Raider Notes:

Question: What do the Raiders have in common with a Slurpee?  Answer: 7-11

Huh?  Yesterday’s loss was the Raiders 11th this season breaking their own NFL record of seven consecutive seasons with 11 or more losses.

A roller coaster ride of a season that did give us some memorable moments.  Perhaps the most exciting game of the year was the “Bruce Almighty” win at Pittsburgh.  On the opposite end of the scale was the 38-0 drubbing at the hands of the NY Jets.  We learned that JaMarcus is a lazy overweight QB who prefers the jewelry store vs. the film room.  Once again we learned very little about Darrin McFadden.  Perhaps the most significant thing we learned is that unless things turn around Raider fans will no longer support the team by buying tickets to the game.  Attendance fell to low 1960’s levels, averaging a paltry 35,000 the last 4 home games.

The Raiders will have the #8 pick in next year’s NFL Draft  Their opponents for the 2010 season have been set.  Home games include San Diego, Denver, Kansas City, St. Louis, Seattle, Indy, Houston, & Miami.  The Raiders will face the following teams on the road: San Diego, Denver, Kansas City, SF49ers, Pittsburgh, Arizona, Jacksonville, & Tennessee.

More analysis to come…

Will Raiders Pull Plug On Cable?

(For the record I think firing Cable would be a mistake.  Plus who else would take the job?  The Raiders staff will meet this week to evaluate the team by position, then upper management will evaluate the coaches.  Only after this process is completed will we learn who Al prefers, JaMarcus Russell or Tom Cable…)

Here ia the much discussed article by Steve Corkran – Oakland Tribune:

All signs point to the Raiders joining a growing contingent that is severing ties with Cable these days and seeking a different connection.

In the Raiders’ case, that means parting ways with coach Tom Cable and hitching their floundering franchise to another coach who has a fresh set of ideas and the patience to put up with quarterback JaMarcus Russell.

Managing general partner Al Davis has yet to weigh in publicly on the matter. However, several people close to Davis say he is inclined to fire Cable and hire a new coach for the sixth time since Jon Gruden was jettisoned after the 2001 season.

Sunday’s regular-season finale 21-13 loss to the Baltimore Ravens did little to bolster Cable’s case for a second full season; he replaced the fired Lane Kiffin four games into the 2008 season.

The Raiders lost at home for the sixth time, allowed a handful of big plays and reached the 11-loss mark for the seventh straight season.

When asked if he expected to be the coach next season, Cable said: “I am, because I see, and you all see, too, where this team is going, and what we’ve been able to accomplish in proving some things.

“Where we are offensively since the Cincinnati game speaks volumes but, again, yeah, I’m pretty sure. As sure as I can be.” Not coincidentally, the Cincinnati game marked the beginning of the post-Russell era this season. The Raiders were 2-7 with Russell as the starter, 3-4 with Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye.

Yet, the Raiders became far more proficient in the passing game under Gradkowski and Frye the final seven games.

For his part, Russell said his play this season was “shaky” and that he needs to work on “everything” in the offseason.

“There’s always room for improvement,” Russell said Sunday. “Why not start with yourself, from the top to the bottom?”

In the end, Sunday’s game will have little, if any, impact on Davis’ decision on whether to bring back Cable or begin anew once again. Cable said he has not received an assurance from Davis that he will be asked back.

Davis’ decision, the sources said, will be predicated more upon Cable’s inability to coax more points out an offense that Cable directed and his refusal to stick with Russell beyond nine games.

Davis isn’t ready to give up on Russell after only three seasons, even if it took Cable only 21 games to determine that Gradkowski and Frye “give us a better chance to win.” Davis has a ton invested in Russell, for sure. Russell was the No. 1 pick of the 2007 NFL draft and is in to the Raiders for $39 million so far.

In return, Russell has guided the Raiders to just seven victories in his 25 starts, and was the league’s lowest-rated passer and owner of the worst-completion percentage this season.

Russell is the only one of Oakland’s top three quarterbacks under contract next season. Gradkowski and Frye signed one-year contracts and aren’t assured of returning for a second season.

It’s likely that the Raiders will attempt to re-sign Gradkowski based upon his solid play in relief of Russell. Russell is slated to earn a base salary of $9.45 million in 2010, of which $3 million is guaranteed regardless whether he is on the roster.

