WSU's Tim Stallworth Gives Los Angeles Ram Flashbacks

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Ten years after receiver John Stallworth reached over cornerback Rod Perry's outstretched fingertips to catch the classic, magazine-cover touchdown pass that polished off the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl XIV, another Stallworth dares to show his face in Ram territory.

His name is Tim, and he's a second cousin of the former Pittsburgh Steeler. The Rams drafted Washington State's Tim Stallworth in the sixth round this year and figure he'll put up a good fight for a wide-open roster spot at fourth wide receiver.

Stallworth, not surprisingly, has chosen uniform No. 82, in honor of cousin John, a man whom he admires greatly but has met only on a few occasions.

John Stallworth is a cousin of Tim's father, but that's about as far as it goes.

``It's kind of a distant relationship'' Tim said Wednesday, wishing the two were closer. ``I'd like to get some advice from him. He was one of my idols, one of my favorite football players growing up.''

As if the Rams needed to be reminded of John Stallworth's game-breaking, 73-yard scoring pass play in Pittsburgh's 31-19 victory over the Rams at the Rose Bowl, Tim Stallworth serves to remind.

The Rams were leading, 19-17, in the fourth quarter when Steeler quarterback Terry Bradshaw and Stallworth connected on the go-ahead touchdown that made the cover of Sports Illustrated the following week.

To remember the moment back in high school, Tim Stallworth

traced the magazine cover and had a friend stitch the image onto a patch, which he fixed to the back of the letterman's jacket he earned while starring at Montclair Prep in Van Nuys.

Stallworth, though, had his uniform No. 2 stitched in place of his cousin's 82, so it appears Tim is making the catch.

``It looks just like it,'' he said. ``It's pretty nice. I can bring it in.''