Al Davis Needs a Lesson on Coaching Continuity

There's one thing that can be said for Al Davis: he finds them young.

Go back into the books on this club, and you'll find a number of young, up and coming head coaches like John Madden, Tom Flores, Mike Shanahan, Jon Gruden, etc.

Similar to the tree that Bill Walsh planted, Al Davis' record for finding young talent for the sidelines is hard to duplicate.

But one aspect of the formula that seems to have been lost over the years is just that. It takes time for a coach to right the ship, get the crew ready, and then set sail. Walking around on the deck and then kicking the captain overboard every other year just doesn't cut it.

Look at John Madden's resume: one Super Bowl ring, 103 wins, and only 32 losses. In 10 years.

Tom Flores, his replacement, has three rings, two as a coach for the Raiders. His 97 wins during the regular season came in a span of nine years with LA and then a disaster in Seattle for three seasons.

Some have wondered if he had stayed on as a coach, if the Raiders would have turned a corner. But it's also speculated that Al was looking for someone to pair up with the up and coming Bo Jackson.

Shanahan was tabbed, and to some they felt it might be good. The problem, however, was like starting to paint the house, getting halfway done, and then changing the color from black to white. Davis wasn't a fan of Shanahan, and then he dropped in Art Shell.

The rest, as they say, is history.

But one thing can be noted. Given time, the Raiders have produced good results if the coach is left alone.

Davis, you've gotten rid of Kiffin. Put up a "Do Not Disturb" sign for the next 10 years, and you'll get your rings.