Some things and Other things-SB Sunday Edition

By Dr. Bill Chachkes-Executive Editor-Football Reporters Online-Special Contributor

Our Congrats to the Hall of Fame Class of 2011: Richard Dent, Chris Hanburger--who was an Outstanding linebacker in his day ...Shannon Sharpe, Deion Sanders, Ed Sabol, Marshall Faulk, and Les Richter(also a Golden age Great)…as for Charles Haley & Curtis Martin-we can only hope for next year…..Speaking of Jets Players not in the Hall,..how about Joe Klecko getting come consideration??? Or Wr's Cris Carter and Tim Brown??? NY Giants Fans should be please to hear that Bill Parcells, Mike Strahan & Tiki Barber are all potentials next year, and at least one will get in…If Any of them get in we will make the trek to Canton…..
Eli Manning thinks Hakeem Nicks will make "yet another jump" and become one of the best Wr's in the NFL…he says even though several of his 25 int's bounced off WR's hands it still his job"to cut down" on them…Osi also wants Plaxico Burress back….Joining Eli, Brandon Jacobs, and others who have spoken out in Burress' favor…

We have reports of one of our all time favorite players, Giants QB Phil Simms, having a "heated" disagreement with Desmond Howard because of some remarks that Howard made on ESPN’s College Gameday during the season about his son Matt, the Tennessee QB. He made reference to Matt Simms being one of the worst QBs in the SEC during coverage of the Tennessee/LSU game. From Howard’s Twitter account. “At NFL-Xperience and Phil Simms just threatened 2 hit me b/c I said his son was 1 of the worse QBs in the SEC. I told him ‘LET’S GO!’” “I am DEAD serious about the Phil Simms thing. We all thought he was joking, but he kept going and said he wanted 2 take a swing at... Simms Responded through a CBS press release:
"Desmond and I were having a private conversation that became heated," Simms said in a statement released by CBS. "But at no time was there ever a chance of any physical confrontation, or that I felt the police officer assigned to me by the event planners for my appearance needed to separate the two of us."
I have a great deal of respect for both men, but this is simply a case of a Dad speaking up for his son…Any of us in this business are responsible for our comments, and no one is above reproach…At least Phil wasn't acting like Dez's fellow ESPN commentator Craig James when involved in his son Adam's issues with former College Coach MIKE LEACH…
Congrads go out to now former Hartford Colonials OL coach Todd Washington on his Hiring by the Ravens as OL coach…He also had a standout career at Va. Tech. in the 1990's
Lane Kiffin still can't get the "bad taste" of his year at Tennessee out of his head and mouth…The NCAA is investigating him for violations of all sorts...
The TEXAS vs. the Nation Game-Now renamed the "NFLPA college all star game" was played Yesterday with The TEXAS team winning 13-7...Clinton Portis' brother Josh was one of the Qb's featured in the game....

Mike Vick was named the AP's comeback player of the year, Seahawks WR MIke Williams was second in voting….Vick could be franchised, but claims he doesn't mind(probe because he'd still get a better contract then he has now and won't see most of the Money anyway because he's still paying damages from his past court dealings…The Eagles could also earn a greed deal in trading Kevin Kolb, Possibly 2 high draft picks and a player in return...
Pats owner Bob Kraft on The CBA talks:
"People don't want to hear about our squabbling," he said, "and it's criminal if we don't get a deal done.
"I've never seen the health of a business be as bright as this one."
Goodell says-If we don't get a settlement soon "the Cost goes up"
"1 Billion Dollars of revenue could be lost…"
The NFLPA is also trying to get some High profile agents to boycott the Combine and other Draft related activities…..Good Luck with That....

Drew Brees might have been SI's Sportsman of the year for 2010, but his comments regarding retired players before last years SB won't soon be forgotten….

Reports indicate Ravens players were upset with Harbaugh over length of practices leading up to Steeler playoff game...

The Eagles have Promoted Juan Castillo from OL coach to D-coordinator, which might seem strange, but at least one current NFL Head Coach, John Spagnulo of the Rams(the former Eagles LB's coach and Giants D-Coordinator) feels Castillo can make the move...


DeMAcrus Ware and Jay Ratliff glad to have Rob Ryan as the new Cowboys D-coordinator, hopefully the head coach and owner are too….

the U.S. ATF Div. of Homeland Security has the Bomb sniffing dogs from nearly 30 cities working at the SB and related events this week…

Everyone is talking about the Match ups between the two QB's on Sunday evening,..or the Possible Mismatch with Packers DL B.J. Raji vs. the Steelers OL's…but the real match up here is the two teams D-Coordinators,the Packers' Dom Capers(the former Panthers Head Coach) & The Steelers' Hall Of Famer Dick LeBeau…

Finally-Several polls have the Steelers winning the game by a 2-1 margin….

