Rams-Cardinals matchup loses some of its bite
At one time, the Rams’ season finale against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday shaped up as something of a barbed holiday gift exchange between coaches.
But no longer.
Jeff Fisher’s firing by the Rams on Dec. 12 ended the possibility of biting comments between Fisher and Cardinals Coach Bruce Arians.
The background:
In 2014, after the Cardinals defeated the Rams at St. Louis, Arians took a shot at Fisher and the Rams.
“I love it when nobody says that you will have a chance to win,” Arians said. “There is an 11-3 team, and a team that is always 8-8. You figure it out.”
After the Rams defeated the Cardinals in Week 4 at University of Phoenix Stadium this season, Fisher told NFL.com that he relayed a message to players in the locker room.
“I told them, ‘This was [the Cardinals’] Christmas present,’ ” Fisher said. “ ‘We see them after Christmas. This was their Christmas present. We just gave it to them early, OK?’ ”
The next day, Fisher said he was simply “complimenting” Rams players.
“I wanted them to know what a big win it was,” Fisher said. “Oftentimes, Coach Arians is complimenting his players from the same perspective.”
Arians said he laughed when he heard about Fisher’s comments.
“Hey, when you win, you get to say things,” he said, “and when you lose, you eat it.”
Arians said Wednesday that there was no extra motivation this week.
“We’ve always had our little barks, they’re all out of fun,” Arians said. “I think they’re out of respect for each other. But I started it and I wish he had the chance to finish it, so I can say ‘Happy New Year.’ ”
Words of wisdom
Rams interim Coach John Fassel read players and coaches a motivational parable about a stone cutter who hammers a rock 100 times without producing a crack, but then splits the stone with the 101st blow.
Fassel said throughout the week that he was waiting for the right moment to relay the story that came to his attention more than 10 years ago.
“Maybe next year it pays off and next year the 101st blow, we finally break through,” he said. “However they want to look at it, there’s a lot of different ways you can look at it, that’s kind of the way I see it — this matters for next year individually and as a team, hopefully.”
And for Sunday?
“What it means is this game is important because our futures depend on it,” he said.
Follow Gary Klein on Twitter @latimesklein
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