DICK HOERNER

I don't want this blog to turn into a Rams obituary, but we lost another member of the Los Angeles Rams recently. Dick Hoerner, part of the legendary Bull Elephant Backfield with Deacon Dan Towler and Paul Tank Younger, passed away on December 11th. He played for the Rams from 1947 through 1951, including the NFL Championship game in which the Rams beat the Cleveland Browns, 24-17 at the Los Angeles Coliseum. My Dad used to rave about the Bull Elephant Backfield because of the toughness of those three backs.

KEN IMAN

Ken Iman, a fixture on the Los Angeles Rams offensive line at center from 1965-1974, passed away on November 13th at the age of 71. He played in 140 consecutive games for the Rams after arriving in a trade with the Green Bay Packers, and was the Rams team MVP in 1972. Iman later served as offensive line coach for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1976-1986. Rest in peace, Ken.

JACK REYNOLDS

Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds played middle linebacker for the Rams from 1970-1980. He didn't have the terrific speed or high-profile status of the NFL's premier linebackers, but this guy was so tough and was always around the ball, consistently one of the defense's top tacklers. He played with a lot of heart and I loved watching him play. The nickname "Hacksaw" was given to him in college when he sawed a vehicle in half (a Jeep?) after his Tennessee team lost a game. He finished his career with the 49ers.

ISAAC BRUCE

Isaac Bruce played 14 seasons as a wide receiver for the Rams, and was the last remaining player in the league who played for the Los Angeles Rams. He spent his final two seasons with the 49ers, but was recently resigned by St. Louis so that he could announce his official retirement as a Ram. He set all of the Rams major receiving records, including catches, yards and touchdowns and is only one of six players in NFL history with more than 1,000 catches. Bruce was one of those dependable players who went out and did his job without complaining or drawing attention to himself. "I was taught to seek the praise of God and not the praise of men," Bruce said. "That's the approach I take." He was well-respected and will be remembered for his incredible talent and that great smile that lit up throughout his career. I watched him play for the L.A. Rams in their final season in Anaheim. The Rams will retire his #80 jersey in a ceremony during the upcoming season.

A RAMS LEGEND PASSES AWAY

It was very sad to hear the news that Merlin Olsen died yesterday. When I posted about him here last year, I didn't even know he had been ill. Steve Sabol of NFL Films, considers Olsen one of the three best defensive tackles ever to play the game, along with Mean Joe Greene and Bob Lilly. I was fortunate to watch him play during his 15 years with the Rams, including his final game. He was the epitome of professionalism and a real gentleman on and off the field. He was 69 years old.

DEFENSIVE GEM

I stumbled upon this video on YouTube from the game in 1979 where the L.A. Rams shutdown the Seattle Seahawks with an incredible defensive effort, limiting Seattle to -7 total yards on offense. That's correct. . .MINUS 7 yards! The bonus here is the announcing team. Check it out at the link here:
Rams vs. Seahawks

STEVEN JACKSON

Yeah, I know. Steven Jackson never played for the Los Angeles Rams. But this guy just goes out there every Sunday and runs like a bull. He's tough as nails and seems to give 100%, even when the rest of the team is not getting the job done around him. He's one of those guys that you want to see winning. He was a first round draft pick in 2004 and has run for over 1,000 yards for the each of the past 5 seasons. I hope we get to see him on a Super Bowl team someday. Hang in there, Steven!