Why would Gruden possibly return to coaching? (2 Viewers)

[dkp993]

Not to hyjack but oh my goodness... watching that last game he looked like a high school QB playing in the pros. He looked so so so so so bad. I can't even imagine what you're hoping for. He was missing WRs by 10 yards. Throwing the ball into the ground. I think I could have thrown better and my spiral sucks

Yeah, I guess one day he might be Alex Smith. Might. Looks more like David Carr IMO

Granted but the previous three games he actually looked pretty good to me all things considered.  poised and not overwhelmed by the moment.   

 I've watched every single snap and if were being completely fair he couldn't be in a worse situation.  The team is collapsing around him, the offensive line is one of the worst and football and his wide receivers are dropping passes left and right. Not exactly a recipe for success for a young quarterback.  Not exactly a recipe for success for a young quarterback.  

 

[Interseptopus]

I'm not sure why people don't like Gruden as an announcer, I think he is awesome and I definitely hope he stays in the booth. The guy is so passionate about football, yes he most definitely "love's" the way this guy or that guy plays every week, but who cares, I think he is very sincere and for the most part speaks very intelligently about football and plays and players. 

Of course a Packers fan likes him--he fellates you guys routinely.  If he isn't the announcer during one specific Packers/Seahawks game it would be known as the "Success Mary" instead of the "Fail Mary".  He's far too brash about his opinions and the audience buys into it too much.

I don't like him. I am a packer fan. 

And the fact that you bring up the Fail Mary is absolutely absurd. Everyone, except you apparently, knows that was not a success mary. 

 

[dkp993]

That occurred to me too - now that he's been in the media, he's called out several coaches for in-game gaffs, clock mismanagement, bad play calling, etc.

how quick do you think the media will dig up a MNF sound bite of him criticizing a play after he makes the same mistake? 

Too much ammo, and I imagine some sense of bitterness / jealousy among sportscasters that Gruden landed that cushy MNF gig with no media experience whereas many of them have worked their whole lives to cover sports and would kill or die to land that job.  

They'll turn on him quick. 

And his last year in Tampa was pretty ugly. Grimacing was about all he did before being fired. 

Put me in the camp of "no matter how bad the itch to coach is, Gru's got it too good right now".  

It'd be like winning $200,000,000 in the lottery, then buying a scratcher the next day. 

Agree with everything you state here.  Was just trying to answer your original question as to why he would do it.   But truth be told if I were him I'd stand pat.  

 

[Interseptopus]

Granted but the previous three games he actually looked pretty good to me all things considered.  poised and not overwhelmed by the moment.   

 I've watched every single snap and if were being completely fair he couldn't be in a worse situation.  The team is collapsing around him, the offensive line is one of the worst and football and his wide receivers are dropping passes left and right. Not exactly a recipe for success for a young quarterback.  Not exactly a recipe for success for a young quarterback.  

I'll give you those points. As someone who watched him once and it was probably the worst game of his life, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt

 

[dkp993]

I'll give you those points. As someone who watched him once and it was probably the worst game of his life, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt

Yeah I'm probably dead in the middle of this debate. If I was to say I wasn't concerned I would be lying but I also want to give the guy the benefit of the doubt and be honest about having seen things that I feel good about. One thing I do know is I'm glad Fisher is gone before he did completely ruin Goff.  

 

[steelers1080]

Perhaps he would coach again if his QB was Andrew Luck.

I was thinking Russell Wilson.  If Pete Carroll left for LA (he won't) I could see Gruden wanting to take over Seattle.

 

[biju]

My opinion has absolutely nothing to do with that game or any game that he does in particular, I love his passion for the game of football. I seriously doubt any announcer on a professional level would have given Seattle any more credit for that game, funny thing is Seattle got the win and your still the one talking about it.  I guess after a couple weeks ago, its a very fond memory for you, and I can accept that. Before you get all hurt, I hope "if" we do make the playoffs, someone else beats Seattle before we have to play them again, I think we played lights out and Seattle played lights off in that last game and I seriously doubt that will ever happen again, I got much respect for the talent in Seattle offensively and defensively, but they do try to bully teams and have quite a few cheap shot players on that team, which I don't respect. 

