New Oakland Raiders head coach had a lot on his plate prior to this weekend. He was signed during the offseason to take over for Hue Jackson, who was on the chopping block after the 2011 Raiders season fell apart in the second half. Allen was already dealing with scouting, evaluating his inherited team's deficiencies, assessing strengths and weaknesses and figuring out how rehabbing players are recovering from injuries. Following the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal, he -- and the Raiders -- have a whole new set of headaches in store for them.
The Saints, if you somehow haven't head by now, are under investigation by the NFL based on allegations that former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams (now with the St. Louis Rams) was running a "bounty pool" that rewarded defensive players for inflicting injuries on opposing teams' players.
Allen served as a member of the defensive coaching staff for the Saints during the first two years of the period that the NFL is currently investigating. Levi Damien at Silver and Black Pride points out that even if Allen proves to have no involvement in the scandal itself, the situation could potentially be a distraction from the upcoming season. More than that, it will only cast further doubt on a team that is notorious for occasionally using shady strategies in the past.
As expected, the Saints scandal will have far-reaching effects and only serve to muddy the waters of many franchises, as well as seedy details of the NFL at large.
For all news and information regarding the Oakland Raiders, please visit Silver and Black Pride. For updates and perspective on the New Orleans Saints, head on over to Canal Street Chronicles.