Discussions of Fisher have reminded me of a point I have been meaning to make.
When people defend Fisher, they often cite the fact that the players seem to be playing hard, even through adversity. Well, it's now Year 5. And, with all due respect to my Ram brothers and sisters, I personally do not want to hear about how the team hasn't given up. And I have something specific in mind.
At this point, I consider it to be a BAD SYMPTOM of dysfunction if the team is continuing to play hard while nothing has changed. Fisher has conditioned this team to be comfortable with general failure as long as there are a few bright spots here and there.
I want to see players who are too pissed off to behave properly. I want to see evidence of competitive intolerance. I want to see disgust, frustration, a refusal to accept more of this mediocre crap. Above all, I want to see guys begin to play with cold, competitive fire expressing itself in DISCIPLINE!
The fact that the team continues to go along, apparently happily, "playing hard" but not raising its competitive fire or discipline is not, to me, a sign of good coaching.
It's a symptom of a team conditioned by its coach to be comfortable with mediocrity.