That is hilarious given your username.

I hope we face you guys in the playoffs.  Would love to keep that rivalry hot and send the Packers to their couches again.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Agree with everything you state here.  Was just trying to answer your original question as to why he would do it.   But truth be told if I were him I'd stand pat.  

 No worries… I wasn't specifically arguing  against any of your points - just sort of using the response as a sounding board for reasons why he might come back but probably won't.  

 It's an interesting discussion for sure  and a very unique situation. 

 It reminds me a little bit of one bill Cowher was going through the same thing. 

 I was a lot younger so I didn't pay as much attention to such things back then, but did Madden go through any of this? 

 

[Goldalene]

His years in Tampa proved Gruden isn't good with QBs. Why take on a team with a bad QB?

 

[Shutout]

You guys who are saying he would return for the competitive drive, etc are speaking like true ff addicts that don't realize how much of this lies out of your control and is counter-productive in terms of what you get out of it and how much you put into it.  

Gruden has been away from coaching for eight years.  Plenty long enough to realize how good he has it now.  He gets paid handsomely and is generally regarded as a top person in his field. Why would he trade that for the countless upon countless hours of work where you travel even more, sleep even less, are scrutinized a hundred times more, have a hundred times less job security, etc, etc?  He can walk away today and people will say he had a great career and never question a thing.  He goes back to coaching and he will come out less healthy and likely not on his own terms and has nowhere to go but down. It doesn't make sense.  

There is likely exactly one coach in the NFL right now, maybe two, who will likely get to decide when and how they step away from coaching in the NFL.  Common logic tells us that the vast majority of people seek more control in their life decisions.  Point being, gruden has his cake and is eating it too right now and I think he knows it.  

 

[mnmplayer]

His years in Tampa proved Gruden isn't good with QBs. Why take on a team with a bad QB?

I still remeber him getting so pissed off at Chris Sims cos he couldn't get the play called. "372 viper left shhift rifht ahhh wtf"He kept repeating the play and Chris couldn't get it out. The long version is funnier, and shows the challenges of coaching even at the top. LOL

This is the short version http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-fantasy/0ap2000000221008/Jon-Gruden-mic-d-up-at-2003-Buccaneers-training-camp 

His brother was a qb so he prolly had high expectations. LoL

 

[mnmplayer]

Forgot to add the Rams qb Goff seems kinda similarly dim witted. Might not be a good fit.

 

[mnmplayer]

You guys who are saying he would return for the competitive drive, etc are speaking like true ff addicts that don't realize how much of this lies out of your control and is counter-productive in terms of what you get out of it and how much you put into it.  

Gruden has been away from coaching for eight years.  Plenty long enough to realize how good he has it now.  He gets paid handsomely and is generally regarded as a top person in his field. Why would he trade that for the countless upon countless hours of work where you travel even more, sleep even less, are scrutinized a hundred times more, have a hundred times less job security, etc, etc?  He can walk away today and people will say he had a great career and never question a thing.  He goes back to coaching and he will come out less healthy and likely not on his own terms and has nowhere to go but down. It doesn't make sense.  

There is likely exactly one coach in the NFL right now, maybe two, who will likely get to decide when and how they step away from coaching in the NFL.  Common logic tells us that the vast majority of people seek more control in their life decisions.  Point being, gruden has his cake and is eating it too right now and I think he knows it.  

Sure I can buy that argument, but the op is not asking our opinion on whether Gruden will come back or not .. he's just asking for reasons why he would come back to coaching. The framing of the question indicates the default position is that there is little reason to come back, as you pointed out.

 

[wsig]

Nope. He knows he's not a good coach. He won with Dungy's team and then it fell apart. He does think every QB he sees is great. He would much rather have people think he's great than show them that he's not.

