Lane Kiffin to be fired on Monday

[DeToxRox]

FOX Sports on MSN - NFL - Sources: Raiders' Davis to fire Kiffin Monday (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8593236/Sources:-Raiders%27-Davis-to-fire-Kiffin-Monday-)

Old Man Ford has competition as worst owner in the NFL.

[Cringer]

I don't think Al Davis is actually new competition in the worst owner race. This has been rumored since week 1 so it doesn't surprise me it is back, or may actually happen, after the week 3 loss late to the Bills. Of course Kiffin has no control or say over the defense, so I don't know why Kiffin gets the blame there besides Al Davis is an ass.

[Raiders Army]

I don't think Al Davis is actually new competition in the worst owner race. This has been rumored since week 1 so it doesn't surprise me it is back, or may actually happen, after the week 3 loss late to the Bills. Of course Kiffin has no control or say over the defense, so I don't know why Kiffin gets the blame there besides Al Davis is an ass.

It's been rumored longer than that. I think there's some blame on both sides (Al and Kiffin). Kiffin should've kept his mouth shut in the media. The game yesterday looked like an intentional loss. Al just needs...just needs to go.

[Apathetic Lurker]

It's been rumored longer than that. I think there's some blame on both sides (Al and Kiffin). Kiffin should've kept his mouth shut in the media. The game yesterday looked like an intentional loss. Al just needs...just needs to go.

Intentional loss my ass!! They just folded like a bunch of card tables.....


Al needs to go

[MacroGuru]

Actually I was at the game yesterday.

The raiders should not be 1-2 they are a better coached team than that. They had the Bills number.

The Raiders did everything possible to win, they had moved the pocket and Jamarcus Russell looked efficient with the moving pocket.

Defensively they stunted, scraped and twisted and wrecked havoc.

I think it's a cause of two divisions in the camp and it looks like Ryans division was going to win no matter what.

[timmynausea]

There's been a rumor this past week that Kiffin is lined up to take the Syracuse job. Apparently he has a relationship with the AD as they were both at USC at the same time. It would seem strange to me to go for another NFL, West Coast guy, but I can't imagine Cuse would be able to pull in a bigger name with better coaching connections, even if he lacks the local recruiting connections.

[sachmo71]

If he can make that bunch of screw-ups look better and better each week, he should be nominated for coach of the year. Fired? Al Davis is a maroon.

[Chubby]

There's been a rumor this past week that Kiffin is lined up to take the Syracuse job. Apparently he has a relationship with the AD as they were both at USC at the same time. It would seem strange to me to go for another NFL, West Coast guy, but I can't imagine Cuse would be able to pull in a bigger name with better coaching connections, even if he lacks the local recruiting connections.

I'd be thrilled to get Kiffin here at SU. The defense fell apart (Ryan) and even tho the offense didn't do a whole hell of a lot they did break that long TD and didn't turn the ball over. If the defense could have stopped anything the Raiders would have won.

[molson]

I'd be thrilled to get Kiffin here at SU. The defense fell apart (Ryan) and even tho the offense didn't do a whole hell of a lot they did break that long TD and didn't turn the ball over. If the defense could have stopped anything the Raiders would have won.

Huh, you don't think Coach Robinson is the long-term solution at SU??????

I think that 9-point win over Northeastern proves they're on the right track.

[Chubby]

Huh, you don't think Coach Robinson is the long-term solution at SU??????

I think that 9-point win over Northeastern proves they're on the right track.

Heh, I was bummed they didn't go after Chow (when they finally got rid of P-brain). Robinson just isn't working, I wouldn't mind the crappy records if there was at least improvement

[Young Drachma]

Come to Rutgers. Help Schiano coach. k, plz tks

[miked]

Come to Rutgers. Help Schiano coach. k, plz tks

P.S. Please bring some defensive backs, too.

[DeToxRox]

Kiffin to the Cuse seems like a stretch .. Considering Al Davis a huge donor there.

[cartman]

Greg Robinson's performance at Syracuse really surprised me. He was a hell of a defensive coordinator, but I guess he just couldn't make the jump to head coach.

[hoopsguy]

He was a hell of a defensive coordinator

Guess I would be interested in hearing what Broncos fans think about this statement. I certainly didn't share this opinion.

[cartman]

Guess I would be interested in hearing what Broncos fans think about this statement. I certainly didn't share this opinion.

