Commanders Coach Ron Rivera 'Keep Your Mouth Shut' vs. Jeff Fisher: Washington Lessons Learned?
"Keep your mouth shut.''
And in retrospect, there might be something to that - though not quite the way Jeff Fisher first intended it.
Not everyone disagrees with what Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio said about January 6.. And even some who view things differently from the embattled coach don't view his words as offensive as some have.
But here's something - the rare thing in today's public climate - that maybe we can agree on: Nobody listens to anybody anymore.
Maybe that the reason to "shut up'' - because Americans' views on so many issues are in conflict, with seemingly little chance for compromise.
Even after Del Rio apologized, Washington coach Ron Rivera issued a public statement against his defensive coordinator's words along with a $100,000 fine to be donated to the United States Capitol Police Memorial Fund.
Some say that isn't enough and continue to call for more punishment or more public statements from the team.
At least one person, former NFL coach Jeff Fisher, is taking the opposite approach.
Instead of publicly calling for more, Fisher believes politics have taken too big a role in sports today.
"Politics is getting into everything right now and it doesn't need to," Fisher recently said on OutKick The Tailgate. "The Rivera and Del Rio stuff, I mean come on, give us a break ... Leave that stuff alone, there's too much going on right now."
But Fisher wasn't done speaking about the state of politics being involved in sports culture and narratives today.
Asked about the fine Rivera issued to Del Rio following his comments after Wednesday's practice, Fisher shared his own views on the situation.
"I went down the middle my whole career and I respected everybody for whatever they believed in and everyone should have an opportunity to talk about what they believe in," Fisher said. "But to create narratives that aren't true ... on first glance, I was a little disappointed with Ron. I was teammates with Ron, and for him to come out, it was like some speech writer wrote his statement. And it's not true. There were not deaths, like he mentioned ... there weren't deaths, and he put that in his statement ... just tell the truth and if you don't know it then keep your mouth shut."
So Del Rio had an opinion. And Rivera had an opinion. And Fisher had an opinion. Three guys who go way back together ... and not once did any of them run their thoughts by the others in private? Nor, as far as we know, have they gotten together to attempt to learn from the others' opposing views?
Maybe the issue isn't that anybody said anything. Maybe the issue is that nobody wants to actually listen to what's being said.
