The connection between new Rams coach Jeff Fisher, his agent Marvin Demoff, and Rams COO Kevin Demoff largely has been overlooked over the past two weeks. We’ve pointed out the benefit to the Rams of having Kevin Demoff in position to trust the information he’s hearing from his father regarding the terms Fisher needed, and the terms the Dolphin were offering. We’ve also observed that, in order for Kevin Demoff to escape scrutiny regarding the question of whether rolled over for his father and thus for Fisher, the Demoffs needed another team that would be offering similar bells and whistles to that which Fisher wanted.
Peter King of Sports Illustrated, who discloses that he’s also represented by Marvin Demoff (more NFL reporters and broadcasters should be willing to do the same regarding their own representation), writes in today’s Monday Morning Quarterback that King has heard in some circles an inference that “the fix was in,” and that Marvin Demoff delivered Fisher to Demoff’s son. King spoke with Fisher, who predictably but nevertheless credibly denied that he was steered to the Rams by Marvin Demoff, or by anyone.
“Under no circumstances at any time,” Fisher said. “I have 100 percent conviction on that. This was my decision, and Marvin assisted me. I was the one who decided. No one pushed me anywhere.’'
King also asked how the decision was made. “From day one, when I began this process after the season, I felt Miami and St. Louis were my best options,” Fisher said. “I did my research. I looked at every team that had an opening. I looked at the personnel on each team, I looked at the owners, I looked at the cap situations, and I narrowed it to two. Not Marvin. Me. Marvin didn’t push me. I am convinced he was completely objective.’'
Fisher’s response implies that more than two teams were chasing Fisher. Still, when the time came to negotiate with the Rams, Fisher needed a second team in order to get the best deal possible from the Rams, without exposing Kevin Demoff to criticism for giving up too much to get his dad’s client.
King separately writes, contrary to reports from guys like Mike Silver of Yahoo! Sports and Adam Schefter of ESPN, that Fisher didn’t want final say over the roster in either St. Louis or Miami. “All he wanted was the ability to -- in the event he was categorically opposed to a decision being made by the general manager -- have a mechanism in place for a third party, like an owner, to decide which way the team would go,” says King.
Apparently, Fisher wants to avoid a situation in which another Vince Young is shoved down Fisher’s throat. But here’s the thing. If Fisher wants the owner to settle any tie between Fisher and the G.M., it won’t save him from having a player taken against Fisher’s wishes if the owner wants to take that player.
After all, it was the owner in Tennessee who wanted to take Vince Young.
In the end, the Demoff connection helped St. Louis get Fisher. But everyone knew about the Demoff connection going in; in the end, the Dolphins should have been far more vigilant about ensuring that they weren’t being served like potato salad at a father-son picnic.