ALAMEDA – Al Davis should have done this a long time ago. He fired the head coach he distrusts, hired a head coach he trusts at least a little, and after more than a week of epic Raiders zaniness brought to you by YouTube and every other news outlet, finally injected some sanity into the situation.

Point by point. Line by line. Hour by hour.

Davis made sense, seemed sincere, and landed punches in bunches.

Sounding like someone preparing for a protracted legal battle, which he probably is, the Raiders' owner spent much of Tuesday afternoon eviscerating the formidable young coach he hired and then failed to control.

With his continual, media-savvy dispatches, Kiffin had been playing Davis for a fool, for a feeble old man. Al finally swung back, swung from the seat of his pants, on his once-familiar stage in the auditorium at team headquarters.

In a setting that could be best described as old-school and low-tech, Davis, 79, using only an overhead projector and a folder of papers, and with a Raiders helmet deliberately positioned near his oft-gesturing right hand, outlined why he fired Kiffin, and almost as significantly explained why he waited so long.

He hates to admit a mistake. He wanted to avoid disrupting the team. He had hoped Kiffin would mature and, eventually, emerge as a masterful, on-the-job trainee.

He made sense. He did. He also did what he needed to do, emerged from a lengthy cocoon of silence and said his peace – and confirmed there has been no love between coach and owner almost since the beginning. Davis said Kiffin's original sin was committed when he opposed drafting former LSU standout JaMarcus Russell No. 1 overall in 2007. Also according to Al – and the dispute was escalated later in the day when Kiffin offered his rebuttal in televised interviews – the two disagreed about the value of wide receiver Randy Moss, the contributions of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, the expensive offseason acquisitions and the current team's overall talent.

Where Davis sensed a competitive, improved roster, Kiffin suspected otherwise and wasn't reluctant to say so. In that respect, Kiffin was different from his predecessors, all those others who kissed the ring for a while, only to be stripped to their silver-and-black skivvies and escorted out the door.

Davis, at various times combative and cerebral, witty and introspective, and occasionally even playful with journalists he has long considered adversaries, purposefully mentioned many of his former coaches by name. Mike Shanahan, he clearly dislikes but grudgingly respects. Bill Callahan, who guided the Raiders to the 2003 Super Bowl, remains appreciated, if overmatched. Art Shell will always be a beloved member of the organization, that pathetic 2-14 season in 2006 notwithstanding. Norv Turner also was portrayed favorably; Davis allowed he might have been "impetuous" in releasing the current San Diego Chargers coach after a 4-12 season in 2005.

Somewhat surprisingly, Davis voiced particular regret about releasing Jon Gruden, another young, strong-willed individual with whom he tangled. "Jon," Davis said, his voice softening, dropping. "You will have to make your own decisions. Jon was a good coach."

So why offensive-line coach Tom Cable instead of offensive coordinator Greg Knapp or Davis' personal favorite, Ryan? The operative term here is "interim" head coach. While Davis said he believes Cable is capable of "dominating" a locker room, the former Idaho head coach seemed more grateful than dynamic. During his much shorter turn at the microphone, he offered the usual sports clichés, said he was all about winning, and wisely neglected to mention the Raiders of late are more about drama than winning.

Those Court TV executives must be salivating. Move over, O.J. Davis has no intention of paying Kiffin any of his remaining $3.5 million salary, and admittedly is preparing for another heated courtroom tussle. On Tuesday, he seemed to gain strength with each allegation. He has documents. He has letters. He called Kiffin a "liar," characterized his former coach's public criticism of Ryan as "unfair" and "unheard of."

"He conned all you people," Davis insisted.

He made sense, at least some of the time. He was the Al Davis on the assault, the one who favors the deep throws, the high-risk/high-reward approach. The one who plays to win. He might have underestimated the ferocity of the young and implacable Mr. Kiffin, but as Davis himself noted before being wheeled out of the room, he ain't dead yet.

Call The Bee's Ailene Voisin, (916) 321-1208.