LOS ANGELES
Seven hours prior to kickoff — well before the $50 and $60 tailgating lots were opened to the public and the first signs of barbeque smoke became apparent — Fred Canez Sr. and his two sons, Frankie and Freddie Jr., wandered the outskirts of the Coliseum, stopping every passerby in search of the closest team store.
It was time for Fred Sr. to invest in a new lid.
“This hat was sitting in my closet,” the 68-year-old explained, motioning up to a worn yellow-and-blue Los Angeles Rams cap that was every bit of 25 years old.