The next Raiders HC?

In order to be the head coach for the Raiders, the following qualities are key:

 

• Ability to manage chaos
  
• Ability to deal with a circus at times
  
• Experience managing veterans, rookies, media, and front office folks
  
• Creativity, Adaptability, Flexibility
  

 

I believe those first 2 skills are the key ones.  The other two are more typical of any of the jobs open right now.  As I looked at the possibilities out there, especially given that there are now 5 openings: Denver (Yea, baby!), Detroit, Jets, Browns, and da Raidehs.  Each of the openings requires a different skillset, but I think that the ownership situation in Oakland is key.  I believe that it would be in our best interests to hire a GM before a Head coach, but I don't think that should actually happen.  

So, let's take a look at the candidates - regardless of whether they'ev been denied or confirmed by anyone:

(In no particular order)

1) Dennis Green - His name always circulates, because he's "friends" with Al Davis.  However, he's been gone too long, and his rough edges in Minneapolis and Arizona wouldn't do well in Oaktown. Odds: 100:1

2) Bill Cowher - after the Super Bowl win, everyone has decided that he's the next Holmgren/Belichick.  I disagree because as I recall - his team's did not handle prosperity well in the playoffs and often lost to lesser teams.  In addition, he can write his ticket in the current environment, and could end up in Denver (and the subsequent roster turnover from Shanny's patsies to Cowher types bodes well for my Raiders).   Odds 50:1

3) Jim Harbaugh - I'm not sure why folks are so high on him (although his brother did well with Billick's roster), but i think he's got to stay at Stanford to finish the job he started before he makes the next jump. Odds: 25:1

4) Mike Martz - Puhleeze.  He's an offensive coordinator with delusions of grandeur.  He's too arrogant, and again - hasn't done anything in recent years to warrant even a first look, let alone a 2nd.  Even with Al's love of offense, Martz is damaged goods.  Odds 75:1

5) Steve Spagnuolo - Defensive minded guy, rumored for other jobs, I don't see a defensive coach coming to Oaktown.  Odds 50:1

6) Marc Trestman - Former Oaktown guy, knows the environment, but I don't see it.  I think that he's been out of it a little too long, and may not even want to return to the current Raiders situation.  Odds 25:1

7) Hue Jackson - Going from QB Coach for a rookie coach to Head Coach at one of the most chaotic and challenging environments, doesn't strike me as very good odds for success.  We've already seen what a coach who's trying to make his first gig with the Raiders can look like.  Thanks Lance.  Odds 25:1

8) Paul Hackett - Re-tread NFL coordinator from past lives.  I don't think he's head coach material, and he fails my  "creativity" criteria above.  Odds 100:1

9) Eric Mangini - Rejected Jets guy who never really was given much to work with.  Pennington had injuries, and their drafts left a lot to be desired offensively.  In addition, he's not a good communicator, and is defensive minded.  Not a good match for Oakland's world.  Odds 100:1

10) Jim Fassel - The ultimate retread.  Yes, he's been in Oakland before, and did a pretty good job in NY during his time there.  However, I think that NY is completely different from Oakland, and the roster is in a different place as well.  Our path to success is via the younger guys, and we need a guy who can relate to them well.  I don't think Fassel is that guy.  Odds 20:1 

11) James Lofton - Recent hire by Al.  Seems to have done a good job with the wideouts this year.  Hasn't been a coordinator, so the jump to head coach would be a challenge.  In addition, with Al's propensity for hiring a coaching staff in pieces, it could be tough for James to pull them all together. The flip side is - if you went with an inexperienced coach, maybe they'd lean on Al's patchwork staff more, and that could be successful.  Odds 12:1

12) Rob Ryan - I think Rob Ryan will leave the team if he's not made head coach.  I also think that his chance to take the team was when Kiffin left.  Davis didn't pick him them (even though he interviewed for the head coach previously), so that says a lot. Odds 15:1 

13) Tom Cable - Cable has done a good job the last several weeks.  I believe he's gotten the players minds turned around, and won the last 3 of 6, including the "spoiler" role against Tampa in a meaningless cross-country game for our folks.  I believe Davis sees that potential.  It would be interesting to see what Cable would do in growing from this experience, surviving in Oakland, and starting with his own playbook and some new assistants.  Odds 4:1

The one person I didn't list here is Bill Parcells.  He'd be a great fit - for the front office.  I still don't think he'll choose us, but if he did, I don't think it would be as Coach.  

