It’s understandable why Kiffin may try to flee
By Ira Miller
Friday, November 30th, 2007 at 5:05 am in Uncategorized.
Whether Lane Kiffin actually will find an escape route from the Raiders to become head coach at Arkansas is open to question, but there clearly is a whiff of truth in the rumors that he’s at least looking for an exit strategy.
It’s hardly a coincidence that, in recent years, everyone who coached the Raiders was eager to leave them or, at least, was very relieved when he finally did.
That even includes coaches who were fired, particularly Norv Turner, who looked 10 years younger when he was the 49ers’ offensive coordinator after he was fired in Oakland.
The common thread is that, near the end of each of these increasingly sour seasons, Al Davis gets more and more ornery, goes behind the coach’s back more and more and complains, and nothing ever gets better. Even when the team succeeds, as it did winning the AFC championship in 2002, the coach is allowed to become a lame duck rather than get a new contract the following season.
Recently, Davis opened up to a Minneapolis columnist he long has known. Among other things, he blamed the coaches for getting rid of Randy Moss last spring, as if they did it without his knowledge. A year ago, his spin was to blame Art Shell, last year’s coach, for passing on a quarterback like Matt Leinart in the draft and choosing safety Michael Huff instead.
Let’s get one thing straight. Nothing happens with the Raiders without Davis’ approval. Absolutely nothing. But Al always manages to find a way to blame someone else when things go wrong, and the last five years they have gone wrong a lot.
Kiffin got almost unprecedented power when he was hired last winter because Davis was desperate. Kiffin got to pick his offensive coaching staff. That’s normal in functional NFL operations but not Oakland. So now that things are going bad, once more, you can be sure that Davis is putting more and more heat on his young coach.
Because Kiffin’s dad works for Jon Gruden, you have to believe the kid heard all these stories before he took the job. But he’s just that, a kid, and he probably thought he either could survive Davis or change him, a foolhardy thought. Now that the season has tanked, Kiffin may be realizing that this is not a good job for the long term and he’s looking around.
Since the 2003 start of the season, Oakland’s record is 18-57 under four coaches. But there has been one constant in the organization: Al Davis. Now, where do you think the trouble lies?
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November 30th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
Have you nothing better to address about the Raiders? C’mon Ira
November 30th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
It’s so good to see Al suffer for the cancer that he is. Nothing could be more fitting than Kiffin leaving. Just as the light at the end of the tunnel was beginning to twinkle, Al will have to step up and pretend, yet again, that he isn’t the biggest joke in the league. If only Al could have learned some class and common sense along the way, his ego and madness wouldn’t overide every good thing that he has stumbled upon. Al - Find a shovel, dig a deep hole and fall in.
November 30th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
You definetly can’t blame any on person.
ps
find some teeth whitener.
December 1st, 2007 at 6:41 am
Ira,
Thought you retired into the sunset.. can’t help continue your feud with Al huh…. any facts to base this on or is it purely speculation on your part?
December 1st, 2007 at 7:21 am
Ira - I always read how Mr. Davis is metaling behind the backs of his coaches. But no sold evidence is written to back those statements up. Why do these coaches, who you say are happy to leave Oakland, keep their loyalty to Mr. Davis by not telling every reporter what you have accused Mr. Davis of doing? I believe that Mr. Davis interacts with his employees, a good employer should, but his tactics and methods have yet to be exposed by anyone. So next time try interviewing an ex-employee, a janitor, or some body and refer to that interview in your article.
Good luck to you sir,
SF
December 1st, 2007 at 8:36 am
What a knuckle head…what the hell Ira? Did Al Davis step on your toe at some function he was attending…and you were gravy training? I’ve seen vipers with less venom
December 1st, 2007 at 8:45 am
Kiffin would be a hundred-fold improvement over Mike Nolan. At least, Kiffin is not an Offensive Neanderthal like Nolan, and he’s also not arrogant or stubborn like Nolan.
Kiffin could be a terrific head coach for the 49ers next year, especially if the 49ers could also attract Mike Holmgren as a GM and mentor for Kiffin. That would put the 49ers on solid foundation for years to come.
December 1st, 2007 at 9:09 am
This is the worst piece I have ever seen you write. An article written without a single fact, all assumption and supposition. Were you the one who wrote that Gruden was on the plane to Notre Dame when he was out with his son in Pleasanton? Go back to the Chronicle if you are going to write this crud. They understand yellow journalism.
December 1st, 2007 at 10:43 am
Your just a hater and it really shows. Just stick to the 49ers and leave our side of the Bay alone.
