Method to Art Shell's Madness?

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RaiderIVlife

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I think there is Method to Art's Madness that most people don't get.

Just as John Gruden cleaned out players that didn't follow "his program" (Darrell Russell, James Trapp, Jeff George, Harvey Williams, etc), Art is in different ways, giving different players the message that they won't be here for long:

Art is not going to tolerate a philosophical struggle with any player. Meaning, Jerry Porter, a long time team "leader" will not be here in 2007and frankly he shouldn't. C-ya, the production on the field was never really that consistent anyway. Funny how Raider Nation has forgotten that BTW.

Some of the aged & overpriced veterans are slowly being shown the door. Does anyone really think Barry Sims will be here next year? I don't and although I thank Sims for his underapreciated service over the years, it's time to move on. Sorry.

Anyone else notice that Kevin Booth, Paul McUgly have assumed starting slots at OG? Chad Slaughter may have taken Robert Gallery's job for this year and beyond. Fine by me. Sims is done, Gallery stinks & do we really want Brad freakin' Badger at the other G spot? Of course not.

Moss? This is one area where I will critique Art Shell. I think he should have jumped this dude's shit early on and found a way to suspend him. Moss' loafing has been almost a bigger embarrasment to the franchise than the losing IMO. With this "injury" thing, it allows both sides to never see each on the field again. Once again, GOOD RIDDANCE. Take your sorry cancer ass outta' Oakland.

This team was NOT going to 'W' this year. Art & Al Davis knew this. They said as much in their press conference back in April (or whenever). I think the quote was, "It will take time, but we will win". Other comments about "Raider way" and such.

Art IS in fact instilling an "attitude" with this team. They play hard, and they play physical. Other players around the league have noted this fact. We all know in past years, BAD Raider teams often mailed it in and we could all see it. Not so this year.

That is something to note IMHO. This team is slowly draining the venom of bad attitudes and slowly inculcating (had to use it !!) an attitude of toughness and work ethic. This is precisely why Alvis Whitted is starting football games. He pays attention in the study room, practices hard and gives it his fucking all on the field.

Sometimes "setting the tone" while a temporarily taking a couple of steps back is neccesary in the Big Picture. I believe that is the case here.

Things are changing for the better under the surface in regard to the players and the way they play. This bodes well for the future.

We have a TON of cap space and we are going to land a true Blue Chipper in the draft.

Don't abandon the skirmish line just yet. There IS reason for optimism in Oakland.
 
RaiderIVlife said:
I think there is Method to Art's Madness that most people don't get.

Just as John Gruden
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I really don't see any comparison to what Gruden did. Even in Gruden's 1st year, his team played better each week and it was obvious that guys were out there fighting for him.

Nobody on this team is playing for Shell. Whitted's approach to the game would be no different than my approach if the Raiders suddenly turned around and offered me the starting WR job. I'd be in the film room and the practice field busting my ass... simply because I wanted a shot, not because I give a shit about Art Shell.

You can offer up all the mental masturbation you want about how Art Shell in some strange archaic way is actually doing something... but bottom line, everything this guy has had a hand in has turned to shit.
 
I sincerly hope so... I'm an optimistic person by nature, but I'm finding it hard to locate much I like about what's happened with this team since Art took hold of it... Communication is a large part of leadership and this is where I find Art to be really lacking... When you've got a positive vet leader in Crockett and a young future leader in Morrison both shrugging their shoulders as to the happenings of the team, that's not a real good sign IMO... It's also doesn't inspire confidence that Art has choosen to use the media as a way to communicate with so many of the players...

With Gruden, I could see a plan in place and a guy capable of relating to today's athlete... With Art, not so much...


That is something to note IMHO. This team is slowly draining the venom of bad attitudes and slowly inculcating (had to use it !!) an attitude of toughness and work ethic. This is precisely why Alvis Whitted is starting football games. He pays attention in the study room, practices hard and gives it his fucking all on the field.
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I don't think anybody embodies toughness and work ethic more than Ronald Curry on this football team... By all accounts a coaches dream.... Whitted is a great guy who never complains and goes about his business in a professional way, but there is no rhyme and reason that he should be starting ahead of Curry...


Like I said, I really hope there is a method to his madness, but we've done ourselves no favors as far as making Oakland an attractive landing spot for free agents... I really hope if Art is kept on that he chooses to surround himself with some top shelf assistant coaches... Art as a figurehead type HC may work if he has a Tom Moore type Asst HC by his side...
 
I'm just looking for some semblance of a silver lining somewhere down the road and am not seeing it. Let's just hope Art sees the light and steps down gracefully or like HB says, surrounds himself with some top flight assistants and let him be some sort of figurehead. It's painfully evident that the players are laughing behind his back.

I also don't buy the notion that this is just a throw away year and he's cutting the dead wood. That's just not Al's way.
 
RaiderIVlife said:
Meaning, Jerry Porter, a long time team "leader" will not be here in 2007and frankly he shouldn't.
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I agree, but will we get more for Porter than we would have done if we had traded him during the (pre)season and will it offset the positive effect that getting rid of Porter may have had on the team?

