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I posted this in the *articles* section but thought I'd post it here also for some who may not read the other sections....
By Jeff Gordon
Post-Dispatch Online Sports Columnist
01/17/2002 01:22 PM
Have Rams fans gotten spoiled? Are they coming into the Building Formerly Known As The Trans World Dome with a complacent attitude?
Have they gotten soft with all this winning? Have they forgotten all the bad football they watched over the years, or that dark period when there was no pro football at all?
The Rams are wondering. The fellas felt some disappointment when Rams fans failed to disrupt Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning back on Dec. 30. He was able to step to the line scrimmage and call plays after eyeballing the Rams defense.
Rams coach Martz had made a point of asking fans to get loud when Manning got up to the line . . . but still there wasn't much of a roar. And come to think of it, there wasn't much electricity for the home-field clinching victory over Atlanta, either.
Receiver Ricky Proehl hopes the atmosphere will change dramatically Sunday afternoon during the epic showdown against the Green Bay Packers. When fans scream their guts out inside a dome, they can energize the home team and rattle the visitor.
"It's very important," Proehl said during a news conference Thursday. "I hope the fans are listening in St. Louis. I'm hoping they get loud again like they did in '99, because the last couple of weeks, Indianapolis and Atlanta, they weren't a factor at all.
"As a player, that's disappointing, because I think they've gotten complacent. It's so hard to win in this league, even when you're playing the Colts, Falcons, when people expect that we can run through them. We did do that, but it helps when you get the fans behind you. I hope that this playoff game Sunday they'll be like they were in '99."
Dexter McCleon said Proehl's assessment was widely shared on the team. The 'C' word has been uttered in the locker room. "We expected it to be a little louder, especially the Indy game because Mike (Martz) sort of asked the crowd if they could be a little louder because Peyton likes to do a lot of checking off and everything.
"But it's playoff time now. You don't have to ask them to be loud. We expect them to be loud.
We expect the place to be rocking. But we need it. We need every little bit of advantage we can get right now. It's do or die now. We need them. I hope they realize that."
If Rams fans don't throw themselves into this game, then the Packers fans that are buying up tickets for this game will have some impact. Many of the yuppies among us have capitulated and either sold tickets to their Cheesehead friends or peddled the ducats to the brokers.
We'll see lots of green in the Dome. Wisconsin is planning an invasion. "One thing I will say, when I was in Chicago, Green Bay has great fans," Proehl said. "Even when we were the opposing team, they treat you with respect. It's not like going to New York or Philadelphia or Oakland.
"You know they'll be there. They love their team, they love the Packers. I will expect there to be some Packers fans there.
"Like I said, I hope our crowd pumps it up and we can hear it."
So does this bureau. This region has a once-in-a-lifetime NFL team representing it. This once-in-a-lifetime team is about to play a Game For The Ages against the very exciting Packers. If the Rams didn't exist, the Packers would be the heavy favorite to win it all this winter.
This could be one of the most exciting games ever staged in this city. We hope this expectation will fire up the populace.
Maybe St. Louisans should follow Kurt Warner's lead this week and save their voices. Perhaps they should stick to hand signals. Ticket holders should let their significant others do the jabbering for them for a few days.
Sunday will bring an opportunity for each ticket holder to join the championship quest. This will be their chance to join "The Greatest Show on Turf."
The Rams believe they are ready to meet the very stiff Packers challenge. But they have to wonder: Are the fans ready to do the same?***
By Jeff Gordon
Post-Dispatch Online Sports Columnist
01/17/2002 01:22 PM
Have Rams fans gotten spoiled? Are they coming into the Building Formerly Known As The Trans World Dome with a complacent attitude?
Have they gotten soft with all this winning? Have they forgotten all the bad football they watched over the years, or that dark period when there was no pro football at all?
The Rams are wondering. The fellas felt some disappointment when Rams fans failed to disrupt Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning back on Dec. 30. He was able to step to the line scrimmage and call plays after eyeballing the Rams defense.
Rams coach Martz had made a point of asking fans to get loud when Manning got up to the line . . . but still there wasn't much of a roar. And come to think of it, there wasn't much electricity for the home-field clinching victory over Atlanta, either.
Receiver Ricky Proehl hopes the atmosphere will change dramatically Sunday afternoon during the epic showdown against the Green Bay Packers. When fans scream their guts out inside a dome, they can energize the home team and rattle the visitor.
"It's very important," Proehl said during a news conference Thursday. "I hope the fans are listening in St. Louis. I'm hoping they get loud again like they did in '99, because the last couple of weeks, Indianapolis and Atlanta, they weren't a factor at all.
"As a player, that's disappointing, because I think they've gotten complacent. It's so hard to win in this league, even when you're playing the Colts, Falcons, when people expect that we can run through them. We did do that, but it helps when you get the fans behind you. I hope that this playoff game Sunday they'll be like they were in '99."
Dexter McCleon said Proehl's assessment was widely shared on the team. The 'C' word has been uttered in the locker room. "We expected it to be a little louder, especially the Indy game because Mike (Martz) sort of asked the crowd if they could be a little louder because Peyton likes to do a lot of checking off and everything.
"But it's playoff time now. You don't have to ask them to be loud. We expect them to be loud.
We expect the place to be rocking. But we need it. We need every little bit of advantage we can get right now. It's do or die now. We need them. I hope they realize that."
If Rams fans don't throw themselves into this game, then the Packers fans that are buying up tickets for this game will have some impact. Many of the yuppies among us have capitulated and either sold tickets to their Cheesehead friends or peddled the ducats to the brokers.
We'll see lots of green in the Dome. Wisconsin is planning an invasion. "One thing I will say, when I was in Chicago, Green Bay has great fans," Proehl said. "Even when we were the opposing team, they treat you with respect. It's not like going to New York or Philadelphia or Oakland.
"You know they'll be there. They love their team, they love the Packers. I will expect there to be some Packers fans there.
"Like I said, I hope our crowd pumps it up and we can hear it."
So does this bureau. This region has a once-in-a-lifetime NFL team representing it. This once-in-a-lifetime team is about to play a Game For The Ages against the very exciting Packers. If the Rams didn't exist, the Packers would be the heavy favorite to win it all this winter.
This could be one of the most exciting games ever staged in this city. We hope this expectation will fire up the populace.
Maybe St. Louisans should follow Kurt Warner's lead this week and save their voices. Perhaps they should stick to hand signals. Ticket holders should let their significant others do the jabbering for them for a few days.
Sunday will bring an opportunity for each ticket holder to join the championship quest. This will be their chance to join "The Greatest Show on Turf."
The Rams believe they are ready to meet the very stiff Packers challenge. But they have to wonder: Are the fans ready to do the same?***
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