Rams in 5
?
by ClanRam Writer Don Ackerman
From June 2001
to June 2002, we have seen some dominant teams lose during a championship
game. Foremost in my mind is the Saint Louis Rams' loss to the New England
Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI. But after seeing the Detroit Red Wings win
Lord Stanley's Cup in five games over the Carolina Hurricanes, I can't
help but think that the Rams would also be champs if they had a second
chance. This just shows you that football is a game with little room for
error and also tells you that the Rams are not the biggest chokers in
sports history but rather, that in football, you cannot slip up for one
game.
I think it's
interesting to note that in the last year & a month, the most dominant
teams have lost their focus in the big game. If you saw the Super Bowl
last January, you saw the underdog Patriots take a big lead on the sleeping
Saint Louis Rams and squeak out a victory as time expired on the late-starting
Rams. But January 2002 was not the first big game lost by a heavily favored,
dominating team. Though the Rams came back to tie the score, it was too
late as the Patriots, who undoubtedly were struck by bone-chilling fear
as 14 points appeared on the Rams' side of the scoreboard, quickly moved
down the field and put the game away.
But the summer
before, another team did the same thing in another championship. It was
2001 and the Philadelphia 76ers surprised the league by making the NBA
Finals. Their opponent was not a surprise: The Los Angeles Lakers were
back to defend their crown. Before the first tip-off, most people knew
the Lakers were 2-time champs. Because of a better record,
the Lakers had one more feather in their cap, home court advantage. If
experience was not enough, the Lakers had the benefit of having their
fans screaming them to victory. The matchup looked so lopsided that I
think some conspiracy theorists (and some die-hard Sixer fans) believed
the trophy was being engraved before game 1 of the series was over.
But the Sixers,
like their Patriot brethren in winter, shocked the world and won the game.
The victory was sweet for the Sixers. Allen Iverson, their spunky, spirited,
and immensely talented guard was on top of the world. What the Sixers
did not know was that they were on top of the Lakers' world.
The loss only
woke the giant. After winning game one, the Lakers fought hard to not
lose again. And they did not lose again. Four games after losing at home,
the Lakers hoisted the championship trophy in Philadelphia.
It happened
again this year but in hockey. The Detroit Red Wings with their hall-of-fame,
all-star cast, were shocked by the upstart Carolina Hurricanes and they
lost game one at home. Again, the Wings woke up and did not lose again.
I can't help
but think that the Saint Louis Rams would have done the same. But the
NFL doesn't work that way.
So what's next? Well, the 2002-2003 season will give the Rams another
chance for glory. Can they dominate the regular season and taste sweet
victory again in San Diego (site of Super Bowl XXXVII). Can they do what
the Lakers did this year when the title was on the line? Can they win
without being distracted? I think so but before they design their Super
Bowl rings and before they plan the victory parade, they will need to
figure out how to keep the focus on each game. After all, it will never
be Rams in 5.
Ram on,
Don