A Coaching "Black Hole"

The Oakland Raiders fired yet another coach yesterday. Lane Kiffin, who was a surprise appointee to the head coach position in January of 2007, was fired by Al Davis over the telephone after a dismal 1-4 start to the 2008 season. Offensive line coach Tom Cable has been named interim coach. At the televised news conference to announce the firing, Raiders owner Al Davis called Kiffin, “a flat-out liar” and accused Kiffin of “bringing disgrace to the organization.” After last seasons 4-12 showing, it was reported by ESPN’s Chris Mortensen that Al Davis drafted a letter of resignation for Lane Kiffin and asked him to sign it, which Kiffin refused to do. The reason for this was so the Raiders could avoid paying the remaining $2,000,000 on Kiffin’s contract. The Raiders denied the report. Since there was much speculation during the off-season and preseason regarding Kiffin’s job, it did not come as a surprise to anyone when word came down of his firing yesterday. The Raiders claim the move was made for cause, meaning they will likely try not to pay Kiffin for the remainder of his contract.

Based on Al Davis’ history with coaches and the terrible teams the Raiders have fielded in recent seasons, I think this was expected before all the speculation arose. Raider fans like to call sections 104, 105, 106, and 107 of the Coliseum “The Black Hole”. Well, I would dare say that the actual Black Hole at the Coliseum is located directly underneath the home teams head coach. Since 2001 the Raiders have had four different head coaches, Jon Gruden, Bill Callahan, Norv Turner, and Lane Kiffin. Each of the last three has been fired after two seasons or less. Jon Gruden decided he didn’t want to be in Oakland and was subsequently traded to Tampa Bay, Bill Callahan was fired after going 15-17 in two seasons despite a Super Bowl appearance, Norv Turner was fired after a 9-23 record in two seasons, and Lane Kiffin was fired after posting an eye popping 5-16 record in one and a quarter seasons. Gruden had the best record of the four, but he was unable to get the Raiders to the Super Bowl. Sure the Raiders coaching history has their share of Super Bowl winning coaches, Jon Gruden, Mike Shanahan, Tom Flores, and John Madden, but only Madden and Flores did it with the Raiders, Gruden won with the Bucs, and Shanahan won with the Broncos.

In the five full seasons since the Raiders last Super Bowl appearance, which they lost at the hands of Jon Gruden and the Tampa Bay Bucs, they have posted a league worst 19 wins. The next closed team is the lions who won 26 over that same span. Not all of this should fall on Al Davis, the players need to play and the coaches need to coach, but a large majority is on Al Davis. Until the players can see stability at the head coach position, this losing trend will continue. The players know they don’t have to drink the proverbial Kool-Aid their coaches are selling because he isn’t going to be around long anyway, and if the players don’t buy into the system they are running, it will be extremely difficult to win games. Al Davis has been in this league for a long time, but his time is up. If the Raiders are going to get back on track, something needs to change, and that something is Al Davis. Congratulations Tom Cable, but keep your eyes on the job market because, unless Al Davis retires, in two years or less, you will be the next guy swallowed up by “The Black Hole”.