Local Rams fans celebrating team’s Super Bowl championship
SANTA MARIA, Calif. -- After watching their team win Super Bowl LVI on Sunday night, Los Angeles Rams fans on the Central Coast are celebrating the championship victory.
"It's the greatest feeling," said Herb Martinez of New Cuyama. "I'm just so glad that they won and it's something that I've been waiting for for many years. It was just surreal, you know, it was amazing to watch, a dream come true."
Chris Smith of Nipomo has followed the team for years, going back to when the Rams played in Anaheim. His allegiance is so strong, he made sure he was inside Sofi Stadium to watch the game.
"It was electric, hugging everybody you don't even know," said Smith. "Seeing that confetti coming down. Seeing them do the snow angels in the endzone right there where I was. Wow, that got me."
Longtime Rams fan Larry Sauceda watched the game in his Santa Maria home with his family. Sauceda has cheered on the the team for more than 50 years.
"We're the champs!" said Sauceda. "We're the champs! I feel excited and all of my family was so happy for me."
Sauceda said he was stress during the 4th quarter when the Rams trailed the Cincinnati Bengals, but was confident they would pull out the victory.
"It was a tight game and I was just like, come on Rams!" said Sauceda. "I was honestly a little nervous towards the 4th quarter, but I said, come on, step up, big players make big plays. and our team took it all the way."
For many, after cheering on the Rams through many difficult years, seeing them win the Super Bowl was especially emotional."
"My wife has a video of me crying on the floor, so it was phenomenal!" said Vincent Gonzalez of Nipomo. "It was good. It was awesome."
The victory was also significant since it's the first Super Bowl championship for the team while playing in Los Angeles.
It's a storied history that goes back more than 70 years, with a 21-year stop in St. Louis from 1995-2015.
"It means a lot, you know, because we bring that name back to Los Angeles, you know, we bring it back home," said Gonzalez. "City of Champions and that's what we did."
"To hear them say, Los Angeles Rams world champions, not St. Louis, Los Angeles Rams, it's all come to fruition," said Smith.
It's no secret the Rams fan base on the Central Coast may lack in size to other teams, such as the Raiders, 49ers, or even the Cowboys.
However, Rams fans expect this championship to grow the fan base and they say they're ready to welcome more to join in.
"Hey, the more, the merrier!" said Sauceda. "You know, celebration for the Rams this year!"
