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Tim Brown accuses Callahan of sabotaging the SuperBowl (1 Viewer)

i don't buy the motivation. winning the superbowl would have done wonders for his career plus you get $88,000ish for winning it. also, your letting down all of your players, coaches, friends and family. if there was someway to prove he threw the game, he would be out of football forever, heavily fined and possibly jailed. all that is not worth doing a favor for a friend.

 
Jerry Rice backs up Brown's thoughts as do some other Raiders players. But there are several others being quoted as saying that Brown is off base.

 
I'm guessing this is something that started out as a shared, frustrated feeling from guys on the team and grew into the larger "conspiracy" that they're now portraying it as over the years.

From the PFT article on this:

Rice also doesn’t seem to accurately remember how that Super Bowl went down. In his ESPN appearance, Rice said Callahan called on the Raiders “to throw the ball over 60 times.” But the Raiders didn’t throw the ball 60 times or even 50 times. They threw 44 times — exactly three more times than they had thrown the ball the week before, when they won the AFC Championship Game.

And that brings us to the strangest part of all this criticism of Callahan: Brown and Rice are insisting that Callahan sabotaged the team by implementing a pass-first offensive game plan. But the Raiders had been a passing team all season: They led the NFL in passing yards that season while ranking 18th in the league in rushing yards and 23rd in the league in rushing attempts. In other words, Callahan called a lot of passes in the Super Bowl because it was calling a lot of passes that had led them to the Super Bowl in the first place.

For Brown and Rice to suggest that Callahan was throwing the Super Bowl because he continued to call a lot of passes just as he had all season long is absolutely ridiculous.
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http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/22/jerry-rice-agrees-with-tim-brown-bill-callahan-sabotaged-us/
 
'RUSF18 said:
I'm guessing this is something that started out as a shared, frustrated feeling from guys on the team and grew into the larger "conspiracy" that they're now portraying it as over the years.

From the PFT article on this:

Rice also doesn’t seem to accurately remember how that Super Bowl went down. In his ESPN appearance, Rice said Callahan called on the Raiders “to throw the ball over 60 times.” But the Raiders didn’t throw the ball 60 times or even 50 times. They threw 44 times — exactly three more times than they had thrown the ball the week before, when they won the AFC Championship Game.

And that brings us to the strangest part of all this criticism of Callahan: Brown and Rice are insisting that Callahan sabotaged the team by implementing a pass-first offensive game plan. But the Raiders had been a passing team all season: They led the NFL in passing yards that season while ranking 18th in the league in rushing yards and 23rd in the league in rushing attempts. In other words, Callahan called a lot of passes in the Super Bowl because it was calling a lot of passes that had led them to the Super Bowl in the first place.

For Brown and Rice to suggest that Callahan was throwing the Super Bowl because he continued to call a lot of passes just as he had all season long is absolutely ridiculous.
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http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/22/jerry-rice-agrees-with-tim-brown-bill-callahan-sabotaged-us/
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A) They were sacked 5 times so they called at least 49 passes.B) Gannon ran 2 times, so that's potentially 2 more pass plays that were called.

C) If they weren't destroyed in time of possession, they would have easily reached 60 passes. They only ran 60 offensive plays.

 
The biggest coaching failure to me seems to be not changing the play verbiage from when Gruden was the coach. That reeks of total incompetence.

 
The Raiders were simply a poor match-up for the Bucs. Pittman had a very good game, and Brad Johnson seemed to get whatever he wanted in the intermediate passing game. The Bucs were a complete passing defense, and were only wore down by powerful, consistent running games like the Packers would do to them. A rushing attack led by Charlie Garner, who was more of a receiving back, was not likely to get the job done. Once the Bucs would get the lead, the Raiders would be forced to play into the Bucs strength of pass rushing and creating turnovers. 9 times out of 10, the Bucs win that game regardless of playcalling.

 
'GroveDiesel said:
The biggest coaching failure to me seems to be not changing the play verbiage from when Gruden was the coach. That reeks of total incompetence.
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Agree. Seems like a lot of incompetence, but no one is throwing the Super Bowl on purpose. You would think someone, anyone, would have said something about changing the verbiage be it any offensive coach or any offensive player. Almost like they got there and said "oh #### is that gruden on the other sideline?"
 
