OAKLAND – The accusations are now public about Oakland Raiders head coach Tom Cable. His defensive assistant, Randy Hanson spoke with media about what he told police investigators concerning Tom Cable’s part in breaking Hanson’s jaw.

Although the NFL isn’t ready to make an announcement of its own findings, unless there is something to contradict the very stark facts from Hanson’s account of the incident the league is expected to punish Cable.

The question is how. Will it be a fine, suspension or both?

Since the coaches don’t have a union, there won’t be formatted procedures available to Cable such as a hearing or an appeals process.

Here is what Randy Hanson told Yahoo! Sports that was reported this weekend: “From my blindside, Tom Cable threw me from my chair and into a piece of furniture that a lamp sat upon. He was screaming, ‘I’ll f— kill you! I’ll f— kill you!’ And I have no reason to believe he wouldn’t have killed me if they hadn’t pulled him away. If my head would’ve hit a different way, I might be dead right now.”

Yahoo! reported that three of Hanson’s colleagues corroborated his story.

It is unclear if the Raiders’ owner Al Davis will have the ability to protect his coach from the wrath of Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Hanson has been quoted previously as admitting his close relationship with his owner. Thus it’s hard to believe that Davis will go to bat for Cable.

Goodell’s stance will be buttressed by the decision of the Napa Valley authorities to charge Cable with a crime.

Once that happens, which sounds likely, the coach will be exposed to how the league treats players who collide with the criminal process.

Players will look to the commissioner to be even handed about the league’s personal conduct policy. Cable, who hasn’t spoken on the subject since August has presided over a 1-4 start to the season. The team will hard pressed to argue that it will suffer on the field if their coach disappears for a while.

The revolving door to NFL head coaching positions has been spinning out of control since the end of last season with 11 head coaching changes occurring and several more being anticipated.Four teams started the NFL disposable coach act prior to the start of the season.

The Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins all handed headsets to rookie head coaches Mike Smith, John Harbaugh, Tony Sparano and Jim Zorn.

Other teams reminded us how impatient owners can be in a 16 game NFL season when the axe was swung and three other head coaches were sent packing early. The St. Louis Rams’ Scott Linehan and Oakland Raiders’ Lane Kiffin got canned after just Week 4 and San Fran 49ers’ head coach Mike Nolan was asked to hand in his headset after Week 7.

While those three teams were setting up interviews at the
close of the season, several others were sharpening their axe. Detroit, Denver, Cleveland and the New York Jets barely got back into the office on the Monday following the regular season when they were filling out pink slips.

The Rod Marinelli (Lions 0-16) and Romeo Crennel (Browns 4-12) firings came as no surprise but seeing Eric Mangini (Jets 9-7) and Mike Shanahan (Broncos 8-8) get their walking papers was less expected.

Mangini turned the Jets into an AFC East contender with a 9-7 record this season. Getting upset by the visiting Miami Dolphins and losing a chance of winning the division title at home the final game of the season put his head on the chopping block.

The math is simple and when you do it, it reminds you how the NFL head coaching occupation comes with very little job security. There were 11 head coaching changes out of 32 teams in 2008 with speculation of other coaches like Jim Zorn (Redskins) and interims Jim Haslett (Rams) and Tom Cable (Raiders) being replaced before the 2009 season.

The 49ers did sign interim head coach Mike Singletary to a four-year $10 million contract after his team went 5-4 over the nine games he sidelined after Nolan was fired.

Singletary joined in the fray right away and fired his offensive coordinator Mike Martz. It must be contagious.

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