January 14, 2012<\/p>\n
There will be considerable hand-wringing and consternation on the part of many Raiders fans as they learn that Hue Jackson is no longer their team\u2019s head coach.<\/p>\n
For reasons I\u2019ve had a hard time understanding, Jackson has largely escaped blame for the disastrous 8-8 season the Raiders just completed, and fans and many media members just assumed he\u2019d be back for a second season.<\/p>\n
But what would you do in McKenzie\u2019s situation? Here is your choice regarding the head coach. First, let\u2019s look at the reasons to keep him:<\/p>\n
1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He was a rookie last year, and should get better<\/p>\n
2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The team had several key injuries last year<\/p>\n
That\u2019s about all I have. I can\u2019t think of one thing that Hue Jackson did for the Raiders, one stamp he put on that team, which would lead to him being given the precious spot as \u201cReggie McKenzie\u2019s First Coach.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now, here are just a few things on the other side of the ledger:<\/p>\n
1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The play by the team in the fourth quarter was atrocious all season long<\/p>\n
2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Raiders broke a record for penalties. It wasn\u2019t just the usual Raider penalties; they were not lining up correctly, even late in the season<\/p>\n
3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 His handling of the media was unprofessional at best. This was probably best exemplified when he kept everyone in the dark regarding whether Carson Palmer would play against Kansas City.<\/p>\n
4)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 His post-season press conference, when he said that \u201cnow that the season is over, I can tell you what I really think,\u201d told everyone that he had been dishonest with them all season.<\/p>\n
5)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The fact that all of the above reasons were present all season \u00a0gives no indication that Jackson was aware of the problems or had any idea how to fix them.<\/p>\n
McKenzie reportedly told Jackson that none of these things were factors in the decision to not bring him back, and that is probably true. McKenzie has been waiting a really long time for this opportunity, and he\u2019d be crazy not to look at every coaching possibility. He\u2019s probably been keeping notes for years about people he\u2019d call if he ever got this far, and I\u2019m guessing that Jackson was not on that list. Announcing the firing before his introductory press conference removes that distraction, and also sends the message throughout the organization (and the locker room) that everyone is up for review.<\/p>\n
The bottom line, Raider fans, is that this is really good news for you. Jackson hired by the only person in the NFL who ever would have hired him, Al Davis. 15 years as an assistant at five colleges, nobody ever gave him the shot. 11 years as an assistant in the pros with five teams, and finally Al Davis promoted him to head coach.<\/p>\n
Al, as we all know, liked a particular kind of head coach, and one of the things he liked was a coach that was extremely grateful for the opportunity. 25-year assistants are that kind of grateful.\u00a0 Davis wanted to call the shots, and he didn\u2019t want an accomplished head coach disagreeing with him on anything. Even the men he hired who had been head coaches (Norv Turner, Joe Bugel, Art Shell), were not sought-after candidates.<\/p>\n
Reggie McKenzie brings to the Raiders the experience in working in one of the league\u2019s best organizations. He will structure the team in the Packers\u2019 likeness, and that includes a strong head coach who will run that part of the program. Look for similar hires in personnel and \u201ccapology.\u201d In the days following McKenzie\u2019s hiring, the chorus from around the NFL was unanimous, \u201cgood guy, smart guy.\u201d This means he will have his pick of people that he wants to surround himself with, and that can only be good for the Raider fans.<\/p>\n
It might not be good for current Raiders\u2019 employees, however. I wouldn\u2019t be signing long-term leases right now if I were working in that front office, or if was a free-agent player. To steal a line from \u201c48 hours,\u201d There\u2019s a new sheriff in town, and his name is Reggie McKenzie.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
January 14, 2012 There will be considerable hand-wringing and consternation on the part of many Raiders fans as they learn that Hue Jackson is no longer their team\u2019s head coach. For reasons I\u2019ve had a hard time understanding, Jackson has … Continue reading