That's kind of an accomplishment when you consider how badly Dungy got his teeth kicked in with Dungy's teams. People act like those teams were world beaters when they obviously didn't watch the Eagles wipe the floor with us two years in a row in the first round.

Also, Gruden hated Chris Simms, who was a McKay pick. So, not every QB. 

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Sure I can buy that argument, but the op is not asking our opinion on whether Gruden will come back or not .. he's just asking for reasons why he would come back to coaching. The framing of the question indicates the default position is that there is little reason to come back, as you pointed out.

You're reading into it a bit - sure, I asked that somewhat hypothetical question, but this is an open discussion - feel free to go on a tangent.  

 

[mnmplayer]

You're reading into it a bit - sure, I asked that somewhat hypothetical question, but this is an open discussion - feel free to go on a tangent.  

Personally I would put the chances of him coming back at less than 3% to the Rams, Possibly 4-5% to Jax since he did coach in TB and might have some roots there. If I were him I'd just keep making money until the perfect opportunity arose, then pounce. LA has nice weather, but team needs a lot of work. Not perfect. Jax is a similar team with a decent defense, but seemingly better talent on offense. I'd bet he would go there if offered a ton of money over the Rams, but needles to say neither are perfect options where he can step in with a competitive team in a nice climate. I'd wait.

 

[J R]

For me personally, if I am not competing for something, anything, life is boring. If I am not involved in some investment, business, game, sport, even coaching my kids teams ... it's the closest think to primal energy we have in this society of being in the Jungle and BEING ALIVE. Sure there is a time to step back when you get burnt out, but the longer you are away it builds up inside you. I can understand why some people don't get it. Its not a feeling everyone shares, but to have another shot at coaching at the highest level and proving yourself with results sounds infinitely more exciting to me than watching and commentating. I would choose to coach again if given the right opp, but that's just me. He's already made more money than he needs to outlast his life. Nobody is going to say at his eulogy, and this man made $XX number of dollars over his lifetime, making wise decisions to commentate for more money over coaching. But if he gets another ring, or two, or three ...

Once you have enough money, you don't really dwell on making more of it like when you did when you didn't have it and are trying to make it, unless you have a love for making money (which is the root of all evil). It's just a different mindset. Look up Maslow's pyramid & hierarchy of motives & needs to get an understanding about how rich people think compared to poor, middle class, etc.  http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html I know its a theory, but I have found it to be true over the course of my life. He want's to realize his full potential, and that might not mean coaching football again, or it might. Only he knows if he has the bug to come back or not. Maybe he wants to be the best racecar driver. I don't know, just saying that is why coaches come back after a hiatus. Notice the highest order of the list of that link "Transcendence needs - helping others to achieve self actualization." I can tell you from experience in coaching, this is one of the most satisfying feelings in the world, helping kids achieve greatness. Its a personal great feeling when you help another. This is why coaching is so rewarding. I feel even better about teaching/coaching kids and watching them perform not just as athletes, but as young responsible men than I do about my own achievements. Gruden is not feeding this need as a commentator. You have to be on the field, coaching to fulfill this need.

He gets only so many years to compete. Added incentive ... I always like to compete with my brothers. We are about to meet up again this Christmas at parent's home, and each year you bet it comes up about bragging rights for our fantasy league when one of us wins, also even the week we play each other the loser gives the winner a concession congratulatory call after Monday night game LOL. Well take that a step further in real life if the Gruden's face off in real football. He never had that chance his first go around. Sounds a lot more interesting. I know the Harbaughs had a few interesting holidays.  

Did you mean to quote somebody else? I don't get how my joke about Gruden being a lousy announcer is the springboard for this lecture.

 

[mnmplayer]

Did you mean to quote somebody else? I don't get how my joke about Gruden being a lousy announcer is the springboard for this lecture.

