Al Davis: Monte Kiffin wanted to leave Bucs

Raiders owner Al Davis finally got around to firing coach Lane Kiffin today.

The move had been speculated for months, but he did reveal one surprise.

In describing the fallout with his 32-year-old coach, Davis said Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin wanted to join his son's coaching staff in Oakland.

"Monte told me that he wanted to come here...even though he is under contract with Tampa,' Davis said at his news conference Tuesday.

Davis said he the Raiders did not want to tamper, so he called Buccaneeers general manager Bruce Allen but ended up talking about Lane, "even though Monte wanted to leave.'

Monte Kiffin has been unavailable for comment.

Comments

[Jay]

Al Davis just got up on stage and lied about Lane, and now he just wants to stir up drama over on this coast to get back at Gruden for leaving him too. He's a vindictive, short sighted and arrogant freak of nature that makes the late Marge Schott look like the best owner in professional sports.

I'd be happy to see Lane come here and study under his old man. He's had two years of seeing what terrible defenses look like, now he can comes see what great ones look like too.

[Clad]

I'm glad Monte decided to stay. With our offense as sporadic as it is we need his steadying hand on D.

Hope you stay till your 75 Monte. No need to retire at your early age....

Clad

[Valrico Rick]

I don't believe a word that comes out of Al Davis' mouth. Gruden was one tuck rule call away from the Super Bowl, but Davis couldn't wait to get rid of him. He goes through 5 coaches in 7 years, but this one really deserved to be fired. Didn't Davis stiff Mike Shanahan out of some money when he fired him too? Davis is an embarassment to the NFL, and needs to be stripped of his ownership!

[Mike W.]

Who forgot to give Mr. Davis his medication?

[steve]

Yeah, right...let's believe Al Davis, the shriveled-up, senile troll and "dismantler" of once-proud NFL teams.....only executive decisions he should be making these days is when to change his DEPENDS...

[skp]

Al Davis went on to say, "THE METRIC SYSTEM IS THE TOOL OF THE DEVIL! My car gets 40 rods to the hogshead, and that's the way I likes it!!"

Al Davis = Grandpa Simpson....

[HJK]

Al davis should just d--. period.

[john]

Al davis is a lieing dumb azz?Even with his son there he wouldnt have went to that disaster of a team!Hes still pissed he trade Gruden away that teams never been the same.

[john]

That old man needs to d==!

[John]

Shame on you Al Davis for being such a rich as_hole and bad mouthing a good coach. He did more for your team than the previous four losers did. By the way, If Monty really wanted to go to you last place LOOSERVILLE team he would have made it happen. What goes around OLD MAN is what you get on the afterside. You PRESUMPTIOUS, looser rich guys all think alike. I hope you get what you deserve, which is last place and a continually losser ball club. I just feel sorry for the players that have to be in the middle. You have proven that you are not man enough to work out your problems with the coaches as you fire them all because they will not play your way.

[Drew]

I live in Milpitas, CA. and I can tell you right now he's a DAMN liar. I know some of the Raider players and the real facts are Monte Kiffin DID NOT want to come here.

I may live in Raider land, but I'm a diehard Buc Fan at heart.

[Drew]

Al Davis is the re-incarnation of Hugh Culverhouse.

[Tom]

Who cares if Monte said that he wanted to leave. He didn't and we're all glad that he's still here. No need to make a big deal out of this.

[John P]

Yeah, I'm sure Al Davis was the first guy on the phone asking a favor to two guys who he labeled traitors. Allen and Gruden both are dead to Davis - hell would have to freeze over before he'd be picking up that phone call.

Sucks to be a Raiders fan, I'd bet, knowing that you have a senile jack*ss running the football team.

[Ray]

I am sure even if there is any truth to this, Monte is probably happy he didn't go. My guess is Lane will probably end up here or will go back to college. All in all, instead of firing Lane, Al should have fired himself.

[Larry]

It would appear that Al Davis has more than physical issues. At one time he was smart and powerful, now he's just past his time.

The Oakland organization has been disfunctional for years due to Al's meddling and paranoia. It's a shame to see him dragging everyone even remotely connect to Lane Kiffen down to satisfy his bruised ego.

