The Raider Way

Words on Al Davis

2011-10-08T19:19:00.000-07:00

Just as Al Davis has appeared in his owner's box for years, with Iron Man Jim Otto flanking him...

Al Davis is the Raiders. It is hard to imagine it otherwise, though I suppose we shall all have to try. After all, as Al always maintained, the Greatness of the Raiders Lies in Its Future...

On this day which saddens all our hearts, I am stunned and at a loss for words. So to properly gauge his impact on football, here are words collected from various other sources about Al Davis prior to his passing this morning:

“If you need a friend, there’s no better friend than Al Davis. He’s my best friend. I’ve always said that if I even needed anything and I had one phone call, it would be to Al Davis. ”
~ John Madden

“If somebody wants a chance, Al Davis is the greatest at giving them a chance. There are a lot of people that talk about things and never do anything. Al doesn’t talk at all … He just does it.”
~ John Madden

"He was one of the great coaches I have ever observed ... a truly great coach, had he chosen to remain in coaching, he would be considered one of the great coaches of all time."
~ Bill Walsh

"Al Davis is the smartest man I ever met”
~ Bill Parcells

"The Raiders were about giving people second chances, they were about giving chances to people the mainstream wouldn't give a chance. They had a willingness to look beyond the color of someone's skin, reputation, and beyond someone's past. I see a willingness to do things the Raiders' way, not the way society dictates. Look at what Al Davis has done. He hired the first Hispanic head coach (Tom Flores), the first black head coach (Art Shell), and now me(first woman executive). It's not a coincidence. People in sports talk a lot about inclusiveness and giving people opportunities. While they talk, I only see one person doing it. Al is the last person on Earth who'd do this for a pat on the back. A pat on the back would annoy him. He does it for the right reasons."
~ Amy Trask

“I love being a Raider. I grew up liking them. My family members were BIG Raiders fans and for me, to have the opportunity to play for them is like a dream come true. I like everything about them...the Black and Silver...the fans...the commitment to excellence... Al Davis... I like everything about the Raiders!”
~ Tory James

“Al Davis is a legend and his contribution and influence on the game of football, the National Football League, and the Oakland Raiders has been profound for decades. To view his contribution and influence on a season-by-season basis does not make sense: he has dominated the industry for a lifetime. I can't tell you how he may have impacted or guided other individuals during their careers but I can speak from personal experience: he inspires me to be better every day than I was the day before."
~ Amy Trask

"My only Regret is that I played in Los Angeles so late in my career. Al Davis was very loyal and encouraging to all his players when I was there."
~ Lyle Alzado

"When it comes to being a gentleman, when it comes to treating their players like men, when it comes to being champions-no other team comes close...Everything stems from Al Davis, everything. He's the kind of guy you want on your side."
~ John Matusak

"There were a number of games in those days that were going to be played in the South that I refused to play in. And he (Al Davis) canceled them. That told me what type of individual I was dealing with."
~ Art Powell

"I always tell people that I was extremely fortunate to play for three of the greatest coaches ever: Webb Ewbank, Hank Stram and Al Davis."
~ Cotton Davidson

"He is always for the players, so it was really easy to play for him and want to win for him."
~ Rod Sherman

"I still feel very close to Al Davis...It's always been like a father-son relationship."
~ Ray Guy

"I love the man(Al Davis). He's true to the word. I'd die for the man. I love him to death."
~ Mickey Marvin

“In 1976, I was cast as Apollo Creed. It was the role that changed my acting career. In 1970, I met a man who changed my life forever. That year I became a part of Al Davis’s legendary Oakland Raiders organization as a rookie linebacker.”
~ Carl Weathers

“Al Davis is ahead of his time in everything he does. His innovations in offense was fantastic. He’s an all-around football man.”
~ Jim Otto

“Al had great vision. He could see down where the game was headed or where it should be headed.”
~ Tom Flores

“A lot of people think of Al Davis as a maverick. He’s also a maverick in opening up opportunities for minorities.”
~ Brad Pye, Jr., Former AFL administrative assistant, first African-American administrator in football

“I’d say he’s a trailblazer. He had no color barrier.”
~ Dr. Aaron C. Wade, former AFL official, first African-American official

“Hiring (minority) coaches, players, this is something he did over the years. This is not something new where he came to some politically correctness in the 1990s.”
~ Willie Lanier

“I think Al Davis opened up the game up. I think he opened the game up for the African- American athlete.”
~ Dennis Green

“He’s a pioneer, in terms of getting black players to play and letting them be the best they can be.”
~ Willie Brown

“I came to know Al as someone that lived by a certain code and this code was to judge everybody by their content of their character and capabilities and nothing else. That’s the code that I detected at the time and I think it’s stayed with him throughout the years.”
~ Bernie Custis, Black quarterback and teammate of Al Davis at Syracuse University, 1948-50

"It was Sid Gilman and Al Davis who said here’s an opportunity to give these people (black players) a chance to play.”
~ Gene Upshaw

“Al found a ton of good players in the black schools.”
~ George Atkinson

“Al’s word was important. If he’s tell you something, this is it.”
~ Eddie Robinson

“It’s hard to think he did it to help blacks. He was looking to give a guy an opportunity whether he was black or white.”
~ Lance Alworth

“Al has always said the golden rule is not good enough. That is, ‘Don’t treat people the way you would like to be treated, treat people how they want to be treated.’’
~ Al LoCasale

“He’s a very passionate guy. He believes if you’re good to him then he’ll be good to you. I think players like the idea of being loyal to be something.”
~ Mike Haynes

“I think the world of Mr. Davis. He's been good for the league and the players. He's been great to me. I know the feeling is mutual. The style of play suited me with the long pass. We made it work together. It was a lot of fun.”
~ Jim Plunkett

“I personally like Al Davis a lot. He's a great owner and he's great to play for as long as you play hard. The reason why I like Al is because he's dedicated to winning. He's a football guy.”
~ Jack Tatum

"Before I came here, there was always the rumors of the "Al Davis Factor." Since becoming a Raider two years ago, I have nothing but the utmost respect for Mr. Davis. He's only owner in the league that truly has an understanding of a coach's position. And that's a real benefit to us.”
~ Chuck Bresnahan

“Big Al is a stud. He really cares about his players. Al Davis is a good man. Aside from what the media thinks. I wish everyone had a chance to meet him face-to-face and see what he is really like.”
~ Jeremy Brigham

“I've enjoyed the relationship that I have with him (Al Davis). He's been very good to me as a person and as a player on the team. I've really enjoyed being with the Raiders and his organization.”
~ Greg Biekert

“I like Mr. Davis a lot. I respect him. He's just a straight forward guy and he tells it like it is. He understands what you want and you must understand what he wants. We have a good relationship."
~ Marcus Ray

“I think that Mr. Davis is one of the fathers of the game of football. Think of what he did for the AFL and build it to what it is. How he talked about the long ball and brought a certain toughness to the NFL, the Silver and Black and what it represents. You have to look back and think about all of the men who gave everything for the sport of football and you have to mention him as one of the pioneers of the game.”
~ Ronnie Lott

“I think no offense to ESPN or anybody else, you don't know Al Davis like the players do. The media gets it wrong a lot. Most of his players looked up to him."
~ Otis Sistrunk

“It’s more of a personal thing to where you come in and you have respect for let’s say the tradition of the Raiders. You go to San Diego, which they had some tradition but not as intense as the Raiders. First of all our Raider fans, I’ve seen fans all through college, the World League and other teams that we play against and it’s amazing how our fans are, the intensity of our fans. It just gives you a totally different outlook for the team you play for, more so ever it’s a sense of pride to be able to be affiliated with a team like the Raiders and say your part of them, the family. Mr. Davis, do you know how much he has done for the NFL. He stands there on the sidelines shaking your hand and wishing you good luck, do you know how many guys would like to have that opportunity?”
~ Leo Araguz

"I'm very excited . Who doesn't want to be a Raider? If you talk to 90 percent of the guys in the college ranks and in pro football, everybody wants to be a Raider. Coming out of college (Nebraska in 1984), they were one of the teams I wanted to play for. Who wouldn't want to wear the silver and black?"
~ Irving Fryar

“These are the greatest fans. These people will follow you to Alaska if they have to. It got so loud, my helmet was rumbling. It just feels good to have that type of support, faces painted and everything else. All the negative stuff that's said about our fans, they can wash that out. We have fanatic fans, loyal fans."
~ Tyrone Wheatley

"I work for a man who is gender-blind, he's color-blind, age-blind. He walks the walk of equality of opportunity. In this organization, your race, your gender and your age are irrelevant. Either you are a Raider or you are not."
~ Amy Trask

"Tradition is not a word but a style to him. He really believes once a Raider, always a Raider. Once a guy has played for us, whatever he needs, we do our best for him. But he does this quietly, not looking for publicity."
~ Al LoCasale

"When I was released last week I made a call. It was to Al Davis. I left a message with his secretary for him to call me back. He didn't call me back but his secretary called me back and she said, 'Al thinks you would look good in silver and black.' I called her back again and said, 'let him know that I would do anything to be a Raider and I want to help him win another Super Bowl' He called me later that night, we talked for about a half hour. I got off the phone thinking, this guy's a football guy. This guy truly cares about his players and I'm excited at the opportunity to go out there and see what this organization is about and to possibly be a part of it.''
~ Bill Romanowski

“It was a great honor to come out and talk with Mr. (Al) Davis. I spent time with Bruce Allen and Amy (Trask) ... there are always experiences that make you a better coach and give you a better insight either to yourself or your profession, and that was certainly one of them."
~ Bill Belichick

"Al's interview was not like any other I had been through before. He changed gears constantly. His questions went from left field to right field, from shortstop to second base," Gruden wrote. "His interviewing technique was magnificent. It was a stimulating, awesome line of questioning from a man who knew all there is to know about the NFL, including the salary cap, which other owners, club executives and coaches still have a hard time figuring out. He had seen it all in football."
~ Jon Gruden

"The greatness of the Raiders is in the future..."
~ Al Davis

The Draft Bias is Obvious

2009-05-02T03:41:00.000-07:00

It is clear the so-called "draft experts" - especially ESPN - have a bias against the Raiders. Now that we've had a few days to absorb the draft picks, several things jump out at me as being unequal treatment...

Nobody slammed the Chiefs for reaching for DE Tyson Jackson, yet the "experts" universally slammed the Raiders for taking DHB.

If you look at all the pre-draft info out there, I challenge you to find anyone who had Tyson Jackson rated as the #3 overall player. Most sources had Brian Orakpo rated higher amongst DEs. Most sources had Tyson Jackson rated as a midround talent ~ around #15 or so.

This situation is similar to the Raiders reaching for DHB. Most sources had another WR rated higher than DHB and most had him as a midround talent too. Yet no one bagged on the Chiefs selection... why?

Several things come to mind:

First, everyone said what a great fit Jackson is for Chief's GM Scott Pioli and their 3-4 Defensive scheme. He was probably the best 3-4 DE in the draft. But this doesn't explain the difference in the way the picks were treated.

Darrius Heyward-Bey (DHB) is certainly a great fit for the Raiders' vertical game Offense. DHB is probably the best home run threat at WR. But the Raiders weren't congratulated as finding the player who best fits their scheme, the Chiefs were...

Second, everyone gave Scott Pioli the benefit of the doubt because he comes from the *Patriots organization. They also bashed Al Davis because he comes from the Raiders.

Having ties to Bill Belichick is great and all, but look at the "prodigies" that have come from Belichick's system: Charlie Weiss, offensive "genius" has blown monkey chunks at Notre Dame. Romeo Crenel has done nothing with the Browns - they don't even know if Charlie Weiss' QB is their starter. Eric Mangini already got fired in his first HC gig with the Jets and is now trying to mop up Crennel's mess.

If you look at it objectively, Bill Belichick looks like a genius, but his coaches and staff don't look like much on their own. They've failed. Why would Pioli be any different? Al Davis has been a scout, HC, GM, and owner in this league for 45 years. Wouldn't he deserve the benefit of the doubt over Pioli, who is running a draft without Belichick for the first time - a rookie?

Third, many of the experts had Tyson Jackson penciled in as the Chiefs pick (some had Aaron Curry). When Jackson was indeed picked, he made the "experts" look smart because they had predicted this outcome.

Few of the "experts" besides Lombardi had the Raiders taking DHB. When DHB was the pick, he made the experts look "stoopid" because they hadn't predicted this scenario.

We all know that ESPN is in Bristol, Connecticut and that they hype the local teams incessantly. The Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics all receive a lot more hype on that station than other teams.

But the truth is, if you rearrange things, and had Scott Pioli or Bill Belichick making the same picks the Raiders did, they would have treated the same picks differently.

Ask yourself, if the Raiders drafted all high-character players this time for a change, why aren't the "experts" applauding Tom Cable for changing the environment in Oakland and getting Al Davis to sign off on these types of players?

Ask yourself, if the Raiders traded back to get Mike Mitchell, scoring 4th and 6th round picks in the process, why all the hang ups about "value" for the pick?

With the 4th round pick, we got Louis Murphy. Murphy was a WR generally predicted to go somewhere in the 2nd-3rd round... With the 6th round pick, we got Stryker Sulak, a DE-OLB hybrid guy with character, the kind of player the *Patriots pick all the time as a LB. So if we got three picks for our #2, why all the negativity about "value"?

Ask yourself, if the *Patriots made our picks, how would they have been treated?

Some of the criticism is warranted. The Raiders haven't been good since the SB of '02 and many of our draft picks haven't turned out as expected. But the assumption that just because its the Raiders it has to be crazy, stoopid, insert derogatory comment here is just ridiculous.

People like Chris Carter turning DHB into the running joke of the day with his "honorable mention" comment over and over and over is just plain mean. DHB didn't pick himself. Why would it be acceptable for a TV analyst to insult the kid when it is the biggest day of his life being drafted?

The kid has never gotten into any trouble, yet when prompted, Chris Carter says the Raiders shoulda picked Percy Harvin over DHB because Harvin had college production and DHB didn't. You can't be serious! PERCY HARVIN? That's who Carter thinks shoulda been the Raiders pick? The player with reportedly the worst character in the draft? You thought DHB brought criticism, imagine if we actually HAD drafted Harvin...

It is what it is. The Haterade is flowing. I hope Mitchell and DHB light it up, so "experts" like Chris Carter and Mel Kiper are exposed for what they are, mediots

Moratorium

2007-10-22T21:44:00.000-07:00

Greeting my Raider brothers and sisters!

Unfortunately unforeseen circumstances in my personal life (yes, I do have one) leave me unable to devote enough time my usual rabid Raider obsession to pen coherent articles on this site and as a Raidernews columnist. Hence, The Raider Way and Under the Black Flag will not be updated regularly this season. I apologize for the inconvenience this may cause any of you.

Until I can be back in action consistently, remember to get your Raider fix at Raidernews, RaiderTake, Silver'n'Black Forever, and Fans In Black. I highly recommend all these sites as relieable places to get your Raider on.

Until then, keep the faith and remember to drink your Stickum, boys and girls! It will help you grow up to have strong bones and teeth and stick to the opponent like Gorilla Glue. And don't worry, I stll brush my teeth with the stuff every morning...

Remembering Coach Walsh

2007-07-30T12:47:00.000-07:00

Today is a sad day for Raiders everywhere. One of our own has died.

Though he is better known as Head Coach of the team across the Bay, many do not realize Bill Walsh began his NFL coaching career in 1966 as Offensive Backs Coach under then Head Coach, Al Davis. As you know, once a Raider, always a Raider. Coach Walsh remained a friend of Al Davis and the Raiders until his untimely demise today from symptoms related to leukemia.

While in Oakland, Davis taught Walsh the Sid Gillman offense he had learned in San Diego. The premise of the Gillman offense is stretch the field vertically. Walsh took this premise and modified it to stretch the field horizontally.

This offense is what is commonly referred to as the "West Coast Offense" nowadays, and a version of it is currently being installed in Oakland by Lane Kiffin. To put it plainly, Walsh's system revolutionized the way the game of football is played today. Verily, most of the teams in the NFL currently run or have run a version of Walsh's offense. The term 'genius' is often found in sentences with Walsh's name in them for a reason.

To get some input into this system, Kiffin called upon Al Davis to contact his friend and invite him to Raider practice. Walsh was at Raider practice just a month ago. You can see pictures of Walsh in Raider gear with JaMarus Russell and Coach Kiffin here (June 14, minicamp day 3, images 8 and 9).

Kiffin had this to say about Walsh's visit just a month ago:

"It was important for me to get him over here to practice. It's one thing to ask a question. It's another thing to have him watch practice and get some thoughts from him on what he's seeing out there. I've spent some time preparing for him.

What can't you get out of that? To have him over here was great."
~ Lane Kiffin

Bill Walsh once said of Al Davis:

"He was one of the great coaches I have ever observed ... a truly great coach. Had he chosen to remain in coaching, he would be considered one of the great coaches of all time."
~ Bill Walsh

The same can be said of Walsh, for there is no question Bill Walsh is one of the great coaches of all time. Our condolences to his family and friends - our thoughts and prayers go out to them.

