Sep 30 2008
4 and Out
The Patch on the eye of Oakland Raiders logo is covering up the black-eye the organiztaion gave itself today by firing Head Coach Lane Kiffin. We have all been expecting this move by the Raiders for quite some time now, but in typical Raider fashion, it had to be done on their terms.
The Raiders have become the on-going joke in the NFL, and also a good example of how to run an organization completely into the ground. Al Davis was once known for his genius as a coach, then an owner, and now there is only the past evidence of his former self.
Davis has always been known for taking too much interest in how his team is being coached, and yes, he does pay the bills, but it’s hard to work with someone looking over your shoulder. Davis has this time gone too far in his effort to humiliate Kiffin.
Mr. Davis as he likes to be called, has made Kiffin stand on the sideline and forced him to coach, while knowing he was going to be fired. Mr. Davis has even gone as far as to writing a resignation letter for Kiffin, and expected him to sign it, which Kiffin did not.
The Raiders have hired and fired every respectable coach it can, and now the question is: Who in their right mind would want to coach the Raiders? Job security is not guarenteed, the owner prefers you do what he says, and your contract may not be fully paid out.
That is right, not only did Davis inform Kiffin over the phone that he has been fired, he also informed Kiffin that his contract will not be paid out. Davis is really going out on a limb here, how can he not honor a contract that he inked his name on as well.
This is now the point when someone should really tell Davis that he is going about this totally wrong, but who can tell him that? You would figure that Commissioner Roger Goodell would step in and use his power, but the NFL Commissioner works for the NFL owners, so much for that plan.
Kiffin went 5-15 in his 1 and a quarter season as Raiders Head Coach, and after how he held himself with this terrible organization will be a Head Coach again in the near future. The Raiders will fall apart as they had been rallying around their Head Coach.
So thats it for Kiffin, and the Raiders had to insult him on his way out by refusing to pay him the rest of his contract. Who will coach the Raiders next? Someone who clearly has no back-bone would be a top choice for Mr. Davis, and there is no doubt about that.
J.M.Saucedo
