There just ain't no getting around it. This coming game is as mind-blowingly stress inducing as it gets. Not as far as 'joy', 'celebration', 'happiness', but just thinking of it as related to stress I'd have to say this tops the SB. It's friggin' SF. Of all possible opponents it's SF.

Just thinking it of it from a 'stress' point of view it's like we have to suffer thru the most possible 'stress' just to get to the SB. I never recall any other season that seems so wrapped up in 'fate'. Fate in that we're playing, at least currently, our biggest nemesis... the one team that would hurt the most to lose too and I think everyone will agree is almost supernatural in the way it came about. Going in to that last game of regular season I thought a first game match-up with SF in the playoffs likely, not a sure thing but likely.... but I never once consider they'd meet in the NFC Championship game.

One good thing I have going for me: Age, tenure. Even though I live in a sea of Niner fans, many of them obnoxious to the extreme, they never confront me directly... they all know I've been a fan of football longer than they have.... and they all know I'm a diehard Ram fans... thru thick and thin. They give me respect... which leads me to this:

Not sure you read my post on the Pub but these days I'm visiting a friend who is going thru a tough time, Parkinson's Disease. I sit with him, watch old westerns, share a whiskey or two.. and reminisce. I was there last night and my friends wife told me this story: (I had forgotten this).

Some year's back I was at a party during a playoff game, (she couldn't remember which one, but it was long ago)... the party was going hot and heavy... all Niner fans, and me. (Niners weren't involved in the playoffs)..... So my friend's wife said she remembered that at party when the game was about to kickoff I apprarently screamed out - "Take it outside NOW, I'm going to watch the game". And apparently, (again, I remember the party but not these specifics)... the party cleared the living room where the TV was... vacated the premises because I was about to watch my Rams.

I'm with ya, my friend, this is serious stuff for me... and I wouldn't have it any other way. - JamesJM