Cable has made it clear on more than one occasion that he doesn’t view Russell as a suitable option as the unquestioned starter as long as Russell struggles with his weight, accuracy and work ethic.

On Sunday, Cable said that there’s hope for Russell as an NFL player, though he wouldn’t commit to him as the starter next season.

“There always is for anyone who has the talent,” Cable said.

To a man, the Raiders are behind Cable. They point to his consistency, focus and dedication as reasons why they want him back, the team’s 5-11 record notwithstanding.

“It’s huge,” right guard Cooper Carlisle said of bringing back Cable. “He deserves a shot. He had some tough breaks early. Everybody respects him, everybody plays hard for him, and he does a lot of things that are positive and that work.” Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha said it would be “big” to stay the course with Cable.

“Sometimes it doesn’t take a coach two years, sometimes it does take him three,” Asomugha said. “Tom during his speech today said, ‘This is a playoff team and next year we’ll be in the playoffs.’

“We started to get a rhythm and we started to understand what we were doing. I would definitely try to get Cable back, just because that gives us some consistency.”

Asomugha said he and the other team captains will voice their support of Cable if the need arises.

“It’s very important to have that consistency,” Asomugha said. “Any business or company that is continually changing the boss or CEO, they have a tough time with whatever it is they’re doing.” Yet, several players said, they realize that no amount of support might be enough to save Cable if Davis wants to make a change.

“The offseason is about to hit right now,” defensive tackle Gerard Warren said. “We’ll see what decisions Mr. Davis makes, who needs to stay, who needs to go, what changes need to be made.

“Guys fought with a lot of effort this year, but 5-11 just don’t get it cut, man. We’re trying to be in the playoff race and go try to get this (Super Bowl) ring. That’s what the game’s all about.”

Fans Send Sizeable Message To Al Davis

The following is a press release from a group of Raiders fans announcing the posting of a billboard on I-880, near the Oakland Coliseum, that asks Al Davis to remove himself as managing general partner:

ERIE, Pa. – – An international “grass roots” fan effort over the internet, headquartered over 2000 miles away from Oakland, has led to the posting of a billboard this morning on (I-880N) the east side, near High Street. The message on that billboard is a plea to Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis to “step down” as general manager.

The effort is led by 22-year-old Jared Staszewski of Erie, Pennsylvania, who along with several other “disenfranchised” Raiders fans got together on an internet fan forum and decided that they would like to send a respectful message to Raiders owner Al Davis, asking him to relinquish operational control of the team to a Professional General Manager and winning coach who will not be “managed” from the owner’s box.

“We have nothing but respect for Mr. Davis and what he has done for the team over the years,” Staszewski said. “But that effort and our championships are in the past. I have been a loyal fan since 1993 and in those 16 years we (the Raiders) have only had four playoff appearances. We are now on track for our seventh losing season in a row and we believe something has to change,” he said.

“We thought a billboard, posted near the stadium might generate some awareness, create a dialogue among the ‘Raider Faithful’ and perhaps make a difference,” Staszewski said. The idea and discussion spawned a web site www.messagetoal.com to encourage signatures for a petition to the legendary Raiders owner, while also helping to raise money to pay for the billboard.

In less than eight weeks (and mostly through a word-of-mouth effort) MessageToAl.com has secured credit to get the billboard posted by their Dec. 1 target date, has raised nearly $2,000 of the $5,500 cost for the space. MessageToAl.com has also secured more than 21,000 signatures (toward their goal of 50,000 signatures) for their petition asking four things of Al Davis:

1. Please step down as “General Manager”
2. Hire a new GM
3. Hire a “Super Bowl” caliber coach
4. Agree to refrain from intervention in personnel or football operational matters

Staszewski said the strategy for the site www.messagetoal.com was based on some political web sites he had seen where visitors could express themselves and provide monetary support for a campaign they believed in. “This has been a labor of love for a lot of people who have pitched in from all walks of life and many locations to help send a message to the Oakland Raiders organization for change to help bring our beloved franchise back to the top, where it belongs,” he said.

