Raiders Fire Bugel After Promise Falls Flat

Joe Bugel promised to return the Oakland Raiders to their glory days. Instead, he led them to their worst record in 35 years, and was fired after one season.

Bugel, who led the Raiders to a 4-12 record, was fired Tuesday.

The Raiders, who have missed the playoffs four straight seasons, will be searching for their fourth coach since the end of the 1994 season.

Oakland became the third NFL team to make a coaching change since the regular season ended Dec. 21.

The Indianapolis Colts fired Lindy Infante hours after the season ended and have not announced a replacement. Marv Levy retired from the Buffalo Bills. Wade Phillips will replace him.

Seahawks’ Smith may plead guilty

Seattle Seahawks running back Lamar Smith may plead guilty to avoid retrial on a charge of vehicular assault in the 1994 car crash that left teammate Mike Frier paralyzed, Smith’s attorney said.

Smith’s first trial in February 1996 ended in a mistrial when jurors deadlocked 11-1 for conviction.

His retrial is scheduled for March 2, after a state Appeals Court ruled evidence from a sample of Smith’s blood can be used. Blood evidence, which might show whether Smith was driving intoxicated, was barred in the first trial.

Smith has a hearing scheduled for Friday. Should he plead guilty, he would face a minimum sentence of three to four months in jail. Some of the time can be converted to community service.

Prosecutors believe alcohol was a factor in the Dec. 1, 1994, accident, when the vehicle carrying Smith, Frier and Seahawks running back Chris Warren hit a traffic median and slammed into a utility pole in Kirkland, Wash.

Around the league

Larry Allen became the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman when he signed a new contract according to the Dallas Cowboys, but the bigger news at Valley Ranch was the absence of Barry Switzer. The Cowboys’ coach believed to be on his way out of Dallas after a 6-10 season was a no-show at the news conference to announce Allen’s six-year deal… . Cincinnati Bengals running back Ki-Jana Carter decided against having surgery on a torn rotator cuff, electing to rehabilitate the injury he suffered in the team’s third game this season… . Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis, the AFC rushing champion, has discarded the flak jacket he wore Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. Davis blamed the jacket for getting in his way on a fumble.