Depending on how Al handles the hiring of the GM and Head Coach, as well as how much Al changes based on the past 2 seasons total failure with Kiffin, and newfound success with Cable, it could be anybody's guess to see what happens.  

I believe that Cable has shown some good qualities - especially the last 2 weeks, as well as a willingness to do it his way.  Even with the failed fake FG with Seabass "Wheels" Janikowski around the end, he still stuck to his guns.  He's definitely gotten rid of most of the garbage that Kiffin pumped into the system and into guy's heads.  

If Al chooses someone other than Cable, then instead of 2009 being a "building on 2008" year, it becomes a "start from scratch year", b/c we'd have new DC, new HC, and new GM.  Those items combine to make it a very tough year, depending on how the above decisions are made. My personal hope is to minimize change, stabilize the organization, and get started moving forward.  In order to do that, call the Cable Guy!

Can you diiiiiigggggggg it???!?!?!?

Ya know, I don't really bear a grudge against Gruden. . much. . . other than the fact he stole a SuperBowl by using our playbook against us, and being the only one of 16 NFC teams who would have beaten us that day. Oh well. . 

But, that's all in the past... Gruden's just some guy, as is Tampa Bay - just some team.   We take absolutely no additional pleasure in beating them at home.  Really we don't.  And it certainly adds no joy to the game that we knocked them out of the playoffs, at home, coming in as a 4-11 team with nothing to play for.  

MWAHAHAHAAHAHHAA!!! We knocked em out, paid back everybody, Gru-dog/Chucky, Kiffin's Dad, Bruce Allen, everybody.  Sure, Davis is still nuts, and the offseason will be a little scary, but for now - it feels good!

I think that Cable might be head coach material.  He's gotten the team fired up for the last 2 games - both meaningless - and won them both.  He cut loose with all the young guys - Johnnie Lee Higgins, Schilens, Russell, Gallery, McFadden, and today's poster boy - Michael "Don't call me a tailback" Bush!  You should check out the highlights here.  It was a beautiful thing!!

In term's of my season-ending thoughts:

1) Cable is worth a serious look as head coach.   He's clearly got the leadership skills and attention of the team.  The interesting component will be his staff.  He cut loose with Kiffin/Knapp's playbook, and did more with it than they did in the previous weeks.  I just don't know if Davis will fill out his staff for him, or if he'll have some input.  I wouldn't be surprised to see Lofton become the Offensive Coordinator at Davis' behest.  

2) Please let us get a real, non-retread GM.  I know that the performance of the young guys lately could lead some to think we've been good with talent, but I just don't see it.  We need structure and consistency around our selection of draftees - but more importantly - free agents.  

3) When it's all said and done - I'm still a Raider.  As much fun as it was to write the article for ESPN, and toy with the idea of freeing myself from the past 6 years, I'm still a Raider. Besides, I've still got tons of Raiders garanimals to wear.   And, rightly or wrongly, these are still my boys - and I live and die with them.   And I did very much enjoy beating Chucky in his house, being his 4th loss, and sending him to the showers for the offseason.  So much for his mighty offensive mind... but I'm not bitter.

  

Another week, some crazy college stuff

Here's two random chuckles: 

From Bill Simmons on ESPN:

When ABC launches a game-show pilot called “Country Singer, Famous Assassin or Kick Returner?” the final question will definitely be, “Who is Johnnie Lee Higgins?”

From the Gonzaga game yesterday:

Fan-made sign - shape of Washington State - showing Coug, Husky, Sonics, Mariners, and Seahawks logos - the caption:  Help us Bulldogs, You're our only hope!

Raiders:

The Raiders are playing well today - a great team effort, and the aforementioned Johnnie Lee Higgins has scored 2 TDs, bringing is 3 week total to 6.  It's funny that we didn't use him at all for the last 3 years!  And we might - just might - beat the Texans today.  We're only impacting draft order - but unless we get a new GM and AD drops his chokehold on the org - the draft and the new coach won't matter.  I'd really like to see a new head coach who gets to choose his own staff.  But methinks I dream too much.

