Robinson Tables Talk of Job Security to Concentrate on 49ers

After a couple of reports that Coach John Robinson and the Rams’ front office are headed toward a major clash once this disappointing season ends, Robinson refused to put himself into the line of fire.

Asked Thursday if he thought the reports of his tenuous job security were distracting to his team as it prepares for Monday night’s game against the San Francisco 49ers, Robinson’s answer was short and to the point.

“No, I don’t,” Robinson said. “I think the last time this came up was before (the previous game against the 49ers--a Ram victory). So maybe it’s good that it’s coming up.”

But Robinson also made it clear he was not pleased by a Times’ story on Thursday that said the Rams’ front office is growing weary of him after almost eight seasons--six of which ended in the playoffs.

“You know, I think the thing that is interesting is that there are no quotes from anybody,” Robinson said. “Usually, stories tend to be less when no one ever quotes anybody. A lot of things are being built on what somebody says somebody else heard say about somebody else. No quotes. I would respond to quotes. There aren’t any. Unless they’re anonymous.”

Other reports have suggested that Robinson, too, is getting tired of his relationship with the Rams’ front office, and could be entertaining the possibility of leaving of his own volition. Either way, there is a growing feeling that there are major changes forthcoming with the Rams. But Robinson said he was concentrating on much shorter-range thoughts.

“We’re trying to beat the 49ers,” he said. “We’ll try to work out whatever problems there are and go from there.”

For the most part, Robinson’s players--some of whom agreed that there probably will be a lot of changes in the off-season after this 5-8 start--kept tight to the theme of thinking only about this week’s game.

Robinson acknowledged that he could have been in trouble last month when the team was 3-7 and about to play the undefeated 49ers in Candlestick Park. But the Rams stayed focused enough to beat San Francisco.

“The 49ers are what’s on our minds right now,” defensive end Doug Reed said. “Not only the coaches, (there are) probably a lot of other people around here that probably won’t be here. . . . I don’t think we can worry about that. I think we just have to worry about today and tomorrow.

“I haven’t thought about it (the possibility of Robinson leaving the Rams) yet. I’ll have to wait until the season’s over and evaluate it then, see where we are. That’s totally just speculation right now. I don’t think anybody’s talked to Coach Robinson about it yet.”

Quarterback Jim Everett said he wasn’t bothered by the stories because Robinson wouldn’t want him to be.

“At this point, it’s not concerning to me,” Everett said. “My concern right now is making sure my focus and the team’s focus is on the 49ers, and I think that’s what Coach Robinson would want.

“The other types of things I’m sure I could comment on at a later point in time. But for right now, our focus is on the 49ers, and I think everything else is purely speculation and purely people jumping on a ship to get a story.”

One person willing to leap to the defense of Robinson was 49er Coach George Seifert, who has coached against Robinson for all of Robinson’s career with the Rams. When asked about Robinson being in trouble prior to their game last month, Seifert rushed to voice his support for Robinson. He was no less supportive Thursday.

“As a coach, you can appreciate good coaching when you see it,” Seifert said. “You put on the film, and you study teams and so forth. And when you look at Los Angeles, you see how precise they are and how well-coached they are, how difficult they are to handle, how much they get out of their personnel. I think he’s not only outstanding himself, but his staff . . . he’s got a helluva staff.”

Rumors about coaches losing their jobs, Seifert said, are just part of life in the NFL.

“I think it’s part of our business,” he said. “I think we’re all mature enough to realize that. Certainly John Robinson is--I think I am. That’s part of it. And you look at all the up times John has had and the Rams have had, and I’m sure there will be more up times in the future.”