Top 10 of the Last 10:Family Feud

As you all may or may not(I'll take the latter) know a while back I posted a blog stating that to celebrate my 10 years of being a football fan I will be posting 10 of my favorite moments in the past 10 years. Number 10 just occurred last season and it is the Rams/Redskins game.

Family Feud is a game show that used to air a lot and its defined by two families feuding with each other over issues or a family feuding within itself. For my family the only feud is Football. Dating back to possibly the 1930's, when they moved from Boston to Washington. The Redskins has been THE team of the family. Welp that all changed in 1978 when my dad first got into Football. Rather than following suit and being a Skins fan my dad pursued his own team(or I should teams)as he became fans of the Seattle Seahawks, the San Diego Chargers, and the Los Angeles Rams. By the end of the year he was Rams exclusive.

The first Family Bowl(my name for it) occured in 1981 when the Skins traveled to LA to face the Rams...it wasn't even close as the Skins won 30-7. In fact, it wouldn't be until Family Bowl V(1987) that the Rams would beat the Skins. The Skins would take 4 of 6 over the next 10 years before 1997 when the Rams(Now St.Louis) came to the East coast and knocked off the Skins(my dad was in attendance for that one with 3 Skins fans).

Jeff Wilkins game winning field goal in the 1997 game much to Scott Turner's(skins player on ground)dismay.

In 1998, I became a football fan. Rather than honoring the Skins tradition started 60 years earlier or so, I decided to honor my dad by being a Rams fan. It would be every year me and my cousins(Dan, John, and Matt respectively) would have a shouting war over who would have the better team. For 10 years they would always win. Not even the great Kurt Warner Rams could beat the Skins and 3 times in this decade we fell(33-20, 20-17, and 24-9).

Going into the December 24th meeting(Family Bowl XV) in the Edward Jones Dome, my confidence was at its lowest for the Rams. They had started 4-1, with victories over Denver, Arizona, and Detroit, Green Bay before a mid-October showdown with the Seahawks. The Rams squandered a 21-7 lead and despite the best efforts of Marc Bulger and Torry Holt along with the defense, Josh Brown's 54 yard field goal sailed through the uprights and the Hawks had won 30-28.

The loss proved to be the beginning of a downward spiral. The Rams were blown out by the Chargers, soundly beaten by the Chiefs, fell short against the Seahawks(courtesy of Mr. Josh Brown), and shut out against the Panthers, before finally winning against the 49ers. Just when it looked we were going to turn around, we lost the the Cardinals. It was then I had enough. In probably the most times I ever said the f-word, I denounced the Rams, claiming to be sick of being a fan of losers(and at one point spat on a Rams flag)and for the first time ever decided to skip a Nationally televised game. On December 4, 2006, the Rams faced off against the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football. That day I never turned to ESPN, not once and instead of watching the game, I watched Mary Poppins on ABC Family(a nice little film).

As expected they were thrashed 42-27 thus making the Christmas Eve meeting with the Skins more nervracking. In the week leading up to the game, we had shut out Oakland which didn't boost my confidence at all. On Christmas Eve, I had decided to skip the game and instead play Football at my uncle Ben's house, where I had to hear his analysis. Despite telling him, that I don't care whats going on and that any point the Skins score should be expected from a terrible Rams defense he still bragged about the Skin's 7-0 lead.

When I arrived home, the Skins had just scored making it a 28-14 lead in the 3rd Quarter...the lead wouldn't last. Instantly Marc Bulger took over rallying the Rams with touchdown passes to Steven Jackson(65 yards) and Stephen Davis(10 yards). Suddenly, I got the feeling that we could do it. A Jeff Wilkens field goal gave us the lead at 31-28 with 7 and half remaining. The Skins wasted little time to respond as Shaun Suisham nailed it from 52 yarder to tie it at 31.

With 2:02 remaining the Rams prepared for the longest two minutes of the season. On 3rd and 6 at our own 17, Bulger connected with Kevin Curtis. 2 plays later, it was 1st and 10 at the Washington 27. The Rams ran down the clock with two Steven Jackson runs. With 4 seconds to go we set up our Field Goal unit. At this point I was feeling great and I believed we just about had it won...then Wilkens MISSED the kick from 41 yards as my remote flew across the room. It was overtime, and I was ready for it.

We got the ball first but the drive stalled and thus the Skins got a chance, but a 3 and out gave and a punt returned 33 yards by Shaun McDonald put the ball at the Skins 39. Bulger immediately connected with Holt to pull to the 34, and as Stephen Davis got across to the 24, I could feel it. It was 2nd and 7 at the 24 when Bulger handed it off to Jackson, and as he sprinted for a touchdown I jumped to my feet and even pinched myself to see if I was dreaming. I even looked at the TV in a blank stare for 5 seconds praying there was no penalty.

Thats when it sank in, the Rams had finally beaten the Skins, and I finally had bragging rights in the family, and what looked like hell the next day turned into heaven as I wouldn't have to be bombarded by the 6 million Skin fans(so it seems)in my family.

Why this is Number 10? It was the first time I could ever get bragging rights in football against the rest of my family, and after all the heartbreaking losses that season and against the Skins it felt good to win one, for once. Despite the 4-11 record against the Skins overall, and the 1-3 since I came in, it felt good to win this one despite what history says.

Stay tuned for Moment Number 9 where I travel to the midwest for this moment.