Jack Youngblood: Rams 'forgot us'

[ROB'S RAMPAGE]

Pardon the interuption, but when you were actually living in this era of greatness did the franchise ever honor the alumni of the CLEVELAND Rams?

Just wondering.

Just wondering? Let me help you out. Ever hear of a guy named Paul Brown? Well, he started a franchise in 1944 in cleveland the team did not take the field untill 46'. In the meantime the Local Rams played in the championship game in 45'. Guess what? Nobody came. Actually there was a sparse draw but definately not a sell out. Did i mention it was championship game? You see the city was very much in support of Mr. Brown so much so that the New team was named ......ratatata.. the Browns. They city 'left' the Rams before they bolted for Untapped frontiers and a city that welcomed them with open arms to the tune of about 100000 fans at a few games.

Rams being the first professional sports team on the west coast. Yah thats right, before the whiners arrived. And as far as that post awhile back about the LA buccaneers(sp) breaking the ice. Well there were 200......or maybe close to 389 'football teams' that organised between the late 20's and 60's. Most lasting for 1yr all trying to ride the start up football train. The Buccaneers were a CHICAGO based team that used california collegiate players for a team. They played a preseason game in the Bay area so were able to use the LA city representation. They never played a reg game in LA. Think Canton Bulldogs etc. they were all midwest to eastern teams at that time. PERIOD.

This move to St, Louis has been a heartbreak to all long time LA Rams fans. CLeveland's fans .....well just ask them.

[MoonJoe]

Pardon the interuption, but when you were actually living in this era of greatness did the franchise ever honor the alumni of the CLEVELAND Rams?

Just wondering.

Cleavland doesn't even like Cleveland...

[r8rh8rmike]

Pardon the interuption, but when you were actually living in this era of greatness did the franchise ever honor the alumni of the CLEVELAND Rams?

Just wondering.

So what's your point? That legendary Los Angeles Rams players like Jack Youngblood should just quit their whining and deal with the fact that the franchise no longer cares about being associated with them?

Just wondering.

[macrammer]

Thuis thread really has made me think quite a bit over the plight of Rams sine the lady took over. I lived all of it of course but the never has been struck again and it makes me so sad to see what has become of this franchise and what it used to be. I am not sure all of the clan can really understand unless you lived through it. I am very impatient right now in terms of winning and wince when i see others refer to the urgency as knee jerk.

This is one of the toughest years of all of them, for me. It pains me to see the rams just getting pummeled, week in and week out and to top it off, hear daily on the radio in my area about whiners and first week bye and bla bla bla. Harbaugh this and gore that. Hell there is even a small but growing love fest going on for their stinkin' QB.....

Jack youngblood was and is one of the top faces of the franchise. Opposing coaches developed gameplans around him. When is the last time we had that on D?

[AlphaRam]

Posted 15 hours ago - I guess the Rams organization lurk our boards?


Fans Connect to Past Through Alumni Program
By Stlouisrams.com

This Sunday, fans may have flashbacks to the Greatest Show on Turf when they donate coats for Kurt Warner’s Winter Warmup outside the Edward Jones Dome and see Az-Zahir Hakim honored in-game against the Saints.

This weekend, however, isn’t any different than previous weekends when it comes to the organization working with its alumni to improve the overall fan experience.

Hakim will be attending the game and brought on to the field to be acknowledged by the home fans via the Rams’ alumni program, which has taken giant leaps in the past three years and regularly brought back former Rams – be it the St. Louis or Los Angeles vintage – for recognition of their contributions to the franchise.

For an organization that is still relatively young in this market, the Rams didn’t do much with their alumni in the first decade or so they were in St. Louis. But with new leadership at the top and more Rams players retiring in recent seasons, there has been a renewed vigor toward honoring the past.

“We wanted to find a way to allow our fans in St. Louis to celebrate the members of the St. Louis Rams that thrilled them for years while finding a way to introduce them to the storied players of the Rams past,” Kevin Demoff, the Rams’ Chief Operating Officer, said.

Tasked with the job of pulling together the alumni information, organizing visits and coordinating events is Kyle Eversgerd, the team’s fan development coordinator.

Starting in September 2009 with the long-awaited jersey retirement ceremony of Rams legend Deacon Jones, the Rams have put special emphasis on ensuring that all former Rams feel like a part of the team’s tradition and their place in it. The Rams’ are one of the NFL’s proudest and most storied franchises, and bringing back alumni provides a bond with fans and current players that connects the past with the future.

Over the past three seasons, members of the St. Louis Rams that have been honored in-game include Adam Timmerman, Andy McCollum, Mike Jones, Grant Wistrom, Orlando Pace, Dane Looker, Ernie Conwell, Todd Lyght, Dre Bly, and Keith Lyle. Additionally, last October, the Rams retired the jersey of receiver Isaac Bruce, an event that brought back many of the aforementioned alumni and about two dozen of Bruce’s former teammates from his time in Los Angeles and St. Louis.

