Considering the conversation taking place on my wall regarding football teams, I began a response, but figured I'd just blog it since the wall presents a space limitation.
Growing up in Vegas, kids just pick someone they like. We don't have many pro sports there, and certainly not back then, so most picked teams for a variety of reasons. We either liked the uniforms, the "character" of the nickname (Cowboys, Raiders, Redskins), or maybe their favorite animal represents a certain team (a lot of kids liked the Eagles, Bears, and especially the Dolphins. A lot of kids naturally llike to identify with pirates, cowboys, indians, and so forth.
Of course, there were always the more serious fans, even as young kids. The one's who probably wore their dad's favorite teams' pajamas, a mini helmet, and certainly had a logo football they learned how to throw touchdowns to the dog with. They were usually pretty hard core about their dad's teams, but occasionally they ended up picking a different one.
There were also a few regional connections also, with San Diego, L.A. Oakland, San Fran, and Denver not too far away.The Rams were in L.A., and there was no Phoenix team.
I never really could decide, but then, I didn't really have that much of an interest in my early years. All I saw were a bunch of large men in tights running around after a funny-shaped ball until one of them kicks it through a big "H," which they get really excited about. Generally, it just seemed like the object was to simply knock everybody over, which was still fun to watch even if I didn't understand why they were doing it.
But what I did understand was going to the movies. I must have made my dad sit through "Jaws" ten times when it came out. In 1978, I went to a movie my dad actually wanted to see.... "Heaven Can Wait." It's about the quaterback of the Los Angeles Rams, who's spirit is pulled from his body prematurely, and the angels who made the mistake have to figure out how to put him back, because the body had been cremated. It's a brilliant movie.
I liked the Rams' uniforms. I was drawn by the horns on the helmet, and I immediately wanted anything with that logo on it. The next thing I knew, that team I saw playing in the fictional Heaven Can Wait Super Bowl was in the real Super Bowl....against the same team!
I remember my dad talking about how funny it was that the Super Bowl following the release of the movie had the same two teams in it, but the outcomes were different. The Steelers won that game, but I was hooked. I wouldn't go anywhere without my Rams hat (which I still have buried in storage). If anything I had didn't already have the Rams' logo on it, I drew it on.
So... that's the story on how I picked my favorite team. There weren't many good years as a Ram fan, though. I had to go to sportsbooks... usually the Hilton right by where I lived for many years.... to see Rams games because they were never shown regionally. I would be the only guy in there wearing a Rams jersey, and I would just hope they didn't lose too badly. Losing by less than ten points was an exciting game.
Then.... Rodney Harrison took out the Rams' new quarterback, Trent Green. Trent Green was the messiah... he was to deliver us long-suffering Rams fans from the pit of losing Hell... But the Charger's Harrison, who had a reputation as a dirty player for most of his career, takes Trent down and tears up his knee to a collective groan throughout Ram nation (located by this time in St. Louis). The previous season had finished 3-13 under Tony Banks, and the current backup was some guy named Kurt Warner from the arena league, so most people predicted a ONE-WIN season.... MAYBE!
Well... that season went ok.
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