[dieterbrock]

Contact the Mafia...I hear they are loaded with dough.

Being from Jersey myself...I've got some interesting mafia stories. Probably should start a new thread.

I know we had talked about this once before, you moved when you were young?

Yeah, I was just a pup when my parents decided being surrounded by tons of relatives had lost its luster so they moved to California. Having been raised on Frankie and Annette beach movies, the first thing my parents did was run into the Pacific Ocean. Too bad for them, the ocean in Santa Cruz is about 56 degrees and not the toasty Southern California water that Frankie and Annette frolicked in.

As for the mafia, both sets of my grandparents had contact, not willingly, with the mafia. I did a book report on one of my relatives, who was in the mafia and who had written a book about his experience, when I was in high school. He was able to write a book about it because at that point in his life, he and his family were in the witness protection program.

Interesting stuff and LOL on the Frankie and Annette visual....

Would love to hear more about the mafia stuff. Its hard to talk about though I know.

[TomSlick]

I know we had talked about this once before, you moved when you were young?

Yeah, I was just a pup when my parents decided being surrounded by tons of relatives had lost its luster so they moved to California. Having been raised on Frankie and Annette beach movies, the first thing my parents did was run into the Pacific Ocean. Too bad for them, the ocean in Santa Cruz is about 56 degrees and not the toasty Southern California water that Frankie and Annette frolicked in.

As for the mafia, both sets of my grandparents had contact, not willingly, with the mafia. I did a book report on one of my relatives, who was in the mafia and who had written a book about his experience, when I was in high school. He was able to write a book about it because at that point in his life, he and his family were in the witness protection program.

Interesting stuff and LOL on the Frankie and Annette visual....

Would love to hear more about the mafia stuff. Its hard to talk about though I know.

Loose connections to the mafia go down in family lore and become a sense of pride, in a perverse manner.

In a small town in New Jersey, circa late 1940s, my Grandfather, mother's side, had the misfortune of having the same name as a local mafia boss. I guess local mafia thugs used a phone book or dialed the operator to get the phone number of their boss. Well, on numerous occasions they dialed my Grandpa and told him things he was not suppose to hear. These were bad things...it was mafia business...you can guess what that entailed. My Grandfather would, very politely, tell them they had the wrong number.

Well, one day 3 mooks showed up at his doorstep. They told my grandpa it would be in his best interest to not tell anyone about those phone calls. Then one stuck his head through the doorway and saw my Grandmother and their 3 kids, and said something like, "nice family...be a shame if something happened to them."

As for the other side of the family, my Grandfather had a cousin who joined the mafia. He rose up through the ranks, and ended up in prison. He didn't like the way his family was being treated by the mafia, while he was locked up, so he became a stoolie for the feds. Which, of course, landed him and his family in witness protection. He later wrote a book about his life. In his book he claimed to be the 3rd highest ranking mafia guy in a particular big city in America. Though the FBI believed him to be lower ranking than that. Anyway, did a book report on him and his book. Was big man on campus for a week, I was.

While listening to the radio one day when I was a teenager, the discussion was the mafia and how they controlled neighborhoods. So much control that regular burglar type guys and vandals avoided those neighborhoods because the mafia protected its neighborhoods. The only bad stuff that would happen to someone living in that neighborhood was if someone in the mafia did it to you. The discussion was also about how people who took the stand against the mafia in a court of law didn't last long. My Dad said he'd never testify against the mafia, which shocked me because I never met a man more fearless and more in touch with doing the right thing than my Dad. However, he said you can't protect yourself or your family 24 hours a day from the mafia.

And, yes, we loved watching "The Sopranos". My Dad thought it accurately captured the dialogue of the time and area he grew up. Though "Sopranos" was modern times.

[trueblue&gold]

What about this idea. During the off season how about if the Rams send out "spies" into the community and if they spot people wearing Rams gear in public, they give them a prize. Hats, Window Decals, license plate holders, etc.. Build up the brand here in the southland. Then ramp up the prizes leading into training camp. Maybe do a VIP day at training camp where the only way to get a ticket is to be one of the prize winners. VIPs maybe get a little behind the scenes access or something. Then leading into the season, Maybe give away game day tickets or Autographed items.
RFU can be used to spread the word
Hit all markets- from Orange county to Ventura county.

[Stranger]

What about this idea. During the off season how about if the Rams send out "spies" into the community and if they spot people wearing Rams gear in public, they give them a prize. Hats, Window Decals, license plate holders, etc.. Build up the brand here in the southland. Then ramp up the prizes leading into training camp. Maybe do a VIP day at training camp where the only way to get a ticket is to be one of the prize winners. VIPs maybe get a little behind the scenes access or something. Then leading into the season, Maybe give away game day tickets or Autographed items.
RFU can be used to spread the word
Hit all markets- from Orange county to Ventura county.

Very interesting.

[TomSlick]

What about this idea. During the off season how about if the Rams send out "spies" into the community and if they spot people wearing Rams gear in public, they give them a prize. Hats, Window Decals, license plate holders, etc.. Build up the brand here in the southland. Then ramp up the prizes leading into training camp. Maybe do a VIP day at training camp where the only way to get a ticket is to be one of the prize winners. VIPs maybe get a little behind the scenes access or something. Then leading into the season, Maybe give away game day tickets or Autographed items.
RFU can be used to spread the word
Hit all markets- from Orange county to Ventura county.

I like it. Do it year around. During the holidays throw in free food. If the person doesn't need the stuff then donate to a food bank, charity, whatever...in their name.