As you know, Raider Take is proud to be the official home of Oakland Raiders Haiku. In fact, I captured the entire 2005 season in haiku, from the soaring optimism of the season kickoff haiku to the dismal depths of the final game haiku.While haiku is a centuries-old Japanese art form known for its delicate use of language, it has also proven ideal for succinctly capturing the Oakland Raiders ethos of long bombs, hard hits and outlaw ambiance. How can this be? Let's just say that some mysteries are best left unsolved.
Which (surprise!) somehow brings us back to Paul McQuistan.
Now, I must tell you that I tried not to write another Paul McQuistan take this week. I've been yapping about this guy ever since this take. I don’t want to become a one-trick pony. However, sometimes I must allow the rising tide to float the Raider Take boat, and this is one such instance. The outpouring of love for this big kid has been sudden and seismic. So let’s just call this week what it is: Paul McQuistan Week. He even got his own fan club. We can get back to regularly scheduled programming on Monday.
I don’t want to hear that Paul McQuistan hasn’t proven anything yet, and that he is therefore unworthy of such grassroots enthusiasm. The fact is that the enthusiasm exists, no matter how irrational you think it might be. Trying to rain on the Paul McQuistan parade is like arguing with Beatlemania or pet rocks. The Raider Nation is throwing a party on behalf of Paul McQuistan. Why? Who cares? Just pour me a beer and turn up the music.
On that note, and without further ado, Raider Take launches the 1st Annual Paul McQuistan Haiku Fest. If you would like to participate, just let it rip in the comments section. Haiku rookies are encouraged to attend the Raider Take Haiku Minicamp before taking the field. Now allow me to blow the whistle and get things started:
Flaming mullet: a
beacon of nasty, back to
glory he guides us.
So there you have it. Let the games begin, and may the best poet win.
P.S. Special thanks to AllyOop for the idea, and to Raider Nate and McQuistan Fan for greasing the poetic wheels…
Aaaah! I thought it was 5-7-5 in word, not syllable. My bad. so here we go....Complete with Titles
ReplyDelete#1-I'll Take One McNasty, Please!
Defensive lineman
Charging like a raging bull
Crushed by McNasty
#2-The Trench War
Protect the QB
Make room for the running game
The Raider way wins
#3-McNasty Mystique
Unproven hero
With a cloud of excitement
Has Black Hole buzzing
Whoo hoo! The Paul McQuistan Haiku Fest has arrived! Here's my first submission:
ReplyDeleteCarrot top lineman
Freckled arms reaching forward
Whap! Right in the mouth
from mperkgod:
ReplyDeletehere's my lame haiku effort...
Titled: "Red Destruction"
Big and strong scary
Mullet so long he's hairy
Punish the defense
Here's one entitled "McQ"
ReplyDeleteSmash-mouth, up the gut
Coach is watching, must do well
Down you go, we win.
Just as long as he doesn't get a whistle blown for unneccessary roughness, here is mine.
ReplyDeleteWhistle blows, play dead
Flailing fists still ravaging
Until face hits dirt.
Protegé McQuiz
ReplyDeleteAl's approach he will embrace
My prediction? Pain
This picture inspired a haiku moment for me: Paul McQuistan
ReplyDeleteDreaming of glory,
he stretches on the green grass
of Oaktown. He's home.
my first ever haiku:
ReplyDeleteRED ROADGRADER
New big red manplow
with closed eyes i imagine
makes me smile inside
BTW, i am an o-line coach, lol. my haiku is from that perspective. our three big boys (shell, slater and eatman) have a brand new toy.
D-linemen beware
ReplyDeletethe red beast looms in the night
in silver and black
Flame headed field ox
ReplyDeletePlowing the painted green turf
Making grown men cry
The Raider Nation poets have been unleashed! Our haiku will strike fear into the quivering hearts of Denver, Kansas City and San Diego.
ReplyDeleteQuick footed beef slab
ReplyDeleteClaret crowned, raging Raider
The new Wisniewski
Raider Take said,
ReplyDelete"The Raider Nation poets have been unleashed! Our haiku will strike fear into the quivering hearts of Denver, Kansas City and San Diego."