December 1st, 2007 at 10:44 am
More 40 year old hate vendetta coming to light here in the 2000’s. Ira is an old time hater. It is interesting that this story comes up and propagated by the media so they can say things like “The common thread is that, near the end of each of these increasingly sour seasons, Al Davis gets more and more ornery, goes behind the coach’s back more and more and complains, and nothing ever gets better”, and “Nothing happens without AD’s approval”, but “Kiffin got almost unprecedented power when he was hired last winter because Davis was desperate.”
So which is it Ira? How do you and all the mediots know that Davis is so overbearing, yet he gave the power to Kiffin, yet AD makes all the decisions? You mediots are all so sure he makes all the bad decisions, and is not involved in any ones that work out. Sounds like uninformed HATE to me. Get over it. We are a real team with real decison making processes. Does anyone say boo about Daniel Snyder in WASH? Shanahan in DEN? Look at their track record of CONFIRMED decisions that were theirs and theirs alone. Al Davis has a bad rap because he moved to the team to LA and won’t open the doors to the Vaunted Mediots like Ira, and hasn’t for 40 years. They have a grudge, and Al is an easy target.
December 1st, 2007 at 11:30 am
Things are going better in my opinion despite the record. Your writing is slanted to Raider-Hater status and I’m not buying into what you have to write. Lane Kiffen is our coach next year…believe it or not. I’m In!
December 1st, 2007 at 3:30 pm
Ira,
Maybe you should synchronize Kiffen’s escape with your escape of journalism as a profession.
December 1st, 2007 at 7:22 pm
Give it a freaking rest. He already said it was a lame rumor. And to the idiot saying he should go to the Niners, try to understand that he contracts prevent NFL coaches from even talking to other NFL teams. This whole article is just because IRA has nothing better to do.
December 1st, 2007 at 11:19 pm
Kiffin isn’t going anywhere. 3 year contract. Davis doesn’t want him gone either. Anyone who knows anything about football knows the crap Moss pulled here in Oakland was childish, and very unprofessional. He had to go. He was a serious cancer. No one like to see him tearing it up for the HATED patriots, but it would have been worse here. Kiffin inherited a team with lack of talent. he is going to need a couple of years to get the right players in there. He has been making improvements already. Give him time. “I’m IN”
December 2nd, 2007 at 6:25 am
Yawn yawn always Al’s fault. People moan if he ‘meddles’ too much, they then moan if hes too ‘hands off’. Al cant win either way. Usual Ira Miller anti-Davis , anti-Raiders article.
December 2nd, 2007 at 6:55 am
Ira, I thought we got rid of you, but no, your back like a bad sore. The Chron dumped you, and now you reappear as Ira Bias, the Raider Hater. Just what we need another Raider Hater writing about our team. I am still amased how you ever were elected to the writers hall of fame. Go write about your Forty-Whiners and their q/b Alex Montana. Raider fans really don’t need your opinion. We know it before you write it. If you want to improve on how to bash the Raiders go read Lowell Cohn he can teach you, remember, he was dumped by the Chron also. He lacked origninal thought, just like you. What is it with you sour fish wrappers that get fired by the Chron? The one thing all of you have in common is being Raider Haters. You should be reassigned to the society page where you can write about white wine and the latest cheese that is the hottest item at Forty-Whiner tail gate parties, or better yet, you could move to the fashion section and write about forty-whiners latest dress fashions, because you sure lack any knowledge or understanding about what the Raiders are doing. Get out of the Raiders life. Al Davis forgot more about football then you will ever learn. Raider fans laugh when you try and write about what Al is thinking or doing, you don’t have a clue. Rember when you had Gruden on the plane for the college job. Hey, Ira he was home in bed. You should of called him first. You folks are a joke. Get some facts before you write. Its great to see Kiffin figured out you phonies before he says anything to you. He knows you will distort anything he says, so why say anything. Gruden and Monte Kiffin have educated Lance very well about the media. Please no more Al Davis stories about what he thinks, or says, or is going to do, because you don’t know..get it!
December 2nd, 2007 at 7:46 am
Credibility, Ira. It’s something that makes one sports writer worth reading as opposed to another. For Hall of Fame football scribe, one that picked the Bills and the Falcons to go to the Super Bowl four years ago, to parrot information from the increasingly unreliable ESPN diminishes your credibility. In other words I wouldn’t trust you if you said that the Raiders colors were black and silver. Because I know when you open up your lap top and your fingers hit the keys, the only things that you’re going to write about the Oakland Raiders is negativity. Otherwise you don’t write about them.