Don't take offense. It's a possibility, no probability that I think most anytime is appropriate for one of my lectures.  I was actually surprised the post didn't generate a TLDR, because people that can't or won't read long messages seem to be very proud of that fact enough to post about it, instead of just not reading it, which if you break that logic down, makes no sense. "I am announcing to all publicly that I am refusing to read your post!, but in so doing I am quoting and reposting what you said, again!" Wouldn't it be more effective to just ignore it?

In response to your post, I was replying to someone else you were replying to. 

ETA: oops, did I just manage to lecture once again in yet another reply to you! Sorry.

 

[Faust]

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports Colts owner Jim Irsay attempted to hire ESPN analyst Jon Gruden.
 
There have been rumors since the end of the season Irsay was pursuing Gruden as coach and Peyton Manning as general manager. It looks like at least half of those rumors were true, but Gruden turned down the advances and will stick to TV. Gruden's rebuff could be the end of the Colts' quest to replace coach Chuck Pagano and GM Ryan Grigson, but no one will know for sure until Irsay makes an announcement.

Related: Colts
 
Source: Adam Schefter on Twitter 
Jan 14 - 10:56 AM

 

[lod001]

Gruden knows he sucks.

 

[Tanner9919]

For me personally, if I am not competing for something, anything, life is boring. If I am not involved in some investment, business, game, sport, even coaching my kids teams ... it's the closest think to primal energy we have in this society of being in the Jungle and BEING ALIVE. Sure there is a time to step back when you get burnt out, but the longer you are away it builds up inside you. I can understand why some people don't get it. Its not a feeling everyone shares, but to have another shot at coaching at the highest level and proving yourself with results sounds infinitely more exciting to me than watching and commentating. I would choose to coach again if given the right opp, but that's just me. He's already made more money than he needs to outlast his life. Nobody is going to say at his eulogy, and this man made $XX number of dollars over his lifetime, making wise decisions to commentate for more money over coaching. But if he gets another ring, or two, or three ...

Once you have enough money, you don't really dwell on making more of it like when you did when you didn't have it and are trying to make it, unless you have a love for making money (which is the root of all evil). It's just a different mindset. Look up Maslow's pyramid & hierarchy of motives & needs to get an understanding about how rich people think compared to poor, middle class, etc.  http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html I know its a theory, but I have found it to be true over the course of my life. He want's to realize his full potential, and that might not mean coaching football again, or it might. Only he knows if he has the bug to come back or not. Maybe he wants to be the best racecar driver. I don't know, just saying that is why coaches come back after a hiatus. Notice the highest order of the list of that link "Transcendence needs - helping others to achieve self actualization." I can tell you from experience in coaching, this is one of the most satisfying feelings in the world, helping kids achieve greatness. Its a personal great feeling when you help another. This is why coaching is so rewarding. I feel even better about teaching/coaching kids and watching them perform not just as athletes, but as young responsible men than I do about my own achievements. Gruden is not feeding this need as a commentator. You have to be on the field, coaching to fulfill this need.

He gets only so many years to compete. Added incentive ... I always like to compete with my brothers. We are about to meet up again this Christmas at parent's home, and each year you bet it comes up about bragging rights for our fantasy league when one of us wins, also even the week we play each other the loser gives the winner a concession congratulatory call after Monday night game LOL. Well take that a step further in real life if the Gruden's face off in real football. He never had that chance his first go around. Sounds a lot more interesting. I know the Harbaughs had a few interesting holidays.  

You actually typed all of that crap? Who cares what philosophy you pretend to follow .thays a nice passive aggressive " here is what wealthy people do.i should know Im wealthy "  schtick..:rollseyes:

And it doesnt account for health and well being, as in no high blood pressure and work related health problems ala Parcells Madden Kubiak etc..

Gruden is a media god he makes money on and off the air.he doesnt have to work 90 hr weeks and suffer coaching burnout. He can critique from his perch and hes fine with that. He has one SB victory does he really need another? I dont claim to know his motives but we keep hearing coaches names thrown about like Cowher and Billick but yet these guys never come out of the tv booths. Now, why is that?

