Lane Kiffin: YOU'RE FIRED!!!

Doctor Doom · 09-30-2008, 11:38 PM

Quote:

SOURCE: Associated Press

The inevitable became reality Tuesday when Lane Kiffin was fired by Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis

In a one-paragraph release, the team said, "Lane Kiffin has been released as head coach of the Oakland Raiders for cause. "

Sources told ESPN that Kiffin was fired via the telephone and without pay.

"I reached a point where I felt that the whole staff were fractionalized, that the best thing to do to get this thing back was to make a change," Davis said during a lengthy news conference. "It hurts because I picked the guy. I picked the wrong guy."
Raiders offensive line coach Tom Cable has accepted the head-coaching job. Cable was introduced at a news conference later Tuesday. Cable was among three coaches interviewed by Davis on Monday night; the others were offensive coordinator Greg Knapp and special consultant Paul Hackett.

Cable is regarded as one of the top offensive line coaches in the game, and worked with successful units in Atlanta and Oakland. He spent four years as a college head coach at Idaho, and was also an assistant at UCLA, California and Colorado

"This is in many ways a strange day," Cable said. "I have a friend who lost a job. That's difficult in this business but, as we know, this is a business. It is time for us to move forward and to put the past behind us. ... We have a good coaching staff here and a good football team here."

Unlike the St. Louis Rams, who fired coach Scott Linehan on Monday, the Raiders and Davis did not deliver the news in a face-to-face meeting. Kiffin was notified by a team executive Tuesday morning that Davis would call him at 9:15 a.m. PT to relieve the coach of his duties. The call came shortly after that time.

Linehan also was allowed to speak briefly with his players on Monday. Kiffin will not be afforded the same opportunity, a source said.
The news did not blindside Kiffin, who was informed by a team executive that he would be fired after the Raiders' 24-23 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 3. Even though Davis didn't act a week ago, as Kiffin was told, many team insiders expected the Oakland owner to fire the coach during this bye week.

"I know that we left this team a lot better than when we got here," Kiffin told KPIX. He is expected to have his own press conference on Wednesday. Speaking to ESPN's SportsCenter on Tuesday, Kiffin did take exception with Davis' take on the situation.

"It was very painful for myself and my family," he said. "A lot of accusations were being made there. A lot of information was put up. A number of lies were very hurtful. It was tough to stomach for myself and my family. But it is what it is. We'll deal with it from here."

The Raiders are 1-3, having blown leads in the fourth quarter to the Bills and the San Diego Chargers. During Kiffin's 20-game tenure, in which the team was 5-15, the Raiders took leads into the fourth quarter of 11 games.

Davis hired Kiffin, who was USC's offensive coordinator at the time, as the NFL's youngest coach at 31 years old in February 2007. Even though many observers questioned the hiring, Kiffin ultimately gained respect around the league for fielding a significantly more competitive team than the Raiders had displayed before he was hired.

Despite Oakland being competitive in the majority of its games, Kiffin and Davis had a falling out on several fronts, starting when Davis believed Kiffin expressed private interest in the head-coaching position at the University of Arkansas during the 2007 season.

However, it was well-documented that their relationship disintegrated when Kiffin attempted to fire defensive coordinator Rob Ryan after the 2007 season. A source said Kiffin suggested to Davis that the owner had reneged on an agreement that the coach would have control over his own staff. Shortly thereafter, Davis sent a letter of resignation for Kiffin to sign, sources said. Kiffin declined.

Davis denied a report that Kiffin was sent a resignation letter in the past but refused to sign it. The owner said that Kiffin was responsible for getting that false claim into the media. On Tuesday, Davis was asked if Kiffin was trying to get fired so that he would receive the remainder of his salary.

"I don't know what he was doing, but he got me to fire him," Davis said.
Kiffin denied any attempt to get fired and said that he has lawyers looking into the Raiders' attempt to avoid paying the coach.

