They say the only things you can count on in life are death and taxes. That’s no longer true, however. The new, third sure thing in life is that the Oakland Raiders will provide an annual (or more) dose of comedy.

For the last few years it’s been the coaching carousel. Since Jon Gruden did his four year tour under Al Davis, which ended in 2001, the Raiders have had, I think, 36 head coaches. It’s gotten so weird that Davis has been turned down by guys with legitimate prospects elsewhere and has had to settle on guys like current boss Tom Cable. If it goes on much longer, Davis may have to reclaim the position himself.

Last year, it was a free agency spending spree that netted a collection of overpriced stiffs like Javon Walker, Kwame Harris and William Joseph. Just about all of them are gone, as are the bonus dollars Davis paid out to them. The year 2008 also brought the amusing in-season firing of then-coach Lane Kiffin, who clashed with Davis from the start, and whom Davis called a “flat-out liar” and claimed to have fired with cause.

This year started off just as humorously on draft day when the Raiders pounced on Darrius Heyward-Bey a half-a-round before most teams would have taken him while passing on the more acclaimed Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin, then took safety Michael Mitchell, a guy who was not invited to the NFL Scouting combine and who was considered by most a second-day pick.

Not that Heyward-Bey doesn’t have some potential, but Crabtree still considers the selection such a slight that he is (foolishly) holding out to get Heyward-Bey money despite being chosen three picks later.

But all joking aside, the latest signs that the Raiders’ organization may be spiraling frighteningly out of control are multiple reports that current coach Cable cold-cocked assistant Randy Hanson about two weeks ago at the team’s training camp headquarters.

Davis has always seemed to embrace the ideas of himself as a renegade leader and the Raiders as a renegade franchise. But if these allegations are true, that reputation has now been taken over the line.

Details are sparse at this point. The police report has reportedly been sealed. Hanson didn’t want police intervention, so the incident only even made the news because the hospital he visited for treatment of a reportedly fractured jaw followed protocol it has in place for dealing with potential assaults.

The reports are dotted with anonymous sources confirming reports, which are and should be looked at with a grain of salt. And Cable isn’t talking. According to ESPN.com, he denied the allegations. According to AOL FanHouse, he called it “an internal matter” that he doesn’t plan on speaking about.

But this one is more than an internal matter. It’s more than a questionable personnel move. It’s yet another sign that owner Davis has lost control of this once-proud organization. And, more importantly, it’s a potentially criminal matter involving the man who, once the season starts, is the main public face of the organization.

Two sources told AOL FanHouse that Hanson “never saw it coming” when Cable bopped him. That’s not a good sign. Disagreements will happen during training camp. But your head coach knocks out an assistant, breaking his jaw in the process? No, not a good sign at all.

This is a franchise in ruin. This franchise, one of the best teams of the AFL years and of the 1970s, has become a source of near-constant embarrassment to the NFL. And it seems likely that as long as Davis remains in charge it will stay that way.

So it might be time for Commissioner Goodell to quietly step in and do something to bring order to this organization. Sure, give Davis a way to save face as well – but for the good of the Raiders and the good of the league, something has got to be done here. Or who knows what could happen next.