Closing the big top
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Thursday, October 2nd, 2008 at 11:31 am in Oakland Raiders.
The circus is over.
Only three reporters and one camera were present for the media window heading into Thursday’s practice, the final session before the Raiders get the weekend off.
That was in stark contrast to previous days when Lane Kiffin’s impending firiing was the huge story, while Wednesday dealt with the aftermath and Tom Cable’s first day on the job as head coach.
Unlike the previous day, when Cable went directly to the offensive line and ran his unit through drills, this time it was offensive line assistant James Cregg working the pads and putting the linemen through their paces while Cable watched special teams drills.
Darren McFadden (toe) continues to wear a boot and miss practice, with Justin Fargas (groin) was not suited up and working with the athletic training staff on a separate field.
Tight end Ben Troupe also continues to be out with a foot injury. He’s participated in one practice since being signed to the roster, replacing John Madsen.
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October 2nd, 2008 at 11:33 am
Good.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:38 am
Jerry,
I think of it more as the Big Top is taking a minor vacation…..It will be back…
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:39 am
at least fargas is moving around .. If my junk was broken I’d be laying in a bed playing video games..
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:39 am
Consider it the family leave act!
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:39 am
Thank you! Now we can focus on winning games. That is our only hope of gaining back some form of respectability!!!
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:39 am
thats probably good for the team. we are going to come out firing against the saints. and their defence sucks. I think theres hope, Our D is good enough to slow them down.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:43 am
thats probably good for the rest of the NFL. we are going to come out firing blanks against the saints. and our defence sucks. I think theres not much hope, Our D isn’t good enough to slow them down a bit.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:44 am
The circus is far from over. After the bye week when we lose a couple of more games, the firing of Kiffin will dwell over the Raiders like a dark storm cloud. Kiffin will be a part of the outcome of this season like it or not. Kiffin’s foundation has already taken root into this Raiders team. The drama will continue. Good luck “Temp for Hire”, or should I say “Temp for Fire”.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:46 am
what?
yes or no, kyle…
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:47 am
Winning would erase all of this crap. Lose and it will continue to haunt us.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:48 am
Those reporters and one camera represent my feeling towards the Raiders….very little interest if any at all. The damage has been done and the curtain has been pulled. I can see this team coming out after the bye playing one good 1st quarter, then giving up, Like they always have. I do not see this team playing hard for Cable or anyone else. Thank God for fantasy football.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:49 am
Dear Tom,
WIN!!!
Sincerely
A.D. Football, Inc.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:49 am
The saints D was making Barry Sims look like well barry sims… Point is they shut down the whiners who put up 30 + points the 2 previous weeks.. We will have our hands full but @ least we get a chance to beat down drew breez
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:50 am
The Question is…What does Knapp bring to the table as the Offensive Playcaller? Will JR finally start throwing interceptions because he might pass more? Will Knapp abandon the run sooner? Will the offensive line be able to hold up longer during pass protection? How much input will Tom Cable provide on what plays we run? Does he just give the reigns to Knapp and let him do his thing? Will the defense continue to be aggressive as it has in all of the first 3 quarters of games?
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:52 am
Is there any chance to see Tom Cable running outside the building being followed by paparazzi?
“I feel like John Goodman”
LOL
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:53 am
The Saints are much improved on Defense and they have The Deuce back on offense with Bush playing all over the field so we need someone who can shadow him. The biggest improvement for the Saints is their cornerback tandem. They have a rookie and Randall Gay I believe from the Pats and both those guys have been solid so far. We’ll see.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:57 am
The saints D was making Barry Sims look like well barry sims… Point is they shut down the whiners who put up 30 + points the 2 previous weeks.. We will have our hands full but @ least we get a chance to beat off drew breez
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Ok serious i want to belive AD but I liked kiffen alot and think with all this crazy stuff going on he might be telling the truth…..with that said tho i know if i called out my boss and my peers consistantly i would be firied for cause as well! It seems to me that some coaches and players and owners think they are bigger than the game of “life” that is.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Im alive and well,..havin a glass of Ironstone, and a couple pills, watching baseball,..and thankful theres no Raider game this sunday. God bless.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Huff24…..Those are the quetions Jmac should be askin at the circus! Good piece we all want to know that some of us might be afraid of the awnser tho…
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Remember all the people who said these stories were all media conspiracies?
Don’t see them around anymore. Funny that.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Like flies to doo-doo, reporters don’t smell anything negative about the team, so now they don’t come around to report anything positive. And whats with this Ben Troupe guy??? already hurt??
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:05 pm
what uo double K? Yhea funny how people are always right untill thier wrong!!
