Perspective, from a long-time fan

[AvengerRam]

This is my 34th season as a Rams fan.

Over that span, the Rams have:

Had a .500 or better record: 17 times
Made it to the playoffs: 16 times
Won the NFC Championship: 3 times
Won the Super Bowl: 1 time

While those numbers might not compare favorably to the Steelers, Cowboys, Niners, Giants or some other multiple Super Bowl winners, they are better than those of many teams in the league.

In fact, in that 34 year span, more than half the teams in the league have not won a Super Bowl (18 total).

I've also had the privilege of watching several Hall of Fame players, including Tom Mack, Jack Youngblood, Jackie Slater and Eric Dickerson, and a number of potential Hall of Famers, such as Isaac Bruce, Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner, Orlando Pace and Torry Holt.

When you look at it this way, the current situation is just a bump in the road. For those of you who have been a fan as long as I have, I'm sure you know what I mean. For those of you who became Rams fans more recently, remember... being a fan is a marathon, not a sprint.

[Richbert88]

Hey Avenger. Nice point. I've been a Rams fan for around 35 years and it hasn't always been easy. True fandom rarely is, unless it is defined as being a fan when things are good. But off the bandwagon thing.

I'd like to expand and modify that description of yours. Based on my experiences and what I am currently seeing, I would describe being a Ram fan along the lines of 'sailing from a far away port to cross an ocean in hopes of finding a new world'.

That journey has risks. There is the unknown factor which a true fan will have to deal with. The Rams may never see land again, therefore the fan will flounder with them. But, the promise of a new world...........is so sweet a proposition. This journey is going to be long, so be prepared and man the canvases and guard against pirates and sirens.

Ok, back to the rum.

Go Rams!

[SavageRam]

I've been a fan since 1969... so this is my 40th year.

Had a .500 or better record: 22 times
Made it to the playoffs: 19 times
Won the NFC Championship: 3 times
Won the Super Bowl: 1 time

[mde8352gorams]

I have been a fan since 1967 the year we went unbeaten into the playoffs only to lose to Green Bay. We had a monumental final game against the unbeaten Baltimore Colts under Don Shula and we won. We had Roman Gabriel as our QB and the Fearsome Foursome on defense. The team went on to many years of divisional greatness, only to be constantly beaten in the playoffs by either Minnesota or Dallas. We finally won a playoff game against Sonny Jurgenson's Redskins (his last game BTW). Ahh the memories!

We will be great once again; the NFL ensures that. I just hope it will be in my lifetime.

Go Rams!

[mde8352gorams]

I'd like to expand and modify that description of yours. Based on my experiences and what I am currently seeing, I would describe being a Ram fan along the lines of 'sailing from a far away port to cross an ocean in hopes of finding a new world'.

That journey has risks. There is the unknown factor which a true fan will have to deal with. The Rams may never see land again, therefore the fan will flounder with them. But, the promise of a new world...........is so sweet a proposition. This journey is going to be long, so be prepared and man the canvases and guard against pirates and sirens.

Ok, back to the rum.

Go Rams![/QUOTE]

Said so eloquently....agreed!

[r8rh8rmike]

As a Rams fan since '71, I've been through a lot, but I'm not sure I've seen worse than the last couple of years, and a loss to Detroit might mark an all-time low. That said, I'm confident we're on the right track and like other bad times, this too shall pass.

[01d 0rd3r]

As a rams fan since 2005 i will describe my experience with the words of an anonymous poster in a message board.

"Being a rams fan is like having a girlfriend that breaks up with you every sunday"

[Trevor]

Ram fan since 1999 when I was 9 years old, my aunt gave me these st louis rams gloves for christmas... I was a fan starting then... Great way to start being a fan huh? Not sure if I can classify that as a bandwagon...

[BEER]

This is my 34th season as a Rams fan.

Over that span, the Rams have:

Had a .500 or better record: 17 times
Made it to the playoffs: 16 times
Won the NFC Championship: 3 times
Won the Super Bowl: 1 time

While those numbers might not compare favorably to the Steelers, Cowboys, Niners, Giants or some other multiple Super Bowl winners, they are better than those of many teams in the league.

In fact, in that 34 year span, more than half the teams in the league have not won a Super Bowl (18 total).

I've also had the privilege of watching several Hall of Fame players, including Tom Mack, Jack Youngblood, Jackie Slater and Eric Dickerson, and a number of potential Hall of Famers, such as Isaac Bruce, Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner, Orlando Pace and Torry Holt.

When you look at it this way, the current situation is just a bump in the road. For those of you who have been a fan as long as I have, I'm sure you know what I mean. For those of you who became Rams fans more recently, remember... being a fan is a marathon, not a sprint.

We have sucked every since Goergia took over expt 1999. Before Goergia,
I agree we were a good franchise.

[NJ Ramsfan1]

I have been on board for 34 years since I was 5 years old. I certainly both admire and respect Avenger's positive thinking and perspective, but it doesn't change the way things are now. The Jack Youngbloods, Nolan Cromwells, Eric Dickersons and Jackie Slaters are long gone and in their place are a bunch of substitute teachers. Your numbers notwithstanding, I'll give you some more numbers: Since the 1989-1990 season, they've had 16 losing seasons and 2009-10 will be another one. That's 4 WINNING YEARS since '89. We've had a SIX YEAR bump in the road of straight losing. This team needs to start showing some progress now in the form of WINS- nothing else will make me feel any better.

[GROUND DOG 39]

Like many people in England I became a fan in 1985, American football was broadcast on T.V with an hourly show on Sunday's, showing highlight's of the best game from the previous week, and all the other results. The first game I ever watched on the show was LA Rams vs San Francisco *****. My destiny lay with one of the 2 teams, after seeing Ron Brown and remembering him from the 1984 Olympic games destroy the niners on one play for a touchdown, I took a liking to the Rams, who won the game in OT. Weve been down way more than up, but that to me makes the good seasons even better. I wont lie though. Id love a nice 8 year run, and so would Spags.
GO RAMS.

[C-Mob 71]

Ram fan since 1999 when I was 9 years old, my aunt gave me these st louis rams gloves for christmas... I was a fan starting then... Great way to start being a fan huh? Not sure if I can classify that as a bandwagon...

If you haven't gotten off by now, your far from a bandwagon fan. At least that's what I believe because I'm in the same boat as you. I was ten in 99 and fell in love with the GSOT. I was always a better sprinter than long distance runner, but the last few years have really helped me work on my endurance.

[AvengerRam]

We have sucked every since Goergia took over expt 1999. Before Goergia,
I agree we were a good franchise.

Really? So when the Rams made the playoffs 7 times between 1980 (when Georgia took over) and 1999, they "sucked"? And the Rams then sucked in four years since 1999 when they made the playoffs, including 2001, when they went 14-2 and made the Super Bowl?

You know, if you insist upon being a Negative Nancy, that's your business. But at least do your research before you post.

[Richbert88]

As a rams fan since 2005 i will describe my experience with the words of an anonymous poster in a message board.

"Being a rams fan is like having a girlfriend that breaks up with you every sunday"

Whose breaking up? More like "having a girlfriend that cheats on you every Sunday, but somehow you stay together". Kinda foolish, but your a fan of the girlfriend.

[laram0]

Fan since 1965 and the waves come with being a fan. Right now it's low tide but that will change.

Better days are coming!


GO RAMS!