Kiffin had opposed some of Davis' big free-agent signings such as wide receiver Javon Walker and, to a lesser degree, cornerback DeAngelo Hall, sources said. Kiffin also expressed public frustration that the team was not more aggressive in claiming other teams' released players via the waiver process to strengthen the bottom of the roster.

However, a Raiders source said that Davis privately sent a letter to Kiffin after the season's opening-game loss to the Broncos, attempting to "document" that the coach approved of the offseason acquisitions. A source close to Kiffin described that claim as "fiction."

It's about damn time you grew some balls Al. The Raiders were 5-15 from 2007 to right now. Since the NFL probably don't want him, he could always fit in, in college football.

Joe Cool · 10-01-2008, 12:04 AM

The Raiders have more wrong with them then most head coaches could fix in two years. I feel for Kiffin when he actually got them up to where they were at least scoring some decent points.

Al Davis is a moron and the Raider franchise will be in the toilet for years to come because his piss poor attitude and decision making.

Doctor Doom · 10-01-2008, 12:17 AM

He's too old to be in charge of the Raiders organization. He's been in charge of the team since 1972, winning 3 Super Bowls and shit. He hasn't achieved anything since then, except hiring Bill Callahan and taking the team to Super Bowl XXXVII, only to lose 48-21 against the Buccaneers. Someone needs to take his spot as President of the Raiders organization and turn the organization around.

Twist of lEMOn · 10-01-2008, 12:43 AM

Heres the thing with Al Davis, went it comes to talent out of the draft, I alot of the times agree with what he does. When it comes to resigning talent and the free agent period, he gets the most WTF worthy faces from me. JaMarcus and McFadden and both kids who can do well in a year or two, especially if there able to land someone like Michael Crabtree (who fits the Raiders prototype for drafting)

Tommy Kelly being the highest paid DT? ACL Injury Influx? Javon Walker!? Guy either needs to leave free agents and contracts to someone else or quit the team.

As for Kiffin, I feel bad for the guy but he'll land on his feet somewhere.

Freak · 10-01-2008, 02:24 AM

Anyone with real hopes of an NFL coaching career should stay far, far, far away from that job.

WackoJako · 10-01-2008, 03:47 AM

I'm more interested into seeing how the intend to get off without giving him at least some of the contract he was owed. The Raiders seem to make one positive move (draft McFadden) then two bad moves (signing Javon Walker and Tommy Kelly to such big contracts) they have a few bright spots Kirk Morrison at LB and Asomugha at CB are both quite talented, They are still a few years off though.

Toaster Oven · 10-01-2008, 05:24 AM

First off, Tommy Kelly was a top 3 DT last year, so the big contract was semi-earned. I don't agree with the longevity of it, mainly because DT's don't have that long of a life-span(same with long term contract HBs). Al Davis will forever run the raiders. Lord knows he'd draft some flashy offensive player on his deathbed as well.

I don't believe this is Kiffin's fault, I believe Kiffin was first off, wrongly brought in, and then, given almost no time, and nothing but a pretty good defense to work with.

CM Diddy · 10-01-2008, 09:18 AM

SportsCenter was so awesome. First the Comedy Central Roast of Lane Kiffin, hosted by Al Davis. Then they go right to Kiffins house, so he can commentate on how he feels immediatley after getting fired, and more or less tar and feathered.

Only thing that would have made it more entertaining, would be Kiffin in his front yard lighting all his Raider gear on fire, and getting bleeped every four seconds for obsenities while doing it. Also...putting his thumbs to his temples and waving his fingers, with his tongue out like a 3rd grader would have been nice, too.

Lane Kiffin: YOU'RE FIRED!!!

This is a discussion on Lane Kiffin: YOU'RE FIRED!!! within the North American Sports forums, part of the Sports Forums category; SOURCE: Associated Press The inevitable became reality Tuesday when Lane Kiffin was fired by Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis In ...