One Postgame Take
Earlier this week, someone who thought I was being too negative about the Raiders said, "What will you say if the Raiders beat the Giants?"Well, that settles that.
The opposing coach removed his starting quarterback out of mercy, and CBS pulled the broadcast plug in favor of a Lions game. That's all you need to know about today's drubbing by the Giants.
The Clown Car is picking up speed, and now it's being chased by a Napa police car. The forecast for the remainder of the season is, to use a charitable word, grim. We have been outscored 96 to 16 over our past three games.
I hate what has happened, and is happening, to the Raiders. A little part of me is dying inside. I have been screaming for substantive and significant change, change that you can see and taste, but there's nothing I can actually do about it. The organization has to want change.
Until then, we are all left wanting.
P.S. I would be interested in everyone's thoughts on where do we go from here? Memdf said, "Now what?" That's a great question.
I think we know what the core problems are (at least most of us do, the rest are running away, plugging their ears). But how to go about solving them sooner rather than later?
Mid-season coaching change...again?
Bench Russell...and then what?
Hire a GM...when?
Clean house...how?
It's easy to say do this, or do that, but how do we do those things in the most efficient and effective manner possible, so that we don't end up on a 12-year plan to reaching the .500 mark?
posted by Raider Take at 12:28 PM
130 Comments:
Flores basically just said what I've been saying is the problem all season.
"We can't block anybody at the line of scrimage".
Look on the bright side. We're not mathematically eliminated yet. We could still win the division! HA!
-moshbucket
"Beaten soundly, in every way"
-papa
Back when Bama had Mike Schula, we were VERY mediocre, bordering on bad. 4yrs, and the admin finally hired a real coach.
Will Al take the hint???? Is Hanson available????? play-action called on 3rd and long should mean IMMEDIATE DISMISSAL!
Can't wait to see what BS Al pulls at the draft (yea, get ready). Al seems to have turned into one of those people that spend $8k on rims to put on a
$800 car.
The coaching carousell has to stop, but do you stop it just for the sake of stoping it, if you don't have a coach? Sapp said Cable couldn't coach himself out of a paper bag. I'm starting to believe it. I always gave him the benifit of the doubt becaus of the crappy personell on the o-line, but play action on 3rd and long, when they've been up your QB's ass all day anyway?!?!?!!??!?!?!?!?
Sorry for the rant, I have to go forget this game, and just try to look forwared to Bama laying wood to Spurrier this weekend.
-moshbucket
Look on the bright side, we don't even have a first round draft pick in 2011...I recall folks telling me that's a good thing, right?
This team looks so bad, I saw Gerard Warren coaching Russell. I never see the coaches talking to him. Even when Bugel was HC, it wasn't this bad. Is there anyone who still thinks this can't " get any worse"? My 12 yr old son said the Raiders shouldn't even be in the NFL.......I agreed. There really isn't anymore that can be said...where are all the positive guys to tell us that we just need more time to develop JR and the O-line. The O-line has NOBODY that could start on any other team. The defense keeps putting out the same ole scheme just to have the other team laugh at how outdated it is....INSANITY. Al Davis defense and Offensive schemes that Mr. Cable keeps using like a good puppet HC should.
If I was involved, say like Papa or Flores, I would just say ENOUGH. The PHILOSOPHY has to change, FLORES AND PAPA want to keep their jobs, they don't care. If they had guts, they would say the TRUTH on air, call out Davis and his insane repetition of CRAP.Nope, they are just loyal yes men who don't want to rock the boat...does anyone involved with the Raiders have any guts to stand up to Al Davis? I have no respect for any of them, they don't care, if they did, they would do the right thing.
JONES
Cable quit twice.
Once at the end of the half, and again at the end of the game.
Hint to Cable: You always go full bore! ALWAYS! (Unless, of course, you're ahead by three tds in the last two minutes--that's called sportsmanship.)
He quit. That's my biggest pet peeve. Damned inexcusable.
---Jeff
Seymour was good for the opening game....now, he is just playing out the year, he'll be gone. If they franchise him, he'll hold out. Al couldn't afford another top 5 pick so he just winged it and Bellichek soaked him AGAIN. The Raiders have become the Patriots farm team....next trade....Aso for a washed up O-lineman, watch for it.
JONES
I sort of feel sorry for Tom Cable. He's in over his head. He was given too much responsibility, too fast, and he's not up to the task. He didn't have the experience and qualifications to run an NFL team (let alone this team, with all of its faults and baggage).
how about putting a big circus tent over any field the raiders play on.
it would go great with the clown car.
The team has quit, once again the team see's a joke of a franchise wallow in ineptness. The players get disillusioned and quit or get really pissed off and frustrated. Like I wrote in an earlier post....if I was on this team, I would want the F OUT. High School teams have more structure than the Raiders. Reading about the Hanson debacle, really tells it all as far as the "organization" is concerned. It is Fly by the seat of your torn pants. Ridiculous, UTTERLY RIDICULOUS.
JONES
I feel sorry for any "HC" that accepts a contract from Al Davis. He sweet talks them and then stabs them in the back. Al preys on guys who want to be a HC but also wants to please Al. As we can see, it doesn't work. Either the "HC" rebels, ala Kiffin or Gruden, or they do as Al wishes and get TOTALLY EMBARRASSED. Art Shell was HUMILIATED by Al, a life long Raider and Al stabs him in the back. Mutiny folks, it will be the only way to get the old fart to GET OUT OF THE WAY.
Maybe the players will storm Alameda, Al always says the players should take it upon themselves to right the ship.....here you go boys...time to storm the captains quarters.
JONES
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/
news;_ylt=Agsgl57vZo75gbgZU
5xclu9DubYF?slug=ms-
hansonspeaks101009&prov=
yhoo&type=lgns
Very interesting story about the whole Hanson incident, I supported Cable. But with the season unfolding as it has. I'm not sure I can endorse his coaching ability any longer.
Al, this was the wrong guy. You picked the wrong guy, once again. And include yourself in this statement as well.
Jerry Mac
– Sounds like Russell altered his story slightly regarding fines incurred for missing meetings, being late for meeting and being overweight. Analyst Dan Dierdorf said Russell told him he’d been fined for being overweight, but that he hadn’t missed any meetings.
"The organization has to want change"
This is the problem and solution all rolled into one. Profound and completely on the money.
When you put winning at the very top of the "to do" list, ego is put aside.
It is a rather simple 2 step process:
Step 1:
Know you need help to change.
Step 2:
Seek help to change
I ask this in all seriousness. Is there any way the league could actually seize ownership rights to the Raiders through any means other than the organization no longer being profitable (which, with all these overpaid 1st rounders, seems possible within a few years)? They are putting an inferior product out on the field and it has gotten ridiculous. I had hope after the first game against SD, but instead of being a sign of growth, it has proved to be a fluke game (which was lost anyway).
Mr. Davis needs to have the team removed from him and restructured so it can be properly run and competitive (in the least) through the work of a proper GM, scouting (which means crap if Al really does have the last word), and coaching which isn't interfered with by ownership. If not taken over by the league, is there any way Davis can be bought out?
FOLKS, AL HAS JUST CHANGED THE NAME OF THE RAIDERS TO THE OAKLAND BOZOS.
well, after watching the broncos take down the pats with a supposedly game-manager QB and a young, inexperienced head coach, i can't help but feel jealous. mcdaniels was pumping his fist and jumping around like he had just played. that's a passion sorely lacking in the raiders, there is no sign of desire on any level. damnit, this sucks.
I'm an NFL football fan in addition to being a Raiders fan.
Unfortunately, it's gotten to the point where there's a distinction between the two.
Lately, after watching a Raiders game, it feels like I still haven't seen NFL-level football, so I end up watching a game like the Patriots/Broncos, a game I normally wouldn't be interested in.
What a puppet show! AWESOME! Thank you very much Al.
Regards,
THE DISGRUNTLED RAIDER NATION
Well, I begged to get out of my earlier commitment to go to the game, but was talked into going against my better judgement. The result: a day of my life I can never get back.
Giants’ fans were obnoxious (more than I ever experienced at any other stadium)... first despite their anticipation of the Giants’ dominance over the Raiders, then even after the realty of their total dominance.
As I predicted, this game was over before it started. This is without question an all-time low for anything Raiders, and there’s no sign it will get better anytime soon... or later.
From my seat way up in the nose bleed section, it looked like the Raiders needed 53 players, a dedicated coaching staff, and I’ll throw in management with a vision, just for sh**s and giggles.
