In keeping with that here are some posts from fans about watching the FF when they were young:
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Max
I remember vividly some of those games back in 1967, especially that game against Johnny U and the Colts in the season finale that won the Coastal Division for us. I remember after the game was over Unitas said, “I ate grass for 60 minutes.” Man, the foursome beat the crap out of him, and the Colts had some great OL, including HOF Jim Parker.
Every kid who was hooked on the NFL back then knew the moniker fearsome foursome. It had this cool mystique to it. If you could draw, you drew them on your book covers.
The fearsome foursome got a lot more attention in 1967, nationally, when they went 11-1-2. They were all over Sports illustrated that year. And Roger Brown was the least publicized member, he was considered more of a replacement for Rosey. But he was a solid player.
It was still the strength of the defense, and the main reason they won 11 games. The other reason was Gabriel, who was very underrated. He had to carry that offense, especially after Bernie Casey left in 68. But the defense was average at best without that front four.
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CanuckRightWinger
1970 I watch LIVE IN BUFFALO NY, George Allen’s Fearsome Foursome manhandle the Bills 19-0 at what native Buffalonian Ron Jaworski called The Rock Pile, aka long gone War Memorial Stadium. I got a photo of Jack Snow warming up with fellow Irish alumi, LB John Pergine with my Kodak Brownie Instamatic! Jimmy Calla, biggest guy on our Niagara HS Football team and I scoop the 2 Rams tickets at a local Pool Hall where the thugs hung out…..mostly Yugoslavians, the 2 tickets were available because two of their gang members got sentenced that week.
That Fearsome Foursome was Jones, Olsen, Diron Talbert and Coy Bacon and all four started all 14 games. They were still a very dominant DLine and I certainly still viewed them as The Fearsome Foursome…..they were dominant!
Rams miss Playoffs in 1970 and Dan Reeves fires George Allen….to me, that’s the end of the Fearsome Foursome.
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phoenixrising
I began following the Rams in 1966, but I was 11 yrs old. I caught Grier’s last year, but it’s hazy. What I can say with certainty is they were known as the Fearsome Foursome before and after Grier’s departure. In fact they probably had more notoriety with Brown as they were a better team–they were pretty bad before Geroge Allen. The reason the moniker carried on was because of the quality of Brown as a star player prior to joining the Rams. My recollection is that the level of play actually stepped up with Brown.
In my mind the FF ended with Lundy’s departure. I remember it being tossed around with Coy Bacon, etc, but it seemed more nostalgic than relevant.
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rams74
I started following the Rams in late 1965. I was 7 years old. From those earliest days, I mostly only remember the offensive players: Roman Gabriel, Jack Snow, Dick Bass, Les Josephson. But I also remember watching the Fearsome Foursome live, and reading about them. Mostly, I remember Merlin and Deacon from that group. To be honest, I’m not sure if I can remember Rosey Grier from his playing days or not. I tend to think I don’t. I definitely remember Roger Brown, Diron Talbert, and Coy Bacon, though, and to me they were part of the Fearsome Foursome. It ended when Deacon left.
To me, the Fearsome Foursome is part of my earliest memories of the Rams and the NFL in general. Others can say, if they want to, that the FF is Jones, Olsen, Grier, and Lundy. That’s fine. To me, it’s who I remember watching.
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sloramfan
my mom and dad divorced when i was about 4, my mom remarried, and we moved to FLA. she developed MS, and in 1965 we (us 3 kids) moved back to CA and moved in with my dad, an avid rams fan.. i dont remember much of the first season of watching football with him then, but what i do recall was that i liked the colts(lol)… and he didn’t..
i think by the end of the year my fav team changed, because i remember we used run out in the front yards of socal, grab a football and me my brother and 3 other local kids would mimic a show we watched, ” Rams Action”. hosted by dick enberg…
now im a little gray on the rosey grier year, but i remember most of the announcers, and papers were still mentioning the FF, and i believe it was all the way up to the coy bacon, diron talbert years…
late ’60’s, maybe up to ’71..
i was there, and the FF was a pretty big thing in socal for my first few years as a live and die ramsfan..
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