Life as a Ram Fan (Stories from past, present, and future)

[Ramlife]

Im 44 years old, i have 2 brothers who like me are die hard ram fans..we are born and raised in nashville tn by the way. My mother decided to decorate my older brothers room in rams gear because she thought the uniforms were pretty, i can remember him crying like a baby when the rams lost the 79 super bowl.. fast forward 95, rams move to St. Louis.. my brother and i attended the first game in st louis.. while i was confused and disappointed that the rams left LA i was happy i guess that they were within driving distance. Next, oilers/titans arrive in Nashville.. i tried to support the team because they were local.. little did i know that the rams and titans would meet in the super bowl. I was shocked and due to being treated very poorly when the rams visited adelphia coliseum during the regular season.. a loss to the "freak" jevon kearse and the tough titans my hatred for the titans was born. I had a giant dude with overalls and no shirt get in my face and yelled to me "yall havent played anybody!" I told him what comes around goes around, and boy did it! I havent missed a game thanks to sunday ticket since 1998.. i have missed some endings due to disgust, but every single sunday i watch. Man has this year been sweet... and on Christmas eve my brothers and i will be at the coliseum watching the Rams playing a meaningful game against the Titans who are having a good year too... thanks for reading and Merry Christmas. GO RAMS!!!

 

[LARams_1963]

AWESOME thread @JackKirbyFan !! My pops was pretty much like yours, except he went to the '51 Championship game against the Browns. I started as a Rams fan in'69-70, we promptly moved to San Jose, where I was stuck with a bunch of Whiner and Raider fans. Lived there through the 70's and moved back to SoCal in '80. Been through the ups and downs like all of the older fans, but I do have one unique, at least I think it's unique...LOL, story.

In 99 my sister in law at the time lived in Nashville and her bank did a lot of work for the Titans organization. After the regular season week 7 loss to the Titans, she called me to console me. She promised that if the Rams and the Titans got to the Super Bowl she could get me a ticket out of the 75 her bank was earmarked for. Needless to say, as soon as we beat the Bucs, the Titans had already punched their ticket, she called me and asked if I was ready! Being at that game was probably the single greatest experience of my life.

The unique and wonderful thing was the connection I had now with my Dads '51 experience.

** My pops saw them win in '51, then I saw the next Championship game won in '99 We have been there
for the Rams 2 Championship wins!
** In '51 The Rams beat the Browns 24-17. In '99 the Rams beat the Titans 23-16
** Both games were decided by a 73 yd TD pass in the last couple minutes of the game
'51 - 73 YD TD to Tom Fears from Norm Van Brocklin
'99 - 73 YD TD to Isaac Bruce from Kurt Warner

I mean... to me that's pretty damn cool!

 

[Steve808]

Man has this year been sweet... and on Christmas eve my brothers and i will be at the coliseum watching the Rams playing a meaningful game against the Titans who are having a good year too... thanks for reading and Merry Christmas. GO RAMS!!!

FYI, the Rams are playing at Tennessee this season.

 

[Karate61]

AWESOME thread @JackKirbyFan !! My pops was pretty much like yours, except he went to the '51 Championship game against the Browns. I started as a Rams fan in'69-70, we promptly moved to San Jose, where I was stuck with a bunch of Whiner and Raider fans. Lived there through the 70's and moved back to SoCal in '80. Been through the ups and downs like all of the older fans, but I do have one unique, at least I think it's unique...LOL, story.

In 99 my sister in law at the time lived in Nashville and her bank did a lot of work for the Titans organization. After the regular season week 7 loss to the Titans, she called me to console me. She promised that if the Rams and the Titans got to the Super Bowl she could get me a ticket out of the 75 her bank was earmarked for. Needless to say, as soon as we beat the Bucs, the Titans had already punched their ticket, she called me and asked if I was ready! Being at that game was probably the single greatest experience of my life.

The unique and wonderful thing was the connection I had now with my Dads '51 experience.