I think the only reason the Raiders showed up is because they had to. It’s totally meaningless to discuss any events of the game, aside from the fact there was no game... in the sense of the word.
What’s the chance Al Davis will fire his GM? He’s fired enough head coaches. It’s time for real change.
And to think next week I have tickets to the Philly game. Damn it, do I still have to attend?
Yes, cause the lady I have been seeing lately is smoking HOT! She bought the tickets in advance because she knows I am a huge Raiders fan.
I mean how can I pass up a chance to be public with a woman who's HOTTER than most of the Raiderettes, plus she's bought the cheerleading outfit for Halloween. LOL SNAP!
At least I have something to be happy about....cause Raiders football isn't doing it for me.
Can these numbers be real?
Total Net Yards:
Raiders - 124
Giants - 483
Net Yards Rushing:
Raiders - 60
Giants - 220
Net Yards Passing:
Raiders - 64
Giants - 263
Mr. Duva - only go if you have something to keep your mind off the "game"... which it sounds like you do.
No really, now what? RT cancelled his seasonn tickets. I cancelled our annual family Raider road trip, this year was going to be to Dallas. I am negotitating with Directv to cancel my nfl ticket or credit my account. If not, I will not record the game next week.
Really what can we do? Call the team? Write letters? Email Herrara?
memdf-
im with you 100%, I already decided not to put any money towards the raiders until they show me it's worth it to be proud of them a couple of years ago. can the fans really boycott the raiders into change by not going to games or buying their merchandise? cuz by the stuff im reading online and the empty look of the stadium stands last home game when they got demolished by denver would lead me to believe raider nation is coming to a consensus on this mutiny.
F
Hide your kids, Psycho here.
After months in hibernation, I've decided to crawl out of bed for a minute and just check my Raider pulse real quick.
No Friday a guy asked me why I was a Raiders fan and he sort of smirked at every answer I could come up with. So I spent some time this weekend just sort of auditing my Raiderhood and this is what I came up with.
I must be a Raider for life. I must be just as die-hard as any of you. I must be either insane or brain-washed, because I just can't think of any other reasons why I'd sit here and put myself through such pain.
Why care anymore? This is beyond pethetic. These last, I don't even know how many years, have been a disgrace to the colors I love.
I feel like someone has been letting John Elway through my front door every morning to take a shit in my cereal, and I just keep eating it no matter how bad it tastes, thinking that it will taste good again one day.
It's not even the Giants. Hell I expected to get destroyed by the Giants. And that RIGHT THERE is the problem. I feel like there are PAID members of my Raider family who sort of felt the same way.
There is no Raider pride, no going to war for your brother lined up next to you, and no heart. All I'm seeing out there is one of those check-cashing lines you see around the 1st & 15th.
Why care anymore? Fuck if I know, I just can't help it I guess. I'll just continue to sit through this Raider "football" and hope for a return to the real deal, when everyone in that fancy Raiders HQ cares as much as I do.
Psycho
What excuses is Cable going to make up now? Was it a long flight to the east coast? The stars weren`t alaigned? Maybe he will go with can`t blame this on JaBustus, I suck as a play caller. HORRIBLE PLAY CALLING. Can`t wait for the press conference.
PISSED OFF RAIDER FAN
To Pissed Off Raider Fan:
You don't know how Cable is going to respond to this beat down? Let me save you the trouble ...
Cable:
"Let me start off by saying that I felt we had an outstanding week of preparation. I feel this team is on the brink of breaking through."
Question from press corps:
"Coach Cable, did you think it would fool the Giants defense to run a play action pass on 3rd and 16, down 28 points?"
Cable:
"We worked dilligently on play action pass during a good week of preparation. I thought the Giants defense would bite on the run action and JaMarcus would be able to beat them over the top"
I would be interested in everyone's thoughts on where do we go from here? Memdf said, "Now what?" That's a great question.
I think we know what the core problems are (at least most of us do, the rest are running away, plugging their ears). But how to go about solving them sooner rather than later?
Mid-season coaching change...again?
Bench Russell...and then what?
Hire a GM...when?
Clean house...how?
It's easy to say do this, or do that, but how do we do those things in the most efficient and effective manner possible, so that we don't end up on a 12-year plan to reaching the .500 mark?
My question is: if you fire Cable, who replaces him? Hacket? I'm not even sure Gilbride would take the job anymore. Cable has been a loyal foot soldier. Grant it his playcalling has been brutal, but he's coaching in a box. And every coach who takes the job will be put into that same box. Look no further than John Marshall. He was blitz-crazy his whole career. With the Raiders? 90 percent man, maybe one or two blitzes per game. Stuck in a box.
Maybe a GM will help. But will he too be in Al's box?
The answer to me is simple. It all starts at the top. Al's not missing blocks and tackles like people say, but he's the guy putting and picking these players. Guys who can't complete a screen. Guys who probably wouldn't have been drafted, taking them in the second round. Forcing his coaches to use his schemes. Yada. Yada. Yada...
RT, that's a loaded question.
I don’t think it matters what changes we make on the field, real change can only come from one person, and that person first needs to escape from his own denial that his age-old Raider model can’t still work.
However, if I’m in charge, I hire a competent GM, like yesterday. I entrust that GM to start behind the scenes and methodically dissect the inner workings of the organization; then create a new business model to pull my company into the 21st century.
The neglect has gone on for so long, we will need a team of experts to rebuild this house. Do we bench Russell? Do we fire Cable? Honestly, I don’t think it matters at this point. All I know is that I would prefer to leave the answers those questions to someone besides Al Davis.
I don't see how the sky is falling. I'm sorry, but that was a look of improvement in yesterday's @$$ kicking. I mean we scored a touchdown, which is something we haven't been able to do since Week 2! Why so negative? I mean seriously, "Where do we go from here?" WE GO UP! WAY UP!
Okay, so I'm saying all of that with a innumerable dose of sarcasm. These past 6 1/5 seasons have been painful; and it seems with every week, it becomes more unbearable. Then we get a glimmer of hope of what our team could actually be; only to get kicked in the nuts again. I had tickets to the Raiders-Cowboys game (from Jason Garrett, Cowboys OC), and gave them back. I can't justify to my wife spending $100+ per ticket only to spend several thousand afterwards for the counseling I will need.
I'm with Psycho, I've been questioned by a friend as to why I am a Raider fan, and I can only say, "It's because my first game was the '83-84 AFC Championship between the Raiders-Seahawks. I'm a Raider for life." The answer was, "Poor dillusional soul." I never thought that being a Raider fan would be so embarrassing.
Win or lose, I will always be a Raider fan, and I will wear my Raider gear with my head held high. I will always smile when my 2 year-old son says, "GO RAIDERS!" But I am hurting with all of this. We are a sinking ship thinking we don't need life boats because we can paddle our way to shore. The worst part is this team reflects the organizational leadership; for every positive, there are 2 or 3 negatives glaring back. This is the saddest day of my life; as I realize for the first time in my life, I could really care less about the team I care most about. This is something that one game is not going to fix; but a season of good football.
My name is Raider Nate, and I'm a Raider-a-holic. I need help.....
You know it's bad when the excusers and enablers have quit excusing and enabling.
Nate, what can I say? I'm with you. Still rocking the gear, but the Raiders as I know them are now more of an idea than a reality.
Anon, I'm with you. Who replaces Cable? Marshall or Hackett wouldn't make any difference. The head coach for this season, whoever it is, is nothing but a placeholder at this point. I think NY Raider has it right: Start on 2010 today. Get a competent executive, pay him more than you are paying Javon Walker, and give him the keys to the car (and contract language authorizing authority and autonomy). Then work on getting a qualified head coach. Have everything ready to roll by the first day of the offseason.
The question is "what do we (raider fans) do?" We all know what the Raider organization needs to do. It has been written here many times in many ways for the past 2 years (or may be more). The blueprint is out there-- see Atlanta, Miami, even Denver.
But what to we (the fans) do? Don't buy tickets. Don't buy gear. Is there anything else we can do to force change? Or do we just have to sit back and wait?
Any of you catch Rodney Harrison's remarks on national TV? He said players don't go to Oakland to win, they go there to collect a paycheck. That was a kick in the gut. Is this what we (the fans) have to endure for another ? years until Davis physically can not do this anymore?
JF
"The organization has to want to change."
Well spoken and absolutely accurate.
"But what to we (the fans) do? Don't buy tickets. Don't buy gear. Is there anything else we can do to force change? Or do we just have to sit back and wait?"