Take your walker and toddle back to the booth Al, your time is past and the sooner you realize it the better.

[GrudenHater]

Al Davis is just bad news except for the players he overpays. With him bad-mouthing Lane, he made sure that no credible coach will want to work for him.

The Bucs D needs to circle Dec 28th for the game against the Raiders. It will be paybeck time for Monte and the D...

[Ben]

I bet Monte couldn't wait to take that bust of a 300 pound Quaterback and stick him at DT. Jamarcus could be the next warren sapp!

[Ben]

BTW can't wait to Gruden and Kiffen stick it to Davis latter this season. Run the score up Pats style.

[marcus]

clad shut up

[Darren]

That dumb@$$ Davis just admited that he had contact with a coach under contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He said it was harmless, but he just gave Monte Kiffin the power to harm the Raiders.

Monte can tell Bruce Allen that he has a different memory of the contact with Davis. Davis was undermining the Bucs by offering him a contract. According to this alleged version of events Monte would remember how Al Davis offered him money to break his contract with the Bucs.

Bruce Allen could then charge Al Davis and the Raiders with tampering. The Bucs would be shocked,... shocked and demand the NFL returns the draft picks they gave the Raiders when they negotiated Gruden's move to Tampa.

Who cares if it is true or not. Monte would force Davis to go through the expense of defending the Raiders' draft picks. Davis admitted that he had contact, now Monte has the power to inform us on his recollection of those discussions.

Monte my friend, Al Davis hurt your boy, but he was foolish enough to give you the power to strike back.

I say take it. Make Davis rue the day he screwed with the Kiffins. Strike back, and strike hard.

[Jay]

Darren,

Should he also sweep the leg? Maybe prepare a body bag?

[Michael]

I call BS on Al Davis. Monte was free to sign anywhere this offseason. Monte signed a new contract in January 2008. There weren't going to be any tampering charges since Monte's contract expired before the playoff game.

[OpieGruden]

Get back the draft picks from the Gruden trade?! you already have them... Phillip Buchanan. Gruden was probably funneling info to Lame thru Monte on how to push Al's buttons, after all he had the process down with all the Notre Dame alarm clock BS, then the Glazers canned Dungy to open the door for the "trade". Talk about classless moves. The Glazers rank right up there w/ Davis on that one. and how is it half of the Bucs roster/front office is made up of Raider-cast offs?! Sapp is the only player to go from TB to Oakland, you can't begin to count all the Raiders in Tamper bay.

[Ick]

I'd be happy is our staff found a spot for Lane. That would give Monte incentive to stay here for another decade-plus, and Lane is actually a hell of a coach. Maybe not a head coach, but he is very good. And if anyone could just slip right in on the Tampa 2, its the son of the man who created it.

[joe]

Al Davis just can't get over losing Gruden so he has the nerve to talk smack bout Monte. Monte is the face of the bucs. he created Tampa 2 not raider 2. Too bad we play em week 17, i hope we still destroy em with Lane on our sideline.

[George Bush #1]

I would not put it past Monte. By the way, how many fathers get an opportunity to coach with their son? Anyways, Monte signed with us after speaking to Al Davis and realizing that he would not let him run the defense the way he wanted. That is why I believe he backed off. Also, he loves being here in Tampa. He was only going to leave to be with his son. Not because he really wanted to leave the Bucs. Hope Lane signs with us as an offensive assistant. He was an offensive coordinator at USC. It would be nice to see Allen, Gruden, and both Kiffin's whoop their a%@!

[Erick]

I wonder if the NFL has any power to revoke a team if it feels it is damaging the NFL brand. The Raiders are just ruining potential talent and bringing a bad name the the NFL. Seriously. Force Al to sell it to someone in LA.

[vince]

I agree, most coaches would love the chance to coach with their sons. ANd then again, maybe they wouldn't, ha ha! Still, so what, he wanted to go, yet he stayed. A lot of great marriages could say the same thing!

[aaron]

What a couple of you guys dont understand is that Lane is an offensive coach. He cant "slip right in ont Tampa 2" Monte is defense.
But hey it would be fantastic to see him somewhere on the offensive staff.

