For Some Players, Game Is End of an Era at Anaheim

Tale of two cities:

In Los Angeles, a rare sellout crowd at the Coliseum dances in the aisles, exulting in Jeff Jaeger’s overtime field goal and a victory that sends the Raiders to the playoffs.

In Anaheim, a crowd of 39,147-- bigger than the Freedom Bowl! --dances in the aisles, exulting in T.J. Rubley’s recording-setting 39th handoff to Jerome Bettis and a 20-6 victory over a quarterback-free zone known as the Chicago Bears, oblivious to the fact that their beloved Rams had just thrown away the No. 2 pick in the 1994 draft.

Goodby, Heath Shuler, the touted “franchise quarterback” from Tennessee who doesn’t expect to last until the fifth selection, where the Rams figure to pick now.

Goodby, Trent Dilfer, too? The next-best quarterback on the draft board could go among the top three as well, which would leave the Rams to kick the tires of a few slightly used veterans (Chris Miller? Scott Mitchell? Mark Rypien?) and rue the day they decided to roll up two touchdowns and two field goals on the Bears.

The Rams and their fans did a lot of waving Sunday at Anaheim Stadium. Officially, it was Fan Appreciation Day, where lucky ticket holders were rewarded for their masochistic tendencies with such handsome parting gifts as a year’s supply of ice cream and books of McDonald’s gift certificates, the two staples of Bern Brostek’s diet. But unofficially, it was Farewell To Rams Day, with many staples of the organization taking their final bows, whether they wanted to admit it.

Jim Everett jogged through the tunnel that leads to the Ram locker room for the last time. His Anaheim career ended somewhere around Thanksgiving--he took his final snap from center Dec. 5, 1993, in Phoenix--and as Everett approached the tunnel, fans cheered him, possibly for having the good grace to step aside for Rubley.

Everett acknowledged the fans with a sheepish grin, a thumbs-up sign, even a hand slap or two.

What was going through his mind at that moment, one can only guess, because Everett’s last postgame interview as a Ram was one of his shortest--three words only:

“No, not today.”

Everett could be going out, side by side, with his faithful favorite target, Henry Ellard, and his personal health insurance policy, Jackie Slater. They had shared some fine times together--Slater stopping wild-eyed, snorting defensive ends cold in their tracks, buying Everett the split-second he needed to find Ellard isolated one-on-one in the secondary, time after time after time, until the watch finally broke in 1993.

Ellard, 32 now, finishing his 11th NFL season, and Slater, 39, closing out his 18th season, are unrestricted free agents. Both plan on playing next season, but where? Ellard and Slater are long in the tooth and long in the contract, two demerits in the eyes of the youth-leaning, economy-leaning Ram management team.

“It would be nice to come back,” Ellard said as he straightened the knot in his necktie. “I put in 11 years here, I’d like to stay here. But (the Rams) may have other plans.”

Yes, the Rams may. Ellard led the team in catches (61) and receiving yards (945), but also led all Ram receivers in years on the planet. The Rams would like to get younger at the No. 1 receiver slot. Faster, too. Cheaper, better still.

Slater, meanwhile, spent Sunday afternoon in street clothes, the same way he has spent every Sunday since November, waiting for a torn pectoral muscle to heal. By training camp, it should be ready. Slater wants to be there. Rams Coach Chuck Knox wants him there, too, but Knox doesn’t sign Slater’s paycheck.

It will be a money decision for the Rams--and after 18 years in the organization, Slater knows what that means.

It could go either way, awaiting Hall of Fame bust or not.

Bettis, still a kid, refuses to consider any dark clouds on the horizon. Cutting off Slater before he hit the locker room exit, the rookie tailback wrapped a bear hug around Slater, let out a laugh and asked, earnestly, “You’re comin’ back, right?

“We’re gonna line it up one more time, right?”

Slater smiled and said he hoped so, he hoped so.

“Who wouldn’t want to come back and block for a guy like that?” Slater said as he headed out the door. “You’d give a lot of salt and sweat for that guy.”

Bettis is the future of this franchise. His 1,400 yards in his first season, his 39 carries Sunday--these are just the beginning. The transformation of the Rams’ offense from pass-first to run-first-second-and-third is under way, which bodes better for a veteran run blocker, such as Slater, than it does for a veteran pass catcher, such as Ellard.

“Chuck Knox has already expressed to me that he wants me back,” Slater said. “I’m excited about that. We’ll get down to working out all the wrinkles in time . . .

“Based on my performance this year before the injury, I should be back playing for the Rams next season. I was very pleased with the season I had.”

And Ellard?

“I’ve got options,” he said. “I’d like to play two or three more years. More than anything else, I’ll be looking for a multiyear contract.

“I think my stats speak for themselves. With everything that went on with our offense this year, playing with two quarterbacks with very different passing styles, I still had 61 catches. I’m happy with that.”

Still, Ellard admitted to taking “a long look around” Anaheim Stadium Sunday because “it could be my last time in a Ram uniform.”

He also shook hands with Everett. “We told each other, ‘It’s been a pleasure,’ ” Ellard said. “We’ve been through a lot of ups and downs together.

“I still think Jim can play in this league. He’s a young guy with a strong arm. It’s just a matter of him getting in the right situation. Put him in the right offense and he’ll do well . . .

“He’s ready for something new. He’s ready for a change.”

So are the Rams. The old gang, it isn’t what it used to be. Breaking it up shouldn’t be that hard to do.