Don't buy anything Raiders! Economic pressure is the ONLY thing we can do besides bitch and moan to an owner who has clearly shown that he couldn't care less what ANYONE else on the planet not named Davis thinks or feels.
Seven years in Hell with no end in sight ... which reminds me of a quote that I think sums up Al Davis, "It is better to rule in Hell than to serve in Heaven."
God help us!
Really the only thing we can do is stop supporting them financially. I will always root for them. I use to drive down to the games in LA. It is so much nicer to have them here, but this is becoming painful. I have no ability to tell them how to change this, and they are not listening to anybody anyway. The only thing we can do is not pay them anymore until they put soemthing out there that we can be proud of again. It is so sad that it has come to this.
Who in their right mind would buy anything "Raiders" right now anyway? Once the cash stops flowing you'll see some change--that's the American way.
RaiderMike
What's interesting about the comments here is that they're a random sampling of diehard Raiders fans who have reached the point of pity, resignation and disengagement.
We spent the whole offseason arguing here about this and that, optimism v. pessimism (or delusion v. reality), etc.
But that's all out the window now. There's nothing left to argue, and the most loyal fans in the world have been pushed to the brink of disinterest. That's how bad it has gotten.
Incredible.
Is this a ploy by Al to move the team again? I hate to quote Shakespeare on a Raiders blog “Our faults dear Brutus are not in our stars but in ourselves” Julius Caesar. Al needs to quite blaming the personnel when he is the lame that hired them. I will be at the game vs. the Chiefs with a paper bag over my head and an army of paper bag soldiers.
Ocho-Uno:
You know, it worked for the Saints! Although it took many years after the bags showed up for the saints to explode.
-moshbucket
What about installing an O-coordinator/play caller and let Raging Cable concentrate on HC.
I see that as a more likeley move than Al 're-assigning' Cable. Remember, at TC's intro presser Al said in not so many words that this season was probably a writeoff.
We need to pickup FA pro-bowl center with about 5 or 6 years in this offseason. We need to upgrade pretty much everyone but Gallery (hopefully that was a fluky injury), but center is the most critical.
I want to draft either McLain or Code from Bama. Yes, I'm biased, but trust me, nobody would complain with either of those picks.
Sorry mind wandered. Just thought I'd dropp that o-coordinator option out there.
-moshbucket
-moshbucket
This is a comment from reader JORGE, I edited little part out of it because of liability concerns:
"The NFL is a business and Al Davis looooves money that's for sure, the thing is that we as Raiders Fans are so loyal that we keep buying verything raiders related, attending games and giving money to the franchise that they don't deserve... Stop that, stip attending Raiders games, stop buying merchandise, let's make every raider image store go out of business and you will see that when Mr. Davis's bank account starts to go down he will start to take actions to resurrect the team... I hate to see the colors I've always loved to be such a circus show..."
That's right RT-- Hit him in the wallet. That's the only Thing that will make Al react> That goes for all of RaiderNation. It's time to rise up my brothers and say NO MORE. Don't go, dont buy, and for the most part don't pay attention. This is the only way to make Al relent. You want a GM- this is the ticket. You want a guy like Gruden back- this is the ticket. I live on the east coast but I'd be willing to chip in on a full page ad that says NO MORE! Present a list of conditions for our continued patronage or we're out. This passive whinning is getting tedious and we're getting nowhere. Let's go for the heart and Al's heart is in his wallet. This will be hard since this is in our blood but it has to be done.
RaiderMike
Jorge is right. There was a campaign against the media company that produced the record cop killer in the early ninties which many police and other unions got involved with. The company was told those in support would stop buying products which they did until ice-t got dumped or the record stopped getting distributed. It actually worked from what I remember.
I knew guys that wrapped bricks and pasted the guaranteed postage cards from records and magazines from subsidiaries of the big company just to jack up costs.
I, am course, not advocating this. A boycott with the direct message to the team of intent might not be a bad thing. God knows I have enough Raider stuff and should be shot if I buy more anyway.
As CJ said - Nothing changes unless AD wants it to change.
I think that the boycott is already underway, and judging by the comments here and elsewhere, it will accelerate in the weeks ahead.
The second game of the season against an AFC West rival was more than 10,000 short of a full house. 10,000 x $80/ticket average = $800,000 shortfall in one day. Throw in lost parking, merchandise, and concessions revenues...
And that's just the tip of the iceberg if things don't change fast.
What's amazing is that you're talking about the most ardent and loyal fan base in the NFL. To have pushed such a fan base to this point is an incredibly dubious achievement, one that saddens me as much as it angers me.
I would love for you (R.T.) to draft a full page ad to the owner. I know you are eloquent enough to pay him the respect and give him the reverance he deserves for all his accomplishments in making the Raiders what they once were. I also know you are disgusted enough to lay out in no uncertain terms what we the fans require for our continued loyalty and patronage. I hope you will give this idea some thought.
RaiderMike
BENCH jr HES NOT GOOD AT ALL ANT THE TEAM CAN WWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
In my mind, the single most "substantive and significant change" is to aggressively persue a capable GM.
A high level executive GM would have the biggest opportunity to change the dynamic of the current path we are on (going nowhere fast)and make the biggest impact.
The GM is a critical bridge between the owner and coaching staff.
The GM is an important element to evaluating personnel, the draft, and free agency.
Without a GM, the chances of hiring a proven HC is a pipe dream.
IMO, Davis should already be actively compiling a prospective list of candidates for GM, making preliminary calls, working his network of contacts, and putting a serious time line and plan in place to have a GM on board. Anything less is negligent. The clock is ticking.
How many seasons can be "written off" before "substantive and significant change" takes place? 7? 10?
What really boils my blood is the lack of urgency & diligence Davis demonstrates when it comes to the hiring of a GM. Seriously folks, what is Davis excuse for not conducting an exhaustive, thorough search of a GM?
Is it because he truly doesn't want a GM to partner with?
Is it because there is a capable GM that he trusts and will take the job?
Is it because there is plenty of time to have a GM in place in the "near" future? If so, why has it been over 3 years since we had Lombardi and 6 years since Allen?
Does it normally take a franchise more than a few months to interview, identify, and hire a GM? Nope.
I'm already fast forwarding to February 2010. If we don't have a GM on board by this date, then most of us will have our answer to whether or not Davis has putting winning at the top of his "to do" list. Think about it. If we are going to do a legitimate search for a Head Coach, the GM needs to be on board by February to allow the newly hired GM to be involved in the recruiting and interviewing of possible candidates. If we are twiddling our thumbs, the window will close and we will have another half ass search, no substantive change, and more of the same uninspiring leadership, and wait for it, another double digit loss season.
I've finally faced my denial about what's been ailing the Raiders. As with a rotten tree or tooth, you can trace the decay straight to the root. As much as I hate to admit, Al Davis is our rotten root. The experts have told us, former players have hinted it, the organization is dysfunctional at its root. Until that root dies or is extracted, expect the trunk and limbs to continue a slow death from within. The question is, are we fans so loyal to the uniform that we begin to rot along with it? I'll never give up my love for the Raiders, but I've lost my faith in Al Davis leading us to the promised land. Al must give up his steermanship and abandon ship immediately.
I'll give it some thought, Raider Mike. Putting tough love to words is, well, tough. I respect and admire Mr. Davis. How to convey that while stating the bitter truth of the situation?
Wow, what a great Monday Night game, eh? Two rookie QBs playing so well, competence and excitement at every turn. The Raiders look like second graders by comparison.
As much as it hurts and living in SO. CAL, I could care less if Al moves the team to L.A.
At this point, I wouldn`t attend any of this puppet shows anyway.
I bleed SILVER & BLACK, But my patience is coming to a PAINFUL AND SHAMEFUL END!!!
Cable, on your MORONIC press conference, You`re kiddin` right?Are you friggin` serious? How and where is the team making this progress? That you talk about.I guess I must be blind or stupid!!!PISSED OFF RAIDER FAN
Watching the game tonight reconfirms my belief that professional football is a beautiful, riveting, entertaining game to watch. 2 teams executing a game plan, playing a spirited, fundamentally sound, tough brand of football.
If you were to ask me what really bothers me about "Raider football" besises having an overmatched, excused filled, pollyanna Head Coach and a less than competent QB, it is a team with no balls whatsoever. Give me a passionate, focused team with toughness and I can easily live with the results.
Use your own memories of the past 4 games ... where is the reckless, violent, balls to the wall play? How many times have you seen one of our defenders light up an opponent? When was the last time you saw one of our OLineman maul a defender? How about a RB running over a defender? A WR stiff arming a CB? A DLineman crushing the QB?
