The Rams came back to Los Angeles and I had to be there. I left LA in 1978 to live in Camarillo, California, about 60 miles north, but most of my family stayed in LA. I moved on my own as a sophomore in high school to live with my Uncle and play football at Camarillo High School. The Rams left LA for Anaheim in 1980, I went to Boise State and then the Rams went into hiding to St Louis in 1994 as far as I cared. I followed the Rams while they played in the Big A alongside the California Angels but I never went to a game. It wasn’t the same. As a kid, I lived in East LA and Studio City, worked in Downtown LA with my Father and could walk to the Coliseum to see my Rams. I had season tickets. I went often by myself as a 10 year old, with my Dad and his lunatic Dress designer friend, my Uncles and friends.

I wouldn’t miss it. For the record, I went to USC and UCLA games as well often by myself. I was a driven football fan from an early age. And, I loved the Coliseum.

My love affair was rekindled last night and at the same time I was reminded at how the Coliseum has fallen far behind.

I decided to attend the first exhibition game back in LA for the Rams not the first regular season game. My thinking was, in the absence of the Rams, I started following the Cowboys and I could watch all the former Boise St. kids play. So, I got very lucky on 4 player tickets, thanks to Alex Guerrero and Tyrone Crawford and took 2 of my kids and my die hard Cowboy wife to the game.

I wanted to pass along my Rams love and bathed in the old logos and memories.

We stayed at the Grand Sheraton LA in Downtown LA and the ESPN crew happened to be at the same hotel.

We saw Adam Schefter, Randy Moss, Charles Woodson and Trent Dilfer. We slammed French Dips at The Original Philippe’s with Dodger fans and went back in time to Canters Deli in Fairfax. Took the train to the game and ran into a guy who watched Ian Johnson play at Damien High School. He was a Cowboys fan and hated the fact they wanted him to pay $20 to watch the team practice in Oxnard.

We really enjoyed Downtown LA. It has changed for the better and it is strange to experience it so vibrant yet still rundown in areas and quite a few homeless running around.

I screwed up on the kickoff time so we ended up scrambling to make it in time for the kick off and missed all the pre-game stuff. Maybe it had to do with the ticket office being a little out of date, yes that’s a mobile home:

The kickoff went like this “The Rams are back! And the Cowboys take it in for a TD!” THUD.

The list of challenges the Coliseum had were long.

Not enough vendors. No programs for sale. Terrible in game entertainment. Poor Rams merchandise selection. Very few replays and lack of pre produced moments. Thank God the Rams were back but they brought the game management crew from 1979 with them.

Oh well, I LOVE LA!