Sarkisian rejects Raiders

twinjetfan · Jan 19, 2007

via ESPNEWS

MParty7441 · Jan 19, 2007

hahaha....where is the Raider crew?

MSUJet85 · Jan 19, 2007

bwahahahaha

plinko · Jan 19, 2007

Not a big fan of the sporting news in recent years, but I thought I'd drop this article as a little fuel for the lame raiders fire.

[http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=blametheraidersmessonald&prov=tsn&type=lgns]

Blame the Raiders' mess on Al Davis

By Paul Attner - SportingNews

He arrives at the Raiders' practice complex, frequently at night, after most everyone has left. His driver opens the door for him and starts the laborious process of getting Al Davis out of his car and into his office. The driver takes Davis' weakened legs and turns them toward the pavement, then pulls him up so he can put his hands on his walker. Then Davis moves through the dark, slowly, methodically, until he disappears behind the doors at the center of Raider Nation.

The man who once would show off his vigor at league meetings by having workout equipment delivered to his room has seen his body fail him these past few years, just as his franchise, the one he has controlled and manipulated for the past 43 seasons, likewise has deteriorated. The once proud and arrogant Raiders -- winners of three Super Bowls, the self-proclaimed "Team of the Decades" -- now are contenders for another title: worst franchise in pro sports.

And at the center of everything wrong about the team is majority owner Davis, at 77 increasingly frail yet still firmly in charge of every aspect of the operation, unwilling to step aside, unwilling or unable to move out of the past and deal with today's NFL.

Davis and the Raiders exist in a world unlike any in the league. He surely must have been angered by this season and its 2-14 ugliness. Yet until he fired coach Art Shell on January 4, the most visible sign of displeasure from Davis over the past few months came after a perceived slight to his team's legacy. NFL Network ranked the top 20 all-time Super Bowl winners; it placed the Raiders' 1983 champions 20th. Davis was outraged; the organization sent out e-mails to national media questioning how the network could not rate the team as perhaps the best ever.

That legacy is all Davis has left, and he guards it with remarkable zeal. Everything about the Raiders is their past, the titles, the Hall of Fame players. But the present? The joke around the NFL is that no one does losing better than the Raiders. Even in the best of times, it is a dysfunctional organization. But the crushing pressure generated by losing this season created an ongoing soap opera of laughable proportions. One star receiver was suspended for complaining about a practice, another admitted he dropped passes because he didn't care, the head coach publicly accused a team personnel executive of undermining the organization to the media, the new quarterback wondered at one point, "What have I gotten into?"

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The results on the field were truly embarrassing. The Raiders set franchise records for most losses and fewest points scored. In the Davis era, which began in 1963 when he became coach and general manager, they never had been shut out twice at home nor had they lost nine straight games; both happened this season. They finished last in the league in points (10.5 per game), offense (246.2 yards per game), sacks allowed (72), turnovers (46) and takeaway/giveaway differential (minus-23). How bad is bad? The Raiders lost to Houston despite holding the Texans to minus-5 yards passing. They had nary a touchdown in their last three games; LaDainian Tomlinson singlehandledly scored 15 more touchdowns than the Raiders this season.

But this was not an anomaly. Since losing Super Bowl 37 after the 2002 season, their 15-49 record is the worst in the NFL, outdoing even the pathetic Lions'. Over the past 12 years, Oakland has had three winning seasons, two while Jon Gruden was coach. Even more telling: The Raiders have not won a Super Bowl in 23 years and have played for the NFL title just once in that span. But until now, they never had suffered four consecutive losing seasons. Until now, they never had gone two years without a division win.

If Gruden had stayed, this current mess might not be happening. But he couldn't coexist with Davis, who disliked seeing his coach receive much of the credit for the team's success. Nor would Gruden abide by Davis' constant interference. Gruden welcomed a trade after the 2001 season that landed him in Tampa; he promptly coached the Bucs to a win over the Raiders in Super Bowl 37. In the five years since Gruden's departure, Davis has gone through three head coaches.

"Al had the coach he needed in Gruden," one NFL team official says. "If they had been able to work together, none of what you see now would have happened. But Al doesn't want anyone else to be in the spotlight but him. When people began saying Gruden was the reason the Raiders were good, it was only a matter of time before he was gone."

Once, coaching or playing for the Raiders was a gem on a resume. John Madden won a Super Bowl and is in the Hall of Fame. Tom Flores won two rings and might get in one day. Now, no proven head coach will work for Davis. And most high-profile candidates won't interview. After the 2005 season, the Raiders even were turned down by a college coach, Louisville's Bobby Petrino, who recently took over the Falcons. Shell's hiring a year ago was a desperate move; he was the loyal Raider who had been fired once, in 1994, by Oakland because he no longer met Davis' expectations. Davis still can sign some big-name free agents -- LaMont Jordan being the prime example -- if the money is right. But it's no longer an honor to be in a Raiders uniform.