In an effort to recognize the great players who wore horns before the team’s move to St. Louis, the Club has also honored all living Rams’ Hall of Famers from the Club’s time in Los Angeles. The first player to be honored was Jack Youngblood, who was honored at the Edward Jones Dome in October of 2009. Youngblood was followed by Tom Mack and most recently Eric Dickerson, who was featured during this year’s home opener. Legendary Ram Merlin Olsen was featured in a halftime ceremony in 2009 with his son appearing on Olsen’s behalf (Olsen was sick at the time).

Beyond the player appearances and ceremonies, the Rams have also made efforts to stay connected to their alumni via other events as well. Most notably, Marshall Faulk and Orlando Pace served as analysts for the Rams’ pre-season telecasts this past pre-season. The Rams sponsored a football camp put on by Dickerson back in July, produce a weekly tribute to former Rams legends on the “Rams Nation” television show and have also brought back players like Lyle to help out at their Club’s football camps.

“Our efforts to re-connect with our alumni are not just limited to on-field recognition,” Demoff said. “We make a suite available each game for any returning alumni and their families. We participate and provide financial support for alumni golf tournaments, football camps and charitable causes. All of our alumni are part of the Rams’ family and we are always looking for ways to strengthen those ties.”

After Hakim makes his appearance this weekend, the Rams plan to honor former Los Angeles Rams quarterback Vince Ferragamo and host a number of alumni at the Hall of Fame ring ceremony for running back Marshall Faulk at the Dec. 18 game against Cincinnati.

[macrammer]

steps in the right direction......

[rams4life88]

I dont post on here much. But when i do something usually strikes a chord within me. All i got to say is this. I grew up an L.A ram fan. And I will always be a ram fan. But in my honest opinion. Its so sad to see the tradition and the legacy of the L.A Rams before the move and to see the state of the franchise right now. Its almost like Jekyll and Hyde. I understand that they want to create a fanbase in St Louis. But you cant just erase 50 odd years of great teams in Los Angeles and the many great players that poured their blood, sweat and tears into this organization. LA didnt let the Rams go, they were stolen. Thanks Georgia from turning this franchise into an abysmal mess. As said before, Ill always be a rams fan, but i dont look upon the St Louis Rams as the same franchise as the Los Angeles Rams.

[Ironmaidenram]

and by the way, what is up with those ugly-ass red seats in the dome??? sure makes the ***** and chef fans feel right at home, get rid of that crap and put in some blue ones

[Curly Horns]

There is not a viable link to the past left in the organization, so of course they forgot you, Jack.

Many Rams fans talk about the various Rams jerseys that they have. Even though I've been a lifelong Rams fan I only have two Rams jerseys, Merlin Olsen and Jack Youngblood.

The point being, first and foremost it's the fans that are going to remember you, Jack.

If you want to be remembered, cherished and loved then look to the fans.

Look to the fans, Jack, look to the fans!

[OldRamsfan]

Like a few posts above , This no surprise to many Miss Ram did what she wanted , Everything they did and how they did it was 100% wrong , Players like Jack and others are the foundation of our history ! and its a darn shame , This why many LA fans left the Rams as Fans ! I for one could not , Having been their since 1958 , But I understood it and it was heart breaking and still is to a point . Carroll Rosenbloom was a Great swimmer and his son who was fired right his father's death was a a great mgmt person who had the blood line of the rams in his veins . Whats really funny is she lived in STL until the team moved their and then moved to AZ . Her Kids where never ever into the football team like Steve RosenbloomGod !!! Many don't remember were the Rams started even that was in February 13, 1937 were their Cleveland Rams (1936–1945) then the Los Angeles Rams (1946–1994) So Ya I can understand the feeling , I have them myself , But as a Little boy 1958 watching our guys hit the field with those white horns and the hero's that stood then , Yes I can understand . But no matter where they go I have Ram blood in my veins , Gods bless you jack and thank you for signing my Rams helmet for me back when .

[RealRam]

Get Jack Youngblood on the phone, pronto! Share, invite, communicate, apologize to him.

Indeed, STL is, and has always been, "baseball city"* (with a very honorable mention to the NHL Blues).

Rams IDENTITY is an issue in STL, identity with the team's real background that is L.A., not Cleveland. In marketing a business / organization / team stays alive via a connection with its proud past and in today's world the baby boomers are still a very powerful populace. Ever wonder why songs or instrumental music from the 60s & 70s are so often in current ads and other publicity?

[To help the very young ClanRam fans w/their homework, baby boomers were born between 1946-64. Thus, the vast majority of early / mature Rams fans have an L.A. connection, not a Cleveland one. And STL was accepted in 1995 with a customary grudge as a mega "business decision" more than anything else.]

