Back in the day.

[ozarkram]

I was watching some old games from back in the day and they were featuring a player I had not watched in years. All the memories came flooding back. This guy had been my hero and I tried too model myself after him when I played.(although I could never reach those heights) Sadly he was not a Ram but it didn't matter. So my question is who was your favorite player back in the day the one that peaked your interest in football? Some of you go way back so this could be interesting.

 

[Red_Chaos]

he brought us the the promise land, got the whole area jumping. then again im a young gun on these boards

 

[ozarkram]

he brought us the the promise land, got the whole area jumping. then again im a young gun on these boards

Great choice Red!

 

[SDPaddlefish]

Well, way, way back in the day, when I was just learning what football was, I was introduced to a guy named Les Josephson. I met him because he played college ball at Augustana, SD, with my uncle. Turns out, his team featured a QB with the way cool name of Roman Gabriel, had defensive line called the "Fearsome Foursome", as well as a WR named Jack Snow (which I also thought was cool at the time). Put that together with meeting a few of them and I was hooked for life.

 

[ozarkram]

Well, way, way back in the day, when I was just learning what football was, I was introduced to a guy named Les Josephson. I met him because he played college ball at Augustana, SD, with my uncle. Turns out, his team featured a QB with the way cool name of Roman Gabriel, had defensive line called the "Fearsome Foursome", as well as a WR named Jack Snow (which I also thought was cool at the time). Put that together with meeting a few of them and I was hooked for life.

You are a lucky guy SD. Cool story.

 

[zeke2829]

Still holds the record....2105

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mmq06T958w

 

[bluepigpen]

My favorite Rams player was my avatar Dick Bass. He was a small fullback/halfback with the Rams in the early 60s. He started my interest in the Rams which holds true today. I have enjoyed my Rams over the 50+ years, but he started way back when, and I can against who, it was the Lions in the first game.

 

[mikey728]

I couldn't really pick one guy...I really liked Jack Snow, he was sort every man. All he did was catch passes...Dickerson is head and shoulders the best RB I've ever seen play in person..He had a real upright running style and could really see the field that way...Powerful guy, too...Going back a little further was Dick Bass...Little guy but very quick..First game my dad ever took me to was Gabriel at QB and Bass at "halfback"...Yeah, that's what it was called back then.....Johnny Unitas at QB for the Baltimore Colts...Good time in my life, even though I might not have known it at the time...Got a Ram uniform for Christmas in 1958, complete with very flimsy shoulder pads and cardboard thigh pads...#22 (Bass)...Johnny Unitas at QB for the colts..

 

[Retroram52]

That is why Mikey, you and Blue are members of the 50+ club!!

 

[ozarkram]

Great reply's all. I have been lucky enough too meet a few players. I met two Browns when I was very young thru my father. So young I don't remember there names only that they were tightends and they played pitch and catch with me all afternoon. My favorite Ram Larry Brooks I have met several times. And I met Dan Saleaumua in the 90s. But my favorite player from back in the day was Larry Csonka. I could never get enough of watching that man play.

 

[ksudodger]

Without question my favorite Rams player All-time is Jack Youngblood. Any human that can play a professional football game at an All-Pro level with a broken FREAKING leg is someone to look up to!

 

[mutigers1fan]

The players that sparked my interest wer Corby Jones who played QB at Mizzou 1997-1998 and Kordell Stewart during those same years. The players that really molded the kind of football fan I am though were Joey Porter, Jerome Bettis and Plaxico Burress.

When watching old games I love to watch the 70's Steelers play but other than them I'd say my favorites to watch are Johnny Unitas, Larry Csonka, the Bills SuperBowl teams (LT, Jim Kelly,Bruce Smith, Andre Reed, James loftin, especially Thurman Thomas) and the Fearsome Foursome.

 

[zeke2829]

Like Mikey said, it's really tough just to pick 1 guy. Don't get me wrong, I love the GSOT guys! The first that comes to mind is Marshall Faulk , but he was a different type of runner than ED.