Zags:

The Zags played their butts off yesterday, and the fans made it feel like a Final Four game.  Other than a couple bad bad bad turnovers, the Zags nearly beat the #2 team in the land yesterday.  But UConn is UConn for a reason, and they had too much depth.   Once the Zags starting 5 was in trouble with poorly-officiated fouls, it became just a game of bodies.  As Few said afterwards of the foul trouble "We ended up with lineups that we never see - even in practice".  

But what I prefer to focus on is the fanbase.  It was a rabid fanbase, focused on the game, cheering at the right times, and 100% engaged in the game.  It was great to be a part of that.  I miss that about some pro-sports.  The passion of a 200-strong student section at one end of Key Arena, organized cheers, etc.  It was a great contrast to the pro-game, and just enjoying sensations of the collegiate game.  

One of the funnier parts of the game was during one TV timeout - they did the fancam and showed a little 9 month old Zag baby, and everyone cheered.  They then switched to a UConn infant, and everyone booed.  They alternated back and forth 5-6 times and the crowd cheered and booed infants.  Both babies had their bottles taken from them to participate, and finally, the Uconn baby started crying, and all 16700 of us had confusing emotions of cheering our success, and then terrible guilt for making a baby cry.  I'm sure he was fine. . .or at least that's what I'm telling myself.

And for the record, my fantasy football teams were terrible - again - but that's nothing new. . . There's always next year!!

Back to the meat grinder

Raiders:

   Wow.  That Chargers game was pretty gosh-darn lame, if you pardon my French.  Unbelievable.  The Chargers weren't in that good of shape, and they were 4-8 and in disarray.  But not on Thursday.  They looked like champs, and we looked pretty lame.  Russell was off, McFadden couldn't catch a break, and our patchwork offensive line was sketchy at best.  

   The bottom line is that I believe the coaching staff should be gone.  Get a GM with credentials, and start over.  It's the only answer.  

   However, I'll make a prediction - right here on the Interweb superhighway:  Rob Ryan will be kept, because he's one of Davis' guys.  James Lofton will be made Head Coach, and we'll bring in a new set of offensive guys.  And we'll most likely suck for another 4 years.  For each one of those changes that doesn't happen, we will suck for less long.  

   I think we should get a GM, who knows football and that Davis would actually listen to.  That's a tall order, but a key requirement to pull us out of 10 years of wasted draft choices.   With that, we might actually build a team the right way, instead of just buying parts and reclamation projects in pieces.

    For head coach, I'd like us to get a ringer - either a head coach direct from college (not a promoted college coordinator), or a non-retread NFL guy.  I don't know if any of the big college brains would translate - Bob Stoops, Mack Brown, Pete Carroll, Urban Meyer. . .Carroll was lame in the pro's, and don't know how hardcore any of those guys are to be able to demand NFL players' respect, but I'd rather have them than Fassel.  And as far as Cowher or Holmgren or anyone like that - they both have weaknesses that folks overlook in retrospect.   Everyone becomes a genius after they leave the sideline for a while.

   Only time will tell. . . In about 3 weeks, I'll swear off the NFL (again), and decide to be less emotionally invested in my Raidehs next year. . .and then in July, my silver and black blood will start to boil again, and we'll be back to the grindstone again.  :)

Huskies:

Ouch.  Drilled by Cal and 0-12.   It's interesting to see a guy that ruined his chances with the Raiders get picked up by the Huskies.  Of course, this means that Davis picked both Sarkisian and Kiffin out, and they both got collegiate head coaching jobs inside of 2 yrs.  Interesting connection - since I'm a fan of both.  

I think Sarkisian does bring West Coast knowledge, and a fiery attitude.   I think the players will rally around him, and we'll see how he does with the Tyee Bank. . I mean Tyee Club. . . They were mad about Lambright, and like Neu-weasel, until his true colors shined thru, and its been downhill since.   

I have high hopes for both teams next year - Raiders 6-10, and Huskies - just 1 wish - bring the Apple Cup home.