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Of course there were quite a few posters in here saying all day every day how the defense is going to continue to suck under RR. I don’t see them coming in here either.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:06 pm
randall is gay
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:08 pm
The defense does suck under RR he is a PU$$$$$y! with a capital dollar sign!
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:09 pm
the defense still sucks! look at what ladanian and sproles did to us!
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Moving forward from “Just Whine” to “Just Win”:
I liked Kiff, but he is very immature and he was continually letting everyone know he didn’t have everything he wanted.
He may have thought he was protecting the players, but it was self-serving and didn’t put the organization first.
I don’t believe Al wanted to be there for the press conference, but I think he needed to set the record straight.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:12 pm
randall is gay? does anyone know how I can scor…err..meet hit?
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Not true Koolkell
I was on here last night saying that I had said I would believe in when I saw the press conference. Well I did see the press conference and now I believe it. I also had said that if Kiffin was to be fired it would be because of his mouth and not his coaching.
I was especially surprise by the confirmation of the story that Kiffin had tried to jump ship to take the Arkansas job mid season last year.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Good for you Raiderkoolaid, you’re a standup guy.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:17 pm
i thought i would pop in here to harsh someone’s buzz…
Al Davis Rules !!!
well… okay… mission accomplished !!!
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:20 pm
I thought the Letter that Davis wrote was chickensheit for bringing Russell, Hall & Walker into his mess with Kiffin, into the public.
He should have left their names out of it.
But of course, he is trying to turn them against Kiffin, and in his direction. Pathetic.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:21 pm
From Jerry’s blog during training camp:
(Jim) Fassel said he has also talked to Davis and didn’t deny the two have discussed a coaching position over the past few years.
“We’ve had our conversations,” Fassel said. “I’ll just leave it at that. We had our conversations. I saw Al yesterday.”
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:23 pm
LMFAO. Now CHAOS took off the Nation Collective dress. NOW THAT IS SOME FUNNY Sh1t.
You giving up you pu$$y POSER?
What a flake you are.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Double K….. I think I agree by doing this if what anyof what davis said is true he is just stooping to kiffens level DO NOT publicly critisize you boss peers or employees its just not right and does not put out the team first auroa!
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:25 pm
I think Al Davis admitted two year ago when he fired Art Shell that he had made mistakes and needed to change his way of doing things, which was part of the reason for hiring Kiffin, to get some young blood and fresh ideas into the organization. I think he recongnized football genious in Kiffin, just like he did in Madden, Shanahan, Flores, and Gruden. The thing he was mistaken about was maturity and personal charector. He expected growing pains with Kiffen, but he did not expect someone who would throw fits and undermine him when everything didn’t go his way.
I think he further admitted it Tuesday when he said that he was looking at bringing another football mind into the organization. Someone local?
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Its going to be interesting to watch Kiffin’s career from here on out. He might go the college route but it would be interesting to see an NFL team take a flyer on him as a Head Coach or even an offensive coordinator for that matter.
Jobs that Kiffin can be apart of in 2009.
Seattle Seahawks - Its West Coast and this could be the last year for Holmgren as he’s slated to retire. Funny thing about that is…Knapp and Cable might already be headed there because of Jim Mora Jr. who is the likely candidate to take the job as Head Coach at this point. You never know if there might be a position open for him there.
St. Louis Rams - They might end up in Los Angeles again if someone buys the team as its on the market. Haslett may stay as the Head Coach but its an opening so you can’t discount that.
Detroit Lions - The Owner obviously likes former Raiders and Marinelli just isn’t getting it done in Detroit at this stage. It already has a Cover 2 Defense and the offense is desperate without Martz.
Minnesota Vikings - Childress is underachieving with a talented team. Anything is possible.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Wouldn’t that be funny? Gruden gets fired and Kiffin gets hired? Or…Kiffin just joins the staff.
Kansas City Chiefs - I could see the Owner doing this just to stick it to Al Davis and have a similiar Shanahan situation for his team.
Cincinatti Bengals - If Kiffin is good at anything, its cleaning out alot of the bad players on a team. We can all agree the Raiders are much better off since he came here and he did it in 20 games.
Cleveland Browns - Brady Quinn anyone? Seriously. If the coach doesn’t las here…imagine Kiffin getting what might have been his wish?
Houston Texans - Kubiak might not last as the Head Coach. I don’t see the owner going after a guy like Kiffin but this could be an opening.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:31 pm
The O Line will suffer without Cable’s direct supervision!!!!!
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:33 pm
I’m intrested in seeing how Rob Ryan is going to react to the HC signing and see if his defense tanks anymore 4th games….
