The Los Angeles Lambs moved to St. Louis in 1994.  They won their first five games as the St.Louis Lambs then collapsed, missed the playoffs, and sustained ineptitude for four years. We lost a lot and it made news when our quarterback, Tony Banks, missed practice because his Doberman pincher pup, Felony, was hit by a truck.  You began to see lot’s of PSL’s listed for sale in the paper pretty cheap.

In the off-season of ‘99 legitimate hope was granted with the signing of All-pro talents Trent Green and Marshall Faulk. The faithful showed up buzzing at preseason game #1 like kids eying unopened presents.  Things were looking much improved.  I was biting my bottom lip, actually shivering with excitement before a blitzing defensive back drove a shoulder pad into back of the back of Green’s knee and snapped it(looked very similar to the Carson Palmer accident).  Silence, then a groan of agony, the buzz of hope evaporated and a distraught grumble ensued.  By the thousands, PSL holders slouched back into their seats and gulped beer.  Many had to ask, “Who’s our second stringer?”  Kurt Warner.   They carted Green off.  It was gross disappointment.  Many left to the bars to drink a lot.  On Monday I comforted my dad, “the Warner guy looked pretty good though.”

The Rams stomped out to a 3-0 start whipping Baltimore, Atlanta, and Cincinnati a combined 100-27.  Nobody was counting chickens yet because the 49ers were coming to town holding our leash for 17 games in a row.  The Rams dominated with flare 42-17 highlighted by 4 touchdown catches by Isaac Bruuuuuuce. I got chills during #### Vermeil’s post game interview when Bill Walsh came by, placed his hand on ####’s shoulder and said, “You’re goin’ all the way buddy.”  Vermeil sputtered, “Aw, Jesus!  Don’t say that.”  It was a warm October 10^th and the sun shined for hours after we got out of the stadium.  Sun Decker’s on Laclede’s Landing overflowed and rocked until near midnight that Sunday for there was upswing on our big investment.  Things had changed.  The Ram’s went on to finish 13-3 and secured home field advantage for the playoffs. 

That year delivered a ton of moments but the most memorable football moment for me was with 4:44 left in the NFC championship.  Ricky Proehl hauls in a leaping one armed catch in the corner of the end zone.  Ram’s held on and beat Warren Sapp and the Bucs,  11-6!  I wasn’t at the game, I was in Sun Decker’s watching on T.V.  When Proehl made that catch Sun Decker’s shook for minutes.  It’s an old bar with a stone foundation, wood floors and a tin ceiling.  When the pandemonium calmed the blades had been ripped off all the ceiling fans and two drunken dudes who were very near fisticuffs were hugging.  In tune of the rap hit Tootsie Roll everyone chanted for a long times, “Touchdown catch by Ricky Proehl, LET ME SEE THAT SUPER BOWL!”

Bruce’s touchdown catch in the Super Bowl is right behind it.  We bobbed and weaved on the cobblestone streets after Mike Jones made, ‘the tackle.”  Then on Monday it was parade day.  After work my good time friends gathered in Kiener Plaza where the parade would end and the players would say some stuff.  It was freezing and people packed in so tight you couldn’t sit down.  The parade was late and irritability was rising among the crowd.  A battle with influenza was eminent and I wished I wasn’t there.  The politicians took their publicity.   We were about 35 yards from stage; relatively very close.  People lined the tops of near by parking garages and buildings.  When, then Senator, John Ashcroft spoke, I yelled, “WARNER FOR SENATE,” as loud as I could.  It made my friends very uncomfortable.  Then a whiney moan came from behind my friends and I and we were bumped into.  Vollmer and I turned to see a short mustached man in a tie wearing trench coat.  We asked, “What’s your deal man?” 

“I’m sorry.  I need to get to the front but I’m just too small!  People won’t let me through!”

“Well everybody wants to be closer, why should they let you in front?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you!”  Holding a camera he moaned and spun expressing serious distress.  His antics were amusing however they were sincere.  I’ll color it like this:  I’ll bet my life this guy saw Brokeback Mountain in the theatre. 

“So, tell me.  Why do YOU need to get to the front?”

“You won’t believe me!  Nobody will!”

“Tell me why and maybe I’ll help you.”

He took a deep breath and began, “I’m a limo driver and this is Kurt Warner’s camera.  He and his wife left it in the limo and they asked me to try to bring it to them.  If you help me get it to them, it may be worth a handshake.”  Just standing in the crowd was miserable let alone climbing through with a fairy on my back.  Vollmer refused the task.  I thought about it a few minutes and accepted considering the potential meeting of Kurt Warner.  Maybe he’d take his picture with me.  The limo driver followed me as I put on dramatics of my own.  I squeezed through the crowd announcing, “Excuse me!  Emergency, Emergency!”  I wasn’t sure if it was wrong or what but we cut steadily through the crowd behind these words.  I made him swear he was telling the truth and he swore.  After about 10 minutes of gross struggle, I stopped about three rows from off the barricades and told everyone to let this man through.  He thanked me greatly and moved up front.  He was holding a camera and it looked like he was lying to get up front to take shots.  I explained to a radius of bitter bystanders, “He claims that’s Kurt Warner’s camera.  He’s the limo driver and they left it in the limo at the airport and don’t worry if he’s lying I’m going to beat his ####.”  They all smiled at the story.  The limo driver didn’t seem to appreciate the public proclamation.  It wasn’t long till Warners truck pulled up.  He and Brenda stood near 20 yards away.  The limo driver flailed, but so did everyone.  He pleaded with a police officer to walk it over.  The woman refused.  They never saw him.  How could they?  He was too small.  I have no doubts he was telling the truth.  He dialed them on the phone, but no answer.  Finally the limo driver crawled back into the crowd defeated.  To this day I feel bad for saying I was going to’ kick his #### if he was lying but I don’t think he realized the crowd had some questions about our emergency.