Life Changes In a Blink Of an Eye, It'd Be Nice If the Raiders Wouldn't Part I

At 8-8 the Raiders have made 2010 a season to remember, unfortunately Raider nation didn't have much time to enjoy as the Oakland Raiders once again shuffle the deck of cards to find another head coach.  

By now everyone knows how I feel about Tom Cable. He was a great position coach but I didn't think he had what it took to be a head coach.  To everyone's surprise, Tom progressed through the year and proved to fans that he wasn't just some big dumb glut.  

It's not as if I blame Cable; there isn't a coach in the NFL that would turn down a head coaching job. Al put Tom in a very compromising position when Al decided to make him head coach.  Al  has burned bridges with just about every well known coach in the NFL and doesn't have much to chose from.  Al is famous for micro-managing his coaching staff to the point that it has become a well known fact throughout the NFL.

By the end of the 2009 season, most players felt that Tom was Al's personal hand puppet and didn't want anything to do with him.  But when the 2010 season kicked off I was very impressed by the confidence and talent the Oakland Raiders coaching staff had generated during the off-season. 

Not many were totally convinced that Tom was the man for the job; I wasn't until I spoke to several of the players in the preseason.  A large majority of the team had a good feeling about the 2010 season mainly because Tom had made so many positive changes during the offseason.  

I was also surprised to hear that Tom had stood up to Al on many occasions during the offseason on the behalf of the players. When a coach can step into the position that Tom did and gain the respect of the most elite athletes in the world, he must be doing something right.  

Since Cable was fired, Al has been in front of the media telling everyone that he is still the big boss calling the shots.  You would think at this point Al would be trying to figure out ways to regain the confidence of Raider nation so he can fill up McAfee stadium.  Instead Al is concerned about throwing his weight around to prove something that everyone already knows.   

If you put two and two together, it equals the same story the last six coaches experienced in Oakland as head coach.  Al is the head coach, defensive coordinator, offensive coordinator general manger—you get my point. I know for a fact that Al wants to win, but just like every good book, it has to come to an end. 

Every player and coach in the NFL goes through the same life crises when it comes to the end of their career.  Most people don't understanding how hard it is to put down the pads, but thanks to Brett Favre people have a better understanding how difficult it is.  Brett has played to the point of embarrassment and would try to come back for another year if not for the fact the NFL is completely done with him.

The NFL isn't like it used to be when players could play into their later years.  Now the NFL is set up to have a continues flow of young players, so it's consistently out with the old, in with the new.  The consciences of the Raiders players and some coaching staff is the firing of Tom Cable was a big mistake.  Players tell me that Tom was progressing as a coach and the team was bonded more then ever. 

As I told everyone before Hue Jackson was brought into replace Tom, after talking to the players and getting their unbiased opinions I am not so sure that it was such a good idea.  Hue will have to start over just like Tom did after Lane Kiffin was fired.

PART 1

Jarrod Cooper

NFL Alumni

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