Don't forget FRO is Broadcasting it's Live SB preview show from3-6pm ET @ Public House NYC (140 E 41st. st off Lexington av.)
if you can't make it down in person listen @ www.blogtalkradio.com/Football-Reporters

Raiders Davis Fires Kiffin by Phone

Raiders’ Davis Fires Kiffin by Phone (I guess smoke signals would have taken too long) By Dr. Bill Chachkes for Football Reporters Online

So what makes this time different from the last? Davis said he had the goods on Kiffin and that his conduct was detrimental to the Raiders organization, to the coaching staff and players, and to Davis personally.
“I had to let him Go” Stated Mr. Davis. Sounds like wall street letting go of a few billion and saying Opps, we messed up. It seems like they have messed up plenty of times before. What is Davis’ Excuse this time? “I Hired the wrong guy”, and “he’s A flat out Liar” was his answer. So then what was his excuse for Mike Shanahan? Norv Turner? Jon Gruden? all now successful with other teams. Two of them, Turner and Shanahan even in the same division.

Who will save the Raiders now that the silver is mottled with rust? Not Interim head coach Tom Cable. Not this mystery off-season hiring of an exec who will bring the Raiders back. “We’ll get back, the Raiders will be back” said Davis, who surely would be better off in a nursing home right now then at the Raiders offices. Al, please hang it up. You are hurting the poor Raiders fans, and the people of Brooklyn NY where you are from.

Raiders Owner Al Davis Treating Head Coach Lane Kiffin Like Turd

Ok. You read the title and I'm standing by it. Oakland Raiders Manager of The General Partner Al Davis is reportedly treating his still-newly-hired Head Coach Lane Kiffin like a turd. It's a hard statement but look at the reports.

Apparently this all started because Kiffin wanted to replace Raiders Defensive Coordinator Rex Ryan, who's leaky run defenses have cost the Silver and Black chances to win close games in 2007. But Lane Kiffin's actions were reportedly blocked by Davis himself. When Kiffin complained to Davis, the owner asked him to resign; he did not and for good reason: Kiffin would lose the salary he's due of $2 million annual for the rest of his contract.

More to come on this mess.

Regardless of the real truth, it's clear the Raiders are once again surrounded by soap-opera drama on the scale of a daytime show.

1. The Oakland Raiders Finally Win - Beat Browns

After a streak of 11 straight losses, the Oakland Raiders, coached by Lane Kiffin, finally won a game. They beat the Cleveland Browns 26 to 24, and with a tactic used against them the following week at Denver.

In that game, the Raiders lined up to kick what would be the game winner in overtime, only to have a successful field goal attempted whistled dead because Denver Broncos Head Coach Mike Shanahan called a time out just a tick of the clock before the snap of the ball. When the Raiders lined up again, they missed the attempt.

This week Kiffin used the same maneuver against the Cleveland Browns when they lined up to kick what would have been the game winning field goal; the Browns came up short.

Yes, Kiffin’s a fast study. But lost in the discussion of the strategy used was that the Raiders were competitive in each game they played in, and so were bound to get a win.

The main difference is the offense. The combination of timed passes, varied formations, short drops, and zone-blocking has formed an offense that can move the ball and keep the defense off the field, which is a good thing because this Raiders defense isn’t the driving killing force of 2006.

Last year, I called for then-Raiders Offensive Coordinator Tom Walsh to be fired even before the season started, no so this year. Last year, the Raiders were a study in offensive ineptitude --- this year, the system they use is state of the art. I predicted a 9 and 7 season for the Silver and Black. I’ll stick to that.

Oakland Raiders Offense Getting Rave Reviews Already

Last year at almost this time, I called for then-Oakland Raiders Offensive Coordinator Tom Walsh to be fired. The problems with the offense were simple: terrible and outdated blocking schemes, passing plays that contained the 70s style of deep patterns, lack of formation variation, and inflexibility.

Many Raiders fans wanted my head, but I stuck to my point.

The result with new Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin is not just an up-to-date offense, but many of the problems I identified -- ok, all of them -- are gone. What's in place is the kind of offense that I have wanted the Raiders to install for years. It's only the first game of preseason, and yet the Raiders offense is getting rave reviews and deservedly so.

Let's review why.

1) Blocking.

It's simplictic to write "the blocking is better." What's better is that the linemen aren't being asked to hold blocks for a long time. What's better is that the timing of the pass patterns are matched with the kind of block the linemen are asked to make. And what's better is that the Raiders are using a variety of pass patterns, including one of my favorites where the receiver just turns to the quarterback and waits for the pass, because the cornerback's about 10 yards off of him.

Great.

2) Formations.

Last year, the Raiders didn't seem to understand that there were a ton of different ways to line up and create mismatches. Not so this year. The Raiders employed about 45 formation for the first game of preseason this year. Many of the sets were simple, and use of the shotgun was intelligent. What I'm getting at is the Silver and Black's going to present more complex approaches as the year goes on.

What's the point of all this? The defense can't zero in and stop the attack based on one concept -- there's too much to deal with for a defensive coordinator.