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Oakglenn,
What’s your problem. Is this where you go to harass people and vent the frustration that builds up from the futility of your real life? Settle down, we are all Nation folk here; some of us want change at the top, some don’t, but we all cheer for the same team. Don’t be douche nozzle and run yer yap, about fellow fans that tried to unite for a common cause, but ultimately just want to talk some football. So you want to continue our discussion on Kiffin’s supposed bad personnel decisions or continue to be a “virtual” bully on the blog playground?
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Huff
What about Shanahan
I can see him hiring Kiffin
Just to annoy AD Football Inc.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:37 pm
JT - Very true.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:37 pm
I doubt that Kiffin will be considered as a head coach in the NFL for quite a while. If he had just kept his mouth shut and coached until the end of the year then teams may have looked at it that he had been able to deal with Al Davis and left the team better that when he got here, but now, even if they don’t like Al Davis, they will still look at Kiffin as someone who may publicly stab you in the back if things go bad.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:38 pm
i like cheesecake. i also like carrotcake. i don’t like the Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, 49ers or Patriots. i hope they lose. i hope we win. i like the Raiders. they are my fav football team. I saw Kiffin trading in his Mercedes for a 92 Ford Tempo this morning. smaller payments, less interest. He also applied for a job at Wal-Mart, but he failed the honesty test. I saw his Tempo parked at McDonald’s though, so he might have a shot at feeding his wife and 3 kids. either that or he was begging for food?!?
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:41 pm
BBB don’t be a douche bag.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Mora Jr, Haslett, Marinelli, Childress, Gruden, Edwards, Lewis, Crennel & Kubiak are all better coaches than Lane Kiffin.
I’d even take Scott Linehan, Jim Fassel, Dennis Green or Art Shell (again) over that ungrateful little twit.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Are there any of us left?
Hello, hello, helllloooo, is there anyone in there?
LOL, Nation Collective, what a miserable joke.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Rankings
Raiders
Off - 20th
Def - 17th
Saints
Off - 3rd
Def - 27th
I wonder if the Saints defensive ranking is worse because teams have to pass on them to catch up which racks up yards.
Saints Defensive Points Per Game Allowed is: 25.0
Raiders Defensive Points Per Game Allowed is: 25.3
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Kiffin will coach ladies softball at a middle school in South Dakota. That is all he is qualified for. There isn’t a SINGLE owner or organization that will take a chance on him.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Raiders Offensive PPG: 19.5
Saints Offensive PPG: 27.8
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:44 pm
I am thinking Kiffin is going the college route next season. It suits him better. I liked the way he assembled the team and prepared them, but he did treat them too much like children, not a good tactic with grown a$$ men making more money than him. He will do well with college students. Also on a side note, I don’t think there is any room in NFL coach-speak for the excessive use of the word “neat”. Every time Kiffin said such and such is gonna be real neat, I cringed.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:45 pm
BBB I cringed when Davis hired him… but that is common the past five or so years…
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Lance was plain GARBAGE as a coach… very pathetic.. now he puts his tail between his legs and runs away. lol.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:47 pm
I exposed you and you’re here? Wow
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:47 pm
RaiderKoolaid,
Don’t underestimate what Kiffin has done here. The Raiders were a “disgrace” in 2006. Not even professional. He is going to get the credit, for getting a low performing organization competitive. I also think they recognize that this Raider team is very close and had he been given the chance would have gotten this team to .500 or better.
I see teams like Detroit, Cincy, Cleveland would certainly consider him for offensive coordinator and as a dark horse for head coach.
Kiffin is gone now. So our next few years rides on Cable. I am most concerned about LOSING OUR ENTIRE OFFENSIVE STAFF at the end of this year. We only have to look across the bay to see what affect that can have on a young QB.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Dnt worry about us u PUNK u anint siver and black u wanna run and cry instead of joining the force u will see u will pay along with everybody who doubts the nation!!!!!!!!!!
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:48 pm
This is not criticizing Kiffin and what he helped to improve with the Raiders but Cable has TWENTY assistant coaches.
Based upon what Madden said yesterday you wonder whether Cable will think all of that is really necessary.
Cable seems like a no nonsense guy who does not want to waste time on things that do not help us win.
I do not anticipate any changes this year but you have to wonder how many voices the players can really listen to.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:48 pm
I think Kiffins low expectations on offense hurt them. As long as Russell didn’t throw an interception, he was tickled pink.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Not doubting the RAIDER Nation, just the lame azz NATION Collective. All of your 4 members are leaving… lol. just give up like Lance…
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:50 pm
20 coaches on staff strike me as 10 too many…
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:50 pm
KoolKell:
Kiffins low expectaions?
