Commitment to Insanity?

Commitment to Insanity?

How does one even begin trying to make sense of what transpires in Oakland anymore? For an outsider, the first and most obvious reaction is to shake your head. Imagine what it must be for those who actually work in the Silver and Black organization. Or maybe they've become immune to all the insanity by this point.

Whatever the case may be, no can deny the fact that Al Davis and his actions never cease to amaze.

Davis has never had any problem going to battle, regardless of who the foe may be. He has fought the NFL on many occasions. He has fought with the city of Oakland. He has fought with other NFL owners. And unfortunately, he has also fought with those within his own organization...and it has cost him dearly.

He fought with former head coach Jon Gruden and that came back to not only haunt, but embarrass him. He's also fought with players like Marcus Allen, which not only cost the team he loves so much, but also came back to haunt him when Allen became a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Davis is well known for his meddling ways and insatiable need to control anything or anyone even remotely involved with his Raiders. And he hasn't mellowed with age.

His latest target for attack is head coach Lane Kiffin, who Davis feels pushed and betrayed him. And it appears the feud did not just happen overnight.

Kiffin wanted malcontent wide receiver Randy Moss out of Oakland as soon as possible. Davis wasn't so sure about the move and therefore Brett Favre didn't get the receiver he wanted in Green Bay. But on draft day, Kiffin got his way and pulled the trigger. Moss was sent packing to New England.

Undoubtedly, Davis probably cursed the move nearly every week during the regular season.

Davis is a football man and one has to wonder how much of his anger is directed at Kiffin for just pushing him to dump Moss and how much of it is because he truly feels Moss could have done the same thing for the Raiders.

If it is the latter, Al Davis needs a reality check.

First of all, there is no one in Oakland by the name of Tom Brady to heave seemingly perfect passes to Moss. In fact, there is no one even close. Moss caught a grand total of 11 touchdown passes in two seasons with the Raiders so for Davis to think he would have produced at the same level if he were still in Oakland is pure fantasy.

Secondly, and maybe even more importantly, Moss didn't want to be in Oakland anymore. Randy Moss only plays when he wants to and it was clear he didn't want to play for the Raiders. It was crystal clear that he went in the tank on them in 2006 and there was no reason to believe 2007 would be any different.

And last of all, if Moss would have stayed in Oakland, this would have been the final year of his deal and the Raiders would have gotten nothing for a receiver they never should have picked up in the first place. There is no way Al Davis would break the bank to keep any player who tanked on him so Moss would have bolted for a big payday elsewhere. While the Raiders didn't get much, they got at least something and rid themselves of a player who would have mailed it in and been a cancer in the locker room.

More likely than not, part of it is the fact that Kiffin pushed Davis and just plain desperation. Davis doesn't like being pushed by anyone, least of all someone he employs. He also hates losing and the Raiders have been losing badly the past five seasons. So in some way, maybe he actually feels Moss could have made a difference.

And more recent events just added fuel to the fire.

The Oakland defense was pretty much horrendous this past season and Kiffin wanted defensive coordinator Bob Ryan fired. Davis vetoed the move.

Then Kiffin supposedly did the unthinkable by reportedly showing interest in head coaching positions at the college level. To Davis, that is pure betrayal and reason enough for dismissal.

So Davis drafted a letter of resignation for Kiffin to sign and sent it off to the representatives for his latest foe. He's also supposedly sent a letter to Kiffin to inform him that he no longer has control over any staff or personnel decisions.

Thus far, Kiffin has refused to sign anything and his only response has been to not wear any Raiders clothing at the Senior Bowl. The rest of the Oakland staff did.

Regardless of whether Kiffin stays or he goes and someone else takes over the head coaching position, the future gets even more bleak year after year for the Raiders.

For those who have seen the great teams of the past, it is almost sad looking at what has happened to the Raiders.

The Raiders have won a grand total of 19 games in the last five seasons. That is less than four per year.

The Raiders had only three head coaches (John Rauch, John Madden and Tom Flores) and four starting quarterbacks during their glory days from 1967 to 1985 (Daryle Lamonica, Kenny Stabler, Jim Plunkett and Marc Wilson).

The present Raiders have had no less than four different head coaches and nine different players start under center over the last five seasons and their record reflects that lack of stability.

And it appears the game of musical personnel is not going to come to an end anytime soon in Oakland.

The game has changed and Al Davis needs to change with it. There is a great deal to be said for continuity and all Al Davis needs to do is to look back to the glory days of his team and stop acting out of desperation or vindictiveness.

Davis has acted in what appears to be desperation at times. He loves bringing in big name players but too much has changed over the past two decades and a good number of Davis' signings haven't worked out and for good reason. Nowadays, a big name may also come with a big ego and a big attitude, but not much else.

In the NFL of today, a big attitude does not mean the same thing as it did with Lyle Alzado or The "Tooz", who may have been on the raw edge, but played like Raiders.

Now, that "attitude" can bring along a number of things. It can come with a ton of baggage, including off the field problems, a terrible work ethic or just a "playing when they want to" mentality.

Once upon a time, money was no object as long as the Raiders won. And Davis has wasted a good amount of free agents like Moss who did very little for the team.  But Davis was never big on paying his coaches what they were worth and he also does not like giving them control. So Davis will wait out Kiffin so he doesn't have to pay him the $4 million it would take to buy out the final two years of his deal.

Apparently, it is no longer about just winning baby. It is no longer about a "Commitment to Excellence" either.

Unfortunately, it seems that it is now about "Just Control, Baby" and a "Commitment to Power." for Al Davis.

As long as it stays that way, the Raiders will never experience those glory days again.

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