I think you are being a little harsh on Fisher. Look who owns the Titans. Fisher took over a bad situation in Houston and over the next decade had some very good years. Just think that if Tobin had taken over from Ryan and took the Cards to the playoffs 6 times with only 5 losing seasons over the next 16 years with three 13-3 seasons and a 12-4 and 11-5. Heck he'd be a Saint on this board. Just like Coryell who never won a playoff game with the Cards. Fisher's not treasure but he's not trash.
Never forget that Denny Green had Kurt Warner and Edgerrin James and Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald and won 6 games.
I'm sure I understated his value, my point was merely that I don't consider him some type of football God, nor do I think just because the Rams got him that it necessarily means he'll turn around the franchise or own the NFC West.
The Denny Green comparison is valid to a point, but the comparison breaks down when you compare his stint with the Cards to that of Fisher's with the Titans. Until recently the Cards had one of the worst orgs in football and that's hard to overcome. While his stint with the Vikings still isn't up to par with Fisher's in Tenn, there's no denying that it's closer in comparison when you look at what he did with Cunningham, Cris Carter, Randy Moss, etc over a shorter period of time, granted.
Plus, when Fisher was in his heyday in the AFC, there wasn't the strength of competition compared to the greatest show on turf Rams in their prime. As soon as the Pats, Steelers, etc starting getting good again Fisher pretty much disappeared (getting crushed 59-0 against the Pats in 2009). Part of that is an inability to restructure the team, who had too many aging players and salary cap issues, and part of it, I believe, is the strength of the AFC reaching astronomical heights. Still, the point remains that when the AFC starting getting good he wasn't able to muster much. He probably can't be faulted for that, given the strength involved by those opponents, but it is what it is.
It's also my opinion that he chose St. Louis because he considered it a weak division that he could win. I think he'll be sorely mistaken however. And don't get me wrong, I really loved Tenn when he coached them: Eddie George was my favorite running back (I still have fond memories of watching him grind it out in the snow every year) and Steve McNair still hasn't gotten his due in my opinion--nobody was a tough guy like McNair, even though Ben Roethlisberger may come close.
His career stats are impressive, no one can deny that, but depending on how you want to look at it, you could argue a multitude of things. He made the playoffs 6 times in 17 years, but had 5 8-8 seasons, while the remaining 6 seasons were worse than 8-8. His first 5 years his best record was 8-8, and I don't know what coach nowdays even keeps their job after that.
In my mind he was the beneficiary of what I consider Tom Landry tenure: He was allowed to coach a very long time, even though he had a stint of 5 years at 8-8 (best), another 3 year gap going 5-11, 4-12, 8-8, and another going 8-8 & 6-10 before "parting ways". Andy Reid, in my opinion, is much more consistent, but doesn't get the credit of Fisher. I still think Fisher did it in a weaker division at the time and most coaches don't get that kind of opportunity. He won't be allowed to do that in St. Louis, nobody waits around anymore.