“One fan designed the site. Another helped with the graphics, copy, and helped us establish a secure means of collecting donations. It has really been inspiring to see the commitment and passion these fans have for the team we have (and will) continue to support. Some disgruntled fans of other teams have worn “brown bags” over their heads or staged protests to try to get their message out there. We believe this billboard is a respectful way to give this initiative a voice and to ask Mr. Davis to allow the team to realize its potential,” Staszewski said.

The billboard, owned by Clear Channel media is scheduled to be posted this morning, along Interstate 880N, just ½ mile from the stadium and on the east side of the highway near High Street. Staszewski has faith that fans will continue to visit the site to help pay off the line of credit which has secured the posting. “We know times are tough and we’ll appreciate any support of and/or contributions to the cause,” he said.

“We believe in the organization and we hope that Mr. Davis might become inspired to ‘do the right thing.’ We believe he, our loyal fan base and the entire Oakland region will all benefit if we are to achieve our goal. We didn’t want to sit back and simply complain about our situation. We want to take steps to do something about it. We can’t make draft picks or coach from the stands. We can, however, bring the issue to light and respectfully request that the organization make some necessary changes which we believe can help the Raiders to fully realize their potential and to once again be considered among the NFL’s elite teams,” Staszewski said.

To learn more about this effort, to sign the petition, to help pay for the billboard, or just to help out, please visit www.messagetoal.com

Raiders senior executive John Herrera had “no comment.”

* From RaiderBeat.com

The Origin of Thanksgiving Day NFL Football

When did the tradition of Thanksgiving Day football begin?

My earliest memory of Thanksgiving football was 1970 when the Raiders lost an early lead to the Detroit Lions behind Charlie Sanders & Mel Farr.  I was 9 years old.  The tradition of having an NFL game on Thanksgiving began in 1934.  The Detroit Lions were trying to capture some of the popularity of college football and thought a game on a national holiday would be a good marketing concept.  For many years the game was always Green Bay at Detroit at Briggs Stadium.  Fans could go to a game and still be home in time for Mom’s traditional feast.

Pete Rozelle wanted to capture more of the TV market so in 1966 he tried to sell the idea of a second game on Turkey Day.  The Cowboys agreed to give it a try and they have been hosting a game on the 4th Thursday of November ever since.  Now we simply accept these two games as being as much of a Thanksgiving tradition as the Macy’s parade and the cooking of a turkey.

The launch of the NFL Network gave the league an opportunity to provide fans with a 3^rd Thanksgiving game in 2006.  At the time it was thought that the last game on Thanksgiving would always be played in Kansas City in honor of longtime owner Lamar Hunt.  This however did not prove to be the case.  Perhaps all those in the east were far too full or fast asleep for this game to get decent ratings.

For most of us NFL football games in Detroit & Dallas has always been as much of a Thanksgiving tradition as driving to Grandma’s house.  It has become so ingrained in our culture that it’s hard to imagine it any other way.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Why JaMarcus Russell Hasn’t Been Benched

Ja-think JaMarcus should be benched?

Can you say Ja-BUST?

Until JaMarcus decides to put forth the effort necessary to be a successful NFL starting quarterback he will continue to stink.  At this point it wouldn’t matter if his wide receivers were Jerry Rice & Tim Brown, he would still over or under throw them.  Like a pitcher who has lost his release point, Russell needs to go back to basics, improve his techniques, be coached properly.  You can lead JaMarcus to the coach but will he listen?

We know he’s not as bad as he has played this season.  We also know he will never be great.  He could be an average QB if he put in the work. At this point being average would be a HUGE improvement!

His lack of production is killing the team’s moral.  Sunday against the NY Giants the Raiders trailed by a huge margin early in the game.  Most NFL teams go into “catch-up mode” which means abandoning the run, opting for all passes.  Because of JaMarcus’s inept passing the Raiders only passed the ball 13 TIMES in the entire game!  Basically they were forced to give up, kill the clock, and warm up the airplane for the long ride home.

Why haven’t they benched JaMarcus?

When Al Davis fired Lane Kiffin he announced during that press conference that Kiffin was critical of Russell.  Al stated publically that the Raiders could win with Russell, and that Kiffin was wrong.  Out of stubbornness, wanting to show up Kiffin, and to not admit he was wrong Al will force Tom Cable to play JaMarcus until he gets injured.  Al will die with his diamond encrusted JaMarcus boots on.

