Opinions vary regarding past cities' affections

By ERNEST HOOPER

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 29, 2000

ATLANTA -- There are varying opinions about how much folks in Houston and Los Angeles still care about their woebegone teams, especially Los Angeles.

The Rams have spent five seasons in St. Louis after leaving a community that had seemingly grown apathetic about the ballclub. But several players said they still sense a following exists in California. Defensive end Jay Williams often sees the famed "Watermelon Heads" at at least one road game a season, and cornerback Todd Lyght said the Rams left a lot of fans.

"I still live in California. I have a home in Orange County and when I go home, people always tell me that they're still with us," Lyght said. "We had big support up in San Francisco when we played. The California-based fans will always have a place in my heart."

But syndicated sports-talk host Jim Rome, who grew up in southern California and has a show based in Los Angeles, said no one cares about the Rams in Los Angeles.

"The next call I get from L.A. about the Rams will be the first," Rome said.

ABC play-by-play commentator Al Michaels, who will call Sunday's Super Bowl, concurs -- sort of.

"I don't sense, living out there, this great emotional tie to the Rams," Michaels said. "I think a lot of people are rooting for them in L.A. I think a lot of people in L.A. grew up as Rams fans, but I don't see this teeth-gnashing about, "I can't believe they left town and we want them back.' "

For the Titans, formerly the Houston Oilers, the attachment seems to be a little stronger. They left after the 1996 season for Tennessee, but David Smoak, a sports-talk host based in Tyler, Texas, said the fans still have a fondness for the team, but not the owner.

"There's a lot of bad feelings between the city of Houston and the owner, Bud Adams, and Oilers fans from everywhere," said Smoak, who broadcasts for KTBB-AM 600. "We've had some (calls) this week that say my God, it's a sad deal that this team is playing in the Super Bowl when they should be playing in Houston."

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