At the Grove’s Bar 326, Yianni Kaplanis shouted and fist-pumped as San Francisco 49ers defender Jimmie Ward intercepted L.A. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Elias Liavanis, Kaplanis’ longtime friend, glared at him, then scooted one bar chair over, leaving a space in between them. While others groaned in pain, Kaplanis whooped.
“I like the underdogs,” said Kaplanis, a Hollywood resident. “I don’t like L.A.”
The two buds were “enemies ‘til the end of the game,” they said. For the remainder of the first quarter, the pair took jabs at each other, saying in jest that they had bet their houses on the outcome.
Split loyalties were the order of the day as the football rivals battled it out for a chance to play in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Feb. 13. In the end, the Rams beat the 49ers 20-17.
Last Sunday, the Rams defeated Tom Brady and the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a chance to square off against the 49ers in the National Football Conference Championship.
But the 49ers held the advantage going into Sunday’s game. They had beaten the Rams twice this season and six times in a row dating to 2018. Even worse, the 49ers routed the Rams 30-3 in the NFC championship game in January 1990.
Los Angeles was without an NFL team for 20 years, and some L.A. football fans adopted other teams during the hiatus. On Sunday, the 49ers fans reportedly swarmed SoFi Stadium, yelling “Beat L.A.!” as they had at the teams’ last meeting Jan. 9, despite the Rams’ attempt to limit ticket sales to LA. residents.
At Three Weavers Brewing Company in Inglewood on Sunday night, it was all whoops and high-fives as running back Cam Akers made a 14-yard scamper and put Los Angeles in the red zone.
Three plays later, however, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford was intercepted at the goal line, ending a potential scoring drive. Marilyn Monterrojas of Monterey Park placed her hands on her forehead, shook her head in disbelief at…