Raiders head coach punches assistant, breaks his jaw

[UOK]

Oakland Raiders head coach Tom Cable punched one of his assistants on Aug. 6 at the team's training camp headquarters in Napa, Calif., several media outlets reported on Monday.

"It's an internal issue, I'm not going to comment on that," Cable said on Monday, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The Web site National Football Post first reported that defensive assistant Randy Hanson was punched in the jaw by another member of the Raiders staff. Unidentified sources later told Fanhouse.com that Cable hit the third-year assistant.

Hanson reportedly did not want to pursue the matter, but staff at Queen of the Valley Hospital alerted authorities, according to Fanhouse.com.

"The victim didn't even want any police action taken," Napa Police Lt. Brian McGovern told the Web site, "but we were following hospital policy that authorities be contacted in cases where there may have been an assault."

Hanson suffered a fractured jaw. McGovern said, according to the Web site, that the Napa Police consider the matter closed "unless we are re-contacted by the victim, and the victim changes their mind that they want us to follow through and pursue an investigation. At this point we're not doing anything else with it."

McGovern said the police report has not been made public over privacy concerns.

When contacted by ESPN.com, an NFL spokesman said the league would not comment on the matter.

Cable had a regularly scheduled meeting with the media scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET on Monday.

ESPN.com NFL writer Bill Williamson contributed to this report.

[gaba]

Wow... just when you think it can't get any worse in Oakland. They must be jealous of all the attention Detroit got last year.

[wab]

From what I understand, this Hanson guy is a real douche. Not that it's an excuse, but I guess he kinda needed knocked on his ass.

[Halas85]

Leave all names from the story and let me guess the team, and my first guess would have been the Raiders. Nice to see tradition remains an important component of some NFL teams.

[Boris13c]

I continue to be amazed at the unique ways the Rai-duhs find to implode ... it started with Barret Robbins Mexican Party Adventure helping them start a Super Bowl less than completely prepared, and has steadily gone deeper and deeper over the edge since.

That said, the wrong guy got punched.

If anyone on the Rai-duhs staff or front office deserves a sock in the jaw, it is idiot ass Weird Al Davis for the way he has seemingly intentionally destroyed that team. A good shot to his Crypt Keeper like mug might actually have him disintegrate, which would be nothing but good for that sorry organization.

[UOK]

This is an interesting commentary about the Raiders. You know for all we bitch about the Bears over the years, I'm sure as hell grateful. Being a raiders fan would be a miserable business.