Posted on Monday, 6/29/2009 - 4:26 p.m. PDT — by SacBomber03
This is an article writen by Ryan O'Halloran from the Washington Post. I can understand thinking that we have one of the worst teams in football, but after the Lions don't win a single game I don't see how we can be considered the worst by anyone. Yet another Raider hater who is probably going to have Washington ranked in the top 10 of the league. The Lions and the Chiefs should be below us, yet this moron thinks after all the hoopla in Denver and the poor play of the Chiefs they are in better shape than us? Take a look at this and let me know what you guys think. I know we shouldn't be rated very high, but dead last? C'mon
Starting today for the next 32 days - leading into the start of Redskins training camp July 30, I'll preview one NFL team, from the worst to the best. Today: The Raiders bring up the rear.
32. Oakland Raiders
Coach: Tom Cable (first full season)
Last year: 5-11 (fifth straight year with less than six wins).
NFL rankings: Offense (29th in yards), defense (27th in yards allowed).
Additions: QB Jeff Garcia, LT Khalif Barnes, C Samson Satele, WR Darrius Heyward-Bey.
Substractions: WR Ronald Curry, S Gibril Wilson, C Jake Grove, WR Ashley Lelie, defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.
Overview: Not good. Even in the rebuilding AFC West, the Raiders are way behind the pack. Oakland starts with three division games and could find itself in an early hole. CB Nnamdi Asomugha is one of the league's best cover men so teams will simply not throw toward him. The Raiders do have depth at running back and TE Zach Miller is a solid receiver (56 catches). But the focus will be on Russell and rookie WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, who was selected seventh overall.
Fantasy pick: RB Darren McFadden will be productive in the rushing and receiving game.
Projected starters
Offense: QB JaMarcus Russell, FB Lorenzo Neal, RB Darren McFadden, WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR Javon Walker, TE Zach Miller, LT Khalif Barnes, LG Robert Gallery, C Samson Satele, RG Cooper Carlisle, RT Mario Henderson.
Defense: LE Trevor Scott, DT Tommy Kelly, DT Gerard Warren, RE Jay Richardson, OLB Thomas Howard, MLB Kirk Morrison, OLB Ricky Brown, CB Nnamdi Asomugha, CB Chris Johnson, SS Michael Huff, FS Hiram Eugene.
Specialists: K Sebastian Janikowski, P Shane Lechler, KR Justin Miller, PR Johnnie Lee Higgins.
Projected record: 2-14. Now that it appears the Lions finally have a clue minus Matt Millen, Oakland is officially the most dysfunctional franchise in the NFL and perhaps all of U.S. professional sports (or just ahead of the Clippers). Oakland's best chance to win games will be when Cable makes the tough decision to bench Russell and give Garcia a chance to lead the offense.
Joined: Aug 2006
Current Posts: 323
effin haters!
Joined: Aug 2007
Current Posts: 652
You can tell the writer did littlle, if any, homework for this article. No mention of Higgins or Schillens, while starting DHB and Javon Walker?. Barnes as the LT? Chris Johnson ignored? No Tyvon Branch? Ryan O'Halloran should be embarassed for his lack of knowlege and/or research as a professional.
That being said, we need to prove him wrong by winning some games. Until then, it's like arguing over which toilet is cleaner. If we win some games, maybe writers will do their homework on us.
Oh yeah, and it's good to know that SB A.s. s Whoopin' we put on them still hurts after all these years...
Joined: Jan 2006
Current Posts: 121
Same old Raider hating crap. It won't go away until we win again or Al is gone. I don't get it either how anyone could say the Lions are better than us, but S.P. is right, at this point, what difference does it make? We need to win and it will stop.
Later,
Port
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
I agree with you on everything aside from Al being gone. It all comes down to winning like you and Piggy have said. Morrison said yesterday on Rome is Burning that if things work out Davis looks like a genius and if they don't then its just typical Al. I know that tons of us on this site have been saying the same thing, but whether or not Davis is in charge if you have lost as much as we have you are going to have the same questions about management.
Like I said, I know we aren't a top tier team, however to rank us at the bottom when we finished better than 6 teams last year doesn't seem to make much sense.
Thanks for the response man.
Joined: Jan 2006
Current Posts: 121
I gotta disagree with Morrison. I think that, even if the Raiders do turn the corner this year, the media will never give AL any credit for it. You'll hear a bunch of stuff about how Cable has changed the culture of the Raiders and other stuff like that. I don't want to defend Al, because this mess is completely his doing, but I just do not think the media in general is ever going to cut him any slack. There might be a few writers that Al has a good relationship with that will, but as a whole, I think he will continue to be portrayed as a bumbling old man whom the game has passed by.
But that being said, if the Raiders do start winning again, I could care less what people say about Al.
Later,
Port
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
I think Morrison was talking more about the draft picks than anything else. I think Davis will get his if he can consistantly have winning seasons and we can have the same coach until HE decides to actually walk away rather than Davis forcing him out. Make no mistake, people always made fun of Davis' picks whether it be in FA or the draft or just offering someone a ton of money. We got that when we had the oldest team in football. But Davis got some credit for it, its just not fun to talk about him if its only good stuff. Al Davis created the most recognizable franchise in the history of sports for a long time and because its a 6 year slide and its been a circus here he deserves every last bit of it.
All this aside, I'm with you 100%. It doesn't matter how we do it, if we start winning on a regular basis were going to be the same fans with a lot more to cheer about.
Joined: May 2006
Current Posts: 335
It's nice to see that someone gives Al a break. The fact is that this team has plenty of talent now. It's not going to be Al's fault if the Raiders lose games. Players have to go out and play the game.
This dude is a total hater though. Didnt mention any up and coming players. Most dysfunctional team in sports besides the Clippers? Last I checked the Raiders made the SuperBowl more recently than the Redskins have. I can list a bunch of teams more dysfunctional than the Raiders including the Grizzlies, Knicks, Royals, Lions just to name a few. People have been talking trash on the Dodgers for years but it's funny how you go from laughing stock to favorite overnight. I still don't listen to the hype even when they're singing praises. We're all smarter than most of these experts anyways.
People can say what they want but chances are that our running game is better than KC and Denver. I'm not going to compare to San Diego's because although LT is on the downside he still has a tendancy to chop up the Raiders. We'll see very soon and people will be saying "oh I knew they were going to be better, I called it">
Like Sac said I know we're not a top tier team but we're going to surprise some people.
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
A lot of the criticism we get as a team is deserved for the most part, but sometimes people go over the top on the Raiders. Just because Davis is a bit disfunctional we are the worst team in the league only because its an easy prediction. Every year people have the Patriots going to the Super Bowl, but its because they have had success and its a safe bet. It gets beyond ridiculous to see and hear guys talking about the disfunction on the team and how it automatically reflects their play. It remains to be seen, but this team I would think, would like to push this crap back in the critics face!
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
I read that thing a few times and was puzzled on his projected starters. Javon Walker shouldn't be our starting WR as of now and Henderson playing RT rather than LT is just speculation. I think D is even worse. I like Scott and Richardson but I don't think both end up being our starting ends if we have both Ellis and Burgess on the roster. They do mention Chris Johnson as the starting CB, but they also mention Huff as the starting strong safety ha ha which is a little far fetched IMO.
You are right. We win more than 2 games as this guy predicted he should feel like an arse. I don't know why, but there are seriously about 5 or 6 other teams I can think of that could have a worse record than us. Maybe its because I'm a fan, but I really think we can atleast finish this year out of the bottom 10 in the league.
Ha ha nice touch with the SB comment.
Joined: Aug 2007
Current Posts: 652
Yeah man, the article ignores any of the positive signs from the end of last season. Chris Johnson may be listed as a starter but, the analysis of simply throwing away from Nam shows him little respect. The whole thing pretty much made me feel dumber for having read it.
You don't get much love when you've been knocked from contention pretty much on opening day 6 years straight. The irony is the writer exemplifies his profession about as well as our team has represented its.
I'm going to break from continuity with that article and provide a 'Fact'. This one is from Wikipedia: " The Redskins {Foreskin's (sic)} have spent the most money on player payrolls between 1999 and 2008, and yet have only made the playoffs three times over this span, and have never advanced past the divisional round of the playoffs since the 1991 season."
Thanks again man.
Joined: Feb 2009
Current Posts: 902
i'd be happy with that article. in fact, i'd post it up at the stadium and at workout facility and everywhere else = maybe something to motivate the troops?!