As a Ram fan, its hard not to forget what Eric Dickerson did in his first 3 years of his career. ED ran like a gazelle and once he found a hole he was gone. His upright running style was criticized by many. It also looked as though he wasn't giving 100% on every play. But he was, it was deceiving but effective. He drove the 49ers NUTS! This is what I loved about him. When the LA Rams traveled to San Fran to play, there were banners that read "Eric May Be Nimble, Eric may be Quick, Eric will get burnt at the Candlestick". But he would always run right through their defense and that was when Ronnie Lott was playing. Eric always got his yards. Here is a clip just recently taken with Eric and Ronnie talking about old times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlOKazBwkbI


I will never forget when the LA Rams played the Dallas Cowboys(1985) for the divisional playoff game. In this game ED ran for 248 yards as our Rams won 20-0. This is still a playoff rushing record held by Eric. I remember this game very well as ED was a 1 man wrecking crew. We did however, go on to lose the following week, to the Chicago Bears. But I love it when we defeated the Cowboys. Anyone else remember this??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5Ijp2N9K2s

1984 was the year ED ran for 2105 yards. In that year he had 12~ 100+ yard games and he broke OJ Simpson record at the time. This record still stands and will be tough to beat. Heck it will be tough even to reach the 2000 yard club. I'm not so sure if Adrian Peterson can do this. Hope Not!

 

[ozarkram]

For me watching Eric run was almost other worldly. It is so rare that an athlete stands out so far above his peers. The only thing I can compare it to is watching Secretariat at Belmont. Like watching Eric, it still sends chills thru me. Almost like for a moment in time a higher power came down and whispered in their ear. Run! Thanks for the memories Zeke.

 

[ozarkram]

 

[BOSS429Mustang]

Like Mikey said, it's really tough just to pick 1 guy. Don't get me wrong, I love the GSOT guys! The first that comes to mind is Marshall Faulk , but he was a different type of runner than ED.

As a Ram fan, its hard not to forget what Eric Dickerson did in his first 3 years of his career. ED ran like a gazelle and once he found a hole he was gone. His upright running style was criticized by many. It also looked as though he wasn't giving 100% on every play. But he was, it was deceiving but effective. He drove the 49ers NUTS! This is what I loved about him. When the LA Rams traveled to San Fran to play, there were banners that read "Eric May Be Nimble, Eric may be Quick, Eric will get burnt at the Candlestick". But he would always run right through their defense and that was when Ronnie Lott was playing. Eric always got his yards. Here is a clip just recently taken with Eric and Ronnie talking about old times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlOKazBwkbI


I will never forget when the LA Rams played the Dallas Cowboys(1985) for the divisional playoff game. In this game ED ran for 248 yards as our Rams won 20-0. This is still a playoff rushing record held by Eric. I remember this game very well as ED was a 1 man wrecking crew. We did however, go on to lose the following week, to the Chicago Bears. But I love it when we defeated the Cowboys. Anyone else remember this??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5Ijp2N9K2s

1984 was the year ED ran for 2105 yards. In that year he had 12~ 100+ yard games and he broke OJ Simpson record at the time. This record still stands and will be tough to beat. Heck it will be tough even to reach the 2000 yard club. I'm not so sure if Adrian Peterson can do this. Hope Not!

Man, I remember that game Zeke! Matter of fact that was one of my fondest memories because I had a bet on the game---Tony Dorsett vs Eric Dickerson. I bet Dickerson would outrush Dorsett. The bet was $2 a yard. I don't remember what Dorsett rushed for but I really cleaned up at the time. I remember I had a lot of $$$ in my pocket for a kid that age!

 

[ANGELAKERAMS]

Thanks for that video Ozark.

Secretariat was truly an amazing race horse.

 

[bluepigpen]

What a great thread. Happy Fathers Day dads

 

[zeke2829]

Man, I remember that game Zeke! Matter of fact that was one of my fondest memories because I had a bet on the game---Tony Dorsett vs Eric Dickerson. I bet Dickerson would outrush Dorsett. The bet was $2 a yard. I don't remember what Dorsett rushed for but I really cleaned up at the time. I remember I had a lot of $$$ in my pocket for a kid that age!

ED was about 4 years too late. It would have been nice to have him when we played the Steelers in the 79 Super bowl. We would have won that game if Eric was on our team at the time. Oh well... at least we got him when we did. I was really bummed that he ended up going to Indy. But its pretty ironic that later on in the 90's the same thing happened to Marshall leaving Indy and coming here, and the rest is history!!

 

[zeke2829]

.....all I can say is WOW!! 25 lengths?? Holy Shit!!