MVN: Most Valuable Network

The picture in Oakland just became more muddied as Jerry MacDonald the Raiders beat writer at the Oakland Tribune reports that a Raider senior executive has denied the earlier ESPN report that Lane Kiffin was on his way out the door. At this point, this could still be disastrous to the Raider rebuilding effort even if Kiffin returns for the 2008 season, as it leaves the distinct impression that the Raiders front office is in complete chaos. If there was nothing to it, the organization, read Al Davis, should have come forward earlier and put the lid on them as the silence has only added fuel to the flame.

As the ESPN story was breaking, Thoughts from the Dark Side's favorite Raider reporter Nancy Gay was providing alleged details of a letter that Al Davis supposedly sent to Lane Kiffin:

The letter submitted last week to Kiffin amounts to a "you are on notice" declaration, informing the coach that neither he nor his closest ally at the Raiders, director of football development Mark Jackson, will be involved in the scouting, planning or selecting of players in the NFL Draft.

Kiffin also was informed that he will not be involved in the free agent meetings and that he no longer is in charge of his own coaching staff. He may not hire or fire coaches, nor can he order anyone in the Raiders organization to do anything without the permission of the General Partner, that being Davis.

Talk about emasculation. If that letter is true, which given Ms Gay's track record is questionable, it would mean that Lane Kiffin would not be a head coach, but a play caller and cheerleader. No self respecting coach would work in those circumstances, and it would definitely be a move to get Lane Kiffin to resign, as he would be stripped of all authority.

Jerry MacDonald reported the following this afternoon, which would seem to refute both Ms. Gay and the ESPN report:

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

Lets repeat that together, slowly. "As a position coach with HEAD COACH LANE KIFFIN." This means that a senior executive has reaffirmed Kiffin's position as Head Coach. (finally!)

JerryMac continues:

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,” (emphasis added) 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.” (emphasis added)

Lets look at this point by point. Herrera says point blank, that there has never been an issue about Lane being the coach. There are no qualifiers there. This is a statement from a Raider senior executive giving blanket support for Lane Kiffin being the head coach of the Oakland Raiders. In fact, this statement is much stronger and more direct than the memo that had come out weeks ago supporting Rob Ryan. Herrera also refutes Ms Gay's claim that Davis had emasculated Kiffin as a coach.

This begs one question that is hanging like the sword of Damocles of the head of the Raider Nation: WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON AT 1220 Harbor Bay Parkway, Alameda, CA 94502?

Is there a "Fox in the henhouse" who is trying to sabotage Al Davis and Lane Kiffin, and is spreading wild rumors? This is a theory that seems straight out of an Oliver Stone flick, but the way the rumors keep resurfacing just as they would have run their course, there could be something to that.

Was there a bigger rift that Al and Lane were able to work out and Herrera was providing spin and damage control? Herrera said that Al was "irritated" when the Kiffin to Arkansas rumors first started, could that have been the genesis of all the stories festering against the Raiders wall of silence while Lane and Al worked it out after cooler heads prevailed?

Regardless of the answer, there is more to this than fans know. As the saying goes only time will tell. Stay tuned to Thoughts from the Dark Side for news and analysis as this and other stories develop on the Oakland Raiders.