Last time I checked, the game of professional football is won by exerting your will over an opponent. It is a game where typically whichever team is more physical wins. Part of the lack of execution is the inability of individual Raider players to knock their opponent on his ass.
We can now welcome back this general feeling throughout the NFL from last year and years past:
Playing the Raiders is like getting an extra bye week in a team's schedule.
Sunday's game wasn't more than a scrimmage for the Giants. Pathetic!
The time for half measures is over. The clear focus right now should be on conducting an arduous search for a GM - at arm's length, meaning no more nepotism.
In the interim, Tom Cable needs to wake this team up. I recommend electric shock therapy. Short of that, benching an ineffective Russell is a good place to start.
This team needs a spark of some kind, and I believe the players have lost faith in Russell. I know I have.
look, al davis was great in his day. but he's to old to run the team now, and to stuborn to admit it.
it's like kathleen turner in "body heat". she was great, she was hot, but if they made a remake of that movie today, would katleen turner still be the same ?
of course not. and niether is al davis.
but al is a man with a shovel, and he just don't know when to stop diggin.
Calico Jack, what a great description of what I saw on Monday night!
NY Raider, I'm afraid some of the Raiders players themselves view each game as a bye week, too.
Raider 00: Running with shovels as well as scissors? Scary.
to imply that Al is just after money is crazy. You think he has some play that gets him rich by making the team suck?
Al loves money because it is a means to an end, the Raiders. If your theory was true, he would be running it like the Bengals used to be run, with minimal payroll.
-moshbucket
I wasn't defending Al, just clarrifiying that loss in revenue is not going to make Al go "Oh, I better field a good team now".
It's not like he's not TRYING.
-moshbucket
Fair points, Mosh.
The issue is that there's often a difference between trying and doing the right thing.
I believe that Mr. Davis wants to win. I also believe that his stubborness is preventing him from winning.
So which is more important to Mr. Davis, winning or being set in his ways? The evidence suggests that it's the latter. This doesn't mean he doesn't want to win, it just means that he won't win.
If loss in revenue doesn't cause some soul searching, then that just proves the point even more, does it not? If you had the most loyal fans in the world, and even they were saying ENOUGH, shouldn't that cause some soul searching on your part?
When I didn't renew my season tickets, the Raiders said that due to "high demand" for seats like mine, they would have to give them to someone else. They didn't try to sell me on why I should renew. They didn't call, nothing. Just an empty threat.
Think they might change their sales tactics this year?
Honestly, I'm not sure they will. I'm not sure they're capable of it at this point. There's a entrenched belligerence in Alameda. They think they have all the answers and all the leverage, even now.
Push is coming to shove, and I'm not sure where it's headed.
The Raiders have perhaps one of the most marketable brands in the world, and they no longer know what to do with it.
By the time they figure out what really ails them, their brand may be synonymous with failure. To wit, there is very little chance the Raiders setting the all-time record for consecutive double-digit loss seasons will go unnoticed. That’s a pretty incredible feat in a parity-driven league, and the Raiders are well on their way to a seventh consecutive season. It’s become unbearable.
An empty threat................
Just like that post, the one that says we better put our asses in the seats or else Al will move the team..is this the next card in play from Alameda? Alameda is very unique in the world of sports. Never in the history of professional sports has a franchise been this INSANE. Even the Cincy Reds with that racist old bag wasn't this bad.
JONES
The Raiders are analogous to Apple Computer.
Apple was a pioneer in the PC world and an immensely strong brand.
Then they started to run with scissors and failed to evolve, and the stock and the brand went down the tubes. If they had continued like that, Apple would be history.
Fortunate, Steve Jobs came in and, to borrow a phrase from Rich Gannon, blew the building up and instituted a radical change in the company's culture and structure. It was change that you could see and taste. Now, Apple is flying high again.
The Raiders have the added protection of being a brand within a brand: the NFL. This is what allows them the luxury of running with scissors. Without the protection of the mighty NFL brand, they would be in much deeper trouble.
The Raiders are Apple before Apple's third act. They are a pioneering, highly recognizable brand that has steered itself into a brick wall.
What, and when, is our third act?
"It was change that you could see and taste." Nice pun.
QU: would we still be in this mess if Davis hired the exec help he promised last year? Your anwser probably rides on what authority that individual(s) was given, right?
The Raiders organization is in desperate need of structure, and hierarchy with a plan.
The Raiders probably think they have vision, but it’s really only the kind of dream that you have when you hand a store clerk your dollar for a lottery ticket. Tough to implement that kind of vision.
the raiders organization is just gutless now. it's all about passing the buck.
there is no one with guts willing to stand up and take responsibility for the mess.
when the huff pick looked bad, al is quick to blame shell.
the moss trade stinks, al points a finger at kiffen.
but someone is still drafting mcfragile, jbust, dhbust, amd all the db's that never seem to pan out.
who ?, well, we all know who.
it's the wizard of oak
and behind the curtain is a once larger then life figure, but now just a very small man.
Cable said he understand fans’ frustration, though he isn’t concerned about what kind of reception he and his players will receive Sunday against the Eagles.
“Based on how we played, fans have a right to have their judgment,” Cable said. “Hell, they’re paying for tickets. They’re spending their hard-earned money to do it.
“At the same time, this has always been a very loyal group and all they want is to see a team go out there and put out the kind of effort they can be proud of as a fan. We owe that to them.”
The exact statement Take and few others have been stating since the 2nd game of the year.
Duva:
Cable fails to mention that there will be less and less fans willing to pay for tickets if this ineptitude continues.
It is well past the point of simply saying "We understand the fans and they deserve a good effort from us".
No, Tommy. What the fans expect and deserve is an organization that does everything it can to field a winning team.
An organization that values the goal of winning has the following;
(1) A capable GM on board involved in the heavy lifting for the draft, personnel, and coaching decisions.
(2) A qualified, proven Head Coach with authority to implement the systems and schemes that he sees fit to run.
Structure and accountability will continue to be missing when you have players going right to the owner, no GM in place, and a HC who is merely a placeholder.
Cable is boxed in under the current circumstances. The coaching staff is boxed in by not being able to change things up. The players are boxed in by a HC whose hands are tied behind his back.
What this really boils down to is the team is sinking in quicksand and is unable to adapt to change the current path that we are on. Sad.
RT,
The Apple analogy is an interesting one. Jobs is brilliant, driven, a pioneer, and notoriously obstinate. The same can be said of Davis. You pose the question, when will the Raiders present a 3rd act. Given their culture and leadership, I would argue at this stage in their organizational history, they are incapable of doing so.
I have worked with and in organizations where the founder was all of the things described above for Jobs and Davis. However, as those organizations aged and tenure grew, leadership and the organization, which is merely a reflection of leadership, failed to recognize that the original visionary, no longer had the tools capable of leading a highly sophisticated, and far different organization than that which was originally founded. In this type of setting, coupled with an authoritative hierarchy, loyalty becomes paramount.
The difference between the two (Jobs and Davis), is their ability to question and thus, adapt. Adapting, requires a culture of change, a culture of risk-takers. Adapting, slows as one ages. as the founder becomes less prone to risk and questioning. Adapting does not occur in a culture where questioning is seen as disloyalty. Questioning does not occur when it threatens legacy.
What once made Davis unique, is no longer the case, and in my opinion, is now his achilles heel. His past ability to pioneer, create, and change no longer really exists. He is instead made unique by his determination to retain a model, his legacy, which no longer works. Davis represents a past method of operation that was and is woefully incapable of recognizing disruptive technologies now. But to admit that would threaten his legacy.
Their can be no third act as long as he believes that his method of operation remains the most effective way to manage a business. Eventually, all pioneers are passed, making their former methods, which were once innovative, outdated. In the same way as some newspaper companies failed to recognize how the internet was a pioneering methodology or disruptive technology, that made their business model obsolete, Davis is incapable of recognizing how the environment has changed.
Blue Monday
Great take, Blue Monday.
I do see the similarities between Jobs and Davis, as well as Apple and the Raiders. Great people, great brands, but, alas, diverging destinies, it seems.
Jobs left, and then came back, and when he did, he adapted perfectly to the marketplace in real time, channeling his natural gifts in fresh directions, so that Apple was suddenly doing everything in its category better than the rest: form, function, innovation.
The Raiders have done the exact opposite. They have, to coin a phrase, un-adapted. GM? Who needs one? Qualified head coach? Who needs one? Structure and accountability? Who needs it?
The result is what we saw Sunday. A vinyl record trying to compete with the iPod of the Giants.