'dgreen said:
'RUSF18 said:
I'm guessing this is something that started out as a shared, frustrated feeling from guys on the team and grew into the larger "conspiracy" that they're now portraying it as over the years.

From the PFT article on this:

Rice also doesn’t seem to accurately remember how that Super Bowl went down. In his ESPN appearance, Rice said Callahan called on the Raiders “to throw the ball over 60 times.” But the Raiders didn’t throw the ball 60 times or even 50 times. They threw 44 times — exactly three more times than they had thrown the ball the week before, when they won the AFC Championship Game.

And that brings us to the strangest part of all this criticism of Callahan: Brown and Rice are insisting that Callahan sabotaged the team by implementing a pass-first offensive game plan. But the Raiders had been a passing team all season: They led the NFL in passing yards that season while ranking 18th in the league in rushing yards and 23rd in the league in rushing attempts. In other words, Callahan called a lot of passes in the Super Bowl because it was calling a lot of passes that had led them to the Super Bowl in the first place.

For Brown and Rice to suggest that Callahan was throwing the Super Bowl because he continued to call a lot of passes just as he had all season long is absolutely ridiculous.
Click to expand...
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/22/jerry-rice-agrees-with-tim-brown-bill-callahan-sabotaged-us/
Click to expand...
A) They were sacked 5 times so they called at least 49 passes.B) Gannon ran 2 times, so that's potentially 2 more pass plays that were called.

C) If they weren't destroyed in time of possession, they would have easily reached 60 passes. They only ran 60 offensive plays.
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the game before, gannon rushed 8 timesso thats 51 in the SB vs 52 in the AFC championship game

crocket had 2 of the first 3 runs the raiders called

in both games, they gave 9 carries to thier rb's

sb: it was 3-3 in the 1st quarter. TB scored the next 17 pts in the 2nd quarter and then another 14 before oak scored again

vs

afc game: close the entire game

of course they are going to pass more. even if they wanted to stick to the run, they would have had to abandon that plan by the end of the 2nd quarter

nothing here if you ask me. this is just 'there is nothing else to talk about' news.

 
It is interesting to me that two Raider wide receivers are now complaining about an offensive game plan to throw the ball more. There is no way wide receivers would have complained that involving them more in the plan is what cost the team the game immediately following the game.

 
On Mike & Mike this morning, Zach Crockett said the game plan was changed because of the center not being able to play the game. Crockett said that the center (not Gannon) was the one who ran the offense on the field. :confused: But Tim Brown said the center didn't show up for the game because of the changed game plan.

 
Brown's point was their original game plan was to run it down the Buc's throat. They had run "Gruden's" offense that season and the change made sense. They had a good line and were considerably bigger up front than the Buc's. They practiced all week with the big boys, Crockett and Wheatley, running the ball. Then the Friday before the SB, Callahan came to practice and blew up the game plan. He wanted to go back to "Gruden's" pass first offense.Many on the team didn't agree with the change two days before the SB. Barret Robbins, the teams Pro Bowl center, was pissed and went off on Callahan telling him he couldn't learn the offense line assignments in time for the game on Sunday. Then when MIA the next day.Given the amount of preparation that goes into game planning I can see where they're coming from.

 
I do agree with Brown that changing the game plan 3 days before the Super Bowl is a recipe for disaster. BTW: It also the reason I can't throw Musgrave under the bus for the Vikings dismal performance against the Packers in the Playoffs. He had a game plan with Ponder and suddenly he finds out he can't go. Webb has an entirely different skill set and game plan needed to change dramatically.

 
'geneyus said:
Brown's point was their original game plan was to run it down the Buc's throat. They had run "Gruden's" offense that season and the change made sense. They had a good line and were considerably bigger up front than the Buc's. They practiced all week with the big boys, Crockett and Wheatley, running the ball. Then the Friday before the SB, Callahan came to practice and blew up the game plan. He wanted to go back to "Gruden's" pass first offense.

Many on the team didn't agree with the change two days before the SB. Barret Robbins, the teams Pro Bowl center, was pissed and went off on Callahan telling him he couldn't learn the offense line assignments in time for the game on Sunday. Then when MIA the next day.

