Does Al Davis need to step back?

I was reading a good editorial by Trent Modglin over at Pro Football Weekly about Al Davis and the Raiders.

Among Trent's good points:

-"Give Davis credit for going out and making headlines in the offseason, adding weapons like WR Randy Moss and RB LaMont Jordan. He tried, at least. But the Raiders finished 21st in the league in offense, scoring more than 21 points only three times, leading to Turner’s departure. Too often, the splashy signing means more to the Raiders than a semblance of leadership or cohesiveness."

-(about hiring coaches) "...what Davis may end up with is a coach on his last legs, looking for one more day in the sun, or a young coach, hired a year or two before he should be, eager to conquer the world, chump paycheck and domineering owner be damned."

-"“We gave the coaches what they wanted,” Davis said of his most recent firing. “Actually, more than what they wanted. … Norv came in for a trademark of power running, vertical football. It wasn’t there. For whatever reason, it ­wasn’t there. You have to have a direction, a vision.”

You have to have a direction, a vision. The owner’s advice for his former coach would best be turned on himself."

I may be the last person in the world to support Al Davis, but even my patience is wearing thin. I think Al knows HOW to get it done, but the results have not shown it.

It has been 22 years since their last Super Bowl victory. If they had been in the playoffs the majority of that interim, I would gladly make excuses for them. Unfortunately, there have been too many long, dry spells during that time.

If Al Davis was also the GM of the Raiders, Al Davis the owner would have fired him by now.