Raiders get weird again, the sequel

Late yesterday and this morning brought some columnists out regarding the latest Raider drama. That's about all the Raiders are good for, it seems--drama--because they certainly aren't a football team in the sense that their an organization that cares about winning games or developing a program. In fact, on Monday Night Countdown's weekly, "C'mon, Man!" segment, Tom Jackson was able to quip, "We should rename this segment 'The Raiders' because they show up every week," and then played the clip of Louis Murphy and Johnnie Lee Higgins running into each other, Keystone Cops-style.

So first up, Cam Inman talks to Lance Kiffin, who gives Tom Cable a nice character reference:

"Any head coach deserves a certain amount of time to get things going and install what he wants to install. Tom has not had enough time," Kiffin said by phone Monday from his office as the University of Tennessee's coach. "I would think he definitely should have another season after this, at least."

Really? Even after more assault allegations surfaced against Cable on Sunday, via ESPN's report pertaining to claims of two ex-wives and an ex-girlfriend?

"If any of that was accurate, that would surprise me," Kiffin added. "In my year-and-a-half with Tom, I never saw anything like that. I thought he was a first-class coach and a great person."

I'm sure Al will take this under advisement.

Next up is Tim Kawakami, who writes,

Now the team is 2-6 and there are the new serious charges. Al is known to be very protective of women. He wants his franchise to be first-class. He must be horrified by the association to violence against women.

I give him major credit for that.

So Al has a problem. He wants “cause” to fire Cable, so he has to wait, but he also is embarrassed that Cable’s behavior continues to shed bad light on a franchise that is not exactly permanently bathed in light, anyway.

Al has a lot of problems. A shitty football team is the biggest problem.

Scott Ostler gets in on the act, calling the Raiders a "Creepshow" that is hitting its all-time low, although every time I think that, they hit a new low. Anyway,

What's really bizarre in Monday's two news releases is the juxtaposition of warnings.

In one statement, the Raiders say they're evaluating the matter, and alert us that they have fired employees in the past for inappropriate conduct. In the other statement, they call into question the validity of ESPN's report.

So the Raiders might wind up firing their coach over charges they suggest might be nothing but phony-baloney smears in ESPN's attacks on the Raiders.

Creepy.

Finally, in this perusal of local columnist reactions, we get Lowell Cohn. His piece really should be read in its entirety, but here's a taste:

Several benefits would accrue from firing Cable ASAP. We wouldn’t have to see his sad face anymore or hear him swear the Raiders will be a great team in a week or so: “I have great faith in where we’re going and what we can do as a football team.”

That storyline is so over with. And we wouldn’t have to ask whom Cable slapped, or if he actually did slap anyone, or if he really punches people, or if he has a problem controlling his rage or if he has rage to begin with.

Anyway, have a nice day. Any minute now, Al may show up with his overhead projector and announce that Randy Hanson is the interim head coach. That would be awesome.

Hoculi Rule?

Via Bill Williamson, the NFL is looking into making plays like Cutler's non-fumble against the Chargers last year reviewable.

This is the kind of thing that turns Raiders fans into Conspiracy Theorists. Six months later, and the NFL is going to change instant replay because the poor San Diego Chargers got screwed in a regular season game.

And yet, it's been over 7 years since that dirty goat fucker Walt Coleman called the Tuck Rule, and it's still on the books.

At least we can enjoy the drama in Denver.

Dangerous Game

Jason Jones and Jerry McDonald both have blog posts regarding Lance Kiffin mouthing off in the media about the lack of competition in training camp. Mike Lombardi mentioned yesterday in his Diner News blog item.

The consensus seems to be that Kiff is approaching this season with a nothing-to-lose strategy, controlling what he can control while poking his finger in Al's eye every chance he can. Jerry says that the only way Kiffin saves his job is by winning, which he figures still trumps everything in Mr. Davis' world. Lombardi agrees, although he's not exactly holding his breath that winning is an option, House-Divided-Against-Itself, etc.

I'm nervous. I like Kiffin, and the impact he's making on the offense, and getting rid of malcontents, and players like Nmamdi buying into his program. It makes me sick to think of JaMarcus--no matter what dobolina says, I think he's got once-in-a-generation skills--being wasted under a succession of incompetent coaching regimes, bouncing from system to system and never settling into a good one. I think he's in a good one now.

If Kiffin is fired, and Lofton or even Ryan is hired, with Knapp and Cable retained, then it could I guess it could be okay.

But if they all leave...well, we're fucked. And I'm afraid the Davis haters may be right (looking nervously for lightning) and he's completely gone, and we'll just have to wait until he's dead.

I just want to be excited for a season, without worrying when the other shoe is going to drop. Is that too much to ask?