L.A. RAMS FINAL GAME

It was 14 years ago today that the Rams played their final game as the Los Angeles Rams. It was Christmas Eve 1994 in a losing effort to the Washington Redskins at Anaheim Stadium. I had the opportunity to photograph the game from the field, but chose instead to sit with my Dad in our season seats for one last time together. My Dad was a true fan, having supported the team since their days in Cleveland before they moved to L.A. in 1946. He had jokingly said that if the Rams ever left L.A., he'd die. Fighting off flu-like symptoms, he watched his beloved Rams in the dreary dampness of that December afternoon. The photo above is of me and my Dad in our Rams jackets and Santa Claus hats at that final game. A couple of months later, he was diagnosed with lung cancer and passed away in October 1995. He and the Rams have been missed ever since.
Hope you all have a Merry Christmas.

COY BACON

A former member of the L.A. Rams has passed away. Coy Bacon, a fierce defensive lineman who played for the Rams from 1968-1972, died in his home in Ironton, Ohio yesterday at the age of 66. After starting his career at right tackle in 1968, he moved to defensive end in 1970, replacing Fearsome Foursome member Lamar Lundy, who retired. Although official statistics for quarterback sacks were not established until 1982, unofficially Bacon had 130 career sacks with an astonishing 26 during the 1976 season with the Cincinnati Bengals. During his 14 years in the NFL, he was selected to the Pro Bowl three times.

ROMAN GABRIEL

My first sports idol as a young fan was Roman Gabriel. He was a big, tough quarterback for the Rams from 1962 until 1972. I remember his MVP year of 1969 when he led the Rams to an 11-0 start, and into the playoffs against the Vikings. They played at old Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, MN and it was an icy cold December day. The Rams played a good, solid game and after the Vikings sacked Gabriel for a safety and a 23-20 lead, the Rams began to march down the field in the final few minutes. But the Viking defense tipped a pass and intercepted, then ran out the clock to seal the victory. I vividly remember a black & white L.A. Times photograph of Gabriel walking off the field after the game, his head down as the snow fell around him. The caption read, "The Fall of Roman's Empire". To this day, I hate the Vikings!

RAMS REUNION

Two summers ago, there was a private event at the L.A. Coliseum celebrating the 70th anniversary of Rams football. There were many former players and coaches in attendance, but the stadium was empty except for the area in use at the peristyle end. I think that the organizers completely dropped the ball by not opening this event up to the public - maybe for an admission fee of about $20. It would have made a great charity fund raiser and allowed Rams fans to not only enjoy a nostalgic visit to the Coliseum, but also let the players know that they were appreciated here.

TEXT MESSAGES FROM PRESS ROW. .

The Los Angeles Times has been a daily part of our family routine for longer than I can remember. One of the cool sections of the Sports "Morning Briefing" is Jerry Crowe's Text messages from press row. . . This morning, Jerry gives this new L.A. Rams blog a shout. Check it out here.