Tony Dungy Advised Michael Vick Not To Play For The Oakland Raiders

NBC analyst Tony Dungy said he advised Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick against signing with the Oakland Raiders during training camp.

“I advised Michael Vick not to go there,” Dungy said Sunday. ”I said, ‘Mike, you might be able to start there but that is not a good place for you.’ ”

What someone forgot to tell Dungy was that the Raiders had no interest in Vick.

While the Raiders have had there own issues at quarterback, Vick’s 39.6 passer rating this season still lower than JaMarcus Russell’s 47.1.

If Dungy is going to hitch his wagon to the Vick gravy train, his legacy may be as the man who brought back the troubled Vick. Or, Dungy could just be trying to deflect attention from the fact that every team he has left immediately improves.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl the year after he was fired, with former Raiders coach Jon Gruden making the calls, and the Indianapolis Colts are undefeated since he stepped down at the end of last year.

By Paul Wexler, RaiderBeat.com Staff Writer

Week 5 Warning To The Sports Gambler

Beware of the big numbers!

Of the 14 NFL games scheduled for this weekend there is an abnormal number of large pointspreads.  If you are one of the millions who occasionally puts a wager on a game this article is a must read for you.  Risk takers beware, Las Vegas has set some traps for you, traps that are sure to benefit the house.

There are 14 games scheduled but only 13 lines exist.  Due to the unknown QB status in Seattle there is no line on the Jaguars at Seahawks game as of this moment.  Of the 13 games:

-      2 games have lines of more than 14 points

-      4 games have lines of 10 pts. or more

-      6 games have lines of more than 7 points

-      6 games have road favorites

Might it just be a coincidence that all the good teams are playing all the bad teams?  Perhaps, but still there are too many road teams favored, and too many big spreads.

It’s difficult to imagine a scenario where the Raiders could compete with the Giants in New York.  The great equalized is the 16 points you would be getting should you take Oakland.

Popular teams like Dallas & Pittsburgh are traveling this week, yet still they are expected to win their games by a large margin.  Experience tells us winning on the road in the NFL isn’t that simple.

Then there’s the scenario that the Minnesota Vikings are facing.  After their emotional victory Monday night vs. the Packers the Purple Gang will have to deal with a short practice week, traveling to another city, & the obvious letdown factor.  Granted they are playing arguable the NFL’s worst team in the St. Louis Rams, but I still wouldn’t be comfortable laying more than 10 pts on this game.  It reeks of a trap.

An undefeated Broncos team is playing in the thin air at home on Sunday and yet they aren’t favored.  Why?  They are hosting the popular New England Patriots & Tom Brady.  Recent history has shown that the referees tend to help out the Pats, but again I wouldn’t be too confident putting my chips down on the favored Patriots.

In both Sunday & Monday night games the home team is getting the points.  Coincidentally both home underdogs were playoff teams last season.  Beware of the traps set in Tennessee & Miami.

Over the years I have learned that beating the point spread is not as easy as it appears.  I don’t condone gambling on sports, no matter how much fun it is when you win.  The only rule I have about betting on the NFL is: There is a reason those casinos in Las Vegas are so spectacular, they are paid for with the gambler’s money.

With that disclaimer out of the way I know that many of you will plunk down your hard earned green hoping to make some quick ca-ching.  Be careful, this might not be the weekend to go hog wild!

NFL Week 4 Observations

4 weeks into the season & I’m already looking ahead to the Draft!

I guess I’ve been forced to adopt the 49ers as my backup rooting interest to go along with Gang Green (the Eagles).  The Raiders are truly horrible, I’m finally realizing that until Al croaks it will always be this way (I know I’m probably the last person on earth to admit this).  More bad news, McFadden is out 4-5 weeks with a knee injury, & coach Cable says he’s still sticking with JaMarcus.

I’m telling all my friends that my NFL loyalties are now up for bid, will sell my rooting to the highest bidder (so long as it isn’t the Denver Donkeys).  I accept Paypal!

Notes-

- Gotta love the Saints.  Two playoff wins in the team’s entire history.  I hope they do well this season.

- End of game play calling & clock management by Dallas was terrible.  The coach should get more heat than Romo.