Ask some Auburn or Texas fans.

[molson]

It's kind of sad that Al Davis is primarily known only for his "decrepit years". The guy would be a highly-respected legend if not for the last 20 years.

[sterlingice]

Greg Robinson's performance at Syracuse really surprised me. He was a hell of a defensive coordinator, but I guess he just couldn't make the jump to head coach.

I know they never liked him in KC, tho it could be argued he never had the personnel.

SI

[timmynausea]

Kiffin to the Cuse seems like a stretch .. Considering Al Davis a huge donor there.

There was some talk about that as well. Many Cuse fans weren't sure how involved Davis is in the program at this point. I'd think the AD's relationship could trump one donor's take, but you never know. The other thing is that whoever takes the job is only going to get about $1 million, so relatively low pay to take over a program in shambles could really limit their choices.

My guess was that Skip Holtz would end up there, but now I think he'll end up at Pitt unless Wanny pulls off a miracle down the stretch this year.

[DeToxRox]

There was some talk about that as well. Many Cuse fans weren't sure how involved Davis is in the program at this point. I'd think the AD's relationship could trump one donor's take, but you never know. The other thing is that whoever takes the job is only going to get about $1 million, so relatively low pay to take over a program in shambles could really limit their choices.

My guess was that Skip Holtz would end up there, but now I think he'll end up at Pitt unless Wanny pulls off a miracle down the stretch this year.

Syracuse needs to throw the bank at Turner Gill. This guy is legit.

[CU Tiger]

My guess was that Skip Holtz would end up there, but now I think he'll end up at Pitt unless Wanny pulls off a miracle down the stretch this year.


Skip has his eye on two or three jobs, I hear. And SU isnt on that list.
Word is he either wants to renew his daddy's greatness or avenge his greatest failure. With possible interest in PSU....

[Honolulu_Blue]

We can just keep this thread around and bump it after every game the Raiders lose.

[molson]

The other thing is that whoever takes the job is only going to get about $1 million, so relatively low pay to take over a program in shambles could really limit their choices.



Ya, Cuse fans REALLY need to temper their expecations this time around. (the names some of them shoot around the message boards are a little ridiculous and sad, kind of like a lesser version of when Indiana basketball fans still consider their program elite).

It's a trend, northern college football is dying a slow death.

[Galaxy]

Syracuse needs to throw the bank at Turner Gill. This guy is legit.

Nebraska passed him up. I wonder if UB will be attractive to the Big East down the line.

[Apathetic Lurker]

Syracuse needs to throw the bank at Turner Gill. This guy is legit.


You shut up! Let him stay up here in cozy Buffalo

[stevew]

Its too bad Al Davis and Marge schott never made a kid.

[MacroGuru]

Its too bad Al Davis and Marge schott never made a kid.

I thought that was Steinbrenner....

[fantom1979]

2 more hours and Kiffen survives another Monday.

[miami_fan]

I am sure I asked before but what is the deal with the ownership in Oakland? Al Davis is the "managing general partner" but where are the other partners? Does Al have any kids who will take over? How is it that we hear nothing from anyone in the organization at all? Even Detroit's owner's son opened his mouth yesterday.

[Kodos]

Ya, Cuse fans REALLY need to temper their expecations this time around. (the names some of them shoot around the message boards are a little ridiculous and sad, kind of like a lesser version of when Indiana basketball fans still consider their program elite).

It's a trend, northern college football is dying a slow death.

I'll refer you to my sig. Tom Crean is doing amazing things recruiting-wise, considering the bind that our program was in after our last idiot coach. IU will be back in the upper echelon in basketball soon.

[Apathetic Lurker]

I am sure I asked before but what is the deal with the ownership in Oakland? Al Davis is the "managing general partner" but where are the other partners? Does Al have any kids who will take over? How is it that we hear nothing from anyone in the organization at all? Even Detroit's owner's son opened his mouth yesterday.

He wont let his other personalities have any public say

[fantom1979]

I am sure I asked before but what is the deal with the ownership in Oakland? Al Davis is the "managing general partner" but where are the other partners? Does Al have any kids who will take over? How is it that we hear nothing from anyone in the organization at all? Even Detroit's owner's son opened his mouth yesterday.


