The day Hall got his ticket out of town, Asomugha made sure every media member showed up at his locker after practice. He had something to say, and it wasn't pretty.
Asomugha is a smart guy. He is one of those rare guys that will probably move on to bigger things after football. Asomugha didn't think Hall got enough time to prove himself. Asomugha didn't agree with the Huff and Curry benchings, or maybe more how it was handled than the benchings themselves.
Curry and Huff were benched for poor play, but no one ever really talked to them about getting benched, they just simply were told they were no longer the starters by positional coaches. If Cable had any kind of control or influence in that locker room, the moves wouldn't have been questioned at all. However, the players know that Davis is in control.
The evidence of this is that Asomugha is going to have a meeting with Al Davis and not Tom Cable. Cable also told the team captains that Hall was getting released, but no reason was given. Although the reason was obvious to outsiders, to players he didn't get a fair chance to prove himself. We all know a preseason and eight games should tell us enough about what kind of CB he can be in our scheme. Players stick together and eight games seems too short of time to them.
What this really is to Asomugha is the last straw. He has endured the crazy organization for years and finally something is happening that he just can't stand for anymore. Now, again for Asomugha, you have a HC that doesn't control the locker room. The coach's job is unstable, and now so are the players.
Has anyone else seen the lack of fight in the Raiders since Cable took control? There is a complete lack of effort out there at times. That is characteristic of the kind of environment these players have to deal with on a daily basis.
Al Davis has long believed that team chemistry is a myth, and it may be. It might not be chemistry, but it is stability. These players haven't seen any consistancy or stability from the Raiders. Now it has gotten to the point where not only the coaches aren't consistant, but the players aren't safe.
Hall wasn't the right fit, and seeing that we made the correct move dumping him before we had to pay him anymore. That much is clear. However, the reason we made this move now, was because it is good timing to wake up a stagnant team in need of motivation. Everyone knows that productivity increases when employees feel their job is in danger. Besides a handful of players on the team that know they are at no risk, all the other players should now have productivity increase. Al Davis has proven he has guts to cut a player loose if he doesn't produce.
This is a short term ploy however, and if it doesn't work it risks backfiring on Davis. He could lose the support of his team captains. His best players. If he were to lose them, figuratively, he will have to start over, completely. I am just not sure Al Davis has that kind of rebuild in him at his age, nor will players want to come here to help him accomplish the feat.
If it does work, I think the biggest risk would be a new coach next season, he would need to give Cable a chance to keep it up and let the players see some kind of consistency in scheme and style.
Obviously, I don't like our odds either way. I don't like this organization as constructed. We need some front office help to get this thing moving in the right direction.
At this point, a positive sign of life from this team or organization would make my day. I have a feeling I am in for a long haul.
Asomugha is a smart guy. He is one of those rare guys that will probably move on to bigger things after football. Asomugha didn't think Hall got enough time to prove himself. Asomugha didn't agree with the Huff and Curry benchings, or maybe more how it was handled than the benchings themselves.
Curry and Huff were benched for poor play, but no one ever really talked to them about getting benched, they just simply were told they were no longer the starters by positional coaches. If Cable had any kind of control or influence in that locker room, the moves wouldn't have been questioned at all. However, the players know that Davis is in control.
The evidence of this is that Asomugha is going to have a meeting with Al Davis and not Tom Cable. Cable also told the team captains that Hall was getting released, but no reason was given. Although the reason was obvious to outsiders, to players he didn't get a fair chance to prove himself. We all know a preseason and eight games should tell us enough about what kind of CB he can be in our scheme. Players stick together and eight games seems too short of time to them.
What this really is to Asomugha is the last straw. He has endured the crazy organization for years and finally something is happening that he just can't stand for anymore. Now, again for Asomugha, you have a HC that doesn't control the locker room. The coach's job is unstable, and now so are the players.
Has anyone else seen the lack of fight in the Raiders since Cable took control? There is a complete lack of effort out there at times. That is characteristic of the kind of environment these players have to deal with on a daily basis.
Al Davis has long believed that team chemistry is a myth, and it may be. It might not be chemistry, but it is stability. These players haven't seen any consistancy or stability from the Raiders. Now it has gotten to the point where not only the coaches aren't consistant, but the players aren't safe.
Hall wasn't the right fit, and seeing that we made the correct move dumping him before we had to pay him anymore. That much is clear. However, the reason we made this move now, was because it is good timing to wake up a stagnant team in need of motivation. Everyone knows that productivity increases when employees feel their job is in danger. Besides a handful of players on the team that know they are at no risk, all the other players should now have productivity increase. Al Davis has proven he has guts to cut a player loose if he doesn't produce.
This is a short term ploy however, and if it doesn't work it risks backfiring on Davis. He could lose the support of his team captains. His best players. If he were to lose them, figuratively, he will have to start over, completely. I am just not sure Al Davis has that kind of rebuild in him at his age, nor will players want to come here to help him accomplish the feat.
If it does work, I think the biggest risk would be a new coach next season, he would need to give Cable a chance to keep it up and let the players see some kind of consistency in scheme and style.
Obviously, I don't like our odds either way. I don't like this organization as constructed. We need some front office help to get this thing moving in the right direction.
At this point, a positive sign of life from this team or organization would make my day. I have a feeling I am in for a long haul.
Comments
Post a Comment