My biggest fear as a New Yorker was that I was gonna be hammered by all the Giant fans this week. You know what- those days of hammering are over. It's now come down to pure pitty and empathy from my non-Raider fans. How pathetic is that! I almost long for the day when I had to put up with a ton of trash talking after a loss. This organization is viewed as a totally dead entity, and rightly so.
RaiderMike
It's been said many times on this site throughout the past few years but it bears repeating ... The Raiders are operating their $800M franchise in an ultra competitive marketplace like a local "mom & pop" shop.
I don't have any first hand knowledge but the Raiders seem to be the type of company that doesn't invest in the infrastructure and embrace technology.
To invest in the infrastructure means hiring the brightest minds and most talented experts in their field to bolster the support staff. It means investing in first class training facilities, training equipment, and staff. It means using cutting edge techology for such things as teaching the players (take home DVDs of opponent), database marketing, evaluating players for the draft, etc.
While other teams are hiring "stat analysts" to crunch numbers, come up with tendencies, and do advance scouting, we are stuck in a 70's methodology of doing things the "old school" way without the staff member at all or done manually.
The vinly record to iPod analogy is right on the money. Instead of actively seeking out ways to gain a competitive edge, we are relying on trying to collect the players who look the best "getting off the bus".
From Jerry McD's live chat today...
Thought it was interesting.
Just pineing(sp)for the old days I guess...
Q - Any realistic shot of Gruden taking over as coach? He seems to be real careful not to criticize the Raiders or Al Davis. I think that hire would instantly inject both the team and it's fans with a lot of positive energy. I know I'd buy tickets!!
A - Other than Shanahan, who had a money issue, almost no one criticizes the Raider after they leave. I think Gruden could wind up in Dallas, where Bruce Allen has a good relationship with Jerry Jones and with a fairly talented team that could use a shot in the arm.
Jerry McD also mentions Gilbride. I count 10 teams with 1 or zero wins. Coaching vacancies could be aplenty thining the candidate field but who really wants to be here? Also, with no GM (CJ & RT are soooo right) and a mandate we go nowhere.
Everything that I have been feeling these past 3 weeks has been surgically critiqued and summed up by Take, CJ, MEMDF and Blue Monday; with the above comments.
Interesting comments by Giants LB Antonio Pierce on PFT.com suggests what we all have been saying.
"There was no vibe of trying or effort from the Raiders at all from a defensive standpoint against their offense. We're getting three-and-outs. You don't hear nobody [saying], 'Hey, let's go!' trying to pick the guys up, rallying them, getting guys fired up. There was nothing. It was quiet. A guy gets sacked or somebody gets beat, they just get up. It's not like there's yelling or no kind of [emotion] about the way they were playing. "It was shocking to be out there in that game and get that kind of feeling."
"It's sad because I grew up a Raiders fan," Pierce said. "That organization right now, they need some guidance. They need somebody to pick them up."
I know most of you are always up to date on the lastest Raider news. But check out Jerry Mac's article with James Lofton and how Lofton comments on JarMarcus's poor play and Craptree's skills if you already haven't.
http://www.ibabuzz.com/
oaklandraiders/2009/10/
13/lofton-on-russell/
#more-7461
Those comments coming from Pierce are freakin' SCARY. This is a guy with no stake in the situation, just telling you what he saw. And what he saw is a team without a heart or soul. Just inert jerseys getting knocked to the ground.
Hey! I take offense at the vinyl record/iPod analogy!
If you take care of your records, they sound very good--I have over 300 of them. They don't all sound good, but they've not all been well-taken care of. However, the ones that have been taken care of sound great--it's definitely a different sound, and I dig it.
The analogy should be the 8-Track tape. Never. Ever. Sounded. Good.
Glad they're gone.
For the record (see what I done there?), I think iPods sound like crap if you use mp3s on 'em. However, if you don't use lossy files, they can sound pretty good.
I think we have some analogies that will work here:
1) There are some football things which, like the 8-Track, need to go away. I would include micromanagement and Raiders-style scouting here.
2) There are some old-school football things, like vinyl records, that work very well if properly implemented and need to be brought back. I would include getting back to basics with form-tackling and blocking here.
3) There are some good new practices which, like the iPod, work well if they are implemented properly and these innovations need to be utilized.
JMHSO
---Jeff
The comments from Pierce about what he saw are kind of what we can see from the stands and/or TV, but it's what he didn't hear that is most unsettling.
"You don't hear nobody [saying], 'Hey, let's go!' trying to pick the guys up, rallying them, getting guys fired up. There was nothing. It was quiet."
“It was quiet.” That pretty much says it all. On Sundays, the Raiders are like sheep going to slaughter.
There is absolutely no reason for any of us to spend another dime supporting this team if they are going to lay down and play dead every week, and the Raiders' management and coaches are just going to let them.
Folks, this team has hit rock bottom. Look at the stat lines from other teams around the NFL that are struggling and you will see that no team is nearly as inept as the Raiders. Even the lowly Rams put up like 400 yards in offense last week. They are at least trying to win games.
The depth of the Raiders problems have become far worse than I think any of us could have ever imagined. The NFL should step in and take over, cause there’s nobody else in charge.
Maybe Davis is pulling a Howard Hughes and nobody will speak up; meanwhile, his circa 1970's autopilot is decaying into oblivion.
Really, there aren't many explanations for the Raiders to be spinning wheels in the same gear for seven years.
Nice take, Arkansan.
The problem is that #1 seems to be impacting our ability to achieve #2 (when's the last time you saw consistently hard, fundamental tackling from the Raiders), and #3 still seems to be far off.
I can appreciate the nostalgic and noble items of the past, like vinyl records. I understand that, for aficionados, vinyl projects more warmth and nuance than digital media.
There's an old record store in the neighboring town, dealing in vinyl, CDs, etc. There's also an Apple store. The latter is off the hook, the former is struggling to pay rent.
No matter what my emotions are about the situation, the record store just can't compete with the Apple store. It's just the facts, and the facts are what we saw on Monday.
We have become a "scrimmage."
We reach our lowest point, and then we go lower.
Hey, where have all the folks calling me Chicken Little gone?
Maybe they finally heard the crashing sound of the sky falling while we got outscored 96-16 over the past three weeks, essentially ending our season after one month, capping it off by providing a "scrimmage" for the New York Giants.
The end of the excusing and enabling is a good sign. The Nation is now fully awakened to the reality of the situation, and the Nation will be heard. Push is finally coming to shove. It's sad, but there's no avoiding it.
RT, the chicken little finger pointers are falling back on the old saying, "if you don't have something nice to say, then don't say anything." Apparently, that includes constructive criticism.
Or, maybe they just want to go into hiding until Al Davis figures this thing out.
Well, silence is certainly more defensible than spoon bending.
I understand the bit about if you don't have something nice to say, don't say it at all. I get that some folks adhere to that mantra, and that they choose not to participate in upsetting or negative situations.
But this is a Raiders blog.
I can't watch 44-7 and say, gee, how 'bout that touchdown! It would be creepy, wouldn't it?
Imagine going into a bar full of Raiders fans, and shouting at everyone on Sunday, "Hey, how 'bout that touchdown!" as the Giants put up 20, 30, 40 points on the board.
Nah, can't do it.
I’m back for a short bit. Did not see the game as I was on the road returning from a wedding. Tuned in long enough to see the score and turned it off.
It’s been a rough few weeks with all the blood test and they still don’t know what is causing my difficulties.
The current situation is rough even for an optimist like myself. Possibly this is the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back and a GM type will be brought in. In any event at least I get to enjoy my Saturday team.
H
H, the game was worse than the score, if you can believe it. Glad you had other things to do that day.
Hang in there, we're thinking about you and praying for you, keep us posted.
H, always the voice of reason, even from the optimists' side of the fence. Be well.
I can certainly understand the feeling of reduntancy by fans that read this blog and related threads, but that comes with the amazing consistency to which the Raiders have failed.
This is revealing about Week 5, from Ray Ratto:
---------------------
“-- 2008: Coming off a bye week and the noisy firing of Lane "Ripcord" Kiffin, they travel to New Orleans and lose 34-3.”
“-- 2007: Coming off another bye week, they lose 28-14 at San Diego because they can't tackle LaDainian Tomlinson.”
“-- 2006: They lose 13-3 at Denver to go to 0-5. They win the next two, but those are only the twitches of the dying, as they end up 2-14.”
“-- 2005: Lose 27-14 at home to San Diego as Tomlinson outgains their entire running game 140-39. They win the next two weeks, and then only once more to go 4-12 and get Norval Turner fired.”
