Winless Raiders and their coach surprisingly upbeat

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There might be blood all over the floor, but the patient is in good spirits and surprisingly hopeful.

The patient is the Raiders, the worst team in the NFL. The Raiders are 0-10. Under interim head coach Tony Sparano, however, they’re strangely confident things will turn around quickly. Maybe as soon as Thursday night at the Coliseum against Kansas City.

“I came into this scenario here not thinking about putting a band-aid over open-heart surgery,” Sparano said in a one-on-one interview. “I was thinking about trying to continue to change the culture here … and doing it my way, which I thought was important.”

Whether it’s texting players or holding weekly chats with owner Mark Davis and general manager Reggie McKenzie, Sparano wants to make sure everyone is on the same page. It’s the biggest lesson he learned from his first NFL head-coaching job, a four-year stint with the Miami Dolphins from 2008 through ’11 (Sparano was 29-33).

Sparano has prided himself on his relationships with players — “I have always been able to reach them and treat them fairly,” he said — but he made a conscious effort to improve his communication with the people upstairs.

Not only does Sparano meet regularly with McKenzie, but also asked Davis if they could meet once a week and have each “ask questions and voice opinions.”

In fact, Sparano is not sure he would have taken the job if Davis had said no.

New Raiders head coach Tony Sparano smiled a bit as he spoke about being an Oakland Raider. The Oakland Raiders named Tony Sparano as the team's interim head coach after the firing of Dennis Allen Tuesday September 30, 2014. less New Raiders head coach Tony Sparano smiled a bit as he spoke about being an Oakland Raider. The Oakland Raiders named Tony Sparano as the team's interim head coach after the firing of Dennis Allen Tuesday ... more Photo: Brant Ward / The Chronicle Photo: Brant Ward / The Chronicle Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Winless Raiders and their coach surprisingly upbeat 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

The weekly talks, he said, have been “outstanding.”

“Mark has a great passion and a loyalty to this organization,” Sparano said. “He loves the fans and the people, and he wants to win. I get it. … And I am not naive, I know we haven’t. I asked that we communicate at that time, and it has been tremendous for me.”

Sparano said the two talk about the good, bad and ugly from each week’s loss.

“Getting his opinion and giving mine has been really valuable to me,” Sparano said.

Sparano also has been more actively involved with each of his assistant coaches than he was in Miami.

“It may be spreading yourself a little thin, but looking back, I told myself if you’re going to do this thing again, do it your way,” he said.

Even taking over a team one-fourth of its way into the season.

Sparano builds up players — he often calls each one “King Kong” — but they definitely hear what they did wrong as well.

“He is up close and personal and blunt,” defensive end Justin Tuck said. “He treats like you a man. I like his coaching style. ... He is honest. There is no B.S. with Coach Sparano.”

Added linebacker Sio Moore: “Coach Sparano is a motivator. He’s direct and he’s precise.”

Sparano says that a big part of every coach’s job is motivating his players. Though the Raiders might be 0-6 under Sparano, they have fought hard against all six winning teams. (In the one blowout loss, Oakland led Denver late in the first half before the wheels came off.)

It’s one reason Kansas City head coach Andy Reid is a little more worried about facing an 0-10 team that most first-place coaches might be.

“I’m a big Tony Sparano fan,” Reid said in a conference call. “He’s a heck of a football coach. I think he brings toughness. He’s got a good scheme. He’s a relentless worker.”

Sparano’s attention to detail — he even brings a binder with every minute of family vacations planned — has been passed on to his daughter and two sons. Tony is an assistant coach with the New York Jets and Andrew is an assistant at Chabot College in Hayward.

“I am surprised they are coaches because of all the time I spent trying to talk them out of it,” Sparano said, “but they started watching game film with me when they were young.”

Sparano and his wife Jeannette have two grandchildren. He doesn’t get to see the grandkids often enough because of his 53 other kids.

“They’re hard to talk about because I don’t get to see them,” he said. “They are very special to me.”

He and Jeannette have date night every Friday, and it’s a treasured break from the stress of trying to win an NFL game.

“I don’t handle losing well; it’s not something I ever want to get used to,” Sparano said. “Bill Parcells once told me the losses in this business last a lot longer than the wins do, and he was 100 percent right. But I have done a good job of compartmentalizing.”

And staying upbeat.

“I never come into this building unexcited,” Sparano said. “I told the team recently that this is the greatest job I have ever had. ... And I don’t tell the team something that I don’t believe. It’s the best job I have ever had.”

Sparano said he is a history buff and loves Raiders history. He gets a kick out of talking to Hall of Famer Willie Brown every day.

“I met Jim Otto a few weeks back, and that was great for an old offensive line coach,” Sparano said.

He wants to be a part of turning around the Raiders, and knows the clock is ticking — but he is excited about the final six games.

“Some people would say, 'C’mon coach, you’re 0-10,’” Sparano said. “But I am excited about the opportunity to see those kids smile.”

Vic Tafur is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: vtafur@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @VicTafur

Chiefs (7-3) at Raiders (0-10)

When: 5:25 p.m. Where: O.co Coliseum

TV/Radio: Channel: 5NFLNet/95.7

Spotlight on: MLB Miles Burris. He has gotten a little bit better since replacing the injured Nick Roach. Burris still does get stuck on blocks at times and sometimes misses big tackles, like on Denver RB C.J. Anderson’s 51-yard reception Nov. 9. In last year’s Chiefs game in Oakland, Burris was scorched badly on three Jamaal Charles’ short catches that went for TDs.

Injuries: Chiefs — WR Donnie Avery (groin) is out; TE Anthony Fasano (knee) is questionable. Raiders — TE David Ausberry (foot), LG Gabe Jackson (knee) and CBs TJ Carrie (ankle) and Carlos Rogers (knee) are out.

BIG 3

Alex Smith threw five TD passes that traveled a total of 13 yards in the air in K.C.’s 56-31 win at the Coliseum in December. His 112 passer rating against Oakland in four career starts is the highest of any QB with at least 50 passes against Raiders.

The Raiders have allowed 12 sacks, second fewest in the league, but the Chiefs are tied for third with 30. K.C. is paced by Justin Houston, first in the NFL with 12.

K.C. has not allowed a rushing TD all season. The only team since the merger to do that through 11 games was the 2011 49ers.

—Vic Tafur