Joined: Sep 2006
Current Posts: 230
The Windbag capital of the nation. Obviously a Redskin fan, who has the worst owner in any sport. Dan Snyder. The man who put Six Flags in bankruptcy. Who drafted THREE receivers in the second round in 2008 and had nothing to show for it. The know-it-all idiot who humiliated his starting quarterback by flirting with Brett Favre and pursuing Matt Sanchez. The millionaire wannabe who gave Haynesworth a $100 million dollar contract when the guy hasn't completed an entire season yet. Oh yeah, he really puts Al Davis to shame.
Joined: Jun 2009
Current Posts: 164
This will be decieded then, when the Foreskins travel to the Black Hole to recieve yet another beat down by the hands of the Silver and Black. Let us store this in our memory banks until the following day so that we can review this "writers" editorial and we can respond to him then!
Joined: Oct 2005
Current Posts: 925
We should be used to this by now boys....
That being said, this journalist should be ashamed of himself. The Lions were horrendous last season they burried the bar in the dirt. But hey, things have changed there now. They drafted Mathew Stafford and that rookie QB is going to revolutionize the way football is played in Detroit this year. Disregard the lack of defense, the pourous OL, the questionable running game and their lack of solid depth at receiver and sounds like a tremendous season is ahead!
Come to think of it, they sound a lot like us with the exception of our running game and at QB. We may only have Russell at the helm, but one has to think he's going to do better than a first year player who was drafted a bit too high to beginwith.
Don't even get me started with the Chiefs, Broncos, Rams and Jets.
Joined: Jun 2008
Current Posts: 25
I was so upset when I read this that I went and registerd for the Washington Post, just so I could tell this M F'er what I thought.
First I let him know he has no knowlegde of this team based on his poor assesment of the projected starters. This is just a lazy no talent hack writing something based on what he thinks.
Yeah, if that's the case, I should call the Washingting Post and ask for a job. Seems like there giving them to just about anyone now a days.
Joined: May 2007
Current Posts: 1974
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you know i usually speak up for journalists because they are just doing their jobs and we give them what they want when we read their articles, but for crying out loud maun "2" games?
i was thinking more like 4....lol.
that is just bad.....k.c. should be behind us with 2 games...
now that is messed up...peace
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
I'm with you man. I know the job of a journalist is to give people something to read, but I have a hard time reading something like this when it doesn't seem there was much thought into it.
I was telling Piggy the same thing and I don't know if its because I'm bias, but I think we have a better team this year than last year only because we got to see some of what Chaz and Higgins can do. We got to see what Russell and Co. can do when we work together as a team. We have Cable still and we are running pretty much the same system, we should be able to have a better record than teams like Detroit, KC, St. Louis.... Have the Browns gotten that much better? What about the Bengals or the Skins? Jets have a new coach and a new system over there how is that going to work out? Possibly even a rookie QB. I don't know man, 2 wins is a pretty far fetch IMO.
Ha Ha STILL!!!! How do you say that a team that won 0 games isn't the worst team? They win one game and its a success and everyone in Oakland knows that in order for this season to be considered a success they have to win atleast 8 games. Thats the only rational explination I have for this article
Joined: May 2007
Current Posts: 1974
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yeah i can tell if a journalist "believes" he is telling the truth about da team, because usually when a writer rips oakland, i usually agree with them because i would say or had been saying the same thing...
but this guy just doesn't like oakland....it's obvious, lol....i mean i know we will win past 2 games....lol.
if he winds up being right, i will no longer be a member of this site anymore.
i like chaz, but he needs to stay healthy....i am not high on higgins, i think he is a 4th wr at best....i haven't read anything on him so far, which means he wasn't making plays at ota's....i know chaz had tho....they said he is our best wr outright.
yeah the offensive system will be da same, they keep saying we will pass it deep, but i am hearing we still rarely throw it deep, lol....people say we can run da ball, but we don't do it consistently to say we will run it down a teams throats....we ended da season on a high note, but we need to start it on one, and play consistently through a season, not just 4 to 5 games, then and only then will we win past 8 games.
our defensive system will be the ame no matter what anyone thinks about what i said when rob got fired...even nam said things are still the same....it's a cover 0 defense which i have no faith in....al seeming tries to get gerrard and sands and kelly to be something that they are obviously not...dominant, lol.
yeah let me explain, the reason why, well, let me say this to make it short....the worst team in the nfl "last" season was detroit....they didn't win at all.
the worst team in the nfl in terms of overrall records last six seasons is us....even with detroit not winning a game at all, they still wound up having a better overralll record than us....
"i", not anyone else, but "i" use the 6 season comparison because that is when my stress levels went way up about oakland.
hahahahahaha...i will make my final predictions on the season when preseason ends...be ready for it....peace and it's "hot" in houston...we have been averageing around 100 degrees....i don't go outside much maun, lol...peace
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
Thats what I'm saying! Ha Ha I know we have a pretty tough schedule, but getting to play Denver and KC twice gives us a much better chance at winning those two games. I don't know that either of those teams will be much better if at all better than us.
As far as the offense goes, we all know we plan on running the ball, we would be stupid not to. The long ball will only happen if we have guys that are consistant with it and Russell is comfortable throwing it. We know the kid can chuck the ball a million yards, but it doesn't mean anything if no one is there to catch it.
Our D should be better just based on coaching. Its still going to struggle because we dont have the personell, but if we can improve our offense enough to keep drives alive and give the D a rest, that alone should make them a better unit.
Well if were doing a ranking for the past 6 years and were in last on it thats fine, however this is for next year. It just depends on how you look at things.
Yea I bet its really hot out there! Ha Ha Its actually cooling off here this week.... low 90s high 80s ha ha. Hope you had a good 4th man
Joined: May 2007
Current Posts: 1974
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yeah i remember last year if i can recall you said our sched wasn't that tough and we won five game, i can only wonder how good will they do if they don't start off well...we never win our first 2 games if i can recall.
we'd better be better than denver and k.c. this year, if not, i won't know what to say about oakland anymore...well, i know what i would say but the words will be very negative.
"Our D should be better just based on coaching. Its still going to struggle because we dont have the personell, but if we can improve our offense enough to keep drives alive and give the D a rest, that alone should make them a better unit."
lol, i'm glad you said that, if they dont perform well, on defense that is, don't get mad at me when i use your own woids against you....lol...i liked rob ryan maun, i never thought it was on him, those guys played dumb for a long time and he wasn't brought in for the 4-3 anyway....i hope he does well with the 3-4 out in brown territory....he spoke highly of davis recently but he didn't take full blame and i don't blame him...
he partially blamed some of the players and he also mentioned that his defense wasn't the only one having problems, lol...speaking about the offense....i wish he and his brother success.
hey did you go to the mj funeral?
oh yeah last year detroit is the worst team ever....i wonder how they felt about that, lol.
if they win 1 game that is an improvement.
if we win 6, it's an improvment....anything else is either no progress, or less progress, lol...peace
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
Our schedule wasn't that tough last year especially if you compare it to this year. I think the Davis/Kiffin fiasco was part of the problem although I don't know that you can put all the blame on that. The plus side is that we started to actually improve as the season progressed and had we had Cable in the first few weeks we might have won another game or two. Its all speculation though.
You always try to use my words against me LOL. And we agreed to disagree on Ryan so I'm not going to speak of him any longer.
I watched the MJ funeral online, but its about a 5 hour drive to get out there not to mention the tickets were almost impossible to get. I loved the speach that Al Sharpton gave. Its a shame that because the guy was strange everyone made fun of him, but there are no if's and's or but's about it, the guy is a legend and I have listened to his Thriller, Bad and Dangerous CDs for I don't know how long. Well I guess its not CDs anymore cause they are on my iPod now Ha ha.
Joined: May 2007
Current Posts: 1974
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i never agreed to disagree on rob, it's just that we can't judge him yet because the current season hasn't started...i am not thru with that, if you are wrong on him, you are gonna hear it from me, lol...if he sucks, i will give you props and bow my head in shame, lol.
hey speaking of the ryans, how do you think his bro will do in new york?...he is stirring up shiot.
yeah al sharpton is a personal friend of mine and he ripped it up maun for real....he is a good guy off the mic too....i know him on a professional and personal level....he isn't as serious as the world thinks of him believe me.
hey if you really wanna listen to mikey, listen to his off the wall album...that was a great one too, selling over 10 million copies...peace
Joined: Feb 2009
Current Posts: 902
i'm glad he's your hero though. figures.
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
Well you're going to have to agree to disagree until he actually does something as a DC. You can't hang your hat on something that hasn't happened and as you would say "he isn't a winner and he has never had a winning season" Ha Ha. He hasn't done a thing yet so your still wrong on him.
I think that if Rex can get the guys to bring the same intensity he does they will be a pretty good team down the road. We will see how he works the HC job. A lot of times a good DC will work with the defense to much and the offense will suck or vice versa. We will see if he can balance the two.
