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Raiders preseason: Cable's job is to right Raiders' ship

Remember the Raiders?

Once upon a time, the Oakland Raiders staked their claim as one of the more successful franchises in NFL history.

They were tough and mean and nasty and ever-so-menacing.

The Raiders won three Super Bowls, boasting the likes of Kenny Stabler, Cliff Branch, Lester Hayes, Fred Biletnikoff, Dave Casper, Marcus Allen, Howie Long and on and on.

Baby, they just won. With a snarl.

All under the appreciative eye of iconic owner Al Davis.

There was an unmistakable mystique surrounding them, to be sure. Still is — at least in their own minds.

Take, for example, their media guide. On the front, they label themselves “The Team of the Decades.” On the back they declare that “The Greatness of the Raiders will continue in its future.” Finally, their familiar slogan: “Commitment to Excellence.”

Fact is the Raiders don’t have such an aura anymore, losing 72 of 96 games over the past six seasons. They have been in a free-fall since the final game of the 2002 season, when they advanced to the Super Bowl only to be bounced by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48-21, courtesy of former Raiders head man Jon Gruden.

The coach of that team was Bill Callahan. Then he was gone. Then came Norv Turner. Then he was gone. Then came Art Shell. Then he was gone. Then came Lane Kiffin. Then he was gone.

And now there’s Tom Cable, 4-8 last season as the assistant-turned-interim coach. Cable opens training camp this week in Napa, Calif., without the interim title. The Raiders training camp is not open to the public.

Oakland’s defense flat-lined in 2008, even though Davis shelled out quite a mint on defensive tackle Tommy Kelly and defensive backs Gibril Wilson and DeAngelo Hall. Wilson and Hall have since received pink slips.

The offense was even worse, ranked 29th in total yards and points. Hotshot rookie tailback Darren McFadden was short-circuited by injuries, as was expensive free agent wideout Javon Walker.

Quarterback JaMarcus Russell, the first player taken in the 2007 draft, didn’t post awful numbers (13 touchdowns, eight interceptions). But the magic and intangibles have not yet been sufficiently displayed by Russell, the man expected to lead the franchise out of its current black hole (though he did engineer a pair of late-season wins against the Houston Texans and the Buccaneers, playoff-hopeful teams).
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Regardless, Davis hired Cable as head coach more than a month after the season.

Yet Cable, who says all the right things about Raiders tradition and such, seems to fit nicely into his new skin ... knowing all the while he could be skinned at any time.

“Obviously, with Mr. Davis, it’s about getting back to the Super Bowl and getting a playoff team and a competitive team put together,” Cable said. “Certainly, it’s well noted that he strives for that, and if you don’t get there — you don’t make those kinds of improvements — he’s going to change (course).

“That’s part of it. I think the NFL has become more like that all over the place. ... It’s become so competitive, and you have to do it now.”

Davis’ take?

“I’m ... realistic,” he says. “I know where we are.”

So does top draft pick Darrius Heyward-Bey, a wide receiver from Maryland.
He’s in a place where, based on recent workouts, his numerous dropped passes have fans grousing about the team not instead picking Michael Crabtree, who wound up across the Bay with the San Francisco 49ers.

At Maryland, the fans don red sweaters. In Oakland, the fans don spikes and swords and black face paint. But that’s the point.

The Raiders are the Raiders.

Just win, baby.

Once upon a time, anyway. But now?

Pardon, please, a chuckle.

Cable understands. “I mentioned when I got the job permanently, the No. 1 issue for me is to get this team competitive so it can have a shot — a realistic shot — to make the playoffs,” he said. “Right now, really the last few years, it’s been the said goal at the start of the year.

“Then, it’s, ‘Oh, well, here we go again.’ I want to get us through that here-we-go-again phase and see if we can compete and have something to play for in December.”

Regardless, Davis hired Cable as head coach more than a month after the season.

Yet Cable, who says all the right things about Raiders tradition and such, seems to fit nicely into his new skin ... knowing all the while he could be skinned at any time.

“Obviously, with Mr. Davis, it’s about getting back to the Super Bowl and getting a playoff team and a competitive team put together,” Cable said. “Certainly, it’s well noted that he strives for that, and if you don’t get there — you don’t make those kinds of improvements — he’s going to change (course).

“That’s part of it. I think the NFL has become more like that all over the place. ... It’s become so competitive, and you have to do it now.”

Davis’ take?

“I’m ... realistic,” he says. “I know where we are.”

So does top draft pick Darrius Heyward-Bey, a wide receiver from Maryland.
He’s in a place where, based on recent workouts, his numerous dropped passes have fans grousing about the team not instead picking Michael Crabtree, who wound up across the Bay with the San Francisco 49ers.

At Maryland, the fans don red sweaters. In Oakland, the fans don spikes and swords and black face paint. But that’s the point.

The Raiders are the Raiders.

Just win, baby.

Once upon a time, anyway. But now?

Pardon, please, a chuckle.

Cable understands. “I mentioned when I got the job permanently, the No. 1 issue for me is to get this team competitive so it can have a shot — a realistic shot — to make the playoffs,” he said. “Right now, really the last few years, it’s been the said goal at the start of the year.

“Then, it’s, ‘Oh, well, here we go again.’ I want to get us through that here-we-go-again phase and see if we can compete and have something to play for in December.”

Skip Wood • USA TODAY • July 28, 2009
Raiders preseason: Cable's job is to right Raiders' ship | rgj.com | Reno Gazette-Journal

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His job is to make damn sure the team never reaches the "oh-well here we go again phase" God damn it, not be prepared to try to work through it. Larry the Cable Guy is coaching this team.