You'd expect it from a glory hound. You'd expect it from a guy who's been wronged by the NFL (allegedly). You'd expect it from an old man, five years removed from a monumental beat down in football's showcase.
Yup, Al Davis is at it again.
Rumor has it Davis composed a letter of resignation for Lane Kiffin and sent it off to said coach as well as his attorney. Rumor also has it Lane Kiffin isn't picking up a pen unless it's for endorsing a check from the Oakland Raiders.
Adding to the laughing stock known as the Raiders, Al Davis is doing his best to not go unnoticed during Super Bowl week. If he and his team cannot be there, he might as well try to steal some of the headlines. Looks like he pulled a page out of A-Rod's book.
Aside from the obvious reasons I don't want this soon-to-be second year coach gone, I can't help but shake my head. After 30+ years of rooting for this franchise, I think I've seen it all. Not to mention, what would I call my blog if Lane is gone?
Is there anything we can do as fans to fix this travesty? After 20 straight weeks of NFL football that counts, we're left with the most miserable week in sports. We have to pretend that we care about NBA basketball in January. We have to pretend we care about early conference match ups in college basketball. And more importantly, we have to pretend we really need that extra week to get fired up for the Super Bowl.
The Super Bowl Bye Week is a train wreck. The momentum gained by the New York Giants after defeating the Packers Sunday has hit a speed bump as players, fans, and media alike continually remind themselves they've still got TEN MORE DAYS before kick-off.
I'm being a little lazy in my research right now, but does the NFL really have a valid excuse for postponing this pinnacle of sport for an additional week? I'm looking long and hard for anything that might suggest this is a good idea. In fact, I'd like to take this opportunity to make this a special "Bye Week" interactive blog. In your best Letterman-Top-10 style, please list your reasons why this is a good idea.
We have to criticize because it's human nature. We have to point fingers because if we didn't, what would anybody write about? It can't always be ducky and peachy and warm and fuzzy. And it wasn't Sunday in Green Bay. Despite a spectacular football game for NFC bragging rights and a guaranteed second place in the Super Bowl, the entire nation got to see why a lot of people chuckled when Mike McCarthy was named head coach of the Green Bay Packers.
Sure, he deserves some credit for getting the Packers there. But can you recall a more abominable display of offensive play-calling with but 30 minutes left prior to your trip to football's Mecca? Yeah, Brett will get some of the blame for this loss and rightfully so. But one poor pass shouldn't overshadow the fact that McCarthy completely forgot he had a running back in the second half. For most of the second half, the Pack were in third & forever. Lawrence Tynes gift-wrapped two opportunities for the Packers to prevail. And yet on 2nd & 8 on the first possesion of OT, that guy in the backfield was invisible again.
Credit the Giants for seizing the opportunity. But don't be so quick to hang this loss on Favre. I'm still waiting for McCarthy to admit he called a poor second half. And I think I'll be waiting longer than it takes Jimmie Johnson's glass of water to defrost.
