Green rebuffs interview overtures from Raiders

[BullheadCardFan]

Updated: Jan. 16, 2007, 8:11 PM ET

Green rebuffs interview overtures from Raiders

By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com


Former Arizona Cardinals coach Dennis Green, rumored in some quarters to be a candidate for the Oakland job, on Tuesday rebuffed overtures from the Raiders to interview for the position.

A published report in the Bay Area indicated that Green would interview Tuesday for the vacancy created by the firing of Art Shell last week.

Sources in the Oakland organization told ESPN.com on Monday night, however, that Green's name wasn't even raised in casual conversations until earlier that day. It wasn't until Tuesday that the Raiders contacted Green's agent to arrange an interview, and they were told he was not interested in a meeting.

That isn't to say Green is totally disinterested in the Oakland vacancy, which was created when the Raiders fired Art Shell last week after only one season on the job. Green's stance is that he has enjoyed a long relationship with owner Al Davis and that the organization knows him well and knows his track record in the NFL and that he should not have to interview.

Were the Raiders to make him an offer, Green might consider it but even that is a long shot.

As of Tuesday night, Oakland had interviewed incumbent defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, former New York Giants coach Jim Fassel and Steve Sarkisian, the assistant head coach at Southern California. The Raiders are expected to interview San Diego Chargers wide receivers coach and Hall of Fame member James Lofton in the next few days.

Sarkisian, 32, served as the Raiders quarterbacks coach in 2004. He is the kind of young, innovative offensive mind to whom Davis is frequently drawn when considering head coach candidates.

Green, 57, was fired by the Cardinals the day after the regular season concluded. In three seasons in Arizona, he compiled a 16-32 record. In his previous tour of duty as an NFL head coach, in Minnesota, Green was 101-70 in 10 seasons (1992-2001).

Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.


----------------------------------------------------------------------

What an arrogant person Denny is ..

 

[Diamondback Jay]

What a smart person he is.

While his reputation is still in check, despite his debacle in Arizona, Oakland is where coaching careers go to die. So, if he's doing this to push the Raiders away, it's a smart gameplan.

If he's doing it because he truly feels that he's above interviewing, he's a bigger imbecil than I ever imagined.

 

[Russ Smith]

Now that's funny, doesn't believe he should have to interview?

 

[Pariah]

Pie in the sky aspirations.

He wants his cake and eat it, too.

If I was the Raiders, that'd leave a sour taste in my mouth.

 

[az jam]

Now that's funny, doesn't believe he should have to interview?

I think he feels that this is just the required minority hiring interview and wants nothing to do with it. He has $2.5 million this year from the Cards and is not going to waste his time unless they are really serious.

 

[ajcardfan]

I think he feels that this is just the required minority hiring interview and wants nothing to do with it. He has $2.5 million this year from the Cards and is not going to waste his time unless they are really serious.

Yeah, I thought he would do it as a favor, nothing else. Sounds like the Raiders floated the rumor and it ticked him off.

He'll never coach again.

 

[AZCB34]

He'll never coach again.

How is that any different than what he did here the past 3 years?

 

[Renz]

I guess Denny believes that his 21-42 record his last four seasons speaks for itself.

 

[Garthshort]

Dg

He's holding out for the SD job, when Marty is fired.

 

[Southpaw]

Now that's funny, doesn't believe he should have to interview?

Just another example of his massive ego. Kind of like players who won't do the combine thing. They need to hide their warts.

 

[njlawrence]

He wants the Raiders to crown his a## without ever even sitting on the throne!

 

[Goldfield]

NJLAWRENCE beat me to it...


"If you wanna crown his ass, then crown him, but dont expect an interview!"

 

[Russ Smith]

I think he feels that this is just the required minority hiring interview and wants nothing to do with it. He has $2.5 million this year from the Cards and is not going to waste his time unless they are really serious.

They're also considering James Lofton who is black so they don't have to worry about the Rooney rule. In fact Lofton revealed he was the 2nd choice
last year when they hired Shell.

 

[Russ Smith]

FYI a San Diego station is reporting the Raiders will hire Lofton, they're working out the contract details right now.

 

[Southpaw]

FYI a San Diego station is reporting the Raiders will hire Lofton, they're working out the contract details right now.

Cool, a new guy.

 

[Mulli]

FYI a San Diego station is reporting the Raiders will hire Lofton, they're working out the contract details right now.

Where has Lofton been coaching? I forgot.

 

[Russ Smith]

Where has Lofton been coaching? I forgot.

Chargers WR coach I think.

They said he was a finalist for the Stanford job that Harbaugh got. His sons are at Stanford right now one plays DB not sure about the other.

 

[Skkorpion]

Wasn't James Lofton in trouble, when he was a WR at Green Bay, for forcing his cousin to have sex with him? And didn't Green Bay trade him for that? Or have I got this all screwed up?

 

[Russ Smith]

Wasn't James Lofton in trouble, when he was a WR at Green Bay, for forcing his cousin to have sex with him? And didn't Green Bay trade him for that? Or have I got this all screwed up?

Man hell of a memory there Skorp. I had to look it up but sure enough 1987 he was charged with sexual assault, the Packers suspended him and then said he wouldn't play for them again. I didn't see anything on the outcome of the trial.

 

[Russ Smith]

Sj Merc today says that Sarkisian appears to be the favorite and he's made it perfectly clear he WANTS the job. So the Lofton reports out of San Diego may be premature.

I looked at a Raider fansite last night, interestingly several threads debating if the team will go after Leftwich or even Bledsoe and draft Adrian Peterson rather than take a QB.

Most of the fans seem to want JaMarcus Russell but they said he's very similar to Leftwich(that's been my comment too) and they think Peterson might be the smarter pick.

 

[Southpaw]

Sj Merc today says that Sarkisian appears to be the favorite and he's made it perfectly clear he WANTS the job. So the Lofton reports out of San Diego may be premature.

I looked at a Raider fansite last night, interestingly several threads debating if the team will go after Leftwich or even Bledsoe and draft Adrian Peterson rather than take a QB.

Most of the fans seem to want JaMarcus Russell but they said he's very similar to Leftwich(that's been my comment too) and they think Peterson might be the smarter pick.

Makes sense to me.

 

[BACH]

Receivers coach James Lofton and the Raiders spent much of yesterday negotiating details of a contract, sources said. The sides parted last night without an agreement but are scheduled to resume talks in the coming days. Lofton is almost certainly concerned about things such as how much control he will have under owner Al Davis and how many of the staffing decisions he will be allowed to make.
-- San Diego Union-Tribune

I can't imagine why.

 

[Southpaw]

Lofton might do best to speak with Davis's MD. See how much longer Al has before he croaks.