According to wikipedia, Davis is believed to own about 67 percent of the team and is the team's sole general partner

[molson]

Since this has secondarily become a Syracuse coaching situation thread, Daryl Gross threw out some barbs today. Though most of the blame needs to go on him for not only making the hire, but delaying any possible rebuilding at least one year after it was 100% obvious to everyone else that Robinson isn't the guy.

ESPN - Robinson's time at Syracuse coach appears to be growing short - College Football (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3604094)

"It isn't working out," Gross said of Robinson. "It's very disappointing … He has some work to do out in front of him."

Gross, who came to Syracuse from the USC athletic department in December 2004, has been stung by recent coast-to-coast criticism, including on ESPN's "College GameDay," of the program's decline under his watch. He made an unsolicited phone call to ESPN.com to defend himself, citing the university's success in nonrevenue sports, ranging from the 2008 NCAA men's lacrosse championship to an Orange field hockey program currently ranked third in the nation.

"We got so many good things going on here," Gross said. "The 800-pound gorilla is football. You and I both know we've been very fair to Coach Robinson. Everyone wanted the guy's head last year. I said I didn't want Syracuse to become one of those three-years-and-out schools. I said, 'Let's calm down and [if needed] we'll get the first pick of the draft [of coaching candidates] next year.' That's where we are."

Gross laughed off speculation that he will hire Lane Kiffin, the Raiders coach rumored to be on his way out in Oakland. The two of them worked together at USC.

[Sun Tzu]

Why on earth would anybdy want to play or coach for a team with this guy as the owner?

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w205/bradcymru/aldavis.jpg

[timmynausea]

That picture is scary unless you imagine him doing the cryptkeeper laugh. Then it is funny.

[JediKooter]

I think he's bitching because there's not enough rum in his coke.

[Chubby]

Since this has secondarily become a Syracuse coaching situation thread, Daryl Gross threw out some barbs today. Though most of the blame needs to go on him for not only making the hire, but delaying any possible rebuilding at least one year after it was 100% obvious to everyone else that Robinson isn't the guy.

ESPN - Robinson's time at Syracuse coach appears to be growing short - College Football (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3604094)

"It isn't working out," Gross said of Robinson. "It's very disappointing … He has some work to do out in front of him."

Gross, who came to Syracuse from the USC athletic department in December 2004, has been stung by recent coast-to-coast criticism, including on ESPN's "College GameDay," of the program's decline under his watch. He made an unsolicited phone call to ESPN.com to defend himself, citing the university's success in nonrevenue sports, ranging from the 2008 NCAA men's lacrosse championship to an Orange field hockey program currently ranked third in the nation.

"We got so many good things going on here," Gross said. "The 800-pound gorilla is football. You and I both know we've been very fair to Coach Robinson. Everyone wanted the guy's head last year. I said I didn't want Syracuse to become one of those three-years-and-out schools. I said, 'Let's calm down and [if needed] we'll get the first pick of the draft [of coaching candidates] next year.' That's where we are."

Gross laughed off speculation that he will hire Lane Kiffin, the Raiders coach rumored to be on his way out in Oakland. The two of them worked together at USC.

He laughed it off but didn't deny it :)

I for one don't give a fuck who they bring in as long as they get back to respectable. Nobody has ever demanded national championships but give us hard working, sound football teams that have great seasons once in a great while and we're happy.

[Chubby]

from syracuse.com after the ESPN story was talked about...

"
UPDATE: On the Kiffin angle in this story, Gross told me this afternoon that "hypothetically speaking, Kiffin would be a candidate in any coaching search here if one were to take place and if he was available."
Kiffin is heavily rumored to be close to being fired as the coach of the Oakland Raiders.
The biggest thing in this whole story to me is that Gross called ESPN himself. This happens all the time with people in the public eye. Take it from me. It happens on almost a daily basis in my world. The thing is, at least in my experience, those who call to complain and/or dispute something said rarely go on the record about it.
Gross not only went on the record here, he did it to the worldwide leader in sports. Seems like a calculated move if you ask me. "

[st.cronin]

It's a trend, northern college football is dying a slow death.

I'm not sure I agree with this. Army and Syracuse are obviously down. On the other hand, Penn State is still very strong, Boston College and UConn are stronger than ever, Pitt has done well in recruiting lately, and Rutgers is probably better than ever too. Buffalo has also shown signs of life.