Given the amount of preparation that goes into game planning I can see where they're coming from.
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$2 You-Call-Its at Moondoggies made me go MIA the next day dozens of times too.
 
perfect storm for the raiders to have no chance. Gruden knew everything they would call/play.The friday game plan change is dumb but I doubt he threw the game

 
The biggest variable here seems to be when Robbins disappeared and when the gameplan was changed. If Robbins left and THEN the new gameplan was announced, that pretty much confirms the story that Callahan was forced to change the offense because of it. That would basically end the conspiracy angle.If the gameplan was changed and Robbins disappeared after that, that lends a lot of credence to other theories. Everything from intentionally throwing the game to just total coaching incompetence is on the table.

 
It's a mistake to change the game plan that late, but it's pretty dang unlikely that a game plan based on Crockett and Wheatley pounding the ball would have gotten anywhere. Both of them were below 4.0 ypc for the year. The Raiders were #2 in passing attempts and #23 in rushing attempts on the season, so it's not like a pass-heavy game plan was something new for them.The rushes they did call, they came up with 9 carries for 16 yards, so it's not like the running game was working great and they needed to lean more on it. And Garner had 7 receptions to lead the team.Here's some context. The end of the Raiders' first drive:1/10@TAM 19: Garner run for 1 yard2/9@TAM 18: Gannon run for 2 yards (probably scramble)3/7@TAM 16: Gannon sacked(FG)Second:1/10@RAI 30: Garner reception for 6 yards2/4@RAI 36: Pass incomplete to Rice3/4@RAI 36: Gannon sackedThird:1/10@TAM 49: Crockett run for 4 yards2/6@TAM 45: Crockett run for 2 yard3/4@TAM 43: Pass incomplete to RiceFourth:1/10@RAI 34: Pass to Rice for 9 yards2/1@RAI 43: Garner run for 2 yards1/10@RAI 45: Gannon pass interceptedFifth: 1/10@RAI 29: Pass incomplete to Garner2/10@RAI 29: Garner run for 4 yards3/6@RAI 33: Pass to Porter for 11 yards1/10@RAI 44: Garner run for -1 yards2/11@RAI 43: Pass to Garner for 5 yards3/6@RAI 48: Pass incomplete to BrownSixth:1/10@RAI 13: Pass incomplete to Garner2/10@RAI 13: Garner run for 1 yard3/10@RAI 14: Garner run for 3 yardsHalftimeSo, in that collection, how many pass plays might have been better as run plays instead? Maybe one, the intercepted pass on the fourth drive. So at halftime it's Tampa 20, Raiders 3. The run game has done nothing. They came out and threw it three times on the first drive and punted, then Tampa Bay came down and scored. 27-3. Are you still running Crockett into the line at that point? No. Then Gannon threw another interception returned for a TD, 34-3, and now you're in your two minute drill for the rest of the game.So even in terms of what actually happened, it's hard to say that the game plan had much to do with the Raiders losing. They lost because they let Michael Pittman go 29/124, and they couldn't score against the league's #1 defense.And the conspiracy theory is just absurd.

 
'32 Counter Pass said:
'GroveDiesel said:
The biggest coaching failure to me seems to be not changing the play verbiage from when Gruden was the coach. That reeks of total incompetence.
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:goodposting: This is exactly what Gannon said this morning on Sirius.
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I can't imagine anyone would intentionally throw the Super Bowl. There was only a week between the Conference Championships and League Championship. What are the odds you meet up with someone who knows your signals and arbitrage? But once it happens, it has to be the first thing on your mind. But with only a week to prepare, you needed to be prepared beforehand. Was Callahan? Maybe not. I think it is more incompetence or stupidity. Common sense tells you there are only so many moving parts and you should and could change some of them. Make the calls one number different (one number higher, for instance). One letter different (next letter, for instance). Use a letter instead of a word and a word instead of a letter. A million things you can do to change the cadence "code" without killing the other players. Just my thinking.
 
I wonder if this was some sort of strange gamesmanship where maybe Callahan thought there was a mole within the ranks. They report that they've been practicing a run heavy gameplan so Gruden counters? I don't know, maybe that's too conspiracy theory on its own.The Occam's Razor approach is simply that Callahan thought he would change it up in the Superbowl to something Gruden wouldn't expect and then at the last minute second-guessed himself.

 
hard to buy the credibility of this story,based on the fact that it took 10 years for them to speak about it..

why bring it up, now???

