2012-2016- The Fisher Era

From Berkeley to Los Angeles, rookie quarterback Jared Goff must adjust and adapt

Rookie quarterback Jared Goff has every reason to celebrate. He produced a great career at California, became the No. 1 overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft and now joins the Los Angeles Rams as they enter their first season back in Southern California. Of course, there isn’t much of an adjustment from Berkeley to Los Angeles right? Actually, this will be a bigger adjustment than many people realize.

For non-Californians, many believe the lifestyle is the same in any part of the state. You know, we’re all hippies/surfers that have an easy going lifestyle and worship all celebrities that grace Hollywood. That assumption couldn’t be more wrong. Let’s put it this way, the state is so large and the lifestyles between Northern and Southern California regions are so different, that dividing the two into separate states has been considered in the past.

Goff likely already has seen the differences. The Berkeley region houses plenty of nature, precipitation and wineries. Farm life isn’t uncommon in the inland regions, but there are several larger cities in the region, including San Francisco. Still, nothing will prepare Goff for the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles.

Southern California is ridiculously fast-paced. Heavy traffic exists from early mornings to late evenings. The entire region is in a drought and receives the majority of its water supply from Northern California or neighboring states. L.A. is home to nightclubs, diversified businesses, plenty of bars and a variety of sporting events.

Speaking of sports, Goff has mentioned that he is a San Francisco Giants fan. Gasp! That’s blasphemy in Los Angeles. This is Dodgers territory. Oh yeah, the Angels are here too. However, Goff was gracious enough to throw out the opening pitch at Dodger Stadium on June 6. Thankfully, he left his Giants gear at home.

Actually, someone Goff connected with in a Dodgers uniform was Yasiel Puig, who once had the L.A. spotlight completely on him. Even if you are a casual fan of Major League Baseball, odds are you have heard have Puig and his struggles adjusting to the lifestyle of Los Angeles. Being in the L.A. spotlight can have its perks, but it can also be dangerous to your reputation if not careful. Puig can certainly help Goff in preparation for this lifestyle, or he could potentially make it worse. Let’s hope it’s the latter.

Sending a positive message to Angelinos is important since Goff will be the face of the city. People can make the argument that Los Angeles will be too preoccupied with the Dodgers and the Lakers to care about the Rams. Let’s ignore the fact that Rams season tickets are in such high demand that there is a lottery system in place to fairly disperse them. If you check local television ratings, NFL games and events top the charts every time, and this is considering that the NFL has been absent in this market for 21 years. This means the NFL Draft had more people tune in than for MLB regular season games and the NBA Playoffs. The NFL regular season games had more spectators than the MLB playoffs. Even the horrendous Pro Bowl has more of an audience than other local sports. It’s safe to say that ratings for the Rams will be high, and all eyes will be on Goff in Los Angeles.

Not just sports fanatics will be watching Goff either. Goff will be the focus of camera lenses from every major L.A. media source outlet, including TMZ. Should Goff get caught up in the L.A. nightlife, he’d better do it discreetly if he doesn’t want it broadcasted nationally. Many athletes have been caught up in media drama, and it doesn’t matter how young you are, just ask Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell about his fiasco with Nick Young and fiancé Iggy Azalea.

That said, Goff appears to be a mature individual and doesn’t seem to hold the Johnny Manziel lifestyle to high regard. He seems more interested in immersing himself in the playbook. If Goff continues to discipline himself, the Rams may have a responsible franchise quarterback. It’s ok to have fun, and L.A. has much to offer when it comes to that, Goff just needs to party responsibly. As long as Goff continues to wear Dodgers jerseys, welcome to Los Angeles Jared Goff.

Source: Sportstvratings.comYoutube.com

You can follow Johnny Gomez on Twitter @Johnny5not6. Be sure to follow Rams Talk on Twitter @TalkRams.

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