3) Pass Patterns.

As I stated before, pass patterns are more varied by far. It means more ways to get the receivers and backs opens. It means more ways to move the ball through the air.

In closing, the Raiders offense is not just better, it's much better. This is a credit to Coach Kiffin and Coach Knapp as well as The Raiders organization for making a bold step when it was needed.

Raiders Head Coach Lane Kiffin Looks To 2007 Season

Nothing to Look Back on, Raiders Only Look Ahead

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: April 1, 2007
When Lane Kiffin took over as the Oakland Raiders’ coach, one of the first things he told his new players was that he did not want to dwell on what went wrong last season.

For the players who went through a 2-14 campaign that led to the Raiders being the butt of jokes on late-night comedy shows and Coach Art Shell being fired, that was a welcome approach.

“That’s exactly what I wanted to hear,” offensive tackle Robert Gallery said. “He said it before I even had to. I didn’t want to have to talk about it. It’s over, we’re on to new things.”

That was especially true for Gallery and the offense, which had one of the worst seasons in league history. The Raiders scored 168 points — fifth fewest in a 16-game season — had 12 offensive touchdowns, allowed a league-worst 72 sacks and failed to score a touchdown in their final three games.

Gallery, the No. 2 overall pick in 2004, looked lost at times as he moved from right to left tackle. He said he feels much more comfortable under the new assistant Tom Cable’s direction than he did under the inexperienced Jackie Slater.

“The system didn’t fit the offensive linemen that you had,” said the new fullback Justin Griffith, who played for the Falcons last season when Cable was the offensive line coach. “I think it was more the system than it was the players.”

There is plenty of excitement in Oakland about the regime and a new start as the team tries to rebound from four straight losing seasons.

But this is the time of year for optimism for all teams with new coaches, when everyone hopes the change will lead to success and no one has lost a game yet.

“Right now everybody is happy, the sun is out, everything is good,” cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha said. “But when adversity hits you never know what you are going to get. Like always, I can’t predict the future. I don’t know what is going to happen, but right now he has been very positive and seems like a guy that can take control.”

Kiffin said more than 90 percent of the players have been at the voluntary workouts, showing up at least four days a week. One notable exception has been the disgruntled receiver Randy Moss, who expressed a desire to be traded at various points last season.

Kiffin and the coaching staff have begun putting in some of the new offense, which will include elements of the West Coast offense that the coordinator Greg Knapp has used in the past, with some wrinkles Kiffin has brought from U.S.C.

But much of the final product will depend on who is playing quarterback, which remains up in the air.

Andrew Walter is the only quarterback with N.F.L. experience on the roster. The team could select quarterback JaMarcus Russell of Louisiana State or Brady Quinn of Notre Dame with the No. 1 overall draft pick, and also bring in another veteran.

Kiffin has talked with the former Houston quarterback David Carr, who was released by the Texans. Kiffin was a graduate assistant at Fresno State when Carr was on the team.

But for now, Walter is the quarterback. The Raiders thought so highly of Walter that they did not use their first-round pick a year ago on Matt Leinart or Jay Cutler.

But given a chance to play when Aaron Brooks went down with an injury in the second game, Walter struggled last year.

Raiders "Hybrid" Bill Walsh Offense To Include Zone-Stretch Blocking - Tribune

This is from the blog entry of Jerry McDonald of The Oakland Tribune.

Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on March 29th, 2007
Expect the Raiders to make some defensive linemen very angry this year.

The expertise of some new coaches as well as some anecdotal evidence suggests that the Raiders will join the Denver Broncos as a cut-blocking scourge of the AFC West.

Recently acquired free-agent fullback Justin Griffith, participating Thursday in the club's voluntary off-season workout program, has taken a look at his new line and thinks they'll fit in just fine with a system imported from Atlanta by way of Denver.

"The system didn't fit the offensive lineman that you had," Griffith said of the 2006 Raiders line. "We've got a new offensive line coach now. Great system for these guys, especially in the running game. You really don't have to go and hit guys high, you can just cut 'em down."

The Raiders line coach, Tom Cable, continued the system taught by Alex Gibbs, who was a consultant last season for the Falcons. Gibbs made annual treks to USC to teach blocking while Lane Kiffin was the co-offensive line coach there.

Gibbs, a former Raiders assistant when Mike Shanahan was on staff, followed Shanahan to Denver and instituted the system of blocking which has made the Broncos the NFL's top rushing team since 1995.

Shanahan was also influenced by 49ers line coach Bobb McKittrick when he was the 49ers offensive coordinator. The same McKittrick whose tactics so enraged Howie Long in 1985 the two nearly scuffled in a Los Angeles Coliseum runway.

Center Jeremy Newberry played for McKittrick in San Francisco and under Cable at Cal. He describes Cable's philosophy as "stretch and cut."