ST LOUIS needs to ramp up said connection w/the Rams of 1946-94, including -- and especially -- very special icons such as Jack Youngblood, Fred Dryer and many other players. Step aside for a couple of weeks from fancy, latest technology, do some good old fashioned research (alright, Google), find these Rams veterans and get them on the phone, pronto! In short, credit where credit is due.

Get them on the phone ... before they, as well as their respective fans**, become geezers.


As LARAM0 said,

"It goes even later for some of us old timers. How about the Fearsome Foursome, Roman Gabriel, Jack Snow etc...Those where the RAMS!"

*.- Congrats on their winning MLB Championship. Nice to see Cards in the stands with their new trophy and LaRussa donning Rams retro jersey! And Rams win 1st game of 2011!

**.- I.E., some of us more **cough, cough** senior fans from that era.


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[Barry Waller]

Simply not true. The Rams have had halftime tributes to many L.A. Rams, INCLUDING Youngblood, and also Merlin Olsen, Deacon Jones, Eric Dickerson, Bob Brown, and Jackie Slater. I saw these myself, and also see the ring of honor in the dome dominated by L.A. Rams. No idea why Youngblood would now say this stuff which is really untrue. I bet Ex-Oilers get less love in Nashville than old Rams have here.

When Shaw was team Prez especially they reached out to L.A. Rams all the time, and McCutcheon and Snow and Ellard worked for them here, and now Cromwell does as an asst coach.

All your hullabaloo about this and damning the Rams people is way off base. They have pictures of old LA teams coaches etc all over Rams Park.

What exactly does Youngblood want, to be paid by the team. Sounds like he's just trying to sell a book or maybe get sympathy if and when another team moves to LA.

[r8rh8rmike]

Sounds to me like Youngblood and many of his former teammates would like to have a more active role with the Rams, much like other former players do with their teams. For whatever reason, that isn't happening and Youngblood feels forgotten and when he was in St. Louis, felt he wasn't wanted. I guess two invites in 17 years isn't enough to make him feel like he's still a part of the team. Say what you want about the motivations, but the fact is he feels the way he feels and it's a shame. It just shouldn't be the case.

If I recall correctly, Deacon Jones regularly riped the Rams publicly until they finally retired his jersey two years ago.

[NJ Ramsfan1]

Simply not true. The Rams have had halftime tributes to many L.A. Rams, INCLUDING Youngblood, and also Merlin Olsen, Deacon Jones, Eric Dickerson, Bob Brown, and Jackie Slater. I saw these myself, and also see the ring of honor in the dome dominated by L.A. Rams. No idea why Youngblood would now say this stuff which is really untrue. I bet Ex-Oilers get less love in Nashville than old Rams have here.

When Shaw was team Prez especially they reached out to L.A. Rams all the time, and McCutcheon and Snow and Ellard worked for them here, and now Cromwell does as an asst coach.

All your hullabaloo about this and damning the Rams people is way off base. They have pictures of old LA teams coaches etc all over Rams Park.

What exactly does Youngblood want, to be paid by the team. Sounds like he's just trying to sell a book or maybe get sympathy if and when another team moves to LA.

You raise fair points, But for a guy like Jack Youngblood, a luminary of the sport and one of the greatest Rams of all-time, to say this, there must be some truth to it. To my knowledge, he has never been one to stir up controversy or be anything less than a class act.

I believe this has nothing to do with halftime tributes or retired jerseys. I think guys like Youngblood, Fred Dryer, Jackie Slater etc. are a prideful group who feel a disconnect with the current club. The management, winning tradition, different city, different colors all probably are bones of contention with these guys to whom the Rams meant everything. As ex-greats, they'd like to be given the courtesy of "having their opinions down" on issues involving the team from time to time. That is not to say the Rams have an obligation to put them on the payroll or defer to them on all matters involving Rams football. It means if I am a member of the Rams' heirarchy, I stay in touch with Jack Youngblood. I touch base with Roman Gabriel. I reach out to Jackie Slater when my O-line sucks and I want to bring in a guest instructor for the week. I fly Fred Dryer to St. Louis to make an appearance once in awhile for the fans. I bring the 70's Rams together for a reunion of sorts. It's about continued appreciation and respect for what they've meant to the franchise thru meaningful acts- not just giving a guy a day of honor once and putting up a team photo in Rams Park.

[sosa39rams]

We have such a rich and storied past, we should really appreciate it more. I'd love to see some of the all time greats be more involved. Just simple things can keep us happy, and them happy. Joe Namath regulary attends the Jets training camp, why cant we do this? Does it hurt to have Hall of famers teach young guys how to play? I'd love for Bruce and Holt to spend exclusive time with WR's. Youngblood and Jones with DE's.

I guess at the end of the day I can't really affect that, and the regime can choose to do whatever they want. I'd love to see some older players be appreciated though.