Welcome Back Swagger
Was that actual swagger I saw on offense last Sunday? I believe it was. Welcome back, swagger.
Think about this, if not for DHB's untimely drop against the Chiefs at the end of the game, Gradkowski would have engineered three last-minute victories in four games.
As it stands, he has engineered two last-minute victories out of the last three games, which is still pretty remarkable, especially considering it was against two tough AFC North opponents.
When the Steelers cut through our defense like a hot knife through butter in the waning minutes to take the lead, I thought: Here we go again. How many games have the Raiders lost like that in my lifetime? Even when they were good, they would lose like that. Take a late lead, go soft, lose the game.
When the Steelers were in the middle of the drive, even Tom Flores was saying that they were playing too soft on the coverage. Why do we do this! Why!?
Anyhow, for once, that wasn't the end of the story. The Gritmeister and crew saw to that.
I'm still not buying the hype that Gradkowski's the next Plunkett or Gannon. I still need to see more of him.
But there is no doubt that he has shown more moxie, and delivered more excitement, than any Raiders QB since Gannon, and he's only started three games.
He's given us some offensive swagger, something that's been a long time coming.
Think about this, if not for DHB's untimely drop against the Chiefs at the end of the game, Gradkowski would have engineered three last-minute victories in four games.
As it stands, he has engineered two last-minute victories out of the last three games, which is still pretty remarkable, especially considering it was against two tough AFC North opponents.
When the Steelers cut through our defense like a hot knife through butter in the waning minutes to take the lead, I thought: Here we go again. How many games have the Raiders lost like that in my lifetime? Even when they were good, they would lose like that. Take a late lead, go soft, lose the game.
When the Steelers were in the middle of the drive, even Tom Flores was saying that they were playing too soft on the coverage. Why do we do this! Why!?
Anyhow, for once, that wasn't the end of the story. The Gritmeister and crew saw to that.
I'm still not buying the hype that Gradkowski's the next Plunkett or Gannon. I still need to see more of him.
But there is no doubt that he has shown more moxie, and delivered more excitement, than any Raiders QB since Gannon, and he's only started three games.
He's given us some offensive swagger, something that's been a long time coming.
posted by Raider Take at 1:07 PM
124 Comments:
Just read the interview with JRuss on JMac's blog.
JRuss simply doesn't get it, and that stands out in the interview. He thinks the only reason that Gradkowski has done better is that the players around him are making plays. Whenever he talks about being in this "situation," he goes back and compares it to college - and I think that is evidence that I was right in my earlier analysis today.
This isn't college anymore, JRuss. Every player you face, including those mired on the bench, would be all stars in college.
From looking at that interview, JRuss expects that he'll be immediately handed the reins again when the season is over - no reworked contract, no changes - but a great new JaMarcus will miraculously arrive.
And he's even started to refer to himself in the 3rd person. Jeesh.
Good take, Take.
I would like to see JLH quit celebrating every catch, and NOT QUIT ON ROUTES (would have had a shot at that deep pass late if he kept going, and lucky the DB didn't run it down). He reminds me of Teyo, who used get all excited when he made a good play every now and then, even though we were getting our ass kicked. Negative-swagger IMO.
Dr. Evil jumping on linemen for watching the replay insted of humping it back to the huddle, I like. +swagger
Dr. Evil throwing caution to the wind when it needed to be, I liked. JR would have been sack, probably fumbled, and trown balls away more often than not. Lance sure didn't help him by developing him to be scared to take a chance.
+swagger
Cable talking about Grad's command of the huddle, and the O in general, good stuff. +swagger
I think this resurgent O will help the D as well, they should be able to play more relaxed if the feel the O has thier back, and isn't going to put them behind the 8 ball every chance they get.
But the best help for the D will have to wait until next year: Rolando McClain. Unfortunately, he's probably going to be gone by the time we pick (bitter sweet, ain't it?). He would elevate the play of all our LB's, and he doesn't have that "always wanted to be a raider" syndrome, which is cool in a way, but you have to think guys like that feel like they have reached thier goal, which is not OUR goal.
Sure Su is great and all, but McClain can run the D, and I feel would fix the big-play run issues.
On a totally unrelated note, Lance and TN are getting investigated by NCAA for recuriting violations, related to ..... wait for it ....hosteses!!!!
-moshbucket
Mosh, with a little bit of luck, and a continued strong effort from Gradkowski we'll be picking from the middle of the pack for the upcoming draft.
I think the problem with the D is the same one we had with the O. Leadership. Morrison is not a team leader, and he needs to be. Nnamdi is a leader on defense, but as a M2M corner, he's on an island.