 

[Riversco]

If the NFL is truly a coach's game, then you must wonder how much the product on the field has begun to really suffer without the likes of Gruden (53), Cowher (59) , Jimmy Johnson (73), and Dungy (61) coaching over the last 5 years.  There's really a dearth of good coaches out there.  I think the league would be more interesting with them still on the sidelines.

 

[skol asylum]

Wow, I had no idea Jimmy Johnson was that old.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Wow, I had no idea Jimmy Johnson was that old.

He and Jerry Jones were teammates at Arkansas. 

 

[Capella]

If the NFL is truly a coach's game, then you must wonder how much the product on the field has begun to really suffer without the likes of Gruden (53), Cowher (59) , Jimmy Johnson (73), and Dungy (61) coaching over the last 5 years.  There's really a dearth of good coaches out there.  I think the league would be more interesting with them still on the sidelines.

This is a pretty good point. Those guys are all either hall of gamers or would've been with 5-10 more years at it. 

I think the NFL profession in itself is just such a ridiculous grind that it's too easy to burn out now. I can't believe how many hours a week these guys do this for. 

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

If the NFL is truly a coach's game, then you must wonder how much the product on the field has begun to really suffer without the likes of Gruden (53), Cowher (59) , Jimmy Johnson (73), and Dungy (61) coaching over the last 5 years.  There's really a dearth of good coaches out there.  I think the league would be more interesting with them still on the sidelines.

And those old football coaches lives would be miserable compared to what they have now.

Every week, right or wrong, all they have to be is entertaining and they keep their jobs. They sleep regular hours, they don't have the stress of winning or losing lorded over them by some billionaire (or a billionaire's offspring that never did spit except have a fortunate birth) - they spend time with families and are set for life economically.

they can see a starting QB get hurt and be sad for the guy without feeling like it ruined their season also. They can see a defensive player with a stupid costly penalty or a young WR fail to get out of bounds to stop the clock and can comment wisely and critically on it from a coaching perspective without knowing that they'll be lambasted in the media for allowing that to happen, because surely it was poor coaching. 

And they can have the perspective that winning the super bowl is an unbelievably hard thing to do, and know that it is incredibly unlikely that they'll be the ones to go to a team in need of some level of rebuild and actually achieve that. 

The stress, travel and sleepless nights are the common denominators these men have mentioned when asked if they miss coaching. And as one ages, one becomes less likely to embrace any of those. 

Before Gruden it was Cowher's name bandied about every year. Before Cowher it was Madden. 

No one who's landed the gig of getting paid to be a well loved celebrity will be going back to coaching folks.

Coaches win and they're loved by their city universally, and any mistakes in the regular season are quickly forgotten. 

But when coaches lose, they're run out on a rail and everyone puts their failures under a microscope. For years. Two decades can go by and they'll be at a bar and some jackass fan who's never achieved anything in life will bring up a failed play that cost a team a big win. 

But as an announcer?  Bill Cowher, Steve Marriucci, Jimmy Johnson and Jon Gruden walk into a bar in any city in America. Someone buys them a drink. Every....single....time. They've transcended coaching - they are sports celebrities and they lead a sports celebrity lifestyle. They get to talk about the game they love every week, hang out with players and coaches that they love to interact with, and then they go home and sleep in a nice warm bed with their wives, and they see their children and grandchildren grow up. 

I would bet everything I own that none of these coaches will ever return. 

 

[gump]

His years in Tampa proved Gruden isn't good with QBs. Why take on a team with a bad QB?

He sent 3 different QBs to the Pro Bowl.

 

[Goat Boy]

Gruden has a great thing going. Good for him.

 

[Faust]

The Raiders Are Jon Gruden’s Show Now

 

[efactor]

The Raiders Are Jon Gruden’s Show Now

Great read. 

