Raise a glass to Lane: Kiffin is toast, free of Davis tyranny

Lane Kiffin should head to wine country near the Bay Area and drink himself silly.

Not because he's sad, but because he should be thrilled that the Oakland Raiders fired him Tuesday.

Lane Kiffin and Al Davis seemed like an odd combination from the start. (Getty Images)

Nobody wants to be fired. It shows failure -- unless, of course, it's Al Davis doing the firing. Davis hired Kiffin in a shocking move in January 2007. Now he's firing him in a move many expected for a long time.

Rejoice, Lane, rejoice.

If Davis wants to know the reason Kiffin didn't work out, he should take a long study of that aging reflection that looks back at him each morning.

It's you, Al.

Davis spent like he printed money this offseason, bringing in all types of high-priced free agents. They were his guys, his decisions. He also continued to stick his nose into the defensive side of things, acting as a De facto coordinator.

A coach who was interviewing for the Raiders job before Kiffin got it told me that he was told Davis pretty much would run the defense, no matter who was hired. Davis is often on the field during practices, working with the defense, according to sources. Wonder how Dan Snyder coaches his secondary up? Or Wayne Weaver tutors his offensive line?

Davis was a coach. That was a long time ago. These aren't the Len Dawson Chiefs you're playing, Al. Things have changed. The Raiders were good then. They're a joke now. And the Silver and Black isn't coming back. Not with Al running things.

The Raiders are simply a mess, the worst-run organization in football playing in a dump of a stadium. When Davis leans on his public-relations staff for advice on what to do in terms of firing or hiring a coach, it sends a message that there is no direction in the organization. Hey, guys. Get the release ready and do you have an idea who should coach our team?

The Raiders have had eight coaches in the 14 years since they returned to Oakland. In that time, they've had three winning seasons.

You know the constant? That guy in the white Raiders sweatsuit.

That's not to say Kiffin was perfect. 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.