# Did Bill Callahan throw Super Bowl XXXVII? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 23, 2013, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bill-callahan-throw-super-bowl-xxxvii/648079 "2013-01-23T05:53:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bill-callahan-throw-super-bowl-xxxvii/648079/1 "2013-01-23T05:53:47Z")
First heard about this earlier today, with Tim Brown alleging that Callahan changed the offensive game plan two days before the game because he hated the Raiders, and wanted his buddy Gruden to win. Now [Jerry Rice](http://www.foxsportssouthwest.com/01/22/13/Rice-suggest-Callahan-sabotaged-Super-Bo/msn_landing.html?blockID=853119&feedID=3742) is supporting Brown’s story to some degree. What a shitstorm this could turn out to be. I suspect lawyers are gonna get paid over this before it is over. Callahan has issued a statement denying the allegations and calling them defamatory. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bill-callahan-throw-super-bowl-xxxvii/648079/2 "2013-01-23T05:56:37Z")
It explains how Tampa Bay won a Super Bowl. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bill-callahan-throw-super-bowl-xxxvii/648079/3 "2013-01-23T05:58:28Z")
Gotta wonder how this is going to affect Brown’s chance at the Hall of Fame… ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bill-callahan-throw-super-bowl-xxxvii/648079/4 "2013-01-23T06:16:43Z")
The most logical explanation I heard was that Al Davis got involved and ordered a change in game plans. When the big boss tells you to do something, you have to do it. Doesn’t constitute throwing the game, however. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bill-callahan-throw-super-bowl-xxxvii/648079/5 "2013-01-23T06:21:41Z")
The second most logical explanation is that Tampa Bay coach John Gruden _coached the Oakland Raiders the year before_. He knew the team, most of the players, most of their plays. In fact, on PTI or Around The Horn, it was mentioned that the Raiders didn’t change their audibles when they changed coaches, meaning that there was no mystery to TB what the Raiders were going to do. This actually makes more sense than the Al Davis explanation… if the Al Davis explanation didn’t feature Al Davis, that is. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bill-callahan-throw-super-bowl-xxxvii/648079/6 "2013-01-23T12:08:54Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > The second most logical explanation is that Tampa Bay coach John Gruden _coached the Oakland Raiders the year before_. He knew the team, most of the players, most of their plays. In fact, on PTI or Around The Horn, it was mentioned that the Raiders didn’t change their audibles when they changed coaches, meaning that there was no mystery to TB what the Raiders were going to do. > > This actually makes more sense than the Al Davis explanation… if the Al Davis explanation didn’t feature Al Davis, that is. 😉 On the sidelines, during the 2nd quarter, an excited John Lynch could be heard yelling “We’ve seen all these plays in practice!” Gruden knew almost exactly what his old team would do. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bill-callahan-throw-super-bowl-xxxvii/648079/7 "2013-01-23T12:36:20Z")
Makes no sense. He wanted Gruden to win? Why wouldn’t _he_ want to win, himself? One of them had to win, you’d think he’d prefer himself. Being a SB-winning coach ain’t nothing to sneeze at, and not so easily given away. ---
**Author:** ![Speak\_to\_me\_Maddie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Speak\_to\_me\_Maddie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speak_to_me_Maddie)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bill-callahan-throw-super-bowl-xxxvii/648079/8 "2013-01-23T13:06:53Z")
There doesn’t seem any motivation to throw the game. Even he wasn’t happy with his team, his situation, his owner, winning a SB is a personal victory. Unless there is accusations of betting (which no one has made) I just can’t see any motivation for it. He got out coached. Maybe they changed the game plan last minute because he could see it coming. ---
**Author:** ![chargerrich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chargerrich/32/5399_2.png) [@chargerrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chargerrich)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bill-callahan-throw-super-bowl-xxxvii/648079/9 "2013-01-23T13:37:31Z")
This is one of the most outlandish and ridiculous claims I have ever heard. I am no fan of Bill Callahan and hate the Raiders with a passion but Callahan has always been a pass heavy coach so the game plan while bad (because he is a bad coach) was ANYTHING but inconsistent with his well known style. And all this forgets the fact that any coach in that position would stand to gain SO MUCH by winning a Super Bowl! Are you kidding me? Tim Brown and Jerry Rice really think that Callahan’s supposed “hatred” for the team that is paying him millions would override his very own personal aspirations, millions to be made if he won, being inducted into a pretty exclusive club as a Super Bowl winning coach… all because he doesn’t like a player or two or the team? Hell if anything… if he REALLY hated the Raiders, he would win the SB and then walk telling Davis to kiss his ass. Walking away with a ring and a legacy that could never be taken away! What a silly conspiracy. Brown and Rice are insane, stupid or both! ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bill-callahan-throw-super-bowl-xxxvii/648079/10 "2013-01-23T14:20:55Z")
Former Raiders FB John Ritchie agrees that the gameplan was, indeed, changed dramatically from what they had practiced all week leading up to the Super Bowl. Callahan will never be mistaken for a good coach. I’m sure he blew it big time, whether Al Davis got involved or not. But does that mean he blew it on purpose? Doubtful. Also, doesn’t anyone else remember hearing this story (maybe without the dramatic sabotage accusations) just a year or so after that Super Bowl? I’m pretty sure I remember Raiders players saying back then that Callahan completely screwed them in that game and that the knew they had no chance to win. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bill-callahan-throw-super-bowl-xxxvii/648079/11 "2013-01-23T16:10:36Z")
Agree that it makes no sense that he tried to sabotage the team. A team that is being sabotaged by it’s own coach doesn’t make it all the way to the Superbowl. They end up with a losing season and missing the playoffs. What are Brown & Rice saying? That even though Callahan hated the Raiders and wanted them to fail that they still managed to go 11-5 and win 2 playoff games despite his efforts? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bill-callahan-throw-super-bowl-xxxvii/648079/12 "2013-01-23T16:29:10Z")
