Jeff Fisher’s demise with the Los Angeles Rams was written on the wall after the team tanked after a 3-1 start. The hiccup and, quite frankly, the panic, came after Fisher leaked he’d signed an extension in the offseason. But logically, there was just no way Fisher would return and that spurred me to write a couple of articles about the bright future ahead for Los Angeles once Fisher was escorted out of the building. You can read Part 1 by clicking here. Part 2 is right here.
This basically works as Part 3 in that series, looking at recent developments, specifically the dream scenario of Fisher being jettisoned from the Rams’ facilities before the season was actually over.
First off, we have to talk about Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Idle talk became a real rumor over the weekend when Albert Breer told Colin Cowherd that the “rumor” of Harbaugh being brought in to replace Fisher was “a very real thing.” Now, Breer backed off it a little bit, mainly because he told Cowherd that off the air and didn’t expect him to blurt it out when he got back from a Hooter’s commercial.
Jim Harbaugh to the Rams is all the talk. Michigan fans would lose their minds.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) December 12, 2016
Harbaugh and his Michigan Wolverines have a date with Florida State in the Orange Bowl so it’s likely he won’t want to talk about this rumor, or will deny it completely. Is it possible? Sure. Is it likely? I have no idea. There’ve been rumors that Harbaugh is frustrated with the NCAA and getting knocked out of the playoff system. Money won’t be an object. Stan Kroenke basically owns a money printing press, so he can beat Michigan in salary.
But Michigan is a great job and one Harbaugh has only held for a couple of seasons. He’s almost certainly not accomplished everything he wants to at that level. But how many opportunities like the Rams are going to come along? It’s the thing that gives this rumor legs and there’s something real to it or Breer wouldn’t have brought it up in the first place.
Eric Dickerson following Jim Harbaugh on Twitter just now is easily the funniest thing that will happen all day.
— Kyle Madson (@KyleAMadson) December 12, 2016
Why fire Fisher now?
Other than the personal reasons that Fisher just pissed everyone in the building off with his constant excuses and blame game, opening this job up now gives the Rams first crack at every available coach on the market. If they’d let him coach out the season, they could have been beaten to the punch to the guy they want the most, whoever that is. Now, it’s like owning the first pick in the draft. You can still screw it up, but you’ll only have yourself to blame.
Why John Fassel?
Fossell is the Rams’ interim head coach for the next three games. Why did they pick him over offensive coordinator Ron Boras or defensive coordinator Gregg Williams? It’s simple. Fassel is the only coach on the staff that isn’t definitively terrible.
Not only will Boras not be an NFL offensive coordinator next season, my guess is he won’t even have a job in the NFL as a towel boy. Williams, who was a head coach in Buffalo years ago, will also be out of the league. He’ll probably never be back. The rest of the Rams coaches, to a man, are horrible.
Jim Harbaugh to the #Rams “a very real possibility according to @AlbertBreer via @ColinCowherd: https://t.co/UoGSGJCSsk #hope pic.twitter.com/t7tiNwOhDt
— Steve Mason (@VeniceMase) December 11, 2016
Not so for Fassel. He’s the only guy on the staff that’s respected at all around the league. He’s a good coach. You can’t say that about any other man on this staff. He’s also getting the chance to audition for the next head coach with the Rams or for other teams. Of course all the Rams coaches are doing that, but come on.
Eric Dickerson returns
Just a couple of weeks after announcing he wouldn’t return to the Los Angeles Rams sideline while Jeff Fisher is the head coach, Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson will make his triumphant return on Christmas Eve in a game against the hapless San Francisco 49ers. A game I find myself thinking the Rams could actually win. It’s a weird feeling.
Eric Dickerson and Jim Harbaugh are both trending on Twitter because Jeff Fisher was fired. What a time to be alive.
— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) December 12, 2016
Next: A look at the Rams’ potential 2017 roster
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