In 1970, the Rams took a step back from their previous 3 years of being a legitimate SB contender. This was the beginning of a 3 year lull for the franchise that ended in 1973 when they introduced the classic blue and yellow uniforms and Chuck Knox took over as HC. But 1970 felt like it was the end of powerhouse Rams teams under George Allen, and it proved to be his last year as Rams HC.
When the final week of the 1970 season was being played, the Rams were already eliminated from playoff contention. However, their opponents, the NY Giants, just need to beat the Rams in Yankee Stadium and they would be playoff bound for the first time in seven years. And New York was buzzing with excitement and anticipation.
I was born and raised in NY, so being a Rams fan there was a bit unusual in the 1960s. Most of my friends were either Giants or Jets fans in those days.
All week leading up to the Rams Giants game the Giants players were shooting their mouths off. And then there was a headline in the NY Daily News that I’ll never forget. It said, “All I want for Christmas is Rams Soup”.
Well, turns out Merlin Olsen took particular offense to all this. He was known for playing hard no matter the situation, no matter the score. He had said when you don’t give your all, regardless of the situation, you’re cheating yourself and your team. Merlin really didn’t need the Rams Soup statement to get motivated, but it certainly added to his anger and he said as much after the game.
I was in the stands that day in late December, a few days before Christmas as I recall. I was with a close high school friend who was a huge Giants fan. What we witnessed in Yankee Stadium was Olsen totally dominating the entire Giants offense. He harassed Tarkenton unmercifully all day long, and shut down the middle of line of scrimmage. This, all in a game that meant nothing to the Rams and everything to the Giants. The final score was 31-3 Rams.
On the way home after the game, my dejected friend was very quiet, but he made one observation. He said it was all Merlin Olsen. I said, what about Deacon Jones? And my friend said, not today, today it was all Merlin Olsen. He’s the best I’ve ever seen.
~ max ~
“The consciousness of good intentions disdains ambiguity.” - Alexander Hamilton
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/09/2021 05:05PM by max.
