Al Davis-Lane Kiffin rift is an embarrassment & detriment to the Oakland Raiders

Thoughts from the Dark Side

January 25, 2008

Al Davis-Lane Kiffin rift is an embarrassment & detriment to the Oakland Raiders

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Just when it seemed that the storm was over, a new wave of drama has come out on the Raiders coaching staff. ESPN is reporting that Al Davis has asked Kiffin to resign, but Kiffin has refused. This is not a new rumor, as pft.com had reported on it a while back, but coming from Chris Mortensen and ESPN give it a lot more weight. From a Raider fan's point of view this is sheer lunacy. Kiffin may not have brought home a plethora of wins, but he finally made the Raiders look respectable even in defeat.

Apparently the flash point over all this was that Al Davis felt that Lane Kiffin overstepped his boundaries by letting defensive coordinator Rob Ryan go. Davis blocked the firing, and apparently the situation has deteriorated from there.

Jerry MacDonald of the Oakland Tribune reports that Kiffin said, "I'm not going to comment on anything that has transpired in the last three weeks."

This is an embarrassment to the Raider Nation. Since Gruden's 2002 departure following the "Snow Job" that conveniently began the Patriot ascendancy, the Raiders have had four coaches, none getting more than two years. Each coaching search has been more contentious and arduous than the last as top coaching candidates meet with Al then walk away saying, "Thanks, but no thanks." If this continues, it may reach the point where not even Wayne Fontes would listen to the job offer.

More than the identity of the coaches, the fact that it has been a revolving door, has been a prime reason for the Raiders slide into this Black Hole of something worse than mediocre. There has been NO consistency in coaching, and that has hampered the development of every draftee, some more than others. Changing over now, is a great recipe for JaMarcus Russell to go the way of Ryan Leaf, as he will have to start back at almost square one.

I am not sure what the hell Al is thinking asking Kiffin to resign. The team that Kiffin inherited was a complete and total disaster. Kiffin took over that mess and began cleaning it up and turning things around.�� It is a process that takes more than one season.

It seems that Al was holding on to his own success in 1964 where he turned a pathetic Raider team around, and had the greatest single season turnaround in football history. the problem is that was in 1964 and the early days of the AFL, not the salary cap era of the current NFL.

Davis has always said that he would rather be feared than respected. Right now, he is neither. In fact, Al, they are laughing AT you. The rest of the league has reached the point where they think the Raiders are a joke, and as a citizen of the Raider Nation that makes me sick.

According to ESPN.com, the early speculation for Kiffin's replacement is Dennis Green. So Al, if you want to crown him, crown him. But if Kiffin pulls a Shanahan and makes a career of being a Raider Killer then he is who we thought he was.

Tags: NFL, Oakland Raiders, Raiders

Discussion

14 Comments on "Al Davis-Lane Kiffin rift is an embarrassment & detriment to the Oakland Raiders"

Posted by Alex Whiteleather, January 25, 2008 3:12 PM

Alex from Eagles Eye and I got to say this truly is embarrassing and I feel bad for fans of the Raider Nation today. It's become a laughing stock around the league and I'd like to see one of the more historic franchises return to power but I think it's becoming more unlikely under this version of Al Davis.

Posted by M. Raider, January 25, 2008 3:38 PM

the only way Al will understand how pissed off the nation is after a ridiculous stunt like this is to not show up for 1 game this season. I already canceled my season tickets the minute I heard about this. It's too bad too, I was excited to see Jamarcus every Sunday! But he is probably F'd now too.

Posted by b kramer, January 25, 2008 3:46 PM

al please sell the team! you have lost your mind, as a raider fan i am sick of you running this great team.it is not 1964 the game has passed you buy.please sell or retire to florida or somewere and give it up.. enought is enought!!!!

Posted by krowlz, January 25, 2008 5:10 PM

According to senior executive John Herrera, Lofton will interview as a position coach with head coach Lane Kiffin.

The same Kiffin who reportedly is locked in a ��fire/resign�� battle of wills with owner Al Davis.

Herrera insists the Kiffin-Davis feud isn��t the juicy story ESPN��s Chris Mortensen made it out to be.

��It��s not an issue. Lane��s the coach. It��s not an issue,�� Herrera said. ��I think the one accurate thing he said is that James Lofton will be interviewed. He will be _ as a position coach _ and he will do it with Lane on Monday because that��s when he gets back from Mobile and the Senior Bowl.��

Herrera also refuted the notion that Kiffin has been stripped of all personnel authority and control of his staff, conceding only that Davis was ��irritated�� when rumors of Kiffin��s interest in Arkansas surfaced four games before the end of the season.

��But that��s ancient history and this is now,�� Herrera said. ��There has never been any question about Lane being the coach. It hasn��t been an issue.��

Herrera also said Dennis Green has not been contacted by the club, noting that Green already said he hasn��t been contacted and that his name is always connected to the Raiders.