How about Kiffins low ability to manage or run an NFL type offense.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:51 pm
RaiderRockstar Says:
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Mora Jr, Haslett, Marinelli, Childress, Gruden, Edwards, Lewis, Crennel & Kubiak are all better coaches than Lane Kiffin.
I’d even take Scott Linehan, Jim Fassel, Dennis Green or Art Shell (again) over that ungrateful little twit
======================================================YYou need to review the tape, talent and records of the coaches you lionize in your list…..
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Watch…Mike Martz will cross the Bay from the 49ers and become the Head Coach of the Raiders. Al Davis said local and Martz has interviewed several times for the job. I wouldn’t be surprised at all. You know what that means? Jamarcus Russell would get sacked 8 times a game.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Huff24-
That “local” comment was referring to an Executive Personell person. Not a coach.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:52 pm
At least we continue to post with our names and not hide behind our little moniker and change them everytime we want to call somebody out!!!! U ar a twerp jus like aunt ALice
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Sure PREZ, who are you then? what is your real posting name, because I have NEVER until today seen your name?
Come out of the closet sweetheart and post as your real name.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:54 pm
MR
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:55 pm
That’s a good start OG, now you wanna swing the conversation back to Raiders football. Go ahead and insult me a little bit, but at least make it about my football acumen.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:55 pm
NATION Collective - ??? - True. Good point and my bad. Jumped ahead of myself on that one but you can’t disregard the possible hire of Martz. It seems like a Davis move and Martz wanted the job a few years back but Davis wanted him as the Offensive Coordinator and at that time…Martz wanted a Head Coaching job before he finally gave him and joined the Lions.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:55 pm
JaMarcus Russell & Darren McFadden are alot of bait to get a coach to come here.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:56 pm
If martz becomes the coach that would be a sad day in the history of the Oakland Raiders that would be like hiring denny”they are who we thought they were”Green NO THANKS!!!!!
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Maybe Steve Sarkisian takes the challenge of proving hes better than Kiffin by becoming the Head Coach? haha.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Looking forward to see who starts at wideout,and other possible changes.While I disagree with the collective movement as a group,they were correct that Al needs help ,cant do it all.Maybe they got thru,it seems Al may have been listening!Now who is the guy Als looking at for GM?
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Huff24 - that would be hillarious if Sark took the job. Or even better, Peter Carrol.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Its gonna be Jim Fassel, that Al was talking about. He groomed John Elway at Stanford, under Bill Walsh. I think Al brings him in as some kind of offensive football executive, and let’s him have (mostly) free reign on hiring coaches. Fassell will probably try for a HC position this off-season and if he can’t get one, then he will take Al up on his offer.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Charles Woodson of the Packers is the NFC’s defensive player of the month. He has three interceptions, including two that were returned for scores.
(I know some of you hate him but hes a good player. Imagine if he played with the Raiders, the way hes playing now on the opposite side of Asomugha. Wow.)
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Pete Carrol would be a fool to leave USC. Hes got it made. The team always has talent, he gets paid good money, hes a star coach where hes at and he lives in a good area.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:03 pm
BBB, that’s not me, that’s MR trying to discredit me and everyone here because he has been exposed as a niner loving fraud. Sorry you have to endure his gutless BS.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Anyways…I gotta go back to work. Peace out.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Woodson was our best all-round defensive player when he was let go.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Huff24,
guess you’ll have to dust off your old moniker with a slight variation, wOoDsOn21. lol
who in here used the words Kiffie and genius in the same sentence? damn, the concept of “genius” took a chop block with that idea.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Wow…..is it really that big of a deal Oak? Do you like to see the monkier in front of my name……The blog name changed but not the person dipshyt!
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Chaos,
let the S#@t stirrers be. no need to defend yourself. You had an idea, it didn’t work out. Next.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:11 pm
That Press Conference proved that Al Davis is frail as hell. Yikes! He is in no shape to run the day to day, period.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Nah not really that big of a deal to me….I run into douche bags like him all of the time…….I just thought there were mostly grown ups in here………nice to see we have an even mix with the juveniles as well….
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Oh it worked u are the shiet stiring fool my friend!
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Nah Chaos, you gave up. you quit like a little bytch. Its cool though, we all expected you would. you are pathetic anyway, and nobody takes you seriously. you are a lame.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Its not that big of a deal, because you are a joke and everyone knows it anyway. I just like breakin your ballz cuz you are a dypshyt.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:14 pm
No we have started the movement OL’ allie boy admitted he needed to step down he fears the collective and knows if he dnt change he is out an we are in its simple math!!!!
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:17 pm
BART
Dream scenario:
Jim Harbaugh.
“Jim Harbaugh lived the good life of the NFL, playing quarterback 15 years and spending another two seasons in 2002 and 2003 as the Oakland Raiders’ quarterbacks coach.”