Read more about Walsh's life here.

See Al Davis' press conference regarding Bill Walsh in two parts, here (part 1) and here (part 2).

Much thanks to Ben in NJ for the tip on the interview!

The Treuth

2007-07-29T11:35:00.000-07:00

About this time every year players get cut. It is one of the worst aspects of football as only 53 players can make the roster. We sure remember Pete Banaszak getting nervous and jerky. As Pete said, "I was always worried that I was going to be cut as sure as God made green apples. Funny that I ended up being a Raider as long as anybody."

Like Banaszak, Adam Treu made his living as a Raider by being a role player. Treu made certain the snaps to Janikowski and Lechler were always spot on. While we worried about everything else last season - including and especially the Center --> QB exchange - we never worried about having one of those Tony Romo moments with a snap on a kick.

The reason? Treu got it done for a decade. The longest tenured player on the team, Treu made it through countless changes to the coaching staff. Treu started out with the great Joe Bugel as his Head Coach back in the day. His longevity in the face of having to ingratiate himself to a new head coach regularly speaks to Treu's ability to be a team player.

That said, one writer decided to speculate on the cause of Treu being cut this week. The speculation can be found here. It says:

"I wonder if the Raiders' late-minute release of center Adam Treu was because of his 11 years in the league, diminishing skills or just maybe because he was the guy who blew the whistle on the new coaches for practicing too intensely this spring. At least one player suggested the last reason was the one that ended his Raiders career. As he said, 'Anyone holding to the old ways we worked is going to be gone.' "

As you know, the Raider coaching staff lost a week of practices because they were reportedly too hard on the players, as described here.

While Pat Kirwan is a friend of Lane Kiffin and his reports on the Raiders are generally pretty unbiased and accurate, Kirwan's rumor that Treu might be the one who snitched on the Raider coaching staff to the NFLPA for practicing too hard seems pretty far fetched to Raider fans who follow the team closely. Treu just isn't that kind of guy.

So here is a reply to the rumors from the family:

"Shame on any of you who would think that about Adam. Rumors just kill me and this one has the potential to stick. Comments about his ability or his speed or his snaps are fine . . . but this?? No way.

Of all the things Adam could've called in over 10 seasons, this is the one they're going with? He was in the training room the entire offseason since his quad tendon snapped off of his kneecap and had to be surgically reattached with cables and screws.

This past week has been difficult enough so to have his name attached to something like this has been rough.

Pat Kirwan needs a spanking and not the kind of spanking he's probably into.

It's simply NOT true. Please spread the word.

Thanks so much!"

~ Tracy Treu

So we see, the unfortunate truth is Adam Treu was cut due to the lingering effects of a torn quadriceps tendon. For the first time in his ten-year career, last season Treu was unable to play. This week, Adam was unable to pass a physical; the years of wear and tear on his knees finally caught up.

The Raiders do not typically make a statement at the release of one of their players (e.g., you will not find statements at the release of Courtney Anderson, Jarrod Cooper, etc.). The fact they did for Treu tells you something about the esteem the organization holds him in. This statement can be found here.

It says:

“In the excellence of The Oakland Raiders over the last 10 years, Adam certainly made an indelible contribution.”
~ Al Davis

We wish Adam and the Treu family all the best in the future and thank him for his service and are happy to know the treuth.

Draft Wrap Up

2007-04-28T10:15:00.000-07:00

For a good analysis of all the Raiders picks, check out my man Ed's job here.

The Tatum Lie

2007-04-17T08:28:00.000-07:00

Here is a lie Paul Zimmerman (a.k.a., Dr. Z) from Sports Illustrated made up recently regarding the Stingley-Tatum play:

"I saw the Patriots-Raiders game live. I saw replays of the play countless times. I don't believe that the tackle that took Stingley down was the hit that did the damage.

I think it came when he was on the ground, or just about to hit it. That's when Tatum drilled him and he was paralyzed."

This is where Zimmerman fabricated the lie that Tatum "drilled Stingley while he was on the ground and he was paralyzed."

And as you know, this is the actual hit, not Dr. Z's made up account of it.

What I see is:

Stingley stretches out to reach a Grogan pass that is thrown way off target and is uncatchable.

Stingley sees Tatum coming.

Stingley ducks his head expecting an impact with Tatum

Tatum rams the top of Stingley's head with his shoulder.

Please, anyone correct me if I have pulled a Mr. Magoo here. This looks like an accident to me.

Dr. Z has intentionally fabricated a story, saying he was himself an eyewitness to Jack Tatum hitting Darryl Stingley "while he was down."

I'm no lawyer, but written accounts accusing someone of a crime that are made up to defame a person sound like slander or libel to me.

Dr. Z has also stated "Jack Tatum will never make the Hall of Fame as long as I am alive."

This is where he made that statement.

Darryl Stingley

2007-04-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

April 5th is sad day for all fans of football: Darryl Stingley has died due to complications associated with quadriplegia.

"In my decision to stop coaching, Darryl's situation was a factor. Not the only factor, but a factor. During the weeks he was in Eden Hospital, not many people seemed to care enough. That's when I started wondering if football people really care about a player, or if football people just care what a player does."

~ John Madden. Hey, Wait a Minute (I Wrote a Book). p 5

"When the reality of Stingley's injury hit me with its full impact, I was shattered. To think that my tackle broke another man's neck and killed his future... well, I know it hurts Darryl. It hurts me too.

I didn't know if I ever wanted to play football again. It was constantly on my mind and tearing at my insides. My body felt like a hollow shell that no longer belonged to me."

~ Jack Tatum, They Call Me Assassin. p 224

"I am deeply saddened by the death of Darryl Stingley. Darryl will be forever remembered for his strength and courage. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family."

~ Jack Tatum

Rest in peace, Darryl. And know that we Raider fans cared then, and we care now.

Help Wanted: Coaching Staff

2007-01-26T15:24:00.000-08:00

Al Davis went off on the mediots after the press conference announcing the hiring of Lane Kiffin as coach (see the comments section of the previous stick for more info).

The best thing about the Kiffin hire is that it was done expediently. The last search drew out longer than a nonsensical Norv Turner soliloquy on how his team was "competitive". Art Shell was handcuffed by having to pick threw leftovers to round out his staff. Many of his picks were either old and in the way (Walsh) or first time coaches (Slater and Eatman). Blessedly, this will not be the case this time...

After the press conference, Kiffin took a jet Al had chartered to head to the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. As the team with the worst record in the NFL, the opportunity for the Raiders was there to coach the Sr. Bowl squad and get a first hand evaluation of the talent. However, without a coaching staff in place, this opportunity passed them by...

It seems likely Kiffin is there to find a staff more so than to evaluate college prospects. The Senior Bowl is also an annual gathering place for coaches to meet and discuss prospective job offers.

I hope Al Davis is willing to throw the checkbook at the best coaches available this time. The entire offensive coaching staff needs to be fired pronto (with the possible exception of Freddie B., who will have a spot with the Raiders for life, even if it is in a non-coaching capacity like the one Jim Otto holds). In fact, a sure sign that Kiffen has the autonomy to do as he wills with his staff would be to see Biletnikoff relegated to a non-WR Coach position like being in charge of "squad development".

The most important hire for Kiffin is the offensive line coach. Without a solid line, it does not matter what scheme he implements or what QB the Raiders draft. All will fail. I hope the checkbook is thrown at someone like Alex Gibbs, a former Raider O-line Coach who developed Wiz with the Raiders of LA.

I know it sounds a bit sacrilegious seeing as how Gibbs gave the Doncos their cutblock schemes, but I truly believe Gallery, Grove, et al. are not power linemen suited for a man scheme. The current Raider linemen seem more suited to zone blocking than brute force. As a bonus, Al Davis could twist the knife in Shanarat by hiring Gibbs. With the coaching changes in Atlanta, Gibbs is available as a Consultant, but he is not cheap... Here is Gibbs' bio.

A Gibbs protégé, Tom Cable, is rumored to be a target as well. Cable has helped Gibbs make the Falcons into the NFL's top running team. Here is Cable's bio.

With the departure of Nick Saban, Dolphins O-line guru Hudson Houck may be a possibility. Houck coached current Raider Co-Oline coach, Jackie Slater, so the connection could be made... Houck is also a former USC player and O-line Coach, which might open the doors for him with Kiffin.

Houck made the Dallas Cowboys what they were in the '90s and I am impressed by what Houck did to resurrect the San Diego Charger O-line, basically a bunch of nobodies, into a helluva blocking machine for LaDanian Thomlinson. If anyone can take a collective group of turnstiles, weathervanes, and windmills (e.g., the current Raider linemen) and turn them into something, it's Houck. Here is Houck's bio.

My vote is for Houck.

Then next most important hire is the Offensive Coordinator. Since Kiffin will call his own plays, the real issue here is to get the Tom Walsh taste out of everyone's mouth as soon as possible.

Yet another Falcons coach, Greg Knapp, is one candidate. Knapp is a West Coast Offense disciple, so his hire would be another strong indicator that Kiffin has some juice. Of note, Knapp was in the LA Raiders training camp as a QB in '87-'90, but never made the roster, so he is familiar with the organization.

Another consideration at OC is Marc Trestman. Trestman elevated Gruden's conservative offense to perhaps the most go-for-the-throat offense the Raiders have seen since Tom Flores' days as HC. Trestman fits the bill Al Davis is looking for; as Al said at the press conference, the reason he hired Kiffin is he wants a coach who will ATTACK! Hiring Trestman would be an indicator that Al is calling the shots, as would bringing in current Charger WR Coach James Lofton as OC.

Steve Sarkisian, Kiffin's Co-Offensive Coordinator is another possibility at OC, having been joined at the hip with Kiffin at USC. Sarkisian was the Raiders' QB Coach in 2004. He has stated his interest in remaining with the Trojans, but anything is possible...

My vote is for Trestman.

The last position at the top of my list is QB Coach. Many Raider fans are clamoring for Rich Gannon to return in a coaching capacity. Word is he did work with Andrew Walter last offseason. One day Rich will return, with my blessing, but this does not seem to be that day.

Al Davis is rumored to have been interested in Patriots QB Coach/ Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels, who has been involved in the development of Tom Brady, the Tucker... It seems doubtful McDaniels would leave the Patsies for anything less than a HC opportunity, but Belichick and Al Davis are friends and we know the two talk as Rob Ryan came from Belichick. Here is McDaniels' bio.

Ken Zampeze (son of Ernie) did wonders developing Carson Palmer in Cincinnati. Like Palmer, indications are the Raiders will make JaMarcus Russell a #1 overall pick. Zampeze even made Jon Kitna look like an NFL QB - a miracle in itself. Zampeze might have to be offered one of those bogus titles like "Assistant Head Coach" to make the move to Oakland, as he is under contract. As evidenced by the hiring of Lane Kiffen (son of Monte), Al Davis likes football families. Ernie Zampese was an integral part of the Chargers Air-Coryell offense and me thinks his son has soaked up some his pop's knowledge about getting QBs and WRs on the same page. Here is Zampeze's bio.

Unless Kiffin could somehow defy the laws of gravity and get former USC coach Norm Chow to come on board with the Raiders, my vote is for Zampeze.

Methinks coaches will be added to the staff early next week. Your sticks on who they will be are welcome, as always.

Davis Taps the Fountain of His Youth

2007-01-25T04:46:00.000-08:00

In the press conference announcing the hiring of Lane Kiffen (which you can find in its entirety here) we see a rather animated Al Davis.

In the search for the newest Head Coach of the Raiders, Davis seems to be following the direction of Ponce de León, searching for his own Fountain of Youth. In the past when referring to the unfortunate illnesses of his friends (e.g., Bill Walsh) and former Raider players, we have heard Davis say, "We haven't found a way to beat death...yet. But we will."

While the inevitability of dying is a reality for us all, Davis seems to believe that by the force of his own will, he can achieve immortality. Who can blame him for trying?

After all, one of the most telling anecdotes about the man's character is the story of when Davis' wife Carol's heart stopped beating and she appeared to be dead on the way to the hospital in 1979. Al remained at Carol's bedside constantly for seventeen days throughout her coma, literally willing her to get better. She did and remarkably returned to health. Dr. Robert Albo, who treated Carol Davis, says he had seen a recovery of this type only two or three times in his thirty-year medical career.

After all, Davis' own mother, Rose, lived to be over one hundred years old.

I believe on some level, Davis is aware that at the age of seventy-seven with his own physical health failing, his legacy and the future of his organization may be best served by recreating himself in the present.

Davis tried to have Art Shell be an on-field physical extension of Davis' will to win and his vast football knowledge last season. While everyone knows Art Shell as a loyal Raider and a man of integrity, it was obvious Shell did not have the offensive mind to succeed in today's NFL. Realizing his own shortcomings in this department, Shell delegated the play calling to his offensive coordinator. We all know that after a lengthy absence from the game, Tom Walsh was not up to the task.

Despite Shell's commitment to reestablish the Raider Way utilizing the "Al Davis Offense" – as Art stated from the outset as documented here in this very forum — he simply was not up to the task of coaching the current players. Shell just didn't win baby, despite his intimate understanding of and belief in slogans such as "Commitment to Excellence." I wish Coach Shell success in wherever his path leads next.

Davis loves nothing more than winning, and the hurt caused by the losses of recent seasons showed in this press conference. So now we are left with the youngest Head Coach in modern NFL history in one Lane Kiffen (some old-school coaches such as George Halas were younger when they began, but no one in recent memory has been hired at the age of 31 or younger) to heal the pain.

The comparisons of Kiffen to young, successful Raider coaches John Madden (thirty-three years old when named HC) and Jon Gruden (thirty-four years old) are certain to follow. But the most apt comparison is to Davis himself.

Before Al Davis became an NFL coach in 1960, he was a line coach at USC from '57-'59. Like Kiffen, Davis' duties included scouting and recruiting. Davis is famed for signing Lance Alworth under the goalposts for the Chargers of the old AFL. Perhaps this memory explains why Davis mistakenly referred to Kiffen as "Lance" during the press conference.

Later, at the age of 33, Davis himself became the youngest head coach in modern NFL history when he was named head coach and managing general partner of the Raiders in 1963. Davis brought youth and energy to a floundering Raider franchise and immediately revitalized the team from its 1-13 record the previous season to a 10-4 record with Davis at the helm. Will Kiffen prove to be a clone of the young Al Davis with all the accompanying success?

Three things jumped out to me at the press conference to help us answer this question:

One is Kiffen called Davis "Al" instead of "Mr. Davis" as most of the Raider staff does. This tells us Kiffen has cojones. This is a good sign that Kiffen may have the ability to listen to Al's input, absorb the suggestions he finds useful, and yet still run things his own way. Make it so, Lane, else you will flounder.

Second is Kiffen stated he thinks the roster if full of good players and that his job is to get the ball in the hands of the big money playmakers. While we all would love to see more plays being made and this is indeed the crux of the Raiders' offensive woes - NO ONE made a play on offense in '06 - we are left to wonder whether this means Randy Moss and Jerry Porter will be here in '07… and whether Kiffen will pander to their childish behavior in an attempt to make them happy. I hope not.

Third is Kiffen, being intimately familiar with the college personnel coming into this year's draft may have more say so over who is chosen than previous coaches seemed to. Perhaps the Raiders will even break their own mold by choosing a QB such as LSU's JaMarcus Russell with the first pick. Russell has arguably the strongest arm of any QB at any level of the game today, and Al Davis certainly might be enamored with his cannon. A new mad bomber QB to groom would do much to bring hope back to the Black Hole denizens.

After what might just be the worst season in Raider history, things have reached crisis status in Oakland. A man in a crisis goes back to what he knows best; a murderer to murder and a thief to theft.

In this crisis, Al Davis goes to back to the fountain of his youth.

Run Run R.I.P.

2006-12-17T05:55:00.000-08:00

~ George "Run Run" Jones shows us what Championship hardware looks like ~

Run Run died of an apparent heart attack at the team headquarters yesterday.

I am saddened to realize he will not be here in body for the next one; however, Run Run's spirit has always been a part of the Raiders and will always be. Like Jim Otto and Al Davis, you can't think "Raider" and leave out this man who has been on the sidelines since '63.

Here's one of Run Run (front row, 2nd from right) back in his roller derby days with the Bombers before he joined the Raiders (yes, hard to imagine but there was a time before Run Run was a Raider).

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Your loss is ours also.

Here's betting we clock the Rams today with a fist full o'rings for Run Run Jones!!!

A sticky thanks to Raider Dave for the Bombers pic.

The Call

2006-11-26T19:40:00.000-08:00

You will hear the cover up from the NFL officials this week about how the fumble committed when Vincent "Doesn't Know Bo" Jackson spiked the ball wasn't really a fumble. They'll call it a forward pass, and the NFL's fans will nod like Pavlov bobblehead dolls.

You will hear them spin the story to sound like they did a bunch of research and discussed their findings on the field, then interpreted the rule book correctly to the best of their zebraness, so help them Mr. Magoo.

We have heard these lies before, from The Immaculate Deception to The Snow Job. Incomplete passes are Frency Fuqua to Franco Harris touchdowns and Tom Brady never fumbles, he just tucks it. You know the lies.

