Jeff Fisher took a year off from coaching, and traveled around the country, and saw the world. He had fun during his break from the daily grind and pressure of the coaching life. His No. 1 highlight was climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa.

When Fisher returned to coaching, he signed on to make a more imposing and hazardous climb. Fisher took over the Rams, a woebegone franchise that from 2007-2011 lost more games (65) over a five-season stretch than any team in NFL history.

It is a franchise in flux, with owner Stan Kroenke making fans restless and fearful of a move to Los Angeles. You could say there are more attractive situations in the NFL. On the field, the Rams have averaged three wins over the last five seasons. Away from the field, fans are being beaten down by LA rumors.

Welcome to St. Louis, Coach.

The assignment isn't for the faint of heart. Mike Martz reached the Super Bowl, lost in an epic upset, then slowly cracked. The last two full-time head coaches to give it a go were buried under a rock-slide of losses. Scott Linehan and Steve Spagnuolo came to Earth City with smiles and optimism. Their combined record as head coach: 21-63.

When Linehan and Spagnuolo were fired, it seemed like the merciful thing to do. The unrelenting punishment of the job turned two good men into paranoid, uptight wrecks.

This description does not match a rested and ready Fisher.

"I love this game," Fisher said. "I have great respect for our owner, and I made a commitment to him to get him a trophy. And I'm going to start working towards that."

That would be the Vince Lombardi Trophy, handed to the yearly Super Bowl champion. Lombardi? Most fans would be happy with 8-8 for now. But as his first Rams' training camp gets under way, Fisher has no desire to lower expectations. You won't hear him talking about reconstruction zones and five-year plans.

"Every training camp I've started as a head coach or assistant, it felt like my first," Fisher said. "This one feels like it's my first [ever] training camp. You go into it with a willingness to learn, with energy. With willingness to put a team together that has high expectations. That goes out expecting to win every game."

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Bernie: Fisher takes steep climb in stride