 
Hmmm...no Raider Nation postings in here?That's right...too busy whining about the Patriots in a dozen other threads.Take care of your own house first, RN, before throwing stones, bro.

 
Lincoln Kennedy was on local Philly radio yesterday and refuted a LOT of this. He doesn't remember it at all the way Brown described, specifically the game planning aspect. According to Kennedy, they plan all week was a passing game...that is where their success had come from. He said that Robbins was mostly MIA all week (and was troublesome with drinking throughout the season) but that they kept hoping he'd get it together in time for the game. When he missed bed check the night before they knew it was a lost cause, then he wasn't on the bus. Why? Because he was drunk out of his mind in Tijuana. When his wife found him along with team security, it was during the Super Bowl. Apparently he was so out of it that he thought the Bowl was the following day. He had totally lost track of time. During the season they had a Robbins-watch where any time they were out as a group, anybody that thought Robbins was starting to drink too much could call the night off to get him out of a bar. Invariably any time they didn't it would end up in a bar fight or worse. Kennedy also said that the team was enjoying themselves during the SB week. He said by the time the game was over he felt like he played three games that day...he was worn down from partying during the week.Kennedy agrees that Gruden knowing the plays hurt them. However, he also said that a contingent of players, including Brown, Rice, et al had gone to Davis after Gruden left and lobbied to have Callahan as the coach and to "not change a thing." They felt that they were so close they couldn't afford to make changes to the team while they were in a perceived championship window. That included not changing the plays/verbiage. They didn't face Gruden during the season and only made moderate changes to their division opponents to keep things steady. That year there was not a week off before the SB and they didn't change the verbiage and audibles b/c they didn't want to confuse the team after they hadn't changed before. He also said he could pretty much tell what the Bucs were going to run b/c it was basically the same offense. Problem was, they just couldn't stop it. He said the Raiders did NOT play their best game of the season, and the Bucs did. That's why they lost. Callahan may have contributed to it by not being the best coach, but he didn't sabotage it.

 
Any why is this a story now?? Why was Brown not speaking out after the game when he had the forum?There is no way on earth any football coach would sabotage a chance to win a Super Bowl title. It would never happen. Did Callahan make some errors in judgement? Who knows..possibly. Did Marc Levy sabotage the Bills? Dan Reeves the Broncos? There have been a number of Super Bowl blowouts that have been worse than this one And remember Tampa scored 2 TDs in the last 90 seconds on pick 6s when Oakland was in desperation mode.

 
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'Polish Hammer said:
Lincoln Kennedy was on local Philly radio yesterday and refuted a LOT of this. He doesn't remember it at all the way Brown described, specifically the game planning aspect. According to Kennedy, they plan all week was a passing game...that is where their success had come from.

He said that Robbins was mostly MIA all week (and was troublesome with drinking throughout the season) but that they kept hoping he'd get it together in time for the game. When he missed bed check the night before they knew it was a lost cause, then he wasn't on the bus. Why? Because he was drunk out of his mind in Tijuana. When his wife found him along with team security, it was during the Super Bowl. Apparently he was so out of it that he thought the Bowl was the following day. He had totally lost track of time. During the season they had a Robbins-watch where any time they were out as a group, anybody that thought Robbins was starting to drink too much could call the night off to get him out of a bar. Invariably any time they didn't it would end up in a bar fight or worse. Kennedy also said that the team was enjoying themselves during the SB week. He said by the time the game was over he felt like he played three games that day...he was worn down from partying during the week.

Kennedy agrees that Gruden knowing the plays hurt them. However, he also said that a contingent of players, including Brown, Rice, et al had gone to Davis after Gruden left and lobbied to have Callahan as the coach and to "not change a thing." They felt that they were so close they couldn't afford to make changes to the team while they were in a perceived championship window. That included not changing the plays/verbiage. They didn't face Gruden during the season and only made moderate changes to their division opponents to keep things steady. That year there was not a week off before the SB and they didn't change the verbiage and audibles b/c they didn't want to confuse the team after they hadn't changed before. He also said he could pretty much tell what the Bucs were going to run b/c it was basically the same offense. Problem was, they just couldn't stop it. He said the Raiders did NOT play their best game of the season, and the Bucs did. That's why they lost. Callahan may have contributed to it by not being the best coach, but he didn't sabotage it.
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Jon Ritchie, as well as Rice and Romanowski confirm Brown's timeline of events.I find it very hard to believe Brown's story, but this part of the story seems to not be in very much doubt.