This is what Harbaugh said when he took the University of San Diego coaching job, the job he held before becoming Stanford Head Coach.
“Mr. Davis thought I could some day be the head coach of the Raiders if I stayed there.
I said, ‘Mr. Davis, I’ve followed your career and you coached in college.’ He said, ‘Yeah, but at USC, not USD.’
But since I took the job he has been real helpful and supportive.”
And coming along with Jim Harbaugh, OL Coach Chris Dalman:
“Stanford offensive line coach Chris Dalman played for the 49ers under McKittrick and was an offensive line assistant in Atlanta last season when Cable was the line coach and Gibbs was a consultant.
Tom Cable is the perfect coach for today — a guy who is not afraid to jump you one moment and throw his arm around you the next.”
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Beevis and Butthead? Very mature bro.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:20 pm
MARLEY!!1
Thats were its at! good idea i love jim and always was a big fan of dalman!!
That is a refreshing idea bro!!
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Cable won’t get a few years. He won’t make it past the Superbowl. We get to do this all over again in 5 months.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:20 pm
NATION Collective - ??? Says:
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Beevis and Butthead? Very mature bro.
LOL…..And you call me pathetic…..HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Huff24-
Don’t be surprised when the Raiders lose another great cornerback if they don’t start showing some progress.
Nnamdi has to be just sick about having 5 head coaches in his 6 years in the league
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:21 pm
BART
I think you liked Harbaugh too right? you mentioned him in the past if I´m not mistaken.
I like Fassell too, but I think I´d rather have Harbaugh and Dalman.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:21 pm
What are u oak….10?
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Do you still have wetdreams about your mom?
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:22 pm
i would love to have Jim Harbaugh as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders. just not this year or next, or the next. Tom Cable deserves a chance. I think he’ll do well here.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:22 pm
I bet you still suck on the tit huh……
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:23 pm
When you grow up guppie, come talk to me….I can show you how to be a man….
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Inm sure nnamdi is as good as gone AD wont even sign him we will be lucky if he dosent pack it in bye week 6 or 8 because of his “elbow” or lack of wanting to play for no money and a dismal future AL Better man up on this one and fast!!
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:25 pm
I like Harbaugh a lot as head scape-coach. I would not want Fassel as a coach, I am hoping Al is looking at Fassel as an executive type. Like I was saying earlier, Fassel could be an offensive GM, leaving Al to run his precious defense. That’s where the “unique” part would come in.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:26 pm
I think we all knew this was going to happen:
USC’s Carroll blasts Davis for firing of Kiffin
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/carroll-davis-kiffin-2175308-practice-bradford
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Huff 24 Post 39:
Jobs that Kiffin can be apart of in 2009:
1.- A High School in california. I dont have the name of the team yet because they are new.
2.- He doesnt have more options.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:28 pm
jeezus… i was working at my desk… when suddenly…
i felt like someone was harshing my buzz…
and i realized i still had this site up on the monitor…
so…
who the fcuk is harshing my buzz…
confess !!!
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:28 pm
110…..I think Carroll will pick him back up for this year….
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Everyone has to stop throwing these prospective head coach names around. The reality is that htere is a limited pool of qualified people that are going to coach for Al Davis in 2008.
You can blame the era we are in or Al Davis. But the bottom line is that Al Davis does not value head coaches. In fact, Al Davis doesn’t value coaches. Its all about the players. And while aspects of that logic is commendable, the problem lies in the consistency of the playbook and expectations.
Do any of you realize that it is very possible that we will lose our Offensive Coordinator, Running back coach and O-Line Coach. That will mean a new playbook for EVERYBODY on the offense. NO CONTINUITY!!!
We better win this year. This team CANNOT take another coaching change!
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:29 pm
It would be nice too, cause I would go to SC and find him and see if we could talk….I could be an insider…..
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Chaos homie….can we refer to him as glenn or OG thought u was callin me ten!!!
jokin bro i knda like mr new characters aswell whatsa up with his prez guy did u recruit mr too?
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:32 pm
LOL……..Nah MR is too into his style to get into something like the collective. I like his style though…..Sometimes when you need a laugh, he does something that catches your eye….although I know he would hang if a few people in here who he has pissed off ever met him…..stay in the cellar dude……but yeah I will refer to the dumbazz in a different way. Meant no disrespect to you bro…..
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:33 pm
I know this is going to sound a little metro but it was my first time going to a salon to get a haircut… WOW I got the best head massage there. The haircut was ok but definetly worth going back… Had a beer during the cut watched some of the CWS and Devil Ray game. It was very nice. Guys you should try it, much better than the barber shop.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:34 pm
I agree #113. I hope Tom Cable does well and signs a new 2 or 3 year deal in the offseason. Then maybe Knapp & Rathman would stay. Lofton is a Davis coach, so you know he’s safe. Defilippo (QB coach) will probably stay (if wanted).
