Raise The Black Flag
A big, warm, fuzzy "Gracias" to all those who have helped me become the semi-sane writer I am today. Just be aware, once you get a Stick'em bear hug, it's hard to tear yourself loose from all the sticky goo involved...
1. The Incredible Mr. Tibbs - when I first read this man's columns on Raidernews, I was literally unable to get through an entire one without stopping several times to laugh out loud. Tears in my eyes from cracking up made the words blurry more than once. Last I heard he was Razing Arizona.
Tibbs: your rapier wit cuts my funny bone at the humerus every time, brother!
2. Ore Raider- the first person who ever thought I could write my way out of a paper bag well enough to be a Raidernews columnist.
Ore: Thank you for believing in me and giving me my first shot. You have my loyalty.
3. Tenacious P - my gratitude for your gifts of focus and encouragement.
Craig: You have been an editor and true friend, and are the first Raider fanatic I know of to have a book published to boot. Much love, and here's believing you will pass the test.
4. Ally Oop - probably the most positive Raider fanatic I have ever known. Eloquent in word, artistic of song, and Raider to the marrow.
Ally: You have a friend and ally for life here.
5. Raider Take - probably the most professional Raider writer I have ever known. This guy simply set the paradigm for Raider blogs.
Sean: You inspire me to be a better writer every day.
6. Fans in Black - undoubtedly collectively the most informed and intelligent group of fans gathered in one place.
All the posters on F.I.B.: Thanks for keeping me old school, yet up to speed. Q, you started it all, 'nuff said.
7. Uncle Big Mike - at least there is one man I know who will read everything I write and get the jokes.
UBM: Muchas gracias for your loyalty and give that Korean in Ory-gun a sticky hug for treating you much better than you deserve.
8. Calico Jack - your colors run Silver'n'Black and your lasting piratehood is assured.
Chris: We will raise the black flag!
There are too many good folks for my memory-impaired noggin to name you all here, but the biggest shout outs of all go to Godfather Al Davis, for constantly keeping his eye on the Lombardi, and to my father, who is the man I hope to become one day.
Thus endeth the blubbery group hug. Now back to your regularly scheduled programming of mayhem, mirth, and raidiation.
Thanks to all the readers for indulging me until the real action begins - Raider Sundays!
posted by Stick'em at 2:44 PM
8 Comments:
wow, i'm kind of a new comer around here but i've been reading just about everything written by most of the people you just thanked and gave props to for the last 6 or so years maybe longer. i just recently found these blogs of yours and RT's and Calico Jacks and a couple others. i must take this chance to jump on the bandwagon and thank the lot of you for spending your time and energy to entertain us and give a place to converse and throw banter around. i for one have been enjoying being able to read your and voice my opinions. thank you all.
stick'em, i just found your site like two days ago, had no clue you had a blog, sorry i've been missin out. you tend to mirror my way of thinking and i love the way you express it. keep it flowin braugh, i'll be readin every bit from here on out!!
I'm honored to be included in the sticky bear hugs. Your humor is priceless ... your wit and Raider knowledge inspires me. Thanks for setting the bar high for all of us.
I look forward to proudly raising the black flag with brothers in arms like yourself and Raider Take. Cheers!
Calico Jack
Thanks for the kind words, Stick’Em. When I was flailing around in the early days of Raider Take, when Kerry Collins and Norv Turner were doing their best to kill my muse, I was delighted to discover this crazy and clever dude called Stick’Em who kept me laughing while providing sharp analysis. I raise a pint of grog and toast The Raider Way!
Aw, Stick'em, now look what you've done. You have me blushing with cheeks as red as McNasty's mullet! LOL
I am honored to be included in your list of names that are legendary among Raider fans. It has been your passion and wit that has kept us afloat during the dark days of the doldrums, and it will be your passion and wit that will be our rallying cry as the Autumn Wind once again rises and we sail forth to victory!
Blog on, my friend! Steady as she goes, and keep the faith!
Always,
Ally
SR12: The Inedible Mr. Tibbs is selling real estate out of the trunk of his Honda Civic in Arizona, so if you need to buy a brontosaurus-sized sandbox with a few agave cactus nestled in the corner of some red rocks, call 1-800-EAT-IBBS
This all means, rather unfortunately, Tibbs is not available to commit to writing on Raidernews at what we perceive to be our current moment in space and time, but believe it, he ain't wearin' no gear with no red bird that looks like someone put Alka-Seltzer in his birdfeeder.
Mr. Tibbs does still send messages from the desert, and here's his pre-draft day stick on the current state of affairs to feed your Jones:
"Nobody knows who ANYBODY is going to draft. That makes us about as unique as a midwest Walmart.