The Raiders remain undaunted. Chief executive Amy Trask says that any view of them should embrace a bigger picture, that during this decade they've been to two AFC title games and won three AFC West championships, more than any division rival. "It's important that when you look at 2006, you look at it in the perspective of the last seven years," Trask says. "It is really only fair to look at it in that context. We've always been able to regain success. We can turn this around, and we will turn it around."

What does Davis think? The Raiders did not make him available for an interview.

Still, the common thread through all of this -- the reign of success, the decay into ineptness -- is Davis. Figuring out how the Raiders got into this present state of disrepair starts with him.

click on the link to read the full article
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The Dark Knight · Jan 19, 2007

:lol: Funny stuff. Poor Oakland. Norv Turner could be an option again. :up:

jets&rushfan · Jan 19, 2007

I am starting to feel sorry for Al, for a minute, but it has pased..

MParty7441 · Jan 19, 2007

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2736706
this article is great. James Lofton also pulled his name. No one wants to be the coach of the 2nd worst run organization in the NFL (1st is the Lions)

The Dark Knight · Jan 19, 2007

Nah, currently, you can put Oakland at #1.

MParty7441 · Jan 19, 2007

NYJ2K07 said: ↑

Nah, currently, you can put Oakland at #1.
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I dont know man, at least the Raiders were good in the past 5 years.

FITM · Jan 19, 2007

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

Raiderjoe said: ↑

Again re read my post IN NFl section. James Lofton not going to be headcoach. Steve Sarkisian 32 will be. Raiders by interviewing J lofton, have fulfilled the Rooney rule(must interviw atleast one minority)
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Raiderjoe said: ↑

Simple knowing who to listen to. Who has a pretty good idea of what Al davis will do. Those who have worked for him in the past. They talk and you better listen, because 9 out of 10 times are going to be right. Steve sarkisian will be headcoach with Marc trestman being his assistannt headcoach. That is the word. Listen to that and not BSPN. Who are just mad they no inside information about Raiders.
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NJRaider said: ↑

This report definitely jumped the gun. He could be hired, but he certainly hasn't. My money is still on Sarkisian...
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ollie · Jan 19, 2007

Art Shell round 3?

Kris 15 · Jan 19, 2007

Denny Green FTW.

Cakes · Jan 19, 2007

FITM said: ↑

:rofl::rofl::rofl:
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At some point, Raiderjoe is going to need to cease with the predictions.

Then again, maybe it is alright if he continues. Some of us could go to Las Vegas and bet the opposite of what Raiderjoe says. RichMiano must be rolling in the dough.

AMJets · Jan 20, 2007

Nearly every NFL coordinator will kill for a chance at a head coaching job.

But the Raiders job is so unattractive, that two POSITION COACHES (one of a college team) have turned them down.

That's hillarious.

A.C.E.S · Jan 20, 2007

10Pennington10 said: ↑

Nearly every NFL coordinator will kill for a chance at a head coaching job.

But the Raiders job is so unattractive, that two POSITION COACHES (one of a college team) have turned them down.

That's hillarious.
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It really is, only if they were in our divison. That would be great. :raiders:

Jetzz · Jan 20, 2007

It is a shame that Davis can't see he's not capable of the task and step away from the job. He's taken his storied legacy and just shit all over it. They cannot return as a true NFL team until this guy gives it up or dies one.

plinko · Jan 20, 2007

Cakes said: ↑

At some point, Raiderjoe is going to need to cease with the predictions.

Then again, maybe it is alright if he continues. Some of us could go to Las Vegas and bet the opposite of what Raiderjoe says. RichMiano must be rolling in the dough.
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Jeaux is to predicting as Junc is to arguing. I hope they both never stop for the sheer humor of it. I think the universe may end if either of them ever do anyways.

Raiderjoe · Jan 21, 2007

FITM said: ↑

:rofl::rofl::rofl:
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At least Im consistant. Im going to try something diffrent. Jets will be 14-2 next year. They will win the AFc east. There offense going to be the best. There defense going to be the best. Jets will win the superbowl.. Thats not just a prediction, Its a raiderjeaux guaranteed. Take that to the bank.

GreenMachine · Jan 21, 2007

Raiderjoe said: ↑

At least Im consistant. Im going to try something diffrent. Jets will be 14-2 next year. They will win the AFc east. There offense going to be the best. There defense going to be the best. Jets will win the superbowl.. Thats not just a prediction, Its a raiderjeaux guaranteed. Take that to the bank.
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Good to see you finally have turned the corner.:grin:

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