While Biekert wasn't the greatest talent, he was long on leadership, and the same can be said for Clark. We need to get a strong leader in that position.
Blanda,
Took me awhile to find that interview. Hard to really make much of one and three word quote excerpts. Not sure I I would catagorize that as starting to refer to himself in the third person.
Saying basically "when I return to the field, you'll see a different Jamarcus" is fairly common, not quite:
"Shaq go left, Shaq go right.
Shaq be amphibious".
Not denying JR has a bunch of growing up to do, I just don't like dogging someone for what they said, when I really don't know what was said yet.
I just can't get alot out of:
“totally different JaMarcus”
and
"done"
-moshbucket
PS: Did I miss the actuall interview posted somewhere? All I found were some JMac comments with those four words quoted and "more to come" at the end.
On Randy Hanson:
Supposedly dude is genious at breaking down film and has Chucky-like drive.
Cable said he was "surprised", and everyone assumed that he heard it first at the presser and was "surprised". I would think Al told him, and he was "surprised". Or maybe not. Either way I don't think it's a real big deal.
Either way, I think it's a non-issue.
HOPEFULLY, that's not the football guy Al promised to bring in to help at GM!!!! Maybe we should start calling him "li'l Al".
-moshbucket
Blanda,
McClain would definately fit that leader bill, AND he's a beast.
-moshbucket
Blanda,
McClain would definately fit that leader bill, AND he's a beast.
-moshbucket
Blanda,
i agree that the raiders could use a leader on defense, but the problems are more deep.
we can use a big fat, bull in the middle of the D-line, and a tough SOB, MLB, right behind him.
we give up too many big plays right up the gut of our D.
We could use a modernized scheme on D? That would be a good place to start (seems like everybody on the planet except Al Davis thinks so). Then begin filling positions with players that fit into that scheme.
Mosh - as for the Hanson thing being a "non-issue," I completely disagree. All indications are that Cable and Hanson are the next Davis and Kiffin. How can that be a non-issue? Shouldn't the scouting personnel and the head coach have an open line of communication? Clearly, that's not the case here.
Like team chemistry, Davis could care less.
Dr. Evil mixed up a big dose of team chemistry and look what that did. But we don't need team chemistry, right?
It's interesting 00. On that big run play by Pit I saw what Cable was talking about.
The RE was getting pulled to the outside, Warren moved over to cover the gap it created and Mendenahall went right through the gap created by Warren's departure. Scott, the Will LB, was positioned to fill the gap vacated by the RE, but not the one vacated by Warren. If Warren had stayed put it would have been about a 5 yard gain.
According to the Contra Costa Times, the Raiders would take only a modest cap hit to release Russell. I'm not sure what that means as I thought that 2010 was an uncapped year.
Regardless, the lion's share of the damage from JRuss' contract has already been done, as he'll receive incentive money for taking more than 45% of the snaps in 2008 and 2009 - unless Gradkowski can engineer more than 55% of the season's snaps in seven games.
Therefore, there really is no impediment to Davis just cutting JRuss' strings - other than he might then decide to work hard, make something of his talent, and sign with a division rival.
What I expect is that Davis will attempt to renegotiate the remainder of his contract, and if Russell won't do it, trade him to the Lions for a seventh round pick.
Blanda, & NyRaider,
i think the key for the raiders future drafts is TOUGHNESS.
if there's one common link between Jruss, Mcfadden, & DHB it's their lack of mental/physical, toughness.
they play soft, and when they speak, they sound soft.
the raiders must return to drafting real football players, who will fight, and bleed on sundays.
we see what ski's "grit" has meant to the offense.
we could use some of that "tough grit" on the defense as well.
OO, agreed.
Mosh - I wanted to follow-up on an observation you made earlier that JLH slowed down on deep route last Sunday and watched the ball sail over his head. That pass looked to be right on target, i.e., had he stayed in stride. I hope Higgins got his cage rattled on the sideline for that. That's inexcusable.
Looking at that play and hearing about Henderson and other players watching the stadium replays, it's no wonder this team has been so bad... there's no discipline (top to bottom).
NY,
I NEVER said chemistry was not needed, nor did I mean to imply that. On the contrary, I would argue it's one of, if not the, most important intagibles on a team.
Hanson should be scouting players, and sending back cut-up films and info on the guys. Al and Cable should use this info. Assuming that will be the case, Cable and Hanson shouldn't have to interact.
That non-interacting thing is the reason I see it is a non-issue. Hell, maybe they burry the hatchet and become friends. I've known several people throughout my life that had knock-down drag-outs when they first met, but became best friends.
