New Pseudo Leader Takes the Helm
A new leader will be given the opportunity of reviving the “greatness of the Raiders”. The leader comes in the form of 31 year-old Lane Kiffin, the latest man to be don the head coaching reigns in Oakland. Kiffin, formerly the offensive coordinator at USC, becomes the 4th head coach in the last five years to lead the struggling franchise.
Oakland’s recent 2-14 season made it necessary to bring in yet another head coach to exact some control of the franchise. Same old story from Alameda, or a new beginning?
I’m all for fresh starts and heavens knows this team needs a fresh start, but what kind of control will Kiffin have over the likes of Randy Moss, Warren Sapp and Jerry Porter?
The answer may be sandwiched in the middle of those three players. Sapp played for 30-something coach back in 2003 name John Gruden. Remember him? That kid-coach took the Raiders to two AFC Championships before riling enough feathers in Oakland to get himself traded to Tampa Bay.
We all know how that story ended. Kiffin’s dad Monty had a little something to do with the story when it wrapped up in San Diego on that dreary day in Raider history. The one important thing to remember in that whole story was that Sapp played for that kid coach. Even after Malcolm Glaser ran Sapp’s good buddy Tony Dungy out of Tampa, he played his butt off for the new kid coach.
If Kiffin has any chance of being successful, it will come after forging a relationship with team leaders like Sapp. No, Randy Moss isn’t a team leader, nor is Jerry Porter. Warren Sapp is the guy Kiffin needs to win over.
Al Davis has always done things his own way, and I have to admit, I was skeptical when I had heard that the Raiders tired owner had finally landed a warm body to take the job. It was no secret that Steve Sarkesian was Davis’ first choice, but he had to settle on Kiffin.
What might be a slight glimmer of historical hope is that Gruden was not Davis’s first choice when he handed the helm over to the then 34-year old nobody. Kiffin is three years younger than Gruden was when he accepted the Raiders job, and doesn’t have the same NFL pedigree that Gruden had, but he does come from one of the most successful programs in NCAA history.
Kiffin may also have a larger role to play in the Raiders draft. Gruden had no such influence his first season in Oakland. Of course, Gruden didn’t need to fill as many gapping holes on offense. He had an MVP quarterback in Rich Gannon, and two future HOF receivers in Tim Brown and Jerry Rice.
Kiffen has Moss, Porter and a gaping hole at QB.
My money says, stay tuned to see how this one pans out. An infusion of youth may be just what the doctor ordered.
Oakland’s recent 2-14 season made it necessary to bring in yet another head coach to exact some control of the franchise. Same old story from Alameda, or a new beginning?
I’m all for fresh starts and heavens knows this team needs a fresh start, but what kind of control will Kiffin have over the likes of Randy Moss, Warren Sapp and Jerry Porter?
The answer may be sandwiched in the middle of those three players. Sapp played for 30-something coach back in 2003 name John Gruden. Remember him? That kid-coach took the Raiders to two AFC Championships before riling enough feathers in Oakland to get himself traded to Tampa Bay.
We all know how that story ended. Kiffin’s dad Monty had a little something to do with the story when it wrapped up in San Diego on that dreary day in Raider history. The one important thing to remember in that whole story was that Sapp played for that kid coach. Even after Malcolm Glaser ran Sapp’s good buddy Tony Dungy out of Tampa, he played his butt off for the new kid coach.
If Kiffin has any chance of being successful, it will come after forging a relationship with team leaders like Sapp. No, Randy Moss isn’t a team leader, nor is Jerry Porter. Warren Sapp is the guy Kiffin needs to win over.
Al Davis has always done things his own way, and I have to admit, I was skeptical when I had heard that the Raiders tired owner had finally landed a warm body to take the job. It was no secret that Steve Sarkesian was Davis’ first choice, but he had to settle on Kiffin.
What might be a slight glimmer of historical hope is that Gruden was not Davis’s first choice when he handed the helm over to the then 34-year old nobody. Kiffin is three years younger than Gruden was when he accepted the Raiders job, and doesn’t have the same NFL pedigree that Gruden had, but he does come from one of the most successful programs in NCAA history.
Kiffin may also have a larger role to play in the Raiders draft. Gruden had no such influence his first season in Oakland. Of course, Gruden didn’t need to fill as many gapping holes on offense. He had an MVP quarterback in Rich Gannon, and two future HOF receivers in Tim Brown and Jerry Rice.
Kiffen has Moss, Porter and a gaping hole at QB.
My money says, stay tuned to see how this one pans out. An infusion of youth may be just what the doctor ordered.
posted by Mike at
11:24 PM
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