[DR]

Al Davis is lying and is desperate. What a pathetic loser and just can't get it right.
On the other hand, Kiffen and Kiffen at offensive and defensive coordinator would be nice. The Bucs desperately need an offensive coordinator.

[bobbyd]

DR,
I almost got excited. For a second there I thought you said Al Davis is dying. Drat.

How much do you think Raiders players LOVE to play for that guy? I bet he has every coach in the league just dying (there's that word again) to coach there.

Just remember folks when you're all doing the b!tching and moaning thing.... Things could be WAAAAAAY worse for Tampa right now.

The current tally for the season:
2 Head Coaches
1 General Mangler

Any bets on who's next? (here's everyone's chance to yell GRUDEN!)

[bobbyd]

Question:
How do you know Al Davis is lying?

Answer:
He's not dead.

[RJ]

CORRECTION:

Al Davis is dead, his body doesn't realize it yet. I hope it does soon as he has destroyed the Raiders.

[Kurt]

Right DR, that #7 offense of ours really needs some help...tool.

[BILL H]

AL DAVIS IS SUCH A DUMB AZZ.....WATCHED TOTAL ACCESS AND A RAIDER PLAYER PRETTY MUCH SAID THAT DAVIS WAS NOT TELLING THE TRUTH...WHO IN THERE RIGHT MIND WOULD WANT THAT COACHING GIG AT ALL?

[nick]

Hmm..Lets think about this. Monte living on Bayshore taking his morning jog while all the "scenery" winks at him. Saying to himself, :"I'm the king of this town, I can go out my way" Or, living in dirty Oakland dealing with skeletor and his crazy ways. You decide.

[eric]

just lose, crybaby.
e

[Hardhat0038]

Oh my god, yeah right, Monte wouldn't leave to go to San Fran, but he will go work for an obtuse ar-se like Davis? C'mon man, if you believe that you're an idiot.

[Hardhat0038]

I actually think lane Kiffin would be cool here as postion coach or something, although I'm not really sure how it would be stylistically and all that, but I'm sure he could do some good here.

[Larry]

From what I read, Lane is no saint. According to Pete Prisco..."He was known to be arrogant and aloof, two of the same qualities he had when he was the quality-control coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars when I covered that team." I'm not sure we need that around One Buc Place.

[DR]

Gruden would never allow a talent like Kiffen to come here. He would quit before that happened. #7 offense Kurt, we'll see where that is by the end of the year. the law of averages say that the offense will be ranked somewhere in the 20's by year's end.
Now go back to your MJ in the morning loser show- tool.. ha ha, you're such a queer.

[DR]

bobbyd, the beer vendors and ball boys don't even want to work for Al Davis.

[Tim]

I don't believe monte wanted to go to freakin' oakland and leave the bucs for one second. however, if that really was the case, it had nothing to do with the bucs, it's just simply because he would get a chance to work with his son. period.

[Matt]

Lane's not going to come here as an offensive co-ordinator. He may have less power under Gruden in that role than he did as a head coach under Davis.

He'll get a head coaching job in college next year and bum around for the rest of this year, briefly stopping in at 1 Buc place for a week at the end of the year to help the Buc's destroy the Raiders.

[DMS]

Al Davis is the most useless person in pro sports. He is a cancer to his team. I'm always happy when the Raiders suck though, so hopefully he's there another several years before kicking the bucket.

[Duane]

This is such a non-story. I'm sure Monte would have loved to coach alongside his son. What father-son coaching tandem wouldn't. Big WOW. But after the mean, vindictive spiteful way Davis has acted, what coach in his right mind would ever want to work for Davis. Ray Perkins is probably still available. Davis and the Raiders have turned into the NFL punch line. What in the world did they ever do with those four high round draft picks we gave them.

ROFLMAO, let me guess Rick's mouth watered when he heard that.

[BDS]

Larry, to your comment about Lane being "arrogant" from Prisco's column, Prisco is a HUGE Bucs hater. Year after year of listening to that retard whine about John Lynch being "overrated" is enough to make me puke. He NEVER says anything positive about the Bucs. His opinion counts for squat with me.

As big a joke as the Raiders are, Buc's fans need to remember that no first overall pick has sat out of football for a year to avoid playing for them.