“-- 2004: Lose 31-3 at home to Denver, after getting routed in Indianapolis the week before, then limp home 5-11.”
“-- 2003: Lose 13-7 at Cleveland, mostly because of 19 penalties for 128 yards. Lose to Kansas City the next week because of five turnovers. Went from 2-2 to 2-7, and the rush was on to the earth's core.”
“And come Week 8, nobody harbors illusions about confidence or technique or "just tightening up a few things" or "We're right there," and the results show it: 13-45. Of course, that'll happen when your record through Week 7 is 12-31.”
SCAR
aww hell, here you go.
The Raiders organization stinks. I figured it out(finally) when Lane tried to fire SOB and Al took SOB over Lane strictly based on ego.(in my defense I was deployed overseas for approx 4 years since 2001, so i wasnt getting all the information, to figure it out sooner.)
When Lane got fired I was saying fire the GM, that the Raiders were living off of Lanes progress made(which is sad) but that once that ran out, because Lane was no longer there, this team was toast. For some reason all the blogging heads came on here and blamed it on Lane. And that thought process drowned out for the most part what I and others on this site believe.
Offseason springs eternal right? I sure bought some of the hype, and I certainly want the Raiders to win, so I had hopes for the Raiders, especially when Seymour was brought in..............
How bad are the Raiders?!?
Bill Parcells GM, John Gruden HC, Rich Gannon, QB Coach... is there even a one in a 800 million shot that that would happen while the al is in control?
Its so damn depressing. I used to go to these sites to get insight, and ammo for when a raider hater would disparage the team. now, honestly I go to raider sites to get comic relief. Honestly, I literally laugh out loud at what Raider fans are saying. Mostly that the raiders are garbage.
How the mighty have fallen...
-SCAR
Thanks guys. There actually is some research into my condition/symptoms that surfaced this week. It's something I've had episodically for about 15 years. This was an unusually bad outbreak. I was hoping something would show up since it was ongoing at the time.
Oh well, I'm still above ground.
I just don't understand where that team from week 1 went.
H
Anybody heard about this yet?:
http://www.ibabuzz.com/oaklandraiders/2009/10/14/walker-added-oneal-waived-injured/
We cut Lorenzo Neal during training camp bcause O'Neal was coming back from injury better than expected. Now we waive him rather than put him on IR. We could have put him on IR AND brought Langston Walker back. So now we have more faith in Gary Russell whom we cut in camp rather than Oren O'Neal whom we kept as the starter. Does that make sense?
IIRC, Lorenzo Neal was injured, too.
---Jeff
WOW! I have stayed away for awhile because I don't even know what to think anymore. I am officially apathetic about a team that I have followed and considered myself a part of since I was 8 years old more than 27 years ago.
So now I wait. I wait for Al to cease being the owner of the team. Al will never let go, he will not cede control to a GM, he will not change his ways. So we are destined to be the doormat until he is gone.
Truly a tragic moment in Raider history. Thank god for fantasy football.
Roy
Unfortunately, RT, all the things I've been saying about the Raiders the last few years continue to be true. This team will not get any better unless Al Davis either retires or dies.
Where do we go from here? Nowhere. There's nothing that we can do. Until Al realizes that he's the problem and not the solution, us fans have to simply accept the situation. The boycott is an admirable attack, but if anything it might just make him want to leave Oakland and take the team elsewhere.
I think I said this before, but in a way, Al is a sort of tragic figure. Right now younger people see him as an antiquated, belligerent, if not crazy, owner. What many do not realize is that Al Davis *IS* the Raiders and that, if not for him, there would be the legendary Raiders teams of the 60s, 70s, and 80s (and arguably the early 00s). And his his legend goes beyond the Raiders and extends to the success of the AFL as well. Unfortunately he has gone from genius to crazy old uncle in the attic and, unfortunately, is unable to recognize that no matter how much he tries to help this team, he only ultimately winds up hurting it. A less stubborn man...and most good managers...would recognize his own shortcomings and hire someone to fortify his weaknesses. Perhaps hire a GM to handle the team when they realize their way is no longer effective. Unfortunately, that man is not Al Davis.
My prediction is that Tom Cable will be fired if he is convicted. It'll allow Al Davis to justify firing him, especially if it can prevent Al from having to pay the rest of his contract. Of course, if the Raiders were 4-1, it would be a completely different story. In the end, does it really matter if Cable stays or goes? Or who handles the team in his absence? Any coach worth his salt inevitably butts head with Al and leaves on bad terms. Right now the only coaching move that makes sense is coaxing Tom Flores out to the box to give it one more go. But it still won't matter...until Al Davis is no longer in the picture, it'll just be more of the same.
Hey, it's Roy and Doobie! I'm going to get sentimental if this keeps up.
I don't know what to say.
I'm hoping that Mr. Davis can somehow pull off a third act, one in which he gracefully adapts to the reality of the situation, and finds a way to empower the right people to turn the ship around.
No one would begrudge an aging legend for loosening his reins and adapting and finding a new way to succeed. In fact, he would be rightfully lauded for it, and his legend would grow.
Buz Aldrin is still a legend and great advocate for space exploration. But that doesn't mean he can still fly the moon ship. No one begrudges that.
The willingness for Davis to change and adapt is the only solution to overcoming the current situation.
A full blown intervention by people he respects would seem to be the only way for Davis to have an awakening.
Expecting him to change without any external instigators forcing the issue seems like a major longshot.
Calico, you bring up an interesting point about an intervention. However, you have to wonder if it actually be effective, or even possible.
I think it's well known that those in Al's corner are well treated and those who oppose him are quickly shunned...I'm sure no one knows that more than Rich Gannon right now. I can't help but think that Al has a lot of hangers-on, similar in a way to the entourage that Mike Tyson had in his heyday. Not as many, I'm sure, but I'm sure there are a lot of people benefiting from being yes-men to Al Davis.
I hate to put Raider legend Jim Otto in this camp but I'm going to use him as an example. With all that Al Davis has done for him through his hardships, can you see Otto eagerly participating in this sort of intervention? Hey, I'm not going to pretend I know the Davis-Otto relationship...maybe he *can* talk to Al frankly...it's just that on the surface it appears that such a discussion could have serious relationship risks associated with it. And that's just Otto...I can imagine there are many other people in his camp who fear that having such a discussion with Al could cost them their job, certain perks, etc.
NYRaider said,
"maybe they just want to go into hiding until Al Davis figures this thing out".
well, i guess we'll never hear from them again.
one writer (i forget his name) wrote about jim harbaugh being the next raider coach.
how about al just grovel at jon gruden's feet and beg him to come back? chucky'll kick some ass for sure!
anybody see this????
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/10/14/SP9D1A5MVN.DTL
langston walker's back!
Idea: second round pick for Philip Buchanon!
wow, they cut o'neal!
Scorpio:
More lollipops and sunshine? Don't you get it by now? Trying to reach for straws or put a band aid on a gushing wound does NOT fix the problem.
You can replace the Head Coach and QB until you are blue in the face but until the support structure and the way business is conducted is changed significantly, it just doesn't matter.
We all know Gruden wouldn't come back to Oakland in a million years. This is a fairy tale for an adult. Harbaugh is a popular rumor but would it really matter without a GM? Do you honestly think that Harbaugh is going to come riding in on a white horse to save the day? I'm sorry but we are well past the point of just changing a Head Coach to impact tangible, significant, impactful change. Unless a proven Head Coach has authority and a capable GM to work with, it is nothing more than more of the same.
calico - you guys can keep dreaming about a gm but it's NEVER gonna happen. just like our raiders winning a championship - ain't gonna happen unless al davis goes away! so why not get another coach in here? it'll happen sooner or later. might as well be now.
some of you just keep sugarcoating al and his f-ups and now you're finally seeing the light!
in other news... i haven't said CRAP about russell. i said i'd give him until mid-season but let's face reality here - he's a big time BUST! and it's on who? GM AL! it's just gonna get worse from here! the coliseum is gonna be a ghost town on sunday!
antonio pierce is right on btw!
scorpio,
i think al will bring in a GM. well, sort of.
al will put on a pair of those fake nose & glasses, and introduce himself as "new" raiders GM.
hey, come to think of it, maybe all raider fans should disguise ourselves with those nose & glasses.
Well, he needs to touch base with Clinton Portis to get his 'GM' face on (not sure if you guys saw Portis' little show each week last year for the press).