- The “Man-Genius” has his Browns playing as well as I predicted (0 for 4).  Until he gets fired he will continue to be the worst coach in the NFL (by a huge margin).

- Will the St. Louis Rams win a game this year?  Only if Cleveland is on their schedule.

On a lighter note…

- We witnessed two possible playoff previews last Sunday in the Pitts-SD & Balt-New England games.  High octane quality football is what makes watching the NFL so great.

The San Francisco Giants Magic Summer

Renteria Slams Rockies

One week to the day after the 14 inning meltdown that had even the most loyal Giants fan contemplating alternative plans for October, and look at the standings now.  Our national pastime, the great game of baseball is serving up something special this summer in the city by the bay.

What was thought to be a season of low expectations is instead providing more highs & lows than a roller coaster ride.  We’ve witnessed the emergence of a power hitting Panda, a pitcher being carried off the field after being hit in the head by a line drive, the tragic death of team owner Sue Burns, and a grand slam by an unknown catcher named Eli Whiteside.  The uniform #22 was previously worn by Giants royalty Will & Jack Clark, and now it’s worn by a guy who until this year had only 12 at bats in the majors (and that was 4 years ago!).  It could only happen in the summer of magic.

Like a journeyman boxer with a strong chin the ’09 Giants have proven they can take a punch.  When all looks lost they keep getting up off the canvas to throw more punches.  Is this the allure?  Or is it their lineup of relative no-names being able to contend in a sport ruled by superstars?  The answer could just be the unexpected result that occurs when a round ball is met by a round bat.

The summer of magic has already seen great moments, Randy Johnson winning #300, a no-hitter thrown by the starter least likely to succeed, and a Renteria slam to win a game that looked lost.  We should have known that something special was in the offering when on the same day the Giants honored it’s black sheep Jeff Kent, they also gave much maligned Barry Zito a curtain call.

Whatever the future holds for this scrappy bunch they have already exceeded far beyond anything we could have imagined.  At this moment on this day the San Francisco Giants are tied for the Wild Card spot, nobody would have believed it back in April..  If it all falls apart tomorrow one would still have to call it a season of success, yet somehow I suspect that the grand game of baseball has much more in store for the 2009 San Francisco Giants in their summer of magic.

An Insider’s View of the Oakland Raiders Summer Camp

With the Raiders first preseason game being Thursday night against the Dallas Cowboys I figured it was time to give all of you an update on what’s been going on at training camp so far this year.  As expected there are several intriguing battles for starting positions & unfortunately there have also been some injuries as well.

Until recently the weather has been too cool for my liking, the guys need the heat to be properly prepared for the long season that awaits them.  Also interesting is the lack of the “two-a-day” practice sessions that have been a long standing tradition for the Raiders summer camp.  For the last few days there has only been one practice session per day, all full pads practices with hitting, but still only one per day.

OFFENSE

QB JaMarcus Russell in only his 2^nd training camp has looked sharp at times and he is displaying signs of leadership.  His weight is a bit large but that will come off quickly, and consistent passing accuracy is an area needing improvement.  Many forget he wasn’t a 4 year starter at LSU and he is still in the development stages of his career.  Overall the young QB has been impressive and his future looks bright.

Many considered former 49ers QB Jeff Garcia to be the automatic #2 QB, which may be true, however the 39 yr. old Garcia has been unable to practice for a week due to a chronic calf strain.  It is unlikely he will play vs. Dallas.

The only perceived competition at QB is for the #3 spot between Charlie Frye & Bruce Gradkowski.  So far the battle seems to be one-sided.  With Garcia out of the mix this week both Charlie & Brad have been getting more than their usual number of reps.  While Frye has displayed sharp passes & consistent accuracy on deep throws, Gradkowski has been just average.  Expect to see much of both men on Thursday night.

At RB there appears to be too many good players for just one football.  Justin Fargas, Darren McFadden, & Michael Bush will all be a part of the Raiders ’09 ground attack, the only question is who will start and who will come off the bench.  Based up early signs I don’t see how they can keep Bush out of the lineup, he has looked like a beast so far.  In a blocking drill he laid out a LB in perhaps the best hit of the camp so far.