I don’t think Rob Ryan will be back. (1) he won’t be wanted or (2) he won’t want back
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:35 pm
LOL!!Ita alll good bro i knew what u meant! And yhea he is good for a few laughs!!! for a illiterate midget who has takin a liking to other men on that side of the bay!
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Dirt………..
There is this place down here in Santa Ana. I think its called the Locker Room or something like that, but anyways they supposedly have chicks on roller skates and in bikinis bringing you beer while you wait and its supposedly like a sports bar setting, with the TV’s all around………..Sounds better the the little hole in the wall that fades me up, but they do a pretty good job……Kinda good to throw money back into the local community sometimes……
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:39 pm
I have to admit, I sometimes want to run around the house in some tight shorts and a shirt over my head screaming, “YOU HAVE TP FOR MY BUNGHOLE?”
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:39 pm
nothin like gettin lined out while havin a beer watchin the game !! my favorite thing right behind the women beer and sports are the straight razor shaves thats where its at!!!! U guys ever had one? u dnt have to shave for like two weeks after one !!1
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:40 pm
that god the clown circus is finally and over and the media clowns can get back to there scavenging for another crap story.
Time to talk football finally and what this team needs to do to FINISH GAMES.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Media a$$ clowns!
LOL…Notice how Mortensen and the rest of BSPN doesn’t bring up what the old man calling Mort a professional liar?
BSPN is garbage!
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:43 pm
RaiderRockstar,
Rob Ryan is on the hot seat too. He is in the last year of his contract and has a talented defense (on paper). If he fails this year, he’s going back to being a position coach. Ryan can’t blame the atmosphere, Davis or anything else. He has to step it up. Especially with Fargas coming back and a healthy DMAC hopefully preventing some of those 4th QTR struggles on offense.
Ryan is on the HOOK BABY!!!!!! He better be developing a game plan for N.O that “kicks arse”
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Hey Dark….They did….check out profootball.com in the rumor mill….they responded, but thought he made a mistake and was talking about Kiffin…..Mike Taylor called them and told them, nope he was talking about Mort……Then ESPN Yesterday on Sirius had a clip of Davis talking to Herrera b4 they introduced Cable, and the old fart was asking him if he had info on Cable because he didn’t know who he was……..
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Chaos
That sound cool man. I’m amazed how much I like getting a cut at that place. I think I’m going to get a massage the next time I go.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Just thought I’d post a link to something hella random:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBRInBxOHzU
Pay particular attention to the part at 1:40-1:50.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Davis sees the head coach as mostly the de facto team leader, game day manager, practice coordinator and point of contact. In Davis’s modern day view, the O.C, D.C and Special Teams coordinator are the ones that are really important to him. That’s why the head coach doesn’t have much of a say in selecting the staff.
Again, if Davis wants to maintain this structure, I just ask that he gets himself up to speed with the issues of managing a team in the 21st century. That way he can pick assistant coaches and head coaches that compliment each other and are in synergy with Davis himself
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:51 pm
RaiderRockStar
“RaiderRockstar Says:
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:22 pm
i would love to have Jim Harbaugh as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders. just not this year or next, or the next. Tom Cable deserves a chance. I think he’ll do well here.”
- Yeah, I´d love to have Harbaugh, but right now I would much rather have Tom Cable do well and earn the job full-time.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Just awesome that Cable isn’t directly coaching the offensive line anymore. They already sucked at pass blocking, soon they will suck at run blocking too.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Thanks Bob #135.
The guy who wrote #128 & #134 is smarter than Kiffin and Obama put together!
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Cable, Knapp, Rathman = strong running game. They are still here, so is the running game.
Minus Kiffin = no more intrusive media, no more whining and passing the buck, more creative play calling, strong offense in the 4th quarter?
no excuses, just wins baby.
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:00 pm
TrevJo,
Just to show how much your knowledge or lack there of the Oline is. Since Cable has arrived, we’ve been one of the most improved running team in the league. We may not have the talent to block for a passing play but we’re #6 in the league in rushing and was one of the best in the league last year. You big dummy.
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Wow.
Die hards already making a case for Jim Har-blah?
Guess in Cable we DONT trust…
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Rockstar … minus Kiff … no more deliberate throwing the game away….76yd my a$$
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Got a nice baseball game goin in Tampa,…I think Oakland will go to Orleans after bye and dominate all day long,..we win in a blowout.