Joined: May 2007
Current Posts: 1974
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yeah i agree so i will keep my mouth shut on rob until the seasons starts to end, lol....but you got me so far....but not since willie shaw have our d-coordinatros have been good....they have all sucked....i can only wonder why?...think you can answer that question?
i don't know why rame asked you that question, hell, he could have just caled me on da phone and asked me...we talk damn near every week at some point, lol...peace
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
My thinking behind our DCs is this. We don't hire guys who have had success as a coordinator, but rather position coaches who have had success in other systems. John Marshall is our first coordinator since Shaw that has had some success as a DC prior to coming here. We finally have a guy who has coached a whole D rather than just specialize in one area and trying to come in and run the whole thing himself.
Ha ha yea I actually forgot why you started calling me that to be honest. Maybe its because when you read my posts I have a British accent or something? LOL.
Joined: May 2007
Current Posts: 1974
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umm, i am late on this, but you just made a point that even i can't come back on...that was ahell of a point, we do normally have position coaches, lol...now we have a coordinator, so we will see...good point.
kensington chap was saul's con character on ocean's 13...lol....carl reiner was the actual person playing them all...
ol' chap is a name you would give to a hound dog...you know, the old ones who don't move around much, they just sit on the porch and it's like 110 degrees outside, lol.,...and they have flies around their heads and they don't bat them away, lol.
ol' chap....lol...hahahahaha....hey my dad is dying so keep the funny posts coming because i could use a laugh at this point in my life...peace
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
Ha ha I thought it was a pretty good point. All that aside though it remains to be seen if its going to make a difference.
LOL!! So I'm an old dog?! Wow what a nickname..... everyone gets something cool and I get not only mans best friend, but a dirty one at that. Ha ha And I'm not even allowed in the house when its 110 degrees out? thats just wrong. LOL
On a serious note though, I'm really sorry to hear about your dad. I'll keep your dad and your family in my prayers.
Joined: May 2007
Current Posts: 1974
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lol, hey you have seen a hound dog like that eh?....i don't think you can post pics on this site anymore, but i could easily find a pic like that...
ocean's 13 was on all this weekend, lol....i watched it all, i love those ocean movies.
you haven't seen that shiot yet?
yeah thanks about my dad....my dad obviously doesn't have a lot of blood anymore because even in the heat, dog dead heat, he wears about 4 covers on him....he no longer wants blood transfusions, the doc knows this and he secretly told my mom that he will make my dad do a blood count on the 30th (if he makes it that far, i think he will) and if his blood count is too low (and it is and will be) he is gonna keep him and send him to a hospice...
it's a trip, but i try not to think about it too much...but i tell ya...it's hard as hell maun....peace
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
Ha ha, I know exactly what you're talking about. I just think its funny you picture me that way.
I have seen all the oceans movies too. They are pretty awesome. I just like how they put everything together at the end.
So what are your honest expectations for this team this year? I don't need a predicted record or anything like that if you don't want, but do you think that we will be competitive unlike years past? You have any players your going to keep a close eye on whether it be because you think they might be good or because expectations are high on them?
Joined: May 2007
Current Posts: 1974
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maun i forgot about this post, lol...
hey maun you know i always give nicknames to certain people, lol...
So what are your honest expectations for this team this year? I don't need a predicted record or anything like that if you don't want, but do you think that we will be competitive unlike years past? You have any players your going to keep a close eye on whether it be because you think they might be good or because expectations are high on them?
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
Ha ha well I'm not asking for your yearly prediction, I was just wondering if you felt that we would field a more competitive team than in years past. Based on of the last few games and pretty much since Cable took over the play calling I thought we were a different team. I thought that we had a chance to win most if not all the games.
Ok... your 2 favorite players on this team.... Michael Huff and Javon Walker? Ha ha ha. I'm kidding. Nam and Fargas hands down. Porter would be another if he was still here.
There is a lot to be excited about with the run game. Assuming guys can stay healthy our attack should be one of, if not the best ground game in the league. Two bright young stars in Bush and DMC and then Fargas who is right there as far as hard nosed footbally goes. Neal is going to be huge for us if he still has it. He should help the passing game too and give Russell a bit more time to throw. We'll have to see. Camp starts here in a few days so that will give us something to talk about.
Higgins shoudln't really fall off much because like you said, he really didn't do much. I don't know that he'll start so I think his stats stay about the same. You're right about Richardson. I thought he would have had somewhat of a breakout year for us and instead it was Scott, which is another guy to keep an eye on and see if he can continue progress. Sam Williams should have been gone years ago. EVERYONE knows this Ha ha. Davis likes his speed to much which is a shame. The guy is always hurt and he is just taking up a roster spot.
I like Chaz too. I think he could be a pretty decent WR for us. At the very least serviceable. I was a little upset that I didn't hear his name when they were talking about Russell's camp, but I guess we will find out here in a few days if he is showing strides. Never know what he had going on so I wont hold it against him to much, it would just be nice to see some WRs that are going to see a lot of playing time attending something like that. Might lead you to believe that they actually like eachother and hang out regardless.
Thats awesome about your dad man!! He getting better??
Joined: May 2007
Current Posts: 1974
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it's hard for me to sit here and say that we were better with cable because this team would get blown out laughing while losing....they lost me when they did that and i won't forgive them for that....ever....i don't like that at all....they don't take winning seriously enough for me to say they will be competitive and i am one of those people who don't go by what a team did the season before at the nd of the season (if that makes sense)....they need to do that during the whole season, not just the end....i'm tired of the losing, that is all they do.
been on this site since '05 and it's the same thing every year, how guys on here saying "we got some good young talent that showed some promise last year".....i'm tired of that maun.
yeah we will see about our running game, i am not excited about it because they never do as well as we all think they will do, if we fall behind, that eliminated the run game right there....but i am excited about our new blockers....everything you said about davis when it comes to sam williams is true which is why i don't think much of his decisions....he keeps players for the wrong reasons....
my dad's condition won't get better, it will either stay the same or get worse, but that is it....he looks horrible tho....i hate seeing him like that...peace
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
Ha Ha How is it hard for you to say that we were better with Cable? I think it was pretty clear that he had the team playing together at the end of the season.
"they lost me when they did that and i won't forgive them for that....ever....i don't like that at all....they don't take winning seriously enough for me to say they will be competitive and i am one of those people who don't go by what a team did the season before at the nd of the season (if that makes sense)"
Actually, it makes zero sense. How can you never forgive them for not taking winning seriously last year, yet not credit them for the good end of the season run? By your thinking the season is over and done and nothing from last year matters.
This is a site about Raider football man, how are you going to go and say you get tired of guys saying that we have good young talent? Being a fan you mostly think your team is going to get better. Whats the point in being a fan of something if you never believe its going to get better? I wouldn't be on here talking to you if I didn't think we have things to talk about.
Ha Ha you don't sound like you're excited about anything this season. Might be a bad year for you man.
I bet its pretty rough seeing your dad like that. I couldn't even imagine. Sorry to hear you have to go through it, but I'll still keep your father and you and your family in my prayers.
Joined: May 2007
Current Posts: 1974
THE FUTURE
i will tell you why....i am a firm believer that what you do towards da end of the season will have nothing to do with what you do at the beginning of next season....this is how "i" think....i won 't speak for anyone else.....keep this in mind, we have lost 6 seasons in a row and since i have known you i have never seen this team win consistently....i remember in '04 when porter, gabe, curry and the rest of the gang went off and played well the last 6 games of the season with colllins at the helm and that was when i thought that they played great at the end of the season and i had high hopes for next season because of that....we won 5 games that year too by da way....
well, uhh, we all know what happened the next year, we only won 4 and i kinda learned my lesson on that....i remember talking to my dad (who is older than both of us put together) about that and he told me to never count on what a team does the year before....too much time has past...he was right so i don't worry about the last couple of wins....
i just want to see this team start off good because they always start with getting blowed out and it goes all down hill from there and that is a fact about them....but that is "my" thinking, we are all different so i don't expect you to think the same way.
yeah well it's only a bad year for me if my dad dies, not if oakland loses....they lose so much i am used to it....say what you will about my way of thinking, it no longer matters because you guys are gonna think of what you want of me anyways, but i'm a realist....but i tell you i am excited about the new additions in terms of barnes, satele, and neal, you need to believe what i say...i wasn't excited about "any" additions last season, lol....none of those former additions are here either....you thnk what i say to you is messed up, dude stew doesn't really like any of our players lol....i like at least a few, lol....i'm more a fan of the shield than anything else at this point because the players dont play worth a damn....
you got burgess not wanting to be here, i hear that the players at training camp are slouching around already....if they don't act excited then how can i get excited?....just gotta wait for preseason i guess.....
hey what do you think about walker being on PUP list...that guy is a wate of time dawg..peace
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
You don't have to believe the end of the season matters. The reason it never really matters for the Raiders is because we have a new coach every year so all the progress it looks like we are making goes out the window. Call it what you want, but 4-8 as an interim coach isn't bad when you have a team as bad and in as much peril as we were last season. Distractions seem to be gone, and if Chaz and JLH continue to improve we should be able to keep on track.
