Fisher won’t let relocation talk become a distraction
By Kevin Patra
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000483204/article/fisher-determined-not-to-let-relocation-talk-become-a-distraction
With owner Stan Kroenke planning to build a football stadium in California, speculation that the St. Louis Rams will once again become the Los Angeles Rams isn’t going away anytime soon.
Rams coach Jeff Fisher has heard all the rumors and prefers to try to ignore them.
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“I’m looking forward to this year in St. Louis and hoping we can get things worked out,” Fisher said, per the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “It makes no sense for me or the players to spend time concerned about it, worried about it. If it happens, it happens.”
The biggest hurdle will be when his players are asked repeatedly this summer about a potential move — and by locals to proclaim their loyalty to St. Louis.
“You know, I’ve had some discussion with the players,” Fisher said. “And they’re actually more excited right now about what we’ve done in free agency, and looking forward to what we’re doing in the draft, and looking forward to coming back to work than they are talking about any potential to relocate.”
Fisher has prior experience with relocations. As the coach of the former Houston Oilers, his team moved to Tennessee after the 1996 season.
“Having gone through it however, I don’t think it’d be fair to compare both situations,” Fisher said. “But the end result was good (in Tennessee) … But going to ’96 and early ’97, we focused on our job. I remember back then telling them don’t worry about it. It’s out of our control.”
Fisher will run that advice back again this season in St. Louis.
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Fisher hopes Rams fans still come out in 2015
By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/article_473e90bc-2978-5c44-8a7c-36dbb9f18065.html#.VR17SQf_TlI.twitter
One of the most-asked questions for Jeff Fisher at last week’s NFC coaches breakfast concerned the possible relocation of the Rams to Los Angeles. Writers from near and far quizzed him about the distractions of a looming move in what could be a lame-duck 2015 season in St. Louis.
Fisher patiently answered all such questions, then again, he better get used to it. The questions, and the issue, aren’t going away any time soon.
“I’m looking forward to this year in St. Louis and hoping we can get things worked out,” Fisher said. “It makes no sense for me or the players to spend time concerned about it, worried about it. If it happens, it happens.”
But how does he keep players from California dreaming, especially if the league follows through on discussions to move up the timetable for filing for relocation into the 2015 regular season?
“You know, I’ve had some discussion with the players,” Fisher said. “And they’re actually more excited right now about what we’ve done in free agency, and looking forward to what we’re doing in the draft, and looking forward to coming back to work than they are talking about any potential to relocate.”
The start of the Rams’ offseason conditioning program is April 20, just 2½ weeks away.
“I’m not concerned about distractions,” Fisher said. “Been through it before. This game’s too hard, too competitive to spend time worrying about something that’s out of your control.”
Fisher was head coach of the Houston Oilers when they left Texas after the 1996 season for Tennessee. The team played in Memphis in 1997, then spent a season borrowing Vanderbilt University’s stadium in 1998 before finally getting a stadium of its own in ’99 — the season the Titan won the AFC title and lost to the Rams 23-16 in Super Bowl XXXIV.
“Having gone through it however, I don’t think it’d be fair to compare both situations,” Fisher said. “But the end result was good (in Tennessee). . . .But going to ’96 and early ’97, we focused on our job. I remember back then telling them don’t worry about it. It’s out of our control.”
As the 2015 season approaches, it’s uncertain how Rams fans will react to the team’s potential departure. The possibility exists that the Rams won’t have much of a home-field advantage if upset fans stay away in droves.
“We’re hoping and expecting fans to come out and watch us, because we’re a much-improved football team,” Fisher said. “The fans are gonna like what we have to offer this year. They have every right to be as excited as we are.”
Fisher half-jokingly has said on more than one occasion that he doesn’t want to know what’s happening on the relocation front. That way, he can just plead ignorance. But he did concede last week that he’s taken a peek at the latest renderings of the St. Louis riverfront stadium project.
“I saw some things three, four weeks ago,” Fisher said. “I thought the location’s ideal. And I think the game should be played on grass. Outside. So that’s a plus.”
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