Roman Gabriel

The way Roman Gabriel tells it, the same characteristics that made him a great football player -- bullheadedness, combativeness, stick-to-itiveness -- served him less favorably in his personal life. Three times divorced, the greatest quarterback in Los Angeles Rams history is estranged from his daughter and four sons and says he has not seen two of his three grandchildren in years. The other, he has never met.

Mistakes aren't exclusive to replacement officials. They're made every week during every NFL season, even by the full-time pros. Occasionally, errors are made by even the best of the best - and once in a while it happens in a very important game. It happened at the Coliseum in 1968 with a berth in the playoffs on the line. The Rams were playing the Chicago Bears, needing a win to set up a final-game-of-the-regular-season showdown against the Baltimore Colts for the Coastal Division championship.

Former Ram and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Roman Gabriel was named president of the Charlotte (N.C.) Knights Double-A baseball team.

In my younger days, I cursed Roman Gabriel on a regular basis because he could never win the big game. But after reading Jerry Crowe's article about how Gabriel stubbornly refuses to reconnect with his children and grandchildren, I now only feel sorry for him. Ralph S. Brax Lancaster

Center Jay Hilgenberg won't have to undergo elbow surgery until after the season is over, the Chicago Bears said. . . . Former Ram quarterback Roman Gabriel was named the general manager of the Raleigh-Durham entry in the World League of American Football.

In my younger days, I cursed Roman Gabriel on a regular basis because he could never win the big game. But after reading Jerry Crowe's article about how Gabriel stubbornly refuses to reconnect with his children and grandchildren, I now only feel sorry for him. Ralph S. Brax Lancaster

Mistakes aren't exclusive to replacement officials. They're made every week during every NFL season, even by the full-time pros. Occasionally, errors are made by even the best of the best - and once in a while it happens in a very important game. It happened at the Coliseum in 1968 with a berth in the playoffs on the line. The Rams were playing the Chicago Bears, needing a win to set up a final-game-of-the-regular-season showdown against the Baltimore Colts for the Coastal Division championship.

At first, Buck Fowler wasn't sure what to think. He knew it was late, 11 p.m. to be exact. He knew the past few weeks had been full of stressful moments. But he never expected this. Here was his boss--Roman Gabriel--dancing around in a Durham, N.C., hotel meeting room. Singing too. "What a show," Fowler thought. And this was the Roman Gabriel, former Ram quarterback, father, TV broadcaster, businessman, actor and football coach of the all-new-but-not-yet-proven Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks.

The USFL has handed the ball off to Charlotte and is waiting to see whether the city fumbles or scores in its bid to land a United States Football League franchise. Former NFL quarterback Roman Gabriel, who's spearheading the drive to get a USFL team in North Carolina, said the city is "fertile ground" for a franchise. Just how fertile isn't known yet, but Gabriel said the USFL should have a better idea after two exhibition games scheduled in February for Memorial Stadium in Charlotte.

The way Roman Gabriel tells it, the same characteristics that made him a great football player -- bullheadedness, combativeness, stick-to-itiveness -- served him less favorably in his personal life. Three times divorced, the greatest quarterback in Los Angeles Rams history is estranged from his daughter and four sons and says he has not seen two of his three grandchildren in years. The other, he has never met.

Gerardo Roman lives in a small two-bedroom apartment in the William Mead Homes housing project, an East L.A. development nicknamed "Dogtown" after a local gang. Few teen-agers from Dogtown try out for the Lincoln High football team, and even fewer survive an entire season. Said Coach Randy Rodriguez: "Some drop out of school because they have to get a job, and others quit because they get frustrated because they're not playing well."

At first, Buck Fowler wasn't sure what to think. He knew it was late, 11 p.m. to be exact. He knew the past few weeks had been full of stressful moments. But he never expected this. Here was his boss--Roman Gabriel--dancing around in a Durham, N.C., hotel meeting room. Singing too. "What a show," Fowler thought. And this was the Roman Gabriel, former Ram quarterback, father, TV broadcaster, businessman, actor and football coach of the all-new-but-not-yet-proven Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks.

Center Jay Hilgenberg won't have to undergo elbow surgery until after the season is over, the Chicago Bears said. . . . Former Ram quarterback Roman Gabriel was named the general manager of the Raleigh-Durham entry in the World League of American Football.

Former Ram and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Roman Gabriel was named president of the Charlotte (N.C.) Knights Double-A baseball team.

Gerardo Roman lives in a small two-bedroom apartment in the William Mead Homes housing project, an East L.A. development nicknamed "Dogtown" after a local gang. Few teen-agers from Dogtown try out for the Lincoln High football team, and even fewer survive an entire season. Said Coach Randy Rodriguez: "Some drop out of school because they have to get a job, and others quit because they get frustrated because they're not playing well."

The USFL has handed the ball off to Charlotte and is waiting to see whether the city fumbles or scores in its bid to land a United States Football League franchise. Former NFL quarterback Roman Gabriel, who's spearheading the drive to get a USFL team in North Carolina, said the city is "fertile ground" for a franchise. Just how fertile isn't known yet, but Gabriel said the USFL should have a better idea after two exhibition games scheduled in February for Memorial Stadium in Charlotte.