Ha Ha don't worry about what a team has done the year before huh? So Pitt might not be very good this year? New England might suck along with the other top teams. Thats how you base every team. You base how good they might be the following year on the previous and who they picked up and what they did in the off season. You can think how you want, but I'm not going to go into this season with a blank slate for the team. They showed progress.
Ha ha personally I don't care if your a fan of anyone or not. We all root on the same team and thats why most of us are here. Its the first freaking day of camp so who really cares if guys are slouching? they already said that guys are doing walk throughs basically. If they are slouching on the field come Monday while they are actually practicing then talk all the trash you want. guys take knees all the time on the sidelines after they get a rest.
Could care less about Walker's status. I don't expect him to be a starter or be a big contributer to this team so being on the PUP or being on the field practicing doesn't mean much to me.
Joined: Feb 2009
Current Posts: 902
for the end of last season...i was happy too but face it. the last game vs Bucs, Cadillac was SCORCHING our defense up until he re-injured himself.
and thanks to Bush having a career best game, we won
Consider Bucs kept failing in the whole month of December was why we were able to win.
just saying. hope we keep the momentum but this dang lack of stopping the run makes it IMPOSSIBLE to win unless our backs gain 200 yards
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
You can contribute any game to one guy playing better than the other. If Bush didn't play that game would we have won? I don't know, probably not. Had Cadillac not gotten hurt would we still have won? I don't know probably.
After watching those last few games of the season there is no question that we looked more like a team than we have ever looked in the past 6 years. If were at least competitive in all our games this year it will be a far cry from years past.
Joined: May 2007
Current Posts: 1974
THE FUTURE
if you ask me i predicted 5 games last seaosn anyway with the thinking kiff would be here so they somewhat matched what i thought...i want chaz to be good because i favor big wr's....i don't see what you see in higgins, i see a 4th wr at best....if walker plays well, it should be chazz, javon, bey and murphy....
hey i see that shields got let go eh?...lol....damn, a wasted pick....another fast guy who can't stay healthy....that seems to be the case with oakland for whatever reason.
everybody has their beliers and expectations so you just have to respect that and move on....i go off rosters and how they play from season to season....there are a lot of guys on the team that i don't believe and for good reason too....they prove me right every year about them....i won't really get into how i really think because i really don't feel like arguing with anyone....got too much going on in my personal life to do so....once i see this "whole" team take winning seriously i will say different but i don't see it right now....i will drop that subject right there.
i care about guys slouching because the way they practice is how they play on sundays....winning starts now if you ask me....there needs to be enthusiasm, this isn't a winning team, they gotta show some heart....i wish in was in the nfl, i would act much different than a lot of these guys....
i used to never care about slouching, mongoose hated when they did that, but now after all this losing i can see why he did....they have no reason to slouch....
i dunno maun, my expectations are much different than a lot of guys on this site, i really wanna comment on our fanbase but imma keep my peace for once....i just don't feel like fighting anyone right now.....peace
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
Chaz is the type of WR that Davis loves, he is big and fast... pretty much what he's hoping DHB is and that the two of them can be dangerous. I like the play making ability of JLH. I don't think that he is a spectacular WR and I think he is at best a 3rd WR. I thought he did good for us when he got the ball though. Walker is talking a big game right now and seems to think that he is going to come back better than ever. If that's the case I would love to see it. I hear Murphy is doing better than DHB. He is another guy thats big and fast.
My brother asked what I thought about Shields. I dont really care about him. He never played and the only good things I really heard about him were writen on Raiders.com and they write good things about every player. Chances are he wouldn't have made the team anyhow. It was one of those experimental picks and it didn't work out.
I don't consider taking a knee as a bad thing. If they are sitting on their arse thats different, but taking a knee is something most everyone does. In games guys sit on the bench and rest after their unit comes off the field and no one says anything about that, yet you take a knee after practice and everyone is all over it. I agree that its go time and these guys need to take things serious. Winning starts in the classroom and on the practice field, but as long as these guys are learning and playing hard what more can you ask?
Joined: May 2007
Current Posts: 1974
THE FUTURE
you are a very good friend maun...never let anyone tell you different mmkay?
i hear chazz is kicking [bleep] in practice...bey is not doing well overall and i found out his coach at maryland revealed that he had a hard time catching the ball at maryland....not good....one thing i don't like is how he shrugs off his problems....he says "hey, you catch some and drop some, no big deal"....i don't like that.....that would be like russ saying hey "you throw some accurate passes and you throw some incomplete passes, no big deal"...
i don't like that....bey isn't a good catcher, he wasn't one in college and he may not be one in the nfl...we will see, but what i am hearing about him isn't making me happy...what about you?...what's your take on it?
what round did shields come out of of?.....hey what is your take on da burgess stance?
in terms of your last comment on taking a knee, i respect your opinion....
umm, give me your take on stan routt....peace
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
Thanks man, I appreciate that. Even though it doesn't seem like it all the time I really do value your opinion.
To tell you the truth, I'm not surprised about Bey at all. I didn't really expect much out of him to begin with. I was hoping that the scouts saw something I missed, but I knew when he came in here that his hands were questionable. Giving him the benefit of the doubt though, its only a few practices (even though he dropped passes with no coverage) and we don't know if he is concentrating on running crisp correct routes rather than multitasking like the rest of the WRs and concentrating on both routes and catching. But to answer your question about Bey, this is exactly what I expected.
Shields was a 4th rounder. My guess is that because Schilens was a 7th rounder in the same draft and we're more impressed by him it leaves room for the release. Burgess is another thing I stand with my brother on. We have been talking about that for the past 2 or 3 years. Burgess get paid peanuts compared to some of these other DEs. I think that his timing is off though. He hasn't proved he can stay healthy and had he done this after his second year he would have been much better off.
What do you think of Routt? I don't know that I really have an opinion on him. He seems to play well in the dime and seems to struggle when he is the #2. I don't feel like he is a huge liability on the field, however if he is to start all 16 games I don't know that I would be comfortable with that.
Joined: May 2007
Current Posts: 1974
THE FUTURE
I was hoping that the scouts saw something I missed,
see that's what i was saying, you make me laugh without tryin' dawg, lol....he had a good practice yesterday and it was about time...we will see about this guy.....and yeah, he drops passes with no coverage, but hey, x says he is a beast and will be on the same level with randy moss....he really said this at one point, lol.....i will leave it at that.
Burgess is another thing I stand with my brother on.
hey maun?...thanks for consideing me abrother....it makes me feel good maun.
well i know lombardi promised him a contract extension with more loot, so he asked about it then....since lombardi has been gone davis won't give it to him....then you got guys like sands and kelly and wlaker getting money and none of them have lived up to their ocntracts, lol....then bey coming in with some of the worst stats i have seen for a college 1st round top 10 pick, lol....plus all the turmoil we had over the years, burgess should be pissed lol....
without burgess we won't have much of ap [bleep] rush, but we will see...thats my prediction...do you think we will be able to let him go in terms of trades?
gimme your comments on walter being a pat...lol...that may work out maun....bill takes our players and makes something of them.
what do you think of jay richardson, lol?....peace
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
No disrespect to X, but the guy toutes everyone as the next big thing. We all know that there is upside to a guy who is big and fast like Bey, but you don't really become a threat if you don't have to double team him because you're not affraid of him catching the ball deep on you.
Ha ha we talk so damn much on here we pretty much are extended family. I think that we will be able to shop him. I don't think that Burgess is done. I think he has some in the tank and it would be in out best interest to get him out there and play, but I don't see it. He is as good as gone.
Dude! I saw pics of Sands and he looks like he is in quite good shape! You know that I'm not a fan of the guy, but he looks like he is for real finally and maybe he will have a good year.... ha ha crossing my fingers.
I think its good for Walter. He will get a good shot at being a backup and showing his skills there. I think Walter could be a very good QB, but like most of the guys on the team the past few years he didn't look like he really wanted to play anymore. Good for Walter, hope things workout for him.
I think Richardson had an off year last year. I was pretty disappointed about that, but I think that with the surprising play from Scott they will push eachother to get some playing time.
What do you think so far about Branch? Hear he is doing quit well in coverage.... and then Mitchell seems to be doing well so far. Think we might have a pretty good Safety tandem finally?
