Sounds like Jim Harbaugh is Al Davis’ clear choice, if Harbaugh wants to be a Raider
Posted by Tim Kawakami on November 4th, 2008 at 8:39 am | Categorized as College football, NBA, Raiders, Stanford
Obviously, as I’ve explained to Harbaugh myself, the very act of me typing this scuttlebutt almost certainly makes Al Davis ill and 99% determined to do anything except what I’m about to type…
And yet, I don’t think AD can help himself. The pull is too strong.
After months of me typing about Harbaugh and the Raiders as a very likely marriage coming up soon, I heard yesterday yet again from a good source that it is generally assumed within NFL/college coaching circles that:
* Stanford Coach Jim Harbaugh is guaranteed a very long and warm talk with Al Davis–and probably an offer to become the next Raiders coach–this December or January.
My source, who has been very reliable in the past and yesterday repeated the Harbaugh-Raiders talk I’ve heard for almost a year now, only had one caveat: “Everybody knows Al loves Harbaugh, but why would Harbaugh want that job? He could wait at Stanford a little longer and get a real job.”
But here’s where I can add: Harbaugh loves Al. That’s what makes this magic.
OK, I guess I have to say it: Tom Cable is a good man who happens to be a dead interim coach walking.
Cable had zero chance of being asked to stick beyond December when he took the interim gig and, after minus-2 yards in the first half against Atlanta, Cable is so long gone that Al’s lieutenants don’t even have to bother to back-stab him.
The search has already started, is what I’m saying. And Harbaugh is by far the lead candidate–he’ll only get taken off of Al’s board if Al hates the fact that Harbaugh’s name is out there.
But Al can’t resist Harbaugh, an energetic, NFL lifer with a great QB background who might inject some life and fire into JaMarcus Russell before the Raiders ruin him forever.
Plus Harbaugh is playing physical football at Stanford–and Al loves that, too.
Will Harbaugh take the job if it’s offered? He probably shouldn’t. That’s a coaching graveyard there at Harbor Bay Parkway, and Harbaugh can wait for a better Pac-10 job or see if a Big 10 job pops loose or get to a big bowl and jump to a decent NFL gig.
As long as he can get 6 or 7 wins a year at Stanford, his profile will only rise and rise. He doesn’t need the Raider headache.
But Harbaugh loves the Raiders and loves Al even more. He just does. There’s chemistry there.
Every decent coach in the sport runs away from Al like he’s the Devil Incarnate, and for some that he has hired, that’s exactly who He is.
But Harbaugh coached on the offensive staff for two years in Oakland, that’s where he got his NFL coaching start. He has a powerful personality that connected with AD from the start. Harbaugh still goes out of his way to praise AD and nuzzle up to the Legend and Image of the Greatness.
Just last month, Harbaugh broke into a huge smile when I brought up his relationship with Al. I don’t think Harbaugh could resist this, as long as Al gives him enough money and they can figure out what to do at defensive coordinator.
Does Harbaugh like Rob Ryan? Somebody else? That’s where the serious negotiations will take place. But I think it all can be worked out.
–I hate to point out that I had Harbaugh pegged to Stanford two years ago. Crazy how that happens.
Now I’ve got to get my sources working on another one: Who’s Stanford going to hire to replace Harbaugh?
Right now, it’s all so obvious that even I can see it. Sorry, Al.
Posted by Tim Kawakami on November 4th, 2008 at 8:39 am | Categorized as College football, NBA, Raiders, Stanford
Obviously, as I’ve explained to Harbaugh myself, the very act of me typing this scuttlebutt almost certainly makes Al Davis ill and 99% determined to do anything except what I’m about to type…
And yet, I don’t think AD can help himself. The pull is too strong.
After months of me typing about Harbaugh and the Raiders as a very likely marriage coming up soon, I heard yesterday yet again from a good source that it is generally assumed within NFL/college coaching circles that:
* Stanford Coach Jim Harbaugh is guaranteed a very long and warm talk with Al Davis–and probably an offer to become the next Raiders coach–this December or January.
My source, who has been very reliable in the past and yesterday repeated the Harbaugh-Raiders talk I’ve heard for almost a year now, only had one caveat: “Everybody knows Al loves Harbaugh, but why would Harbaugh want that job? He could wait at Stanford a little longer and get a real job.”
But here’s where I can add: Harbaugh loves Al. That’s what makes this magic.
OK, I guess I have to say it: Tom Cable is a good man who happens to be a dead interim coach walking.
Cable had zero chance of being asked to stick beyond December when he took the interim gig and, after minus-2 yards in the first half against Atlanta, Cable is so long gone that Al’s lieutenants don’t even have to bother to back-stab him.
The search has already started, is what I’m saying. And Harbaugh is by far the lead candidate–he’ll only get taken off of Al’s board if Al hates the fact that Harbaugh’s name is out there.
But Al can’t resist Harbaugh, an energetic, NFL lifer with a great QB background who might inject some life and fire into JaMarcus Russell before the Raiders ruin him forever.
Plus Harbaugh is playing physical football at Stanford–and Al loves that, too.
Will Harbaugh take the job if it’s offered? He probably shouldn’t. That’s a coaching graveyard there at Harbor Bay Parkway, and Harbaugh can wait for a better Pac-10 job or see if a Big 10 job pops loose or get to a big bowl and jump to a decent NFL gig.
As long as he can get 6 or 7 wins a year at Stanford, his profile will only rise and rise. He doesn’t need the Raider headache.
But Harbaugh loves the Raiders and loves Al even more. He just does. There’s chemistry there.
Every decent coach in the sport runs away from Al like he’s the Devil Incarnate, and for some that he has hired, that’s exactly who He is.
But Harbaugh coached on the offensive staff for two years in Oakland, that’s where he got his NFL coaching start. He has a powerful personality that connected with AD from the start. Harbaugh still goes out of his way to praise AD and nuzzle up to the Legend and Image of the Greatness.
Just last month, Harbaugh broke into a huge smile when I brought up his relationship with Al. I don’t think Harbaugh could resist this, as long as Al gives him enough money and they can figure out what to do at defensive coordinator.
Does Harbaugh like Rob Ryan? Somebody else? That’s where the serious negotiations will take place. But I think it all can be worked out.
–I hate to point out that I had Harbaugh pegged to Stanford two years ago. Crazy how that happens.
Now I’ve got to get my sources working on another one: Who’s Stanford going to hire to replace Harbaugh?
Right now, it’s all so obvious that even I can see it. Sorry, Al.
