Posted on 09/30/2008 1:37:43 PM PDT by Jersey Republican Biker Chick
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP)The Oakland Raiders fired Lane Kiffin on Tuesday just four games into his second season, bringing finality to a situation that had been simmering for eight months.
Kiffin had a 5-15 record since being hired last year, losing his final game 28-18 on Sunday to San Diego.
The decision on Kiffin was as much about his frequent criticisms of owner Al Davis franchise as it was the teams performance on the field. Those critiques reached a peak when Kiffin distanced himself from the defense after a blowout loss in the season opener, saying that was under coordinator Rob Ryan and Davis control.
The Raiders said the move was made for cause, meaning they will likely try not to pay Kiffin for the remainder of his contract. He signed a two-year deal worth about $4 million with a team option for 2009 when he took over last year. Kiffins agent Gary Uberstine had no immediate comment.
The move comes a day after the St. Louis Rams let go of Scott Linehan, marking the second firing at the quarter point of the season. The last time a coach had been fired this early in the season was when Davis got rid of Mike Shanahan after four games in 1989.
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.yahoo.com ...
Just Win, Baby!!!
Can he coach defense?
sounds a lot like a qb I remember that had the last name of Culpepper.
I remember a Broncos v. Raiders game in Denver. It was ‘96 or ‘97 and Davis was pacing the sideline during the pregame warm-ups. Shanahan
(Shanny) was on the opposite sideline talking to his back-up QB when he (Shanny) pointed at Davis. The QB suddenly threw the ball across the field narrowly missing Davis’s head by inches. Davis yelled something and then flipped Shanny the bird. I was watching from the stands at some distance but could tell exactly what was going on. Classic Shanny...
Alameda -- Raiders owner Al Davis said Tuesday afternoon that he fired head coach Lane Kiffin on Tuesday morning because Kiffin is a "flat-out liar" who had undermined the team with his media dealings. "It was after a short period of time that I realized I didn't hire the person I thought I was hiring," Davis said.
Davis fired Kiffin "with cause," meaning he doesn't intend to pay Kiffin the rest of his contract. In an hourlong news conference in Alameda, Davis said that contrary to what Kiffin has said, the Raiders owner has spoken with his coach this season. And he said he gave Kiffin a letter on Sept. 12 detailing how Kiffin's conduct amounted to transgressions that could lead to a firing with cause.
Kiffin had roughly $3.5 million left on his contract, which runs through the 2009-2010 season.
Davis fired Kiffin two days after the Raiders lost to the visiting Chargers 28-18, blowing a two-score lead in the fourth quarter for the second straight week.
Kiffin will be replaced, on an interim basis, by offensive line coach Tom Cable. . . .
SFGate excerpt: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/30/SPL7138OOB.DTL
How y’all liking “Me’angelo”?
Signed,
A falcon fan
Hopefully Childress will be available soon.
You see the picture of Al at the press conference? Holy $%^#, does he look like death warmed over or what? Reminds me of Keith Richards...
Ironically, Al Davis said Kiffin interviewed for that job.
Who would possibly be dumb enough to accept a coaching job with the Raiders now...??
Petrino left my falcons as a coward...in the middle of the night. The players hated him.
Yes, I covet every arsewhippin’ the hogs are suffering.
Does he want a college job? Hopefully one will be opening up around Knoxville in the next couple of months.
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