Rams-Broncos No Match for Refrigerator : Nevertheless, 80,000 Fans Will Watch Them Play Today in London

The enthusiasm for today’s America Bowl ’87 at Wembley Stadium has been a lot like the serving temperature of good English lager.

Tepid.

Yes, the exhibition game between the Rams and the Denver Broncos will probably draw more than 80,000, and yes, the English are curious about this game played in funny suits by giants from the colonies.

“(English reporters) kept asking me about the contact,” Ram quarterback Jim Everett said. “They kept saying, ‘Aren’t you afraid?’ ”

Dramatically missing, though, has been the three-ring circus hype of a year ago, when at least the Chicago Bears could step off the plane and introduce William (Refrigerator) Perry to the local tabloids, opening broad new avenues of questioning.

No one on the Rams eats that much bacon.

This week, open practices were sparsely attended, which locals attributed to the conspicuous lack of newspaper attention. It took a good cleaning of the bifocals to find copy on the teams this week.

No, the country that plays football with its hands found it difficult to wrestle press attention away from the one that doesn’t, as evidenced by the banner headlines reserved daily for the saga of soccer star Diego Maradona, who, depending on the minute, was either playing or not playing in Saturday’s Football League vs. the Rest of the World match at Wembley.

Some insiders here said that the locals were disappointed because they had been told that American Bowl ’87 would be a Super Bowl rematch between the Broncos and New York Giants.

Instead, they got the Rams and owner Georgia Frontiere, who vacations here every year and has long fought to showcase her team overseas.

Even so, the game is a sellout, and it certainly ranks as novelty for quizzical English fans, who tend to hoot and holler after a completion of the most elementary out pattern.

The week has also received thumbs up from players and coaches alike, who have been able to mix pleasure and vacation with some serious work.

“It went much better than I thought,” Ram Coach John Robinson said. “Neither team, I think, has really been preparing for the game. We’ve just been practicing against each other. And down the road, you couldn’t ask for a better week of practice.”

That’s because the Rams were able to trade the drudgery of two-a-day training camp workouts for three live scrimmages with Denver, a game with the Broncos, and a trip to the Tower of London.

The Broncos were also excited.

“I felt like we really improved as the week went along,” Coach Dan Reeves said. “We got a lot accomplished.”

Not to be lost in all this is that today’s game is an additional exhibition that otherwise would not have been played. Both coaches have measured their enthusiasm accordingly.

Robinson, though, is not discounting that this game is on national television and has certain political and cultural ramifications should, say, the National Football League ever want to establish a foreign bureau.

Robinson is also aware that his owner vacations here.

For that, the Ram coach will showcase his starters, namely Everett and Eric Dickerson, more than he might on any other Aug. 9.

The first team can be expected to be seen for one half, leaving all of the second for a free-agent free-for-all.

Admittedly, Robinson has loftier goals.

“I’d like to win, have no one get hurt, get on the plane and get home an hour after we take off,” he said.

Serious fans should also reserve judgment on the Rams’ new passing game and their new offensive coordinator, Ernie Zampese.

Even if the passing game is where it should be, which it isn’t, this isn’t the game to show your face cards.

“I think you’ll see more of a running attack,” Everett said. “The passing game, it won’t come out blazing. That would make life too easy for Zampese. We’ve got to make him age a little before we get there.”

Ram Notes The Rams’ charter will leaves immediately after the game and should arrive back in Los Angeles around 5 a.m. Monday. . . . Look for the following changes on the Ram defense: Shawn Miller becomes the starting right end this year, replacing Reggie Doss. Greg Meisner starts at nose tackle, with Doug Reed at left end. In passing situations, rookie Donald Evans takes the right end spot, Gary Jeter moves inside to tackle and Miller plays left end. . . . Because of a nagging back injury, linebacker Mel Owens won’t play today. Kevin Greene will take his place. . . . .Also missing from tonight’s game will be tight end Damone Johnson and running back Buford McGee, both out with hamstring injuries.

Highlights of Jim Everett’s fright-night sightseeing tour: “I saw this one guy with a six- or seven-foot python around his neck. In one bar, there was a guy wearing a tutu, and his whole body was covered in green tattoos. There was a guy with a plastic tea cup on his head. And then there was this 6-foot-7 transvestite waiter . . . “ There’s no place like home.

On Thursday, guard Dennis Harrah stole the show when he gave a speech to about 3,000 members of the Royal Air Force at a base in Lincoln Heath. “I got up and said we both kind of had the same job,” Harrah said. “I said we both go out and kick butt. That really pumped them up. Then, a plane flew overhead, and I said, ‘Gentlemen, that’s the sound of freedom.’ They went nuts. Boy, I really John-Wayned them.” In return, they let Harrah, who’s 6-5 and 275 pounds, sit in one of their fighter planes. “My head stuck out of the canopy,” Harrah said.