 

[Faust]

No one may regret Raiders' Antonio Brown debacle more than Jon Gruden

 

[Faust]

Jon Gruden Enabled This Bitter Struggle With Antonio Brown

 

[Faust]

Jon Gruden on Antonio Brown saga: I feel like somebody was smashing my temple on the side of the head

 

[Faust]

Jon Gruden, Raiders take victory lap as they've left Antonio Brown mistake in dust

 

[Statorama]

If you stuck around for the end of the coverage last night, I have never seen a person happier in all my life than Gruden celebrating that win with the fans as he left the field.

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

Gruden-hating comments in this thread did not age well.

He is building a successful culture and team. His players clearly love playing for him, and there is a lot of love given to and from fans.

Strangely weird to be a Raider fan in these optimistic times. And it's mostly because of Gruden.

 

[Chaka]

*knock-knock*

 

[Leroy Hoard]

*knock-knock*

Who's there?

Chucky.

 

[Faust]

Jon Gruden runs into tunnel at halftime, realizes first half isn't over

 

[Faust]

Raiders' Jon Gruden should be NFL's Coach of the Year, says Brett Favre

 

[Faust]

Jon Gruden's Raiders Rebuild Is Taking Shape

 

[rockaction]

I was big Gruden fan when the Raiders were still committed to excellence under his watch. I'll never understand what happened between him and Al Davis, but it probably cost Al a Super Bowl before he passed. So wise of the son to see his father's possible error and do a reboot, though price is always negotiable . It's been interesting to watch, even if I have my criticisms of Gruden. He's turned it around so far, for sure.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Holy blast from the past, Batman! 
 

I wonder what woulda happened if he’d signed with the Rams? 

revisiting this subject 4 years later. I’ve gotta said, I’m impressed with the 2020 Raiders more than I have been with any other version. And I do attribute a lot of that success to Gruden. 

fun team. Good coaching. Winning football. I like what they’re building. As for 2020, they might be a piece or two away from dominance, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be a playoff team this year.  I’d love to see it. 

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

Holy blast from the past, Batman! 
 

I wonder what woulda happened if he’d signed with the Rams? 

revisiting this subject 4 years later. I’ve gotta said, I’m impressed with the 2020 Raiders more than I have been with any other version. And I do attribute a lot of that success to Gruden. 

fun team. Good coaching. Winning football. I like what they’re building. As for 2020, they might be a piece or two away from dominance, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be a playoff team this year.  I’d love to see it. 

Any other version? Do you mean ones that you've seen? Or ever?

As a perpetual glass-half-full Raiders guy (despite multiple decades of pain) I love to see that this team looks like they are turning a corner.

But as a Raiders guy through those multiple decades of pain, I know never to look a gift horse in the mouth too soon.

They are fun, and I love what Gruden is building.

But they have a lot still to prove.

But I put the 1976 Raiders up against any other team in NFL history. The mid 70s Raiders (74 and 76 specifically) were awesome, and the 1980, 1990, and 2002  Raiders were all superior to this team so far.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Any other version? Do you mean ones that you've seen? Or ever?

As a perpetual glass-half-full Raiders guy (despite multiple decades of pain) I love to see that this team looks like they are turning a corner.

But as a Raiders guy through those multiple decades of pain, I know never to look a gift horse in the mouth too soon.

They are fun, and I love what Gruden is building.

But they have a lot still to prove.

But I put the 1976 Raiders up against any other team in NFL history. The mid 70s Raiders (74 and 76 specifically) were awesome, and the 1980, 1990, and 2002  Raiders were all superior to this team so far.

I meant the recent Gruden-coached versions since he returned to coaching, per the topic. Sorry - shoulda been more specific. lol

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Any other version? Do you mean ones that you've seen? Or ever?

As a perpetual glass-half-full Raiders guy (despite multiple decades of pain) I love to see that this team looks like they are turning a corner.

But as a Raiders guy through those multiple decades of pain, I know never to look a gift horse in the mouth too soon.

They are fun, and I love what Gruden is building.

But they have a lot still to prove.

But I put the 1976 Raiders up against any other team in NFL history. The mid 70s Raiders (74 and 76 specifically) were awesome, and the 1980, 1990, and 2002  Raiders were all superior to this team so far.