** My pops saw them win in '51, then I saw the next Championship game won in '99 We have been there
for the Rams 2 Championship wins!
** In '51 The Rams beat the Browns 24-17. In '99 the Rams beat the Titans 23-16
** Both games were decided by a 73 yd TD pass in the last couple minutes of the game
'51 - 73 YD TD to Tom Fears from Norm Van Brocklin
'99 - 73 YD TD to Isaac Bruce from Kurt Warner

I mean... to me that's pretty damn cool!

Awesome! Wish I had a Titan Fan sister. I was stuck with two brothers instead and neither of them scored me a Super Bowl ticket!

 

[Ramlife]

I realize that.. i live here and have my tickets. FYI.

 

[JackKirbyFan]

I just turned 13 and was becoming a Rams fan living in Westlake Village (40 miles or so North of Los Angeles). I had been to one game at the colosseum, but was still young, so it wasn't til 13 when I really started to understand football and become a Rams fan.

So, it's the NFC championship Rams vs. Tampa Bay. I was so excited to watch it on TV. Then my mother decided to ruin my life and said "we're going grocery shopping" at the time of the game. And, my mom sucked. She always took literally 5 or 6 hours to grocery shop. I was so upset.

So, we got to the store. It dawned on me our car (a Pinto...lol) had the radio. I went out to the car, hit the AM button and found the game. I sat in the car in the parking lot and listened to the whole game on the fricking radio! Looking back, I can't believe I did that at thirteen. It's not easy following a game on the radio without seeing it, right? Was stoked the Rams won and were off to their 1st Super Bowl!

And, I did end up getting to watch the Super Bowl (in color) on the TV. Been a Super die hard fan ever since.

I moved later that year to Orange County (El Toro). Surprisingly, the Rams moved to Anaheim that same time and my Dad bought season tickets right from the get go. I went to the very 1st preseason game at Anaheim, and almost every game until they bailed to St. Louis.

One game, at about age 15, I motioned the hot chick walking the "real"ram mascot over to me as to pet the Ram. When she got close, I swung my arm around her and planted her with a kiss..a long one! My Dad thought I was crazy for doing it...but, I had to take my shot.

So many Rams memories...Dickerson, Jim Everett's first game when the crowd went nuts as he entered in the 2nd quarter.

I could go on plenty with many more stories. But, I'll shut up now and look forward to reading more stories from you guys!

I, too was at Everett's first game when coach Robinson inserted him in the 2nd quarter against the Patriots. We must've been trailing by 17 or 21 points and Everett brought them back. However, the Pat's QB threw up a Hail Mary at with no time left on the clock and one of their receivers hauled in the ball.
Next day's headline in the sports section of the Los Angeles Times: Rams Lose Game; Find a QB.

 

[Tron]

I had a baseball card collection. Didnt really know the players hardly but did it cause i was a kid. One day bought a pack of football cards and opened it and one of them was of a Ram player, don't remember who it was but loved the yellow and blue and especially loved the horns and loved the name St. Louis Rams. That was in '95(I was 11). Became a fan that day. Before that was a Bronco fan cause I had lived in Colorado for a few years and my dad had got me a little bronco flag, didnt follow them but whatever...but then I saw those horns...those horns made me a diehard Ram fan in seconds and been so since. Long live the horns!!!!

 

[Karate61]

I, too was at Everett's first game when coach Robinson inserted him in the 2nd quarter against the Patriots. We must've been trailing by 17 or 21 points and Everett brought them back. However, the Pat's QB threw up a Hail Mary at with no time left on the clock and one of their receivers hauled in the ball.
Next day's headline in the sports section of the Los Angeles Times: Rams Lose Game; Find a QB.

Right. That Hail Mary Ruined it. You know what, for some reason, that Hail Mary shows up in NFL highlight reals. I see it every now and then.

