RAMS MAKE FIRST MOVE : VOICES / On the Impact of Possible Rams Move

I have been a Ram fan for some 42 years. In the last few years it has become evident that the ownership does not understand the fans. It doesn’t matter if you have the best stadium in the world, a consistent losing and mismanaged team will not be financially successful in Orange County. As a taxpayer in Anaheim, I would be extremely upset if the city officials decided to subsidize the Rams in any way.

ART SATTLER, Anaheim

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It would be no loss if the Rams left Anaheim. We shouldn’t subsidize teams like this. We have given them enough incentive to remain. It is time we draw the line.

BARBARA MONTGOMERY, Irvine

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We’re missing a great opportunity! Let’s build a state-of-the-art football stadium that would house both the Rams and Raiders (the Giants and Jets share the Meadowlands.) A site near the L.A./Orange County border could be supported by the people and leaders of both counties.

A quality football stadium would solidify the Southland’s pro football future for another 50 years.

BOB LOWE, Irvine

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Anaheim should not do anything to keep the Rams. Let them go in peace. I am tired of reading of the tightwad, childish, arrogant, obnoxious attitude of owner Georgia Frontiere and the Rams organization, which expects undying devotion from everybody. They try to wring every dollar out of everyone but don’t spend the money on what they need, which is a winning team.

BRITT NICHOLS, Orange

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I don’t know about the economic loss, but as far as officials going out of their way to keep the team, it would be a great mistake.

BOB CARGINIAN, Anaheim

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I used to plan my entire year around going to Ram games; then the NFL strike. In the last few, not only have I not been to a game, but I don’t bother to watch them on TV either. Let them leave.

MARK HART, Newport Beach

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We all know the Rams’ executive vice president, John Shaw, is a real pain in the butt! Anaheim and people like (Councilman Irv) Pickler helped create this problem when they broke their neck to install The Pond and Mighty Ducks hockey nearby but didn’t raise a finger to help the Rams.

BOB WOLFF, Newport Beach

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I have been a Ram season-ticket holder since the first season at Anaheim. They sure don’t show any compassion or loyalty to the fans. When I say “Go Rams,” I mean get out of here.

BILL MOERSCHBAECHER, San Juan Capistrano

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It seems to me that the city can spend a portion of the money they are making on The Pond on keeping the Rams in Anaheim. The Rams don’t want to move, but they do want a sweeter deal. City officials should give them one.

DOUG HELLER, Irvine

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We should just let the Rams move. I was a season-ticket holder for 20 years, and shortly after Georgia took over, I got disgusted. She wouldn’t spend any money on the team, the team went to hell, so I gave up my season tickets and wouldn’t go to another game.

JAMES MARSHALL, Laguna Niguel

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I know that a lot of the fans are disgusted with the Rams and are saying “let them move.” But I don’t believe that this makes sense for the fans as well as Anaheim. I feel that the Anaheim officials have to find a way to keep them here.

The problems that the Rams are having track back to the owner. She is not a football person. The reality of her problems are that if she does move the team, she will end up in the same mess that she has today.

JIM SULLIVAN, Balboa

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As a Rams season-ticket holder since 1969, it is a sad day that the Rams exercised their option to leave. But I support Anaheim in their hard-line negotiations with the ingrates known as “Ram management.” Frankly, I wish somehow the Rams would stay, with Georgia Frontiere and John Shaw riding off into the sunset. Unfortunately, this is not a fairy tale.

JOHN DOBSON, La Habra

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There are very good reasons why Baltimore, St. Louis, Memphis, San Antonio and Hartford want to bring the Rams to their communities. Besides the pride and enjoyment that the community gets, the main reason is money.

It’s time that Anaheim recognized it needs to get on par with the rest of the country.

ROBERT S. BEVACQUA, Newport Beach

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If the Rams were a public corporation, the shareholders would have ousted them a long time ago. Georgia Frontiere is not a leader in the sports franchise business, where leadership is paramount. John Shaw is a weak, introverted and spineless individual who will never be a leader. There is no commitment to winning.

