Bruce Arians wishes he could say ‘Happy New Year’ to Jeff Fisher
Alden Gonzalez
http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles-rams/post/_/id/32513/bruce-arians-wishes-he-could-say-happy-new-year-to-jeff-fisher
LOS ANGELES — Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians “laughed” when he first heard about the “Christmas present” comments from former Los Angeles Rams coach Jeff Fisher.
“It was good,” Arians said on a conference call with Rams reporters on Wednesday. “Hey, when you win, you get to say things. And when you lose, eat it.”
Fisher’s comments were made in the moments following the Rams’ 17-13 win at University of Phoenix Stadium in Week 4, which now represents the apex of their season. After the game, Fisher told his players the victory was a “Christmas present” for the Cardinals. He relayed that to NFL.com, telling the website that his bitterness stemmed from Arians’ comments a couple of years earlier, when he identified Fisher’s Rams as a team that is “always 8-8.”
Since then, the Rams have lost 10 of 11 games and Fisher has been fired, replaced by interim coach John Fassel.
Arians, whose team is 6-8-1 and also out of the playoffs, finds it “kind of odd” to face a Rams team that is not led by Fisher. His comments from 12 weeks ago will not serve as extra motivation.
“Not at all,” Arians said. “We’ve always had our little barbs. They’re out of fun. I think it was out of respect for each other. I started it, and I wish he had a chance to finish it so I could say, ‘Happy New Year.'”