The great singer/songwriter Graham Parker once sang “There are people in charge of pens/That shouldn’t be in charge of brooms.” Well I won’t go that far with you Ira. You’re in the Hall of Fame. Grab that broom over there and clean up your crap.
December 2nd, 2007 at 8:52 am
Ira, you piece of crap Raider Hater. Is it your wet dream to fantasize about our turmoil?
Kiffin’s not going anywhere, and things are on the up & up in Raiderland. JaMarcus will soon make his debut, and make Alex Smith look like a friggin waterboy.
December 2nd, 2007 at 9:06 am
How the hell did the rumor that people believe Kiffin is looking for a way out of Oakland did he suddenly become the head coach of the S.F. fourty slimmers? You watch, Kiffen isn’t going anywhere and will be a winning coach for the Raiders next year. You heard it first here from RaiderDon. Goooooooooo Raiders !!!!!!
December 2nd, 2007 at 11:44 am
Ira- This post is proof positive you are very far removed from being informed about the league or any of it’s teams. Kiffin was never approached, nor did he inquire about the Arkansas job. Jumping on board with ridiculous rumors seems beneath a hall of fame writer. Why are things going so bad for the Raiders? We all know they are sorely lacking talent. Under Kiff this team has made significant strides in playing together and with a purpose.
December 2nd, 2007 at 12:29 pm
IRA YOU ARE 100% RIGHT, THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO TILL AL LEAVES THR RAIDERS ALONE , WHICH IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN. I DONT THINK HE IS GOING TO FIND ANOTHER COACH.
December 2nd, 2007 at 7:27 pm
IRA, IF YOU KNOW WINNERS,THEN YOU KNOW WINNERS DON’T GIVE UP. ESPECIALLY AFTER ONE SEASON. KIFFEN HASN’T EVEN FORMED HIS OWN TEAM, HE HAS INHEIRETED MOST OF SHELLS TEAM FROM LAST YEAR. KIFFEN KNOWS HE HAS 3 YRS TO GET THIS THING RIGHT. KIFFEN COMES OUT OF THE GRUDEN MOLD…8-8 8-8 11-5 THESE WERE JON’S #’S, WITH THE GREAT GANNON TO HELP. KIFFEN HAS A YOUNG TEAM TO MOLD, AND BELIEVE ME HE WILL GET AL HIS SO DESIRED S.B’S!!!KIFFEN IS BUILDING HIS NFL CAREER, HE WILL NOT TAKE A STEP BACKWARDS!
December 2nd, 2007 at 7:36 pm
IRA, YOUR JUST A JEALOUS FORTY WHINER FAN. YOU HAVE SOMETHING AGAINST MR. AL DAVIS, YOU AND ALL THE OTHER S.F BEAT WRITERS NEVER HAVE ANYTHING GOOD TO SAY ABOUT HIM, I’TS SURPRISING SINCE THE GREAT BILL WALSH HAD THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR AL.SINCE THE WHINERS AREN’T DOING WELL AS EXPECTED YOU WANT TO BASH ON AL. SO GO BASH ON THE HORRIBLE LINE PLAY, THE #1 PICK BUST AT QB AND THE TIGHT END WHO DANCES LIKE A PORN STAR AND A POWER HUNGRY AND MONEY HUNGRY ORGANIZATION IN THE 49ERS AND MAYBE YOU CAN GET SOME RESPECT AS A CAREER SPORTS WRITER.
December 2nd, 2007 at 8:46 pm
Ira Miller,
You are a hate’r (OBVIOUSLY) Yet there is only one single word that came to mind after reading your words and that is, “MORON”.
Nice try but no cigar.
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:20 pm
You can always tell who the Raiders’ fans are in the crowd because all they do is complain and bash the writer or commentator. Nothing will upset a Raiders’ fan more than the cold hard truth!! It is the years of losing that have made them so bitter and cynical. Oh that’s the way to do it, attack the messenger! All Ira Miller did was point out a few facts. Facts are the greatest defense against a witless Raiders’ fan whose only comback is vulagarity. Why were the 49ers mentioned so many times in the comments? I didn’t see the 49ers mentioned once in the article? Typical Raiders’ jealousy!! Face the facts, Al Davis was a great football man whose time has passed!!
December 6th, 2007 at 9:58 am
Ira
Great job pointing out what needs to be said.
All success in the NFL has to do w/the quality of Ownership. And in Al Davis and John York, the Bay Area is in deep trouble, and the results speak for themselves.
I am very glad that you are back after the Chronicle purged your salary.
Newspapers are driving a lot of the great sportswriters out, and they deserve to lose their readers to the Internet.