Oakland Raiders News: Should I Stay Or Should I Go Now: The Oakland Raider Mambo Continues?
by saint
on Sep 30, 2008 8:20 AM PDT
LiveAdam wrote this up and I think that it deserves it's own front page topic:
According to John Clayton, Al Davis is currently talking to many of the offensive assistant coaches without Lane Kiffin, to decide if Kiffin is staying or going.
Even though Lane Kiffin remained head coach of the Oakland Raiders long enough to meet with the Bay Area media Monday, the process of replacing him has begun.
According to a source, Raiders owner Al Davis scheduled one-hour meetings Monday evening with three members of the coaching staff — offensive coordinator Greg Knapp, offensive line coach Tom Cable and longtime NFL offensive coordinator and current Raiders consultant Paul Hackett. The meetings, according to the source, were to discuss the possibility of replacing Kiffin, who has yet to be informed of any potential change.
The "source" (aka Kiffin hater John Herrera) is likely the same one that had Chris Mortenson and Jay Glazer looking like idiots last week.
I for one don’t buy the idea that Kiffin is for sure out and Davis is interviewing replacements. I do, however, buy Clayton’s statement that:
The meetings, according to the source, were to discuss the possibility of replacing Kiffin
In my opinion, it is just as probable that Davis is discussing trying to keep the offensive unit together beyond this season, and making a decision on Kiffin based on whether he can keep Knapp, Cable, Rathman, etc. in the fold beyond next year (all of their contracts are done after this year and there are already rumors that they may leave to rejoin Jim Mora Jr. in Seattle.)
My justification for this idea lies in Kiffin’s press conference today. Even Jerry McDonald (sorry for advertising the competition) noticed that Kiffin was towing the company line a little more today, was being more tactful and less blunt about situations with himself and the coaching staff, placed a lot of the blame for the last two losses on his offense (a huge change from Week 1), etc. See for yourself.
I’ve been critical of Kiffin’s play calling, but I do like the direction he has the team going. Today’s press conference was filled with all the right answers as far as I’m concerned so I’d like to see him stay. Time will tell.
0 recs |
14
comments
Email
PrintComments
See
I think since it’s the bye week, they’re discussing how to turn this ship around. If Kiffin was to go, I think it would have happened yesterday.
Win, Lose, or Tie, Raiders til I die!
by mikesd1981 on Sep 30, 2008 8:49 AM PDT 0 recs
Let's re-ignite this moribound offense and bring back Tom Walsh as head coach!!!!!
by Bacon on Sep 30, 2008 8:55 AM PDT 0 recs
WOO_HOOO!!!!!!
Oops..Wrong Walsh, although the one who lays six feet under would still probably do a better job than old Bed and Breakfast!!!!
But when they start scheming us the way these guys did, and we weren't particularly ready for it, anything can happen."
by saint on
Sep 30, 2008 9:44 AM PDT
up
0 recs
If it doesn't happen by Thursday......
…it won’t for the entire season. Davis is smart enough to know he needs to give a new head coach some time to get the reins and gameplan, particularly if the man has never been a head coach before. These next few days are the time to do it if he’s gonna make a change.
Kiffin is FAR FAR FAR from perfect, but he and the team are learning together and generally headed the right way. I’d like to see him stay. But if he’s gonna go, he better go soon and stop all the distracting drama bullshit.
If Kiffin has to go, in my dreams he talks to Cowher or Bilick and gives them all the authority they could possibly want. But this IS Al Davis we’re talking about, and he can’t cede the kind of control either one of those two would demand as a pre-requisite to taking the job.
Maybe he was asking Knapp, Cable and Rathman for their opinions. I.e., “Should Kiffin stay or go?” But that’s probably wrong too.
In the end, Al is gonna be Al. We can speculate and read rumors, but no one will know anything for sure until some final decision is announced.
by Raybin on Sep 30, 2008 9:26 AM PDT 0 recs
And by "he talks to Cowher or Bilick"
I mean Davis. Stupid pronouns. :)
by Raybin on
Sep 30, 2008 9:27 AM PDT
up
0 recs
He'll ask
Cowher and Bilick and they will decline. No respectable coach wants this job. We have come from the Super Bowl to the punchline of the NFL. Something drastic has to change!!
by Raider76 on
Sep 30, 2008 9:46 AM PDT
up
0 recs
Monday Night's Discussion
Maybe he was asking Knapp, Cable and Rathman for their opinions. I.e., "Should Kiffin stay or go?" But that’s probably wrong too.
I think that is what Davis and the rest of the offensive staff were talking about. Knowing that Kiffin has little or nothing to do with the defense, which has performed admirably but tired under adverse 2nd half circumstances, the real improvements must be made on the offensive side of the ball. Davis is looking for a thumbs up/thumbs down on Kiffin.
Also, I think if it doesn’t happen today its not going to happen at all. In his Monday press conference Kiffin stated that the practices scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday are geared towards both red zone offense and defense. It would be harder to bring in a new head coach after today.
"I love being here. I love these players. I'm loyal to these players and this team, all right? I'm on the side of the players and the Raiders. And anybody who isn't on the side of the Raiders, then I'm not with them." - Randy Hanson, DB coach.
by LiveAdam on
Sep 30, 2008 9:42 AM PDT
up
0 recs
He is OUT.
Just heard on ESPN according to Chris Mortensen. The O Line coach is in line for the job. Forgot his name. Anyhow, glad this circus is over, I am big Kiffin fan, sad to see him go. The only concilation is that Ryan is not the head coach.
"RIP: UserID: 517"
by Masaryk on Sep 30, 2008 10:06 AM PDT 0 recs
Sorry link
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3617977
Your team is your child...You love it no matter what.
by TheRaiderWay on Sep 30, 2008 10:10 AM PDT 0 recs
Well
let’s see how it goes now. If the same guy designing the plays and in charge of the offense is coach, what makes us better?
Win, Lose, or Tie, Raiders til I die!
by mikesd1981 on Sep 30, 2008 10:13 AM PDT 0 recs
Correction
in charge of the o-line that gave up 6 sacks against SD
Win, Lose, or Tie, Raiders til I die!
by mikesd1981 on
Sep 30, 2008 10:14 AM PDT
up
0 recs
Also,
This whole mess really boils down to ONE MAN, Al Davis. Over the years (I have been a fan since 1978) I have been a huge Davis fan. I loved his “Commitment to Excellence” his maverick ways, his original branding of and NFL franchise, his player evaluation skills, his loyalty to his players and those proven vets around the league. This man clearly bleeds the silver and black, he clearly loves this franchise….some say they are one in the same.
BUT, these past 10 years have been a steep decline in Mr. Davis effectiveness. I am not one to point at his age, I point to something else. Jerry Jones. Who is the modern day Al Davis? Jones. Who did Al take under his wing? Jones. Who is stealing from our historic playbook? Jones. We have been out Raidered since Jerry came into the league.
A second issue is the Raider inner circle. John Herrara? This guy is an asshole. We need some of the old Raiders to come back and right the ship. Where’s Plunkett, Where is Fred Belinikoff? Where is Rich Gannon? Where is Howie Long?
We don’t need a coaching staff shuffle-re-shuffle. We need a FRONT OFFICE resurrection.
Best of luck to Lane Kiffin. You will probably be another Mike Shannahan. You will probably become the next KC coach and haunt us for the next 15 years.
"RIP: UserID: 517"
by Masaryk on Sep 30, 2008 10:17 AM PDT 0 recs
New FanPost
