The Rams parade is the first major championship parade in LA. since the Kings (NHL) won in 2014 and the Sparks (WNBA) in 2016. Photo by: Ben Verbrugge
By Ben Verbrugge, Staff Writer.
Attending the Rams championship parade last Wednesday was bittersweet due to COVID-19 preventing two other sports celebrations from happening in LA. Walking into the parade that passed through Figueroa Street made my heart ache as it reminded me about the other two teams from LA that never got their own parade. The Dodgers and the Lakers, were two LA teams who won championships in 2020. As a big-time fan of both franchises for my entire existence, I still mourn what could have been a celebration for the books, 2020 could have been one of the more gratifying years of my life.
Rams players, staff, friends, and family sprayed champagne into the crowds of fans as they rode through Downtown Los Angeles in their freshly painted royal blue buses which had “WORLD CHAMPIONS” written in yellow letters. Confetti fell from the sky as the large group of 20,000 fans gathered to rejoice. Leaving in 1995, the Rams did not return to LA until 2016, so as excited as I was to be in the celebration, their parade did not resonate with me as much as the 2020 Dodgers and Lakers’ Championship parades would have.
The Lakers led off the championship run for titletown by winning the NBA Finals in early October of 2020. The Dodgers followed it up by winning another trophy for LA just sixteen days later. A year and four months have passed since and there is still no parade for either team. The pandemic made the championships feel like I opened an amazing present on Christmas morning, but I have to go buy 9 volt batteries just to use it, and all the stores are closed on Christmas.
Walking through the crowds of fans, it was almost impossible not to notice the amount of Dodgers and Lakers gear being worn by many who attended. Even Super Bowl MVP, Cooper Kupp was rocking a Kobe Bryant jersey.
To this day, I still hear local fans call into ESPN and Fox Sports radio from time to time demanding the city of LA to host a party in their name. The sad reality is that the Rams Super Bowl win most likely shut the door on the possibility of the Dodgers or Lakers ever getting to honor their accomplishments in a similar fashion because simply too much time has passed.
It is unfortunate for the players and fans like myself who will never get to experience that moment when their favorite players lift the trophy in front of their loyal supporters. The members of the team will always have their championship rings, and the fans will cherish the memories of the season forever, but today it still feels as though something is missing.
If there was ever a time to have a parade it would have been now with the Rams. Everything happened so quickly, and it ultimately would have taken the spotlight away from the Rams, which would not have been fair to them. It was never destined to be, and a last-minute attempt to remember the Dodgers and Lakers seasons would have felt fake and corny after the long wait.
We were in the heart of the pandemic, so no one is to blame for the lack of a parade for either championship, but it is still a tough pill to swallow. Most American sports leagues have around thirty teams competing for the top prize, which makes winning a title an extremely infrequent event for a city’s fanbase. In Los Angeles, we are lucky to house some of the most iconic franchises in all of sports, but reaching the pinnacle of success cannot be taken for granted.
A new champion has already been crowned in the NBA and MLB, and a number of players have moved on to join new teams, like World Series MVP Corey Seager. A parade at this point would feel forced, and as much as it sounds like a great idea, now that the Super Bowl parade has come and gone, the ship has sadly sailed for the other two LA teams.
The fans’ desire for a parade has been shared by the players that were on the 2020 championship teams. We will likely never hear the end of it from Lakers superstar LeBron James, as he has expressed his desire for a parade in not one, not two, but three separate tweets and counting. Fan favorite, Justin Turner also mentioned that the Dodgers were available for a #MegaParade.
Despite being a lifelong fan of both teams, it is hard to say that I am truly enraged over no parade. I would sound like a snobby fan if I said I was angry because two of the teams that I live and breathe for won, and I was unable to enjoy a parade. My teams still won! I am simply saddened by the fact that the championships did not come with the whole package. Hopefully, the Rams parade will inspire the Lakers and Dodgers to win again, and celebrate properly this time.
