| September 20, 2016 09:36PM |
For me, my memory of the NFL comprises a series of moments. Unbelievable moments, sad moments, frustrating moments, each etching its indelible image in my mind as I followed the Rams from the time I was 5 through this very day.
One such memorable moment was in 1985. By that time, at age 15, I was a seasoned fan. My father so recognized the fanaticism in me that he convinced the club to put me on all their media mailings for each game so that I would receive not only the media guides, but the weekly media packages detailing all of the stats, facts, etc.
In those days, the team media guide, remarkably, listed each of the hotels the team would be staying in. So, in early August 1985, I circled a date - December 9, 1985 – Monday Night Football versus the San Francisco 49ers.
The 1984 49ers were one of the greatest teams to ever play, losing just one on their way to an 18-1 season and a championship. The 1984 Rams had Eric Dickerson who had just broke OJ Simpson’s season rushing record. At 10-6 the year before, it looked the Rams would have a chance to potentially challenge the 49ers at the end of 1985.
As it turned out, that December 9, 1985 Monday Night Showdown was looming as the game to settle the NFC West. The Rams were 9-4 the 49ers 8-5. The media guide hotel listing showed “San Francisco Airport Hilton” so, on December 8, 1985, along with my 18 year old brother who had the license and the car, we headed to the Hilton in hopes of seeing a few of the players.
A little after 9:00 PM I spot Irv Pankey in the gift shop helping the clerk with her math homework (no joke). Apparently at Penn State, the lineman are pretty smart. As I am going to say something to Pankey, my brother says “Its Dickerson!”. Of course, at 15, I’m in awe and frankly, freaked out. My brother – whose fandom is more out of respect for me – asks Dickerson “Mr. Dickerson” can my brother and I take a picture with you?
Not only does Dickerson say “yes” he says “David” “David” come take a picture of us. I look at who he is talking to and its David Hill.
David snaps the following shot:
I’m the dumbfounded guy on the right. Full man crush thinking is this real?
Of course, the following night turns out to be the epic heavyweight fight with the Rams winning on MNF 27-20 to all but put away the Division.
Fast forward to last year when the St. Louis Rams were heading to SF for what I believed was going to be their last game as the St. Louis Rams. I load up my 5 year old and tell him, we are going to watch history.
I’ve always hoped one of my 3 kids will end up being fans. My 5 year old is the oldest and I wonder how it could be possible that he could develop an interest a team that doesn’t score and loses often. My 5 year old perspective of the (1975) Rams was a team that went 12-2. Scoring over 20 PPG while giving up less than 10. Its easier to follow a winner – and its evident as I watch him start having strong feelings for the Golden State Warriors and the SF Giants.
My son donned a Todd Gurley jersey and we headed to the game.
Not 15 minutes in, who do we see? The GREAT Eric Dickerson on the sidelines. I tell my son “Mike, you know that picture of your dad and uncle with Eric Dickerson?” That’s him!”. His eyes light up. And true to the great player that he was, he immediately agrees to sign my son’s jersey.
I see a glint in my son’s eyes. I think, this is how it starts.
Of course, the Rams lost in overtime and we take the walk of shame back to the Car.
Because of the late night start of the first LA Ram game, I left my son at home, promising I would take him to the Seattle home opener. Thankfully, my son was not present when the team got stomped on by the 49ers though I received texts from my wife talking about how my son wanted to do something other than continue to watch the game when the team went down 21-0.
I must admit, that 49ers game took a lot out of me. The level of incompetence was staggering. The highlight of the experience was running into Keenum’s wife who, in response to my question of whether Case was ready to “kill it” that night, she said “he’s never been more ready”. Of course, looking back on it, she was right but not how I (or she) understood it. Oh, and there was the moment Kevin Demoff couldn’t get past an event staffer on the sideline with his lady friend because he didn’t have the appropriate credentials so, after 2 minutes of trying to convince this yellow-coated staffer that he was important, Kevin went on to the field and walked around the ropes and back to the player areas. All the while I was yelling at the event staffer that the “guy” was trying to sneak around prompting him to get on his radio.
When those rank as highlights of a Monday night game, you know you watched a turd, and it was all that and more.
So much so that my heart really wasn’t into the Sunday game.
It was shortly thereafter that I got a text from my friend Christopher. When I was an undergraduate in San Diego, Chris and I worked in a sports shop in Seaport Village (the Pier 39 of San Diego). Chris was a kid from St. Louis that like me, wanted to become an attorney. When the Rams moved to STL, Chris had moved back home and, incredibly, became a media intern.
Destiny is a funny thing.