 

[JackKirbyFan]

In 1950 my dad started attending every game. Finally in 1951, the girl at the Box office at the Coliseum told my dad to wait a moment and she quickly went to get someone else. The woman introduced herself as Kay Boyle who worked at the ticket manager for the Rams. She told my dad that he could buy a season seat and sit in the same location every home game. My dad had never heard the term "Season Seat" before. So there Kay sold my dad two tickets on the 50-yard line 28 rows up. However, the seats were on the North or sunny side of the field so the following week my dad asked Kay to switch the seats to the North or shady side of the Coliseum. So Kay gave him 45-yard-line seats 34 rows up on the aisle. My dad was dating my mom at the time (two years before I came along and they went to the games together including games at old Kezar Stadium in San Francisco to watch the Rams play their rivals in their venue. (Anyone on the boards here remember Kezar Stadium before "The Stick" opened up?) Season Seats remained in the family for both the Coliseum and Anaheim until the move to St. Louis BTW, our tickets at Anaheim when we left cost $35.00 apiece. Super Bowl Tickets in 1979 at the Rose Bowl were $30.00 apiece.

 

[Classic Rams]

I grew up in Pearl City, HI (1970's). The Rams were always on TV on Sunday mornings. I loved watching them more than Saturday morning cartoons. Been a fan ever since.

Same as me! I thought the previous post was me... and this post even more! I didn't know a lot of Ram fans in Pearl City growing up other than my 2 neighbor friends, but yeah the Rams were shown on TV about 8 times a year there... and both games vs 49ers.

Went to the first Hawaii Pro Bowl in 1980. Met Pat Haden in the Hula Bowl in 1976 when he was doing the color and got his autograph in the stairwell. The only other Ram I met was Bern Brostek who sat with us in a bar on King St....he was a fun guy.

 

[Farr Be It]

Both games were decided by a 73 yd TD pass in the last couple minutes of the game
'51 - 73 YD TD to Tom Fears from Norm Van Brocklin
'99 - 73 YD TD to Isaac Bruce from Kurt Warner

That is such a wild fact! I never knew that .

I've told a few stories. Moved around a lot when I was kid. Born in San Diego. Dad was a Rams fan from the late '40's before the Chargers showed up. Ironically mom was born in Cleveland when the Rams were there, but no connection.

Loved McCutcheon growing up. Of course Jack Youngblood. Harold Jackson. I always pretended to be Jackson in the street games outside. We used to go to all the Ram/Niner games after we moved to the Bay Area in "74.

I was 5 years old and living in Martinez, CA... east bay in NorCal.

...and lived across the bridge in Benicia in those horrible '90-94 years. Although one time I heard that local boy DeMarco Farr was going to be appearing at an event in nearby Concord and I ran by there with my little son to meet him. He was so nice and talked to me for a while. Pretty much why I honored him by incorporating him in my screen name.

 

[Ramlock]

In 1950 my dad started attending every game. Finally in 1951, the girl at the Box office at the Coliseum told my dad to wait a moment and she quickly went to get someone else. The woman introduced herself as Kay Boyle who worked at the ticket manager for the Rams. She told my dad that he could buy a season seat and sit in the same location every home game. My dad had never heard the term "Season Seat" before. So there Kay sold my dad two tickets on the 50-yard line 28 rows up. However, the seats were on the North or sunny side of the field so the following week my dad asked Kay to switch the seats to the North or shady side of the Coliseum. So Kay gave him 45-yard-line seats 34 rows up on the aisle. My dad was dating my mom at the time (two years before I came along and they went to the games together including games at old Kezar Stadium in San Francisco to watch the Rams play their rivals in their venue. (Anyone on the boards here remember Kezar Stadium before "The Stick" opened up?) Season Seats remained in the family for both the Coliseum and Anaheim until the move to St. Louis BTW, our tickets at Anaheim when we left cost $35.00 apiece. Super Bowl Tickets in 1979 at the Rose Bowl were $30.00 apiece.

I remember Kezar...had some baaaad Astro Turf at the end, nasty

Rams owned their ass in Kezar. Except one year when Brodie was exceptional.