Tackle Robert Gallery, who stands to benefit to a philosophy of agility rather than straight-ahead, man blocking, said, "You might think that (the Raiders will be similar to Denver and Atlanta). But we're really jsut working on techniques now . . . we'll know more down the road."

Newberry thought so much of Cable that when he learned Cable was leaving Cal to be a head coach at Idaho, he immedately applied for the NFL draft as a junior.

"It was unbelieveable that we fell into him," Kiffin said Thursday. "I had known him a little bit from his days at UCLA, for him to have been a head coach, an offensive coordinator, this offensive line coach isn't like a normal guy. He sees it all, he gets it, he sees outside the gox and for him to be here working with these thus and he's bringing to them already is great.

"System-wise, coming from SC, we were a dominant zone (blocking) team with a number of runs but specializing in zones."

Griffith, regarded as an excellent receiver out of the backfield, termed the Raiders offense, "West Coast" and is thrilled to be playing for Tom Rathman, who filled that role with the 49ers.

Kiffin called the evolving Raiders system a "hybrid."

More notes from Thursday's media session:

– Kiffin, who got a lot of positive press with the national media at the NFL owner's meetings, has already come a long way from the guy who understandably appeared stiff and nervous sitting next to Al Davis the day he was hired.

When asked if Andrew Walter learned anything from last year's weekly beatdown, Kiffin replied, "You can learn from anything. You can learn from divorce."

– Kiffin reaffirmed that he expected Moss to be a part of the Raiders this season, but really, what is he supposed to say?

Moss has already done a bang-up job trashing his own trade value, and Kiffin doesn't need to give him any more help in that regard. He's sure not going to trash the guy. Things will work out best for the Raiders if Kiffin says nice things about Moss right up to the moment he is sent on his way.

Moss has not attended a volutnary workout or talked to Kiffin other than a 15-minute phone call. Kiffin has had there meetings with Porter, cleared the air with Gallery and others, but has received just 15 minutes with Moss. He said he doesn't see this as odd.

"I don't because there wasn't anything from that time to this time that was pressing," Kiffin said. "Obvoiusly we'll have more conversations coming up and I look forward to working with him."

– Players come and go on a staggered schedule. Kiffin reports better than 90 percent attendance, which is about the same figure quoted by prevous coaches. Some of the Raiders spotted Thursday included LaMont Jordan, Walter, Gallery, Michael Huff and Nnamdi Asomugha.

– There have been no announcements, but unrestricted free agent guard Corey Hulsey has apparently been re-signed. Hulsey, who visited with the Giants recently, was in uniform with the team.

– Kiffin said the Raiders have spoken with representatives for unrestricted free agent quarterback David Carr, released last week by Houston. He declined to get into specifics. Kiffin was an offensive assistant for two years when Carr was at Fresno State.

– Telling comment from Gallery on what advice he would give to the No. 1 pick in the draft, currently owned by the Raiders.

"You've got to do your thing. You come in, work with the situation you're in," Gallery said. "It may not be, to start out, exactly what you want or what best fits you. But at some point you're going to show everybody what you're made of. What everybody says and writes about you, it only affects them. It doesn't really affect who you are."

Oakland Raiders Head Coach Lane Kiffin Gives New Life To WR Jerry Porter and WR Randy Moss

Contrary to reports, Oakland Raiders new Head Coach Lane Kiffin does not have a bad relationship with WR Randy Moss and has given WR Jerry Porter a new lease on his playing life, causing Porter to say he's excited. This is good news for the Raiders and is hopefully a sign of things to come.

A new day for Porter, Raiders
Outcast receiver excited to be playing under new coach Kiffin
By Bill SolidaySTAFF WRITER - OAKLAND TRIBUNE
Article Last Updated: 02/22/2007 09:21:01 AM PST