The truth is, there is a precedent for a player catching a first down pass, going down without being touched, then celebrating in a Michael-Irvin-ass-clown manner by spiking the ball... only to have the other team recover their inadvertent celebration fumble. The difference is the receiver wasn't a Raider.

Here is your precedent.

"Plaxico Burress (a Pittsburgh Steeler at the time) spiked the ball at the end of a 19-yard pass play (vs. the Jaguars on October 1, 2000).

The rookie stumbled and fell to the ground without being touched by a defensive player. When Burress got up and slammed the ball to the ground, Jacksonville's Danny Clark scooped it up and ran it back 44 yards.

Burgess said, 'I thought the play was over. I learned a lesson. I'll never spike it again except in the end zone.'"

Would calling the Jackson play legitimately as a fumble have changed the outcome of today's San Diego game? Probably.

Is there one set of rules for the Raiders and one for the other 31 teams?

Ask Danny Clark. When he was a Jag this very same play was a fumble. Had Clark been wearing Silver'n'Black at the time - as he did years later - clearly it would not have been a fumble. It would have been an illegal forward pass. Those are the Raider Rules.

Nevermind the fact that receivers clearly don't pass after they have just made a first down catch; this is irrelevant to the matter at hand because it involves the Raiders.

For all those outsiders who think the Raider Nation is rampant with zebra paranoia, remember, just because you are paranoid doesn't mean they're not after you. These plays happen every year to Oakland... such as Marquez Pope's fumble recovery in the Seattle rain that was called a... nevermind.

Do they happen to your team regularly? When's the last time the *Patsies or Squeelers squeeled about being ripped off on the outcome of a referee's decision on a game-deciding play?

Let the lies begin... again.

What's Wrong With This Offense

2006-11-12T10:31:00.000-08:00

We have all been scratchin' our heads wonderin' what in the hell is going on with this team on offense. It is a rather simple offense, as every Head Coach who has game planned against the Raiders this season has told us. "Vanilla" they call it. So if it is so simple, why is it so hard for the Raiders to execute successfully?

After careful study, I have come to the conclusion that all the stars have to be in the right alignment for Tom Walsh's offense to work. I'm not kidding. Almost as many things have to go right as there are stars in the sky. Without resorting to astrology hocus pocus or astrophysics explanations of black holes and such, here are five:

1. The Center --> QB exchange at the snap must be fluid.

It seems obvious there can be no play at all unless this happens. Nothing else matters if you screw up at the very beginning, not the play call nor its execution.

The Raider QBs have fumbled twelve times (Walter 9, Brooks 2, Tui 1) in the first eight games of the season. Granted, a few of these were the result of the ball being jarred loose during sacks, but the majority have been during the exchange. Verily, the images of Baltimore's Kelly Gregg and San Francisco's Melvin Oliver (who?) rumbling with fumble returns are burned into our retinas.

During the Seattle game, the Raiders tried a shotgun formation to alleviate the long drop Walter must take to pass. The result was a botched exchange, which only a lucky penalty kept from being yet another fumble returned for a touchdown.

What is the cause of this fumblitis? The QB leaves the Center too early. My guess is this results from a combination of the QB fearing for his life and so trying to get a head start on his pass drop, the lengthy amount of time the Raiders have taken to get the play off, and the inexperience of the Center, Jake Grove, who hasn't logged a lot of time at the position in college or the NFL.

2. The run game must be established.

The vertical offense is so-named because it stretches the defenders down the field, opening holes and spaces to attack. To do this successfully, the running backs must be enough of a threat to bring the defenders towards the line of scrimmage. If you can get eight in the box, it becomes much easier to fling the ball over the heads of the defenders cheating to stop the run. The idea is to make the defenders responsible for covering the entire field of play at all times.

Moreover, with a very young QB like Walter, the best friend he can have is be able to consistently fall back on handing the ball off when things are getting a bit squirrelly.

While the Raiders are averaging a respectable 4.2 yards/carry, they have frequently abandoned the running game. See Seattle as Exhibit A. The result is a league-worst two TDs scored on the ground in '06. This is one afternoon's work for LaDainian Thomlinson.

What is the cause of this lack of commitment to pounding the ball? Some of it has to do with an identity crisis. Which Running Back are we relying on? We have seen Jordan, Fargas, and Crockett each lead the team in carries during different games.

Most if it has to do with play calling. While some folks have tried to make the case that Walter is given two plays for each snap - one a run and one a pass - and that he is responsible for deciding which to use based on the defense formation, this does not sound plausible.

Down, distance, field position, game plan, as well as the formation and personnel on the field affect the available options on offense too much for such a binary run/pass QB call scenario. It just does not make sense to let the defense always dictate your play calling, especially since this is supposed to be an offense predicated on taking what you want.

More likely Walter is given a play by the offensive coordinator and a Plan B play to audible to, depending on whether say the defense shows blitz or is in a different coverage package than expected. Verily, the responsibility for the pass happy ways falls squarely on the shoulders of Tom Walsh.

3. The blockers must sustain their blocks for four or five seconds on most pass plays.

Unfortunately, though Art Shell or Jackie Slater could pull this off in their heyday, it goes without saying the current offensive line cannot.

The Raiders passing scheme typically calls for a five- or seven-step QB drop in a max-protect formation. This means in order to give the required time for the play to develop, the RBs and TEs are primarily blockers. They do not typically release to be outlet receivers for the QB when things break down.

Unfortunately, LaMont Jordan is one of the worst pass blocking backs in the league. Moreover, the Raider TEs are mostly converted WRs (Adkisson listed at 230 lbs., Madsen listed at 220 lbs., and Williams listed at 235 lbs.) with little ability to block.

The result is the Raider RBs have accounted for a pathetic 17 receptions (averaging two/game) and the TEs have logged an equally ridiculous 19 catches. In contrast, Jordan alone accounted for 70 catches last season.

Where is our Dave Casper or Todd Christensen? Where is our Marcus Allen or Charlie Garner?

Hence, Walter is left with just two WR targets to choose from on most plays. The defense has a rather easy time covering just two receivers with four DBs in most cases. Watch Walter's eyes. He locks on to one of his targets on most plays. Frequently the DBs know where the ball is going to go.

In the mean time, the opposing "D" sends blitzers. The scene resembles a great white feeding frenzy after the warm Pacific water has been chummed with bait. The offensive linemen, TEs, and RBs (except for ReShard Lee) are rather putrid at picking up blitzes, twists, and stunts, so frequently rushers come unabated to find the immobile Walter. A much more mobile QB than Walter is necessary for any chance of this scheme working with these blockers.

What is the cause of this problem? The coaches' expectations that their players can do things they, at this point, cannot. The coaches hold on to the scheme though it is obvious that different personnel are required to make it work. The adjustment Tom Walsh must make are to use shorter pass routes routinely with shorter QB drops, move Walter out of the pocket using rollouts, use three- and four-WR sets more often, and establish a receiving presence from the non-WRs.

4. The Wide Receivers must run good patterns and make catches.

It goes without saying that Alvis Whitted should not be starting. He has but 60 receptions in an eight-year career, a total we expect in one season from a starter. While Moss and Whitted were once two of the fastest receivers in the NFL, neither is in that category any longer. Even if they were, WR speed is overrated.

In the Raiders' first Super Bowl winning season of '76, Cliff Branch averaged 24.2 yards/ reception. Thirty years later, we see not one of the NFL's top thirty receivers averages twenty yards per catch (Indy's Reggie Wayne is the highest at 16.6). In today's NFL, there is such an emphasis on rushing the passer that teams just do not throw deep with success as often as they once did.

In effect, the Raiders have two long bomb WRs starting and no one to move the chains as a possession receiver. Where is Fred Biletnikoff to be the yin to Branch's yang? How 'bout Ronald Curry? Even Jerry Porter shows some toughness over the middle.

Speaking of Freddie B., he must throw up weekly watching Randy Moss half @ss his pass routes and drop passes. Biletnikoff was one of the most precise route runners in history and I do not remember seeing him drop a pass.

Now, as Moss' receiver coach, Fred must be chain smoking and pulling what's left of his long blond hair out seeing this. Moss certainly didn't learn any of this from Freddie, as Randy no doubt leads the NFL in drops this season.

A recent interview with Andrew Walter asked what Walter should when pass protection breaks down. His response was:

"The (nine Seattle) sacks. There was one in particular where I could have hit an under (outlet receiver). The rest it was waiting for guys to come open down field. I could sail it out of bounds and save a hit.

We don't get our running backs out, so there is not a quick hitter. A lot are them are read routes where we have to wait for the receivers to make a choice - determine what he is going to do. If that means I have to sail the ball out of bounds to avoid a sack, then that's what I'll do."

According to Walter, we are completely dependent upon Whitted and Moss to choose a route, run it well, and make the grab. Which begs the question, do they ever choose to change to a comeback route to help Walter out when he's in trouble? This seems a lot to hinge on two receivers...

The vertical offense is a high risk, high reward system. If the Raiders pass on three consecutive downs and one is a long completion, then all is well regardless if the other two are incompletions or sacks. If none of them are completions... well then, it is yet another three-and-out. At times this offense actually moves in reverse, losing more yards than it gains in a series.

5. There has to be some stability in coaches and leadership from the players.

This offense has not been potent since Bill Callahan's go-for-the-jugular style lead this team to the Super Bowl four years ago. The revolving offensive line coaches and coordinators have left things an utter mess.

If I can figure these things out, certainly Walsh has by now too. He's the professional coach. Hopefully Walsh find a way to implement changes before the Doncos come to town. The Doncos have the best scoring "D" in the NFL. At least Walsh has seen them before once, so if he does fail to make adjustments this time, there will be no excuse for not catching on.

While it is painfully obvious that Tom Walsh should never have been solely entrusted with the play calling duties in the first place, it seems doubtful changing coaches this far into the season will be the quick fix this "O" needs. There is no one on the current staff who inspires confidence.

Most of the offensive coaches - Ford, McElwain, Slater, Eatman, - are in their first year with the Raiders. The veteran coaches - Shoop, Biletnikoff, and Peete - are not long-term OC solutions.

Hopefully Art Shell or even Al Davis will start having veto power over the plays Walsh calls. Someone needs to have more input into the decisions. Shell is too loyal to fire Walsh now.

Maybe Marc Trestman or Rich Gannon will come back. Maybe Ken Zampeze will be brought in to tutor Walter like he did with Carson Palmer. A long-term solution in offensive leadership is what this team desperately cries out for... but the ugly truth is we probably won't see it until next season at the soonest.

On the player front, it says a lot about an offense when Randy Moss is named team captain. He plays as if he is much more interested in his juice stores or clothing line than in his on the field performance. It is hard to believe what we are seeing from Moss, the Raider, comes from the same WR who was a HOFer a Viking. Is it any wonder the offense looks lost when its leader shows up "once in a blue moon?"

This leaves us with the realization that until Walter is given time to mature into leadership (let us pray he doesn't become the next Marc Wilson, all potential and little production) and someone rises from this rubbish masquerading as an offensive line to hold the group together (Barret Robbins? Lincoln Kennedy? Help me...), this offense will not improve to be anything above less than mediocre.

The only thing I can advise for as us fans is patience until players with attitude and discipline are drafted on offense, a revised scheme is in place, and they develop some cohesiveness the way the defense has done the last three seasons. Until then, pray.

The only advice I have for the players comes from the other Big Al:

"If A is success, then the formula is A = X + Y + Z... where X is work. Y is play. And Z is keep your mouth shut."

A Kick in the Groin

2006-11-08T15:16:00.000-08:00

Here is visual proof that Tyler Brayton's act of nutcracking was simply retaliation for Jerramy Stevens' prior act of the same kind.

We all (those of us who are male, that is) feel kicked in the groin after this game, twice.

Is it time to hang Walsh high from the nearest oak tree? How can anyone explain running the ball a scant 11 times while passing 45 in the wind and rain without resorting to mental illness as an alibi?

Will the Raiders ever run the ball with authority again?

Will Randy Moss remember how to catch a pass?

Will Ronald Curry ever play possession receiver?

Will the O-line ever be more than a wet cardboard piñata?

Will LaMont Jordan ever discover that blocking is actually part of his job description?

Will Andrew Walters ever find a check down receiver or master the snap exchange or take less than a seven-step drop? Or will he be disabled from the pounding before we find out the answer to that question?

Will a TE ever become involved in the offense? Oh yeah, forgot. They do throw to Chad Slaughter once in a while…

I dunno the answer to these questions, true believers.

I do know the bottom line is the current Raider offense is the worst in the NFL in just about every conceivable category for a reason.

Is the reason for this impotence Walsh's playcalling... or is the players' lack of execution responsible for this mess?

The answer is "yes".

A sticky thanks to The Preacher for the visual evidence. Here's hoping Al Davis pays Brayton's fine.

The Squeel

2006-10-30T14:29:00.000-08:00

Remember this offseason?

Remember the hemmin' and hawin' when the Pittsburgh Squeelers so-called genius, young prodigy, O-Coordinator Ken Whisenhunt was not signed on as the new Raider head coach?

Well, the Raiders DEFENSE just outscored the boy “genius”!

Remember this offseason when the Raiders were ridiculed for hiring B&B owner and small-town mayor, Tom Walsh as the O-coordinator?

Well, they were right. Walsh's play calling is still a joke. After all, some baboon drew up a pass to reserve OT Chad Slaughter from the one yard line...my guess it was Walsh. Further proof is in a single bound Chris Carr returned an INT for 100 yards and outgained Walsh's entire offensive output for the game. But the playcaller does not matter when your "D" is on its game causing mayhem and mischief.

Remember this offseason when the mediots paraded around the idea that no one would work for Al Davis because he handpicks the assistant coaches? Remember Al replying that the Squeeler HC, Spittin’ Bill Cowher, had been there for fourteen years winning nothing before winning the Super Bowl? He said the Rooneys believed in continuity.

Well, there is something to be said for continuity in coaches. Caveman Rob Ryan was kept on as D-Coordinator during the changes and his defense finally seems to have matured to the point where it is a legit top-ten difference maker.

Remember the hand wringing last season when the Raider secondary set an All-Time record for fewest INTs in the history of the league with five?

Well, the Raiders nearly equaled that total in one game as Carr, Asomugha, Morrison, and Washington all made Big Ben Roethlisberger pay for his mistakes. The five Raider sacks helped scare Big Ben into spraying the ball where it just shouldn't be thrown.

Remember how they questioned the serial drafting of DBs after Derrick "Radio" Gibson and Philip "Pinetime" Buchanon flamed out?

Where are they to doubt Michael Huff, Fabian Washington, and Nnamdi Asomugha now? The Raider pass "D" is the best in the NFL at the moment.

Remember the Immaculate Deception or the Inaccurate Reception or whatever you want to call the travesty of a mockery of a sham of a play that bumped the Raiders out of the Super Bowl in '72?

Well, I remember all these things. We do not forget the slights and the insults. We use them for motivation. Go here for an outstanding batch of motivating photos of the game (click on "View Slideshow Now" in the upper right corner when you go there, and thanks to Drumsky for the tip).

This is why I say to the hated Squeelers and the doubting mediots, "Payback is Hell." And if you don't know what Hell is, it closely resembles a befuddled Terry Bradshaw trying to spell the word "C-A-T" after you spot him the "C" and the "A".

‘nuff said

House of Cards

2006-10-26T15:43:00.000-07:00

The female reporter asked Art Shell the question the mediots had been posing all week: "Are you going to go winless this season?"

Art's response was classic:"You know I like you. But that question is an insult." And then Coach Shell walked away. Vote here for Coach of the Week.

We see plainly the mediot frenzy to create a story led them to feed on the Raiders losing streak, though not even a third of the season had been played out yet. The premature ejaculation comparisons of, "The Raiders are just as bad as Steve Spurrier's winless Tampa Bay team of '76!!!" rained like hail... but failed to mention the Shell's Raiders won the Super Bowl following that same '76 season.

They played themselves.

The Raiders won and where are the statements from the countless mediots who predicted total futility 0-16? Where are the statements saying, "We were wrong"?

You won't find 'em.

But you will find several of us on this site predicted a Raider win vs. the Cards. This was the first time we predicted the outcome of a game here. This site does not give one of those blind blanket "We will win" statements every week...

Here are some thoughts about the House of Cards game (so named because all the mediot predictions crumbled like one):

Madden was presented his Hall of Fame ring by Jim Otto and Gene Upshaw. Congrats Coach Madden! Good to see the linemen who paved the way for a great deal of your success sharing the day with you. Al Davis' absence from the ceremony was a bit conspicuous as the induction proceedings from Canton were replayed. Here's hoping Mr. Davis' physical health improves.

Tom Walsh finally woke up and realized the short passing game works to establish a QB rhythm and save us all from witnessing the tedious treadmill of three-and-outs we have seen so often. Instead, we had an astounding 37 minutes of possession (astounding for the last three + seasons, anyway). Note to Walsh: Wait a few more weeks before we can execute basic plays on a regular basis before givin' Ronald Curry the end around hail mary toss. He's gonna get killed by the trickeration attempts if ya don't.

