On Air
What's Your Fanniversary?
By James Staley
1017theteam.com
Twenty-three years ago this week Steve Bartkowski changed my life.
Steve Bartkowski?
Don’t feel bad. I had to Google him too. Skip the trouble. Bartkowski made a name for himself with the Atlanta Falcons in the early 1980s. He’s still the organization’s all-time leading passer. Made a couple Pro Bowls.
By 1986 Bartkowski quarterbacked the Los Angeles Rams. He was 34. It would be his last year in the NFL.
In Week 2 of that season the Rams played host to the 49ers. That’s what was blaring through the TV at my great-uncle’s house in Ruidoso, where I lived. I was 6. Aside from depicting dramatic, sometimes bloody, war scenes on looseleaf paper -- a lot of brave stick figures lost their lives those days -- my favorite pastime was watching TV with my uncle, perched on the arm of his recliner. I can still smell the Aramis aftershave, fresh Pall Malls and Pecan Sandies.
“Who do you want to win?” I asked.
“The 49ers. The team in red.”
I smiled.
“I’m going for the other team.”
He laughed. It wasn’t a my-nephew’s-cute laugh. It was more of a my-nephew’s-a-schmuck laugh.
So you can imagine my joy when Mike Lansford kicked an 18-yard field goal a couple hours later, giving the Rams a last-second 16-13 victory. I didn’t rub it in. Much. Seriously, just the minimal jumping, pointing and laughing.
My uncle shook his head. He told me that I had to cheer for the Rams from then forward. I couldn’t just antagonize him every week, at least not via football. I couldn’t just go with the winners. No problem, I thought. Not only did the Rams just beat his team, but they also had a cool horn on their helmets and the really fast No. 29 guy (Eric Dickerson), who wore glasses like me.
And so I embarked on my journey as a Rams fan. I discovered a passion for sports that day, which has steered my career -- and the pleasantness of most of my Sundays since.
That means this week, the Week 2 of the current NFL season, is my fanniversary. The official day is Sept. 14. But the celebration continues all week. Twenty-three years now. Yes, I did just write that. And yes, my dorkiness goes that far.
There have been a lot of ups. A lot of downs (mostly downs). Last week kicked off my 24th season with the Rams. That’s 381 games, 165 regular season wins (202 losses ... sigh), an 8-6 record in playoff games, two home cities, two NFC Championships and one glorious Super Bowl title.
So what does Steve Bartkowski have to do with this?
Why credit a quarterback who has been forgotten by my generation, and probably others?
Obviously my uncle deserves credit. I wouldn’t have seen the game if he hadn’t been watching. I wouldn’t have loved to joke with him if he didn’t have such a fantastic sense of humor.
My father deserves credit too. I might not have had any interest in football if it wasn’t for him. He played college football. I wanted to be just like him, so I took an interest in football at a young age.
Given the influence of those two men, I’m certain football would have billowed into my life at some point. But landing on the Rams? That’s all Bartkowski.
I suppose Lansford, the kicker, deserves some credit. But come on. It was an 18-yarder. He has to make that.
Lansford’s gimme never would have materialized if it wasn’t for a Bartkowski, who piloted a 92-yard drive late in the fourth quarter. The QB completed 4-of-4 passes for 60 yards on the drive. If he had tossed an interception, maybe I’d love the 49ers (pardon me while I gag), or Vikings, another team that beat San Francisco that season.
I don’t remember that final drive. But I do remember the field goal. And seeing the Rams old mascot dancing around near the goal post in celebration. My own goofy dance soon followed.
I finally got one on my old uncle.
PS: Yes, I realize I'm even a bigger dork for looking up this date.
PPS: Here's a link to an L.A. Times article about the game. And here's a link to STALEY'S DAILIES, where you can tell me about your fanniversary.
