Last year Stan Kroenke left St.Louis with a hole in its chest. St.Louis had lost a part of us that had been going on for 20 years and had an impact to some that was a memorable part of their lives. But since the Rams left, some St.Louis people have become angry at the Rams and even some have stopped watching the NFL as a whole; because of the betrayal they have felt from Kroenke’s decision. So now the real question is what lasting impact has their absence had on us?

To some people, such as Saeb Danish, the Rams weren’t just a team to watch or to know you had a team. But more importantly they were role models. And to some what they aspired to be on the football field, and even in their everyday lives.

“In 2012 football really started to appeal to me because it brought my family and I together to watch, and having something like that to me was important to have,” Danish. “It overall gave me something to look forward to do with my family.

“Especially the passion of Tavon Austin. He wasn’t the best wide receiver in the NFL, but to me he was the one who gave me the courage to try out for freshman football. But once I heard the news that the Rams were leaving it hit me pretty hard. And it gave me a new perspective on the Rams, so eventually I gave my little cousin my old jersey because I didn’t need it anymore.”

Other fans such as Golf Coach Adam Weiss had been supporting the team way before 2012 back when the Rams were a major a threat and were a powerhouse that won the Super Bowl. This performance fueled their passion to be Rams fans.

“When I first saw Marshall Faulk, he made me want to really watch the rams,” said Coach Weiss. “He was just such a dynamic player from running back to wide receiver — I mean the guy could do it all.” Coach Weiss also really admired Kurt Warner. “When Trent Green got injured and he came in, he was just a monster on the field.”

But Coach Weiss wasn’t surprised by the team’s decisions to leave. “First and foremost, Stan Kroenke’s always been a businessman, and I knew eventually he was going to go back to LA at some point, because the LA market is too big. Even if he doesn’t sell out every game he’s going to have Super Bowls, college football playoff games, concerts, and the World Cup. Kroenke doesn’t care about football, he’s building one of the best Stadiums the US has to offer for any big events.”

Some other fans had just grown up with everything football such as JV wide receiver Izaiah Gillard, who has always had that passion for the Rams. But unlike many people in St. Louis, he still watches them today. But not exactly to cheer for them.

“Both the games I’ve been to didn’t end in the Rams winning but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the game and having a good time with my friends and family,” said Gillard. “The Rams recently sparked my attention when we got Todd Gurley who currently is my favorite player because of his spontaneous abilities to run the ball. But even with Todd’s help I think they’ll just have an average season this year just like last year.”

Gillard says he’s still still recovering from when the Rams left. “The weird part is the Rams weren’t even my favorite team; the Steelers were. But I think it makes me angry because they were my home team, and they were such a major past of the St.Louis identity, and was something that I think made St.Louis glamorous.”

Many people now in St.Louis have just flat out ignored the Rams and everything they do in Los Angeles. Basketball Center Rowan Collins believes he become almost oblivious to the Rams. Which doesn’t matter, because he’s happily found other sports teams to become a fan of.

“I unfortunately never got to go to any Rams games but I did always enjoy watching them even when we lost, which honestly happened a lot,” said Collins. “But they were my home team and I was happy to be a fan of the team. I always enjoyed last year watching Todd Gurley bust through the defensive line like a truck and score a touchdown.

“But once they left I just saw it as an opportunity to get an MLS team. Because if they were willing to leave us then we should get a team that will stay loyal to the fans. Now when I hear the Rams, I just think of the traitors that they are to St.Louis.”

Certainly, the Rams’ departure has left a stinging sensation for many fans — and for others, those wounds are still fresh.

“I didn’t choose the Rams because they were the best team, or they had that one player that everybody loved, said Riley Donovan. “I chose the Rams because I wanted to support my hometown team. My favorite player was Tavon Austin because of his special flare that he gave off when he played. And that always made me want to watch more.

“But when they left it felt like a part of me had also left. And that’s why I burned my Tavon Austin jersey. Because at that time it made me so angry that I just couldn’t forgive them. And I don’t think I ever will.”