Joined: May 2007
Current Posts: 1974
THE FUTURE
uhh, yeah....x overhypes.....he doesn't see it and he thinks he doesnt and gets pissed at me and rame for saying that he does, but he does overhype...i can't think of anyone he reps that has turned into the beasts and studs he said they would.
well nam, but i was the first to rep him...x got here in '07 and me in '05 so i got braggin right on him, lol....don't let x know that you think he overhypes for he will not like that, lol.
oakland seems like they are gonna release burgess.....if this is the case, no one will try to trade for him....i mean why?...his stats have fallen every year he has been here.
really?...and you didn't send me pics of sands?...not one damn time did you ocpy the site on here, lol....how unfair....i hope sands can play well but if gerrard starts over him, then i won't predict much from him....it would mean that he isn't doing all that great in practice.
if trevor is gettin' da sacks and jay ian't, i know which one will start, lol...jay is another tyler brayton....not good on sacks, but is good against the run.
if we are still gonna go with that whole thing about "strong front four pass rush" i don't expect us to get many sacks...peace
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
Whats with the subject tag? LOL
I don't think X will have a problem with my statement, just like I wouldn't have a problem telling him he was right when these guys do turn into studs and that he made a good call on them. We all have the same interest and thats the Raiders and wanting them to be great again.
LOL I don't care who was jocking who. Anyone can stake claim to liking anyone I don't care who liked them first. Just because some of these guys are older and have been Raider fans longer it doesn't mean they are better or bigger fans of the team.
You were right, Burgess is out of here, but at the same time I was right too. Ha ha we did end up getting a 3rd round pick which is good value for him I think.
I saw Sands in a pic on Raiders.com. I was just looking at the practice sessions and saw him and hardly recognized him. Hopefully it means he is serious and he will bounce back.
Richardson will get his playing time. We usually rotate the ends quite often in games just because we never really have a complete DE that can play every down and do both pass rush and stop the run. Good call on the Brayton comparison. I'm a fan of Brayton's though. I like his motor, but he didn't fit in out system.
Man! What do you think about this Crabtree hold out? Don't know how much of it is true, but if it is sucks to be the 49ers.... This was a pretty good article about it if your interested in reading it. I posted it on another thread too, but just incase
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=dw-michaelcrabtree080609&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
Joined: May 2007
Current Posts: 1974
THE FUTURE
who in da hell is sue?...lol.
yeah, but x has never been right on any player...he may be theonly guy on this site that non of his fav players turned into the "beasts and studs" he said they would.
hey, lelie has no job at all...lol.
naw maun, i had to go thru too many insults taking up for nam in '05...i'm staking my claim on that one....so forgive me and don'tinsult me because you dont know the nasty things i was called during that time...which is why guys like rame and mongoose show me love for sticking with him, lol.
i was right about derrick?...i thought i was wrong to be honest....anyhoo, we never do any good with trading with new england....our picks always suck in da draft with the picks they give us....al is just gonna draft a damn fast guy.
he continues to make new england better, lol....he can't trade with another team?...geez.
i hope sands start, if not he is useless because he is not a passrusher and they come on 3rd downs....if he starts, he can help stop da run.
out of curiosity, how did he fit our system?...he isn't doing all that great in carolina either....i gotta look at his stats, i know they are not impressive tho.
no need to look at the article, got the truth on tv.....that was his cousin who made the threat, he has nothing to do with his contract negotiations....the agent came out and said that was not true.....at the end of the day that is all that matters.
also, he isn't the only one who hasn't signed yet.....about 6 other rooks hasn't either....it's my understanding that al overpaid bey and his contract has screwed up other rooks wanting even more money now....lol...they all feel that they had better careers than bey so they want way more than him.
at the end of the day crab and the others who haven't signed is just locked into a damn j. russ situation....that is all it is....guys on here will make a big deal out of it because they want to make al look right...i will keep my last comment to myself to not piss you off, lol, about the fans on here and davis...peace
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
You just hurt some poor girl named Sue's heart... way to go man LOL!
DMC was pretty good when he was healthy. I'll give X his props though, he gets excited with all the players that come in here. We all get excited over certain players coming in here and if Everyone that X reps turns out to be the guys he says they are, we should have a dynasty! Ha ha.
I wont insult you aobut liking someone. I'm a big fan of Nam too and I personally don't care if you liked him first or what. Ha ha. I would expect Raider fans to like Raider players even if they aren't all that great (Teyo Johnson) Ha Ha. I have liked Mike Mitchell since someone on this site showed him to me on youtube before the draft. He is a Raider so now I'll get to follow him more, but if he does well I'm not going to go out of my way to say that I was the first one repping him you know what I'm saying?
I thought you said that we would trade Burgess in the next few weeks? I could be wrong. Davis has actually gotten better about drafting recently. We all know he doesn't have a great track (pun intended) record, however we also know that a lot of our later round picks recently have been pretty good.
Brayton didn't fit our system. Thats why we kept moving him from end to LB and back and forth. He is a starter in Carolina and he actually played pretty well for them. He gets after it even though he doesn't get a lot of sacks he is able to get pressure and is a nice compliment to Peppers.
Believe what you want about it being his cousin/ADVISER and not having anything to do with talks. You and I both know that whenever there is talk about the Raiders doing something and everyone says its just a rumor there is some shred of truth. His agent also said they don't do negotiations in public which leads me to believe they are trying to save face for Crabtree and make it look like the 49ers are being cheap. I don't believe a lot of that stuff however I'm pretty dang sure there is some truth to it. Cousin or not, the guy is his adviser so I would think he knows a little of what Crabtree is thinking.
Ha ha thats why you should have just given the article a gander. It was more about Rookies wanting more money than All-Pros and they haven't even done anything. I know guys are still unsigned right now. I was more referring to the fact that Crabtree doesn't seem to care.
I was on here a long with plenty of others bashing Russell for not getting into camp. It is very important to get guys into camp on time. Every day you miss puts you further and further away from being ready for your team and getting into a game. Look how much time Russell missed and he was still making up for it last season.
Joined: May 2007
Current Posts: 1974
THE FUTURE
umm, yeah but who is sue?...lol.
We all get excited over certain players coming in here and if Everyone that X reps turns out to be the guys he says they are, we should have a dynasty! Ha ha.
hahahahaha, yeah that is true....i never thought of that.
i sense your sarcasm about teyo....yeah he got released because norv didn't like him...he could catc tho, and lb's had a problem covering, he was fast and tall....norv wanted courtney anderson and cortney sold him out with a ton of dropped passes.
i saw mitch's highlights on youtube as well....i don't mind him, if you go by what i have told you since he was drafted, i have never spoken poorly about him....but if he doesnt pans out i will say some bad things about davis, lol.
yeah well we all do things differently, i tell people who i repped first, but that is just how i am.....turthfully i haven't repped anyone first since nam, lol....so it doesn't really matter anymore, lol.
I thought you said that we would trade Burgess in the next few weeks? I could be wrong.
i don't think i would have said that....i didn't think he would have been traded, lol...so i was wrong i think.
i think it's weird that we have had better late round picks than early round.....it's not supposed to be like that.
well, i disagree, i am not gonna sit here and believe an advisor, if the agent said that ain't true, then i believe it because the agent matters most.....had he said it then i would have not said anything.....so we have to believe what we want to believe.....i think it's overblown....let's not forget, russ signed like a couple of days before the season started if i can recall....
fans on here just want to be right about crabtree....they forgot russ damn near didn't sign with us until very late.....there was a point where our front office and his agent were not even speaking to each other....it's da same situation.....there are like 6 unsigned rooks right now....so it's still rather early....so why would i point out just crabtree?.
so lil bro, i won't make a big deal out of it.
more importantly, you said crab doesn't seem to care, i can't come to that conclusion because he has not spoken, lol...i need to hear him speak first....russ didn't speak neither during the process....so when it happened to him, i didn't comment much on it if you can remember.
even quinn took a while to get into camp....it's really about the agent.
i won't worry about crab until he actually doesnt sign.....he's a fool if he doesnt tho....peace and it's good to know we dont call each other ruthless names....it's all about respect right?
it's hard for me to say russ is still catching up....why?...well he has a new coordinator, lol....i think he and the rest of the offense is pretty even at the learning curve....had we still have had knapp i would agree with you...if al is always still getting new coordinators he will be a bust....alex smith....peace
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
In all honesty, I hope X is 100% right and I wish I felt as strongly about some of the guys as he does thats just not the case. We will find out soon enough and now Bey might not even play in the first preseason game so we might have to wait on him.
Teyo Johnson had a hard time getting open man what are you talking about? The guy never did anything for us. He should have been a mismatch because of his speed but he was a more a WR who wasn't fast enough for Davis so he was converted. Neither of them are all that good considering they are both out of the NFL.
