How will the silver and black ever come back?

The demise of the Oakland Raiders franchise since their 2002 Super Bowl appearance has been well documented in recent years. Since the start of the 2003 NFL season they have won 53 games and lost 132, by far the worst record in the league in that time frame.

According to a 2013 Forbes study, they also are among the worst teams off the field, having the fourth lowest franchise value, $970 million, and the worst revenue generation, $244 million, in 2013.

Perhaps most troubling though are the team’s tenuous ownership and management, which threaten to not only harm the product on the field, but the franchise’s very existence in the East Bay.

Since the death of legendary owner Al Davis in 2011, the team has been run by his son, Mark Davis, and has seen an unprecedented lack of leadership. The first major decision made by Mark Davis was to fire popular head coach Hue Jackson after the 2011 season, in which the Raiders finished tied for 1st in the AFC West and narrowly missed their first playoff appearance in a decade.

Since Jackson’s firing after finishing the season 8-8, and the hiring of head coach Dennis Allen and general manager Reggie McKenzie, the Raiders are 8-32.

The Raiders have hit rock bottom, with Davis having already pulled the plug on Dennis Allen after the team’s week 4 loss in London, and the team on the field mired in its worst season in franchise history, 0-9. Adding to the fans’ misery is the stadium situation, with the team only obligated to play at O.co Coliseum through the 2014 season.

The team recently made the decision to close over 6,000 seats at O.co Coliseum because of low-ticket sales and cost of maintenance.
These same seats were constructed in 1996 to bring the Raiders back to Oakland to create additional revenue, but now are covered in a massive tarp.

Can it possibly be worse for the once legendary Silver and Black? Perhaps, if the team finishes the imperfect season at 0-16.
Until ownership and management are able to make significant changes to the way the organization is run from top-to-bottom, it’s as difficult a time to be a Raider fan as there has ever been.

It’s time for Mark Davis to take action, or step aside. The best-run franchises in the game have clear roles for the owner, the president, the CEO, the general manager and the coaching staff. The Oakland Raiders do not.

The only way to ensure long-term success on and off the field is to bring strong leadership and a unified mentality to the team. It starts at the top, with the general manager making all football decisions and the head coach implementing a philosophy.

Raider fans, you know where this is headed. It’s time for the return of Chucky.

It’s the NFL’s worst-kept secret that former Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach, John “Chucky” Gruden, will only leave his position as Monday Night Football commentator if an organization is willing to give him the keys to the franchise. He loves the Raiders and loved Al Davis, and there is no better time than now for the prodigal son to return.

He’ll want to be the GM and the head coach, and he’ll want a massive salary, but the Raiders need something to stabilize the current toxic situation and re-energize the fan base and Gruden represents both. So the question at hand is “will the Silver and Black ever be back?” It’s your move, Mr. Davis.