GREG ARNOLD, Corona

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I feel like I’m watching the movie “Major League,” where the owner is trying to run the organization into the ground so she can move it into greener pastures. It would be a terrible loss for the Rams and Anaheim to let them leave. Anaheim has to do whatever it can to keep the Rams in town.

MIKE GAMBOA, Cypress

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It would be a tremendous loss for this community if they were to leave. The team is an icon of the community. You can’t just pick up a team and transport it like it is some player in the free-agency situation. All these teams are supported by the Orange County area, not just Anaheim, so why can’t Anaheim pool from surrounding tax bases to help keep the Rams here?

MIKE ROY, Tustin

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The Rams ought to stay. The city ought to do something--it ought to look to the future. They are a big bonus for Anaheim. Anaheim ought to go to bat, get the state and possibly Orange County to get behind them.

BRIAN TYRRELL, Huntington Beach

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The county should be building a stadium for the Rams. How about the Tustin Marine Corps Air Station as a new stadium site?

ROBERT BLITZ, Irvine

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They can leave any time they wish to. Right now they are attempting to hold the Orange County people hostage, and at this point, Frontiere and Shaw can pack up and as long as we can get positive proof that they are going to leave town, I’ll be a happy camper. I’ll take any expansion team over the deadbeat Rams at this point.

JACK RITOLI, Orange

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Anaheim shouldn’t do a single thing to keep the Rams. They have been crybabies, losers, and they should go, and good luck to them. I hope we do no spending of public money whatever to retain them.

MRS. TOM ENGLAND, Garden Grove

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It would be a big loss if we were to lose the Rams, economically as well as socially. We should do everything possible to keep them even if that means giving them more money for the parking and things of this nature.

MICHAEL WRIGHT, Yorba Linda

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Anaheim ought to let John Shaw and Georgia Frontiere take the Rams and move to St. Louis, Baltimore or even down to San Antonio. If they think the grass is greener on the other side, let them go. Anaheim, Orange County or L.A. shouldn’t push any further than they have.

RUSS McCARTHY, Laguna Hills

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The fact that the Rams might be leaving L.A. and Orange County stinks. The Rams should be retained at all costs.

STEVE PATRIDGE, Huntington Beach

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They can leave any day and, if necessary, I’m sure a lot of people in Anaheim would be willing to help them pack. If it costs the taxpayers any money, I say let them go, we don’t need them.

JAMIE WILLIAMS, Anaheim

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The city of Anaheim should make every effort to keep the Rams in town by going ahead and making it more lucrative for the Rams to stay. In addition, the Rams fans should work to keep the Rams in Anaheim by attending the 1994 season football games.

TIMOTHY X. LANE, Mission Viejo

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As far as I’m concerned, the Rams can go. We’ve given all that we should give.

JACK WINNING, Anaheim

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I feel no loss at all if the Rams leave. I would like to see Anaheim spend the money on a new stadium to get the Raiders to play in Orange County.

DANIEL STENGE, Tustin

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I feel that the Rams leaving Anaheim would not be that great a loss. But if we’re going to continue to have pro football here, Anaheim should be building a new stadium.

JOHN NOOTBAAR, South Laguna

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I am not concerned at all about the Rams leaving Orange County. They’ve shown no loyalty whatsoever to either Orange County or Anaheim. They don’t even carry our name, for heaven’s sake. I say good riddance, don’t let the door hit them in the butt.

JIM CARNETT, Costa Mesa

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I would love to see the Rams leave. Anaheim shouldn’t do anything to keep them here. We need to get them out of town. They are terrible. That would create more games on TV for us. With the money the families save, they can go out and invest in a second TV and watch more games on TV and have a family outing in their own living room.

DAVE FULLER, Santa Ana

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It would be a terrific loss if the Rams left Anaheim. Anaheim should be a little bit smarter in keeping the team considering that most cities don’t have the luck of having a team, let alone the Rams. They’ve got a tremendous history behind them.

BILL KALLAY, Santa Ana

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We should let them go. The Rams, owner, general manager and the team, have been a continual embarrassment to all of Southern California.

JIM REDDON, Laguna Beach