The Sports Informant

The Raiders fired coach Lane Kiffin this morning. That’s no surprise. What is a surprise is that owner Al Davis hasn’t been run out of town yet. 

There isn’t one person I’ve talked to, ever, who had nice things to say about Davis. Every journalist I’ve ever met who has covered the Raiders or keeps an eye on the situation spouts stories of his crassness and dictator-like attitude somehow impeding their lifestyles. The media takes every shot it can at the guy and he keeps on ticking. Maybe he should suit up and help his team pass block.

The guy’s a solid rock. He’s not phased by what anyone says or thinks about him, and for decades he’s slowly ruined a franchise he once admirably built to be full of champions. He’s like George Steinbrenner in New York, but worse. He’s Al Davis.

Kiffin’s departure was expected after a 1-3 start. Shoot, I’m convinced Davis would fire Vince Lombardi if he started a season 1-3. In only his second year, and at only 33 years old, Kiffin needed time to develop his program, which seemingly has a decent future ahead with the personnel he’s put in place on the field. But time is not a gift Davis grants, and just a season and four games into his tenure, Kiffin is burnt toast.

The real problem in Oakland, like everyone has been saying for a decade, isn’t the carousel of coaches coming through. It’s the owner, and as long as he’s around, nothing will change.

He’s like Fidel Castro in Cuba, but we can’t create a trade embargo to shut Davis down. He thrives on bad decisions, and blames everyone under him when they don’t work out. The Randy Moss deal? To any other team, that looked like a no brainer. For Oakland, with Davis pulling the trigger, it turned into a misfire that blew up right back into the face of the franchise.

Now he’s built his monetary foundation around more troubled players in DeAngelo Hall, Ashley Lelie, Javon Walker and Kwame Harris, all making way more money than they should. Then Davis fires Kiffin and tries to pull back on the promised $4 million in his contract? Come on, Al, that’s chump change for you. Cut the guy a break. He’s got a family to feed. Tiny Tim’s even on a crutch this Christmas, can’t Mr. Scrooge share his wealth?

Only if it’s with the wrong people.

I wouldn’t ever wish death on anyone, so my best suggestion to run Davis out of town is to become a 49ers fan. Sorry. As long as he’s alive, Raider fans will suffer, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it.