Rams return may seem like old times, but don’t get used to it

Rams return may seem like old times, but don’t get used to it. To put it all in perspective, the last time the Rams played a regular-season home game at the Memorial Coliseum, Magic Johnson was a 20-year-old rookie and the Lakers’ Showtime Era hadn’t yet begun.

Jimmy Carter was the president, everyone was rocking Rod Stewart’s “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy” on the radio, and some crazy all-sports TV station called ESPN popped up on cable networks across the country.

So yeah, the nostalgia will be dripping Sunday when the Rams make their triumphant return home to Los Angeles against the Seattle Seahawks at venerable, old — we’re talking 93-years-old here — Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

More than 90,000 fans are expected to fill the place, and they’ll be treated to a turn-back-the-clock afternoon as the Rams pull out their classic throwback blue-and-gold uniforms and roll out a bunch of former L.A. Rams.

Suggestion: If you’re going to the game, get there early. The Rams have some treats up their sleeve as they commemorate the occasion.

And why not, considering the historical significance?

The cherry on top being the Rams’ first home opponent: None other than former USC coach Pete Carroll, now the head coach of the Seahawks. He came as close as anyone to bringing professional football back to L.A. when he presided over one of the great college dynasties from 2001 to 2009.

And don’t think for a second the players and coaches involved aren’t caught up in the hoopla.

“Every week is big, and there are storylines behind everything,” said Rams head coach Jeff Fisher.

“This is special. This is the first one that counts at the Coliseum, the first one that counts here at home. And we couldn’t think of a better opponent to open against.”

Rams star running back Todd Gurley said: “We’re playing at the Coliseum, great tradition. It’s just going to feel like college — that game day atmosphere.”

“Hopefully, we can just get this win for the city.”

Yes, the Rams went on to play 14 years at Anaheim Stadium before 1994, when late owner Georgia Frontiere left Southern California for good by leaping at the pot of gold offered to her by the city and county of St. Louis. So technically, it’s only been 22 years since the Rams last played in the region.

But hard-core fans still remember making the trip to the Coliseum.

This time, the Coliseum is supposed to be temporary. The Rams are slated to play there for the next three years, as their space-age-style stadium gets built in Inglewood.