One of my favorite days ever, is when the Raiders hire a new head coach. No one does it like the Raiders. Whether it’s a 32 year old John Madden, or a 31 year old Lane Kiffin or my man, Arthur Shell, you just never know what you’re going to get from the Silver and Black.
Take their last hire: remember when Al Davis tossed the keys to Hue Jackson and got off this gem: “the fire in Hue will set a flame that will burn for a long time in the hearts and minds of the Raider football team and the Raider nation.” If by a long time, he meant exactly, 12 months, that inferno within Hue flamed eternally. And they’ve done it again. The Raiders went outside the family to hire GM Reggie McKenzie: and he just went outside the family and tapped Broncos defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to be his coach. And then millions of people Googled him up because they had no idea who he was.
But they should. Remember Tebowmania? Made a few waves. Spiked a few page views. Turned a few heads. And stomachs. Well, Dennis Allen was as responsible for Tebowmania as Tim Tebow was. Allen coordinated that defense that kept Tebow and the offense close enough every week for Tebow to show up late and rip “W’s. So I can see why the Raiders did this: I just hope they know that while Allen will be bringing his system and philosophy with him, he won’t be bringing Elvis Dumervil, Von Miller and Champ Bailey.
Look, we know the Raiders, will have speed offensively and look to go vertical: but it’s good to see they’re finally looking to knock people out on the other side of the ball. And best of all, they got all Raider with it, by taking a chance on a young, unproven commodity. Let’s just hope the fire in Dennis will set a flame that will burn longer than the one in Hue did.
