Posts tagged LaneKiffin at FanHouse

After one game, the Tom Cable Raiders don't appear to be all that different from the Lane Kiffin Raiders. Actually, they might be a little bit worse, seeing as how Kiffin at least had them playing somewhat competitive football.

Perhaps that's because Kiffin wasn't asking second-year quarterback JaMarcus Russell to "empty the playbook," sort of like Cable did on Sunday afternoon when the Saints bulldozed the Raiders back to Oakland.

But, hey, give the new Raiders coach some credit. He seems to have learned from his mistake and now realizes that Russell is still in a "developmental stage," and perhaps throwing the kitchen sink at him wasn't exactly the best game plan. From Raiders beat writer Jerry McDonald of the Contra Costa Times:

"We certainly put him in a lot of situations, moving him around, move the pocket, three steps, five-, seven-steps and play-action, and really kind of ran the gamut with him," Cable said. "And I think we really found out a lot about where he is. And it's obvious he's still in a stage of development. It's obvious maybe he can't handle that much. But it doesn't changJaMarcus Russell e the fact that we need to continue to throw the football and continue to find ways to get completions and throw the ball down the field."

One of the allegations thrown around by Raiders owner Al Davis during his bizarre press conference two weeks ago, was that former Head Coach Lane Kiffin wanted nothing to do with JaMarcus Russell because he -- allegedly -- thought Russell was just some fat guy he couldn't win with.

If that's true, Kiffin certainly has an odd way of showing it, seeing as how he still contacts Russell and offers him coaching advice despite the obvious handicap of no longer being his coach. From Steve Corkran of the Contra Costa Times (via PFT):

"He just called and talked to me about their defense, things he would do if he was here," Russell said. "So, really, nothing changed."...This wasn't a one-time thing, either, Russell said. Kiffin reaches out to him on a regular basis. "He has got a lot of off time on his hands," Russell said, "so he would pay attention to the defense I would have to go up against. He leaves me a text message or a voice mail here or there."

Nice. I'm sure Davis just loves hearing about this. And by loves, I obviously mean he's probably ripping out what's left of his hair and throwing chairs around the office.
Of course, this probably goes a long way to explaining why Russell still thinks Kiffin is a good guy. It's also probably the most control he's had coaching a Raiders player since, well, ever.

Sweet Lord, Al Davis. We love you. Well, maybe not "we", but I totally back your "control freak in a leisure suit" thing, man. If I was nine billion years old and worth slightly more money than years alive, I would absolutely run a football team. You've got a better deal than Joe Paterno with a few less questions about your sanity because you don't actually call the plays.

However, here's an idea: when a player burns you by not trying hard enough simply because your franchise sucks, well, don't claim he faulted you when he shatters a world record with Tom Brady throwing him the rock the next year. Ah, yes, I see. Just like most of America, you would prefer "rationality" to "I'm going to sue your pants off". No, that's fine. Really.

Davis said the Patriots had tampered with Randy Moss before a deal in April 2007 that brought the wide receiver to New England for a fourth-round choice the weekend of the NFL draft. Patriots coach Bill Belichick denied the claim by Davis that New England had a workout with Moss before obtaining him in the trade.

In a June 5, 2008, memo distributed by Goodell to NFL clubs entitled "Policy on Integrity of the Game and Enforcement of Competitive Rules," the commissioner informed NFL team officials that competitive rules violations must be made in a timely manner. Davis' accusations against the Patriots came 18 months after the transaction occurred.

(Quick caveat/aside: this report is from Scoop (he really would prefer you call him that) so we have zero idea if it has any reliability, but assuming it is true, well, Al Davis needs to retire. Or stop making insanely ridiculous accusations just because he's teed off.

Poor JaMarcus Russell. Here's a guy that's simply plugging away as the Raiders quarterback, minding his own business, trying to establish himself as an NFL player in the middle of a three-ring circus. Then, all of a sudden, without warning, he finds his name in the middle of the fray between Al Davis and Lane Kiffin.

It was during that bizarre press conference earlier this week when Davis, the 79-year old owner, let the cat out of the bag and informed us that Kiffin never wanted to take the LSU quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick. Russell seems to be taking the news quite well.

"It just kind of came out of nowhere. I really don't think myself or Coach Kiffin or anybody else were looking for that to come out that way." "I appreciate the opportunity he gave me to play in the National Football League. Wish for him to go out and get him a job because he's a good guy, a good coach."

Interesting.

Meanwhile, former Oakland defensive tackle -- and current dancing with the stars, uh, star -- Warren Sapp continued to make his voice heard on all things Raiders.

You've got questions. I've got answers. If not, I'll make them up. Each Thursday at 1 p.m. EST, I answer your queries on all things related to the NFL. If you have a question, send it over to NFLMailbag@gmail.com. Don't forget to include your name and location. Click here for the archives. Rock'n'roll.