Lofton was fired this week as wide receivers coach of the San Diego Chargers. He interviewed for the head coaching positons that went to Art Shell and Norv Turner.

Kiffin has done nothing to refute the reports, saying, ��I��m not going to comment on anything that��s transpired in the last three weeks.��

That three-week time frame coincides with the Raiders issuing a release saying Rob Ryan was still the defensive coordinator.

Posted by Raiderchef68, January 25, 2008 5:33 PM

What an absolute outrage!!! As if Al hasn't already made a mockery of this once proud franchise as he goes through coaches faster than Charlie Sheen through hookers, he is now forcing Kiffin to leave because Al does not have a puppet in this coach like he has had with the last 3 losers!!! Are you kidding me Al?? I have been a life long fan through all of Al's craziness and I dont beleive I can take another season of Al's BULLSHIT. Dennis Green? this is how far this franchise has slipped? that Dennis is our option? You have got to be kidding me. What an absolute retard you are Al!! Dumb as a brick,lost as a rock, must have fallen down and hit your once "smart" head. I am sorry Raider nation but we have hit rock frickin' bottom!! Sweet Jesus I pray that somewhere in that mess of a mind Al will come to and think Straight for one flippin minute and not give up on this kid as we are about to get rid of some dead weight on this team and move forward with some positive attitudes and work ethics, which as all Raider fans know has not been there in a very long time. Ihave to go now as I am going to puke.

Nothing but Love Nation!!!!

Raiderchef68

Posted by oaks heart, January 25, 2008 5:57 PM

ok, 32 years i have been a raider die heart fan , this is it NEW COACH ? IM DONE , I WILL WAIT TILL DAVIS IS DEAD AND START CHEERING AGAIN THAT OLD FART IS WACKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by The heart of the nation, January 25, 2008 6:15 PM

I've been a Raider fan since MARCUS ALLEN and BO JACKSON and when BO got hurt i was more than pissed but this news of firing coach Kiffin who is the best coach we've had since Chunky (Jon Gruden) is retarded Al the dumb f--k needs to fire his self

Posted by lvbritster, January 25, 2008 9:39 PM

This can't possibly be happening. What happened to the commitment to excellence? Is Al just committed to showing who's in charge? That does seem to be more important than winning. The game passes people by. As great as they were, can you imagine Chuck Knoll and Tom Landry still coaching? NO! But that's what we have in the ever present meddling of Al. Dennis Green? You've got to be kidding me! We find a bright young energetic coach bringing new ideas "the complete opposite of Notepad Art" and Al just can't stand it. Well, I for one have had it. He's officially lost his f'in mind. By the way, what the hell was Art writing down on that notepad? It's time for the league to step in and prevent this cenile old fool from continuously destroying this once proud franchise. I, for one am tired of being the laughingstock of the league.

Posted by OakFoSho, January 26, 2008 12:46 AM

Sigh!! I thought we had hot rock bottom last season at 2-14, but if Kiff is gonna be fired, then the Raiders have reached a new low. There is not much I can say, cause I am in shock. If this goes down, I might just cry and refrain from the NFL, evermore locked in a depression of the heart.

OakFoSho

#10

Posted by Eli Wahlstrom, January 26, 2008 5:54 AM

Being a Cardinal fan, I feel the pain of what's going on in Raider nation. Right now with Al as the owner it feels like you Raider fans are in a box with no way out.

During the owner meetings last year I ran into Al Davis and he just didn't look good. I know we all know he doesn't look good but he just seemed extremely unhealthy and slow. He was in a walker and needed lots of help for basic things. Listening to him talk he is still sharp, but not sharp enough to be running an NFL team. He's not what he once was and he doesn't have anyone around him to tell him that. He still thinks he can make big decisions and make the right moves. As long as Al is running the operation I can't see the Raiders becoming a dominant team again.

#11

Posted by Michael Beckwith, January 26, 2008 10:59 AM

The Raiders will never be relevant again until Al Davis gives up the reigns of this franchise...which will never happen until he dies. It's too bad because continuity is the only way for this franchise to turn the corner.

#12

Posted by rodmoney, January 26, 2008 3:32 PM

Gentlemen,

We have to realize that this is Al's team so he can f@#k it up as he is. He is what 124 so it's obvious he is paronoid that he will keel over before this yr is over and he would hate for the Raiders to be a SB43 winner while he is burning in the depths of HELL!! Be patient Nation, he will expire in due time and once again we will be committed to excellence. RETURN FROM WHENCE YOU CAME DEMON!!

#13

Posted by JOKE of the nation!, January 26, 2008 11:33 PM

The Raiders always sucked anyways! Why is everyone so upset? They suck and now it is just going more public and being spelled out in the most basic way possible for the boneheads with thier Radier blinders on!!

Face it! Your team sucks!!!

It always did suck, and it always will suck!

#14

Posted by Raiders4life, February 25, 2008 7:58 PM

F@#K u joke of a nation u go watch whatever team u like u'll see in two years when al davis is gone the raiders will be restored to greatness @$$wipe