 

[Ramlock]

My Dad attended Arkansas Tech University with Eddie Meador.

We always watched the Rams in Little Rock if they were on here.

Eddie sent my Dad an autographed ball from the '69 team.

Deacon, Merlin, Roman...whole team.

I have that BALL.

They're my team.

 

[Classic Rams]

Yeah in the late 70s I was following McCutcheon's climb toward 1000 yards and rooting for Youngblood to collect sacks and holding penalties. Those were my top 2 favorites. In street games I'd try to rush the passer like Youngblood, but I'd also block passes from time to time like "Too Tall" Jones who I admired for that (when he wasn't playing the Rams!)

Those street games were golden back then, we'd play until it got dark and we couldn't see the ball. Usually 2 on 2 and I'd switch between QB and reciever, but getting more kids together for 5 on 5 was even more fun. In high school we went to the park a few times to play tackle which was also fun. Once we even ran an old version of the wildcat. Surprising that no one broke anything!

In the late 70s when my dad was doing an old beer commercial at one of the downtown bars in Hawaii I was hanging around outside with nothing to do. I came across a bunch of boxes on the sidewalk stacked by the movers from an old Dodger's fan's bar. In one of the open boxes I pulled out an autographed football of the Rams, may have been from '69 too. Gabriel's autograph was on it with several others, nearly the whole team, and a couple of coaches. I could've just swiped it easily, but I thought the better of it since I didn't want to steal.

In 2000 when the Rams were switching to those ugly gold and navy unis a Ram buddy had connections with a Ram PR guy named Smith, who was selling off game worn home and away jerseys of the classic home blue & yellows and aways from the 1999 season for cheap. I got Wistrom's home jersey for just 50 bucks with his autograph on one of the numbers. It has the rolled up stitched sleeves how they wear them and exposes a lof of arm, which I like. When I was telling him the one I wanted (Warner, Faulk, and Bruce weren't available) he goes "that's all?" He got 3 or 4 for himself. I could've bought a few more... should've!!

 

[DaveFan'51]

I still have a bunch of baseball and football cards from I think 1978. My uncle was a long-haul trucker and one Xmas he gave me two CASES of baseball and football cards AND those Tops cases with slots for each team.

Yep, still have those...tucked away... wouldn't know if they were worth $100 total or enough to fix my house.

After all these years, I'd be tempted to pop open those cards and see IF I could get enough to buy Rams Season Tickets! Or Auction them as a Lot, Unopened, on EBay!!

 

[DaveFan'51]

AWESOME thread @JackKirbyFan !! My pops was pretty much like yours, except he went to the '51 Championship game against the Browns. I started as a Rams fan in'69-70, we promptly moved to San Jose, where I was stuck with a bunch of Whiner and Raider fans. Lived there through the 70's and moved back to SoCal in '80. Been through the ups and downs like all of the older fans, but I do have one unique, at least I think it's unique...LOL, story.

In 99 my sister in law at the time lived in Nashville and her bank did a lot of work for the Titans organization. After the regular season week 7 loss to the Titans, she called me to console me. She promised that if the Rams and the Titans got to the Super Bowl she could get me a ticket out of the 75 her bank was earmarked for. Needless to say, as soon as we beat the Bucs, the Titans had already punched their ticket, she called me and asked if I was ready! Being at that game was probably the single greatest experience of my life.

The unique and wonderful thing was the connection I had now with my Dads '51 experience.

** My pops saw them win in '51, then I saw the next Championship game won in '99 We have been there
for the Rams 2 Championship wins!
** In '51 The Rams beat the Browns 24-17. In '99 the Rams beat the Titans 23-16
** Both games were decided by a 73 yd TD pass in the last couple minutes of the game
'51 - 73 YD TD to Tom Fears from Norm Van Brocklin
'99 - 73 YD TD to Isaac Bruce from Kurt Warner

I mean... to me that's pretty damn cool!

