Fisher works his way back into Rams' lineup

By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Wednesday, Aug. 23 2006

In today's NFL, much more than ankles get taped. Games are taped, practices are
taped, workouts are taped. And as the saying goes, the film doesn't lie.

When coach Scott Linehan's Rams staff put on film of Travis Fisher from last
season, they saw two things: A player who looked slow, and a player who looked
heavy.

"He was a little bit overweight," defensive coordinator Jim Haslett said.
"Probably 205 -- 10-12 pounds over what he normally plays at. He was nicked up
and injured, and wasn't really impressive on film."

Missing was Fisher's closing speed, one of the defining characteristics of his
play when he came into the league as a second-round draft pick in 2002. A
nagging groin injury, one that limited him to eight games, undoubtedly slowed
him down in 2005, and probably made it harder to keep the weight off.

The coaches challenged him to drop weight, and Fisher came back for training
camp at a svelte 187.

But Fisher responded to the coaching staff's desire that he dropped weight.

"It's one thing to say you're going to do it," Linehan said. "It's another
thing to actually do it. He took on that challenge full force and looks great
-- in great condition."

How'd he do it? Fisher cut down radically on junk food, and tried to avoid
eating at night.

"After 7 p.m., I just started eating a lot of fruit," Fisher said. "If I got
hungry, I just ate two apples."

During the summer break between the end of the offseason program and the start
of training camp, Fisher broiled in the sun back home in Florida. By design. "I
tried to go out in the hottest part of the day, every day," Fisher said.

And work out. Fisher reported to camp in great shape, and just as importantly,
in good health.

"It is good to feel good," Fisher said. "I'm definitely happy that I'm healthy.
I'm proud of myself for how serious I took it in the offseason to get myself
ready to play."

Knock on wood, Fisher hopes that a nasty string of injuries in 2004 and 2005 is
over.

"When I broke the forearm, it was my first injury ever," Fisher said.

That injury came in the Governor's Cup exhibition game in Kansas City in 2004,
sidelining Fisher for the first six games of the regular season. When he
returned to the lineup, he suffered a broken jaw, but kept playing.

There was more bad news on the injury front last season. Fisher suffered a
pulled groin muscle in training camp, kept trying to play through it as the
season progressed, and ended up on injured reserve.

"The key to consistency is being able to stay out there, and stay healthy,"
Linehan said. "It's hard to do in this game. That's been kind of his nemesis.
... He's shown flashes, but he hasn't been able to stay healthy."

Except for missing one practice with a hip flexor injury, Fisher hasn't missed
a beat this preseason. He has stayed on the field, he and appears to have his
old speed back.

Even though the Rams signed free agent Fakhir Brown and drafted Tye Hill in the
first round, Fisher has held onto his starting job at cornerback. As an added
bonus, he has learned the slot position in the nickel package.

"Travis is a guy that's probably impressed me more than anybody in camp,"
Haslett said. "He looks fast. He's aggressive. And he's learned a new position
(covering the slot), and I think he's done very well at that."

Hill, who has been making steady progress himself, comes onto the field when
the Rams go to their nickel package and Fisher moves inside. But with the
regular season just 2½ weeks away, Hill has been unable to dislodge Fisher from
the starting spot at left corner.

"I don't really see it as a battle," Hill said earlier in camp. "I feel like
Fisher is the starter. He's making plays, you know what I'm saying? You can't
deny that."

Fisher, who is entering the last year of his contract, appreciates the
compliments, from Hill and the coaches. He's glad to be starting again, but
it's only August. Not September. Besides, he has been a starter before -- for
almost all of the previous four NFL seasons when healthy.

"My goal is way past being a starter for the Rams," Fisher said. "So it's just
the first step. That's why, right now, I'm just not going to say I'm happy. I'm
just going to keep on moving and see how far it can take me."

Fisher looks like he's back to his 2003 form.. imagine tye hill, brown, fisher, and butler on all cylinders... not a true number one standout corner but all proficient and capable number 2's...

i am glad he has taken a more workman like attitude toward his job because the last couple of seasons he has sucked.he was overweight and slow but is giving ever indication that he really wants to have a big season,so good luck to him and hopefully he can stay healthy.

I have a feeling he will do a good job this year since it is a contract year. Then he will be hit with over priced offers from other teams in the off season. But I hope his play gives the defense a boost in an area that has been severely lacking the past two seasons.