Sep 25, 2014; Tempe, AZ, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Jim Mora reacts prior to the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The Oakland Raiders are 0-4 this season. No surprise there. They have fired their head coach Dennis Allen who had an overall record of 8-28 with the franchise. Also no surprise there. Shortly after the firing, UCLA head football coach Jim Mora‘s name was thrown into the conversation to fill the vacancy up north. Once again, no surprise there. Considered one of the hottest coaches around, Jim Mora seems to be perpetually pestered by NFL and NCAA programs looking to get back on track — just look how he got the Bruins back on track ever so quickly. The issue is, Jim Mora isn’t on the market. To be clear, we are not speaking on behalf of Mora, rather going off what he has said in the past.
Before the Texas Longhorns hired Charlie Strong as their new head coach, they heavily pursued Mora; They even offered to send a private jet to pick up his parents for each game, knowing how important it was to him that they watch in person. Mora faced an offer that included the head coaching job at one of the most storied programs in college football history, boatloads of cash, and other significant perks that would have sent most coaches packing — but not this one. Not Jim Mora. He looks at things a little differently.
"I know it sounds really corny. But you try to teach them how to be good men and you start telling them all these things and demanding things from them, and then all of a sudden, you just turn and run from them? I don’t know. I don’t like that. I don’t like how I would have felt about myself."
Moreover, Mora is a man dead set on stability.
"The big thing was that I don’t want to jump around. I’m tired of doing that. More than anything, I feel like I’m done trying to climb and having it be more about me. Maybe it’s because I’m older now. I want to be somewhere. I want to have an effect on other people, and I made a commitment to these kids."
Making his stance so clear, and declining opportunities at his alma mater, Washington, and Texas, as explained above, do the Oakland Raiders really think they have a shot at Jim Mora? It’s not like this is the first time Mora has considered returning to the NFL. We’ve taken the liberty of throwing together a list of pros and cons Mora could consider when thinking about this spot with the Raiders.
PROS:
- Derek Carr might be kind of good at some point… Does that even count as a reason?
- Maybe get recognized on the off chance you can repair the team. (Like anyone on this planet can…)
- You get to live near San Francisco! (Sadly, you have to live in Oakland)
- Maybe you can draft Brett Hundley and keep coaching the same QB, which would make for an easier turnaround. (Not likely, nor is it really a reason to leave.)
CONS:
- Leave sunny and beautiful Los Angeles.
- Arrive in Oakland. (According to Neighborhood Scout’s Crime Index, on a scale of 1-100, with 100 being the safest, Oakland scores a 1. Literally as bad as it gets…)
- You compete in a division with the likes of Peyton Manning and Phillip Rivers — Carr isn’t going to get the job done.
- This is literally the worst head coaching position in all of the major american sports.
- Your die-hards would be willing to fight anyone and anything that doesn’t agree with them.
- Even the fans don’t like the management (from this article on Deadspin)
"There’s a guy in my fantasy league that doesn’t really follow football, so he always drafts guys that were big names about 4 years ago but have clearly bottomed out. This has been the Raiders’ approach to free agency every year that I’ve been alive."
Other fans have even taken it to the next level (from the same article)
"My brother, Dad, and I, all huge Raiders fans, like to play this game. It’s called “Let’s look at who we could have drafted in the first round”. Now, hindsight is 20/20 and all that, and I know every fan base can do the same thing, so we take it to the next level by looking at the very next pick, which I will now share with you (first name is the raiders pick, second name is the very next pick). Let’s start with 2002, the last winning season:2002: Napoleon Harris, Ed Reed2003: Nnamdi Asomugha and Tyler Brayton, Eric Steinbach (oak had back to back picks b/c of Gruden trade, yay!)2004: Robert Gallery, Larry Fitzgerald2005: Fabian Washington, Aaron Rodgers2006: Michael Huff, Donte Whitner2007: JaMarcus Russell, Calvin Johnson2008: Darren McFadden, Glenn Dorsey2009: Darrius Heyward-Bey, Eugene Monroe2010: Rolando McClain, CJ Spiller2011: Pick traded for the walking personal foul Richard Seymour (Pats selected Nate Solder with pick, following pick was Corey Liuget)2012: Pick traded for Carson Palmer (Cincy selected Dre Kirkpatrick with pick, following pick was Melvin Ingram)2013: DJ Hayden and his exploding heart (this season it’s now his exploding foot), Sheldon Richardson2014: Khalil Mack, Jake Matthews. I feel bad that Khalil’s promising career is going to bust, but congrats to Atlanta on getting who will undoubtedly become a HOF LT.That was fun….also, a lot of our fans think Terrell Pryor was the future and will take Russell Wilson’s job in Seattle."
So, Oakland, before you try and recruit Jim Mora, weigh the possibility that he actually comes, and make the best decision… Ask someone else…