San Diego State coach Steve Fisher voices support for Dave Rice

It’s always good to have friends. Steve Fisher and Dave Rice were rivals for years on the basketball court but always friendly away from the game.

The San Diego State coach has Rice’s back. After Rice was fired Sunday by UNLV, Fisher discussed the midseason coaching change at his news conference:

"I felt very badly when I got a call last night and one of our coaches said that Dave Rice was relieved of his duties – fired – at UNLV. I’ve known him the whole time I’ve been here. He was a longtime assistant, at Vegas, at Utah State, at BYU. He’s a terrific guy and a really good basketball coach. And if you’re honest with yourself, they very easily could be 3-0 and maybe should be. Maybe that’s why he’s not there.

"The last time a coach got fired at midseason, I went on a rant and got a public reprimand. I don’t know if there is a statute of limitations or not, so I’ll save the rant and say that it’s unfortunate and I feel bad. I’ve been there. I got fired. It has a ripple effect in so many ways later. He’s got young children. It’s really, really tough on families. I know that. I’ve lived it.

"Unfortunately in our business, in the college coaching profession, it’s drawing closer to the NFL and NBA and all the professional sports where it’s, ‘Oh, get rid of him – get rid of him now.’ Where most of the time where you may not get an extension, you never worried about somebody being fired in midseason. I’m disappointed that it happened. I feel bad for Dave."

Fisher added that coaching changes typically are made “to soothe the egos of the wealthy boosters."