Peace with Jerry Porter certainly wasn't about to happen in Art Shell's time, but it already appears to have been achieved under new Raiders coach Lane Kiffin.
The two parties appear to have kissed and made up.
Porter, banished to the status of a fifth wheel for nearly all the 2006 season by Shell, is by all appearances, back in the good graces of the organization and vice versa.
That became apparent in a brief and unusual press release from the club Wednesday in which Porter was quoted as saying he has changed his number — and apparently his tune — and is once again "excited" to be a Raider.
He will now wear Tim Brown's old number (81) instead of his old one (84).
"I am truly honored and excited about changing my number to 81," Porter was quoted as saying. "For me, the new number represents a new start, a new beginning and new attitude."
Since being drafted by the Raiders in the second round of the 2000 draft, Porter has worn No. 84. The honor Porter to which refers is the retired club receiving leader and Porter confidante.
After a much-publicized falling out with Shell over his offseason workout agenda in the first meeting of the two a year ago, Porter, 28,from Sports 1
became the team's invisible man.
He caught only one pass for 19 yards and did not start a single game after starting 31 of 32 games the previous two seasons. He was the team's receiving leader both of those years, hauling in 64 and 76 passes for
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998 and 942 yards and scoring 14 touchdowns.
But after the argument with Shell, with his being thrown out of the coach's office and subsequently either benched, suspended or inactive for all but four games, there was no denying the team missed him.
Replacement Alvis Whitted had only 27 catches for 299 yards and no touchdowns as the Raiders finished last in the league in offense and next-to-last in passing.
In 2006, Porter was inactive for nine games, suspended for two, on injured reserve for one and appeared in four games with no starts.
His lone catch came against Pittsburgh, the week after spending two weeks on the suspended list. The club had originally suspended him for four weeks for conduct deemed detrimental to the team, but it was cut in half on an appeal.
From the time of the blowup with Shell, Porter made his desire to be traded quite clear. With the advent of Shell's dismissal and the hiring of Kiffin, that no longer appears to be the case.
"I've had multiple meetings with coach Kiffin, and I am very excited about the direction of our team and especially our offense," Porter said. "I can't wait to get started."
The apparent resolution of Porter's desire to be traded now poses the question of what happens with the other Raiders starting receiver — Randy Moss.
Like Porter, Moss was critical of Shell's offense and hinted he, too, would have no objections to leaving Oakland. Moss had the least productive season of his career with 42 catches for 553 yards and three touchdowns while missing three games.
Kiffin, in an interview with ESPN radio Wednesday, hinted that the Moss situation also appeared headed in a positive direction.
"We had a great conversation," Kiffin told ESPN. "I am excited about Randy. Randy said he was excited about being here. We are looking forward to working together."
When Moss left Minnesota to join the Raiders as a free agent in 2005, he gave up his usual No. 84 in deference to Porter, switching to No. 18. He now has an opportunity to reclaim his old number.
The significance of Porter taking Brown's old number was not lost on Brown.
"He wanted to do it the year I left (2003), but it was too soon," Brown said. "I talked to him yesterday, and he feels some people might trip, but it's been four years since I had that jersey on.
"Obviously this is a sign of respect for him to want to change ... so I look for him to do a lot of things different than he's done in the past."
Brown also said he made one thing clear, telling Porter, "I can't stop you from doing it, but you have to understand, if you put that jersey on, people are going to expect certain things."
But the retired Raiders great added: "I think this will be a good change for him. Hopefully, when he thinks about acting like a nut, he'll remember the number, and maybe that will be enough to keep him in line. I don't foresee that happening, though. I think the problem was Art, and now that situation is not there. It's a new beginning for him."
Staff writer Jerry McDonald contributed to this
report.
What's your take on where No. 81 Jerry Porter and the Raiders now stand? And where do you think this leaves Randy Moss? Include your first/last name and your city, and send comments (50-100 words) to Turn2@angnewspapers.com.

Rumor: Randy Moss Told-Off Coach Lane Kiffin - Oakland Tribune

The Oakland Tribune's Jerry McDonald's scored one, it seems. The ink isn't even dry on new head coach Lane Kiffin't contract, and already, rumors circulate that star Wide Receiver Randy Moss will not talk -- respectfully -- with Lane Kiffin.


The story making the rounds at the Senior Bowl is that Lane Kiffin's first attempt at establishing a rapport with Randy Moss didn't go too well.

Think Shell vs. Porter.

That confrontation, in the office of the head coach some 10 or 11 months ago, was the first crack in the foundation of the Shell regime.

Kiffin, by contrast, supposedly had trouble reaching Moss by phone. When he finally did, as the story goes, Moss told him in a pointed, profane terms he wasn't interested in talking.

It's been reported on a pair of ESPN radio interviews, and a source at the Senior Bowl confirms Kiffin vs. Moss was indeed a topic of discussion among coaches, scouts and personnel men in Mobile, Ala.

It's worth noting that no one has gone on the record with this story as of yet. Like the party game in which a story is whispered in the ear of one and passed down the line until it ends up being something completely different or exaggerated, maybe it's not as serious as it sounds.

But considering the way Moss acted last season, it certainly sounds possible.

The history of the Raiders new coach is that he addresses situations decisively, choosing a course of action then moving ahead, confident in his convictions. That he can sell an idea and is confident enough (some call it arrogant) to make it work.

I've spent the last few days researching and writing a profile on Kiffin, attempting to chart his path from a football savvy youth to, well, an NFL coaching youth. It will run in Monday's ANG Newspapers.

(That's at least part of my excuse for not filing blogs the past few days _ although it should be noted that with Kiffin hired, I won't be filing every day in this forum. Your own thoughts, however, are always welcome).

Family members, as well as friends and colleagues, have the utmost confidence Kiffin is up to handling even the most difficult veteran players.

David Watson, a USC assistant coach who went to high school with Kiffin, said his friend has dealt with all manner of personalities with the Trojans.

John Reaves, a former Florida quarterback who played nine years in the NFL and happens to be Kiffin's father-in-law, said Kiffin will have no problem taking a problem player "to the woodshed.''

