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Different era, different coach but same old Al Davis
Michigan
Posts: 4,942 ✭
in Sports Talk
THE NEW coach brought new ideas and enthusiasm that captivated the owner. But eventually the owner refused to cede his authoritarian rule.
And so in 1989, Al Davis fired Mike Shanahan.
Nothing changes with the Raiders. Except the names.
Other than the name of the man in power, the esteemed Al Davis.
And of late the team's awful record.
Lane Kiffin is the bright, young coach now. Who, acccording to ESPN, after a single season, 2007, Davis no longer wants.
But there are two years left on Kiffin's contract, at some $2million a year.
So, instead of firing Kiffin, explains Chris Mortensen of ESPN, Davis has badgered Kiffin into resigning. Which smartly he refuses to do.
The Raiders deny all of the above, as if that matters.
What does matter is Al Davis holds the reins. Always has held them, and always will hold them. And also holds grudges and the purse strings, two issues with which Shanahan is all too familiar.
In 1988, Shanahan, 35 at the time, was the first person fromfrom Sports 1
outside the organization, then in Los Angeles, to become Raiders coach since Davis himself in 1963.
"We did pretty good then," Al said of Al's ascension from an assistant's position with the Chargers. "Come to think of it, we did great."
That's Al's humble analysis of Al.
And Davis added, a conversation he had with Shanahan, to wit, "When you come to the Raiders, you've got to believe it, you've got to love it, got to think it."
What Al started thinking was Shanahan too strongly attempted to stamp his own imprimatur on Team Davis, trying to hire his own assistants, trying to instill discipline.
That may be normal operating procedure with other teams. Not with the Raiders. As we know, it's Al's way or Interstate 5.
Out went Shanahan, in came Art Shell, and to this day, Shanahan insists Davis never paid him what remained on his contract. Hard to believe.
Jon Gruden was the next victim. Well, candidate, from the outside world. After a few years of being unable to impose his ideas, Jon was gone, to Tampa Bay, extracting revenge by crushing the Raiders in the Super Bowl.
Norv Turner was also from beyond the kingdom. That didn't work either, and after a brief and painful second fling with Shell, Davis ended another search by finding another young coach with new ideas and enthusiasm.
That's Kiffin, who — stop me if you've heard this one — attempted to stamp his own imprimatur on Team Davis.
Kiffin, we're told, wanted to replace defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.
Davis, we're told, did not want to replace defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. Yes, Rob Ryan still is on the job.
A letter dispatched to Kiffin's attorneys by the Raiders pointed out only Al Davis would decide staff and personnel decisions, according to ESPN.
When he signed on last January, Kiffin, formerly quarterbacks coach at USC, either didn't read the small print or was so eager to get to the NFL the restrictions didn't bother him.
Until he actually became head coach of the Raiders.
Coaching the North Team at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., Kiffin deftly ran a symbolic bootleg when asked about his future.
"I'm not going to comment on anything that has transpired in the past three weeks," was his response.
Interesting: He has a specific time period under consideration.
Kiffin was 4-12 his first (and only?) season with Team Davis, doubling the number of victories in the season before his arrival. He did his best to separate himself from the old Raiders paranoia, blaming himself and his players for the abundant defeats rather than officiating and the like.
This week from Senior Bowl workouts, Kiffin said his relationship with Ryan was not a problem. The way Ryan's defense played last fall, however, was a problem.
The ESPN report said Davis wants to replace Kiffin with Denny Green, who having been dismissed by the Arizona Cardinals, following his previous dismissal by the Minnesota Vikings, was this past season employed by Fox radio and television.
Denny was one of the many rumored possibilities a year ago when Davis went looking. Confronted about the here and now, Green asked rhetorically, "I haven't really talked to Al about any coaching job, but really, how many times has my name been mentioned every time something goes on with the Raiders?"
Not that many. But stay tuned. We haven't yet reached the "Commitment to Excellence" segment.
And so in 1989, Al Davis fired Mike Shanahan.
Nothing changes with the Raiders. Except the names.
Other than the name of the man in power, the esteemed Al Davis.
And of late the team's awful record.
Lane Kiffin is the bright, young coach now. Who, acccording to ESPN, after a single season, 2007, Davis no longer wants.
But there are two years left on Kiffin's contract, at some $2million a year.
So, instead of firing Kiffin, explains Chris Mortensen of ESPN, Davis has badgered Kiffin into resigning. Which smartly he refuses to do.
The Raiders deny all of the above, as if that matters.
What does matter is Al Davis holds the reins. Always has held them, and always will hold them. And also holds grudges and the purse strings, two issues with which Shanahan is all too familiar.
In 1988, Shanahan, 35 at the time, was the first person fromfrom Sports 1
outside the organization, then in Los Angeles, to become Raiders coach since Davis himself in 1963.
"We did pretty good then," Al said of Al's ascension from an assistant's position with the Chargers. "Come to think of it, we did great."
That's Al's humble analysis of Al.
And Davis added, a conversation he had with Shanahan, to wit, "When you come to the Raiders, you've got to believe it, you've got to love it, got to think it."
What Al started thinking was Shanahan too strongly attempted to stamp his own imprimatur on Team Davis, trying to hire his own assistants, trying to instill discipline.
That may be normal operating procedure with other teams. Not with the Raiders. As we know, it's Al's way or Interstate 5.
Out went Shanahan, in came Art Shell, and to this day, Shanahan insists Davis never paid him what remained on his contract. Hard to believe.
Jon Gruden was the next victim. Well, candidate, from the outside world. After a few years of being unable to impose his ideas, Jon was gone, to Tampa Bay, extracting revenge by crushing the Raiders in the Super Bowl.
Norv Turner was also from beyond the kingdom. That didn't work either, and after a brief and painful second fling with Shell, Davis ended another search by finding another young coach with new ideas and enthusiasm.
That's Kiffin, who — stop me if you've heard this one — attempted to stamp his own imprimatur on Team Davis.
Kiffin, we're told, wanted to replace defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.
Davis, we're told, did not want to replace defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. Yes, Rob Ryan still is on the job.
A letter dispatched to Kiffin's attorneys by the Raiders pointed out only Al Davis would decide staff and personnel decisions, according to ESPN.
When he signed on last January, Kiffin, formerly quarterbacks coach at USC, either didn't read the small print or was so eager to get to the NFL the restrictions didn't bother him.
Until he actually became head coach of the Raiders.
Coaching the North Team at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., Kiffin deftly ran a symbolic bootleg when asked about his future.
"I'm not going to comment on anything that has transpired in the past three weeks," was his response.
Interesting: He has a specific time period under consideration.
Kiffin was 4-12 his first (and only?) season with Team Davis, doubling the number of victories in the season before his arrival. He did his best to separate himself from the old Raiders paranoia, blaming himself and his players for the abundant defeats rather than officiating and the like.
This week from Senior Bowl workouts, Kiffin said his relationship with Ryan was not a problem. The way Ryan's defense played last fall, however, was a problem.
The ESPN report said Davis wants to replace Kiffin with Denny Green, who having been dismissed by the Arizona Cardinals, following his previous dismissal by the Minnesota Vikings, was this past season employed by Fox radio and television.
Denny was one of the many rumored possibilities a year ago when Davis went looking. Confronted about the here and now, Green asked rhetorically, "I haven't really talked to Al about any coaching job, but really, how many times has my name been mentioned every time something goes on with the Raiders?"
Not that many. But stay tuned. We haven't yet reached the "Commitment to Excellence" segment.
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