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KRIEGER: Shanahan lets Davis do the talking

By Dave Krieger, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published October 1, 2008 at 8:39 p.m.

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The worse things get for Al Davis, the more fun Mike Shanahan's press conferences become.

Two weeks ago, Shanahan suggested Lane Kiffin was likely to beat his dubious standard of longevity working for the Raiders' megalomaniacal owner. Shanahan lasted 20 games. At the time, Kiffin had coached 18.

"He might have me beat," Shanahan said then. "I don't know, though, there's two games left, so we'll have to wait and see."

Tuesday, Davis made it a tie by firing Kiffin after 20 games - 19 years after doing the same to Shanahan. Kiffin's record for Davis was 5-15. Shanahan's was 8-12.

"I was a little disappointed, to be honest with you," Shanahan said Wednesday. "I was there 582 days. Lane Kiffin was there 616 days. So what it really means is that Al Davis liked Lane more than he liked me. I really don't think it's fair. I won three more games, yet he got 34 more days of work. It just doesn't seem right. Does it to you guys? No, really, you think about it."

The 79-year-old Davis, once one of football's most fearsome competitors, is now an eccentric embarrassment, the doddering great-uncle who goes out in white pajamas or Vulcan collars and talks about his glory days as if the intervening quarter-century was an allegation. Such a condition normally engenders sympathy or pity. But those Davis bullied and browbeat during his career - and they are all over the NFL - don't even try to disguise their delight.

Davis called a press conference in Oakland to announce Kiffin's firing. It can only be described as bizarre, a longtime media antagonist calling in the media so he could rail against the coach he had hired and fired. His bitterness was not directed only at Kiffin. It spattered all over the place.

Kiffin was "a professional liar." Shanahan was fired for insubordination as an assistant in Denver and has asterisks beside his Super Bowl championships because the Broncos cheated. The Patriots tampered with Randy Moss before acquiring him from Davis for a fourth-round draft pick.

He read aloud a three-page letter he sent to Kiffin after the Broncos beat the Raiders in the season opener, threatening to fire him for cause - and not pay off the remainder of his contract - if he continued making public statements Davis considered disloyal.

At this point, Davis seems to consider life itself disloyal. After Tuesday's performance, his mental health is in doubt. His franchise is in turmoil, as usual. The divisional opponents that keep beating him - Denver and San Diego - are both coached by people he fired.

Apparently, Shanahan took time out from game-planning for Tampa to watch the wacky press conference. He was asked about going up against Bucs coach Jon Gruden, yet another former Raiders coach.

"Well, I know the right thing to say," he said. "The thing I should have said: 'You know what, I haven't had time to look at interviews and what really happened.' But I think everybody saw the press conference; we'll leave it at that."

It was citing the exact number of days employed I found interesting. How would Shanahan know those? Had he scratched off his own at the old L.A. Raiders headquarters, one at a time, like an inmate?

"Well, to be honest with you, I knew how many days I was there," he said. "I just wasn't sure how long Lane was there. When I found out after that press conference that Al really liked Lane more than me because he lasted 34 more days, I said, 'Well, that's 34 more days of pay.' You think about that. And I had three more wins. That doesn't seem right, does it?"

Given Shanahan's 19-year dispute with Davis about whether he got all the money coming to him after he was fired, I wondered if he was sure Kiffin's 34 additional days meant 34 more days of pay.

"No," he said, as if expecting the straight line. "I can't guarantee that."

Even after his high-profile dispute with former Broncos coach Dan Reeves - the firing to which Davis alluded - Shanahan never took this sort of public glee in Reeves' competitive misfortunes. Davis, clearly, engenders a special sort of antipathy.

His obliviousness to how foolish he looks now is a source of amusement all over a league he has tormented, intimidated and sued for decades.

Someone asked if Shanahan had a response to Davis' latest shots at him.

"No, I just think we'll let the press conference speak for itself," he said. "I think we've been through that. We've been down that all . . . we've been down that road before. I don't think I have to go down that road anymore."

It sounded like he was going to say "alley," no doubt the setting he imagines for a battle with Davis.

Whoever wins in Denver on Sunday, Davis won't be happy about it. For the loser, that will be some consolation.

Comments

  • October 1, 2008

    9 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    ManginoTorreta writes:

    Watching the Raiders turn into the Tampa Bay Bucs circa the 1980s and their owner become a real-life version of Mr. Burns has been nothing short of satisfying.

  • October 2, 2008

    1:06 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Cel writes:

    Maybe his depens were in a wad

  • October 2, 2008

    2:50 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    deepwater805 writes:

    Alzhiemer Davis should fire himself, and spare his sport, his team, his city, any more of his lunacy.

  • October 2, 2008

    6:34 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    cmcray1 writes:

    I am enjoying every last delicious second of watching this blow-hard tear his to pieces. If it was ANY other team, I would say it was a shame. But I love seeing the Raiders in a hole that will take years and years to climb out of. What a Tard. Long Live the King.

  • October 2, 2008

    7:48 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    mmmark217 writes:

    You know, It's really kind of a shame to see Al Davis and the Raiders fall on such tough times. No Really, I mean it. ROFL. The man is truely an Island unto himself.

  • October 2, 2008

    9:37 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    brownjuan writes:

    Bronco fans ..... we should all PRAY for Al Davis the Lunatic. We want him to last as long as possible, holding onto his team with his fists gripped tightly, making one decision after another. The Raiders will never rise higher than mediocre while he stalks the hallways of Raiderland. We want this to continue for as many seasons as possible--plus, think of the laughs we'll have along the way. I wonder what John Madden (and other past Raider greats) thinks about all of this in their heart of hearts? Are they embarrassed, sad, or just have pity for old Weird Al? Open up a can of Metamucil for Al, and watch the fireworks!

  • October 2, 2008

    10:22 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    redsoxfan1 writes:

    brownjuan writes:
    Bronco fans ..... we should all PRAY for Al Davis the Lunatic. We want him to last as long as possible, holding onto his team with his fists gripped tightly, making one decision after another. The Raiders will never rise higher than mediocre while he stalks the hallways of Raiderland

    It sounds as if this guy does not believe in the Broncos as a football team. I guess brownjuan thinks the only way that we can win is if some crazy old dude is around. Have some pride brownjuan. GO BRONCOS.

    The REDSOX are on the way to another championship!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • October 2, 2008

    2:55 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    joggle writes:

    I'm really starting to feel sorry for the poor Raider fans. I know, that's somewhat of a sin in these parts but I can't help it. It isn't their fault that the owner of their team is a few cards short of a full deck. To watch your team get walloped so many times by rivals AND then see the head coach get fired by a lunatic can't be fun.

  • October 2, 2008

    2:56 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    BroncFanFl writes:

    Davis has turned into a bitter old coot, hasn't he?

  • October 3, 2008

    2:10 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    jugdish writes:

    I'm interested in learning more about how he thinks the Broncos cheated to win the SuperBowls? ;o)

  • October 3, 2008

    3:10 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    gahoaglund writes:

    Davis was referencing our salary cap problems as cheating

  • October 3, 2008

    3:13 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    gahoaglund writes:

    I was REALLY waiting for that "Cryptkeeper" laugh to come from th old fart.....He looks like the non-puppet version!

  • October 3, 2008

    3:17 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    gahoaglund writes:

    "JUST WIN(CE) BABY!"