Kiffin has two choices with Moss. He can either keep working to make nice, or tell Al Davis that the highest-salaried player on the team threatens to undermine his program before it starts.

If Moss indeed cursed Kiffin right off the bat, he may be doing the Raiders a favor. It's better for Moss to create an impossible situation and attempt to force at trade early than for him to show up, pretend to care, then turn off the spigot at his leisure.

It's possible that to have Moss insubordinate and uncooperative from Day 1 could be the first big break of the Kiffin regime becuase it could spur Davis to get rid of him.

The problem is Davis wants top dollar for top talent, and Moss has been so indifferent his value is at an all-time low.

If Kiffin didn't yet understand what it meant to be head coach of the Raiders at his press conference, he surely does now.

Oakland Raiders Cornerback Fabian Washington Happy With Change To Lane Kiffin - SF Chronicle

Raiders turn to fast Lane
REACTION: Oakland players welcome the change
David White, SF Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Raiders cornerback Fabian Washington has not spoken with Lane Kiffin. He doesn't know the coach's birth date, his philosophies on the vertical offense or exactly how he plans to turn around the worst team since 2003.

Here's what Washington does know: For the last two years, Kiffin held the keys to the juggernaut USC offense, and that alone has Washington pumped to get next season started.

"Hey, I'm excited about it," Washington said Tuesday in a telephone interview from his offseason home in Florida. "I hope he can do just half of what he did at USC with us. For what he's done there, I definitely think he can make it happen for us."

A sampling of players shared Washington's anticipation after Raiders owner Al Davis introduced Kiffin, now the former USC offensive coordinator, as Oakland's head coach at a news conference Tuesday.

Yes, Kiffin is only 31. No, he doesn't have NFL experience beyond one year at an entry-level job in Jacksonville, and that was seven years ago.

What Kiffin does have is six years of success working with Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush. His time spent with the Hollywood blockbuster known as USC football is buying a lot of advance cred among players.

"I don't care how old he is," Raiders center Jake Grove said. "I just want to win. Mr. Davis thinks that's the one who is going to help us win football games. I'm open to anything.

"Hopefully, he can help bring us back to where we're winning football games again and competing for Super Bowls."

If it seems as if Kiffin is being accepted with no concerns voiced, it's because the players, like many fans, are to the point where they will give someone -- anyone -- a chance to awaken the Raiders from their extended catatonic state.

Today's players don't go on about the rich history of Raiders football, like Davis did during his news conference. They grumble about going 2-14 last season and losing an NFL-worst 49 games in four years.

They clearly are weary of all the losing. If it takes hiring a college assistant who's the youngest coach in the NFL, and the youngest in franchise history, whatever.

If anything, Washington thinks Kiffin's age will help him work with today's players in ways former coach Art Shell, 60, couldn't in his only season back with the team.

"I think he'll be able to relate more with us," said Washington, who just finished his second NFL season. "It's going to be good to get some new energy around here. He's young, but he's been coaching at a high level. It's not like they pulled him out of Conference USA."

He's right: Kiffin comes from the Western Athletic Conference.

Kiffin was a reserve quarterback at Fresno State from 1994 through '96. He gave up playing and joined the staff of first-year coach Pat Hill as a student assistant in 1997.

For two years, Kiffin coached players who, in some cases, were older than he. That experience should help with the Raiders, who had nine players on last year's roster who were born before Kiffin. The majority were in elementary school at the same time as their new coach.

"You could tell right away he was real bright, a real sharp guy," Hill said. "He picked up on things real quick. This is great news for him. He's really on the fast track."

Cal coach Jeff Tedford was Kiffin's quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at Fresno State. When Kiffin began interviewing with the Raiders late last week, Tedford was one of three coaches he called for advice.

Tedford, who has been pursued by various NFL teams since coming to Cal, encouraged him to jump at the opportunity.

"He's always had a bright mind and has always been a very dedicated, hard worker," Tedford said. "I think this is a good decision by both sides."

USC coach Pete Carroll said the same about Kiffin, his choice to replace offensive coordinator Norm Chow two years ago.

Though Kiffin clearly benefited from a roster of All-America players every year, Carroll credited Kiffin with putting USC's talent to best use -- something Davis said he must do with a Raiders roster that got limited production from high-salary offensive players Randy Moss, Jerry Porter, LaMont Jordan and Robert Gallery.

"His ability to get the most out of his players has been obvious," Carroll said. "His expertise and the success he's had with our offense will play to the strengths of the Raiders' personnel. It will be exciting to see it unfold."

