Fisher Defends His Team Against Comments From Bernie Kosar

In today’s NFL it is extremely difficult to find a great coach. It can be even harder to find a coach that will defend his team. The Rams lucked out last season when they hired Jeff Fisher to take over, because Fisher is a coach that will do both.  Working as the color analyst for Cleveland’s preseason television broadcast, former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar did not hold back with his observations and opinions during Thursday night’s game against the Rams. Through the course of the broadcast, Kosar was regularly critical of the Rams, focusing much of his ire on the team’s wide receivers and backup quarterback Kellen Clemons.

Kosar said things that included:

"“I really think that he didn’t overthrow him and that Austin has to make that catch in the NFL. I see why Sam Bradford has been struggling watching how bad these receivers have been for him.” After an incomplete pass intended for rookie Tavon Austin.“This is actually not a bad throw. These St. Louis receivers are horrible. That’s a drop there.” After Nick Johnson dropped a pass.When play-by-play man Jim Donovan asked Kosar what he’d think if he knew that some of the Rams receivers’ parents were watching, Kosar said he “would be embarrassed.”“I’m checking through the itinerary here of guys and coaches to see who the receivers coach is to make sure I don’t know who this guy is because he’s not doing very good either,” Taking a direct shot at coach Ray Sherman."

Kosar had even harsher things to say about quarterback Kellen Clemons as apparently there are some hard feelings between the two.

"“I must not be because the next quarterback in, me and him haven’t done too well with each other, too,” Clemons wasn’t even playing at the time."

Later, when Clemens entered the game, Donovan relayed a story about Clemens giving an autograph to Pope Benedict XVI. Kosar said he didn’t think he’d ever want it, and then took another shot at Clemens.

"“Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. I have to watch him the whole fourth quarter.”"

If it helps, Kosar did say good things about Sam Bradford.

Fisher did not like what Kosar had to say about his team whatsoever, Fisher rarely responds to an issue through the media, but after something like this, Fisher felt like something needed to be said.

"“First off, let me say this: The Cleveland Browns’ organization is a first- class organization from top to bottom and it has been that for years and years and years. I guess I’m a little disappointed.I feel bad for them that they had someone doing the broadcast who would feel the need to speak that way about players, specifically on our team, and coaches for that matter. I’m just surprised that Bernie has such a lack of respect for players and for this game. So I lost a lot of respect for him.”"

What Kosar said was completely unjustified and clearly disrespectful to the St. Louis Rams organization. It is a very good thing that the Rams have a coach like Jeff Fisher that will take something like this into his own hands and put an stop to it. The Rams players know who they are playing for and they know what he will do for them. The Rams will go out every Sunday and give Fisher everything they have in them on the field, because they know that’s what he expects, and that’s the kind of effort he gives to them.