Before the Super Bowl, I can recall discussing the Raiders running game. With the Bucs fast, undersized line, it made too much sense to just pound Wheatley behind the line. Robbins being there or not. People wouldn't remember, but at the time the Raiders had one of the better back-up centers in the league in Adam Treu, a vet with plenty of games started.

The Bucs players have said since that they knew exactly what the Raiders were going to do. Gruden came in, gave them the calls, gave them the audibles, and Callahan played right into their hands.

Callahan, I'd be truly shocked if he did sabotage the game, but we'll also never know for sure. At the very least, he is guilty of a horrible coaching performance. To not adjust the audible calls, or even change a thing from when Gruden coached the team, is dumb.

I think I'd rather risk confusing the players, than allowing the opposing coach to give the defense the calls. Does that seem to be a very difficult choice to make??

 
'Da Guru said:
Any why is this a story now?? Why was Brown not speaking out after the game when he had the forum?There is no way on earth any football coach would sabotage a chance to win a Super Bowl title. It would never happen. Did Callahan make some errors in judgement? Who knows..possibly. Did Marc Levy sabotage the Bills? Dan Reeves the Broncos?
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The fact that the previous coach was on the other sideline kind of makes your comparison pointless.
 
Tim Brown is showing significantly worse errors in judgment now than Callahan may have ten years ago.Not sure what Brown's motive is, but it may be interesting to follow over the next few weeks.

 
'Stephen Holloway said:
Tim Brown is showing significantly worse errors in judgment now than Callahan may have ten years ago.Not sure what Brown's motive is, but it may be interesting to follow over the next few weeks.
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If he believes it, he believes it. Errors in judgement? What's the fallout going to be, people aren't going to like Tim Brown any more? He's not trying to land a job, or run for office. And no, this wouldn't be worse than Callahan, this is just going to make people think Brown is a petty man, which he most certainly is. Callahan sabotaging the Super Bowl, or changing the game plan is much, much worse. By any measure.
 
Tim Brown is, and always has been, a selfish and egotistical ##### with no regard for things like "facts".

 
'massraider said:
'Da Guru said:
Any why is this a story now?? Why was Brown not speaking out after the game when he had the forum?There is no way on earth any football coach would sabotage a chance to win a Super Bowl title. It would never happen. Did Callahan make some errors in judgement? Who knows..possibly. Did Marc Levy sabotage the Bills? Dan Reeves the Broncos?
Click to expand...
The fact that the previous coach was on the other sideline kind of makes your comparison pointless.
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Has nothing to do with it. Callahan is not going to give Gruden a Super Bowl title out of the goodness of his heart.
 
'Da Guru said:
'massraider said:
'Da Guru said:
Any why is this a story now?? Why was Brown not speaking out after the game when he had the forum?There is no way on earth any football coach would sabotage a chance to win a Super Bowl title. It would never happen. Did Callahan make some errors in judgement? Who knows..possibly. Did Marc Levy sabotage the Bills? Dan Reeves the Broncos?
Click to expand...
The fact that the previous coach was on the other sideline kind of makes your comparison pointless.
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Has nothing to do with it. Callahan is not going to give Gruden a Super Bowl title out of the goodness of his heart.
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I don't think he would either.Still, using Levy or Reeves as a comparison doesn't make sense. Neither were facing their boss from the previous year. Just pointing that out. No big deal.
 
'Da Guru said:
Any why is this a story now?? Why was Brown not speaking out after the game when he had the forum?
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best reason I can come up with is: You don't talk about the raiders WHILE Al Davis is alive AND you work for the Raiders. Al's dead. Speak freely.
 
I really can't believe this story has any life, yet sure enough it was the lead on Mike & Mike and was trailing on the Sportscenter ticker.I can totally accept that Callahan is a clown who hurt his team's chances with a late week second-guess of his own game plan. That makes perfect sense (and Jerry Rice seems to be backing up Tim Brown's views on that). But to suggest it was some intentional misstep to help out Jon Gruden!?!?!? Baffling beyond all bafflement. It makes no sense whatsoever on any level.

 
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