Your chances of finding a quality player in the later rounds are actually quite high. They don't have the same pressures as first rounders and they don't come out with all the hype. If your a 6th rounder you come out with a chip on your shoulder and you want to prove to everyone that you can play in this league, if it doesn't workout then people usually expect something like that from a 5th rounder.
I point out Crabtree, because he is the only one rumored to be willing to sit out the whole season. I'm sure his advisor/cousin doesn't know the negotiations going on however I'm willing to bet that he and Crabtree talk about what he wants and what he is willing to do. Oh I remember when Russell was holding out and I thought the same thing. Had Russell's uncle said that he was willing to sit out the whole season I would believe him and I would have been ever more upset about it. Crabtree's story is big because of what the rumor is.
Ha Ha we have been talking long enough to not get all that offended by what the other is saying. Most of the time if it happens its just misunderstood.
Joined: Feb 2009
Current Posts: 902
old school = better fan.............in my opinion. and partly because young guys don't understand the team as a result of not knowing the history
the Raiders used to be the dominant team for the entire world. the winningest team ever. and they created a strong persona, heck the owner used to be the coach back then, and he was coach of the year in the NFL
he created teams with 1) Stellar Offensive Line led by Leagues Best Center 2) Frightening Defense led by BIG HITTERS 3) Great Coaching 4) Solid QB. that wasn't all they had, but, this was the core strategy. The style was to be able to have the deep threat, Al loved the long bomb....but focus having great blocking with tough/solid backs carrying. nothing fancy. just run right at em. on defense the style was LIGHTS OUT BRUTHA! WRs were freakin SCARED to DEATH playing the raiders. now offenses can't wait to play us. BIG DIFFERENCE.
so when you young cats start spouting off at the pie hole about how great these different fools are, its hilarious cuz the old school guys know what it REALLY takes to be good or great on the raiders and currently nobody but lechler and namdi even make the radar.
you know how much smack i talk about these players. at one time there wasn't a single guy on the team i was down on. imagine that. guess how many wins in those seasons? ;)
Joined: Oct 2005
Current Posts: 486
Wsup Sac,
Its your boy P-Rame and Im back cuz this article got me all riled up. Good job looking into some of the National Hatoration going on. 2 games? Dead Last? Are you f'en kidding me? Then this clown is saying things like, they are loaded in the backfield and Darren McFadden will be a fantasy stud. What team have you ever seen that has a fantasy stud running back and wins two games not to mention a loaded backfield with Fargas included? The Redskins fans think cuz they got Albert Haynesworth that makes up for their pathetic passing offense with Jason Campbell? DeAngelo Hall is their top corner! How does that sound? F off with this guy already. The good thing is dont we play the Skins this year? Oh I cant wait for that now! Take care.
I'm out
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
Damn man its been a while since I've talked you you! Glad to have you back man. Yea the article got me fuming! Couldn't quite figure out his logic by any means. Yea, we are still rebuilding, but I don't think we have gotten worse than last year. Time will tell and I can't wait for that Skins game too. Knowing our luck DeAngelo Hall is going to step up and have a good game against us. I'm just baffled that we are dead last on the list. I could unterstand 29 or maybe even 30, but there are still a few teams I can think of that can't be better than us.
Joined: Oct 2005
Current Posts: 486
Yeah Im back because our beloved team is about to hit the training camp in a couple weeks so I figured soon we will have some things to talk about but really there aint much so Im gald you put this article up. The 2-14 prediction is the part that makes the least sense but this is the Raiders and we have gone from bad to worse before.
I dont see that happening unless we suffer some injuries. Now as long as we beat the Skins and improve this year, Ill be happy. Russell will improve just dont know by how much and his weapons on the outside could use one really big time threat but what we have can get us by if we properly use our backs out of the backfield and of course the great tight end Zach Miller helps too. I could see being ranked real low too but dead last. I dont think so.
That dude will eat his words and another reason to look forward to this season is a return of fantasy football so I can go back after you, your brother, Navi and all the rest of the chaps! Im afraid to ask why Future calls you Ol' Chap but I will anyways. Y? lol
P-Rame
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
Yea we still have a few weeks for TC to start so there isn't much to talk about. I hope more comes out about Russell's private practices.
2-14 is the part that got me as well. I don't think we are a Super Bowl contender by any means, but I think we are far better than 2 wins. To me we don't seem to be going backwards only because we showed signs of promise last year and some of the guys will be a bigger part of the team particularly on offense. DMC will have a bigger role assuming he doesn't get hurt and Bush should have a bigger part as well. We should also have Chaz as a starter from day one and Russell should show signs of improvement. Ha Ha now this is all how things are supposed to go, but I know things wont work out quite as smooth. Ha Ha.
Ha Ha I think you beat me twice last year... I don't remember though, I'm sure you do. Ha ha I actually don't remember why he calls me that. He felt I needed a nickname so he made one up. I vaguely remember something about the movie Oceans 11 or something. You would have to ask him.
Joined: Oct 2005
Current Posts: 486
Yeah I guess I will talk to Future about the nickname for you and yes I did beat you twice last year but your brother beat me twice and that took me out of the playoffs. If I beat him towards the end I would have been set up lovely for playoffs. I forgot what the username on here is for the guy who won but he's going down too. I had one of the best teams in the league when it came to all the rankings but I started slow and then that loss to Valley threw my plan out. As far as your comments on the team, I pretty much agree with every word you said so not much to add there. Take care and see you on the draft board soon! I'm out
P-Rame
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
I think I lost in the championship in our league..... Ha Ha I don't remember really I'll have to go back and look at that. I'm not 100% sure but I think D1 might have won it all last year. I'll get you this year, don't you worry about that. Ha ha I don't care really how bad my team is just as long as I don't finish last.... or with 1 win.... (Xplosive). LOL I'll talk to you soon man.
Joined: Feb 2009
Current Posts: 902
1) face it our defense is HORRIBLE. we can't stop anyone. Huff and Eugene starting at safety? This is the worst starting tandem at safety in the HISTORY of the Raiders!!!
2) Face it Russell stinks. we won't win until garcia takes over. and then only maybe, who will he throw to? DHB worst pick of the draft.
Rookie coach. inaccurate kicker. poor special teams. weak QB. bad oline. horrible defense. i love the raiders but not much to love on this team. no leader. we have two good RBs but not a good FB. a good TE but don't use him much.
i have to think that we can beat denver and kc but then again, over the last 7 years victories against them are rare. maybe if mcfadden could bust out and become adrian peterson we'll do something. there's always hope. but i don't see us stopping the run. when you can't do that you can't win.
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
I agree with most everything you are saying and like I was saying I don't have a problem if he had us at 30 or 31, but I have a hard time seeing us ranked last in the league after a team went win less last season. Sure, no one liked the DHB pick at 7 (except maybe X) but its a bit extreme to rank a team based on that. Do you honestly think we will only win 2 games next season?
Joined: Feb 2009
Current Posts: 902
because, some people act like we have a good team. we don't. so the organization and fans should be saying "we're rebuilding" and even old crazy al should go against his permanently plug and play attitude and just say, we're young and young QB and it will be a season of learning.
i usually for some stupid reason always think we have a chance. not this year. this is a two win team. if it weren't for our division changing so drastically, in a negative way, i'd think we'd be this years' Lions...hoping for a single win. i just don't see the guys on this team having a winning attitude. I just don't see it. i'd like to
they need a leader. a guy that will stand up RIGHT NOW and say, you know what, we've sucked and that's it, NO MORE SUCKING! everyone give 110% and lets put the Raiders back at the top of this league, WHERE THEY BELONG!
in the old days if you were on the Raiders and DIDN'T have this attitude, someone on the team would kick your [bleep]! think Romo or before him think THE TOOZ. or Lyle Alzedo. or Tatum. they wouldn't take this nonsense!!!! and they didn't. and it showed.
Too much is missing, mainly, THE NASTY ATTITUDE. even the fans, i try to fly in here with a Nasty Raiders type attitude they get all girly. doesn't make sense. freakin RAIDAS!!!!!! knock some teeth out, run the ball down people's throat, and best of all Nasty as all hell DEFENSE!!!!! knockout defense. dang now its pattycake defense. maybe Rob RUN OF ME Ryan being gone can fix that. I'm PRAYING!!!!
so pretty negative but i think the missing ingrediants is coaches = we don't know how they'll do or what they bring to the table yet. they could be really good. i haven't heard much. what if they're great? could be a HUGE difference maker....anyone got info on the coaches? i don't.
Joined: Aug 2007
Current Posts: 652
that was lucid, intelligent, well written commentary with a hint of humility and optimism...Wt. F? I mean... ... ...WT. F?
Joined: Feb 2009
Current Posts: 902
i'm damn sexy. and brilliant. and a bad [bleep] mutha phuhka!!! like a TRUE Raider! and of course, i'm still committed to excellence
shadoobee!
