Notes on a Scorecard - Jan. 19, 1995
What I will remember most about the Los Angeles Rams:
The Bob Waterfield-Norm Van Brocklin quarterback controversy. . . .
Jack Youngblood playing with a broken leg in Super Bowl XIV against the Pittsburgh Steelers. . . .
The helmets. . . .
“Free Football for Kids” at the Coliseum. . . .
Gypsy Boots and Pom-Pom Mom. . . .
The Fearsome Foursome of Deacon Jones, Merlin Olsen, Lamar Lundy and Roosevelt Grier. . . . Chuck Knox’s efficiency the first time around. . . .
Eric Dickerson gliding to 2,105 yards in 1984. . . .
The Dickerson trade in 1987 that never should have been made. . . .
Fred Dryer throwing two Green Bay Packers for safeties on a single afternoon. . . .
The Norm Van Brocklin-Billy Wade quarterback controversy. . . .
Touchdown Tommy Wilson living up to his name. . . .
Pro football booming in L.A. like nowhere else in 1957 and 1958 with three crowds in excess of 100,000. . . .
Ray Malavasi, when he was an assistant coach, making submarine sandwiches on team flights. . . .
Tom Fears’ sure hands. . . .
Anthony Guillory blocking a punt to beat Vince Lombardi’s Packers. . . .
Narrow losses in playoff games to Minnesota on December days when the Vikings didn’t play in a dome. . . .
Elroy Hirsch’s crazy legs. . . .
George Allen taking over a team that went 4-10 in 1965 and lifting it to 11-1-2 in 1967. . . .
V.T. (Vitamin) Smith. . . .
The Billy Wade-Frank Ryan quarterback controversy. . . .
Public-address announcer Frank Bull introducing the starters and then “Coach Hampton Pool and the balance of the Ram squad.” . . .
The offensive genius of Sid Gillman. . . .
The spectacular runs of Jaguar Jon Arnett, who would have been a star every Sunday night on the ESPN highlights. . . .
Isiah Robertson’s key interception against George Allen’s Washington Redskins. . . .
Woodley Lewis and Skeet Quinlan. . . .
The shocking news conference in February of 1983 that introduced John Robinson as the new coach. . . .
The professionalism of piano movers Tom Mack, Joe Scibelli, Charlie Cowan, Joe Carollo and Ken Iman. . . .
Harry Thompson’s toughness on the field and, later, his smile in the press box. . . .
The San Francisco 49er rivalry. . . .
Roman Gabriel’s MVP year of 1969. . . .
Carroll Rosenbloom’s desire to win. . . .
Slippery Dick Bass. . . .
The Roman Gabriel-Bill Munson quarterback controversy. . . .
Radio announcer Bob Kelley using the term red dog for the first time. . . .
The 73-yard Van Brocklin-to-Fears pass that brought the Rams their only NFL title, 24-17, over the Cleveland Browns in 1951. . . . Joe Stydahar resigning as coach in 1952 after the defending champions lost three consecutive exhibition games and their regular-season opener. . . .
The James Harris-Pat Haden quarterback controversy. . . .
Papa Bear, George Halas, getting booed at the Coliseum as he walked onto the field and scowled at the officials. . . .
Don Paul making me want to play linebacker in our sandlot games. . . .
The loyalty of administrator Jack Faulkner, equipment managers Bill Granholm and Don Hewitt, video director Mickey Dukich and publicists Jack Teele, Jerry Wilcox, and Rick Smith. . . .
Eddie Meador’s hits. . . .
The trades that brought Les Richter and Ollie Matson here for players too numerous to mention. . . .
Thirteen consecutive sellouts at Anaheim Stadium during the 1980 and ’81 seasons. . . .
The Pat Haden-Vince Ferragamo quarterback controversy. . . .
The consistency of Lawrence McCutcheon. . . .
Jerome Bettis tearing up the NFL as a rookie. . . .
The progression of Pete Rozelle from team publicist to general manager to NFL commissioner. . . .
Flipper Anderson catching 15 passes for 336 yards against the Saints in New Orleans in 1989. . . .
The Jim Everett-T.J. Rubley quarterback controversy.
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