" & 190lbs. Managed to play in 9 Pro Bowls and was elected to HoF in '71.

Can you imagine how many "He ain't big enough to play QB in the NFL" threads would be posted on forums if he were draft eligible this year.

Era's do matter though and man have people gotten bigger.

Bill Russell was 200 or so pounds, in today's NBA he'd get pushed around by some guards, every forward for sure, and would have NO chance against a backup center.

 

[LesBaker]

Not an old time type of pic.......but I've always liked this since I ran across it.......

 

[Blue and Gold]

Something fun, memories of another recently departed


Era's do matter though and man have people gotten bigger.

Bill Russell was 200 or so pounds, in today's NBA he'd get pushed around by some guards, every forward for sure, and would have NO chance against a backup center.

But today's players would have to learn not to travel on every play. Play with iron rims with no give, and in college no dunking. In footbnall olinemen couldn't use hands at all. Todays players are infately more athletic . .. and have amazing skills, I wish the rules had always remained the same.

 

[LesBaker]

But today's players would have to learn not to travel on every play. Play with iron rims with no give, and in college no dunking. In footbnall olinemen couldn't use hands at all. Todays players are infately more athletic . .. and have amazing skills, I wish the rules had always remained the same.

In some ways we agree.

I remember when basketball was "non contact" and when NFL wide receivers got punched and klicked all the way through a play.

Dunking in college was only outlawed for a few years wasn't it?

 

[Stranger]

So many from the late 60's through the 70's. The 70's were a great decade. I was there but I don't remember much aside from Rams football

Awesome

 

[A55VA6]

Shoutout to all the dudes, like myself - that probably weren't alive during any of the pics in the OP. haha.

Wish I could have watched them play in the earlier days though.. would have been awesome. But growing up as a kid watching the GSOT was awesome. Wore that 28 jersey every damn Sunday.

 

[leoram]

Number 84, Jack Snow. My hero. My high school number was 84 and I was a wide receiver too! What a fine football player and an even finer gentleman.

A little story about Jack Snow. I told this on that other site that we don't mention so some of you may remember it. It was 1970. I was a freshman at a small private school in Downey, CA (home of the Apollo space program). OC Leftcoast knows the school because we played each other! Our Lettermans award banquet was being held and Jack Snow was the guest speaker. He brought a film projector and showed us highlights of the '68 season because as he said, last years wasn't very good.

After the film he gave a motivational speech. This was long before being a motivational speaker was popular. He implored us, challenged us to be the best at what ever we do. He pointed fingers, called out bad behavior and vices (smoking was one, drugs of course the other) and warned us of the consequences if we were engaged in any of these activities. Remember, this is just after the summer of love and the country was going through some major changes! A wild time to be growing up in.

It was time to hand out the awards and each of us were able to go up on stage and shake his hand as they called out our name, number and position. So after all that was done came the Q&A. I raised my hand and asked about a particular game I had watched on TV. I don't recall the opponent or the situation now but I do remember Roman Gabriel throwing it deep down the left side to Snow who reached out, extended his whole body parallel to the ground, reached out and made a fingertip catch, pulled the ball into his body as he hit the ground will all his weight. TOUCHDOWN! I described this play to him in my question but not in as much detail and I asked him, "How did that feel, making that type of catch?" His response to me, "Well, your a wide receiver, you should know". OMG! He remembered my number and position (wasn't too hard I guess). I just sat there and smiled then sat up a little straighter, threw my shoulders back a bit and held my head a little higher.

I was the big man on campus for a couple of days after that. Then everything went back to normal and my gym shorts were pulled down to my ankles in front of the girls PE class. Never did like wearing a jock strap after that. Ho hum.

I really wish I could've experienced that (well,not the shorts part). I felt it as I read it. I grew up in Long Beach so Snow, Gabriel, Jones, Youngblood (X2), Robertson, Olsen, Mack, and McCutcheon were my heroes. I played Pop Warner in Lakewood where Poly kicked our little asses. There are very few left in this world who would get excited about the stupid things we remember.

 

[DaveFan'51]

70's were a great decade. I was there but I don't remember much aside from Rams football. :rockon:

It was my "Stoned Age" Too!!

Deacon Jones head slap was outlawed. I can understand that. He prolly caused some concussions with that.

Deacon was just trying to get the opposing O-Linemen's attention!!

 

[fearsomefour]

i hear ya. i'm still in therapy from all the heartbreaks from '67 through '78.

Its amazing how many time the team could have been Superbowl bound....so close so many years.