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
I'm worried too, but the thing about our team is they COULD be good. We have a lot of potential talent and I think thats one of the things that gets some of us bent the most. We know they have guys that should play better. Call it coaching or just lack of interest, but this team COULD be good if they play together. Now granted the same can be said for anyother team in the league, but I stick by it with us LOL.
I don't know if I think we are that bad where we would struggle to win a single game. I think its more difficult to go winless than it is to go undefeated. You are going to get lucky at some point, but those Lions were just awful. There were very few starters on that team that would start somewhere else let alone be 2nd stringers. Again, Same could be said for us, but I think we have more talent than them in every position aside from WR.
I'm with you on getting a leader. I'm tired of seeing no comunication on the sidelines! I want to see more fire and I would like to see Russell step up to his roll. If anyone needs to be a leader and step up it needs to be him. On D it would be nice to see Nam step up as more of a leader. Morrison and Howard and even Kelly (who sucks but you don't pay him that much money and not expect him to lead somehow) need to start being more vocal. It would just be nice to see some fire in these guys rather than blank looks and barbi dolls.
I don't worry about how nasty the fans are. If we have people come out and cheer the team on thats all I care about. The last few games I have gone to have been pretty good with fans. They are still just as supportive (some) and just as loud, but its hard to back something for so long when the product is no good. And yes with Rob Ryan gone I'm pretty sure our run D is going to get better.
Coaches are a huge factor! I think Cable is going in the right direction, but I have no idea about any of the other coaches aside from Marshall. I don't think we have a bad coaching staff its just a matter of letting the coaches stay and actually get some connections with the players rather than switching them out year after year. A main ingredient to a winning team is stable coaches.
Joined: Nov 2006
Current Posts: 345
1) face it our defense is HORRIBLE. we can't stop anyone.
In our last 8 games in 2008 we played 6 playoff contenders and knocked 2 of them out of the playoffs. The defense held 5 of those teams to 17 points or less. We won 3 of the 8 games and were in position to win 3 more of those games if the offense could have scored 18 more points than they gave up.
Huff and Eugene starting at safety? This is the worst starting tandem at safety in the HISTORY of the Raiders!!!
It might be if it were the starting tandem but you have to be either ignorant or an imbecile to think they are going to be our starters...which is why this article is so bad. It is entirely possible neither of them will make the team.
At this point you can pencil in Davis and Branch. Davis has experience and Branch is going to be the playmaker Al had hoped Huff would be...if he can stay healthy.
Mitchell obviously will make the roster and undrafted free agent Jerome Boyd will probably round out our stable of safeties. Boyd (6-2, 217 Lbs, 4.33 40) isn't going to make it easy for Huff to make the roster. Huff's best chance to make the roster is if someone gets hurt or if they try to get away with stashing Boyd on the practice squad.
2) Face it Russell stinks.
If you had to go around wearing fur coats in summer while wearing 20 pounds of gold and diamond bling and carrying 50 Lbs of excess fat then you'd probably stink also but my concern is not what he smells like but how he plays so I'll stick to that.
we won't win until garcia takes over.
We play Denver and KC in the first 14 days of the season. It doesn't look like either team has helped themselves much during the off-season. I'd say we have a shot at beating both of them even with JR playing.
who will he throw to?
Watching Russell in 2008 I often was left asking myself that same question; "Who the hell was he throwing to?" ...but that aside he obviously improved as the season wore on and what was obvious to me is that we have very talented receivers in Schilens, Higgins, DMC, Bush, and Zach Miller. When healthy and in shape Walker is above average also. This year we'll have DHB, Miller,
Shields and a cast of others competing to round out the roster of receivers. There is no shortage of talent for him to throw his 20-25 passes per game to.
DHB worst pick of the draft.
Perhaps the biggest reach of the draft but you won't have to worry about him skipping out of OTAs. Hopefully he can stretch the field as well as he stretches hamstrings. Regardless the talent ahead of him means he won't need to contribute much until next year.
Rookie coach.
Calling Cable a rookie HC is like calling Jamarcus a rookie in 2008. Not quite.
inaccurate kicker.
I've covered that ad nauseum the past two years. Just so you're in the know Seabass is a bit above average in PATs and a bit below average in FGs. He isn't the problem with the offense.
poor special teams.
??? Again it looks like you missed 2008. We have a perenial pro-bowler punter in Shane Lechler. In kickoffs Seabass is the best in the league. For punt returns we have a pro-bowler in Justin Miller and for Kickoffs we have Johnny Lee Higgins who returned 3 for TDS last year and received pro-bowl consideration.
On special teams the only weakness we have are on our coverage teams. KO's are weak (27th) which increases the importance of Seabass' KO prowess. When you factor in onside kick attempts Seabass had the highest percentage of kick offs for Touch backs in the league. The only team that was close is Carolina and they have 2 place kickers, one does nothing but kick offs and still he didn't match Sebass.
weak QB.
With the addition of Garcia, a four time pro-bowler, alongside an improving JR there is no reason not to expect improved play from the QB position. How much improvement may depend on how our psuedo-rookie head coach utilizes the players he has.
bad oline.
I don't know that I'd agree with Bad as an assessment of the O-line. Collectively they were bad when we started 2008 because we definitely had one of the 3 worst pair of starting tackles in the league. That changed when Henderson replaced Harris. We're a right tackle upgrade from having an above average O-Line. With the additons of Barnes, Pear, and McQ returning at a minimum we've added quality depth.
we have two good RBs but not a good FB.
Lorenzo Neal is a 4 time pro-bowler. I'll reserve judgement on what he has left until he has had a chance to play. Oren O'Neal has the potential to be the next Lorenzo Neal though he won't start the season at 100%.
i don't see us stopping the run. when you can't do that you can't win.
In the second half of last season we gave up over 160 yards per game rushing and over 4.9 YPA...second worst in the NFL. In spite of that we won 3 games and were in position to win 6. If the offense can improve on TOP, yards per possesion, and points scorred then that could have a significant impact on the stats our defense puts up and our ability to win.
2-14? I think like you and X this hack has grossly over-estimated the importance of a draft on a team's performance that year. Much more important are the prior drafts. we could very well get a virtual 0 contribution this year from the draft and could still be significantly improved if the players from the past couple of years (McFadden, Bush, Zach Miller, Jamarcus, Schilens, Higgins, Henderson, Scott, Gunheim, Branch, Alston, Johnson) continue to improve.
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
Nice post man! While the team may not have gotten tons of talent elsewhere, if we can just get a bit of improvement from our key young players we should be in good shape this year. I also have to agree with you 100% that if our offense could hold onto the ball and extend drives it would make our D so much better. Its amazing how well our D looked to start games when they were fresh, and then to see them on the field for 78% of the time is pretty rough on any ball club.
Joined: Aug 2007
Current Posts: 652
You wield your logic as a Samuri wields his sword. Truly impressive man.
It almost seems unfair when your competition wields his logic as a moth wields the light.
Joined: Feb 2009
Current Posts: 902
i'll try to answer:
1) I was encouraged they didn't give up. the last game, I was ecstatic, because it SHUT UP all the leftover Chucky Lovers! FIRED! GONE! argument dead that we needed him. Cable just beat him at his house in Chucky's biggest game in a long time. that game got him fired.
Huff and Eugene: I disagree. No matter whom you pencil in as the tandem, it is the worst starting safety tandem in Raiders History. try to argue otherwise. its not an argument. its fact. heck we just lost OUR LEADING TACKLER (safety Wilson), from a team that simply CAN NOT TACKLE!
2) I guess you're agreeing that at the very least, Russell was extremely overhyped. actually i was never a fan.
I do think if Russell only has to throw 20 or less times he has a chance at victory, BUT ONLY IF WE RUN WELL.
as far as wideouts, they all stink. some show a little potential. but mostly bad hands, bad routes, lack of effort, lack of skill. i've seen flashes of athleticism but thats it. not like we have a rookie getting 16 td's like a little guy from the bay area did for the jags his inaugural year.
3) Ok i agree DHB biggest stretch of the draft which means the "worst pick" if you used a #7 on him.
4) Cable not a rookie but thats a play on Russell lovers, who still call him a Rookie.
5) "Inaccurate" is a word to describe field goals. sure he's good at touchbacks and they can help. but FGs are more important. and how many has he missed when the kick mattered? all but one.
6) special teams is always poor with this crew but i agree, last year was more positive. and with Lechler thats a big positive.
7) yes we have garcia now so QB position is improved. best offseason move by far.
8) i'd call our Oline bad. everyone else does. look, you need AT LEAST ONE pro bowler on the line to call it above normal. compare this line to great Raiders lines = laughable. for raiders to be great they MUST have a Pro Bowl Center. end of story.
