NAPA - Lane Kiffin is all about football.
He returned to the practice field today and began his media session talking about the offense not committing turnovers and the fumbled snap in last week's preseason game.
Of course, everyone wanted to know how the coach was doing physically, not about turnovers.
It's not often a 32-year-old who works out the way Kiffin normally does is in the hospital.
Kiffin said doctors believe he had mononucleosis. Kiffin tried to watch practice film on DVD from the hospital, but found that too taxing.
He was back and the victim of heckling from players about needing to wear medical masks and asking if he needed a nurse with him.
But it's a credit to the job Kiffin already has done that he was gone and the team didn't missed a beat.
Greg Knapp knew what to do with the offense. Rob Ryan was in charge of the defense.
In a few days, Kiffin will be back to raising his voice in practice. Then his illness will be a footnote to the start of his coaching career.
Then he can talk about football all he wants and I won't have to ask about his temperature.
• The team didn't practice in pads today and probably won't again anytime soon with an exhibition Saturday.
• Today was one of the highlights of training camp. The Raiders' fieldhouse interns played the office interns in a game of flag football.
The game usually becomes pretty rough with the flags being nothing more than decoration. I didn't stick around to see who won, but with $8,000 to $10,000 in the pot contributed by players, I don't blame the kids for getting physical.
• Buddy Ryan, the former coach and father of Rob Ryan, was at practice for a third day in a row. Owner Al Davis also was on hand.
- Jason Jones
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