-moshbucket
Granted he doesn't want his team to underestimate us, and hopefully he was serious and not toying with Cable, but Andy Ried said this about this weekend:
"On what he thought the Raiders were doing well in the beginning of the season and have declined in doing since then: “They are an inch away from that. That’s how it is in this league, I’ve said this before, you’re never as good as you think, and you’re never as bad as you think. They are an inch away from making things happen and it’s important that we realize that and focus on doing our jobs the right way here.”"
-moshbucket
H,
The week1 team was playing a banged up Charger O-line and we were able to get off the field.
That team also had healthy Gallery, and the other starters (on this team atleast) on the line, so atleast we could run the ball somewhat. Gmen were in the backfield ALL DAY LONG, and that's 100% on the o-line.
On the bright side, atleast we get to enjoy our Saturday team :-)
Can't wait to lay the wood to the 'ball coach' this Saturday.
-moshbucket
It's disturbing to think that, if not for a late Darren McFadden TD run in week 2 against the Chiefs, this team could be considered the worst team in football.
For all you guys that were thrilled we took DHB over Crabtree, James Lofton had this to say about Crabtree:
“I really liked Crabtree. He has a catch-to-run transition that’s in the milliseconds. You know how long it takes a hummingbird to bat its wings? That’s how long it takes him to catch the ball and get running. He is a phenomenal talent.”
The rub with taking Crabtree is that he didn't want to play for the Raiders. Honestly, can you blame him?
DHB, the #7 pick in the draft, has 2 receptions for 36 yards after 5 games. That projects to 6 or 7 receptions for the season... and he's our #1 WR. Murphy, our 4th round pick and #2 WR, has 12 receptions (projects 38 rec for the season).
There was plently of O-line talent for the taking at #7. No worries, we brought back Langston Walker.
NYRaider,
I didn't want either DHB or Craptree. I actually wanted Michale Oher.
Without the proper talent you have to get the line to overacheive, which will only carry you so far. Especially if the QB is can't complete passes to open receivers.
When that happens, you can put 8 in the box and just wear the O-Line down.
As for benching Russel, it should happen. At least the completion percentage would go up.
H
Moshbucket,
I say we draft Rolondo McClain, Terrance Cody, Julio Jones, Greg McElroy, Javier Arenas, Mark Ingram and Colin Peek.
This is a college team that has seven potential All-Americans and is in the hunt for the BCS National Championship. Just 4 years ago they were considered a second tier team in their own conference. Far removed from their glory days as one of the most storied teams in college football history. A team around which the strongest conference was built just to catch up to them.
Oh how the mighty had fallen, but now they are back.
The model is there, find the right guy, pay him the money and loosen the reins.
I was talking to an Auburn fan the other day and he made a poor attempt at trying to get my dander up by saying, "you know, the media really doesn't like Nick Saban."
My answer was, "Yeah, and you guys would love to have him."
Al, I love you man and I don't want you going anywhere. But, you need some help. Find the right guy and let's get this mess out of the way.
H
H - Michael Oher would have been a compelling pick, particularly given our current circumstances.
Eventually, the Raiders will be forced to either draft talented OL players (meaning with the use of high draft picks) or overpay top notch FA O-linemen to come in and correct what has become a glarring problem after years of neglect.
Just to add to the stupidity of this year's top draft choice, 2009 was loaded with productive FA WRs, essentially driving the price down.
Murphy was a great 4th rd pick, and would be seeing limited duty as a #3 WR on any other team in need of his services... while probably catching as many or more balls than the 12 rec he has with Oakland.
Hey did you guys hear about the 18 year old kid who raised enough money out in Buffalo NY, to put up a protest billboard on the poor performance they are getting with thier Bills? Hmmm sounds like a good idea for us to look into?
i belive the raiders did try to address their 0-line woes when they picked gallery, and grove with high picks in the same draft.
trouble is, grove was to light in the azz, and got pushed around, and gallery couldn't handle LT.
true, gallery has become a good LG, but how many teams use a top 5 pick on a guard ?
the draft picks, not only on the 0-line, have been simply dreadful.
need a star RB ? how about mcfragile.
a star wr. here comes dhbust.
a star qb. no problem. jbust, put down that burger, and sign this $60mil contract.
the D-line ? hey, it's so great, we can just ignore it.
DB's ? we draft'em. we sign'em. but still we lack.
here is my next draft day plan.
right before draft starts, someone tells al davis, there is a problem in one of the storage closets.
when al goes to investigate, they slam the door, lock it, and do not let him out until draft is over.
Raiders game is blacked out. What a surprise.
According to a report by J-Mac, the Eagles blitz more than any team in the NFL, and the Raiders blitz less than any team. Another surprise. It’s really the degree of variance that is startling. Eagles blitz 47% on passing plays vs the Raiders 13%.
The Eagles often put 9 men on the LOS and bring some and drop some, but you don’t know who until the play develops. They actually disguise their defense. Wow! What a great idea!
On the other side of the ball, the reason we don’t blitz is because we’re afraid teams will burn us by throwing over our pressure to an open field. If that’s so, then the Raiders should be well equipped to counter the Eagles blitzing this Sunday with quick slants, screens and roll-outs, right?
Where's PantyRaider with the latest stats? PFT says the Raiders are 32nd in team offense and 31st in team defense. How did we manage to be at or near the worst in the league at both O and D? Honestly, don't you have to try to be this bad?
I have the Eagles as my team D in fantasy FB. No reason not to start them this week. Russell has 4 fumbles in the last two games, and the Raiders offense can't get out of its own way. Of course, I would rather see the Raiders make me eat those words, but what are the chances of that?
In the Eagles last game vs. the Bucs, they faced an inexperienced QB, Josh Johnson. What did they do? Try blitzing on 60% of the offensive snaps (45 blitzes on 75 offensive plays).
The new DC McDermott knows the following going into the game:
(1) Our QB is struggling, holds the ball too long, and is prone to fumble
(2) Our OLine is a leaky patchwork unit
(3) Our 2 WRs are rookies who are not sophisticated to read & react, handle audibles, or adjust their routes.
You talk about a recipe for disaster and this it. I hope I'm wrong but this game will make the Giants game look like a picnic.
The question I have for the crew is what do you think the over/under line is on the total number of sacks, ints, and fumbles for the Raiders offensive unit? 12?
Aye caramba.
For old time's sake, let's talk about the blitz:
"According to Stats, LLC, by way of A.P.’s Josh Dubow, the Eagles blitz more than any team in the NFL. On passing plays, the Eagles have brought pressure 28 times in 56 snaps on first down, are 18-for-47 on second down, 23-for-43 on third down and 2-for-4 on fourth down. That’s 71 blitzes in 150 snaps on passing plays, or 47.3 percent.
The Raiders blitz less often than any team in the NFL. They’re 6-for-56 on first down passing plays, 6-for-54 on second down, 8-for-41 on third down and 0-for-2 on fourth down. That’s 20 blitzes in 153 pass plays, or 13.1 percent."
How well do you think Cable will be prepare the offensive unit for an onslaught of blitzes?
If you don't see Russell throwing a high number of quick slants ... there's your answer.
I am a an armchair QB who never played 1 single snap of organized football. I have never coached beyond A.Y.S.O. for my nephews. Yet, it is painfully obvious to any football fan that it is VERY obvious what the Eagles will be doing. 8 to 9 men on the line of scrimmage. 5 and 6 man pressure on 50%+ blitzes. Does it take a rocket science to practice, strategize, gameplan, and playcall to try to combat the Eagles? No. It does not. The rule of thumb to protect vs. the blitz and be productive against the blitz is to mix in quick count run plays between the tackles, throw 3 step drop quick slants to the WRs. It is to use max protection schemes using more 2 TE sets than usual.
If the Raiders offense attempts to run their basic offensive sets, Cable needs to go. This is Football 101. If you are not doing everything in your power as a Head Coach to try to prepare your team for the heavy blitz pressure than you need to find another line of work.
5, 7 step drops ... forget about it.
Plays where Russell needs to hold the ball more than 2 seconds ... forget about it.
Slow developing plays ... nope.
blitz, no blitz, waht does it matter ?
anyone who watches the games knows good teams like, eagles, steelers, blitz a lot and play modern defense.
raiders, meanwhile, hold firm to the stone age.
is there anyone in the entire raiders organization that knows anything about modern defense ?
remember, al davis NEVER hires guys from the D side of ball for top coaching spots.
al even managed to find the ONE ryan, who knows nothing about defense. amazing.
“By being fans, you wish they could be more supportive,” Russell said. “We’re already down in the dumps and that doesn’t make it any better. The best thing for that is just have them come together with us. Who knows? I really don’t.”