Though he dropped at least four catchable passes, Randy Moss was responsible for moving the chains at least four times on third downs. With DBs giving Moss such a cushion, the underneath routes are almost always available for 'em. With Moss failing to give much effort on the jump ball deep throws he used to catch unconsciously, perhaps getting his hands on the ball more often this way will get his heart back in the game...

Derrick Burgess simply dominated all night from Leinart's blind side. Whereas right-handed QBs often see Burgess coming and can avoid his hit, Leinart didn't hear the footsteps till they were close, real close. Burgess was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts. Seeing his pass deflection land in the arms of Terdell Sands, who then proceeded to shamble for five yards like a wounded elephant, was priceless.

Robert Gallery has one super power: he is always down the field and gets to the second and third level of blocks as well as any lineman I have seen. Watch the catches made ten yards downfield by the Raider WRs and notice how often Gallery is nearby when the tackle is made... When are the Raider coaches going to learn to play to Gallery's strength? His pass protection skills - ahem, three sacks and two forced fumbles given up to former Donco Bertrand Berry - certainly don't justify his being on the field at LT these days. If this keeps up, Gallery is going to get the immobile Andrew Walter killed.

Speaking of sacks, the Raiders are about the worst in the NFL at pass rushing. While Burgess makes an impact, the Raiders collectively equal just one Julius Peppers. My stick on this is put Terdell Sands in the middle at NT. His being double teamed will allow Sapp to free up on a single blocker. Move Kelly out to the RDE spot. Tyler Brayton has brought nothing vaguely resembling QB heat and changes are called for, pronto. Seeing Sands in the lineup more consistently and having Kelly play end would shore up the Raiders non-existent run defense as well.

Does Secret Sam Williams actually play for this team or is his name just a typo whenever I read it? Morrison and Howard are evolving into LBs with heart while Sam just seems to stay M.I.A. Note to Coach Ryan: Please don't use the nickel as a base "D". You get no pass rush by having only two LBs in the game and lining them up a step or two behind where they need to line up to have decent access to the passer. This deep placement also weakens the LBs' ability to be effective in run suport.

I hereby retract last week's labelling of Justin Fargas as "a potato chip." Huggy Bear, Jr. carried 23 times this week with a separated shoulder. Watching Fargas hit his holes immediately with no wasted motion is quite the contrast to LaMont Jordan's jitterbug shuffle. Jordan, who is much stouter than Fargas, seems to think he's Barry Sanders and rarely seems to hit his holes decisively. Poor vision on the part of Jordan, methinks, or perhaps he still hasn't learned the blocking schemes.

Note to Micheal Huff: Watch the game film and keep an eye on Adrian Wilson. He plays the game like a SS should. Wilson's name belongs on the short list of the best Safeties in football: Ed Reed, Troy Polamalu, Brian Dawkins... and Wilson. Play like Adrian and you'll be in the Pro Bowl and make us all forget the #24 who didn't bother to watch game film.

All in all, it was a good day to be a Raider. Now is our chance to laugh at mediots like this one who obviously wrote her 0-16 piece BEFORE the Cards game was played and had to change some words around to still be able use the piece of cr@pola she had penned as something other than toilet paper.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with but a single step. The rebuilding of this franchise to a place where the insults are not given so freely begins with a single win.

See Ya!

2006-10-14T13:34:00.000-07:00

It has been reported here and here that our favorite prima donna WR, Joey Porter, has been suspended for conduct detrimental to the team.

You were given a head's up on what would happen here long before this story played out to the logical conclusion.

Here is proof from a recent article that sports writers still don't know your name is "Jerry" (read the caption under the photo, Joey).

We have seen Porter smiling on the sidelines as the Raiders implode for the last four games. Now we will not see him at all for the next four, unless he wins an appeal of the suspension. Before your knee-jerk reaction kicks in and you think to yourself, "Oh, Jerry will get this thrown out..." remember, Shell's last job was NFL Senior VP in charge of football operations. My guess is Art knows the rules and has already talked to his linemate, Gene Upshaw, about the details of suspending Porter long ago.

I am glad to see Art Shell and Al Davis sticking to their guns on this one. It's time to do some housekeeping. Time to say what you mean and mean what you say. Keep 'em on the field practicing for as long as it takes to get things right!

Time to audition some new receivers with playing time, namely one Johnny Morant.

Which begs the question, "What in the blasted blue Beelzebub is Alvis Whitted doing starting for this team?"

Which also begs the question, "If Randy Moss is going to continue to give a half-hearted effort at best and whine about the coaching staff, why not give his starting spot to Ronald Curry?"

The Raiders are dead last in the NFL in passing. It's broke, so fix it. Heck, just try something different, even if it doesn't work.

This team is in full on rebuilding mode. Let's just go all in and find out what cards are in our hand for the future.

If I were coach for a day (and we're all glad I'm not), I'd tell 'em auditions are open for every single spot in the starting line up.

Then I'd start the young guns over the old geezers like the two aforementioned WRs, Terdell Sands over Warren Sapp at NT, Justin Fargas over LaMont Jordan at RB, etc. Whomever plays with the most heart and effort gets the playing time. Send a message that effort is not an optional part of the job description.

It is time to find out who wants to play... and who is just collecting a paycheck.

The Running Man

2006-10-08T06:45:00.000-07:00

The Fullback has always been an integral part of the old-school Raider offense. From Marv Hubbard smashing through plate glass windows after games...

to Pete Banaszak plowing for 16 TDs in '75 despite habitually believing he was expendable and would be cut during training camp...

to Mark VanEeghen repeatedly pounding the "D" like it was a tube of Colgate toothpaste someone forgot to put the cap back on...

to Marcus Allen lead blocking for Bo Jackson on one play and diving over the goaline the next...

to Zack Crockett running all knees and elbows like the Tasmanian Devil as the best short yardage back in the NFL. Crockett was once a guaranteed fourth and short conversion waiting to happen. But he is no lead blocker and never will be.

Now the Raiders have no blocking Fullback to speak of. John Paul Foschi is gone. Yet the front page story on the official website is The Running Game Breaks Out.

What have they broken out into? Hives? Hysterics? Hope?

We have seen Gallery and Sims lead a couple of great power sweeps. LaMont Jordan was sprung for a 60-yard, take-it-to-the-house run on such a play vs. the Cleveland Clowns. This is progress.

Yes, the O-line did show improvement vs. the Clowns in opening holes for big gains. Can it be consistent? The line failed miserably on a fourth down run after the refs mis-spotted Curry and his obvious first down grab...

However, Jordan confessed this offseason that he hadn't studied the blocking schemes AT ALL last season after coming to Oakland. Jordan didn't put in the time to learn the schemes, and he's supposed to be the leader of the offense? Don't think so, ya big dummy!

My guess is this is one reason LaMont looks hesitant in hitting the holes is he doesn't understand the scheme. Another reason is the holes just aren't there because the blockers don't make 'em appear regularly.

Still, methinks something is missing in Oakland, namely backs who can block. Where is our Lorenzo Neal, Mack Strong, or Tony Richardson as a lead blocker to get this running game on the ground? The fierce lead blocker to stack the LB sure works for LaDainian Tomlinson, Larry Johnson, and Shawn Alexander. Not coincidentally, these RB typically lead the league in rushing.

Where is our Edgerrin James to pass protect on all the seven-step drops? Peyton Manning's success hinged upon James' skill to pick up the rushers. Get pressure on Manning and the results are much different for the Colts. So the Colts drafted Joseph Addai, who's best attribute may be picking up the pass rusher.

And the Raiders? Crockett and Jordan simply do not pass protect well at all.

Where is the lead blocker to pave the way? Where is the RB to pick up the blitzers the unorganized Oakland Offensive Line lets in to the backfield like illegal immigrants jumping across the California border?

Tom Walsh was once touted for his ability to have backs and TEs pass protect during his first run with Shell a decade ago. Pass protection was supposed to be one of his specialties in the '90s. Where is it now?

The '69ers know: Missing In Action. They are going to send rookie LB Manny Lawson to look for the FB. When they find the blocking back is M.I.A., they are going to find Walter... unless something changes. Look for my fellow NC State alumnus, Lawson, to have a big game. I saw him play many times in college and he is the real deal.

At 1-3, San Francisco doesn't bring much to the table. But they can do one thing right. The '69ers are tied for fifth most sacks in the NFL with twelve.

Whither the Offense

2006-10-01T08:31:00.000-07:00

I must make a confession. This is the first season in which I have only watched the games once - live action. In previous seasons, after the live action I replayed the game film looking at specific players and plays to gain insight into what is going on with this team.

Now I am not a football professional, nor did I turn into one by staying at a Holiday Inn Express, but I can usually break down film well enough to see the big picture.

This season, I haven't watched the games a second or third time because it simply has been too painful to repeat after three consecutive seasons of Moe, Larry, and Curly n'yuck it up in Raider helmets. The big picture is clear as an unmuddied lake without having to wash my eyes out with Comet after maiming the DVD-R remote.

That said, there are plenty of places you can look these days to find the usual, tired "Tom Wash doesn't know offense and belongs back at the B&B" columns. This is not that place.

I will not be an apologist for Wash. After all this offense looks on the field as if Kerri Walsh might be its coach.

This offense is not the "Walsh" offense. The only coach named "Walsh" we remember for creating an offense is Bill Walsh, and his so-called "West Coast" offense. Make no mistake, this is the Sid Gillman offense we are supposed to be running.

Sid Gillman is a HOF coach and is credited with developing the vertical passing game. Gillman innovated this style on the West Coast in the '60s AFL days with the San Diego Chargers. It worked, as Gillman's teams won Division Titles five of the first six years of the AFL's existence.

What does this have to do with the Raiders in 2006, you ask? At Gillman's side in 1960 was a young Al Davis, one of the Chargers' offensive coaches. Davis learned his offense here. So when Art Shell says he will run the "Al Davis" offense in Oakland, what he means is he will run the Sid Gillman offense.

Will what worked in '60 work in '06? We don't know for certain if it will work with this Raider team in this age for one simple reason: We haven't seen it yet.

The fuddled mumble of an offense the Raiders have brought out in the first two games resembles nothing so much as a sad joke that no one finds funny. The players simply have not executed anything resembling an offense. Look at the bottom. Here you will find the Raiders. Last in yards gained by almost 100/game behind everyone else. Notice Chuck in Tampa is the next worst.

So what is this offense supposed to look like? When Al Davis says, "We take what we want, not what the defense gives us," he means we are going to run the ball to get the defense close to the line of scrimmage then throw it over their heads. No matter what. Gillman himself said, "The big play comes with the pass. God bless those runners because they get you the first down, give you ball control and keep your defense off the field. But if you want to ring the cash register, you have to pass."

Al Davis believes this and will till the day he unfortunately passes on. The problem is, in order to be able to dictate to the defense like Joseph Stalin on a Great Purge, you have to have one thing in place: an offensive line.

Without an O-line, there is no power running game. Verily, Lamont Jordan is last in the NFL in rushing yards per carry with less than two. Here it is. With out a running game, guess what? The defense doesn't watch passes go whizzing over its head like a Gillman blitzkrieg. Instead, it rushes the passer. This is the Achilles heel of the structure. No time to throw = no long bombs. No protection = game over. This season the Raiders are worst in the league in giving up sacks. See the sad truth here. Fifteen sacks is not going to keep this (or any) offense on the field.

The Gillman offense is predicated on finding receivers downfield. It eschews throwing to receivers - be they RBs, TEs, or WRs - at the line of scrimmage. The result? Jordan has ZERO receptions this season to date and the TE, Anderson, has but three. The TEs have dropped a few and we haven't seen anything vaguely resembling a screen pass yet.

The problem is this. The offensive line isn't opening holes or sustaining blocks. Until they do, nothing else matters. The young line is confused as to protection schemes and assignments. Walter is calling time out at the line of scrimmage because the clock is running out before they can get the plays and assignments together. The Gillman offense worked when HOFers like Shell, Upshaw, Otto, Wiz, and Brown were the linemen. It has not worked with Gallery, Sims, Grove, McQuistan, and Walker.

Verily, the O-line playing as one massive unit of road grading power and castle moat protection is the key to "Taking what we want." Without it, we can only give the defense what it wants.

Now is the time to execute. If the Al Davis/ Sid Gillman/ Tom Walsh offense shows up today against the Cleveland Clowns, we shall see whether it still works forty years after its inception.

My guess is that it does, when executed by competent professional football players. This remains a guess until it is actually run again by Oakland.

Until then, here is believing Oakland will clown Cleveland. Time for "Homey don't play that!" and hit 'em upside the head with a dirty sock.

Fear and Loathing in Las Ravens

2006-09-27T15:21:00.000-07:00

Check out the sticky bird's eye view of the Ravens game here as promised. Enjoy!

Your feedback is welcome as always...

Nevermore

2006-09-17T03:27:00.000-07:00

The significant other and I are off on the road trip this weekend to Baltimore. As you can see, we scored prime seats: Lower level, 29th row, 50 yard line, directly behind the Raider bench.

Last week the Raiders were shut out 27-0. The Ravens shut out Tampa and coach Chuckie by an identical 27-0 score. So on paper, this looks like a mismatch.

But to last week's performance I say, "Nevermore!" This game won't be played on paper.

We'll give you the sticky perspective from the sideline when we return.

Raydahs!

Line of Scrimmage

2006-09-12T19:12:00.000-07:00

These observations will be obvious to anyone who watched the game, and I have been shouting them to anyone who will listen since last season ended, so pardon the redundancy, but here it is:

This team will only go as far as the "O" line will take it. Forget all the hype about Jerry Porter and Randy Moss. Forget the debate about whether Brooks or Walter is the better QB. Forget the hand wringing about Jordan being the only dependable RB on a power running team.

You can forget all those things because the truth is simple. If these five "O" linemen do not learn their new positions quickly and learn how to make calls and play together as a unit, then it does not matter what Porter, Moss, Jordan, Brooks, Walter or any of the other so-called "skill position" players do.

Fantasy football has brainwashed many into thinking the RB is the most important, the QB, the WR, etc. because they rack up points for your fantasy team.

Well, lemme 'splain somethin' to you:

In REALITY football, the QB gets squashed like a grape without the O-line holding up. The RB runs into a brick wall without the O-line opening holes. Without good O-line pass pro, the WRs never make that 20-yard reception 'cause the QB is eating grass like a grazing cow by the time they get that far down field.

The O-line is the single most important part of this, or any team, in REALITY football. The sad truth is this team will continue to lose until the O-line gets its $h!+ together, be it this season or next...

'nuff said

Moss Fishes for a Smile

2006-09-10T08:19:00.000-07:00

We all are familiar with the prima donna WRs of today's game. Sometimes it feels like watching women's gymnastics instead of the NFL when the drama queens get going.

But we know there is a difference between a player manufacturing drama and the mediots just needing a story.

Believe it, the mediots thrive on creating bad vibes around the Raider organization. What better time to create drama than right before the opening Monday Night game?

It's like the gunslinger in the black hat in the old spaghetti westerns. With the Raiders, the mediots have a way to point their finger and say, "Look at the bad guy. Let's get 'em!" And the majority of NFL fans follow like sheep grazing on the green grass.

It is a tired formula whose accuracy played out long ago. But we look at it as motivation. Motivation to show them they are wrong. This is not a bad team. F' Them if they don't understand the Raider way!

As you all know, this site is particularly harsh on Jerry Porter. This is because every Raider Head Coach since Porter has been here put him in the doghouse. This cannot be mere coincidence. Porter is the one constant in the problems.

However, at this time, this site is very much pro-Randy Moss. This site's purpose is to celebrate those who contribute to the greatness of the Raiders. Porter does not. Moss does.

I long for the days when Freddie B. made a tough catch, got hit, got up, lined up, and did it again. Biletnikoff was known for telling Mr. Davis "F U" to his face, but Fred kept it in-house and Davis smiled. Unfortunately, many WRs of today drag their dirty laundry through the street like drag queens in a parade. Verily, the WR queens overestimate their importance to the game.

Coach Art Shell says he relies on Moss as a leader. Here is what Moss said in a recent inteview. Moss rarely talks to the press these days, but apparently the station agreed to advertise some of Moss' business interests.

Here is part of the interview which started the "fishy" pseudo-controversy. Art says the Raider players have always been given freedom of speech. If Shell is not upset about the latest Moss inteview, should we be? Nope.

Like all receivers, Moss is prone to pout a bit when he doesn't get the ball. But there is a difference between being upset when the offense isn't clicking and your team isn't winning... and just wanting to pad your own stats with catches, regardless of the outcome of the game. Moss is the former.

If the Raiders win, Moss will be happy. If they continue to lose, Moss will continue to wonder why he isn't more involved in helping the team win, meaning "give me the ball". The Randy Ratio is really very simple: the number of "W"s is directly proportional to Moss' level of contentment.

Yes, it drives us all crazy to see Moss freelance routes, throwing his hand up in the air as if to say, "Hit me with the ball, Chief! I'm open and I got the moves!" But this is the way Randy plays. He plays like a kid, with joy for the game. And sometimes he acts like a kid too.

