THE RAIDERS NEED TO PURSUE AND HIRE JIM HARBAUGH. Right now.
This is all predicated, of course, that Tom Cable is about to be fired. Multiple sources around the NFL say Al Davis is close to giving the pink slip to Cable, who just concluded his second season.
The Raiders need to make a bold move. They cannot stand pat and continue with the present course. They need to sell tickets and fill up the Oakland Coliseum. They need desperately to make an impact move for the sake of the organization's credibility and more importantly, show their core fan base that they mean business. And they need to remind the naysayers that the organization is still relevant.
Harbaugh is instant credibility. Harbaugh is a very good coach. Harbaugh would cost a lot, but if the Raiders were willing to pay Bobbie Petrino, (ex-Louisville/Atlanta coach) an estimated $3 million a year, then money wouldn't be an issue.
Obviously, Harbaugh would need some degree of player personnel control and be at the forefront of the draft. That shouldn't be an issue. Keep in mind that Harbaugh was once the Raiders QB coach and has a very good relationship with Al Davis.
Davis needs to get serious and see the handwriting on the wall. He needs to put aside the usual year-end goals and go after Harbaugh and get the Raiders back into the playoffs and off the joke list.
He also needs a coach like Harbaugh that might be the ONLY individual that could motivate JaMarcus Russell into a decent NFL QB. In case you forgot, Harbaugh played QB with the Chicago Bears. He knows how to develop QB's and did a whale of a job with Stanford's Andrew Luck. Who knows what he could accomplish with Russell, but I bet Mr. Davis would love to hear some suggestions.
Russell is considered a joke right now. His work ethics are questioned by almost everyone in and out of the league. He has LOST his teammates and the entire fan base. When he enters into the game, the fans boo. They detest him. If Davis wants to get anything out of his $30 million investment, at least a coach like Harbaugh might be the missing link that can push Russell. He's no guarantee, but what's the alternative? Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye are not the long-term solutions for the Silver and Black.
There are those that will laugh this off and say Harbaugh would never take a job with the Raiders. They might be right. I believe Harbaugh would take it in a NY second if the Raiders and Mr. Davis pursued him feverishly and paid him the market rate. Again, if Bobbie Petrino was offered $15 million over five years, then I'm sure Mr. Davis would make the necessary financial commitment to Harbaugh.
Harbaugh loves Stanford, but he wants the NFL. He has limitations down on the farm. As well as his Stanford team played this past season, Harbaugh knows all too well about the hardship of coaching in Palo Alto. Even with Pete Carroll leaving USC and heading to Seattle to run the Seahawks, the PAC-10 will be a difficult road for Harbaugh long term.
Enter the Raiders.
The organization is at a crossroads. They need to sell luxury suites and tickets. They need to be THE RAIDERS! The NFL needs them to be DA RAIDERS! If Jerry Jones can make the Dallas Cowboys relevant again, then certainly, Al Davis, can take a small back seat and make the Raiders legit too.
Jim Harbaugh would make a terrific coach. He once told a media member that his life was centered around his family and football. Knowing Harbaugh, (and I don't) football might be more important than his family. He's a bit crazy, but he's precisely the kind of animal that Al Davis loves. Harbaugh makes Jon Gruden look like Captain Kangaroo.
His football acumen is superb. His motivational technique is second to none. He knows how to run an offense. I'm sure he could get an extraordinary staff of assistants. Oh, yes, he can COACH too.
The Raiders need to get Coach Harbaugh on board asap.
**Follow me on Twitter
No comments:
Post a Comment