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:08 pm
I wouldnt be surprised if Davis tries to hire Harbaugh,…but I doubt Jim would go for it,..he did work for Davis of course for a couple years,…that should seal it.
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Cable hasn’t coached one game yet and already a case is being made by the Davis loyals for Jim Harbaugh. You guys are just exuding confidence in Cable. Just exuding…
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:14 pm
http://www.fireharbaugh.com
Coming in ‘09
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Didnt Gannon claim when he was in KC how snottenhummer always say how disfunctional the Raiders were but when he got here it wasnt like that?? And Sappy threw Gruden under the bus with his comments. Doesnt it sound like these guys are being instructed to say what they are saying, maybe to keep their jobs? I take all of this with a grain of salt.
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Im supporting Cable all the way,.hope he does great and gets a long term contract,..Im sick and tired of a new coach every year.
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:17 pm
What job does sapp have he is fat and unemployed
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Well, what a difference a month makes. Man, I have to admit, Davis showed me that he is not as senile as I thought he was. And he even admitted to have made a mistake when he signed Kiffin. that is a big step for him. I do remember something about Kiffin not wanting to draft Jamarcus. I think we were having a war about who to pick with our first over all pick on this site actually. Anyway, I don’t think Davis lied “much” about the whole issue. He brought up a lot of people into it, from all over the league and media world to support his case. I don’t think he would have done that if he was lying, because any of those people could come forth and denounce his accusations. Which would make him look even worse. Also, he did another thing which I don’t think he’s done before, that being he actually brought up a lot of rumors since Kiffin got hired, and admitted to the ones that were true, and denounced the ones that weren’t. Giving us all a look into how disfuntional this franchise actually is. Even went as far as saying how much of a toll all this losing has taken on him. And it is here, where I saw the sincerity in his eyes. He actually meant that. If you go back and watch the press conferene again, watch that part, look at his expression on his face, you can totally tell in his eyes that he recognizes that the reason the Raiders are where they are, is because of him. I think that might also be why he even talked about bringing someone in from the outside this off season. Who knows, maybe this whole Kiffin fiasco was actually a blessing in disguise. Maybe Kiffin told something to Davis behind closed doors that actually made Davis see things for what they truly are. Or maybe Davis simply saw it after all this BS happened.
Whatever the case, it looks like the future will bring forth good change, hopefully.
However, I did also noticed a couple of things that kinda worried me a bit. If you look at the press conference when Davis introduced Cable as the next HC, neither one of them looked at each other the whole time. They sat way apart from each other, and they just seemed very distant from each other. Now, it could be simply that that was just the way the chairs were set up, but you can see there was a gap between them. I don’t know, maybe I’m reading too much into it, I tend to do that sometimes…
I’m only bringing this up because you can tell alot by body language. I was a year away from majoring in psychology, and you learn that stuff. But anyway, Cable did look the part, and he did looked like he was happy to have this chance. But I think in the back of his mind he knows that it’s a no lose situation, and that if things go south, he can always leave, as some of you have mentioned in here.
I will still cheer for the Raiders no matter what, they are my team, with or without Al. (well, it’s actually Al’s team, but you know what I mean)
I think Cable will do a decent job at it, and I still believe we can go 8-8.
I’m excited to see how Jamarcus will be used now, if he’ll be allowed to throw more deep balls. Though with Knapp calling the plays, it’ll probably more like a west coast passing attack, with short to medium passes. I still think the long pass can help the running game, but hey, I’m no coach…
Whatever happens, GO RAIDERS!!!
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:19 pm
well said MR.
Cable should (and does) have our full support. Go get’em Tommy! The Saints have a strong passing game with Brees at the helm. Hopefully he gets overconfident and throws in Nnamdi’s direction. He threw more than a few INT’s last year. Hall should be familiar with playing against Brees in ATL. Stop Deuce & Reggie! The Saints still have a weak defense, even after all the money they spent there to improve this offseason (like us).
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:19 pm
I cared about the passes Gannon threw,.the tackles Sapp made,.. I dont bother to listen to whatever either one of them say.
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Was kiffin throwing games or was he just that reckless because he felt he would walk away unscathed either way it went. I think he had no fear in his decision making because he already became a media darling versus the crazy tyrant: he thought he was the white knight facing off with the head of the largest crime syndicate in pro sports.
In the end he was just making bad decisions that had too much risk in them. I am glad he wants to go back to college because he has burned his bridge in the NFL. What kind of successful business man will hire someone with no loyalty, or sense of duty: he still had a job to do in Oakland.
Kiffin was mostly concerend about “winning” his own game. The raiders were just the side action. He wont see an NFL sideline before he is 40 years old and that will probably be as an assistant for the Lions, Cardinals, Bengals, or a team with ties back to the Dungy-Kiffin coaching tree.