The things I haven't liked about Shell are he seems to have different standards for different players. Moss, Porter and Walter have been dealt with differently. He also doesn't seem to communicate well with the players, just recently we have had Sims being in the dark about his status. There doesn't seem to be a level of belief and excitement (except for the defense) about what we are trying to do.

I hope you are right. If next season is no improvement then we risk losing some of young talent we have on the defense and we will be back to square one yet again.
 
RaiderIVlife said:
Art IS in fact instilling an "attitude" with this team. They play hard, and they play physical. Other players around the league have noted this fact. We all know in past years, BAD Raider teams often mailed it in and we could all see it. Not so this year.
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I have had the same thought many times this year while watching Art's press conferences. His focus seems to be long term. He doesn't get real up or real down (though the 'up' would have been tough to pull off) - as if he has his sight set on a more distant goal. We are going to have a lot of picks in the draft and I think this is the plan.
I'm reminded of a scene in 'The Untouchables.' Jim Malone (Sean Connery) tells
Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner), "If you're afraid of getting a rotten apple, don't get it from the barrel, get it off the tree."
I know the movie's a bit melodramatic, but the point is there to be made. Al/Art will get a new crop of young ones, keep some old ones and form a team that is on the same page (or so he believes). Art will move to the front office after Al has selected his final coach and the RAIDAAAHS will feast on the long ball and strike fear in the hearts of those who dare take the field with them.
 
Madturk said:
I also don't buy the notion that this is just a throw away year and he's cutting the dead wood. That's just not Al's way.
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Me either. The job was 1st offered to Petrino and I'm pretty sure the expectations for him would have been more then just evaluate the talent so we can cut the dead wood loose after the 1st season. Petrino would have been expected to do what Mangini and Payton are doing. Win. And I see no reason why it should be any different for Art.
 
I am usually optimistic, but seeing as how Art doesn't communicate well, doesn't use the same set of rules for all players, and pledged blind loyalty to Walsh, I just don't see him pulling it off.

Sure your plan sounds good and I would love to have faith in it, but given the Marcus Allen deal years ago, the way Art has held different standards for different players, and then the whole "underming" rant, I just don't see him pulling the rabbit out of the hat and turning this around.
 
Am I the only one who feels that Shell making his problems with Lombardi public was a direct play at moving upstairs and leaving the daily stress of coaching to someone else?... Art looks really uncomfortable when dealing with the media aspect of being a head coach and you've got to wonder how Art is physically affected considering his health issues...

I'm thinking we'll see Art move upstairs as a defacto GM along with Sean Jones and a hired salary cap guy, and either a second tier type former head coach or first time HC hired...

If I were starting a pool, I would list the most probable "Al Davis" candidates as:

2:1 odds James Lofton
Vertical offense proponent, ex-Raider and off a rival staff ala the hire of Shanahan

5:1 Mike Tice
O-line guru, ran an offense under which Moss flourished in, known to work on a cheap salary, coming in hot judging by accolades of Jag players

7:1 Rick Neuheisel
Friendship with Al, buys into renegade image, used car salesman skills to sign FA's....

10:1 Mike Martz
Vertical offense proponent, lack of scoring punch may force Al into reaching for a proven offensive mind

20:1 Pat Hill
Stressful year at Fresno may have Hill looking for an out

50:1 Jim Caldwell
QB guru with working knowledge of Colts offense previously tied in as a candidate
 
There aren't any words that rhyme with incompetance, and I certainly don't see the reason.

Shells as the GM is still a horrifying prospect. The idea of him being in charge of even more decision making makes me physically ill.
 
I think Art was just pissed off at Lombardi that day. I'm guessing Lombardi put up a spirited fight against Walsh and maybe even Slater being brought on board. Art won that fight but then when Al ordered Walsh demoted that gave the last laugh to Lombardi. Wouldn't surprise me if Lombardi made a snide remark to Art that day that sent him over the edge and looking for a way to sting back. He couldn't exactly fire back with "oh yeah, well, have you looked at the standings lately?" or "at least Slater is working out". So Art slings mud on a day that probably should have felt like vindication for Lombardi. I wonder if Lombardi has a calender in his office where he's "X"ing off the days as they pass until his contract expires.
 
Crow said:



Shells as the GM is still a horrifying prospect. The idea of him being in charge of even more decision making makes me physically ill.
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It's going to be either/or... Shell's either going to be head coach or hold some kind of front office job... There is no way Al is going to fire Art after publically declaring that he had a lifetime contract... The only 'out' that the Raiders could spin in their favor is that it was all in the plan to have Art take a one year close up evalutary look at the roster before moving into a guidance position...

IMO, unless you already have a bird in the hand in the form of a heavy hitter like a Petrino or a Weis, there's no way you can fire Shell and hope to come out of it with any kind of quality head coach... Any coach worth a spit is going to think to himself "How much time will I have to turn this mess around if a Raider icon gets fired after just one season?"...