I think Brown and Rice both sound like idiots here. [Here’s an ESPN story about Brown’s comments and the views of some other Raiders.](http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8868196/tim-brown-bill-callahan-sabotaged-oakland-raiders-super-bowl-xxxvii-loss) Note Brown’s whining about not reaching 1,000 receiving yards under Callahan and then note that Rice says Callahan didn’t like _him_ either. It’s so dumb I sort of think Callahan should sue and I hope he wins. The concept just doesn’t make much sense. He hated the Raiders and liked Gruden, but didn’t go with Gruden to Tampa (or wasn’t asked), so he throws the biggest game in his career and possibly compromises his entire future as a coach- but sticks with Oakland the next year? The fact that Callahan was fired after a bad season in 2003 and hasn’t been an offensive coordinator or head coach in the NFL since then is proof that he had much more to lose than Oakland did, and that makes the whole thing seem very unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bill-callahan-throw-super-bowl-xxxvii/648079/13 "2013-01-23T16:33:16Z")
That Raiders team appears to have been dysfunctional at best. Offensive lineman Frank Middleton at least [agrees with Brown and Rice](http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8871919/bill-callahan-former-oakland-raiders-coach-says-sabotage-allegations-ludicrous)on Callahan’s attitude towards the team. > [@](#): > > “Callahan hated us,” Middleton said. "He didn’t want to see a lot of us succeed because of who we were. Middleton also says the gameplan was different from what they practiced. He does not, however, agree that it was an intentional effort to sabotage the team. Kind of like I said before, either Al Davis did step in or Callahan is just a really bad coach. Probably a combination of both. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bill-callahan-throw-super-bowl-xxxvii/648079/14 "2013-01-23T16:37:56Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > It’s so dumb I sort of think Callahan should sue and I hope he wins. I think he’s almost got to sue. These types of cases are hard to win, but this is a direct attack on his professional integrity. If he does nothing, he may find it very difficult to keep working as a coach. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bill-callahan-throw-super-bowl-xxxvii/648079/15 "2013-01-23T17:05:43Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I think he’s almost got to sue. These types of cases are hard to win, but this is a direct attack on his professional integrity. If he does nothing, he may find it very difficult to keep working as a coach. I think this is probably not a secret in NFL circles. Brown even admits he made the same accusation four years ago and I’m sure it’s well known that he had a bad relationship with Raiders management and his players. The Jets made him an assistant HC in 2008 and the Cowboys hired him last year in spite of that. But yes, it’s a real attack on his professionalism even though it’s a stupid one and he probably has to respond. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bill-callahan-throw-super-bowl-xxxvii/648079/16 "2013-01-23T17:47:11Z")
Please tell me I’m being whooshed. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bill-callahan-throw-super-bowl-xxxvii/648079/17 "2013-01-23T18:33:51Z")
The old saying about never attribute to malice that which can be adequetly explained by incompetence applies. That and Al Davis fucking with the gameplan in front of the only recent Super Bowl held without a bye week. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bill-callahan-throw-super-bowl-xxxvii/648079/18 "2013-01-23T18:36:40Z")
[Brown is backtracking in a big hurry.](http://tracking.si.com/2013/01/23/tim-brown-bill-callahan-super-bowl/?sct=hp_t2_a3&eref=sihp) > [@Brown](#): > > “I have never said he sabotaged the game,” Brown said in an interview Wednesday on the Dan Patrick Show. > [@Brown](#): > > “You know, can you really say that? That can be my opinion, but I can’t say for a fact that that’s what his plan was, to sabotage the Super Bowl,” Brown said. “He hated the Raiders so much that he would sabotage the Super Bowl so his friend can win the Super Bowl. That’s hard to say, because you can’t prove it.” ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bill-callahan-throw-super-bowl-xxxvii/648079/19 "2013-01-23T18:56:34Z")
Starting Center Barret Robbins disappeared the day before. When found, he was incoherent and Callahan left him off the roster. (he was bipolar and was off his meds) > [@](#): > > Then, inexplicably, the day before Super Bowl XXXVII, disaster struck Robbins. He was reported as missing for most of the day before the game after not taking his depression medication. When he resurfaced that night, he was so incoherent that Callahan left him off the roster.[1] He spent 30 days at the Betty Ford Center, during which time he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder (or manic-depressive disorder). He’d been diagnosed with depression while at TCU, but it is common for the two to be confused in the early stages. Robbins later told his wife that he had spent most of the day before the Super Bowl partying across the border in Tijuana, and actually thought the Raiders had already won the game and he was celebrating their victory. This along with the fact that Raiders D was 25th in the league in passing yards allowed and that Gruden knew the Raiders schemes inside and out… It was a major blunder that Callahan did not change the audibles, but saying that he sabotaged _himself_ because he ‘hated the Raiders so much’ seems silly. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bill-callahan-throw-super-bowl-xxxvii/648079/20 "2013-01-23T20:33:35Z")
Just to play devil’s advocate - it sounds like the Bucs knew exactly what the game plan was, down to the audibles - the game plan that Callahan changed TO. Maybe Callahan is a terrible coach but to both change the game plan so late (bad decision) and the fact that they changed it to something that is easily recognizable is a double whammy that Tim Brown can only reconcile as sabotage. When he’s ruled out the impossible, and what’s remaining no matter how improbable… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bill-callahan-throw-super-bowl-xxxvii/648079.md?page=2)