I always use the '76 Raiders when I discuss the greatness of the Miami Dolphins '71-'73, Steelers '74'-'75, '78-'79...and then there is the '76 Raiders sitting there and some folks might not know but in '74 Miami was marching into the playoffs and were 2-Time Super Bowl Champs, perhaps on a collision course with Pittsburgh and we all know how this ends with Stabler floating one in and ending the Miami Reign if you will, it's quite possible Miami could have been the only 3-Time in a row Super Bowl Champ losing 28-26 to your beloved Raiders. Oakland would of course lose to Pittsburgh. I bring all this up because the '76 Raiders are a special team. Now the Phins were 6-8 in '76 because some of their players went to play in the WFL like Csonka and several others. The Miami Dolphins were woefully underpaid and probably got hit the hardest thru that fiasco of 1 season. But again the '76 Raiders managed to win a Super Bowl somehow coming out of a stacked AFC that dominated much of the 70s, it's a special team and they were an integral part of the AFC 70s Reign, they only have the 1 Title from that era but they would go on to win 2 more in the next 7 years largely with different coaches and players however it put them over the top and it ushered in or cemented their legacy from just heavy hitting assassins or whatever and all that stuff that goes in to being a Raiders Fan and I mean the fans in the stands etc...it gave them total credibility and they were always a little short up to that point. It's possible Madden could have won more titles, maybe he should have won 3 or 4 but that one team in '76 took it home for all those other seasons and other great Raiders teams before and after them. 

Props to you STC

On another note...your boys are going to get run out of Foxsboro tomorrow, i'd bet the Pats -13 if I had to. Just my gut after watching both teams for 2 weeks in their entirety. I do like what Gruden is doing and they have a brighter future but I still think they are a little ways away from being a strong playoff contender. I hope you take no offense. Just my POV and I am mostly interested in the juice tomorrow so forgive me.  

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

I meant the recent Gruden-coached versions since he returned to coaching, per the topic. Sorry - shoulda been more specific. lol

No worries -- but I still don't get the point. Gruden took his last Raider team to the SB (and the previous two teams before that to the AFCC and AFCD) -- both those teams were far better than the one we have today.

I think this year's Raiders team is special but we are very banged up and still have a ways to go on D. 

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

I always use the '76 Raiders when I discuss the greatness of the Miami Dolphins '71-'73, Steelers '74'-'75, '78-'79...and then there is the '76 Raiders sitting there and some folks might not know but in '74 Miami was marching into the playoffs and were 2-Time Super Bowl Champs, perhaps on a collision course with Pittsburgh and we all know how this ends with Stabler floating one in and ending the Miami Reign if you will, it's quite possible Miami could have been the only 3-Time in a row Super Bowl Champ losing 28-26 to your beloved Raiders. Oakland would of course lose to Pittsburgh. I bring all this up because the '76 Raiders are a special team. Now the Phins were 6-8 in '76 because some of their players went to play in the WFL like Csonka and several others. The Miami Dolphins were woefully underpaid and probably got hit the hardest thru that fiasco of 1 season. But again the '76 Raiders managed to win a Super Bowl somehow coming out of a stacked AFC that dominated much of the 70s, it's a special team and they were an integral part of the AFC 70s Reign, they only have the 1 Title from that era but they would go on to win 2 more in the next 7 years largely with different coaches and players however it put them over the top and it ushered in or cemented their legacy from just heavy hitting assassins or whatever and all that stuff that goes in to being a Raiders Fan and I mean the fans in the stands etc...it gave them total credibility and they were always a little short up to that point. It's possible Madden could have won more titles, maybe he should have won 3 or 4 but that one team in '76 took it home for all those other seasons and other great Raiders teams before and after them. 