Don't forget, we have "3" Championships!!

 

[Selassie I]

Same as me! I thought the previous post was me... and this post even more! I didn't know a lot of Ram fans in Pearl City growing up other than my 2 neighbor friends, but yeah the Rams were shown on TV about 8 times a year there... and both games vs 49ers.

Went to the first Hawaii Pro Bowl in 1980. Met Pat Haden in the Hula Bowl in 1976 when he was doing the color and got his autograph in the stairwell. The only other Ram I met was Bern Brostek who sat with us in a bar on King St....he was a fun guy.

Small world. There were only 2 Haoles that went to school at Manana Elementary School... I was one of them. My pops is dolphin fan (we were all born in FL), but watching the Rams every Sunday morning (morning because of the time difference) hooked me for life.

I also went to a bunch of Pro Bowls. Our cub scout pack was always allowed to go for free. I was back on the Mainland before 1980 though (that's about when we came back home).

There's always gonna be some 808 in me. I actually PROUDLY wear a shirt around to this day that says HAOLE across the front. I welcome comments from it to... my Mom saw it and said "Wow, it's come full circle now". I used to speak full pigeon english... my parents used to make me order stuff over the phone for them so the person on the other end didn't know we were Haoles (cause that was never good).

All of our neighbors there in Pearl City still live in the exact same houses that they lived in back in the 70's. That area has really gotten run down now... nothing like it was back in the day.

I'm gonna sport my Haole shirt today after writing this!

 

[RamsSince1969]

Fan since the late 60's when my Dad liked and talked about Roman Gabriel all the time, so I loved the Rams. Also, living in Santa Paula CA at the time, LA was the closest team. I was also a Lakers, Kings and Dodgers fan too due to proximity. I also wanted to add that that X-mas, my parents got me the kids Rams package with the helmet, pants, shoulder pads and jersey. That was my first association with any sports team. And, my Dad was a bookworm geek so to speak and sports were not his thing. Looking back, Roman Gabe and the Rams must have been something very special for him to have purchased that for me.

My quick story is about attending the last game at the Big A (felt like a funeral and I was traumatized) and then attending the first games back in So Cal, Cowboys and Seachickens (both wins and the crowds freaking out like they had won the SB). Anyone else have a last-first story?

 

[JackKirbyFan]

My Dad attended Arkansas Tech University with Eddie Meador.

We always watched the Rams in Little Rock if they were on here.

Eddie sent my Dad an autographed ball from the '69 team.

Deacon, Merlin, Roman...whole team.

I have that BALL.

They're my team.

My Uncle Herb who also had season tickets and sat right behind us at the Coliseum was a friend of Eddie Meador. Herb was a self-made millionaire back in 1960s when a million bucks meant something. He owned Ramco Investment Co. with offices in Century City. Anyway, after the thrilling victory over the Packers on Dec. 9th 1967, Herb brought me, my dad, my Uncle Mark and cousin Mark into the locker room--the only time I was in the Rams Locker Rooms in my life. Meador had just gotten out of the shower and was drying off when my uncle Herb brought us over to his stall and introduced us. I was in complete awe as Meador was one of my heroes. All I said was "Great game, Mr. Meador, and let's go out next Sunday and beat the Colts and get into the playofffs. (Which of course, we did.)
Two Sidebars:
1) Jerry Crowe, a former LA Times columnist, ("Crowe's Nest") wrote an article on Meador and efforts by family and friends to get him inducted into Canton. The article is available on line Must reading for all Ram fans

2. Sadly, my uncle died young. He was only 41 when he succumbed to leukemia. He was tall, dark and handsome in the classic sense. He even dated movie starlets most notably Zsa Zsa Gabor and Barbara Stanwyck.

 

[JackKirbyFan]

http://articles.latimes.com/2009/jun/15/sports/sp-crowe-nest15

Here's the link to the LA Times article on Eddie Meador's kids' efforts to get him into Canton.