Nobody knows how Art Shell is going to do because nobody but us cared to even find out. They saw how he DID. He wasn't Richie Kotitie; he wasn't Marv Levy either.
Do you haunt the frozen section at Safeway and approach would be Breyers buyers with "hey, you don't know what that Pralines and Cream is going to taste like do you? DO YOU!?!"
"Uh, pralines...and...uh...cream?"
"Maybe not this time!!!"
And let me clear a few things up, in a Kotex to spilled milk manner:
EVERYBODY knows the Raiders will be shopping for leftovers after June 1st. It's an NFL annual event. Like Cam Cleeland losing a spleen, Chad Pennington busting his hymen, or John Madden buying acreage to house his eyebrow clippings.
As for the OL and DL....right now they are firmly poised to be even worse. And we can all rub ourselves down in hope jelly and pray to the moon Gods that the powers that be might have realized that cutting Ted and Jasper weakened the D, and maybe on some peyote infused whim they'll rectify this quite glorious gaping wound in the defense...but that's just hope speaking logically, and that isn't the stuff that keeps Tags lying awake at night pissing his nightgown.
Grady Jackson, or a man of similar square footage, could plug the Rhode Island sized hole in the D-line. A simple change of scheme and a logical placement of players (with the addition of a couple fresh bodies) could very well solve the O-line woes.
When the name Tom Walsh is heralded in the same light as Sid Gillman, Al Davis, Bill Walsh, or even contemporaries like Tom Moore and Mike Martz....you'll be hugging a Jell-O bear with marshmallow arms while eating styrofoam taquitos riding a chocolate stream in giant floating woman's shoe-canoe while snorting Retzin with the Michelin Man, content that adding THC to spermicidal jelly was the greatest thing you ever tried.
I'm not saying there isn't reason for being optimistic, plenty of blindfolded people have smiled while enjoying a final cigarette..."ah, perhaps they'll miss"...BAM!, drop.
After the recent 5-11 season, the "no way but up" signs were staked all over the Raider nation and somehow the team still found a way to dig the latrine a couple of Lincoln Kennedy logs deeper.
We don't have a STARTING CALIBER QB. We may develop one, but right now, one does not exist. I doubt that causes the league to tremble like Michael J Fox on a five shot latte. Brooks is to starting caliber QBs what New Orleans is to swim up bars.
I might remind you that Billy Joe Tolliver, Billy Joe Hobert, and pretty much anyone else named Billy Joe was a starter in New Orleans. Pinning our hopes on Brooks, because he started in the Big Easy, as in easy to start, is akin to stocking up on rubbers because Daisy Duke winked at you in a Dominos commercial. Optimism be damned, you're not gonna score.
C'mon, even Kerry Collins got the starting nod in New Orleans. This is a town still seeking the next Bobby Hebert...and his HOF bust is right next to the mops.
Our hope and future rides on Walter. Brooks is this year's Alfred Montoya. I've watched Walter for years down here, hopefully he's solved some of his mechanical issues and can be the winner he's traditionally been.
But that's a boatload of hopes, and we haven't even discussed the LB or Safety blight....which is a Raider norm for the last two decades.
My only suggestion is to not seek comfort in questionable circumstances. It's like enjoying a warm bath without wondering why the water is yellow.
There is a lot of work to be done and additions to be made before anyone can look at this franchise with confidence.
The fact that this team is a puzzle wouldn't bother me so much if not for the fact that so many puzzle pieces didn't come in the box.
Our team is a question mark."
FRKY: Everything here is done out of love for the game. No thanks necessary, but duly noted and appreciated.
We all help serve grog to the crew manning the sails of the sloop Revenge in our own ways, mate.
It is a beautiful thing (since we ARE having a Kleenex moment) all us folks who might never meet otherwise can get our Raider on through sailing the Seven Cyber Seas.
No more Raider Nation; now it has become Raiders World Wide.
I remember Art Shell saying one of his duties as NFL Exec. was to administrate NFL Europe.
While in Germany visiting the Galaxy - to Shell's complete amazement – the Frankfurters were dressed to the hilt in Raider gear.
To parapharase the words of John Lennon, "Imagine all the people, living The Raider Way..."
RT: Make my grog a pitcher. No need to waste time with pints!
As you are the barkeep extraordinaire, suggest you continue to concoct black'n'silver cocktails to refresh the thirsty crew for morale purposes.
Ally: A blogger's life is not the only one. Expect some Raidernews article contributions sooner than later.
Please allow me to express my gratitude for Raidernews. It keeps the Raider fanatics informed without sanitizing articles for our protection.
As per my usual custom, here is one for you to remind ya someone appreciates your selfless efforts in promotion of the Raider way.
Post a Comment
<< Home