That's not in Haiku form! Ha, just kidding, master of this domain.
Hey, if McQuistan turns out to be complete bust, will this poetry be used against us? If we were doing this ten years ago, there would probably be some pretty bad Matt Stinchcomb poetry floating around out there. LOL
ReplyDeleteStinchcomb was stinky
ReplyDeleteQuixotic McQuistan ain't
I disagree, Doobie
Good point, Raider Nate, therefore:
ReplyDeleteUnleashed, haiku of
the Nation; shivers and shakes
the AFC West.
Doobie, that's a very scary thought. We must rely on McQuistan to fulfill our prophecy.
However, we must also remember that haiku is always in the moment. It is neither opinion nor reporting, but rather the fleeting emotion of the now.
If McQuistan bombs and some Charger fan starts digging up our old haiku, we'll just beat him down with more haiku (and three Lombardi trophies).
To Kerry:
ReplyDeleteStonefeeted Collins
Unemployed, sitting on couch
The CFL calls
This just in from Horscollarjack via email:
ReplyDeleteRaider Nation shows
it's not just brawn and muscle!
We wax poetic.
Hey, hey
ReplyDeleteI'm not done
This Haiku Fest
Has just begun
Count them out
Five, seven, five
Write a poem
Keep it alive
Here I go
Pour some grog
Another haiku
Hits the blog: (LOL!)
White goal line beckons
Crouched in the trenches, he waits
Follow the Scotsman
AllyOop is on fire! Anonymous rolls in with an unauthorized but brilliant KFC haiku...C2X breaks out some haiku profanity!
ReplyDeleteThis is close to getting out of hand...Which is the goal, of course.
From the hills arisen--
ReplyDeleteMcQuistan! Lord of the Line,
Bestriding the West
#4-Mischievious Grin
ReplyDeletePummelled to the ground
Another d-lineman weeps
Makes McNasty smile
"Bestriding the West!" Now it's definitely out of hand!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous (all of you), please, if possible, create you own handle (choose "Other" under comment box) so that we can distinguish you and give you individual credit when we create the Paul McQuistan haiku wrap-up.
Lurking red brute, cold.
ReplyDeleteDenver, KC, SD soon--
All will grovel, humbled.
Big Paul
ReplyDeletehitting and driving,
silver and black pounds again,
walls topple backward
From the third round came-
ReplyDeleteFiery warrior, obscure.
Brutal dominance.
previously anonymous for a few... sorry about the Kerry interlude :)
#5-Ode to McQuistan
ReplyDeleteRed mullet machine
Brings the lineman to their knees
Unmercifully
Mullet maned war god-
ReplyDeleteScorched fury of the Midwest.
Defense falls, wheat-like.
Yikes! This is crazy. I vote for ally's 'white goal line beckons' with a close second to anon who went off the board with KFC...
ReplyDelete#6-Old Meets New
ReplyDeleteRaider glory days
Have been missing for awhile
Reappear with Shell
Tough, mean, playing hard
Silver and Black attacks strong
Crushing opponents
Hoist the Lombardi
Loyal fans have longed for it
"Old School" Excellence!
You shall know his name-
ReplyDeleteMcQuistan! blood-red Raider.
I pity your fate.
#7-Shell's Coaching, McNasty's Leadership
ReplyDeleteELECTRIFYING!
Describing the o-line's play
Brings us number 4!
#8-Ode to McQuistan Part Deux
ReplyDeletePride of Weber State
Under the guidance of Shell
Future Hall of Fame?
#9-Art Shell's Speech to O-line
ReplyDelete"If you want to win
Punish your opposition
With your strength and speed."
#10-McNasty's Commitment
ReplyDelete"I am committed
To nothing but excellence
And smash mouth football."
