For several days there has been a strong expectation that interim GM Champ Kelly and interim head coach Antonio Pierce would be hired to their respective positions with the Raiders.
For reasons we don’t know, there has not been a final decision made by owner Mark Davis and that has led some to believe that he is wavering on who he wants.
In fact, there’s no question that he hasn’t made up his mind because there is no advantage to delaying the hiring of Kelly and Pierce if they are the preferred choices.
Nevertheless, it does sound like Pierce (and presumably Kelly) are still the frontrunners to be hired by the Raiders.
“I think the Raiders know who they want,” JT the Brick said on his Raider Nation Radio show on Wednesday. “I believe, and I don’t know this to be true, but these are my opinions on my show. I believe the Raiders know who they want and he’s in the building in Antonio Pierce. Could that change? Could they get blown away in an interview? Could something fall apart at the last second because the coach might not want a coordinator and the owner might want a coordinator? I don’t know. That could happen.”
Las Vegas Review-Journal insider Vinny Bonsignore was a guest on JT’s show later in the hour, and he had a similar message on the Raiders outlook at head coach, adding that a decision should be coming soon.
“I would still expect something maybe within the next 48 hours or so, and I do expect it to be Antonio Pierce and Champ Kelly,” Bonsignore said. “At the end of the day, anything can happen and we all know that. We all have seen things take sudden turns or turns that we didn’t expect, but I would expect [Pierce and Kelly to be hired] when it’s all said and done.”
The significance to these two opinions (JT and Vinny) is the nature of their relationships with the team.
For different reasons and some that are probably the same, they are both media personalities that don’t have a reputation of deviating far from the preferred organizational narrative. JT and Vinny are two of the most unlikely media types to be a headache to the owner.
In this case, that should bode well for the interim head coach and GM.
twitter: @raidersbeat
Come on Mark.. Do It..
You know you want too!!!!
Do not let Tom Brady Sabotage us on a decision on our GM or coaching hire We all know who it should be Champ and Pierce !!
Raiders just can’t get that dysfunctional label off the organization. Even when the players and the raiders nation have a clear preference, it can’t be an easy outcome. Other teams are getting there coaches and staff put together while we wait. SMH
Stop wasting time an hireAp an Ck then get the best offensive coach out there before he be gone .trade up to # 2 get the QB from Lsu an lets go
What’s mark Davis waiting for we need to know who the coach is going to be and the GM
Going to be
For GOD sake hire Pierce
This is what’s known as being fashionably late. AP is going to be the man. Not even Mark Davis can screw this one up!
It simple MD! Don’t screw this up again! Vrabel ,Harbaugh, Brady(shut up) have had their shine ( day in the sun)! The players have spoken and listen to them and not T Brady! Pierce can be the coach to finally overtake the chiefs in the division! Roll with him! Back to the Raider Way!!!! CMON MAN
A.P. Made the Raiders worth watching again! It made me sick to see the other guy coaching them. He was the furthest thing from being a RAIDER!
As a fan , I just want to see the Raiders back on top. AP is moving the team in that direction. Let’s keep it moving