From the day he set foot in Oakland, Moss seems to have done the best he can to avoid controversy. He seems to have learned his lesson from his days as a Viking. While T.O. says, "I have changed. I have grown up." and we all see it for what it is - a lie wrapped in a marketing ploy - Moss has learned something in his time as an NFL player.

He has learned that the mediots will distort whatever you say to create controversy. In contrast, T.O., the quintessential "ME FIRST" player thrives on the controversy. Moss seems to shy away from it when he can.

Yes, there was the Bryant Bumble interview where Moss let us know he "smokes weed once in a blue moon."

But in my opinion, that's just Randy being Randy. He simply does not know how to be politically correct or sanitize his comments for the media. He tries to bite his tongue about his differences with coaches or players. He tries to keep it in-house, just as Coach Shell does. Yet seemingly every time Randy is interviewed, the words come out wrong - similar to Lester Hayes' stutter, but different.

He is what he is.

And what he is is a HOF-caliber WR. We all remember the days Moss wore braces on his teeth. Growing up in West Virgina, Moss didn't have access to the best dental care. So he did something about it.

He set up the Randy Moss Invitational Celebrity Charity Fishing Tournament for the Smile Network, which helps children afford surgery for craniofacial disorders, such as cleft lip and palate.

Moss is a fishin' fool. Yes, he said something is "fishy" about the Raider organization... perhaps he is just fishin' for a smile with some of his comments?

We remember Moss’ statements the day he became a Raider; they can be found here in their entirety :

"I loved (the limo ride, the police escort, the gifts from the Raider organization). It's what a class organization does. I have four children. All got a care package from the Raiders. Never happened before. Gifts, hats, t-shirts, etc. They may not seem like much but it's important. It got me worked up inside."

"Look, I'm a country boy from the back woods. I was not exposed to a lot of things (when I came into the league). Now, I know what to expect from a playoff win or a loss. I love to get it done. Let's get it done."

Time to get it done... and the drama will die away, like "Joey" Porter rotting on the bench.

Always smiling.

Joey Porter still doesn't know his name

2006-09-08T15:41:00.000-07:00

He thinks it is "Al Davis".

Reports are our very own prima donna, @$$ clown Wide Receiver, "Joey" Porter, parked in Al Davis' spot next to the front door of Raiders HQ Wednesday.

Now, given Al Davis has health concerns, which limit his mobility to using a walker, this is akin to a snot-nosed teenager parking in a handicapped spot in front of Wally-Mart.

Add in the fact Mr. Davis signs the paychecks... remember Porter has worn his F-U shirt every day in practice... gotten thrown out of Coach Shell's office with the salutation, "Who the f^#k do you think you are?!?... notice none of the other players have anything to do with Joey as he sits on the Raider bench during the preseason (well, he only bothered to show up for the last one, actually)... and we're getting dangerously close to the conclusion Mr. Porter is defecating in the Raiders general direction.

Here is what Nancy Gay has to say on Joey's latest antics:

For anyone still confused about whether WR Jerry Porter has improved his dark attitude around Raiders' headquarters, take note: The disgruntled former starter parked his vehicle in owner Al Davis' personal parking space on Wednesday, the space that's closest to the front door of the team facility. Nice statement. ...

My guesstimation is Mr. Davis' response may be to get Porter on the non-football related injury list. If Porter gets busted up off the field, like Idiot of the Week, Discharger LB Steve Foley did, then he gets no cabbage for the season from Dah Raydahs.

Who can we call to do the deed? How 'bout some wise guys who know a thing or two about knee caps and the way they are not supposed to bend...

We don't call Al "The Godfather" 'round here for nuttin'!

Joey, just in case you weren't paying attention, the grounds the Eagles used to suspend Terrell Owens for insubordination included "Owens continued to defy the Coach and the team by, for example, repeatedly violating the dress code and parking in coaches' spaces and in handicapped spots."

Just a suggestion, Mr. Porter, read the arbitration's ruling against Owens, which you can find here, then locate your head (here's a tip, you have inserted it into one of your body's orifices), then get with the program before you don't get paid.

Just a suggestion...

Up The Middle... With a Right Hook

2006-09-03T08:04:00.002-07:00

As noted here by the brilliant mathematician, Statisticus Indulgencles, the key to the Raiders opening day success or failure lies in stopping one thing: LaDainian Tomlinson.

Yes, there is the nubile QB, Phillip Rivers, to consider. The Dischargers are the only team in the league who's roster boasts exactly ZERO QBs with an NFL start. Rumor is the Dischargers even were interested in signing KFC before the Flaming Thumbtacks made that mistake. 'nuff said.

There is the fact the Dischargers are down to rookie Marcus McNeil at Left Tackle (who slipped in the draft because of his rather sloppy footwork and chronic spinal stenosis) to protect Rivers' blind side. But also consider Rivers can always hand off or check down to Tomlinson or All-Pro TE Antonio Gates when the Raiders get in his grill. Worked for young Big Ben and the Squeelers, no?

The truth is, allow LT the second (Lawrence Taylor was the first "LT") to run free as The Autumn Wind - and you lose. Stop LT II the way a van, a bottle, and a tree stopped Dave Dalby - and you win.

Simple.

Moreover, the ability to stop the run is the lynchpin to winning the West. Give Schottenheimer, Shanahan, and Edwards enough rope, and they will hang the Raiders... again. But tighten the noose on LT II, Larry Johnson, and the Donco flavor-of-the-month RB (about all we know is it won't be Maurice Clarett and probably will be some guy named "Bell") and the West will be ours. Believe it.

As this graphic shows, the Dischargers had the best run defense in the NFL last season, as measured by average rushing yards per game given up (84.3). Who was #2 in the NFL? You guessed it, the Doncos at 85.2 yds/game. Even the Condiment Chefs of KC, with their woeful "D" came in at #7 in the league at stopping the run (98.1).

Where were the Raiders you ask? Try scanning down the list till you reach #25 and 128.1 ypg given up. The words dreadful, awful, and embarssing come to mind.

Rushing yards are very related to a team's W-L record. When a team gets ahead on the scoreboard, it typically plays conservatively and runs the ball down the other team's throat in the second half playing "kill the clock".

When a team gets behind (see Norv Turner as Exhibit A), the running game is abandoned as the ball flies through the air in the second half in an effort to make up the scoring deficit quickly.

This tells us that for all the hype about WRs and QBs, for all the talk Norv did about passing first to set up the run, verily, if you rush the ball successfully and stop the run successfully, everything else is possible. Fail to do so and, well... we are unfortunately familiar with those results.

Question is, what has been done in the offseason to shore up the Raider run defense, which gave up far to many yards past the line of scrimmage last season?

Where have you gone Matt Millen? The Nation turns it's lonely eyes to you:

Where are you to give the *Patsies Cheesewhiz owner, Bob Kraft, a right hook to the noggin for the Snow Job? Where are you to bring the presence of fear to the middle?

You say you currently are in Detroit cutting your first round draft pick WR, Charles Rogers? Never mind, Mr. Millen. We'll have to go with plan B.

Throughout the years, Mr. Allen Davis has looked at the LB spot as plan B. Plan A is focus on collecting the best bump'n'run Corners in the game and find some demon Ends like Howie or Burgess to put the fear into 'em.

But whither the MLB/ILB spot... it seems less of a priority in Oakland than having a Punter who can hit the SuperDome gondola with a ballistic punting exhibition.

Yes, we have memories or Rod Martin taking three picks from Ron Jaworski's pocket and dooming 'em to a life as a broadcaster with a shattered ego. Yes, we have Kick'em In the Head Ted Hendricks in the HOF... but these memories are of OLBs.

Where is our Dick Butkus to slam the ball carrier to the grass like a broken Barbie doll from the Island of Misfit Toys?

Where is our Mike Singletary, his eyes bugging out like Marty Feldman smoking crystal meth, to lead this "D" to dominance?

Where indeed is the MLB - the QB of the "D" - in our Radier history? At the back of the bus.

Danny "Hammerhead" Clark had been leading the team out of the tunnel during the preseason. Alas, like Greg Biekert before 'em, Clark's heart was big enough, but his body just not fast enough to get him there. We remember Clark and wish him well. The Turk got'em. Perhaps the Raiders will resign him after week one to a new contract...

Cutting Clark and adding The Tomases at LB ( Howard and Robert) shows us the Raiders are interested in adding speed to this "D", and rightly so. But are they nasty like Butkus? Are they smart like Singletary?

The Raider depth chart now shows Kirk Morrison as the lone MLB left on the roster. No other position on the roster has no backs up listed. See what I mean about MLB being an afterthought to Al Davis?

Even third string MLB Ryan Riddle, who looked impressive in the HOF game forcing and recovering a fumble and is a good special teamer to boot (an essential quality for a back up), es no mas.

While Capt. Kirk seemingly has inherited the leadership role from Clark and did lead all NFL rookies last year in tackles - Morrison is definitely my favorite player from that draft and an Oakland homer as well - the complete lack of depth at MLB is puzzling to say the least.

Perhaps Michael Huff is going to be the leader of this "D"? After all, Rod Woodson was the Safety who lead the league in INTs as the leader of the Raider "D" during the last SB run.

Whether we hav a Safety or MLB as our defensive QB matters little, but Morrison was just a rookie and Huff is one now. Isn't it a bit much to expect them to lead the charge against LT II, Larry Johnson, and the DumBells running behind the cutblockers?

Art Shell has laid down the law with this team. He recently said "Jerry Porter is a player. We will tell him when he is going to play." Art knows leadership. The question is, which of the players on "D" will step up to the leadership role?

Did you notice there are only four DTs now listed on the roster? Sapp, Kelly, Hawthorne, and Sands. No new bodies were added at DT from '05 and we now are missing big Ted Washington.

Methinks there will be some trouble up the middle in '06 in Oakland, for we have even less players clogging the run than last year's team, which as we all know held up like a cardboard FEMA tarp on a post-Katrina rooftop in New Orleans.

A sticky thanks to Raidinator for polishing up his bike, The Autumn Wind for us.

By the way, Dave Dalby's tragic death did form the impetus for the Silver and Black Fund. This organization's mission is to help raise funds for the medical care of former Raiders, such as Dalby and Tatum, who's significant medical bills are not met by their NFL pensions.

The link for S'n'B Fund is here so check it out.

Hot D@mn - It's Curry Time!

2006-09-02T13:17:00.000-07:00

Reports are Doug Gabriel has just been traded to the *Patriots. I like Doug, though he defines the term "inconsistent" in his hands and route running. He is a big play waiting to happen, good or bad.

No word yet on the Raiders' compensation for Gabriel...

What this means, as those of us who can read the cards know, is Ronald Curry is back at full strength. The team has been going easy with Curry in the preseason so as not to repeat (for the fourth time) Curry's blowing a fan belt in his ankle.

Curry should be in the starting line up opposite Randy Moss. Moss will play the vertical-bomb-Clifford Branch role, while Curry will play the slot-possession-Fred Biletnikoff roll.

Look for Johnny Morant and/or Joey Porter to come in for three WR sets. We'd all rather have seen Joey traded instead - I'd give 'em up for a handful of magic beans, actually - but given the Raiders' depth at WR, someone would have been cut.

This way, Al Davis gets compensation and still has the deck stacked at WR. After Moss, Curry, Morant, and Porter... there's still Francis, Whitted, and the rookie, Will Buchanon to choose from. No problemo, just deal from your strong suit to shore up your short stack.

Question is, "What did Al Davis get in return?" Gabriel was originally a fifth-round choice out of Central Florida, but his price will be higher for the *Patsies in trade...

Bottom line: If Curry can come back after three Achilles tendon injuries and play well, he just became my new favorite Raider.

Players like Curry have a heart you can't measure and a work ethic you can't stop.

But they can heat up even the snowiest days in Doncoland. Hot d@mn!

Post script: It's official. Gabriel es no mas. Francis got IRed and luckily, we probably won't have to hear the name "Buchanon" again. I still have a conniption when Phillip Lifetime is mentioned, BTW. Instead, 6'5", 220# John Madsen is the choice. Madsen played at Utah with '69ers QB Alex Smith.

P.P.S. Please don't bother to correct us on the spelling of "Joey" Porter. It isn't a typo. Pouter will get respect when he deserves it 'round this way!

The door is always open to Jerry Porter. If he plays like he talks. This means he quits wearing a t-shirt EVERY day to practice that says "FU" on it (he has worn this same shirt since training camp began, BTW), becomes willing to throw some blocks like Hines Ward (he has the body to do it), makes some tough catches, basically keeps his mouth shut, and actually PERFORMS in the first half of the season for once, he's welcome back and the bashing will cease.

The ball is in Porter's court. If he shows up and quits the TO act, I'd be willing to cheer 'em on just like every other player.

Al Davis to Have the Last Laugh?

2006-08-31T15:42:00.001-07:00

There are a few truths about news we rabid Raider fanatics hold to be self-evident:

First, John Madden and Howie Long are the best NFL commentators in the game today. Second, Morningstar is the first place to go for all your Raider News (and to check your 401K, but that's a different Morningstar). And third, ESPN is where Raider Haters go to have their vitriolic babbling heard.

Their names are unfortunately familiar: Tom (If I only had the chance to Jack HIM Up!) Jackson, fellow Donco Mark Schlereth, insert mediot name here, ad nauseum.

However, here's a stick from ESPN which shows there is indeed an exception to every rule... from a writer based in Kansas City, no less. Jason Whitlock doesn't let the ketchup and mustard condiment colors of the Chefs cloud his vision, and he calls 'em like he sees 'em. The signing of George is a no-brainer.

The signing of Jeff George left us curious. Kinda like you wonder why that old girlfriend from college just left you a voice mail...

Does she really "just want to see how you are doing after all these years"... or is she actually interested in relieving that magic night she swung from a trapeze in a leopard skin outfit, while you yodelled like Johnny Weissmuller and grinned like Cheetah visiting the Chiquita banana plantation with an all-you-can-eat visitor's pass?

Most knee-jerk mediots simply slammed Al Davis and Art Shell's signing George as pulling a desperation move out of their habitual need to spout anti-Raider rhetoric; instead, being of sound mind, Whitlock ponders the actual possibilities...

Could a George and Moss hook-up rekindle old memories and add new ones to the fire? And what of the current third-string QB? Is this signing his "Dear Tui" letter?

The truth is Tui won't be around after this season, guaranteed. So the Raiders signing Jeff George risks them nothing. If George doesn't make the team, Coach Shell can always call him in during the season as plan D if there is an injury to one of the three QBs who do make the roster. Shell is evaluating his options. Far from being a move of desperation, signing George is more akin to simply taking out an insurance policy for a pittance of a premium.

There's really nothing to lose by bringing George in for a week, so why is it so many mediots say the signing is just further proof Al Davis has lost his mind entirely?

You know the answer, my friends. Mediot bias is real, not just our collective paranoid fantasy. If George doesn't bring it this week, just cut 'em and there is nothing lost. Certainly no one's mind.

In his autobiography (p. 173-75), Jon Gruden - George's coach during his previous tenure with the Raiders - had this to say:

I liked Jeff George. During our first minicamp he moved to his right and threw a pass from his hip thirty-eight yards on a rope that Orlanda Truitt caught right at his Adam's apple. It was unbelievable. I looked at the video guy and asked, 'Did you get that on film?"

"Yes." said the guy.

"Good. Because that's the greatest throw I've ever seen."

(But in game situations, George) would look way downfield and say, "I can make that throw," where other QBs would say, "No way. It takes too long. I'm going to get hit by three guys before I ever get the pass off. I'm going to check down right here."

I don't know if Jeff ever checked the ball down, but you'd see him throw a seventy-one yard pass that hit a guy right on the screws. As a coach, you knew the reality of the situation as you watched the tape: Every one of those is a sack. We're never going to get any of those off.

In our first game against the Chiefs, Jeff was sacked ten times.

So we see, the truth is George has talent like no other QB in recent memory, yet makes decisions that still baffle us after all these years.

The truth is George is a bigger threat to defenses than either Drew Bledsoe or Kerry Collins ever were or will be because he can not only throw the deep ball, Jeff does it with amazing accuracy. But just like Bledsoe and Collins, without protection George is a cigar store Indian waiting to happen.

Methinks a resurrection of the Greatest offensive line in NFL history - Shell, Upshaw, Dalby, Buehler, and Vella - could give George enough time to pull off a seven-step-drop, mad-bombardier, barnburnin' reign of mayhem and mischief.

Question is, "Could Gallery, Sims, Grove, McQuistan, and Walker?"

You know the answer.

But isn't it great fun to imagine the possibilities... and have the last laugh?

Even More News of the Weird

2006-08-29T14:28:00.000-07:00

In even more News of the Weird in the world of QBs, Kerry F. Collins signed with the Flaming Thumbtacks.

It's official.

The good news is KFC is now unavailable to make a Night of the Living Dead return to Oakland. The bad news is Tennessee is not on the Raiders' schedule this season to beat up on 'em.

What are the chances KFC will still be around next season for the Raiders to channel the spirits of Bill Romanowski and Ike Lassiter to bust KFC's slack jaw with a well-placed forearm shiver?