9) i like O'Neal but he's out, injured. so he doesn't count. even when returns, it was a MAJOR injury. we don't know about him. Neal, he's way too old. sorry. hope i'm wrong and he kills people with his head! but its the NFL man. old guys are rare.
10) again we dumped our LEADING TACKLER. sorry but huff and eugene SUCK and somehow they end up in the lineup. our defense can't tackle. easy to see that. i like CJ and Nnamdi has a lot of respect but not against the run.
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
1. They definately didn't give up in the last few weeks and its great to see. I can tell you watch most all their games the last few years and the last 3-5 games were the most promising consecutive games I have seen in 6 years.
I can't argue about our Safeties. They are flat out bad and I cant say otherwise until someone steps up.
2. I have never been a fan of Russell either. Thought the guy was overhyped and his draft status was based off the Notre Dame/LSU game and thats the only reason he went as high as he did. To his credit, he doesn't turn the ball over a whole lot which is nice, but at the same time he doesn't do much with it to begin with.
20 or less passes a game for him I think is about right. If he is atleast somewhat effective it should balance our offense out and assuming play calling has a good mix we should be able to run if thats the case.
Our WRs (to me) are essentially all Devin Hesters. Lots of speed and IF you get the ball in their hands they could make some big plays but thats a big IF.
3. Hated the DHB pick too
5. No secret we struggle on FGs, but lets get the offense moving and put Seabass in position to make a decent FG. When you pull a guy out to attempt a 71 yard FG you have to start scratching your head. Then when he hits the uprights your pretty impressed by his power. You have to admit, that was pretty crazy. Again, I agree he needs to be more accurate from 40+. Ha ha believe it or not, the Lions were the most accurate kicking team in the league.
8. Our OL is bad, but you are basing it against our lines in the past. We usually always have a big strong line. I don't know if part of the problem is that we now have the ZBS so we have smaller guys or what, but this line is bad no questions asked. However! Its improving.
9. There was a reason Neal wasn't resigned and there was little interest in him. I have my doubts about him as well. I had been impressed with O'Neal since he got here. If he can get back to full strength he can be something special.
10. Poor takling has killed us for as long as I can remember. No one wraps and its frustrating. It all goes back to coaching. Its something so basic, but nothing these guys do. It would be nice to have guys blowing people us like the Raiders of old, but if it isn't you don't try to do it. If you can't lay a hit on someone just make sure you put him to the ground. Its nice to see us punish the offense, but I would much rather have them stop a first down than attempt to blow up the other team.
Joined: Aug 2007
Current Posts: 652
and he's carrying a lamp...
Joined: Jan 2007
Current Posts: 693
In this post finally again. lol. Sac you made some great points with that crappy media I agree with yah. Gasbag made some Great points as usual as well.
Great post.
X
Joined: Feb 2009
Current Posts: 902
or you'll bring out the Mothman. he scares me.
Joined: Aug 2007
Current Posts: 652
So does Batman....
I dig Catwoman though...
Joined: Jul 2006
Current Posts: 994
Found this article and its quite different than the [bleep] from Washington. This one at least seems to give us a fair shake of things.
Tom Cable is the fourth head coach for the Raiders in the past five seasons. Among his immediate predecessors, only one received a second chance, and Lane Kiffin was fired four games into that second season after clashing with owner Al Davis.
This means Cable had better win quickly if he intends to survive into 2010.
Unfortunately for Cable, the Raiders aren't built to do that. Their never-ending rebuilding project labors on.
The prospect of winning as many as eight games — something Oakland hasn't done since its 2002 Super Bowl season — hangs on a most unlikely candidate, young quarterback JaMarcus Russell.
Still, the Raiders will play hard for Cable, who replaced Kiffin and led the team to four wins in the final 12 games. But even that might not be enough to save Cable's job.
What's new
Offense: The Raiders like to run the ball and aren't afraid to use all three backs if that's what it takes to wear down defenses. Cable and passing game coordinator Ted Tollner no doubt would like to open up the offense, but that depends on pass protection, quick maturation by Russell and improvement by the wide receivers.
One of the offseason's most underrated and significant signings was veteran quarterback Jeff Garcia. For the first time, the Raiders have a viable alternative to Russell. Though Russell has a big arm and loads of ability, his play has been erratic, and this could be the make-or-break season for the 2007 No. 1 draft pick. If Russell struggles for an extended period, look for the Raiders to insert Garcia.
Injuries limited Darren McFadden to 113 carries and 29 receptions as a rookie. If he's healthy, he'll get the majority of work this year. McFadden has the strength to be an effective power runner but is more of a threat in the open field because of his maneuverability and speed.
The Raiders were criticized for selecting Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey with their first-round pick, but the speedster fits their need for a fast player who can stretch the field. His presence will help immediately.
Defense: The philosophy probably will change under new coordinator John Marshall. The Raiders liked to play a lot of man-to-man under former coordinator Rob Ryan, but they will be more varied under Marshall, the former coordinator in Seattle.
Though the Raiders will employ more tactics, look for Marshall to emphasize the coverage skills of cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and the speed of linebackers Thomas Howard and Kirk Morrison.
At end, Trevor Scott was a find as a rookie last season. He showed strong pass-rush skills and wound up as the Raiders' co-leader in sacks. He could push veteran Derrick Burgess out of a starting spot. With four sacks last year, Burgess had his least productive season since joining the Raiders in 2005.
Also in the mix is former Cowboy Greg Ellis. He was picked up late in the offseason and gives the Raiders a quality edge rusher who put up 20 1/2 sacks over the last two seasons for Dallas.
Burning question
Will there be a camp competition between JaMarcus Russell and Jeff Garcia?
"JaMarcus is the starter. He's the first pick of the draft a few years ago, so of course he's going to be the starter. (But) I don't see Jeff Garcia backing down. He wants to play; he wants to be on the field."
— Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha
View from the other sideline
An opponent breaks down the Raiders:
"What this team needs is some stability. They don't need to be changing coaches every year or two. They picked Tom Cable, and now they should give him the time to see if he can succeed.
"I'm afraid JaMarcus Russell is not the guy. He was easily confused and made a lot of bad decisions last year. But he's so young so he could get better. I'm also not sold on that offensive line. It's too inconsistent. That's too bad because their set of backs is good.
"Darren McFadden could have a big year if he stays healthy. I've always liked Justin Fargas. He's a tough runner. Nobody from that group of receivers scares you, but Zach Miller is a solid tight end. He catches everything.
"On defense, it's mostly a group of inconsistent players. The exception is Nnamdi Asomugha. He just might be the best corner in the league, so it's best to just stay away from him. The linebackers can run, so they can cause problems for you if you don't account for them."
Bottom line
The Raiders have a chance to win more than five games for the first time since 2002. But the best-case scenario isn't a lot better than mediocrity. The Raiders appear to be making progress, but it won't be noticeable unless Russell gets better.
If Russell shows measurable improvement, the Raiders have enough ability to get to eight wins. If he plays like he did last season, the Raiders will relive 2008 all over again and Cable might not be around to see the season end.
Projected depth chart
Offense
QB: JaMarcus Russell, Jeff Garcia
RB: Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas
FB: Lorenzo Neal, Luke Lawton
WR: Javon Walker, Johnnie Lee Higgins
WR: Chaz Schilens, Darrius Heyward-Bey
TE: Zach Miller, Tony Stewart
LT: Mario Henderson, Khalif Barnes
LG: Robert Gallery, Mark Wilson
C: Samson Satele, John Wade
RG: Cooper Carlisle, Paul McQuistan
RT: Cornell Green, Erik Pears
Defense
LE: Derrick Burgess, Trevor Scott
DT: Tommy Kelly, William Joseph
DT: Gerard Warren, Terdell Sands
RE: Jay Richardson, Greg Ellis
OLB: Thomas Howard, David Nixon
MLB: Kirk Morrison, Ricky Brown
OLB: Jon Alston, Sam Williams
CB: Nnamdi Asomugha, Darrick Brown
CB: Chris Johnson, Stanford Routt
SS: Tyvon Branch, Michael Mitchell
FS: Hiram Eugene, Michael Huff
Specialists
K: Sebastian Janikowski
P: Shane Lechler
KR: Justin Miller
PR: Johnnie Lee Higgins
LS: Jon Condo
http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/article/2009-07-08/raiders-camp-countdown-season-and-cables-fate-rides-on-russell
Joined: Feb 2009
Current Posts: 902
if you like to hype the bench warmers, this article isn't for you
if you are into REALITY, this is spot on. it actually gives me HOPE as i keep forgetting, Rob RUN ON ME Ryan is FINALLY GONE!!!!