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Kiffin Finally Out?

Multiple news sites are reporting Al Davis has interviewed Cable, Knapp, and Hackett to be the next Head Coach. Obviously Knapp and Cable told Kiffin. Those two were probably who Kiffin had to persuade into coming.

I have to go with my gut here and say that Cable and Knapp were not interviewed for the coaching job but rather asked if they would stay on under Hackett or wished to be released with Kiffin.

That is my gut instinct. I think it is the wrong move for this franchise, especially if Cable is lost in the process.

Perhaps Davis decides against the move if he loses Knapp and Cable, but maybe he moves forward if they are willing to stay. Logical isn't exactly a word anybody would use to describe Al Davis.

This brings me to another observation I had.

The reason Gruden worked wasn't because of Gruden. It was because of Bruce Allen. He was the closest thing we had to a GM. As quasi GM he was a perfect mediator between Davis and Gruden. Allen was even able to have success in his final year, which was Callahan's first year I believe.

Before Allen, failures of White, Bugel. After he left, failures of Callahan, Turner, Shell and now potentially Kiffin.

The problem is Al Davis, but when we had a front office man both the coach and Davis trusted, he was able to act as a mediator, and he kept the peace between the two. Telling each one what they needed to hear and maneuvering just enough to satisfy both was Allen.

Gruden was traded because Allen and Davis knew he wanted to go. Might as well get something for him. There was no ill will from Gruden, who petitioned ownership to bring on Allen as GM. I believe Davis still respects Allen as well.

The whole Gruden, Allen, Davis era was lightning in a bottle. It was a chance occurrence and happened to coincide with the Brown, Rice, Gannon era of leadership.

In retrospect, Davis didn't really deserve those good years, because they only convinced him that he still had what it takes to run a NFL team, and clearly, knowing what we know now, he doesn't.

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