When we reflect on the folly of the Thumbtacks, suddenly signing Jeff George seems, well, "Brilliant!" by comparison. While to say Randy Moss and KFC had all the good chemistry going of a crystal meth lab explosion in the basement of your average hillbilly is an understatement, it is worth noting George and Moss spent some time together as Vikings ('99).

Moss went to the Pro Bowl as the Vikings went 10-6 that season, immediately following George's departure from the Raiders to Minnesota.

We all have seen Moss' frustration on the sidelines last year and in this preseason as he has consistently been underutilized. The combination of last season's KFC fiasco and injuries from his Discharger mugging lead to Moss' worst full season to date.

Just as Art Shell introduced Joey Porter to pinetime as the result of his antics, perhaps Shell is rewarding Moss by bringing in George. After all, Coach Shell has praised Moss' leadership in the locker room. Moss' forte is the vertical game and George throws a bomb as well as the original Raider QB prototype, Daryle Lamonica.

Is bringing in Moss' QB is a resounding vote of confidence for Moss on Art's part more so than the "desperation move" spin many of the mediots put on the George signing? As long as Shell doesn't adopt "Meathead" Mike Tice's "Randy Ratio" nonsensical offense, I'm OK with it.

It's a shame the Raider practices are closed to visitors, as George does his best work in practice. Once he takes the field on game day, George's ego causes him to call his own plays at times and defy his coaching staff with the Mad Bomber act.

Yet Walsh and Shell are on record as stating their "Al Davis" offense will allow more QB improvisation than the previous systems, and we all know Moss certainly excels at improvising routes.

George's other main flaw I remember is he tends to curl up in the fetal position and play dead whenever he hears a pass rush coming. With the Raider O-line not exactly giving KFC the best protection last season, George's "stop, drop, and roll" tendency becomes more important.

Perhaps George will just be around till the final cuts and be an emergency QB on speed dial should Brooks, Walter, or Tui go down for the season, but in the words of Alice, "Curiouser and curiouser..."

Curious George

2006-08-28T16:16:00.000-07:00

In a curious move, the Man in The Yellow Hat signed George... again.

It's official.

While the Raiders' press release says Jeff George "has been with the Chicago Bears for the last two seasons", this is a little like saying Paris Hilton has been with the Chicago Bears the last two seasons, based solely on the fact she had a highly publicized relationship with Brian Urlacher for a short while.

After all, George's stats show he hasn't thrown a pass during a regular season game since 2001. Five years is longer than the time period elapsed since the Raiders were last in the Super Bowl.

What can this mean?

Well, if O-coordinator, Tom Walsh, wants to install a vertical offense, why not have another strong-armed QB? As former Coach Gruden once said, George made throws in practice I have never seen anybody make anywhere, anytime.

Problem is, George doesn't tend to win. In George's previous tenure with the Raiders, he had a season ('97) in which he threw 29 TDs and only 9 INTs. I'll take a 3:1 TD to INT ratio any day, and twice on Sundays. But the Raiders' record in '97 you ask?

You guessed it, 4-12. Sound familiar?

The only conclusion one can reach is since Aaron Brooks once won the NFL's Strongest Arm Contest following a Pro Bowl by launching one 73 yards in the air, and Andrew Walter is the heir apparent gunslinger... the writing is on the wall for Tuiasosopo.

Tui has started exactly two games in his five year career. Tui tends to get hurt (as in always) when he does start. Tui is a dink-and-dunk, West-Coast-Offense style QB...

Walter started exactly no games in his first year. Walter missed the last preseason game because of shoulder problems - a recurrent theme for 'em. Walter has the potential to sling 'em like Lamonica...

George is experienced, and "experienced" in the way another George - BLANDA - is, as in O-L-D. Looks like Walsh wants to run his vertical game no matter whether the QB is Brooks, Walter, or George.

Will Jeff George pull of the type of Miracle MVP season Blanda had as a relief pitcher in '70?

Here's hoping that by season's end, George's stats look exactly the same as they do now: no passes thrown since '01... and that the Raiders just had him in to give Walter's shoulder a rest for a short time.

Otherwise we'll be asking, what ever happened to Just Win, Baby! ?

Silver Ann Blackwell

2006-08-22T05:35:00.000-07:00

James Blackwell is kind of a little bit of a Raiders fan.

How do we know? Well for one thing, in 1997 he named his baby daughter Silver Ann. That's Silver Ann Blackwell. As in the infamous Silver and Black of the Oakland Raiders. (Silver Ann is 9 now and loves her name, by the way.)

And just this week, when his house in Jackson caught fire in the middle of the night, embers cascading like a meteor shower, flames sailing off the roof like so many Hail Marys from hell, Blackwell — clad only in a robe (silver, with little black checks all over it) — charged into the burning building with the ferocity of a Marcus Allen. Did he want to rescue family photos? No. His clothing? No. His financial information? No.

His season tickets.

Oh, and the family and dogs got out, too, and everyone was fine.

"When we got out, I thought, 'What do we get out of the house?' And my wife said, 'James! Your Raiders tickets are in there!' So I ran in and grabbed everything off this one shelf where I keep important stuff, which was my wallet, my cell phone, some papers and my season tickets," he said. "I burned my feet on embers on the way out, but it was worth it."

Sadly, the house was heavily damaged and the family lost everything, including Blackwell's Raiders shrine, a collection the lifelong fan had built up since he was a kid. He had tons of autographed jerseys, lots of Jim Otto memorabilia, signed photographs and all things Raiders, from blankets and mini helmets to dishware and sofa pillows.

Everyone in the small community of Jackson knows the Blackwells. James is the main AT&T installation guy for the area and his wife, Wendy, owns a local beauty salon with a silver-and-black sign out front. She's a Raiders fan, too. Kinda has to be, don't you think?

So friends and neighbors are holding a benefit concert at the town's amphitheater tonight, and they even contacted the Raiders to donate some items for a fundraising auction.

"We know how big a fan James is," said friend Jake Woods, who is helping to organize the fundraiser. "He is such a fan that he converted me from a Niners fan to a Raiders fan. And he's a great guy, so we wanted to do everything we could."

Woods did reach the Raiders organization Friday. The Raiders were more than happy to help out.

"We are delighted to participate in the fundraising efforts to help the Blackwells get back on their feet," said Raiders CEO Amy Trask. "We're working on getting autographed memorabilia sent up there for the raffle, and we're putting together a package of clothing for the family.

"James is a passionate, passionate fan," she said. "He is a wonderful member of the Raider Nation, and we are so thrilled he and his family made it out safely."

She was a little alarmed that he would run into a burning building for his football tickets, however. "When I talk with him, I'm going to tell him, 'Do not risk your safety for tickets ever again!' We would have been happy to assist him with his seats," she said.

Trask called Blackwell on Friday. "I was pretty emotional about it, to hear from Amy Trask herself," Blackwell said. "I just thank them so much. And everyone here has been so great too. People have been donating bags of clothes and someone offered a kitchen table. We may have a place lined up that we can rent."

He even has a positive attitude about his Raiders collection. "After the fire was out, we were able to pull out the Jim Otto signed jersey," he said. "It was all smoky and water damaged, but I might be able to get it restored. I did lose all the autographed photos, signed helmets and stuff. But it'll be OK. I can start my collection again."

Friends have established a fund to help the family regroup. Checks made out to the Blackwell Family Fire Fund may be mailed to:

Bank of Amador
Box 908
Jackson, CA 95642.

Or gifts of clothing, Raider memorabilia, or other items can be sent to:

Blackwell Family
c/o Jake Woods
PO Box 1892
Jackson, CA 95642

Or help send the Blackwell family to Raider Mecca by clicking here.

Our family home burned to the ground when I was seventeen, so I know from experience this can happen to any of us.

I sent the Blackwell family this signed HOF card of Jim Otto - since he is James' favorite player - and one of my little eight-year-old girl's Raider T-shirts.

But this is not about me. The wounds I had as a teenager affected by a house fire have long since healed and left a few scars...

This is about Silver Ann Blackwell and her family, and how the Silver'n'Black family responds when one of our own is touched by tragedy.

What will you do to help? The Raider Way is to stick'em something in the mail and/or send your prayers.

Lowering Standards for Writing: A Weekend at Bernie's

2006-08-12T06:10:00.000-07:00

For a view of what an untreated case Raider envy looks like, check out this article by Donco writer Bernie Lincicome. In it, Bernie makes his case that The Induction of John Madden Lowers the Standards for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Let us dissect this view with all the grace of a high school biology student carving up a frog, for the article appears to be written at a high-school level of understanding of the game of football. To do so, we will consider the only football stat that really matters - winning.

Lincicome states, "John Madden has put Mike Shanahan in the Hall of Fame."

The first question is, "Why is this Donco bozo comparing Mike Shanahan to John Madden in the first place?" Madden is eligible for the HOF. Shanarat is not until five years after he retires. This is the equivalent of comparing a ripe apple to a green banana.

The reason Lincicome does not instead compare Madden to any of the Donco coaches actually eligible for HOF induction is none of them actually has a chance in Hades of being considered. While much is made of the Raiders' current three-year losing streak, consider the fact the Doncos had a thirteen-year losing streak overlapping the period Raider HOFers Al Davis and John Madden were head coaches of this team.

From 1960-'72 the Donco record was an abysmal 52- 123. Utter Raider dominance over the Doncos during the time in question explains why Lincicome doesn't mention such stellar Donco Head Coaching Legends as Lou Saban in his biased comparison.

Lincicome goes on to state, "Since Shanahan has already won six more regular-season games and one more Super Bowl than Madden, clearly the Bronco coach is beyond the entrance bar, and Shanahan will not need to wait 27 years and become a TV oddity to verify his credentials, as Madden needed to do."

Well actually, Shanahan's regular season record is 122-74, while Madden's is 103-32. If you do the math, Shanahan actually has won 19 more regular season games than Madden, so it is unclear where Lincicome gets his stats. But the truth is Shanarat has also lost 42 more regular season games than Madden. 19-42 is the difference. Twice as many more losses as victories. I fail to be impressed.

The bottom line is Madden's regular season win percentage is better than ANY head coach's, ever. Lincicome is wacky on the junk to think a regular season win comparison to Shanarat is the way to make his ludicrous case.

The case that Shanarat should get in the HOF because of his two Super Bowl victories does not hold any weight either. See Exhibit A, Raider coach Tom Flores, whose two SB wins have yet to get him enshrined.

And please note, the reason it took Madden 20+ years to get inducted has nothing to do with his merits as a coach. The HOF voters have a prejudice against allowing active coaches in the HOF. John began as the youngest head coach in the NFL and subsequently retired from coaching at the age of 42, an age when most head coaches are just getting their first gig. What really happened is the HOF voters always thought Madden would return to coaching one day, so they put his enshrinement on the back burner.

Madden got in as a coach, not as a contributor. HOF voters follow guidelines to solely discuss a coach's career as a coach; hence, anything Madden did as a broadcaster or video game innovator were not taken into account by the voters. Lincicome's "He needed to become a TV oddity first" statement is patently false.

Madden is a coach and got in as a coach. Were he voted in as a contributor, his broadcasting, books, and other contributions could have been considered. But they weren't. Verily, Madden did not get in because "He became America's goofy uncle," as Lincicome suggests.

The one comparison Lincicome makes that does hold water is comparing Madden to Packer great Vince Lombardi. Lombardi is after all the man the trophy is named after and coached during the same era as Madden. Lombardi's coaching record of 106-36-6 closely mirrors Madden's record of 112-39-7. Neither ever coached a team to a losing record.

If the coach who's career compares most fittingly to John Madden's is that of the man himself, Lombardi, how is it possible Lincicome can make a case Madden doesn't belong? A blind man with Alzheimer on peyote could see if Vince is in, John is too.

The Lombardi legacy is not at all tarnished by his relatively short career by today's standards. Vince Lombardi's coaching career ended after a bout with intestinal cancer and he died on September 3, 1970.

Citing health reasons during the January 4, 1979 press conference announcing his retirement from coaching, the 42-year-old Madden said the years of stress (which lead to an ulcer causing him to chug Maalox by the quart) had given him "the body of a 70-year-old," according to his doctors. Hence, Madden's coaching legacy is not at all tarnished by the fact health concerns forced his retirement.

Though in my opinion winning should be the most important criterion for HOF induction and Madden stacks up like none other in this measure, what about the fact Madden only won one Super Bowl? Shouldn't his teams have won more, as Raider persona non grata, Tim Brown suggests?

Perhaps, but consider Madden's teams played the AFC/AFL Championship Game seven times in his ten year career. Yes, Madden's teams lost six of those games, but didn't Marv Levy lose four consecutive Super Bowls and still get inducted? In seventy percent of the seasons Madden coached, his team was playing for all the marbles.

In contrast, Mike Shanahan's teams have reached the AFC Championship game less than half as many times (three) and it has taken Shanarat three more years than Madden (thirteen total) to do even this. Bottom line: Madden decidedly achieved a more consistent level of greatness than The Rat will ever reach.

But perhaps John Madden's most important legacy (yes, there are even more important things than winning, true believers) is his role in elevating the station of African-Americans in the NFL. John stood by players such as the Soul Patrol (Brown, Tatum, Atkinson, and Thomas) and the Highway (Shell and Upshaw) at a time when having a lot of black players in the NFL simply wasn't cool.

Madden went so far as to cancel away games when hotels in the cities the Raiders were visiting would not accept black players. Madden made a difference in the Civil Rights movement going on at the time, and did so simply because these were the best players on the field.

What leagacy is Shanarat going to leave behind? That he drafted troubled bozo Maurice Clarett in the third round and watched him stick up 7-Elevens and lead police on high speed chases with his flak jacket and arsenal of pistols? Puhlease.

It is clear this Donco hack, Lincicome, is just miserable 'cause the Mules have NO ONE in the HOF themselves...oops...forgot Mr. Ed-way. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while.

Remember, Edway was traded from the Colts to the Raiders before the Doncos sabotaged the deal anyway, so even Mr. Ed was identified by the Raiders as a player of greatness before he ever became a Horse-faced, Orange Push-Up Wearin' buffoon.

Imagine, the Donkey lovers look at this site and see their proud franchise listing the likes of Willie Brown (STILL a Raider coach) and Tony Dorsett (er...ya think he was a KY Cowboy?) as their only HOFers.

Is it any wonder this Mule Tool writer comes up with this fish wrapper?

Envy, pure and simple. He wishes the Doncos had even one third of the thirteen HOFers the Raiders list as enshrinees. It's like seeing your next door neighbor having Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston at the same time, then calling them "ugly" 'cause you never even get a phone number yourself.

In sum, while any orange-furred orangutan banging the keys on his typewriter can get published, Lincicome has lowered the standards for allowing primates to write.

Please feel free to tell 'em so by emailin' 'em at: lincicomeb@RockyMountainNews.com

A sticky thanks to Rxtreme for tipping us off to this article.

Lester Sighting

2006-08-10T14:14:00.000-07:00

All-Time Great, Sticky Lester Hayes was seen at the HOF proceeding this weekend. He was amongst the many Raider players to represent.

The above photo was taken at the moment a reporter informed Lester he was not being inducted to the HOF (again) this year.

The Judge belongs in the HOF. Any argument to the contrary is a travesty of a mockery of a sham! 'nuff said

And here is one of Lester with Art Shell at practice. Great to see Hayes healthy and being an active part of The Raider Way these days.

Now, if we could only get Nnamdi to borrow a can of Stick-um...

Photos by Tony Gonzales

Black Flag Network

2006-08-09T21:17:00.000-07:00

The Raider Way is excited to announce the launch of Black Flag Network in unison with Silver and Black Forever and Raider Take.

Black Flag Network is a small band of marauding commentators dedicated to offering fresh and original content pertaining to the Oakland Raiders experience.

The goal of Black Flag Network is to grow reciprocal dialogue between network members and their fellow Raiders fanatics, under the belief that our collective synergy will surpass what we as individuals could achieve alone. While each member remains an independent entity, we are united in spirit, vision and outlook.

Black Flag Network embraces other Raiders-related forums and seeks a positive rapport with the entire Raider Nation. At its core, Black Flag Network is simply an extension of friends coming together in recognition of their common passion for the game, and in celebration of the greatest team and fans in the world.

Raise the Black Flag!

Sticky Picks : HOF Raiders

2006-08-06T21:20:00.000-07:00

Here's one I reserve for special occasions. No, not black tie galas, HOF weekends. My significant other said to tell you all that while she appreciates my Raider fanatacism, wearing the same T-shirt all weekend is probably not a good idea.

The good news is, since the Raiders seem to have a player inducted into the HOF almost every year, you'll get some wear out of this shirt.

The bad news is, since it I bought it before Madden's HOF induction, his name isn't on this one. But they do have this one and this one to get your Madden on.

BTW, rumor is Al Davis owns one of these shirts...the name at the top of the list is crossed out with a line through it and the word "Chief" is written in beside the name.

Tickets, Got Yer Tickets?

