Los Angeles Rams: The gods are smiling, but for how long?

The fortunes for the Los Angeles Rams are slowly turning in a positive direction. Will they whiff or take advantage?

Los Angeles Rams fans may be noticing that the teams’ luck appears to be altering its course since the ousting of a particular Fisherman from sunny southern California waters?

No, seriously. Have the Rams found their “Magic” Johnson? Another Dick Vermeil perhaps? Because something is in the air again in Los Angeles that smells the same way it did when Tommy Lasorda took over managerial duties for the Dodgers.

Of course, it’s way too early to get excited about the Rams this way, but so far, so good. The coaching staff, the draft selections and undrafted class as a whole has mostly been impressive and inspiring.

Now the season returns and look what happens…

The football-scheduling gods are smiling down on this southern California NFL team with the deepest of local roots. Not only did the Rams take advantage of the opportunity to beat the Dallas Cowboys inside of a month after Dez Bryant’s somewhat arrogant “we are the only team” [in So Cal] comments, they now get two more such blessings.

The Oakland Raiders are their next test followed by the newly-relocated Los Angeles (in a twisted parallel universe) Chargers. Beating both teams, if only in preseason, sends a message to them, to fans, even to the youngest Rams players. That message undeniably says the following:

“WE’RE BACK AND ALL OF CALIFORNIA IS UP FOR GRABS!”

With the Raiders moving as early as 2019 to Las Vegas, future generations of fans will be given more choice. Yes, more choice should they shun Nevada because Raiders parents simply won’t raise red shirts. The Rams and Chargers would then come into play as the alternative―the winning team winning Black Hole escapees. Additionally, the Rams hold “home field advantage” and already rebuilding as the Chargers approach the post-Phillip Rivers years.

Strange how stars keep falling in line for this team.

The Rams are in another mildly favorable place even while the on-going Aaron Donald contract situation worsens.

Preseason Week 1 saw the trade and penciling in of new number one receiver Sammy Watkins deflect some attention away from a potentially saddening truth. Donald may not only be out longer than off-season camps but beyond preseason as well. For some strange reason, all concerned don’t appear concerned enough (if at all) despite Donald’s all-or-nothing mental make-up. Unless his representation does an about-face and suddenly becomes counter-persuasive, everything we know about the man says he’s not bluffing. We also know that in 2016 Joey Bosa held out one month with that same representation and less leverage.

Related Story: With Watkins on board, Rams will finally know what they have in Goff

With that in mind, the Rams front office must feel pretty confident in first-year head coach Sean McVay’s ability to turn things around come what may. Winning cures most NFL business ailments when the team in question has a recent history of being a horrific watch. After all, this isn’t Pittsburgh, Buffalo or Boston. The average Angelino has lots to do and sports are but a moderate portion of that at best. Some will go to the beach, shop, even do gardening on Sundays if their team is mediocre. If the Rams go another 4-12 or worse, well… If I remember correctly, the late Gerogia Frontiere’s nickname didn’t change from “Madam Ram” to “Madam X” until the team got really bad.

What’s that you say?