Often forgotten in the role a RB plays is the ability to block a blitzing LB, just ask Napolean Kaufman why he was never a 3 down RB, or why Jeff George was always sitting on his ass.  This appears to be a huge area of improvement this year as both Bush & McFadden have displayed crunching blocking power early on.  Quietly the Raiders signed veteran FB Lorenzo Neal who brings leadership, playoff experience, and a history of blocking for some of the NFL’s best ground attacks (his value is extremely underrated).

McFadden still has speed to burn & in my opinion he is one of the league’s best open field runners.  His turf toe is healed, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him gain more than 1500 combined yards from scrimmage.  His hands have been consistently reliable, he will be a star in the NFL.

Last season the Raiders offense was hampered by a weak crop of WR’s.  No deep threat, inconsistent hands, lack of big play potential.  In game #15 last year they let the young guys play and JaMarcus & the Raiders offense was the beneficiary.  The clear #1 WR this summer has been Chaz Schilens who has dominated against the Raiders solid secondary.  At San Diego St. Schilens did everything to be a top pick in the NFL Draft until an injury caused his stock to fall.  Not healthy until late last year he never really had the opportunity to show his stuff, but he sure did in game #16.  Now he is not only healthy but wiser & better from professional coaching.  Chaz has consistently made the top catch of the day all summer.

Quietly Johnnie Lee Higgins (who I always liked & promoted from the start) has had an extremely good camp to date.  He just makes every catch, improved his blocking, and has established himself as the clear #2 WR in the Raiders’ offense.  Unfortunately because of his diminutive stature he may end up being the #1 slot WR.  I am probably safe in saying that he has finally outgrown his days of kickoff & punt coverage, he has become too valuable at WR & as one of the league’s top punt returner.

So where does that leave the bum that is Javon Walker?  The former Denver Donkey gone bad is actually surprising people with his work ethic.  Let’s not get carried away, while he does seem to have a new & improved attitude he has yet to practice with the team due to a “mysterious” knee operation this offseason.  If hope springs eternal he has to be better than he was last year.

Another big surprise this summer has been the Raiders draft pick from the National Champion Florida Gators Louis Murphy.  He has shown nice hands, tremendous route running, and a toughness that made him the #1 WR for the Gators in their championship game.  Yes the NFL is littered with former Florida WR’s who never made it, but the difference could very well be toughness.  Murphy just this week went fist to fist with fellow rookie safety “tough guy” Mike Mitchell.  Perhaps most importantly is that Louis has looked sharp catching passes consistently over the middle demonstrating an ability to get open.

At Tight End it is clear that Zach Miller is the solid starter, the only question appears to be the progress of draft pick Brandon Myers out of Iowa.  The Raiders traded up to select Myers in the 6^th round to be a compliment for Miller, which means they want a TE that can run block.  So far Myers has done that, but he still needs to demonstrate an occasional ability to catch the ball during the preseason.

The O-Line suffered a huge blow when free agent potential starter Khalif Barnes was injured last week.  The man who was the starting tackle for Jacksonville will be out 4-6 weeks with a broken ankle when someone fell on the back of his leg.  He was fortunate it was only the ankle because his knee was also severely twisted on the play.  As a result it virtually hands the starting LT job to the young uprising Mario Henderson.  He has looked solid so far.

Gone is often injured center Jay Grove to a huge free agent contract in Miami.  Ironically the Raiders then traded for Miami’s former center Samson Satele.  The complaint against Satele was that he was sometimes outplayed by some of the larger nose tackles, but he is only 24 yrs. old and he started every game for the last two seasons for the Dolphins.  He still has an upside unlike Grove, and he cost a hell of a lot less.

Judging the O-line’s summer progress is always difficult, perhaps the proof will be in the rushing total during the next few preseason games.

The only other note re: the line is that RG Robert Gallery just returned to practice yesterday due to an unplanned appendectomy just a few weeks before summer camp began.

We would like to see the Raiders young offensive line get as many reps together as possible.  The Barnes injury is a tough blow, let’s just hope Henderson continues to improve.

The pace of summer camp has been a bit slower than I would like to see.  Much will be determined by the preseason games, it should be fun to watch.  Let’s just hope positions are decided by ability and not injury.

It all begins Thursday night in Oakland vs. the Cowboys.

(I will post a Defensive & Special Teams Update later)