Ok i take back what i said about you rooting for them, but you gotta be on board that they are rooted more for than against.
And perspective matters beyond just fanbases. Whether if effects our individual experience or not, but it does. Think about it. The Chiefs are beloved. The Eagles are beloved. The shitters are beloved. The Bucs during their recent runs were beloved. The Rams? It was always "mortgage the future" or "bought a championship" or some other crap like that.
That's something i personally can't get over. And i sure as hell don't want another team to benefit off it. Fuck the Lions.
An interesting back and forth here between
@thirteen28 and
@Angry Ram. I can really relate to the perspectives of both of you guys.
From
@thirteen28, I can definitely relate to taking pride and pleasure in the Rams' SB victories. Who gives a crap what other people think?
And @AngryRam, I hear you too. Frankly, that's always been a part of the appeal to me of being a Rams fan. The Rams just have never been "beloved" like some other teams. We're a smaller and more stubborn group of fans.
70's Rams-- probably the height of Rams' fandom and acceptance. Rams WERE LA. A glamour/glitz vibe combined with the gritty toughness of Jack Youngblood.
80's rams-- Eric Dickerson and consistent "good" teams. But the move to Anaheim gave them a more "corporate" feel, and Georgia was steering the team into the dump.
Early 90's Anaheim rams-- a disaster that led to the move.
late 90's St. Louis Rams-- a terrible team that was starting over in a new city.
GSOT-- Admired and celebrated, yes, but not "beloved" like some other teams. Love for Warner and Vermeil, but not the franchise itself.
2003-2016-- The Dark Ages.
2016-- move back to LA from StL.
2017-2023-- The revival led by "boy Genius" McVay. Fans are envious of Rams' success, but the team is still not "beloved" like some of the other teams @angryram has mentioned.
Anyway... the Rams have had a strange history, with extreme highs and lows, and a "wandering" aspect (LA, Anaheim, St. Louis, back to LA again) which has interfered significantly with the ability of many to stay "attached" to them.
And as for the "love" for the Lions? Yeah, I think it's real, and I think it's stronger nationwide for the Lions than for the Rams. But it's based on PITY. The Lions have been terrible for SO LONG and haven't won a damn thing... their fans have stuck with them for DECADES with nothing to show for it (aside from some Barry highlight reels). Plus, the city of Detroit has been to hell and back... Detroit has been a punch line of an "awful place to live" for so long. So yeah, I think ppl root for the Lions because their fans have been through so much.
The Rams may never be "beloved" like some other teams are, nationwide. But we've got two Lombardis in our trophy case, and our die-hard fans damn well appreciate them.