Right after Raiders owner Al Davis gave coach Lane Kiffin the boot, we wondered when we would see him again.
My money is Dec. 1. That's when he will have a chance to better survey the college football landscape. He is so highly regarded that he surely will have his pick of the coaching litter.
Already, Kiffin has been mentioned at Clemson, which just fired Tommy Bowden. ESPN's Southeastern Conference blogger Chris Low says he expects Kiffin to be on Tennessee's list if Phillip Fulmer gets whacked. His name was linked to Syracuse, where Greg Robinson might be gone. And he seems like a good fit for Washington, where Ty Willingham might not be welcomed back.
More? Virginia's Al Groh, Kansas State's Ron Prince, Arizona's Mike Stoops and Pittsburgh's Dave Wannstedt are on the ropes, according to ESPN's Pat Forde. If Kiffin likes a job closer to his USC roots, he could go to San Diego State to replace Chuck Long.
The morals to the story?
First, it's easier to jump to the colleges than stay in the pros if you're a head coach. There are more jobs, and you're a big fish in any size pond.
Second, maybe it's worth it for anyone to take the Raiders' job if you want to be a head coach. It shows your next employer that you have mental toughness, you learn how to manage up and you know how to deal with the media.
It worked for Mike Shanahan, Jon Gruden and Bill Callahan. It looks like it really will work for Lane Kiffin.
What to surf
myespn.go.com/blogs/sec Chris Low's good SEC blog.
What to watch
NBA exhibition: Kings at Rockets, 5:30 p.m., CSN. It's reunion night for the Kings as they meet Ron Artest for the first time since the trade.
What to do
High school football: No. 10 Del Oro at No. 1 Granite Bay. Sacramento prep football doesn't get much better.
Thursday's results
ALCS
• Red Sox 8, Rays 7
The last word
What you're saying on the sacbee.com comments: • "Are the Kings playoff bound? Probably not this year. Better than last year. I really think so." – gemini_105 on "Martin breaks out, Kings falter"
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