“Lechler said he has tried to call Al Davis and other Raiders executives, but that he has had no luck getting through. “I just want to know what the hell’s going on,” ”

So, he did try to be professional about it and keep it behind closed doors. When no one would return any of his calls, however, it appears he got frustrated and opened up to a member of the media. You can blame him for talking to the media all you want, but when the organization makes a major change like that and doesn’t talk to the players about it, that’s not all that professional either and it’s likely to cause a lot of frustration…and sometimes that kind of frustration can cause people to do and say things they wouldn’t normally do or say. Loyalty works both ways or it doesn’t work at all. Just my opinion.

Hey Shane…. Your a punter… Shut up, kick the ball and get back to the bench or you are next!
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And that would be a bad thing for Lechler? He’s a what, six time pro-bowl punter known for being able to change field position? If Al cuts him loose, his voice mail will be flooded by teams looking to meet with him. The only question would be whether teams put in waiver claims for him or waited for him to clear waivers so that they could sign him to a brand new contract. Personally, I like Lechler’s attitude. Should he really not care about winning just because he’s a punter? Face it, Lechler has done more to help the Raiders win the games they have than a number of Al’s first round picks.

Maybe Al wants to bring JaFatso back again and knows Cable (and Kiffin) can’t work with him but MAYBE Jackson can!?! That could be it since he’d be so cheap now…right!?! (smoove Al, smoove…always sleepin, oh I mean thinkin)

Jackson isn’t ready for a Head Coaching job, Raiders will go back to sucking. Least all us DIE HARD FANS can all go back to having no hopes for playoffs by week 5 again…being in the mix for 16 was waaaay too long for Al.

LOOKOUT BELOW! 4-14 HERE WE COME!!!

Thanks Al!

I’m pretty sure Tom Cable will never be a HOF coach, but he did turn around a completely disfunctional Raider culture and restored some sense of winning and pride to the franchise.

With yet another new, young, inexperience coach on the sidelines, you will have more inconsistency. Why are the Pats, Steelers and Indy so good every year (among others)? Consistency from the coaching (and ownership). You don’t have that when you have six coaches in ten years. I bet the Raiders go, at best, 6-10 next year (figuring 16 games atm), as yet another system is put in play.

It may be time for pitchforks, torches, garlic and wooden stakes, Raidernation.

But Cable cracked the whip and Lechler said it was exactly what they needed. Will they just revert back to their old self that grandpappy Davis is pulling the strings again?

And a reminder Raiders fans- Just because someone is an excellent Offensive Coordinator does *NOT* guarantee that they will become an excellent Head Coach.

This is coming from a Chargers fan. Just trust me on this from experience with Norv.

Now instead of having 100% of his time working on the O, he will have his time split up all over. Some coaches can do it, most can’t. Good luck!

The didn’t seem to be playing “like a damn” when they went 2-8 outside of the AFC West…My particular favorite was giving up 31 points in the second half against the Jags that sealed their playoff hopes (a close second was getting trashed by the Colts AT HOME).

We slip backwards a bit next season and you’ll all be crying. I am going to wait and see Cable’s replacement before I form an opinion.

This is Al’s team till there is no Al, you’re either with us or against us…….

I don’t need to re-read the article…Al Davis is the owner and Lechler is the player. One makes decisions and the other gets 20 MIL for kicking a pigskin.

Shooting his mouth off to the media DOES NOTHING to help Cable keep his job and IS NOT what a “team leader” does.

Did Nnamdi Asomugha run to the media like a spoiled, angry child…NO

BTW…It is funny how everyone is blaming Dodge for the Giants not being in the playoff…Punters don’t make or break you…Being able to stop Mike Vick does.

Al Davis, damn you. Did you not see the progress your team made this year?

For the last 6 years teams chuckled when they saw Oak on their schedule, but that changed this year.

Cable had them playing like they gave a damn.

What a shame

“Right to talk” and “voice his opinion” isn’t the point.

POINT IS that he chose the WORST venue to vent (the media).

Punters are part of the game (Ray Guy not being in the Hall of Fame is a travesty), AND ARE IMPORTANT but (to quote NFL Monday Night Countdown) whinning to the media instead of being a team leader and going to the owner behind closed doors:

“C’MON MAN!”
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Reread the article. Lechler said he tried every different way to talk to Al and his people to find out what was going on but was not able to get through/get a response. He’s been there for a decade and is a team leader (the Giants fan brings up a great point about Dodge). He tried to do it internally and failed – being a decade in the league I’m sure that his bills are paid and that he wants to win more than anything.

LOL I know the Giants would probably have him on speed dial if he gets cut.

-QG

Cable is a players coach. That is why Lechler is upset, but come on he should stop acting like Bush and Gallery are Peterson and Hutchinson. If they walk the Raiders wont miss them. Its important the Raiders fans realize that the record improved under Cable, but the team did not. If it was up to Cable, Gradkowski would have started every game and the Raiders would be 5-11 or 6-10. Hue Jackson and Jason Campbell are why the Raiders look like a football team, not Cable.

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“Right to talk” and “voice his opinion” isn’t the point.

POINT IS that he chose the WORST venue to vent (the media).

Punters are part of the game (Ray Guy not being in the Hall of Fame is a travesty), AND ARE IMPORTANT but (to quote NFL Monday Night Countdown) whinning to the media instead of being a team leader and going to the owner behind closed doors:

“C’MON MAN!”

I hear you, loud and clear. Like I said elsewhere, I’m disappointed in the decision, but I’m not shocked.

After decades of following this team to no end, you get to learn how Al Davis thinks. Losing 5 games they should have won AND then saying things like “You can’t call us losers anymore” sealed Tom Cables fate.

I understand it, but I’m disappointed.

That said, I don’t for a minute think the Raiders don’t have a HC lined up already, and it’s probably NOT who everyone seems to think it is.

Roger…If Lechler wants out of there he would be following a LONG line of players that went on to be successful elsewhere (Woodson/Moss, etc.). Heck I wouldn’t even put it past the Patriots to pick him up if he was released from the Raiders (ala’ Moss)

As a long time Raider fan I just wish he would respect the franchise and keep his mouth shut to the press and ask Davis to release him.

It isn’t like Al Davis pointed a gun to his head and made him sign a contract that made him THE HIGHEST PAID PUNTER IN THE NFL.

He knew what he was getting into and now he is crying to press about how bad the organization is. Just doesn’t strike me as the “right” thing to do.

Heck Barry Sanders had the guts to decide to retire rather than remain with a franchise that had no future and you NEVER heard him say a bad word about the Lions to the press.

Not that I really care about the Raiders (or the AFC West), I tend to agree with his sentiment. I just don’t see the value of turning over coaches every single year. Especially after the team showed some signs of improvement. Either way, it’s going to be tough getting anyone worth a damn to coach there if Hue Jackson decides to go elsewhere. There are a lot of job openings where you don’t have deal with Al Davis.