Props to you STC

On another note...your boys are going to get run out of Foxsboro tomorrow, i'd bet the Pats -13 if I had to. Just my gut after watching both teams for 2 weeks in their entirety. I do like what Gruden is doing and they have a brighter future but I still think they are a little ways away from being a strong playoff contender. I hope you take no offense. Just my POV and I am mostly interested in the juice tomorrow so forgive me.  

Great points all around. There were some unbelievable teams in the 70s, and the "who is the best team ever" is a heady debate with no real answer. But that '76 Raider team -- you had 8 HOFers on the squad (not including two on the staff, Al Davis and Ron Wolf) -- and I'm biased but I think there is a case that Branch, Tatum, and even Vilipiano should be in as well.

It's a bit of an unheralded squad -- the team had some key injuries early in the season on D (Thoms, Tony Cline, and Horace Jones) so they acquired Dave Rowe and switched in-season from a 4-3 to a 3-4. Miami's undefeated record and SB win gets plenty of corks popped, but that team tore through the league at 16-1 (only losing, of course, to the Patriots in a blowout -- they did beat them in the AFCD though with Stabler tossing two TDs in the last 10 minutes). 

And no offense whatsoever. I am unfortunately with you on this weekend being a likely loss. It's an early game on the East Coast, which is always a bane for the Raiders. This Patriots team looks to have picked right up from last year with Cam really playing some inspired ball. The D isn't as dominant as last year, but it's still damned good. We're banged up on the O-line, our two biggest stars may be dinged, we have a lot of rookies and second+ stringers we need to rely on in this game, and coming off a short week after an inspirational win to boot.

I think most of the Raider Nation saw this game and said, that going to be a likely loss.

But if they win? Man, that could be the gasoline on last week's fire that truly sparks this team.

I don't know if they will make the playoffs - they still have a tough division, but I do see them as a strong wildcard contender. It's no guarantee, but I like our chances.

We'll see.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Great points all around. There were some unbelievable teams in the 70s, and the "who is the best team ever" is a heady debate with no real answer. But that '76 Raider team -- you had 8 HOFers on the squad (not including two on the staff, Al Davis and Ron Wolf) -- and I'm biased but I think there is a case that Branch, Tatum, and even Vilipiano should be in as well.

It's a bit of an unheralded squad -- the team had some key injuries early in the season on D (Thoms, Tony Cline, and Horace Jones) so they acquired Dave Rowe and switched in-season from a 4-3 to a 3-4. Miami's undefeated record and SB win gets plenty of corks popped, but that team tore through the league at 16-1 (only losing, of course, to the Patriots in a blowout -- they did beat them in the AFCD though with Stabler tossing two TDs in the last 10 minutes). 

And no offense whatsoever. I am unfortunately with you on this weekend being a likely loss. It's an early game on the East Coast, which is always a bane for the Raiders. This Patriots team looks to have picked right up from last year with Cam really playing some inspired ball. The D isn't as dominant as last year, but it's still damned good. We're banged up on the O-line, our two biggest stars may be dinged, we have a lot of rookies and second+ stringers we need to rely on in this game, and coming off a short week after an inspirational win to boot.

I think most of the Raider Nation saw this game and said, that going to be a likely loss.

But if they win? Man, that could be the gasoline on last week's fire that truly sparks this team.

I don't know if they will make the playoffs - they still have a tough division, but I do see them as a strong wildcard contender. It's no guarantee, but I like our chances.

We'll see.

To be the best you gotta beat the best and again when you compare teams what makes these Miami Pitt Oak teams so great is that they had to beat the other one in order to win. I didn't know they went 13-1 during the regular season. 

Packers '66...Miami '72...Pitt '75...Oak'76...San Fran '84(18-1 and we know who they beat in SB)...Bears'86...San Fran '89...Dallas'92...Broncos'98 and then I usually stop there because the game starts to change a bit and you lose eras. But Elway is the end of the famous 1983 Draft so I feel that's a good stop point for me. The ones after I start putting into a separate bowl. 

Cheers

 

[Deamon]

I don't know if they will make the playoffs - they still have a tough division,

I wouldn't call their division tough.