In November of 1995, the Rams were opening the Trans World Dome in STL. Chris tells me I need to be in STL because the team was going to be going into the dome for the first time before the Carolina game and he might be able to sneak me in. I’m on the next Flight Chris!
On a cold November morning in STL, I find myself standing next to Chris . . . . and Georgia Frontier, here Cowboy hat wearing male companion, Speaker of the House Dick Gephardt, Thomas Eagleton, Stan Kroenke and other dignitaries.
It was like I was walking in a dream.
How is it possible that I am standing there, with these luminaries as the players come in for the first time in street clothes and I, ME!! I’m there to welcome them?!!! WTF!!!!
I’ve always been lucky and never had it been more evident that day.
As the years passed, Chris and I kept in touch. He moved out of STL and continued in sports PR working with various MLS teams, MLB teams until finally settling in Seattle and doing work here and there for all the local teams.
Chris writes: “hey man, I’m working the game, lets hook up. Come in early because I am working” I say yeah, I’ll come in the moment the gates upon.
Chris comes down and says hi. "Can I get your son on the field for second?"
My son looks up at me, his eyes the size of saucers.
Uh, yeah.
I can tell now, that my son has a hook in him more than a little bit.
If the Rams can just do something today, this fan thing may grow on him . . . Leaving his Eric Dickerson signed Gurley jersey where it hangs on his wall, he dons an Alec Ogletree jersey to compliment my Mark Barron #26 jersey. I tell him we are the LB’s and that we are going to decide the game today.
He listens, but doesn’t really believe.
We go to our seats and even though its ugly, its VERY CLEAR the Rams, particularly their defense came to play. With Seahawks fans in front and behind us, we have just the type of atmosphere which can intensify a game.
For you some of you guys who, like me are in your mid-forties and became fans as kids, the color of those uniforms, on grass, with the sun gleaming off their helmets, is something that takes you to a magical place. Its like Christmas morning or the last day of school before summer, its just an indescribable feeling that those colors, grass and sun do to this fan. I figure since my son is made up of at least half my DNA, these colors may being doing the same thing to him.
If the Rams can just pull this off!
The Rams crowd around me, while vast, is not well oiled at this point. At one point during the game, they started the wave while WE HAD the ball! I could hear Wilson barking signals at various point during the game even though I was 60 rows back. They haven’t yet caught on to the make noise when the other team has the ball thing.
At one point, my son asked why there was not one but two Jordy Nelson jerseys in our section (Not together). That said, as the game intensified and victory was getting closer, the fans started to pick it up. A good natured but smartass hawk fan behind me keeps saying right in my ear “you know its going to be 10-9 right?”
At one point, I tell him “you know, the thought has crossed my mind”.
As the 4th Quarter winds down and we can’t get the big FG that will give us the 2 possession advantage, the seahawks take possession and the guy behind me says “you know its going to be 10-9”.
I can feel my heart in my throat.
I know there are mixed feeling about Russell Wilson but for my money, he is deadly clutch. I am scared of him and I respect him. I hear that voice again “you know its going to be 10-9. This time its my own voice in my own head. Damn, this guy behind me got me right now.
Wilson completes the huge pass and moves the hawks to the Rams 40. A bunch of heretofore silent hawks fans start that “SEA - HAWKS!” chant all around us. “SEA - HAWKS” “SEEEEEEAAAA HAWKS!!!!”
I can see my son is worried. Damn, they are going to blow this opportunity to gain a new fan for life! I look at my son, “we got this man, don’t even sweat it”. He says, “but the guy behind us keeps saying 10-9 is going to be the final”.
I say take a good look at him. He turns around, and looks at him.
I say do you see him?” “Yes”. Do you see that guy? “Yes Dad, I see him”.
“That guy right there is a NNNNNNNNNNNNNNN LIAR!”
Now I don’t normally cuss around my kids but it had the desired effect - it just brings a huge smile to my sons face.
Moments later, Christian Michael catches a Russell Wilson pass and my son and I watch as two Jerseys, #26 and #52 come together like heat seeking missles and blow Michael the hell up.
Ball LOOSE!!!!! FUMBLE!!!!! RAMS BALL!!!!!
“Dad, those are our jerseys!!!!! #26 #52, you were right! You were right!!!!!
He turns around and screams at the seahawks fan, “you are a liar!”
As the hawks fans start to file out, I start an immediate impromptu chant which is soon joined in by half the section . . ..
SEEEE YA!!! Hawks!!!
SEEEE YA!!! Hawks!!!!
SEEEE YA!!! Hawks!!!!!
As we walked out, I knew I had just now witnessed another one of those moments that capture the imagination of a fan.
