No one wants to be done talking about Australia more than Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay. He loved the atmosphere at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, but he’s ready to move on to Week 2.
During his press conference on Thursday, he told reporters that the Rams are treating Week 1 like they were flashed by the “Men in Black” gadget that wipes a person’s memory. And now that the trip to and from Melbourne, McVay hopes the Rams never have to make that journey again.
“I want to see us be present right now and move forward,” McVay said. “That game is so far – it's almost like you try to do the ‘Men in Black’ thing where you say, ‘Hey, I don't remember what happened. That was so long ago.’ We're not playing in Australia ever again, I hope. Not because
it wasn't a great atmosphere, that'll get taken out of context.”
It’s become very clear that the Australia trip for both the Rams and 49ers was not easy. The 49ers obviously got the win after arriving a week earlier than the Rams, so it wasn’t all bad for them, but coach Kyle Shanahan admitted this week that after getting back home to California, he “felt like crap.” Some of the 49ers’ players felt the same way, too, while others felt better after getting back home.
Matthew Stafford said the jet lag effects after returning home were "not too bad," and that he feels "ready to rock and roll." But he also said he was "glad to be back" once the Rams landed back in California after the long flight home.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said back in April that “there’s no question” the NFL will be playing in Australia again.
"Our view is that we're coming here for the long term,” Goodell said. “We don't come as a one-offs. This isn't a circus. This is something that's an investment in this, in this market and we believe that, this is long-term and will be great for the NFL long-term."
Needless to say, the Rams would very much prefer not to be the team chosen to go back.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Sean McVay hopes Rams never play in Australia again