I want to see what the team lloks like without Kiffin on the sideline.
Will cable finally get Javon walker the ball: He caught two passes early in the past two games, and then was just forgotten. Javon is not a great player; however, he can make plays… he is a play maker. I saw him score two touchdowns against Namdi in recent years, so I know he can burn top corners in the game.
Darren mcfadden needs 20 touches a game minimum.
If cable can get DMAC the ball, and Javon the ball, that will open up the offense. if he does those two things and uses better judgment than Kiffin in the 4th quarter, the Raiders will improve.
Save this comment for your oldies but goodies section.
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:20 pm
What the Raiders have to watch out for:
1. Don’t forget about the running game. A healthy Fargas and DMAC, with Bush, is the best running game in the league
2. Open up the offense with Russell using playaction. In preparing the gameplan, recognize the limitations on the tackles
3. Make sure that DMAC/Bush is always a checkdown option -Bush had 120 all purpose yds last week-
4. Raiders defense has to be aggressive for 4 QTRs. This defense is not good enough to relax or play soft.
5. Design a few plays for JLH
Do these things, we should beat N.O. And I will say we can beat them going away.
The Raiders might show some people something on Sunday
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Wow, Even for us, Dakota and I really embarrased ourselves last night. It ain’t easy being CHRONIC MALCONTENTS. Don’t bother responding.
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:23 pm
I hope the Cubs lose again today…I think Zambrano is a prick.
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:23 pm
This game has its x’s and o’s but the best coaches get the ball to their play makers to win games. Kiffin did not do that; that is why he lost. last year he had an excuse because he did not have any play makers (he was in New England and rightly so because i couldn’t cheer for him anyway), but he had two this season, and maybe even three with JLH. Give them the damn ball in the 4th quarter.
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Hey man have you people ever try Ironstone wine?…from Murphys. Damn good. Goes will with a couple little yellow pills.
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Well Im glad that Crazy Al spoke the truth that Kiffin didnt want Russell,..explains why he never cut him loose,…Kiffin clearly wanted Cal Johnson and tried real hard to sign Jeff Garcia,…the Russell era will finally be allowed to start. Damn this wine is good.
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Ozzie Guillen is a jerk.
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:36 pm
The defense doesn’t suck. Sproles and Ladanian didn’t do squat until the “Faders” ran out of gas in the second half. Wake up AD! Your team is out of shape and has been since ‘03. Quit babying the cissies and make them get out and run and put in the CORRECT amount of time in the weight room that everyone in the NFL puts in except US! Quit firing coaches when the players start crying about the workload. For what your paying these pu$$ies, the workload should be a “near death” experience. Only then will you win with this crew.
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:49 pm
we have to hope that this team shows improvement so the old man will sign Cable, Knapp, and Rathman to extensions to this team can finally have some freakin CONTINUITY!
Otherwise whole new offensive staff, with a whole new freakin playbook and terminology that may set the offensive back (AGAIN) and possibly hurt Russells development. UGH
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Noto ut of shape trojan,..the O keeps putting them back on the field,..its the O`s fault for not putting teams away with late drives….only team that has faded is USC….24 point favorite at OSU,…now thats fading.
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:50 pm
I am just glad this whole ordeal is over with and I feel validated with my hunch that Kiff was manipulating everyone. Good riddance and now we can really go after people.
We played two top caliber teams Buf and SD and DOMINATED them for 3 quarters. No one has even come close to dominating those teams the way we dominated them. Don’t tell me we don’t have talent to compete with everyone…except for Denver. That RAT really is a frickin awesome playcaller.
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Norco - you are correct. The O must make first downs. The KC game should not have even been that close. KC, SD, Buff were all games that a mediocre offense would have blown them out.
October 2nd, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Norco bob…….the tackles sapp made? Sicne when did he make any in Oakland?
October 2nd, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Kiffin is not our problem anymore……..quit talking about him. Time to move on
October 2nd, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Brees is going to torch Hall. He is best QB in the league right now. I hope NA is healthy.
October 2nd, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Jay you are the biggest b*itch on this blog, I hope you tampon is handy
October 2nd, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Norco_Bob Says:
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Ozzie Guillen is a jerk.
Bese mi pinche jolido
October 2nd, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Brien you are an illiterate loser and you wreak of white trash.
October 2nd, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Pick up your welfare check yet Brien?
October 2nd, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Gotta go, idiots like Brien are bringing down the IQ of this blog.
October 2nd, 2008 at 7:52 pm
Greeeeaaaate! Our O-line guru is focusing on Special Teams. O-line must be good to go. I look forward to some A+ pass blocking against the Saints.