But even more so this time, my son had witnessed the moment too.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/21/2016 09:52AM by Shaky.
One such memorable moment was in 1985. By that time, at age 15, I was a seasoned fan. My father so recognized the fanaticism in me that he convinced the club to put me on all their media mailings for each game so that I would receive not only the media guides, but the weekly media packages detailing all of the stats, facts, etc.
In those days, the team media guide, remarkably, listed each of the hotels the team would be staying in. So, in early August 1985, I circled a date - December 9, 1985 – Monday Night Football versus the San Francisco 49ers.
The 1984 49ers were one of the greatest teams to ever play, losing just one on their way to an 18-1 season and a championship. The 1984 Rams had Eric Dickerson who had just broke OJ Simpson’s season rushing record. At 10-6 the year before, it looked the Rams would have a chance to potentially challenge the 49ers at the end of 1985.
As it turned out, that December 9, 1985 Monday Night Showdown was looming as the game to settle the NFC West. The Rams were 9-4 the 49ers 8-5. The media guide hotel listing showed “San Francisco Airport Hilton” so, on December 8, 1985, along with my 18 year old brother who had the license and the car, we headed to the Hilton in hopes of seeing a few of the players.
A little after 9:00 PM I spot Irv Pankey in the gift shop helping the clerk with her math homework (no joke). Apparently at Penn State, the lineman are pretty smart. As I am going to say something to Pankey, my brother says “Its Dickerson!”. Of course, at 15, I’m in awe and frankly, freaked out. My brother – whose fandom is more out of respect for me – asks Dickerson “Mr. Dickerson” can my brother and I take a picture with you?
Not only does Dickerson say “yes” he says “David” “David” come take a picture of us. I look at who he is talking to and its David Hill.
David snaps the following shot:
I’m the dumbfounded guy on the right. Full man crush thinking is this real?
Of course, the following night turns out to be the epic heavyweight fight with the Rams winning on MNF 27-20 to all but put away the Division.
Fast forward to last year when the St. Louis Rams were heading to SF for what I believed was going to be their last game as the St. Louis Rams. I load up my 5 year old and tell him, we are going to watch history.
I’ve always hoped one of my 3 kids will end up being fans. My 5 year old is the oldest and I wonder how it could be possible that he could develop an interest a team that doesn’t score and loses often. My 5 year old perspective of the (1975) Rams was a team that went 12-2. Scoring over 20 PPG while giving up less than 10. Its easier to follow a winner – and its evident as I watch him start having strong feelings for the Golden State Warriors and the SF Giants.
My son donned a Todd Gurley jersey and we headed to the game.
Not 15 minutes in, who do we see? The GREAT Eric Dickerson on the sidelines. I tell my son “Mike, you know that picture of your dad and uncle with Eric Dickerson?” That’s him!”. His eyes light up. And true to the great player that he was, he immediately agrees to sign my son’s jersey.
I see a glint in my son’s eyes. I think, this is how it starts.
Of course, the Rams lost in overtime and we take the walk of shame back to the Car.
Because of the late night start of the first LA Ram game, I left my son at home, promising I would take him to the Seattle home opener. Thankfully, my son was not present when the team got stomped on by the 49ers though I received texts from my wife talking about how my son wanted to do something other than continue to watch the game when the team went down 21-0.
I must admit, that 49ers game took a lot out of me. The level of incompetence was staggering. The highlight of the experience was running into Keenum’s wife who, in response to my question of whether Case was ready to “kill it” that night, she said “he’s never been more ready”. Of course, looking back on it, she was right but not how I (or she) understood it. Oh, and there was the moment Kevin Demoff couldn’t get past an event staffer on the sideline with his lady friend because he didn’t have the appropriate credentials so, after 2 minutes of trying to convince this yellow-coated staffer that he was important, Kevin went on to the field and walked around the ropes and back to the player areas. All the while I was yelling at the event staffer that the “guy” was trying to sneak around prompting him to get on his radio.
When those rank as highlights of a Monday night game, you know you watched a turd, and it was all that and more.
So much so that my heart really wasn’t into the Sunday game.
It was shortly thereafter that I got a text from my friend Christopher. When I was an undergraduate in San Diego, Chris and I worked in a sports shop in Seaport Village (the Pier 39 of San Diego). Chris was a kid from St. Louis that like me, wanted to become an attorney. When the Rams moved to STL, Chris had moved back home and, incredibly, became a media intern.
Destiny is a funny thing.
In November of 1995, the Rams were opening the Trans World Dome in STL. Chris tells me I need to be in STL because the team was going to be going into the dome for the first time before the Carolina game and he might be able to sneak me in. I’m on the next Flight Chris!
