Rallying the Rams

P.A. Announcer Sam Lagana will Make His Voice Heard from Stands at Super Bowl

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Although Palisadian Sam Lagana will not be firing up the crowd with his trademark question “Whose house?” as public address announcer for Super Bowl LVI on Sunday, his booming voice will be heard from the stands at SoFi Stadium cheering for his hometown Rams alongside thousands of diehard fans who have anticipated a championship since the franchise returned to Los Angeles after 21 seasons in St. Louis (1995-2015).    

The NFL will run the show for its championship event in an effort to create a neutral environment, thus Lagana will not be performing his customary role in the booth, but he is nevertheless excited that the game is on the Rams’ home turf.   

“From where I’ll be sitting way up top I’ll have a better view of The Forum than the game,” joked Lagana, who on Sunday hosted a Rams’ pep rally at Oaks Christian High School—an event that was broadcast on ESPN.

“There I was up on stage introducing Sean McVay, Aaron Donald, Matt Stafford and the whole team and there was fireworks and smoke and I’m counting down:  10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1…‘Whose House?’ and everyone yells back ‘Rams’ house!’” he said. “It didn’t occur to me then, but after I got home I thought that’s pretty cool!”

The Rams are trying to become only the second team to win the Super Bowl in their home stadium  (the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were did it last year). Despite all of the franchise’s success throughout its long history, it has celebrated only one championship in Los Angeles, way back in 1951, long before the AFL-NFL merger which officially joined the two pro leagues before the 1970 season.

Having won their first NFL title in 1945 (their final year in Cleveland before relocating to the West Coast), the Rams were underdogs in 1951 but won eight games and  upset the powerhouse Cleveland Browns 24-17 at the LA Memorial Coliseum. Tom Fears caught a 73-yard touchdown pass from Norm Van Brocklin in the fourth quarter to give California its first major professional sports championship. Four years later they fell to Cleveland in the championship game.

The Rams did not play for a title again until the Super Bowl era and once more they were heavy underdogs, this time versus the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Rams ended the 1979 season with a 9-7 record and became the first wildcard team to advance to a Super Bowl. They were also the first participant to play in its home market, before a record crowd of 103,985 at the Rose Bowl. Riding the arm of substitute quarterback Vince Ferragamo, the Rams were ahead 19-17 after three quarters before two spectacular catches by John Stallworth propelled the Steelers to a 31-19 victory.

The Rams won their only Super Bowl in 2000, beating the Tennessee Titans 23-16, but it was bittersweet for Lagana because by this time the team he has rooted for since childhood had moved to St. Louis. The Rams got back to the big game two years later, only to lose to the New England Patriots on Adam Vinatieri’s 48-yard field goal as time expired.

In 2018, two years after coming back to LA, the team got another chance at the Patriots in Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta but lost 13-3 in the lowest scoring Super Bowl in history. Should the Rams beat Cincinnati to capture their second Lombardi Trophy, the parade will be here in the City of Angels—and Lagana will be front and center, wearing his lucky sweater.

“I was wearing it the day of the NFC Championship so you better believe I’ll be wearing it Sunday,” Lagana promised. “Whenever I’ve worn it we’ve won the game!”

Lagana, who graduated from Palisades High and lives in Marquez Knolls, was on the edge of his seat in the final frenzied minutes of the Rams’ Jan. 30 victory over San Francisco, which had defeated the Rams six straight times: “When the 49ers got the ball for their last drive I had to prepare myself for both scenarios, but after the interception I reminded myself to thank [owner] Stan Kroenke. Getting to two Super Bowls in three years is amazing!”

He cannot predict the score, but Lagana hopes he and his bleacher buddies leave happy on Sunday.