Jeff Fisher knows your bits.
The Los Angeles Rams' coach has heard the "7-9 bull----" jokes the social-media herd churns out with euphoric delight at his team's expense. Now that the Rams (4-7) would be lucky to get to that mediocre mark, Fisher was asked about the line he famously uttered during training camp.
"We opened our world to 'Hard Knocks,'" Fisher said Wednesday, via ESPN.com. "Those comments came after a couple of issues that we had. I've never been satisfied with 7-9 or 8-8. I've had a number of winning seasons. I'm not concerned. I don't look over my shoulder, like I've said over and over again. I'm not concerned about my job. I have a great relationship with [Rams owner Stan Kroenke]. He understands the difficulties that were placed on this organization as far as the move is concerned. And I'm moving forward optimistically with this team."
The "7-9 bull----" quote becoming emblematic of the Rams in 2016 encapsulates every fear coaches have of letting cameras into the building. It's a line Fisher could have said every year to his players without it going viral.
That he could have used that line for the past five years in a completely different matter. In his first four seasons with the Rams, Fisher has guided teams to records of 7-8-1, 7-9, 6-10 and 7-9. The 2016 version sits at 4-7 with a tough remaining schedule. In Fisher's 22 years coaching in the NFL, he's finished with a winning record six times, the last in 2008 with the Tennessee Titans.Â
Despite the record and the annoyed response from Los Angeles fans, Rams COO Kevin Demoff told NFL Network's Steve Wyche that Fisher's job is safe.
"Everybody will want to judge Jeff through the prism of just the record, but that's totally unfair when you look at the set of circumstances he was handed this year," Demoff said. "It was different than any team in the NFL."
Apparently Bill Parcells was wrong. You aren't what your record says you are -- at least not in Los Angeles.