On a cold November morning in STL, I find myself standing next to Chris . . . . and Georgia Frontier, here Cowboy hat wearing male companion, Speaker of the House Dick Gephardt, Thomas Eagleton, Stan Kroenke and other dignitaries.
It was like I was walking in a dream.
How is it possible that I am standing there, with these luminaries as the players come in for the first time in street clothes and I, ME!! I’m there to welcome them?!!! WTF!!!!
I’ve always been lucky and never had it been more evident that day.
As the years passed, Chris and I kept in touch. He moved out of STL and continued in sports PR working with various MLS teams, MLB teams until finally settling in Seattle and doing work here and there for all the local teams.
Chris writes: “hey man, I’m working the game, lets hook up. Come in early because I am working” I say yeah, I’ll come in the moment the gates upon.
Chris comes down and says hi. "Can I get your son on the field for second?"
My son looks up at me, his eyes the size of saucers.
Uh, yeah.
I can tell now, that my son has a hook in him more than a little bit.
If the Rams can just do something today, this fan thing may grow on him . . . Leaving his Eric Dickerson signed Gurley jersey where it hangs on his wall, he dons an Alec Ogletree jersey to compliment my Mark Barron #26 jersey. I tell him we are the LB’s and that we are going to decide the game today.
He listens, but doesn’t really believe.
We go to our seats and even though its ugly, its VERY CLEAR the Rams, particularly their defense came to play. With Seahawks fans in front and behind us, we have just the type of atmosphere which can intensify a game.
For you some of you guys who, like me are in your mid-forties and became fans as kids, the color of those uniforms, on grass, with the sun gleaming off their helmets, is something that takes you to a magical place. Its like Christmas morning or the last day of school before summer, its just an indescribable feeling that those colors, grass and sun do to this fan. I figure since my son is made up of at least half my DNA, these colors may being doing the same thing to him.
If the Rams can just pull this off!
The Rams crowd around me, while vast, is not well oiled at this point. At one point during the game, they started the wave while WE HAD the ball! I could hear Wilson barking signals at various point during the game even though I was 60 rows back. They haven’t yet caught on to the make noise when the other team has the ball thing.
At one point, my son asked why there was not one but two Jordy Nelson jerseys in our section (Not together). That said, as the game intensified and victory was getting closer, the fans started to pick it up. A good natured but smartass hawk fan behind me keeps saying right in my ear “you know its going to be 10-9 right?”
At one point, I tell him “you know, the thought has crossed my mind”.
As the 4th Quarter winds down and we can’t get the big FG that will give us the 2 possession advantage, the seahawks take possession and the guy behind me says “you know its going to be 10-9”.
I can feel my heart in my throat.
I know there are mixed feeling about Russell Wilson but for my money, he is deadly clutch. I am scared of him and I respect him. I hear that voice again “you know its going to be 10-9. This time its my own voice in my own head. Damn, this guy behind me got me right now.
Wilson completes the huge pass and moves the hawks to the Rams 40. A bunch of heretofore silent hawks fans start that “SEA - HAWKS!” chant all around us. “SEA - HAWKS” “SEEEEEEAAAA HAWKS!!!!”
I can see my son is worried. Damn, they are going to blow this opportunity to gain a new fan for life! I look at my son, “we got this man, don’t even sweat it”. He says, “but the guy behind us keeps saying 10-9 is going to be the final”.
I say take a good look at him. He turns around, and looks at him.
I say do you see him?” “Yes”. Do you see that guy? “Yes Dad, I see him”.
“That guy right there is a NNNNNNNNNNNNNNN LIAR!”
Now I don’t normally cuss around my kids but it had the desired effect - it just brings a huge smile to my sons face.
Moments later, Christian Michael catches a Russell Wilson pass and my son and I watch as two Jerseys, #26 and #52 come together like heat seeking missles and blow Michael the hell up.
Ball LOOSE!!!!! FUMBLE!!!!! RAMS BALL!!!!!
“Dad, those are our jerseys!!!!! #26 #52, you were right! You were right!!!!!
He turns around and screams at the seahawks fan, “you are a liar!”
As the hawks fans start to file out, I start an immediate impromptu chant which is soon joined in by half the section . . ..
SEEEE YA!!! Hawks!!!
SEEEE YA!!! Hawks!!!!
SEEEE YA!!! Hawks!!!!!
As we walked out, I knew I had just now witnessed another one of those moments that capture the imagination of a fan.
But even more so this time, my son had witnessed the moment too.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/21/2016 09:52AM by Shaky.