2006-08-06T06:27:00.000-07:00

In one of Al Davis' many press conferences this week, Mr. Davis addressed the current status of ticket sales:

Reporter's Q: Are you satisfied or encouraged about the way ticket sales are going, do you see a substantial increase in season ticket sales this year?

Al's A: "No, I am not encouraged or satisfied .. unless we sell out. If that doesn't answer your question, no. I would like to sell out. Now, I don't know exactly where we are. I would like to sell out. Yeah, certainly. I'd like to do well with the tickets. They do help that other fellow, the owner ... not the football guy. Yeah. I'd like to sell out but 'encouraged'? I don't know what you mean by 'encouraged'."

Q: Do you think it is going better with the Raiders doing the legwork?

A: "Well you are looking for something I am not going to get into with you. I have Mrs. Trask here. She could answer your question very well. We had to take over the sales. Not that you made it sound like we took it over. We had to take it over. There was no way we could have gone out and had this community sell PSLs to the community. It would have been a rebellion. Rather than have that, that was one of the reasons we were willing to take it over."

Yes, I know. Encouraging you all to buy Raider tix is like preaching to the choir....

However, individual game tickets have recently gone on sale. Even if you can't afford season tickets, at least check out a game if you are able to do so. Sell outs mean no blackout dates, which means the folks who are at stuck at home and unable to afford tickets at all can see the Silver'n'Black on the boob tube.

It's all about the Raider Nation, the only Nation in sports.

Game tickets can be purchased here with no more PSLs to muck up your checkbook.

It's Madden Time...

2006-08-04T21:35:00.000-07:00

Boom! Just like that - Hall of Fame.

Congratulations, Coach Madden. It is past time.

~ Coach John Madden ~

His record is 103-32-7.

His 75.9% is the best regular season winning percentage of any NFL coach - ever.

His overall winning percentage is second only to the man they named the trophy after, Vince Lombardi.

His teams never had a season with a losing record.

His teams did not have a losing record against any single opponent during the regular season.

He has a winning record vs. every single HOF coach his teams faced (36-16-2), including Tom Landry, Bud Grant, Don Shula, Hank Stram, George Allen, Sid Gillman, Weeb Ewbank, and yes, Chuck Noll too baby!

His teams' record on the big stage, Monday Night Football is 11-1-1.

Here are the schedules for this weekend's HOF festivities on NFL Network and ESPN and Madden announcing the Raiders vs. Eagles game on NBC.

Madden once played for the Eagles; back in the day he was an offensive lineman who's career was cut short in the preseason by a knee injury. How's that for pregame drama?

Mad love to Coach John!

P.S. Here is Al Davis' introduction of John Madden into the HOF.

Here is John Madden's speech at his HOF induction.

Here is the post-induction interview with Al Davis in which he puts Donco Adam Schefter in his rightful place - under Madden's bus.

Depth Chart

2006-08-02T20:02:00.000-07:00

The Raiders have posted the first depth chart of the season here.

Things will certainly change between now and opening day (they always do) but here are ten things to ponder for now:

1. Jerry Porter is listed as second string WR. 'nuff said on this subject. On to more important matters.

2. McQuistan is listed as the starting RG. This is a big adjustment to go from playing LT at a small college to RG in the NFL. Lots of folks just assume that if you can play left tackle, you must be good enough to play anywhere else on the line easily, including RG.

It doesn't work like that. On the right side, the hand and footwork will be reversed in mirror image. Think this is easy to pick up? Try brushing your teeth or writing McQuistan a fan letter with your left hand (presuming you are right handed. If not, reverse directions).

Also consider the closer you are to the center, the bigger the sasquatches get. Guards have to explode off the snap quicker than Tackles. They also have to play with more leverage and get lower than Tackles. This explains why most teams don't have their 6'8" bigfoots as interior linemen.

The Raiders have been missing anything resembling a push up the middle since Barret Robbins went off his meds. Can Grove and McQuistan be nasty roadgraders? Here's believing in both of 'em.

3. Andrew Walter has passed Tui at QB. The Tui experiment is officially over. Walter will be the next big thing, according to the Raider organization. This explains why Matt Leinart was passed over in the draft. Let's hope they are right and Walter plays sooner rather than later, 'cause Aaron Brooks is not the long-term answer.

4. Chad Slaughter is listed as the back-up LT. I had hoped Slaughter would be battling Langston Walker for the starting spot at RT. Slaughter is nasty (just ask Michael Strahan) and Walker is soft (just ask Langston’s belly). The problem is Slaughter just does not have quick enough feet to deal with the speed rush ends he'd see at LT.

5. Huggy Bear, Jr. is listed as the second string RB. If this development doesn't immediately wake you up and cause you to scream "Don't f'ing fumble, Fargas!!!" in the middle of the nite, you haven't been paying attention.

6. Tyler Brayton is listed as a starting DE. Ding dong, the witch is dead. Somebody finally poured a bucket of water on Ryan's Frankenbacker experiment. Brayton displays a good upfield motor and aggression; my question is can he stay home on running plays?

7. Tommy Kelly is listed as the starting DT. Much love to Kelly. The questions are, does Warren Sapp have enough gas to be half the player he has been as a Raider after becoming half the player he was in Tampa? A bum shoulder is not a good thing in the trenches. Anyone ever seen Sapp play NT?

And who the hell are Anttaj Hawthorne, Donnell Washington, Terdell Sands, and Rashad Moore? I've got 20/13 vision, but I can't remember ever seeing any of these guys make any impact in the NFL. Quite a feat considering each weighs 300+ pounds.

In a division where you face Larry Johnson, LaDanian Tomlinson, and the Donco RB flavor of the month twice each per season, all I can say is, "Be afraid. Be very afraid."

8. Danny Clark is listed as the second-string MLB. Much love to Kirk Morrison. Clark is needed because of his heart. He's got one. The Raiders collectively haven't had one for three seasons.

Questions are, can Thomas Howard play? He's got the dreaded "potential" label written all over him. And can Secret Sam Williams prove he's not a potato chip and finally justify Al Davis moving up to draft 'em? Here's hoping...

9. Derrick Gibson is listed as the starting SS. This is decidedly a fit of temporary insanity on Art Shell's part. Huff will puff and blow 'em down by the start of the regular season - guaranteed.

10. A fat, drunk Polish kicker is still listed as the starter. Seabass hasn't done a thing to justify his #1 draft slot (George Blanda he ain't). Question is, can some 7-foot tall, former swimmer, current hoopster from the Virgin Islands beat 'em out?

Word is Shell makes all the players run laps every time Seabass misses a FG in practice. That oughta sober 'em up.

Your feedback is welcome as always.

Al Speaks

2006-08-01T18:45:00.000-07:00

Al Davis gave a press conference today and spoke to the Jerry Porter situation and the Raiders in general. This is Mr. Davis' take on Pouter:

Davis backed the way Shell has handled disgruntled receiver Porter and didn't believe Porter's trade demand or problems with Shell would hinder the team. Davis said he told Porter and his agent that the Raiders would be willing to trade him -- for equal value in players or draft picks and if Porter gives back the $4 million bonus he received this year. Porter has declined to talk to the media since making his demand public last week.

"If you think the locker room is that important, I don't," Davis said. "But we're talking about one guy. And I don't think he'll make any impression whatsoever. He's a good guy, but he just lost his way a little bit."

So we see, Al agrees. Pouter has lost The Raider Way.

Now it is time to see whether Jerry 5150 will put up or shut up.

The line has been drawn. Your choice is clear:

A. Pay back the bonus money you received before going gonzo green gorilla ape$h!t this offseason and your wish to be traded will be granted.

OR

B. The Raiders will keep you in house and deal with you, which may include benchings or demotions as needed to get you to follow the way.

Is it all about the Benjamin$, Jerry? LaVar Arrington wanted out of DC badly enough to give back his signing bonus...

Or are you capable of stepping up for a full season instead of just the last eight games of one?

Show me the $, Jerry...

Watch Mr. Davis' press conference on John Madden here.

Read the entire press conference here.

Read more of Al Davis' latest takes here. And please note Al states plainly that the Raiders will stay in the Davis family, with Amy Trask on board, as predicted here not long ago.

Further Evidence

2006-07-28T21:07:00.000-07:00

As if we needed it, here is yet further evidence Jerry Porter is indeed "5150" and should be locked up for his own protection. He is truly a danger to himself and others.

Word is the latest person Jerry Pouter has decided to complain to (between calf massages) about Art Shell regarding the way he is being "victimized" to the tune of being paid 20 million over 5 years while allowed to sabotage this team like a block of C-4 is NFLPA CEO, Gene Upshaw.

Am I the only one inhabiting the Planet Delusiono these days, or do Upshaw and Shell go together like peanut butter and jelly?

Isn't complaining to Upshaw about Shell basically the same thing as complaining to Shell about Upshaw? Last time I checked, Art and Gene are like two halves of the same coin - heads and tails - Tackle and Guard.

Apparently Pouter either doesn't know a d@mn thing about Raider history or he just chooses to ignore it in his, "Can't you see there is a 'ME' in the word 'TEAM' if you just rearrange the letters?" Pouter way.

One thing is certain. We hold this truth to be self-evident:

It is time to call the man with the big butterfly net and shoot Pouter with a tranquilizer dart full of the stuff that makes a hippo drop like Courtney Love on a dope binge.

Mr. Porter, now the question is not "Who the f@$% do you think YOU are?"...

Now the question is, "Who the blamin' blue Beelzebub do you think Gene Upshaw is?!?"

He played next to Arthur Shell for over a decade there, Captain Insano.

"As for Porter's current mindset, we can only extrapolate from the T-shirt he wore (at the practice field) Wednesday afternoon.

It pictured two disembodied hands; the first was flipping a middle finger, the second was pointing outward at anyone who might be looking."

Read more here on Porter's PMS.

Read more here on the Raiders possibly benching Porter.

"WR Jerry Porter, who's back on the field now that his calf injury has healed, worked primarily with the second team." Read more here.

A sticky thanks to VA Raiderfan for tipping us off to this development.

Deport 'Em

2006-07-26T14:28:00.000-07:00

"Jerry Porter, who the f@&! do you think you are?"
~Art Shell

As Nancy Gay reported this morning, Jerry Porter is pulling a Corporal Klinger trying to get out of the M*A*S*H unit by requesting a Section 8.

Instead of wearing ladies' fashion to get tossed out, Porter opted to show up to work this morning wearing his Ric Flair bling, bling: a genuine bozo costume encrusted with cubic zirconium dollar signs.

I got news for ya Sunshine:

Remember when Philip Buchanon showed up to training camp in his sooperfly pimp suit made of shiny Playboy Bunnies straight off a trucker's mud flap? How did that one work out, Jerry?

Unfortunately, there is no Charley Casserly left in Houston stoopid enough to trade Porter to, as the Raiders did with Lifetime Buchanon.

As for showing off the six-pack abs:

Remember when Terrell Owens did sit-ups in the yard for a crowd of reporters? How did that one work out, Jerry?

You are quickly gaining the reputation of being a malcontent troublemaker, and you don't even have a 1,000 yard season or nary a Pro Bowl to back it up like T.O. does.

One piece of advice to you, Mr. Porter, in all seriousness...

I will never forget Howie Long describing how Art Shell, in his first term as Raider HC, tired of Chester McGlockton half-@ssing it through practice once again... lined up across from Chester Cheetos, fired out of his stance... and flattened 'em in front of the whole entire team.

The piece of advice is this: know your role. The Raiders drafted a fat, drunk, Polish Kicker before you. This is your estimated worth in the Raiders' eyes.

This is not Mr. Turner's Neighborhood anymore and you won't treated like a man in life if you act like you're back in elementary school this time. Do not make the mistake of confusing Art Shell with Sgt. Schultz.

To be the man, you gotta beat the man. You aren't even the best WR from West Virginia on this team, Mr. Porter.

Randy Moss is.

You are expendable, Mr. Porter, to the tune of Gabriel, Curry, Morant, Francis, Whitted, and a cast of thousands hoping to stick in training camp.

You have the chance to learn something from the examples of Lifetime Buchanon, Turd Owens, and Chester Cheetos. Take that chance. Learn the Raider Way while it is being offered to you, or go out like they did. Freddie B. knows the Raider Way, so take his sticky hand, my friend.

In my opinion, it is long past time to hand Porter a one way ticket to the Arena League - after all, arenas are where clowns do their best work under the big top - and deport 'em.

If the Raiders can get a RB to back up Lamont Jordan or a DT to clog up the lanes in return for his deportation, I say pull the trigger on Mr. Porter's Raider green card.

In the meantime, Mr. Porter, this is what your new jersey number "5150" stands for.

A sticky thanks to Cavlarysword for the tip on the Slogan's Heroes website where the above shirt is available to add to your wardrobe.

Inheriting The Raider Way - Commentary

2006-07-17T15:11:00.000-07:00

Al Davis has said, "My dream was to build the finest organization in professional sports." Many would argue he has succeeded.

The question is, will The Raider Way continue after his passing (Davis' mother, Rose, lived for a century, indicating Al has a lot left in the tank genetically speaking), and whom will he entrust with the organization some day?

While I would like nothing more than to see Al Davis own the Raiders for decades to come, the reality is, no one can cheat death - not even Mr. Allen Mark Davis.

Now, we all know no one will ever be able to "replace" Al Davis (for who could ever look as good in a white jump suit?) as owner, general manager, and some say de facto coach of the Raiders.

Who could possibly represent the legal expertise, football knowledge, and business acumen he possesses?

As Kawakami correctly deduces in his cogent article (I have been formulating a similar article as a progression from Happy Al Day --> Pocket Fulla Shells --> Inheriting the Raider Way, but Mr. Kawakami beat me to the punch) the only logical answer is to divide the responsibilities one future day.

In my opinion, Mark Davis might very well be the owner/sole general partner (family loyalty takes priority here).

After stints as a HOF Left Tackle; Offensive Line Coach of the Raiders, Chiefs, and Falcons; Head Coach for the Raiders; as well as a sojourn as NFL Senior Vice President for Football Operations, Art Shell is uniquely qualified to manage this team having gained experience and understanding at all levels of the game – player, coach, and league executive.

In a way, Shell’s experience mirrors Davis’ history of being Head Coach, AFL Commissioner, and Managing General Partner. Shell's recently signed agreement is reported to be a "lifetime" contract with some provisions for after his coaching tenure...and most importantly, Art knows The Raider Way.

Amy Trask understands the rigors of owner's meetings, having represented The Godfather many times. She can handle the legal aspects, as she is Davis' presence in the courtroom. Trask's loyalty is unquestioned, as she started her Raider gig as an assistant in the copy room before going on to law school. Trask has been brought up The Raider Way.

The main problem I envision is replacing Al Davis' eye for talent. While personnel man Mike Lombardi has done an admirable job managing the cap and deserves any credit attributed to him, a Ron Wolf-esque talent evaluator still would be required to complement Lombardi and address the loss of Al Davis' input.

The names of two HOF Raiders with executive credentials come to mind: Mike Haynes and Gene Upshaw.

Haynes is currently NFL VP of Player/Employee Development. One of his main duties is organizing the NFL Rookie Symposium. As seen here rookie “O” lineman, Chris Morris, was paying attention to Haynes. Morris scored off the charts as did the Raider draft picks as a whole at the Symposium, taking “Best Team” honors.

Hence; Haynes is uniquely qualified to evaluate players, especially in the area of character, after having been involved as a league executive in charge this task.

It was Mike Haynes who made the call to Al Davis suggesting he consider Art Shell as head coach once again. Could Mike Haynes be the Raiders’ answer to HOF TE Ozzie Newsome, undoubtedly one of the best personnel men in the NFL judging by the Ravens’ draft successes?

Upshaw is currently Executive Director of the NFL Players Association and is a HOF Guard as well. A natural politician, Upshaw was one of the keystones of hammering out the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement (as was Al Davis).

While Upshaw’s political aspirations may lead him to be a governor or senator one day (he’s from Texas, which seems to be a good thing for an individual’s political career), perhaps he would heed the call as well...if Al needed/asked him to do so.

A tandem of Shell and Upshaw as Raider executives would be as fearsome a foe as the left side of the Raider O-line they manned side-by-side from 1968-1981.

Al Davis is known as a “players owner”. Why not have the foremost player representatives in the NFL today as part of the organization as well? Davis has employed Freddie B., Mr. Raider Jim Otto, and Old Man Willie for years. Loyalty to his HOFer players runs deep with Davis.

The Raiders' current streak of losses can be in part attributed to Davis' decisions to listen to outside influences when making decisions. Ally Jerry Jones recommends Norv Turner. Long-time friend Bill Walsh recommends Mike White.

We have seen the results when Al Davis listens to those outside the organization who don't understand the way things are done when he goes outside the Raider circle of trust...

Hayes and Upshaw are executive material, they understand loyalty, and most importantly they understand The Raider Way. What role will these two continue to play in returning the Raiders organization to greatness? That is the question Mr. Kawakami did not address, and it is the one I pose to the nation of Raider fanatics now.

Sticky Pick: In the Pink

2006-07-16T05:19:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know, seeing the Raider shield in pink seems a bit sacrilegious at first. But hold on to your hat, there is a good cause for the shield being in the pink.

