Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
The L.A. Rams Have Fired Head Coach Jeff Fisher
Jeff Fisher. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
()
Talk about a brief honeymoon. The Rams are only in their first year back from exile, and already the team is swimming in a sea of awfulness.
It all came to a boil this Monday, when the Rams announced that Head Coach Jeff Fisher has been fired:
The Los Angeles Rams have relieved Jeff Fisher from head coaching duties. Full statement to follow.
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) December 12, 2016
In a release, team owner Stan Kroenke said that, “this is the right time to make a change as our performance has not lived up to my or our fans' expectations. We all are focused on improving as an organization and building a team that makes Los Angeles proud.”
Support for LAist comes from
Frankly, it’s not much of a surprise. After posting a four-and-one record to start off the year, the Rams would go on to lose eight of their next nine games, which culminated in a 42-14 thrashing at the hands of the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
It wasn’t just the losing record that plagued Fisher. There were questions about his coaching decisions, much of which centered around his aversion to playing rookie quarterback Jared Goff (who really does kinda suck right now). Also, there was a bizarre spat that resulted with Fisher banning Rams legend Eric Dickerson from walking onto the sidelines and interacting with the players (Fisher, apparently, thought Dickerson was too critical of the team).
Weirdly, the firing comes just a week after Fisher got a two-year contract extension from the Rams. Speaking on the new deal, Dickerson joked that Fisher was possibly blackmailing the Rams' front office. "Where are the naked pictures at?" said Dickerson.
Fisher had been coaching the Rams since the 2012 season, when they were still in St. Louis.
[Update 12:49 p.m.]
It looks like special teams coordinator John Fassel has been named as interim head coach:
#BREAKING: special teams coach John Fassel named interim Head coach #Rams
— Liz Habib (@LizHabib) December 12, 2016
Support for LAist comes from
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity. -
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
-
The drug dealer, the last of five defendants to plead guilty to federal charges linked to the 'Friends' actor’s death, will face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
-
The weather’s been a little different lately, with humidity, isolated rain and wind gusts throughout much of Southern California. What’s causing the late-summer bout of gray?
Best of LAist