Roman Gabriel R.I.P.

[Dan Darragh]

I remember an epic late season game (or maybe playoffs?) when it was Roman and his Rams against Joe Kapp and his Vikings. 

 

They broke the mold after they made those two.

[Old Coot]

Thanks for the Year of the Rams video. It brings back memories. I was a Colts fan (Baltimore, that is) and those Colts-Rams games were titanic.

 

The Rams had the best D line in the league: The "Fearsome Foursome": Roger Brown, Lamar Lundy, Merlin Olsen (HOF), and Deacon Jones (HOF).

[The Frankish Reich]

Watch this and tell me that Josh is not the second coming of Roman Gabriel. What a talent.

 

 

[Let's Go Buffalo]

Thanks for sharing! Thoughts and prayers for his family, and R.I.P. Mr. Gabriel.

[amprov56]

17 hours ago, Beast said:

 

Was at this game!

1 hour ago, Dan Darragh said:

I remember an epic late season game (or maybe playoffs?) when it was Roman and his Rams against Joe Kapp and his Vikings. 

 

They broke the mold after they made those two.

What a great era of football, loved watching the Vikings late afternoon, cold, gray, mud, and snow!

[gobillsatthebeach]

22 hours ago, Beast said:

 

Awesome! Thank you for posting!

[3rdand12]

10 hours ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

To your point:

 

Recall the 1967 season, the Baltimore Colts led by Johnny U hadn't lost a game all season, though they had tied the Rams earlier who were in their same division.  Recall they were by far the best team in the league that year.  Last game of the season they played LA again in LA led by Gabriel and the Rams beat them.  There were no wild cards back then so the way the tie breakers fell Rams won the division somehow, Colts didn't even make playoffs.  Green Bay knocked off Rams in first round and then went on to win SB II.

 

As a side note believe he was from Wilmington NC area where I currently live.

okay ! Being a Colts fan as a little kid.

Wow !

I was a bit young but had a few trading cards of Roman and knew he was a Ram and good player!

 Loved those helmets

 

 RIP

[ExWNYer]

On 4/20/2024 at 8:37 PM, Beast said:

 

 

I remember this game like it was yesterday. I was three days shy of my 10th birthday and we were visiting my Aunt Mary & Uncle Bill for the day at their place in Lancaster (we were living on Grand Island at the time). The adults were off doing something and I was in the living room nervously listening to the game on the radio with my little brother. Back then we normally only saw the Bills seven times when they were on the road and listened on the radio for the other seven when they were at home because of the blackout rules back then. I can still recall pacing and hoping & praying that John Leypoldt would make that kick for the lead. Needless to say, we were elated at the result. Ah, the innocent, joyous memories of youth. Thanks for sharing. I always liked Roman Gabriel. As a kid, I thought his name was cool. RIP.

[foreboding]

On 4/20/2024 at 8:07 PM, PonyBoy said:

Kind of crazy how some of us old coots ( poster name play intended 😀) on this board remember a player & name vividly like this guy from 45+ years ago like it was only a few years ago. 

 

Angel Gabriel now 😔

 

 

Yeah! I remember him back when I was a little kid. 83. Crazy. RIP.

Edited April 22 by foreboding

[ticketssince61]

On 4/21/2024 at 4:48 AM, amprov56 said:

Seen him play in the Rockpile 1970.

 

Was at that game - think were shut out 19-0

 

IIRC, we once had a 4th and 52 from our 2 yard line

[amprov56]

14 minutes ago, ticketssince61 said:

 

Was at that game - think were shut out 19-0

 

IIRC, we once had a 4th and 52 from our 2 yard line

It was! Why many on this board dont understand how bad things can get!

[Paup 1995MVP]

On 4/21/2024 at 10:28 AM, All_Pro_Bills said:

It was a time when sports was sports and not so much glitz and glamor entertainment.  Guys just showed up and played.  No celebrations about a 1st quarter interception.  No music blaring and fireworks.  No 60,000 people in the stands staring at their cell phones checking their fantasy league stats.  Now the SB halftime show and commercials seem just as big a deal as the game itself.

Very well said All Pro Bills.  Could not agree more.  Look at the coin toss for the 1st Super Bowl between the Chiefs and the Packers.  3 or 4 people total on the field.  LOL

[Ned Flanders]

On 4/21/2024 at 9:17 PM, ExWNYer said:

Back then we normally only saw the Bills seven times when they were on the road and listened on the radio for the other seven when they were at home because of the blackout rules back then. 

The blackout policy (it was never a rule) was changed at the start of the 1973 season and several Bills home games were on local TV that season.  Don't know about the Philly game though.  

 

You can thank President Richard Nixon for strongly urging the NFL and Congress to change the pre-1973 policy.  Nixon, a fervent football fan, could not watch the 1972 NFC championship between the Redskins and Cowboys because the game was blacked out in Washington, despite being sold out.  Nixon's prodding led the NFL to install a policy where if a game was sold out 72 hours before kickoff, it could be shown locally.  Thankfully, this revamped policy was abandoned several years ago, where now every home game is shown locally, sold out or not.