Wait a minute; did he just say what I think he just said? WTF….
“It was crazy for me. I had never really been in that situation before you just have to pull out of it. A lot of people are fed up over the course of a year but the only thing we can do this week is make some plays and hopefully it will go the other way.”
Then Greg Ellis has JarBusters' back on the rest.
“ JaMarcus came here with a unique situation. He came here, he wasn’t allowed the opportunity to sit down and watch and learn from somebody. That’s the way the business works in the NFL right now. So, now what JaMarcus has to do – and JaMarcus is doing it – is to get in there and find out, what does it take to be an NFL quarterback? People may say, ‘Well, can he do that in one night and figure it out?’ The answer to that is, obviously, no. You can ask Eli Manning. You can ask any quarterback that’s pretty good in this league. Ask them about it.”
But then he says the following.
“But, he has to continue to be diligent on working on figuring all that stuff out, the coverage’s out and all that stuff. And if he wants that bad enough, then he’ll be a great quarterback in this league.”
Wait he doesn't want it bad enough. Its all about the mink coats and the bling.
I don't want to hear excuses. I want results. As Take and CJ have said... A GM is required until then there is no end in sight and if we can't fix the front office 1st and formost. The likehood of that ever happening? Probably never.
Mr.Duva32,
that ellis quote is mind freezing.
i believe eli manning sat for 9 games, before becoming a starter. and who did he learn from ?
who did matt ryan learn from ?
joe flacco ?
ben rothlisberger ?
all these guys, and many others, were just named starter day one for their teams.
as i recall, jruss was not thrown in right away. because of his holdout, he was eased in after a while of sitting/learning.
what ellis said makes no sense. i think you are correct in calling it an excuse. sounds like one to me.
Raider00....you want to hear something else scarier. Check out the Raiders Beat audio of former Raider Jarrod Cooper's inside story on the organization.
Coop sounds off!!!!
http://www.knbr.com/common/
global_audio/201/13358.mp3
Mr.duva32,
WOW, everyone must listen to this.
my eyes were already open, but after hearing this, i can see through walls.
doesn't sound as if al is going to change anytime soon. very sad news for us raider fans.
The interview with Cooper is more confirming than revealing, but it’s worth a listen.
There should be no doubt that Gruden was shown the door because of jealousy that he, not Al Davis, was getting credit for the Raiders’ success.
One point Cooper made was also made by somebody on this board, that Russell does not interact with coaches (nor players) when he comes off the field, nor do the coaches seek him out. This should be a critical function of processing information about the plays just run, correcting mistakes and exploiting opportunities.
You see other teams' players and coaches constantly processing information from the field. Russell goes to the bench and just sits there.
Cooper said that Cable is now going through what Kiffin went through, with the added distraction of a possible felony charge.
Honestly, I think Cable is in over his head, something I didn’t think with Kiffin, but they obviously handle their own situations (and relationships) much differently.
The Raiders acquired a good D-Lineman in Seymour, yet we are still ranked 31st in the league in overall defense and against the run.
This further proves that the Linebackers are overshooting their gaps, and there is no push off the O-line from the defensive line.
The D-Line against the run is to make a push up front, and man their gap. The Raiders are being pushed out of the gap on the front lines, and the LB overshoot their gap, or don't get there quick enough.
What Cooper said about JRuss going straight to the bench is something I said earlier in another post, or on Calico's site, that scares me about him. He is not on the side talking with his receivers and coaches.
Cooper also has said some things that we on this board have discussed in the past. The one that stuck out in my mind was that Gruden would stand up against Al Davis. So what? What is significant about that? Well, The coaches that have been successful for the Raiders have stood up to Al. Sometimes I feel that Al does things just to see if the coach will second guess himself. My Accounting Professor in college Dr B used to do that all the time. He pulled me aside one day and said, "You know why you are not an A student? Because you second guess yourself! You know this stuff like the back of your hand, and if you want to be successful as an accountant, don't ever let anyone cause you to second guess yourself." I was second runner up my senior year for the Wall Street Journal award for Accounting for my college. I have never second guessed myself in the work place either. Thanks Dr. B! I feel that Al sometimes does the same, he causes coaches to try and second guess themselves.
Overall, Cooper sounds like he has sour grapes because he was beat out by Routt a few years back. If there was ever a guy who quit on the team, it was Cooper. I really took everything he said with a grain of salt. It would be interesting though, to see if Moss would ever back Cooper's play about Davis confronting Moss.
Didn't Davis say if Moss had the proper coaching he could have been great as a Raider?
Seems to me the onus is on Davis to provide that coaching.
Even so, vet players like Moss don't really need coaching, per say. Think about it. Did Tim Brown or Jerry Rice need coaching? These guys coach themselves and the people around them, including their coaches. Ok, Moss may have needed babysitting, but the coaching excuse is lame.
Davis still can't see that the Raiders are the NFL's Siberia... worse record than the Lions over 6+ seasons, with the added drama that only the Raiders can provide.
awesome article by monte poole:
http://www.mercurynews.com/raiders-headlines/ci_13563256
Thanks Scorpio, interesting article but definitely relieves what most of us have been saying all along and then some.
How ya doing, Al?
"My team's not doing well," Davis grumbled, "so I'm not doing well."
Asked about Russell, Davis said he has to stick with him — for now.
No, he wasn't thrilled by criticism from a CBS analyst he called by his given name, "Norman" —Boomer Esiason. Yet Davis realizes it comes with the territory.
"JaMarcus, he's got to do better," Davis said. "Forget the cast around him. He knows it. But we've got to fight through it with him."
Nyraider and Raider00, Coop’s interpretation of what has been going on could very well be fabricated or could be true. But I sense some of what he is saying is on the money and just solidifies most of what we have all be saying for the past few years and especially this year alone.
It appears Monte Poole has been reading our posts. Funny how everyone but the Raiders is listening to the cries.
Is everyone buckling in for another Sunday beat down? My bet is that Cable totally ignores the Eagles propensity to blitz and neglects to call quick slants and screens. Instead, I expect Russell to drop back and look aimlessly down field for his inexperienced rookie WRs. Tiring and predictable.
I recall saying I was fed up, and people said I was being unreasonable.
And I would ask the rhetorical question: What's your limit, then? Six years, seven years, ten years?
I think we've got an answer. For most, this seventh year seems to be the breaking point.
I got a jump on it by not renewing my season tickets this year. Glad I didn't. That's $620 better spent elsewhere.
You're right, Raider 00.
At this point in time, our opponent is irrelevant. The real enemy is ourselves.
RT: What is the breaking point? I suspect most Raider fans would fall into 1 of 4 categories:
(1) Lollipops & Sunshine Crew - Everything is "a-ok". This is just a mere "bump" in the road in a cyclical business.
(2) Loyal Yet Bitter Posse -
Don't know how to scale back on their Raider obsession and will gladly cling to any sliver of hope.
(3) Valuation Modifiers -
This group still follows the team avidly but has deinvested in time and money spent. On the look out for "tangible & significant" change and more likely to pull the plug at halftime then ever before.
(4) White Towel Brigade - "No Mas"
I align myself category 3.
Great analysis, I'm in #3, have been for a year, will stay there until they put down the scissors, stop running, and start planning. For real.
What's clear is that the benefit of the doubt has dried up. Just put your ear to the Raider Nation. They are fed up. A collective epiphany has been reached over the past few weeks.
What is crystal clear to me is that the Raiders organization, coaching staff, and players have the burden to resestablish and earn our fandom.
Nothing, and I repeat, nothing is beyond critical analsyis.
Pick any topic related to Raider football excluding the Raiderettes and there is VAST room for disappointment and constructive criticism.
- The model, evaluation, manpower, and selection of the draftees.
- The sturcture and shortage of capable professionals in key support positions.
- The qualifications, capabilities, authority, and stability of the coaching staff.
- The unsophisticated, predictability of the offensive and defensive units.
- The level of talent, depth, character, and football intelligence of the 53 man roster.
- The leadership, wherewithal, adaptability of ownership.
- The culture, focus, and priorities of putting winning above all distractions, stubborness, and past futility.
6 going on 7 consectuive years of double digit losses is the flashing red light.
A good read:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/273442-the-complete-destruction-of-the-raiders
I fall into category #3, but I’m just now starting to divest... something I painfully learned last Sunday at Giants Stadium.
I promise to no longer be swayed by hollow promises and false hope.
To paraphrase RT, the Raiders suck until they don’t suck... and nothing on paper will change that.
Post a Comment
<< Home