How bad will the Colts beat the Texans on Sunday? Also, will the Texans win a game this year? Matt Schaub got in tune with the game for a while last week but he is so inconsistent. I think it's time for him to take a hike and take Gary Kubiak with him.
- Ward77029, Texas

Oh ye of little faith. The Texans won't continue to slide into the 2008 twilight. While the Dolphins and Rams last year offered legitimate hope for an 0-16 season, the Texans are simply too talented to continue losing, and I think it comes together this week in what most would consider a shocker. Schaub did begin to harmonize last week, and though the Colts defense is offering a remarkably stout pass defense, they're also now missing Bob Sanders, and if we've learned anything about the Colts it's that their defense relies quite heavily on that tiny young man. Add in a remarkable Texans front four that will be playing against a Colts line that will be missing Tony Ugoh and Ryan Lilja (though the line has done a good patchwork job of protecting Peyton Manning, they've been awful on the ground, and they haven't played a unit like this), and I like the increasingly-healthy Texans' chances of getting in the win column this week. Added motivation? I don't care what Bob McNair says, the Texans have a chip on their shoulder after Jerrah equated the fourth-largest city in America with Mayberry.

One of these days when we talk about the Oakland Raiders, we're going to talk about something that happens on the field between the white lines. I promise. It's just that today isn't going to be that day.

In the latest chapter of as the Raiders turn, the Los Angeles Times is reporting that Lane Kiffin would like to speak with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell -- who may end up being the mediator between Kiffin and Al Davis -- before he addresses those nasty allegations that he's a flat-out liar.

"When Lane initially thought it would be appropriate to address the fans and the situation it was before Mr. Davis gave his press conference," Uberstine said. "In light of Mr. Davis' statements, we advised Coach Kiffin to cancel the intended press conference and instead refute the allegations specifically in a more appropriate venue, which would likely be, among other things, a grievance with Commissioner Goodell."

The main issue to be brought up with Goodell, of course, will be Davis' claim that Kiffin won't be seeing that $3.5 million he's currently owed. Davis, always confident in his position, was quoted as saying "I wouldn't do it unless I was going to prevail."

Unfortunately, Lane Kiffin decided not to make hump day a little more hump-erific, but there's always Chad Javon Ocho Cinco. During his Wednesday conference call with the Dallas-area media, Mr. Ocho Cinco decided to throw down the gauntlet.

Specifically, he's very unhappy about the Bengals' 0-4 start and is apparently willing to do anything to turn things around against the Cowboys this Sunday. Including a pregame, take-the-edge-off beer bong.

Chad Javon Ocho Cinco: I'm not holdin' nothin' back. Man, we 0-4, we pissed off, I'm pissed off, the players over here pissed off, somebody got to pay. I want you to tell (Cowboys defensive coordinator) Brian Stewart, I love him to death, but somebody got to get it.

Q: Are you saying that after an 0-4 start you guys are anxious to do anything and everything to get a win?

In the wake of his dismissal as Head Coach of the Oakland Raiders, Lane Kiffin was scheduled to have a press conference today, presumably to tell his side of the story, and perhaps respond to allegations that he's a no good cheat and a liar.

Well, turns out, he's not, because the press conference has since been canceled, which is very fitting given the way this saga has played out over the past 18 months. From Mike Florio at ProFootballTalk:

Apparently, Kiffin's agent and lawyer decided it wouldn't be wise to respond in detail to the allegations made on Tuesday by owner Al Davis. And they're right. Eventually, there's going to be a grievance hearing. (For more on how it will all unfold, check out our latest item on SportingNews.com.) By laying out his version in excruciating detail now, Kiffin would have been giving Davis and his lawyers a blueprint (or, as the case may be, a "bootprint") for attacking Kiffin's case later.

So there you have it. Even though Kiffin is no longer coaching the Raiders, we definitely have not heard the last of this epic battle of madness.

If there's a positive in all of this for Kiffin and his potential future in the NFL, it's that current Broncos Head Coach Mike Shanahan was dismissed in an alarmingly similar manner by Davis over two decades ago. Shanahan has since won a pair of Super Bowls, and made the Raiders his own personal whipping boy, even if Davis refuses to acknowledge any of it.

First things first: props to ESPN.com's Tim Graham for typing these words: "Al Davis, still in his Battlestar Galactica outfit, had some choice words on many subjects after Wednesday's bizarre news conference to announce he had fired head coach Lane Kiffin."

It actually makes sense, Al being a Cylon, and it goes a long way in explaining his increasingly erratic/paranoid behavior.

In Graham's post on Human/Cylon relations, he points out that contrary to Davis' earlier comments, Bill Belichick denies that the Patriots tampered with Randy Moss. This morning, MDS mentioned that Davis referred to the New England head coach as "What's his name" (which is better than "Belicheat, I suppose) while leveling these accusations, but ultimately concluded that the Raiders owner is bitter that the team gave up the best receiver in football for a fourth-round pick.

Well, Whatshisname responds, via a conference call:

"I've told the story about Randy many, many times," Belichick said. "The first time I ever talked to Randy was the Sunday morning of the second day of the draft last year. That is the first time I met him, the first time I talked to him. No, there was no workout. There was no other contact with him."

So that's that. And even if it's not -- even if the Pats did tamper -- nobody's believing Davis because, well, he's obviously insane. And now that the resurrection ship has been destroyed, he's not even guaranteed everlasting life. Bummer.

Raiders owner Al Davis wasn't done talking when he concluded his weird press conference announcing the firing of Lane Kiffin and the hiring of Tom Cable on Tuesday evening.

Davis also had a conversation with reporters, and he made some strong accusations against the New England Patriots. Davis said that the Patriots tampered with Randy Moss before acquiring him in a trade from the Raiders during the 2007 draft.

The quote from Davis is below, although it's a little confusing because Davis refers to both former Raiders employee Mike Lombardi and Patriots coach Bill Belichick as "what's his name."