The Raiders have finally decided on a head coach, and it's the same guy who took over for Lane Kiffin midway through the 2008 season: Tom Cable. Not much of a mystery, really, other than Cable proclaiming that Oakland will give fans "a team you can be proud of every Sunday." As MDS pointed out, it's hard to figure the Raiders becoming a great football team anytime soon, primarily because they've managed just 24 wins in the previous six seasons. The man responsible for the franchise's current predicament, owner Al Davis, is less optimistic than Cable about the promise 2009 might hold. From today's presser:
Q: Cable was talking about making the playoffs. Do you expect a playoff run this year?Davis also had some thoughts on Kiffin, which were perfectly predictable in an outta-nowhere, Al Davis-is-freaking-insane sorta way. When asked if he regretted not making the change from Kiffin to Cable prior to the '08 season, the Raiders owner offered this:
AL DAVIS: No. ...
Q: I thought you like to win Super Bowls.
AL DAVIS: I do like to win Super Bowls. But I'm also realistic. I know where we are in the thing. We can win a division. We have to do a little bit more to win a division. But winning Super Bowls? I don't think this team is ready yet to win a Super Bowl.
We may be a year away of putting another good group together. Putting another good group and of course No. 2 (JaMarcus Russell), that's a formidable thing. But I really think Hackett can handle that. I really feel good about that.
I tried to reason with the guy. I thought we could get something out of him. I wanted to push it through to see if I could push it through. I guess it was my stubbornness, too. But he was bad. He was a liar, flat out, which I told you. ...So here's what we've learned today: Cable has big plans for the Raiders, perhaps hoping for some '08 Falcons-like resurgence for his team. Davis, while, in general, delusional, harbors no such delusions about Oakland's playoff chances next season. Odd. Oh, and he still hates Kiffin's guts.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-04-2009 @ 10:02PM
Bob said...
Of course Al Davis is being realistic, because he knows that no matter what great ideas and positive changes a new coach may have, Davis will meddle enough to screw it all up again. All Raiders coaches eventually find out that attempting to right that ship is where phrases like "No good deed goes unpunished" come from. Don't throw out that resume just yet, Cable.
Reply
2-05-2009 @ 9:40AM
rodandendron said...
Raider fans are lucky to have a team owner like Al Davis, a professional football guy from the old school. Sure, in this era of buttoned-down bankers and baby-faced spread gurus he seems mildly anachronistic and occasionally nuts, his hands-on style has kept their franchise interesting, talented, and (over time) successful. If you think the average Raider fan would trade him for Dan Snyder, Jerry Jones, Bill Bidwell, and whomever owns the Browns/Lions/Chiefs/Bengals, you're delusional.
Reply
2-05-2009 @ 11:15AM
Chris said...
Al Davis died over 4 years ago. The misery and insanity continue to annimate that nasty carcus.
The Raiders are the Browns of the West! Good luck with whatever attempt is made to glue together a football team. Nothing will change until that menace of an owner either dies or some other higher authority with loads of cash pays more than the teams worth to get it turned around.
Reply
2-06-2009 @ 7:51AM
rogericanfixthat said...
when you dad gets old and crazy will you throw him out of the clan???? mr Al Davis paved the way . chiefs won 3 games no one says its the owners fault, LONG LIVE AL DAVIS
Reply
2-06-2009 @ 3:14PM
fredodeservedit said...
al davis seems lucid
Reply
2-08-2009 @ 5:16AM
DADDYO said...
#1 Tom Cable's lips are glued to Al's buttocks.
#2 Our team is a bunch a dysfunctional guys who are looking for a quick buck and ticket out of Oakland.
#3 We need a new owner, a GM and a real head coach who will come in and clean house.
#4 Wanna bet we go 4-12 in 2009?
Reply