"Demote Lane Kiffin Blog" A Harbinger Of A Possible Raiders Future

I found this blog called "Demote Lane Kiffin" and created right after USC's loss to UCLA and aimed squarely and directly at Offensive Coordinator Lane Kiffin, who's now the Head Coach of the Oakland Raiders. It contains some interesting observations which fly in the face of the Raiders assertion that Kiffin's the right man to fix the offense. Here's a taste:

I agree wholeheartedly will all your views about the lame and unimaginative playing we have seen from USC's offensive side of the ball since Chow left. Kiffin has been outcoached since he has been offensive coordinator but was fortunate to have the talent last year to protect him from criticism. He is very inexperienced and is constantly being stopped by experienced defensive coordinators like we saw against UCLA. Like some coaches said after watching the UCLA game , he made no adjustments what so ever. Did he even think about running some outside screens to the running backs or wide receivers or maybe hmmmm I don't know keeping in more people to block so that Booty could find that mismatches that at WR that USC has?!?!? Yeah , I am upset USC lost but more furious on why we lost, poor coaching on the offensive side of the ball and that is not acceptable. Get rid of Kiffin now and insure that USC will remain a power house defensively and offensively.

And take a look here:

Anonymous said...
Thanks for the perspective, but 9 total points in a game is a little different than 9 total points in a half. Don't forget that the 2 superstars were present against Texas and the same play calling did not get it done-review the Texas game and see for yourself. In contrast, Norm's dissection of the Sooners is more than obvious and his adjustments: apparent. We are not saying fire Kiffin because he is not Norm Chow. Fire him because he is far from competent for this offense-if you don't think so watch the last 2 seasons and see the BS calls he consistently makes. Fire him because he is here based on connections and not talent or experience. Fire him because he has proven he is unable to drive this offensive machine. One side of the experiment has been proven: with Kiffin in control and 2 superstars we could not win a championship. With Kiffin in control and 2 superstars gone we could not win a championship. The formula is simple, superior talent + excellent coaching = success 2003-2004. Superior talent + poor coaching = close games and losses 2005-2006. Most likely, Kiffin is not going anywhere and we shall revisit this next year when Kiffin episode 3 comes to fruition.

And finally...

WOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Our wishes and dreams have come true! Lane Kiffin, better than being fired, has been HIRED! Thanks to that genius in the Bay Area, Al Davis, the USC faithful no longer have to worry about inept play calling on offense to ruin our chances at another National Championship.

It looks like Steve Sarkisian will be the big man on Offense. I can live with that for now. We'll see how it goes. Hopefully he's learned more from Norm than Lane did about offensive changes and varied playcalling.

Ahhhh, it's a good day to be a Trojan!

On Radio Show, Norm Chow Criticized Lane Kiffin's Play Calling At USC - Orange County Register

This article has not been widely reported, but is worth reading in light of the Raiders hiring of Kiffin as head coach. Note that Chow says that DeWayne Walker, a black coach and the UCLA Defensive Coordinator, dismantled the USC offense. Makes you wonder why the Raiders didn't talk to him rather than select the underqualified Kiffin..

Chow praises UCLA's Walker, criticizes USC's play-calling
USC football notes: Norm Chow takes a small shot at USC's offensive coaches.

By MARK SAXON
The Orange County Register

LOS ANGELES – Former USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow took a shot at the current play-calling tandem of Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian in an appearance on a Southern California radio show Tuesday.
"I know DeWayne Walker may be better than both of those guys," Chow said on KLAC/570. "DeWayne Walker is a heck of a football coach, which is why I wasn't too surprised he did what he did at UCLA."
Chow worked with both Kiffin and Walker at USC in 2001. Walker's UCLA defense largely dismantled the USC offense in a 13-9 Trojans loss early this month.
Kiffin said Chow's words didn't bother him much.
"Obviously, I worked with the guy for four years and DeWayne for a year, but what someone says about you really has nothing to do with how you go about your work every day," Kiffin said.
USC's play-calling was criticized at times this year, never more than after the UCLA loss. Kiffin points out that the Trojans averaged 30.3 points per game after losing Heisman Trophy winners Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart, plus LenDale White, an NFL tight end and three starting offensive linemen.
USC was third in the conference in scoring behind Cal and Oregon. The Trojans had the same number of turnovers as in 2005 and two fewer sacks.
"I feel very proud of these players," Kiffin said.
GRIFFEN COMMITS
USC's biggest recruiting commitment so far this year might have come Wednesday, when Avondale, Ariz., defensive end Everson Griffen announced he would attend USC instead of Michigan or Notre Dame. Both Kiffin and Coach Pete Carroll had visited Griffen, and the coaches made the 6-foot-4, 265-pound athlete their top priority.
Some USC coaches think Griffen is the best player they have yet recruited. The Trojans are working on four consecutive highly ranked classes. Griffen ran the 40 in 4.55 seconds.
USC also has a commitment from Tucson, Ariz., offensive lineman Kristofer O'Dowd, meaning it snatched two top recruits from the back yards of conference rivals Arizona and Arizona State.
NOTES
Freshman safety Antwine Perez has filed paperwork to transfer and has left the team, Carroll said. Perez is back home in New Jersey, and there are reports he is trying to transfer to Minnesota.
Freshman Taylor Mays was picked to start ahead of Perez, who also was blocked by sophomores Kevin Ellison and Mozique McCurtis.
Carroll spoke with both Perez and members of his family.
"He's looking for a better opportunity to play," Carroll said. ...
Mays was wearing a cast on a swollen hand Wednesday and was scheduled to have precautionary X-rays. Carroll said he should be OK. ...
Junior defensive end Lawrence Jackson said his decision to return for his senior year might have been different if he hadn't gone the first eight games of this season without a sack.
"It could have been different, but it didn't happen," Jackson said.

