ESPN confirms Saunders top choice and Solari darkhouse candidate for Raiders

[FringeNC]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2292205

Saturday, January 14, 2006
Raiders favoring Chiefs' Saunders as next coach
ESPN.com news services

The Oakland Raiders head coaching favorite appears to be Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Al Saunders but his Kansas City line coach, Mike Solari might be a darkhorse candidate, as well as Fresno State head coach Pat Hill and San Diego Chargers receivers coach James Lofton, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported Saturday.

Lofton interviewed on Thursday, the second person in as many days brought in to discuss the team's head coaching vacancy.

The Raiders also were working to set up a meeting with Fresno State coach Pat Hill, who on Wednesday issued a statement through the school giving NFL teams a 10-day window in which to interview him but didn't specify when it began or would end.

Lofton, who has been the San Diego Chargers' receivers coach for four seasons, is the first minority candidate to meet with owner Al Davis and his top personnel man, Michael Lombardi.

Oakland officials interviewed Saunders at team headquarters on Wednesday as a potential successor to Norv Turner, fired Jan. 3 after consecutive losing seasons. The Raiders lost their final six games this season and failed to beat an AFC West opponent for the first time since Davis came aboard in 1963 to coach and eventually own the team.

Information from ESPN's Chris Mortensen and The Associated Press was used in this report.

[Frankie]

What the hell is keeping Herm and Carl fro extending Solari's contract with a raise? :banghead:

[beer bacon]

What the hell is keeping Herm and Carl fro extending Solari's contract with a raise? :banghead:

Gross incompetence?

[Brock]

What the hell is keeping Herm and Carl fro extending Solari's contract with a raise? :banghead:

What good would that do?

[UKMike]

Why are we letting this happen?!

[Mr. Laz]

i really hope saunders doesn't go to the faiders.


i like Al and don't want to have to hate him. :(

[Frankie]

i really hope saunders doesn't go to the faiders.


i like Al and don't want to have to hate him. :(
I won't hate him. But I'll will pitty for him, for having to work for the slimy vampire.

[Wile_E_Coyote]

does old Davis ever spend any money on a HC? He seems just to pick up some one on the cheap

[Frankie]

What good would that do?
It would keep him here, unless he gets a HC offer. I suspect Al Davis is working on getting AS for his HC and luring Solari as his OC.

[tk13]

If somebody wants to make Solari a HC, there's nothing we can do, no matter if it's the Raiders or not....

[kcfanXIII]

every red blooded chiefs fan should atomatically hate anyone who crosses that line. rich gannon, albert lewis, just to name two off the top of my head. hell i even hated niel smith when he went to the broncos. of course i got over that cause he made his home here in blue springs when he retired. but **** any chief that crosses over to the darkside of the afc west.

and even if al davis offers solari an OC job, its still a promotion and he can take it regardless of his contract situation here.

[FringeNC]

If somebody wants to make Solari a HC, there's nothing we can do, no matter if it's the Raiders or not....

What I worry about is that Saunders goes to the Raiders, and Solari follows as OC.

[Brock]

It would keep him here, unless he gets a HC offer. I suspect Al Davis is working on getting AS for his HC and luring Solari as his OC.

I think if the Chiefs wanted Solari as an OC, they would have done it already.

[RedThat]

If somebody wants to make Solari a HC, there's nothing we can do, no matter if it's the Raiders or not....

Exactly. those guys want to be head coaches. There is nothing anybody could do, if we were in there situation, we'd be the same way. It's a great opportunity for them. I'm sure they would take it anywhere. It's unfortunate though it has to come from our bitter rival.

Maybe we can get Norv Turner from them to run our offense. That would be good.

[Mr. Laz]

What I worry about is that Saunders goes to the Raiders, and Solari follows as OC.
i imagine he would ...

i wouldn't be surprised to see almost our entire Offensive staff in faider land next year IF saunders becomes head coach.


saunders - Head Coach (promotion)
solari - Offensive coordinator (promotion)
eatman - Oline (promotion)
Charlie Joiner -Wide Receivers
James Saxon - Running Backs
Terry Shea - Quarterbacks

[Nzoner]

every red blooded chiefs fan should atomatically hate anyone who crosses that line. rich gannon, albert lewis, just to name two off the top of my head. hell i even hated niel smith when he went to the broncos. of course i got over that cause he made his home here in blue springs when he retired. but **** any chief that crosses over to the darkside of the afc west.

and even if al davis offers solari an OC job, its still a promotion and he can take it regardless of his contract situation here.

The only positive I've ever found on Smith going to the donks is being able to tell their fans they didn't win shit until an ex-chief got there.

[FringeNC]

i imagine he would ...

i wouldn't be surprised to see almost our entire Offensive staff in faider land next year IF saunders becomes head coach.

saunders - Head Coach (promotion)
solari - Offensive coordinator (promotion)
eatman - Oline (promotion)
Charlie Joiner -Wide Receivers
James Saxon - Running Backs
Terry Shea - Quarterbacks

If Solari left, I'd guess Shea would be a top candidate to be OC here.

[John Matrix]

I'd like to see Shea as OC here, more so than Norv. The only good thing about all those Chiefs going to the faiders is that Al Davis will fire them all in 2 years, so they could always come back with their tails between their legs at about a 9000 percent pay reduction for their insolence.

[tk13]

Exactly. those guys want to be head coaches. There is nothing anybody could do, if we were in there situation, we'd be the same way. It's a great opportunity for them. I'm sure they would take it anywhere. It's unfortunate though it has to come from our bitter rival.

Maybe we can get Norv Turner from them to run our offense. That would be good.
We've been very spoiled. A lot of times teams are exceptional in some form for only a year or two before their coaches become hot property. Look at the Bears... Ron Rivera is turning one great year into several interviews, etc. That's how it usually goes. We've somehow turned in 5 years of great offense with minimal coaching loss.

[RedThat]

We've been very spoiled. A lot of times teams are exceptional in some form for only a year or two before their coaches become hot property. Look at the Bears... Ron Rivera is turning one great year into several interviews, etc. That's how it usually goes. We've somehow turned in 5 years of great offense with minimal coaching loss.

Good point. We've been very fortunate to keep the same offensive staff intact for 5 years. I hope that continuity can remain because this offense is what has kept this team together, and it has been working on all cylinders. If the offensive coaching staff is gone, what can you do? As a Chiefs fan, it hurts to see those guys go. They were so successful here and why change it?

*Id like to stay as positive as I can, and say, we are very very fortunate we've got good players on offense. I give credit to all those offensive coaches, and especially for Vermeil for leaving a GOOD mark on this team. Thanks guys

:thumb:

[Frankie]

What I worry about is that Saunders goes to the Raiders, and Solari follows as OC.
Doesn't Solari have one more year with us, contractwise? I thought that was confirmed in another thread recently.