Art Shell and McQ
ReplyDeleteTwo bad motherf*ckers, yo
Sunday ass whippings
#11-McNasty's Trash Talk
ReplyDeleteFrom Deliverance
"Get ready toBite the wood,
And squeal like a pig"
My tartan haiku edition;
ReplyDeleteBig Seventy Nine
Cheers To Braveheart McNasty
Our Red Son Rising
Shanahan, Marty,
ReplyDeleteand Herm: lemme show ya all
what's under my kilt
Unleashed the Pirate
ReplyDeleteRed fire has spread through out
McNasty strikes fear
Bloodied knuckles and in a rage
ReplyDeleteHis long hair flows of red fire
He looks deep within, unleashes the pirate
To be victorious is his desire
Sweat streams down his battered face,
As he attacks with fury and eruption
Ball is hiked, voices scream
His war helmet has left signs of complete destruction
As his heart pounds and he zeros in, he hears nothing but utter silence
He digs deep, lets out a roar and then a display of mass violence
Over powering, drive and desire our leader shows intelligence
He wants championships, to just win baby and he is committed to excellence
Whistle blows, bodies lay motionless, for they have just been gored
He displays his patch, his hooded sash, and the damage of his two swords
He has taken his opponents sole, all is lost and all is down
The red warrior put us on his back, gave us victory now give him his crown !
Quiz...
ReplyDeleteHelmets crash, bones break,
Line led by Quiz destroys foes,
Raiders stand alone...
he follows legends
ReplyDeleteShell, wiz, others from the past
Destined for greatness
The foe in front of you
ReplyDeleteDefeat him
Born to be a Raider
Bronco Linebacker
ReplyDeleteChalk outline on Black Hole Field
Mulleted Slayer
March yer defense off
ReplyDeleteThis field ye may live; or
Fight and you will die
Great Job.......RT! No place else in the NFL is the Haiku used...........A sporting first! Great job Scean.
ReplyDeleteRed Beast Bruiser
Fear in their eyes
Jordon scores....Ahhhhh..........
#12-McNasty Mystique Part Deux
ReplyDeleteThe Legend begins
Raider fan hopes he reaches
Immortality
#13-Barbarian Raider
He came to conquer
The sound of helmets crushing
Defense lies in waste
No one will survive
McQuistan Barbarian
Destroyed with one blow
He came and conquered
Stands alone at seasons end
All hail the victor
#14-Last Rights
ReplyDelete"Opposing defense,
Hail the victorious dead!"
McQuistan snickers
#15-McNasty's Motto
To defensive foes
If at first you don't succeed
Come be smashed again.
#16-Raider Nate's Last
ReplyDeleteI am done with this
I cannot do one more line
Of McQ Haiku
Big red PO'd guard
ReplyDeleteleaving silver helmet marks
one for each freckle.
(previous entry as anon.: Protegé McQuiz...)
Collapse my pocket?
ReplyDeleteYou'll soon be on your losing knees
Neath my silver kilt
Divided from two
ReplyDeleteOur McQuistan stands alone
Adorned with haiku
#2 ON THE AUTUMN WIND
ReplyDeleteFrom the land of Scots
New defender of the Faith
Go forth and Conquer
On the Autumn wind
ReplyDeletehe was borne, to defend the:
raidernation way
Helmet fire flying
ReplyDeleteBolt, Chief, Donkey laid to waste
Endzone path secure
Blazing mullet streaks--
ReplyDeletePile loitering defender falls.
Orphaned children wail.
Big Red
ReplyDeletepunches trough
chef DE, mouls over
the donks. Big Bad Red.
Behind The Mask Lies
ReplyDeleteA Beast Waiting To Break Through
Only Time Will Tell
Team of the Decades
ReplyDeleteShell, Wiz, Quiz...
A hole opens.
A new generation scores.
Harvester of Souls
ReplyDeleteHis eyes burn Red with Venom
You will feel his Wrath
His Battle-cry sounds
ReplyDeleteDeath, to those who oppose us!
Let the war begin
Title- O'Doyle Lookalike
ReplyDeleteMy dear McNasty
After mowing someone down
Shout, "O'Doyle Rules!"