News and Notes 8/13/08

[War Wagon]

You mean no reason other than the fact that they traded away the only player worth a fuck on that defense.

Not true.

Derrick Johnson is "worth a fuck".

As for the rest, eh... we'll see. They have a few potential play makers.

[poptart]

Solid takes by Jerry Mac on the Kiffin approach:



At this point you wonder if this is even a battle worth fighting. I get the whole competition thing, you want to bring in new faces now and then to keep people on edge and aware of how precarious a roster position can be.

But what are you talking about, really? Bringing in guys who weren’t good enough for someone else’s team to replace guys who aren’t good enough for your team. There isn’t likely to be a difference-maker in the bunch.

After a flurry of camp activity when Kiffin had his training camp honeymoon as the Boy Wonder coach, he started to understand things move slowly when Jarrod Cooper remained on the roster for weeks with a torn ACL. This training camp, Greg Wesley came in with back spasms, John Bowie had a knee injury and Grant Irons pulled a hamstring in the first days in Napa. Mark Wilson blew out a knee yet remained on the roster for days.

Wide receivers with the exception of Todd Watkins and lately Chaz Schilens, have been a disappointment. You work with Walker, Ronald Curry and Drew Carter. You can see Kiffin’s point in not being able to ship out a no-chance receiver such as Chris McFoy, Drisan James or perhaps even Jonathan Holland simply to get some new blood for James Lofton to work with.

(Arman Shields does not a apply here. In the practices Shields participated in, Lofton was riding him hard, and it seemed clear he was doing it because the Raiders think he’s got some real talent. As stated before, I’d be surprised if he is not placed on injured reserve. Shields isn’t eligible for PUP like Michael Bush a year ago because he didn’t open training camp on PUP).

Whether borrowed or something he came up with on his own, Kiffin’s strategy for being the Raiders coach is similar to Jon Gruden’s. Stick with your philosophies and ideals in terms of running the offense. Do your best to bond with players and build a level of trust. Don’t let organizational quirks affect your ability to do your job.

Gruden, however, never set fire to a bridge while he was standing in the middle of it, which is why he lasted through two .500 seasons before the Raiders went 12-4.

Kiffin has only one way to make this right. If he wins, he turned around the Raiders. If he loses, the smartest 33-year-old head coach you’ve ever seen has a heck of a consolation prize. A potential in-season firing with pay while he looks for his next job, and a national perception that nobody can win coaching the Raiders.


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As much as I hate to say it or think about it, Kiffin is dead man walking.
I was hopeful that he and Al could keep things quiet and smooth during this season, but I think something bigger than this will flare up at some point.

I see it as a 95% certainty that he's not coaching the Raiders in '09.

He either fails to win this season and Al kicks him to the curb.
Or ... he does win and moves along to a greener pasture at year's end.

[RevLimiter]

A very small, tentative fuck. Sort of like KFC Paula trying to decide between a box of Ho Hos and another go at the rubber glove.

You're not doing a very good job of pleading your case, m2vscal. Step it up.

[RJ]

As much as I hate to say it or think about it, Kiffin is dead man walking.
I was hopeful that he and Al could keep things quiet and smooth during this season, but I think something bigger than this will flare up at some point.

I see it as a 95% certainty that he's not coaching the Raiders in '09.

He either fails to win this season and Al kicks him to the curb.
Or ... he does win and moves along to a greener pasture at year's end.

Yeah, I read that article today Pop.


I guess we'll see if Lofton will lock the job down next year-pretty much looks like a certainty. I really dig Kiff and his brutal honesty-its badass to see a guy like that just punking and riding the fuck out of players (and an owner) who deserve it. The way he has publicly blasted Walker and, to a much much lesser degree Kelly (he's been producing) over living up to thier fatass contracts is awesome as hell. I love the guy as a our coach, and hope that Al pulls his head out of his liverspotted ass about Kiff. Probably wont happen, though.

Sorry, but Al fucked this team up royally and if he doesnt like hearing that we're "short on talent" or "competition" from an honest and forthcoming young coach, then he can go fuck himself until Kiff is out.


Dead man walking or not, I have much respect for the way Kiff has been a straight shooter and 100% honest about our fucked up situation. I wonder what the old man will do when Kiff leads us to the division crown and a playoff berth this year?

[RevLimiter]

I wonder what the old man will do when Kiff leads us to the division crown and a playoff berth this year?

Nothing, because neither of those things will happen. Myopic fucking idiot.

[poptart]

James, Al needs someone CLOSE to him to give him the straight scoop, I agree.

Kiffin is a novice head coach with nothing but a 4-12 record on his resume.
He might prove to be a real good one ... I dunno.
I like what he's done since he's taken over.
Very easily could have won 6-7 games last year, with just a little bit of luck.

But he's 4-12, bottom line.

I just don't think his words carry much that much weight with Al, and he's better off keeping it to himself.
There's no need to be public about it because most of the world already thinks the old man is fucked in the head.

Frankly, Kiffin has nothing to lose in this gig.
If he wins he's a stud coach for overcoming the Al cement brick tied to his leg.
And if he loses, well ... what the hell do you expect, working for a nutcase like Alvis?

Kiffin can take shots at players, but blasting those above him, when he's a 4-12 novice, doesn't come off real well.

At least not to me.

But whatever, I understand liking his honesty, and Al has nobody to blame when another coach is on his way out the door after a very short tenure.

[War Wagon]

Very easily could have won 6-7 games last year, with just a little bit of luck.

Luck?

And if your #4 draft pick grows wings, you might easily get lucky and win 6-7 games this year.

[Cuda]

... and that'll be 3 or 4 more wins than the Chefs manage

[RevLimiter]

... and that'll be 3 or 4 more wins than the Chefs manage

Wanna put yer $$$ where your piehole is?

[Goober McTuber]

... and that'll be 3 or 4 more wins than the Chefs manage

Wanna put yer $$$ where your piehole is?

You want him to put his money on Biggie's ballsack?