I needed an headline that pops, so I can lure Jeaux in here to tell me how Tom Walsh was a hidden gem - a football mad scientist, who's been working in his football laboratory for the last 6 years, devising unstoppable offensive schemes to RULE THE WORLD!!! Walsh hired as Raiders' offensive coordinator By Len Pasquarelli ESPN.com The Oakland Raiders reached deep into their past in choosing Art Shell as their new head coach. And now Shell has done the same in selecting his offensive coordinator. In a move that has been rumored since he replaced Norv Turner as head coach, Shell has hired Tom Walsh to oversee an offense that, despite having plenty of potential playmakers, statistically ranked No. 21 in the league in 2005. Walsh has not coached in the NFL since 1994, when he was fired, along with Shell, by the Raiders. Walsh hasn't worked at any level of the game since 1999, when he was director of operations and head coach of a minor-league franchise in Mobile, Ala., in 1999. Before that, he was head coach at Idaho State, where he compiled a 6-16 record in two seasons. That recent idleness aside, Shell has great faith in Walsh, who worked for the Raiders from 1982 to '94, coaching quarterbacks and receivers before being elevated to coordinator. Walsh most recently has operated a bed-and-breakfast ranch and served as mayor of Swan Valley, Idaho. Oakland's most recently hired coordinator, Jimmy Raye, is a close friend of Shell and the two have worked together in the past. But Raye departed the Raiders to become running backs coach with the New York Jets before Oakland hired Shell as head coach. The Raiders did retain quarterbacks coach John Shoop, who actually interviewed for the head coach spot with the team, and he figures to have considerable input into the offensive design as well. Also, as rumored, Shell has added Hall of Fame tackle Jackie Slater as offensive line coach. Slater played 20 seasons in the NFL, with the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001. He will work with another former NFL lineman, Irv Eatman, in tutoring the Raiders' blockers. Former NFL defensive lineman Daryl Sims, who most recently was head coach of the Cologne franchise in the NFL Europe League, was hired as a defensive line assistant.
I don't want to step between you two, but how's this?... "JETS HIRE LOCAL PAPERBOY TO RUN OFFENSE" I love it, two 4-12 teams duking it out!...
hehehe. . . touché. Mine was more of a commentary on Jeaux's theory about how coaches were banging down Crazy Al's door. This latest addition they found selling snow tires in Idaho. I'm thinking the first 5 minutes of the phone call with Tom Walsh were spent with him trying to figure out which of his old fraternity brothers was playing a joke on him. "Stinky? Is that you? Stinky, this isn't funny. Wait. . . Art who?"
I really like the Shell hire but when I heard they were bringing back Walsh I was pretty dumbfounded myself. Ironically I read today that Shell likes Jimmy Raye and may have kept him around to be the offensive coordinator but Raye left for the Jets before Shell was hired. I don't think I'd be wild about him as a coordinator either, but it's interesting...
I think you may have hit on something here. What if this whole thing is some kind of Rachel Phelps-esque plot by Al Davis to move the team? Some more quotes: "I'm hung over, my knees are killin' me and if you're going to pull this shit at least you could've said you were from the Patriots" "How would you like to coach the Raiders this year?" "Gee, I don't know..." "What do you mean, you don't know? This is your chance to coach in the big leagues." "Let me get back to you, will ya? I got a guy on the other line asking about some white walls."
Al's trying to lose so that he can move the team to. . . . ummm. . . . what's left? Sacramento? Or, maybe something a little more radical - the Tijuana Raiders!! Call it crazy, but Mexico City pulled in more fans for one game than Oakland brings for two.
Here the biggest reason Tom Walsh got the oC job. Last time Art shell was fired he blamed his assistant coaches for backstabbing him to AL. (M white) TOm Walsh not looking for head coaching job and will not be the only one formulating offensive gameplan. IF Walsh is calling plays by himself, than raiders are in serious trouble . Jeff Hosteteler wasn't too happy with walsh ,as he couldn't make any adjustments. Someone(whether its J Shoop- shell moved him to TE coach from QB coach) OR the NEW QB coach- some have speculted that R Neuheisel(current Ravens QB coach) Raiders are trying to get Ravens to let him leave, to take job with Raiders. OR another(rumor) is that Rich gannon will be quarterback coach. Gannon has been working with Last year rookie Andrew Walter. Also been talking with D brees. I wouldn't mind gannon having a hand in offense as he was one best in reading a defense and breaking down a defense weakspots. Gannon going to make a great coach someday. Lets see who gets the QB coach job and I think we will have a better idea what the Raiders plan is. I wouldn't be too happy if J shoop is the guy thats assisting walsh- he might be smart but I wasn't impressed with his stint as Bears OC.
Don't knock winshield washing hobos--what do you think that Steve Webb did before becoming an Islander? ...btw I'm not kidding, Webb actually was unemployed and broke before randomly showing up on Mike Milbury's doorstep
Wait. Let's back up a step. Art Shell, you said, would be fine as long as the Raider hired a great OC to work with him. Those were your words. Now we need to find help for Tom Walsh too??!! Last thing I want to do is help the Raiders, but it seems fairly clear that team is going to be mired in mediocrity until Crazy Al figures out that (a) he's no longer fit for the job, and (b) nobody wants to work for him.
Yes I said that OC was very important IF Shell was hired(hes not X and O coach) and that was assuming OC would call all the plays by himself.(someone like m Martz) If someone like R neuheisel is helping Walsh with play calling ,than Im fine with it. Ive said it in previous posts that if Walsh is calling the plays by himself, than Raiders offense is in serious trouble. Again lets wait till we see who gets QB coaching job and than we can judge who going to be developing the offense gameplan. I have said that if J shoop is assisting Walsh with gameplanning , I wouldn't be happy with direction offense is going. So where has my opinion changed.
Watching the Raiders Freak Show makes it feel liberating to be a JETS fan. Their sores are more oozy than ours. Now that's a treat.
NO Like former Raiders coach N Turner was comfortable with Jimmy Raye, Shell is comfortable with Walsh. Knows he not going to backstabb him to AL. Walsh philosphy of heavy emphasis on running game and going down the field, mesh with what raiders want to do. Hes going to play Raider football. Its just last time he had trouble making in game adjustment(thats where a R Neusheisel_If hes the guy) can come in and help him. Walsh is the OC (has final say) but Neusheisel can give him suggestions.
Sorry but if you think raiders have more sores than Jets than obviously you haven't check both teams rosters and coaching staffs. Want to debate this one
Again, this 4-12 vs. 4-12 smack fest is pathetic. A bunch of people in glass houses launching stones. Supposedly nobody wants to work for Davis but the Jets can't keep anyone they hire! Davis is criticized for taking his sweet time hiring a coach (something he's ALWAYS done by the way, Flores wasn't even hired until March), but the Jets peed down their leg and basically drew up a contract for a 34 year old before he even came in to interview. And nobody else even contacted him! Shell has the respect of Davis AND the players, most Raider coaches don't walk in the door with that credibility. And he's won there before. Mangini is certainly green (no pun intended), but very highly regarded as an assistant. Nobody should be beating their chests until we see what these teams do on the field... But I guess that would make this a boring board, right?