[molson]

He laughed it off but didn't deny it :)

I for one don't give a fuck who they bring in as long as they get back to respectable. Nobody has ever demanded national championships but give us hard working, sound football teams that have great seasons once in a great while and we're happy.

Nobody ever demanded national championships? Then why were the fans so anxious to run Coach P out of town? (107-59-1, 6-3 in bowl games, perennial top 25 team, multiple big east championships, a couple of BCS bowls was certainly "respectable").

[larrymcg421]

Nobody ever demanded national championships? Then why were the fans so anxious to run Coach P out of town? (107-59-1, 6-3 in bowl games, perennial top 25 team, multiple big east championships, a couple of BCS bowls was certainly "respectable").

Maybe because he was 16-20 over his final 3 seasons, with some really embarassing losses in his final season (51-0 loss to a 7-5 Purdue team, 34-24 loss to a 2-9 Temple team, and a 51-14 loss to a 7-5 Georgia Tech team).

[Chubby]

Nobody ever demanded national championships? Then why were the fans so anxious to run Coach P out of town? (107-59-1, 6-3 in bowl games, perennial top 25 team, multiple big east championships, a couple of BCS bowls was certainly "respectable").

Coach P fucking sucked. He's the reason why we're in this mess. He made his hay off of Coach Mac's recruits and couldn't recruit anyone. The constant simple fuckups (10 delay of games because they couldn't get the play in, wasting all their tiemouts 2 minutes into a half, never being able to tackle) drove everyone crazy. We actually should have been better during the McNabb years if it weren't for him. When we were good, we were always good for totally blowing one easy game (like say losing to fucking Temple). When we sucked, we were always good for one random upset but no more than that.

P was terrible, Robinson wasn't handed a decent starting hand but he hasn't improved at all. If there was any progress at all then people wouldn't be clamoring for his head.

[molson]

Coach P fucking sucked. He's the reason why we're in this mess. He made his hay off of Coach Mac's recruits and couldn't recruit anyone. The constant simple fuckups (10 delay of games because they couldn't get the play in, wasting all their tiemouts 2 minutes into a half, never being able to tackle) drove everyone crazy. We actually should have been better during the McNabb years if it weren't for him. When we were good, we were always good for totally blowing one easy game (like say losing to fucking Temple). When we sucked, we were always good for one random upset but no more than that.

P was terrible, Robinson wasn't handed a decent starting hand but he hasn't improved at all. If there was any progress at all then people wouldn't be clamoring for his head.

That's exactly my point - that coachpmustgo.com website started after a 10-2 BCS bowl season. That's the absolute max for this program. The only thing better is a national championship. That's fine if that's what your expectations are, (no matter how unrealistic) but I'm just saying it contradicted your post about only caring about respectability. 'Cuse had that, and they blew it, perhaps for far longer than this ridiculous Robinson era.

I disagreed with a lot of Coach P's in-games decisions but he could recruit. What coach do you think is going to bring the talent levels of the late 90s back to Syracuse, with the state of the program now?

[molson]

Maybe because he was 16-20 over his final 3 seasons, with some really embarassing losses in his final season (51-0 loss to a 7-5 Purdue team, 34-24 loss to a 2-9 Temple team, and a 51-14 loss to a 7-5 Georgia Tech team).

Coach P's down years are about what the average of what a college football program in Syracuse can expect, that's just my opinion. (Jim Brown ain't walking through that door). The rest of the time, he overachieved. Coach P's worst years are far better than Robinson's. Then someone's going to come in next year and we're looking at another 5-year rebuilding project, except without the recruiting benefit of recent success.

Give me the Champs Sports Bowl back any day. When are we even going to see that again, if ever.

If a new coach came in, and after a couple of years has winning seasons, bowl games, and the occasional Big East championship, everyone will proclaim him a huge success - when that's exactly what we had under coach P. So that'll be around 7-8 years to get back to where we were. Great hire.

[timmynausea]

As far as recruiting - Coach P recruited Donovan McNabb, Marvin Harrison and Dwight Freeney among others. That's about as well as you can do over a 5 or so year period. In fact, Syracuse had 7 guys drafted in the 1st round from 1996-2002.

You could also make a pretty good case that P didn't leave the cupboard that empty. Fairly highly regarded guys like QB Joe Fields just didn't make any progress whatsoever under Robinson. Cuse has had 7 guys drafted since he left, which is actually the same amount WVU has had drafted in that span.