Eight Teams With A Common Bond, And A Ninth Just Crashed The Party
It is a very exclusive southern California professional sports fraternity.
Qualifications for entrance? ONE!!!
That sounds easy enough.
Not really.
You’ve got to be the ‘Cream of the Crop’.
The ‘Best of the Best’.
The TOP DOG at what you do.
This takes perseverance.
You’ve got to be a survivor.
The journey is long, the road is sometimes bumpy.
Knock, Knock!
If you succeed, the door will swing open.
Handshakes, pats on the back and the satisfying knowledge that all those tedious hours of blood, sweat and tears have been rewarded.
You are not only a CHAMPION, you’re one of the ELITE.
One dozen professional teams have performed in arenas, stadiums or on the diamonds of Southern California.
A ninth just joined the party.
The Los Angeles RAMS!
That foundation was laid on Draft Day, April 28, 2016.
Not bothered by waving goodbye to first round picks, Rams General Manager Les Snead began the strategic process.
Little did Snead realize that this calculated decision would lead to an eventual Super Bowl ring.
A mover and a shaker, Snead leap frogged from the No. 15 position to the top, overall selection.
That position was occupied by Tennessee.
So the first year GM sent the Titans a boat load of choices.
Tennessee received the Rams No. 1 picks that year and the next, a pair of second round picks in 2016, and a third rounder in 2016 and 2017.
In return, Snead drafted the guy he wanted. Jared Goff. He also received a fourth and sixth rounder.
Though his days in Los Angeles could be classified as mediocre at best, Goff did get the Rams to the Super Bowl in 2019, losing to New England, 13-3.
Two years later, he was on his way to Detroit.
On January 30, 2021 the Rams sent Goff, first round picks in 2022 and 2023 and a compensatory third rounder 2021 to the Lions.
Motown Bound!
Exit Goff. Enter Matthew Stafford.
Stafford, who during his 12 seasons in Detroit never won a playoff game, is now 4-0 in SoCal.
He got to the post season alright, by guiding the Rams to a 12-5 record and the NFC West title.
In doing so, the just turned (February 7) 34-year old quarterback put up some nice numbers: 4,886 passing yards (8.1 yards per passing attempt), and 41 touchdown tosses.
On the flip side however, were those nerve-racking 17 interceptions, some of which proved to be painfully costly.
Stafford recovered quickly however, blowing out Arizona, 34-11 in the opening Wild Card round.
Then, when push came to shove, the No. 1 selection in 2009 engineered fourth quarter drives to beat Tampa Bay, 30-27, San Francisco, 20-17 and Cincinnati, 23-20.
The satisfying celebration overshadowed the fact that Sneed won’t have a first round pick until 2024.
The Challenge Ahead!
So what’s next? Or rather, who?
Snead’s best case scenario of course, would be to keep the entire team intact.
“I think we definitely, really, really think we have the core and the base (of the roster) in place to continue being a contender for the NFC West. Not only this year, not only next year but into some years to come,” the GM opined.
Unfortunately, there are some excruciating decisions to be made.
Odell Beckham Jr., Von Miller, Sony Michel, Austin Corbett, Brian Allen, Sebastain Joseph-Day, Darious Williams (unrestricted), Matt Gay, Troy Reeder (restricted) and John Wolford (exclusive rights) could all become free agents.
Steady backup lineman Joe Noteboom (unrestricted) could move into the left tackle spot if 40-year old Andrew Whitworth retires, as anticipated.
And although he has stated publicly that he would play for less, the Super Bowl injury to Beckham might make him a risky investment.
A payroll analysis by overthecap,com suggests that only four of the 32 NFL teams have less cap space than the Rams.
Snead needs to do some cleaver manipulating.
Like restructuring some expensive contracts!
Numbers Game
How about Jalen Ramsey, Cooper Kupp, and Aaron Donald.
Ramsey is under contract through the 2025 season. His cap hit the next four years is between $22.7M and 26.7M. By pushing $3.5M into 2023, 2024 and 2025 the Rams could save $10.5M.
If Kupp adds $3.5M to his 2023 contract, $1.2M to 2024 and 5.6M to 2025 the Rams gain $10.3M.
Donald has three years and $50M left on his six year contract. If he backends $8.8M, Snead has $29.6M to play with.
However, an extension may be in order for the three time NFL Defensive Player of the Year,
There are four other defensive monsters whose salaries exceed Donald’s: T.J. Watt, Joey Bosa, Myles Garrett and Khalil Mack.
Then there is Stafford, whose 5 yr/$135M contract expires after next season.
He’s not the only one.
Running back Darrell Henderson, right tackle Rob Havenstein, left guard David Edwards, defensive linemen A’Shawn Robinson and Greg Gaines as well as safety Taylor Rapp can all walk after the 2023 season.
Can the Rams do it again next year?
The last team to repeat were the New England Patriots.
The Pats beat Carolina, 32-29 in 2004 and followed that up with a 24-21 victory over Philadelphia.
“While many things have changed over the last five years, we’ve had unbelievable, unwavering leadership from (Sean) McVay and Les (Snead).
It goes without saving, you’d like that to continue,” remarked Rams COO Kevin Demoff.
Championship Company
If they go back-to-back, the Rams would join the Kings (2011-2012) and (2013-2014) as two time champions.
For now they’ll rub elbows with the Ducks (2006-2007), Angels (2002) and Raiders (1983).
A three winner are the Sparks (2001, 2002 and 2016).
The Galaxy have hoisted five MLS Cups (2002, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2014).
Chavez Ravine is the home of the six time champion Dodgers (1959, 1963, 1965, 1981, 1988, 2020).
And you’ll never guess who’s sitting at the head of the table?
The 12 time NBA champions who moved from Minneapolis (1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010, 2020).
The LOS ANGELES LAKERS!
But the door is still open.
Three vacant seats remain at the dais.
Clippers, Chargers, LAFC
The Clippers were born in Buffalo, raised in San Diego, moved to Los Angeles for the 1984-1985 season and have never reached the NBA Finals.
In 2020-2021 they got close. losing the Western Conference Finals to Phoenix in six games.
After spending 55 years in San Diego, the Chargers relocated to Los Angeles for the 2017 season.
The following season they beat Baltimore, 23-17 in the Wild Card round, then stumbled to New England 41-28 in the Divisional round.
That’s as close as they’ve gotten to the Super Bowl since moving back to Los Angeles.
On October 30, 2014 Major League Soccer awarded Los Angeles an expansion franchise.
In 2018 the Los Angeles Football Club fielded their first team.
In their second season, they dominated!
During their 34-game season LAFC were No. 1 in points (72), wins (21), goals scored (85), goals allowed (37) and goal differential (+48).
Not surprising, Carlos Vela lead the league in scoring with 34 goals.
Unfortunately, the playoffs were as disappointing as the season was successful.
After beating Minnesota United FC 2-1 and the Galaxy 5-3, LAFC stumbled to the Seattle Sounders FC 3-1, who finished 16 points behind Los Angeles.
LAFC has not returned to the playoffs since.
So they, along with the Clippers and Chargers, remain on the outside looking in.
The trio can only hope that in the future, they’ll receive an invitation to walk through that door.
Image: latimes.com
John Stellman
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