We had a productive draft... If Lombardi is on his way out as it appears, Al could choose to put that as a feather in the cap of Shell...

Art doesn't necessarily have to be 'GM'... Otto's getting older... Shell could do whatever it is that Otto and Lil Al Locassalle did...
 
First, fuck a buncha wind storms. God damn it. I had to drive down to a fucking coffee house to hook up to their "free internet" this morning just to get my fucking email. Seattle needs a fire. Fucking cable company needs one too.

Anyway about Art Shell...I had high hopes for Shell. At least I told myself it was going to be alright. You know a real "Raider" and all that. What strikes me most about Shell's incompetence in the HC job is his lack of communications skills. Somebody mentioned that the players are secretly laughing behind his back. I think that is true -- damn true.

I like Banter's take on the "cleaning up the mess" idea. Don't buy it. Bobby Petrino wouldn't have been coming hered to clean up the mess per se but then that's ancient histiry.

Anyway, we have no choice but to see how this plays out. I personally think Shell will be the HC next year.
 
hawaiianboy said:
Am I the only one who feels that Shell making his problems with Lombardi public was a direct play at moving upstairs and leaving the daily stress of coaching to someone else?... Art looks really uncomfortable when dealing with the media aspect of being a head coach and you've got to wonder how Art is physically affected considering his health issues...

I'm thinking we'll see Art move upstairs as a defacto GM along with Sean Jones and a hired salary cap guy, and either a second tier type former head coach or first time HC hired...

If I were starting a pool, I would list the most probable "Al Davis" candidates as:

2:1 odds James Lofton
Vertical offense proponent, ex-Raider and off a rival staff ala the hire of Shanahan

5:1 Mike Tice
O-line guru, ran an offense under which Moss flourished in, known to work on a cheap salary, coming in hot judging by accolades of Jag players

7:1 Rick Neuheisel
Friendship with Al, buys into renegade image, used car salesman skills to sign FA's....

10:1 Mike Martz
Vertical offense proponent, lack of scoring punch may force Al into reaching for a proven offensive mind

20:1 Pat Hill
Stressful year at Fresno may have Hill looking for an out

50:1 Jim Caldwell
QB guru with working knowledge of Colts offense previously tied in as a candidate
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I'd probably throw Jim Fassel on that list somewhere. Another coach with Raider history and would probably come on the cheap to get a second chance.
I'm just wondering how much say so a new hire would have to bring in their own staff. For starters, I feel we need to revamp the OL coaching staff. I honestly thought with the combination of Shell, Eatman and Slater we'd have seen much better results. Is it posssible that our guys suck that bad?
 
hawaiianboy said:
Art doesn't necessarily have to be 'GM'... Otto's getting older... Shell could do whatever it is that Otto and Lil Al Locassalle did...
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That's the only possible thing that could happen that would prevent the decade long train wreck we're looking at here.

Honestly, if Shell is going to be running this team, I may have to give up watching football. I've waited patiently...relatively speaking...for Al's time at the reigns to end and someone with a handle on modern football to take over. If Art is the guy I've been waiting for, I may have to explore other options. High school ball, perhaps. Maybe professional arm wrestling.
 
Seems like a lot of people that love and respect Art Shell are trying to come up with reasons why he should be coaching this team next year. But so far nobody has said Art Shell should be back next year because he's a damn good NFL head coach. I've yet to read that on this or any other board.
 
Banter said:
Seems like a lot of people that love and respect Art Shell are trying to come up with reasons why he should be coaching this team next year. But so far nobody has said Art Shell should be back next year because he's a damn good NFL head coach. I've yet to read that on this or any other board.
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I think that pretty much puts this issue in the proper perspective. Good post brotha!
 
Not that he is any sort of authority but Jay Schroeder (who I didn't recognise initially) was the studio guest for one of the games recently and they asked him about Al and Art. He said he always got on well with Al and still speaks to him once or twice a year. He said that he liked Art, but that he just doesn't think he is a good coach and that he doesn't relate well to the players especially in todays NFL.
 
I look at the Art Shell era as a chance to clean house of all the old players and malcontents. Even if it is just a foundation in place for after Art/AL are gone.We needed a hard ass coach to keep these kind of players from wanting to come here.We had a solid draft class last year and a drastically improved defense. Our offense stinks and Art has made some really poor choices but overall the fact is nobody else wanted this job. If it was b/c Al wouldnt pay, or people didnt want to... whatever. We NOW have a man who has pride in the Raiders trying to weed out the Porters and Moss's of the world and start this franchise in the right direction. I believe in Art's intentions and although this year has been horrible i dont think it is fair to give the guy 16 games to turn it all around. Rob Ryan gets most of the credit, but one side of the ball looks great. when was the last time we had a stout D. Thats not a bad start IMO. I dont have a problem giving Art a second chance. We need to give him some talent to work with on the O. Becasue GOD himself couldnt make that line look pretty. What Offensive player on our team would garner any kind of trade interest other than Moss? nuff said.
 
Let me just say Tom walsh was a TERRIBLE idea. So everyone doesnt think im crazy.
 
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