The Oakland Raiders announced today that owner Al Davis has passed away at the age of 82.  The team said they will have a full statement later on Saturday.

Like most non-Raider fans, we’ve had plenty of fun at the expense of Davis over the years.  But there’s no denying the impact he had on the NFL.

For all the crazy coaching moves in recent history and the demand to draft nothing but track stars, it’s often forgotten that he first arrived in Oakland in 1963 when he served as their head coach and later was the commissioner of the AFL.  There are also the three Super Bowls that the Raiders won under his watch and induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992.

It’s safe to say that the AFC West — and the NFL as a whole — will be much less exciting with Davis no longer a part of the equation.

Now we will see how things run in Oakland with his son, Mark, running the show.

For any other owner this may come as surprising, but according to ESPN, Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis fined former coach Tom Cable $120,000 throughout last season.  Cable, in return, filed a grievance with the league.

The ouster of Cable drew criticism from the Raiders’ players, including punter Shane Lechler.

But what few players in the locker room realized was that, as Oakland was registering its best season since its AFC championship in 2002, the Raiders owner and head coach were barely communicating — other than through legal channels.

Davis was said to be upset with Cable over the fact that Oakland lost two days of Organized Team Activities (OTAs) in June 2010, among other things.  The Raiders also lost a week of their offseason program in 2007 because of the intensity of practices under then-coach Lane Kiffin, whom Davis also battled.

Kiffin filed a grievance against the Raiders after he was fired when he felt that Davis owed him money, but the arbitrator ruled in Oakland’s favor.  Davis has a history of financial disputes with his head coaches dating back to Mike Shanahan.  The NFL has had to help settle financial disputes with four of Davis’ last five head coaches, according to a source.

Is there even much to say about Davis at this point?

It’s shocking that anyone would want to coach this team.  I understand it’s hard to turn down the ultimate promotion down in your profession, but look at how you will be treated.  Just because you’re a ship captain doesn’t mean you want to take the job on the Titanic if you know it’s going to sink.

The latest name being thrown around in Oakland is former Chiefs offensive coordinator Al Saunders for the same gig with the Raiders.  Run, Al.  Run far, far away.  You’re too good of a talent to waste your time working under this nut job Al Davis.

Two people on his interview list have been identified as former Giants coach Jim Fassel, who now coaches UFL champion Las Vegas, and former Raiders offensive coordinator Marc Trestman, the head coach of CFL champion Montreal.

Several sources, including one within the organization, believe Davis may re-interview 2009 candidates Kevin Gilbride, the Giants’ offensive coordinator, and Winston Moss, a Packers assistant head coach, if he hasn’t already.

If Davis has indeed made a decision on Cable, no one with the organization either knows or is talking about it.  His inner circle is as small as it is airtight.  If anyone knows Davis’ plans, they’re not saying.

Whoever the head coach is next season, Davis appears ready to assemble a supporting coaching staff.  Former Giants defensive line coach Mike Waufle will interview for a similar position with the Raiders, according to NFL.com.

There is also nothing new about Davis interviewing assistants and coordinators from around the league in January.  As two team sources put it, Davis loves to “pick the minds” of coaches to see what they are doing and what they would do in Oakland.

Moss and Gilbride interviewed for the head-coaching vacancy last year.  Gilbride is believed to be the finalist who lost out to Cable.  Fassel reportedly wrote to Davis asking for the job, and interviewed for the position in 2007.

Just when you think this situation couldn’t get any weirder.

Forget for a minute that Tom Cable is still the head coach and lets assume Davis plans on hiring someone in the next few weeks.  Instead of letting that person hire his own staff, he has gone about bringing in various position coaches that could have completely different philosophies from the new coach.

Like Buddy Nix mentioned yesterday, even the Raiders have people that want to be their head coach, but notice how all of the candidates are names that no other team is interested with.

Though it was reported Raiders coach Tom Cable would meet with owner Al Davis yesterday, according to senior executive John Herrera that meeting was never planned.

“I never had any knowledge of a meeting on Monday,” Herrera said.

That didn’t stop news trucks from staking out the facility in Alameda or reports airing that Monday would be the day that Cable learned whether he will return as Raiders coach.

By late afternoon, Cable and Davis still hadn’t made an appearance at the team’s year-round headquarters.

Cable said he expects to be the Raiders coach next season.  Davis is undecided, according to several people familiar with the situation.

Calls to Cable were not returned.  He met with Davis on Jan. 4, the day after the season ended, and said they agreed to meet at some point this week.

So while every non-playoff team is getting a jump on 2010, Al Davis is taking his sweet time… Nice.

I’m not even going to talk about how terrible it must be if you’re a Raiders fan because at this point it goes without saying.

Either fire the guy or let him go to work.