Lane Kiffin Named Head Coach Of The Oakland Raiders - www.raiders.com

Kiffin Named Head Coach
January 22, 2007

Lane Kiffin will be formally introduced as Head Coach of The Oakland Raiders during a press conference on Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 1:00 p.m. at the Raiders' facility in Alameda.

With his appointment today by Raiders owner Al Davis, Kiffin becomes the 16th head coach in franchise history and the youngest head coach in the NFL. The 31-year old Kiffin is also the youngest Head Coach in Raider history. Pro Football Hall of Fame Coach John Madden was 32 when he was elevated to the head post by Davis in 1969.

Most recently, Kiffin presided over the vaunted offensive attack at the University of Southern California that a featured long, medium and short-range passing game coupled with a power running attack. His tutoring helped the Trojans capture back-to-back National College Football Championships in 2003 and 2004.

Kiffin's play-calling, structure and offensive design helped the Trojan produce two Heisman Trophy winners-Reggie Bush in 2005 and Matt Leinart in 2004.

Kiffin, the son of longtime pro and college coach Monte Kiffin, just completed his sixth year at the University of Southern California. He joined the Trojan staff in 2001 handling the tight ends and he coached wide receivers from 2002-03. In 2004, he took on the responsibility of passing game coordinator as well as coaching wide receivers. In 2005, he was promoted to offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator in addition to continuing as the wide receivers coach.

Under Kiffin's offensive leadership in 2006, the Trojans finished first in the Pac-10 in passing efficiency, averaging 264 yards per game, produced two 1,000-yard receivers (Dwayne Jarrett-1,105, Steve Smith-1,083) and a 3,000-yard passer (John David Booty-3,347).

In 2005, Kiffin was named one of the nation's Top 25 recruiters and served as offensive coordinator of an offensive that ranked in the top six nationally in every offensive category, including tops in total offense (579.8 yards per game) and second in scoring offense (49.1), and set Pac-10 records for total offense yardage, first downs, points scored, touchdowns and PATs. The Trojans, who scored 50 points a school-record seven times, won games by an average of 26.2 points.

Kiffin's play-calling and offensive design enabled Bush to capture the 2005 Heisman and the Trojans to become the first school to have a 3,000-yard passer (Matt Leinart-3,815), a pair of 1,000-yard runners (Bush-1,777, LenDale White-1,319) and a 1,000-yard receiver (DwayneJarrett-1,274) in a season.

In 2004, Kiffin coached on a staff that led Southern California to its second straight National Championship. He was in charge of a passing attack that helped Leinart win the Heisman Trophy with 3,322 yards passing and 33 touchdowns.

He also mentored the Trojan wide receivers including Mike Williams, a consensus All-American first teamer and a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award in 2003, who set Southern California career (30) and season (16) touchdown reception records. Kiffin also coached Keary Colbert, who set the Southern California career reception record (207) and was a NFL second round pick and Jarrett, who was named Freshman All-American first team.

In 2002, Kiffin coached the Southern California wide receivers that included Williams, who was Freshman All-American first team and the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year and Colbert both of whom became Southern California's first pair of 1,000-yard receivers. He also coached Kareem Kelly, who became the Trojan career reception leader and was a sixth round NFL draft pick.

With Kiffin on the coaching staff, Southern California played in the 2001 Las Vegas Bowl, 2003 Orange Bowl, 2004 Rose Bowl, 2005 Orange Bowl (BCS Championship Game) and 2006 Rose Bowl (BCS Championship Game) and the 2007 Rose Bowl.

Kiffin was the defensive quality control coach for the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars in 2000 (he worked with the secondary). He began his coaching career at Fresno State, his alma mater, where for two seasons (1997-98) he worked with the quarterbacks, wide receivers and defensive backs. He then was an assistant at Colorado State in 1999, working with the offensive line. The Rams played in the Liberty Bowl that season.

Kiffin was a quarterback at Fresno State for three seasons (1994-96), where he was coached by current University of California Head Coach Jeff Tedford. He earned his bachelor's degree in leisure service management from Fresno State in 1998. He prepped at Bloomington (Minn.) Jefferson High, where he played football, basketball and baseball.

He was born May 9, 1975. His wife's name is Layla. They have two daughters, Landry, 2 and Pressley, 3 months. His father, Monte, is the defensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The elder Kiffin, a longtime NFL and collegiate assistant coach served as North Carolina State's head coach in the early 1980s. His brother, Chris, was a defensive lineman at Colorado State (2001-04).