The drama between Eric Dickerson and the Los Angeles Rams is not going away.
Dickerson said Monday that he was told that he was not welcome on the team’s sidelines during games (read about that here).
Rams executive vice president of football operations Kevin Demoff tweeted that he reached out to Dickerson and that all former players — especially Dickerson — were always welcome.
Demoff even called the Hall of Famer a “valued member of the Rams family.”
Most importantly I want to make sure he knows that he is a valued member of @RamsNFL family. We all share his love for our team & our fans
— Kevin Demoff (@kdemoff) November 28, 2016
Evidently, Dickerson is not buying it. In an interview with Fox Sports Radio, Dickerson cleared up that it was Jeff Fisher who told him that he was not welcome on the sidelines.
Additionally, while we don’t know what it would take to fix the fractured relationship, one thing is clear. Nothing will be fixed if Fisher remains the head coach.
Right now @ericdickerson to us on @foxsportsradio – "I'll never come to a Rams game as long as Jeff Fisher is the head coach."
— Jason Smith (@howaboutafresca) November 29, 2016
All teams should have a relationship with their past greats. Given that the Rams are in their first year back in Los Angeles and are a well below average team, that may even be more important for them. Seeing past legends on the sidelines may help the fans of Southern California connect this team with the one that was there through 1994.
With that said, Fisher should not be fired because of what Dickerson said. Not by a long shot.
Fisher should be fired for his abysmal record. He should be fired for his terrible game planning. He’s been consistently unable or unwilling to accept the strengths and weaknesses of his team all year. Perhaps, he should even be fired just for being on the opposing sideline during the San Francisco 49ers’ lone win in an otherwise completely lost year. And Fisher didn’t lose a close game. He and the Rams were embarrassed, 28-0.
Once we get past all of that, we can scrutinize Fisher for his poor relationship with Dickerson — and any other former Los Angeles great.
Dickerson won’t go see this team play while Fisher is the coach. Judging by the empty seats at the Los Angeles Coliseum, most of Southern California won’t, either.