In this case, it is breast cancer.

This Reebok NFL Pink Ribbon Cap is one way my significant other shows her support for the Raiders. A portion of the proceeds from sales goes to fund breast cancer research. There's a pink ribbon on the back, the universal symbol for showing your support.

Click on the above image to see an enlarged view.

While I tend to look like Johnny Cash (THE Man In Black, R.I.P.) every day and twice on Sundays, she says she just has to have more colors in her wardrobe than Silver'n'Black. Makes no sense to me...but then, what I know about women's fashion comes from reading the Victoria's Secret catalog.

We do both agree on this one though; no question it is The Raider Way to show your love for the team and the folks you know affected by cancer at the same time.

She says, "It matches my purse too!" whatever that means...

Sticky Picks are items I suggest you jump on like Lester Hayes on a lazily thrown INT waiting to happen. The gear endorsed is owned and tested personally, and it just raidiates, baby!

Raise The Black Flag

2006-07-13T14:44:00.000-07:00

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!

Engraved Invitation

2006-07-12T14:45:00.000-07:00

Tired of going to yet another friend's summer wedding? Can't take looking through another gift registry for the happy couple at Pottery Barn, where there is nothing much Silver'n'Black to choose from?

Well, The 66th Mob is having a family-friendly, barnburnin' hootenanny throwdown of a shindiggin' jamboree to get your Raider on while we’re all waiting for training camp to start!

Here is your engraved invitation to the celebration.

Wearing your Raiderween costume is optional, but black gear is highly recommended and considered appropriate attire for the occasion.

Sticky Pick: Men In Black

2006-07-11T20:10:00.000-07:00

Sticky Picks are items I suggest you jump on like Lester Hayes on a lazily thrown INT waiting to happen. The gear endorsed is owned and tested personally and just raidiates, baby!

I wore my original Real Men Wear Black T-shirt for a decade, until my significant other finally pointed out that there was more hole than T-shirt left after so many years of wear and tear.

Luckily, I replaced it with a new one, since Raider Image has recently made this style available once more.

Check out the Men T-shirt or if you have guns like Howie Long, the sleeveless version.

Get one of these Real Women Wear Black if your significant other indulges your Raider fetish more easily when you buy her one too (or even better, she's a Raider fan too).

If you have little ones you are bringing up The Raider Way, check out the Real Kids Wear Black version.

With Pockets Full of Shells

2006-07-08T14:05:00.000-07:00

"They rally round the family,
With pockets full of shells."

Bulls on Parade
~Rage Against the Machine

Last time we reminded ourselves Al Davis constructed the biggest single-season turnaround in AFL/NFL history. But that was 1963.

This photo shows what the current Raider coach, Arthur Shell, was doing in '63. Art was an All-American tackle at Maryland Eastern Shore College, looking ready for battle, yet also looking a bit odd wearing #73. The evidence clearly shows Shell had absolutely nothing to do with the miraculous Raider recovery of '63.

So why should anyone believe Coach Shell is capable of turning this Raider team around now, this season, in the present, the year 2006?

To predict what may happen this season, let's look at Shell's performance when he took over for Mike Shanahan in his first tour of duty as HC of the Raiders. Shell inherited a Raiders team in complete disarray. Shanahan had posted an 8-12 record by the time he was given the pointed end of Al Davis' black boot early in the '89 season.

The team was rebelling - after all, that is what Raiders do - to Shanahan's inane rules. "You can't sit on your helmets on the sidelines!" Shanahan dictated to them.

Shanahan obviously never heard of Dave Casper. When Casper had gone to the Oilers for a brief sojourn in Houston, the coach there dictated the players wear their helmets at all times on the practice field. Casper, having grown up The Raider Way, decided to wear his Riddell 24/7. The Ghost showered with his helmet, slept in his helmet, and ate at the training table through his facemask in protest.

You see, Shanahan was "green as the grass" in understanding The Raider Way. The Raider Way, as espoused by Shells coaching mentor, HOFer John Madden, is as follows:

1. Be on time. You can't do things as a team if the whole team isn't present.
2. Pay attention. Listen to what I'm telling you to do, and you will understand what we are doing.
3. Play like hell when I tell you to. This is self-explanatory.

That's it. Those are the Raider rules. No curfews. No "you can't date the cheerleaders". No silly helmet laws imposed like we are riding our Harleys down Route 66 with CHiPs following.

Shell, being Shanahan's offensive line coach, quickly rallied the team as a family. The '89 team started 1-3 under Shanahan and finished 7-5 under Shell. In his first full season, Shell improved the morale and Raider performance to a 12-4 mark and was named AFC Coach of the Year.

So we see, implementing the Raider Way, Arthur Shell worked a minor miracle his first time around. This is why I tell you it can happen again.

But don't just take my word for it or listen to ancient history, let us document what Shell himself has said. In this way, if the '06 Raiders do not perform as he says they will, we can hold him accountable. After all, Shell's main goal is holding the players accountable for executing their jobs; it follows he should lead by example and be held accountable himself for his execution.

A complete transcript of the statements Arthur Shell made as he was hired to be the fifteenth head coach in Raider history can be found by clicking here.

If you'd rather watch than read, video of the press conference can be found by clicking here.

These are the documented statements Art and Al made, for which we hold them accountable:

"We will come back. I say to the Raider players, to the Raider fans, to the Raider ex-players and even to you, the press, we'll get that back. It may take us a short while but we'll get that nastiness of the Raiders back. That's one of the reasons I'm going to depend on the great Art Shell to help us get that done.

We've gotta run the football better; we've gotta run it with toughness. We can't be a reach football team. This guy knows what I'm talking about, about toughness running the football.

It'll make our quarterback better. It'll make our pass protection better, and that's one of the things I'm strong on. We've gotta run that football better, we've gotta run it tougher, and people have to understand that they're gonna get knocked... Not what we call zone blocking.

We have good players now. We have a lot of great players now. We really do. And we'll see if we can make them perform."

~Mr. Davis

"I'm coming home to finish what I started. I never left the game of football. When the job opened up, I wanted to be a part of it because I felt that my organization, our football team, needs me. And I felt I could help.

There are certain standards that are very high. The expectations are high. I understand that. The players have to understand that and every coach in the whole building has to understand that. We 're all in this thing together. We can get this done, but it starts with me as far as the football part is concerned. I have to set the tone. I expect to set the tone.

Coaches are gonna be held accountable and players are gonna be held accountable. But it's gonna be a tough-love thing for me. We're gonna get this thing turned right. We're gonna create the type of attitude that we're all looking for in the Raider organization, that our ex-players have come to expect, that our fans have come to expect. We've got great fans. We've got great fans all over the world.

I have to come in here, and I have to show them the way. The Raider Way. Everybody has a way of doing things. The Raiders have a way of doing things. We're about winning. And we will win. We will be tough. We will be power. And I want the ability - as always - to strike from any place on the football field.

The game of football comes right down to blocking and tackling. Schemes? Everybody's talking about how this stuff is on the cutting edge; zone blitzes are in, those types of things.

But it's still football.

Look at the team that won the Super Bowl. Pittsburgh and Seattle played in the Super Bowl. What did they do? They run the football tough. They strike with play-action passes down the field. They play tough defense. And what's different from then - from back when we played and back when I coached - up until now?

Those things are consistent: stop the run, run the football and strike deep. That's what I believe in.

Those things work. I know they work. I've been involved in it. I know how to win. I know how to lead. I expect that we will have the kind of success that this organization deserves. We can't settle for anything less. And that's my job, to come in here and show the way.

It's how you work. It's how you practice. And it starts in the offseason.

When you walk out there, into that stadium, you walk out there with a presence. Mr. Davis called it a "swagger.” Yeah, a swagger. You walk out there with a presence.

And I just want to get back to the point where when we walk into a stadium, they know the Raiders are in town. And when we walk into the Coliseum, the Raiders are here. And we're gonna play in Black Bottom — we used to call it "Black Bottom" back in the day - now they call it the "Black Hole".

That's our home field. That's our home. You can't come in our backyard and win. We've gotta create that attitude, and that's what I expect to do.

Words don't get it done. It's actions."

~Coach Shell

These are the promises we have been made by the Raiders organization. If they are not delivered, the Raider Nation has the right to be angry as rabid howler monkeys throwing their own feces through the bars of their cages at the Oakland Zoo...

If/when they are delivered, it will be time to celebrate the dominance of the Raiders with Black Bottom shooters and Lombardis...

But for the present, I ask you to remember the words Mr. Allen Davis spoke when he hired Art Shell for his first tenure: "I hire Art not because he is black, but because he is Silver'n'Black."

For the present, I ask you to rally the family, 'round the man Arthur Shell.

Happy Al Davis Day!

2006-07-05T20:54:00.000-07:00

Al Davis inspires me to be better every day than I was the day before."
~Amy Trask, Raiders Executive

The signed photo accompanying this piece hangs on the wall in my office for the same reason Trask is a part of the Raider organization.

This image of Al, young and full of vision, inspires me to believe that if I have an iota of the single-mindedness and determination Allen Mark Davis has shown in building what is considered by many the greatest organization in professional sports, then I too can achieve things most folks would not think possible of me.

The Al Davis story is unique (as far as I know) amongst owners of major professional sports teams today. Davis parlayed the experience he gained being an offensive backs coach with Sid Gillman's AFL Chargers into a head coach/ general manager position with the Oakland Raiders. But this is not the unique part of the story, for many assistants go on to be head coaches or general mangers elsewhere.

What is unique is the then-owners of the Raiders (in particular, general partner Ed McGah) saw the influence Davis had as a coach and his potential for greatness. Davis almost single-handedly turned around a miserable franchise owning a horrid record of 1-13 prior to Davis' coming on board.

For proper perspective, keep in mind that '62 Raider team with the 1-13 record was only one loss away from preceding the Steve Spurrier '76 Tampa Bay team as the ONLY AFL/NFL team to ever undergo an entire season without winning a single game. That's how bad things were in Oakland. Before Al Davis (B.A.D.), the situation was as terrible as has ever been any where at any time in the history of the AFL/NFL.

The next season, with Allen Davis as captain of the ship, the team executed the biggest turnaround in the history of the AFL/NFL, winning nine more games than they had the previous season by going 10-4. No other AFL/NFL team has ever made a nine win improvement in a single season. Not surprisingly, Davis won AFL Coach of the Year. What is surprising is that he did it with basically the same personnel as had posted the abysmal mark the previous season.

You see, by '63, the Raiders inept beginnings had put the team in a position where they had no draft picks higher than the 6th round. No draft picks and yet nine more wins....you do the math and figure out who was responsible for the turnaround to end all turnarounds.

The uniqueness of the story is Al Davis, 2006, has become the sole general partner of this team and owns a majority of the team's shares (Davis recently settled out-of-court with the family of Ed McGah) after staring out with the team as a coach, without initially investing any real money of his own.

When Davis was originally made a general partner of the team, he "bought" his shares with credit. In essence, the bottom line is the Raiders paid him to become the general manager/partner (translated = owner) as part of his contract because the organization was in disasterously dire straits without his input.

Who else has done this in professional sports?

No one is saying Al is infallible or any thing more than a human being like the rest of us.

Al Davis has made his mistakes in this life; moving the team to LA in search of luxury boxes in '81 and firing Art Shell as head coach when he moved the team back to Oakland in '94 are two of them. Hiring Norv Turner resulting in the last two seasons of utter embarrassment we have all felt in our souls is another Al Davis error.

But please understand, if I seem to be under the influence of some strange hallucinogenic when I say, "I believe Al Davis can do it again!" it is because he has done it before. Yes, the fans are not used to three straight losing seasons, and it hurts. But the reason we are not used to three straight losing seasons is we've never experienced it since B.A.D.

Say I drink the "Al Davis Kool-Aid" if you will. Accuse me of wearing myopic "Silver'nBlack sunglasses" if you feel the urge to purge your bitterness.

But it's not just on the 4th of July - Mr. Davis' birthday - that I believe...

Allen Davis' image inspires me every day to live the way he has. With loyalty, intention, and cojones the size of Machiavelli.

As an ally once advised me, "Nail your colors to the mast."

Well here they are, nailed to the cathedral door like Martin Luther on a mission:

"I'm on Al's side. And my colors don’t run. They are Silver’n’Black, baby!"

Al Davis has done more in his football lifetime than anyone else you can name. If not, name the one who has....

No one is more qualified to own and manage a professional football team than Allen Davis. If they are, give me their name...

I have seen Al Davis make chickensalad out of chicken$hit before, and I expect… no, I know, it can happen again.

*Note: For other celebrations of Al Davis Day (known to non-Raider fanatics as The Fourth of July)

check out Raider Take's Al Davis Birthday Haiku

Here is a haiku I wrote for the occasion, inspired by RT:

A thousand white jump
suits hang in a closet; Al
Davis is Elvis

check out Calico Jack's The American Dream

check out one I wrote for Al's 75th Birthday on Raidernews Born on the Fourth of July

and check out Anthony Carroll's An Ever Momentous Date in Raider Nation

We all have the same message: Happy Birthday, Mr. Davis!

The Soul Patrol

2006-06-29T20:20:00.000-07:00

There are many ways to compare the games of Old School receivers like Fred Biletnikoff, Clifford Branch, and Dave Casper with the WR of today (e.g., Tim Brown).

Brown has the most receptions of any Raider, but is he the greatest of all time?

Nope. Why? Because number of receptions ain't the Raider Way to count.

Why? 'Cause of the man - Jack Tatum - and the style of play he represents.

Lemme 'splain what it was like...

Back in the day (before Brown, anyway) there used to be these crazy b@$+@rd$ roaming the backfield like Horsemen of the Apocalypse on PCP.

These DBs didn't have pansy, candy-@$$ed names like "Showtime" and "Primetime" and "Lifetime Network" or what not. No, on the contrary, they were called "Night Train" and "Hit Man" and "The Assassin".

Why? Because Dick Lane had this clothesline...like the signature move in wrasslin', but real...and perfectly legal under the rules of the day.

Ball control run offense was all teams did at the time, 'cause if you threw to your wide receivers every play like the '9ers did in the '80s, you literally would run out of receivers by the end of the game.

There was no "pass interference" called if you got beaten down 15 yards from the line of scrimmage. There was no "unsportsmanlike conduct" if the DB drilled you so hard your hat came flying off like--better yet, watch this , and keep an eye on the forearm. Atkinson and Tatum called it "The Hook" and they really didn't care much if the ball came loose or if your head came loose like the old school Rock'em Sock'em Robots.

And if you want to see what it was like even before the '70s, watch this one and keep and eye out for the black & white footage. Watch how Lane and the headhunters completely focus on decapitation.

Timmah and Terrell Owens and none of the current receivers have to deal with that type of mayhem over the middle.

Oh, and by the way, Timmah Brown should keep his mouth shut about "John Madden should have gotten the Raiders to the Super Bowl more often".

How many times did you win it, Timmah? Then keep yer piehole shut, Timmah, unless you've proven that you can do better, Timmah.

Check your calendar under Saturday August 5, 2006, Timmah. This is the day Madden is going in the HOF. See how that works, Timmah?

That is why Freddie B and Cliff Branch and their predecessors have bronzed cojones and us old geezers laugh when someone like Brown spouts off at the mouth about being "Mr. Raider".

The pirate on the shield is missing an eye for a reason and it ain't 'cause he shot it out with his Red Rider BB gun neither

Grady Knows the Raider Way: Eat QBs

2006-06-27T11:53:00.000-07:00

He's back and he's hongry! According to KFFL, "Country-Strong" Grady Jackson is reportedly meeting with the Raiders this week to discuss the possibility of his return to Oakland's coliseum and finer eating establishments.

If Gravy is resigned, it will mark the second former Raider defensive lineman to return this offseason, following DE Lance Johnstone's exodus from five years of frozen torment in the confines of Minnesota.

Like Johnstone, we remember #90 most for posting sacks. Gravy had eight QB snacks in 2000. We also remember Jackson for always being one biscuit away from 350 lbs. The chances of Jackson resigning with the Raiders are no doubt contingent on his health, as carrying this type of weight in the trenches is decidedly difficult on Gravy's knees. Jackson did play in all 16 games last season for the FudgePackers...

While it seems unlikely Gravy can regain the quarterback-hongry form he displayed in his first tenure as a Raider at this point in his career, Jackson's possible addition would fill the planet-sized void left by Ted Washington's departure as the gravitational field that sucks up blockers like a black hole.

If Rob Ryan has any intention of running the 3-4 "D" in '06, another DT of Terdell Sands proportions is needed. Pachyderms need plays off. Gravy is not noted for his stamina, but a Tennessee duo of Sands and Jackson could fill the NT void.

Here's hoping it's Gravy Time, baby!

What is The Raider Way?

2006-06-26T05:54:00.000-07:00

This site is dedicated to promoting The Raider Way of life.

Our primary purpose is to celebrate the characters who built the most successful organization in professional football and who contribute to its continued dominance today. We believe the greatness of the Raiders always lies in the present.

We live this way. We know what it means to be a Raider. We keep the one good eye the football gods gave us (the one not behind the patch) on the Lombardi at all times.