Scooby Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 I remember rich gannon was my lone bright spot during my 1st FF season in 2002, they also went to the SB that season. I was recalling how the raiders went up against their former coach Gruden in SB 37 and rich gannon threw a record 5 picks during that game. From what I understand raiders coaches left the offense & audibles, etc. untouched. Did the raiders org think to change it upon trading gruden or did the thought even cross their mind at that point? Was it too late to change things once they realized they were going up against their former coach who had intimate knowlege of their offense? I read somewhere that Gruden even lined up himself as qb Gannon during practices with his team leading up to the SB. Did any raiders players voice their concerns heading into the SB? TIA for info, just curious about all this. I'm obviously bored;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpholmes Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 Oh goodness... Once Jon Gruden was "traded" to Tampa Bay, offensive coordinator Bill Callahan was promoted to HC. He left his entire offense in place: playbooks, audibles, hot routes, etc... Why? Because it was working and he didn't see any sense in changing it. I think at the time, the odds of them making it to the Superbowl and Tampa making it as well were so improbable they really didn't think anything of it. Once they realized they would be facing each other, they only had two weeks. At that point, you don't have enough time to change an entire offense while getting ready to play the biggest game of your life, nor was Bill Callahan the kind of offensive mind who could pull that off. One of the other huge factors playing into this is that Gruden and Gannon were very close in Oakland. Jon brought Gannon in, and they were so close in age that they spent a lot of time with each other, both at work, with their families, etc. To this day they talk about what great friends they are. Consequentially Gruden, a quarterback coach, knew Gannon and his game inside and out. Combined with the knowledge of their offensive playbooks, audibles, and tendencies... the Raiders realistically never stood a chance against the league's top defense. For almost the entire week leading up to the SB Gruden would play QB in practice. He would tell his DBs "ok, if the WRs come out in this look and you are lined up like that, 9/10 times Gannon is going to check to this route" etc... etc... The infamous route was a "slug-o seam" route: Jerry Rice would run a quick slant route, Gannon would pump fake him to get the safety to bite, and then Rice would turn on a go-route up the seam for a deep completion. Dexter Jackson jumped in front of a few of these, as Gruden coached them up all week not to bite the initial pump. Come game time, that defense knew everything Rich Gannon was calling at the line before he even decided to call it. It was a miserable game, and you had to feel for a guy like Gannon who worked his whole career to get there - only to be beaten by the coach who knew him better than anyone. Bill Callahan is a total dolt, which is why he's been run out of HCing at the pro and collegiate level, and is currently the offensive line coach for the Jets. I'm glad Charles Woodson was able to get a ring in GB last year - because it would have been a major disappointment if this game was his only shot at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Quarter Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 Oh goodness... Once Jon Gruden was "traded" to Tampa Bay, offensive coordinator Bill Callahan was promoted to HC. He left his entire offense in place: playbooks, audibles, hot routes, etc... Why? Because it was working and he didn't see any sense in changing it. I think at the time, the odds of them making it to the Superbowl and Tampa making it as well were so improbable they really didn't think anything of it. Once they realized they would be facing each other, they only had two weeks. At that point, you don't have enough time to change an entire offense while getting ready to play the biggest game of your life, nor was Bill Callahan the kind of offensive mind who could pull that off. One of the other huge factors playing into this is that Gruden and Gannon were very close in Oakland. Jon brought Gannon in, and they were so close in age that they spent a lot of time with each other, both at work, with their families, etc. To this day they talk about what great friends they are. Consequentially Gruden, a quarterback coach, knew Gannon and his game inside and out. Combined with the knowledge of their offensive playbooks, audibles, and tendencies... the Raiders realistically never stood a chance against the league's top defense. For almost the entire week leading up to the SB Gruden would play QB in practice. He would tell his DBs "ok, if the WRs come out in this look and you are lined up like that, 9/10 times Gannon is going to check to this route" etc... etc... The infamous route was a "slug-o seam" route: Jerry Rice would run a quick slant route, Gannon would pump fake him to get the safety to bite, and then Rice would turn on a go-route up the seam for a deep completion. Dexter Jackson jumped in front of a few of these, as Gruden coached them up all week not to bite the initial pump. Come game time, that defense knew everything Rich Gannon was calling at the line before he even decided to call it. It was a miserable game, and you had to feel for a guy like Gannon who worked his whole career to get there - only to be beaten by the coach who knew him better than anyone. Bill Callahan is a total dolt, which is why he's been run out of HCing at the pro and collegiate level, and is currently the offensive line coach for the Jets. I'm glad Charles Woodson was able to get a ring in GB last year - because it would have been a major disappointment if this game was his only shot at it. That is absolutly the best answer to that question you can possibly get. I couldn't say it any better. And don't forget on the evening before the Superbowl our center, Barrett Robins had a meltdown and went out drinking and got lost. Have to say KP., you have an insight to the Raiders that impresses a guy who had a George Blanda poster in his room when he was 12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolly Rodgers Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 The Bucs D was also pretty damn good that year. Yes, Gruden played the scout QB that week but they had the players to execute the gameplan... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahawks21 Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 The basic verbage, formations, audibles, hand signals, reads etc. of the west coast offense haven't changed in 30 years. Every coach puts a few twists on it, Andy Reid from what I've heard being the most exotic, but 90% of the base stuff still to this day is exactly the same. Watch Brian Urlacher next time the Bears play a WCO team. He knows every play, every audible. At that point it is up to the coach to design a few wrinkles for that week to trick him and to execute at a high level overall. Blame Callahan for not coming up with enough wrinkles, but he isn't going to change 25 years of an offense in two weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpholmes Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 That is absolutly the best answer to that question you can possibly get. I couldn't say it any better. And don't forget on the evening before the Superbowl our center, Barrett Robins had a meltdown and went out drinking and got lost. Have to say KP., you have an insight to the Raiders that impresses a guy who had a George Blanda poster in his room when he was 12. Yea: Bipolar + Alcohol = Not a good mix. The Bucs D was also pretty damn good that year. Yes, Gruden played the scout QB that week but they had the players to execute the gameplan... Oh calm down. I mentioned they were the number one defense that year. No one is discrediting Sapp, Lynch, Rice, Brooks, etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolly Rodgers Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 (edited) Yea: Bipolar + Alcohol = Not a good mix. Oh calm down. I mentioned they were the number one defense that year. No one is discrediting Sapp, Lynch, Rice, Brooks, etc... I am calm but you seem to have your panties all in a bunch? I was just adding to your point, not trying to poke a hole in it. As you can see, I didnt quote what you said in my previous point... Edited November 5, 2011 by Jolly Rodgers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooknladder Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 Ponder reminds me of a young gannon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahawks21 Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 Ponder reminds me of a young gannon. So he's not going to be any good for a dozen years? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanTheMan_5 Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 That was my first years as well. I will never forget it, my team was AWESOME. Picked 6th in a 10 team ppr redraft 1. Priest Holmes 2. Marvin Harrison 3. Rich Gannon 4. Fred Taylor 5. Travis Henry\\\ May be the best team i ever had career years for all of the above Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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