IT'S OFFICIAL - RAMS RETURN TO L.A.

Well, folks. . .it's happening. The Rams are returning to Los Angeles! After a grueling 10 hour meeting in Houston, the NFL owner's voted to allow the Rams to leave St. Louis and build a stadium in Inglewood. They will begin play in the L.A. Memorial Coliseum next season (2016) and their new home is scheduled for completion in 2019. The man responsible for this incredible situation is Rams owner Stan Kroenke. It's still somewhat surreal because if someone had told me 20 years ago that the Rams would come home, I would have laughed. WELCOME BACK, RAMS!

BRING 'EM HOME!

Well, it's been quite awhile since I posted here, but this is important news to Rams fans in Los Angeles. After all the rumors and speculation, the intent of the Rams to return to L.A. was made official by this statement on the team's website: "The St. Louis Rams informed the National Football League today that the Rams propose to relocate to the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. The relocation would be effective for the 2016 NFL League Year."

REMEMBERING THE FINAL GAME IN L.A.

Last month, I was interviewed by Emily Kaplan of Sports Illustrated for a story about the Rams final game in L.A. in 1994. The story is now online at The MMQB (Monday Morning Quarterback), along with a couple of my photographs, including the "cover shot" of the game program & ticket. It's an interesting read. Check it out at the link here:
http://mmqb.si.com/2014/06/04/nfl-history-in-95-objects-last-day-of-football-in-los-angeles/

MIKE LANSFORD

Mike Lansford was the kicker for the L.A. Rams for 9 seasons beginning in 1982. He was one of only a handful of kickers in NFL history who kicked barefoot. It's hard to imagine how painful that would be, but he was good at it. Not known for long field goals (over 50 yards), he was however a very clutch kicker and made several game-winning kicks in his career.

DICK "NIGHT TRAIN" LANE

Dick "Night Train" Lane was a defensive back for the L.A. Rams in 1952-1953. In his rookie season, he intercepted 14 passes (in a 12-game season!), a record that has never been broken. During his career, he was selected to several All-NFL and All-Pro teams. He was a tough hitter who liked to tackle opponents by their necks, which was legal at that time. In 1969, he was named the best cornerback of the first 50 years of pro football, later chosen by The Sporting News as one of the top 100 football players of all time, and then voted into the Hall of Fame in 1974. He passed away in 2002 at the age of 74.

KEVIN GREENE

It was difficult not to like Kevin Greene for his hustle and enthusiasm as an outside linebacker. He played for the L.A. Rams from 1985-1992. Across the three-year stretch of '88-'90, he had 46 sacks, more than any other player in the NFL during that period. The guy just never stopped moving, even when he was on the sidelines. He was later traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and finished his career with the Carolina Panthers in 1999.

ALVIN HAYMOND

Even though defensive back Alvin Haymond only played 3 seasons for the L.A. Rams, I remember him for his kick returning skills. He actually led the league in punt returns in 1969, and had over 1000 kickoff return yards in 1970. He was an exciting player and a precursor to some of the big-name, flashy return men who would come along later in the NFL.

JACK YOUNGBLOOD

Jack Youngblood played 14 seasons for the L.A. Rams, and became one of the best defensive ends in the history of pro football. He was a first round draft pick in 1971, and played so well that the Rams were willing to trade Deacon Jones to make room for him. He played in 7 consecutive Pro Bowls, and during the Rams playoff run in 1979, he played with a broken leg in the NFC title game and Super Bowl. He was known for his determination and durability in setting a team record of 201 consecutive starts. He was selected to the NFL Hall of Fame in 2001.

JEROME BETTIS

Though he will be remembered more for his career as "The Bus" with the Pittsburgh Steelers, running back Jerome Bettis was drafted by the L.A. Rams in 1993. He ran for over 1,400 yards that year and was named Offensive Rookie of the Year. Known as The Battering Ram, he quickly established himself as a hard runner with plenty of power. He was traded to the Steelers after the 1995 season and retired after winning the 2006 Super Bowl, finishing his career as the 5th leading rusher in NFL history.

OLLIE MATSON

Ollie Matson was an outstanding NFL player during his 14 year career, and played for the L.A. Rams from 1959-1962. He was a running back known for his speed and agility. Selected to 6 Pro Bowls, he was described by one defensive coach as "the greatest athlete I've ever seen." Not only did he play pro football, he was also a silver and bronze medal winner as a sprinter in the 1952 Olympics. He was voted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1972. Matson passed away last month at the age of 80.

LES RICHTER

Shortly after Les Richter was drafted out of college in 1952, the Los Angeles Rams traded 11 players - ELEVEN - to bring him to L.A. He played 9 seasons for the Rams at linebacker, and was selected to 8 straight Pro Bowls. This is another one of those guys that my dad used to praise for his hard-nosed style of play. In addition to his defensive skills, he was also a kicker for a couple of seasons, when he actually led the Rams in scoring! The only sad note to this story is that he passed away in June of last year at the age of 79, before being voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame with the class of 2011.

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!

CULLEN BRYANT

We lost a member of the L.A. Rams family last week when Cullen Bryant died at the age of 58. Bryant was a 2nd round draft pick of the Rams in 1973 and played with the Rams for 11 seasons. He was one of those big, strong running backs who ran like a human bowling ball while knocking down defenders, whether it was carrying the ball or blocking for a teammate.

MERLIN OLSEN

Merlin Olsen was one of the greatest defensive tackles in the history of pro football. It wasn't so much his strength and agility as it was his intelligence. He knew the game. His wisdom was greater than an opponent's power. And he just happened to be part of the Fearsome Foursome, the legendary defensive line of the Rams that included fellow Hall of Famer, Deacon Jones. He played for the L.A. Rams from 1962-1976, and was selected to the Pro Bowl for 14 consecutive seasons. I was fortunate to watch him play and was there at the Coliseum for the final game of his career, where he received a tremendous ovation after walking off the field for the last time.