Oakland Raider Analysis: Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin is a young Al Davis

August 21, 1:58 AMOakland Raiders ExaminerPatrick Patterson

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Lane Kiffin at the Raider Nation Celebration. Photo by Rob Calonge TFDSsports.com

The position of head coach of the Oakland Raiders has to be one of the least secure jobs in any industry. Rather than be submissive to Al Davis and be the "yes man" that rumors say that Davis wants, Kiffin has instead been the polar opposite taking a public stand for what he feels should be done even if it includes stabs at the boss.

The rumors about Kiffin's position in Oakland date back to last season, when he supposedly was looking at the head coaching job at Arkansas. Once that came and went with Kiffin still on the sidelines in Oakland, the rumor mill went in to ludicrous speed producing an offseason drama that puts anything on daytime television to shame. Kiffin's wardrobe at the Senior Bowl and the Scouting combine was put to more scrutiny than the red carpet on Oscar Night. It seemed like Joan Rivers was going to make a guest appearance Sports Center just to opine on Kiffin's attire and whether or not it contained the Raider Shield.

Things reached a head when a story circulated that Al Davis had drafted a letter of resignation for Kiffin to sign, and Kiffin refused telling Davis to fire him. Ultimately, the story faded away as ESPN latched on to the Brett Favre drama, but there still had to be lingering effects in Raider-land.

Likely, Al Davis felt that he had to put his young buck coach in his place to show him exactly who is the boss when it comes to the Oakland Raiders. Most people finding their job security becoming as stable as the San Andres Fault, tend to go out of their way to work with the boss to save their own skin. Rather than doing that, Lane Kiffin has been doing the polar opposite. Kiffin has publicly criticized his players including Javon Walker and Mario Henderson. Kiffin has even been critical of moves made by the Raiders' Front Office Al Davis. This would seem to be a career suicide, as Al Davis demands loyalty above all else. It would seem that Lane is continuing the game of dare that centered around the alleged letter back in January.

Despite the image of Al Davis as wanting only yes men, that is not true. Davis wants people around him who understand the concept of power. Davis said in the press conference that Kiffin reminded him of himself when he was young. Davis took his power in Oakland and cemented his place as the sole power in charge of the Raiders by taking power. He wants his protoge to do the same thing. By standing tall rather than cowering from the boss, Lane Kiffin is essentially saying to Al Davis, "I am going to take this team and do what I think is right." Davis has to respect that Kiffin is essentially using the limited power that he had been given taking more. As long as Kiffin brings wins along with those moves, he will get the undying respect of Al.

If the losses pile up, the power grab becomes nothing more than impertinence. His quest for respect will crash down and he will join the long list of coaches who could not cut it under Davis. Kiffin has the right idea in challenging the boss, as that does earn respect, but wins are the key to whether or not he is the Raiders head coach in 2009. If Kiffin gets to eight or nine wins, he keeps his job, and the power grab gets him Davis's respect, as it is exactly what Davis would have done in his situation.