Still wish I was a fly on the wall during that meeting! Here's what I see:
Hanson rocking back on the hind legs of his chair, acting up in class. Cable kicking said chair out form under Randy. Randy pronouncine that he will have Cables job for this. Cable replying with "I'll F-ing KILL YOU FIRST!!!".
Cables mantra: "You can have my job when you pry my cold, dead assistant from my hands."
-moshbucket
I believe that the insertion of Ski as the starting QB will rectify most of the discipline The Raiders O desperately needed a guy willing and able to get in the grill of a player who screws up or isn't focused.
It seems very evident in 3 short games that the players respect Ski and have been yearning for a leader to take charge.
I'm also quite sure that Cable appreciates what Ski brings to the table. He knows that Ski is adept at audibilizing AND making a positive play out of a broken play. Cable's job as the playcaller is expanded with Ski under center.
The whole Hanson thing is just flat our weird. My take is that Hanson asked Al to come back and Al just couldn't help himself from bringing him back.
Maybe Al needed someone late at night to talk about and break down film from the 70's and Hanson is a good projectionist? Who knows? Maybe Hanson has some very unique skills that Al admires such as an obsession with spending countless hours breaking down film and tracking opponent's tendencies? You got me. If Hanson starts strolling around Alameda in a white jumpsuit, we know Lil Al has big plans ahead of him!
CJ,
You nailed it on hanson.
He's a tape-worm (Did I just make up a new term?), and is great at breaking down tendencies on film.
Remember roumors of players texting him about upcoming opponents after 'the incident'?
-moshbucket
So does anyone now believe that we got a bit carried away in the win over the Steelers? It looks like they're as bad as anyone in the league. Like I was saying, they've been decimated by injuries, so they weren't much of a team when we won. I guess I'm just not as excited as you all. The organization is still a mess. Despite all the excitement, I think Grad is an average NFL QB at best, and I think time will bear me out on that one. Sorry; I hate to be a scrooge during the holidaze, but I'm a skeptic when it comes to the Raiders and Al Davis. In the last 20+ years, the Raiders are one of the bottom three 'losingest' teams in the NFL. Changing that trend will require a huge organizational shift, and I've seen no sign of that yet. If anything, it's better that we lose more in the short term to wake Al up.
Blanda,
“Regardless, the lion's share of the damage from JRuss' contract has already been done, as he'll receive incentive money for taking more than 45% of the snaps in 2008 and 2009 - unless Gradkowski can engineer more than 55% of the season's snaps in seven games.”
Considering all the three and outs with Russell, Gradkowski may be able to get to 60% of the snaps.
John C,
Gradkowski might just be an average NFL quarterback at best. No argument on that “might be”. But, he has sparked the offense, and “average” is an upgrade from the performance Russell was providing. I don’t think anyone here is ready to anoint Gradkowski as the “answer”, but we like what we see so far. If you wish to wrap yourself in a cloak of negativity, feel free.
Further, all last night’s game showed is the game with the Brownies should be competitive.
I know our chances of getting Rolondo McClain are slim at best, but watch the national championship game. Moshbucket will confirm this. If you watch him closely it’s like watching Peyton Manning on offense. He reads the offense like a quarterback reads the defense and makes last second adjustments with the personnel on the field. And, somewhat like The Stork, he will freelance. He normally plays the middle, but a couple of his sacks this year came when he shifted outside at the last second and rushed from the corner.
You can love Saban or hate him, as much of the media do, but he is one of the great defensive minds in the game and McClain may be the best student he’s ever had. Of course having Terrance Cody in front of him and Mark Barron and Javier Arenas behind him doesn’t hurt at all.
On another note, Gallery is out for the season with lower back strain. However, he is to have corrective surgery. Anyone with back problems will tell you, back strain does not require surgery. There is something else there. Disc or vertebra problems.
H
JC -
I think most of us are on the same page... Raiders need a GM and an organizational overhaul to get out of this funk.
IMO, Gradkowski's spark may hurt us more than help us, because it's possible that it will prompt Davis to think he can continue to run the team by himself... which, clearly, he can't.
Meanwhile, Hanson is in the scouting department researching 40-times for the upcoming 2010 draft.
H, don't get me wrong. I appreciate what Grad is doing. I think I'm even going to grab a ticket for Sunday's game this weekend and break my boycott of Al (I know, I'm such a hypocrite!). I want him to prove me wrong. My eyes tell me he has limitations. For all the talk, Gannon and Garcia were both far more athletic than Grad in their prime. So IMO, for Grad to get at their level, he needs to be more accurate to make up some ground. I really see him more as a Doug Flutie type: fun to watch, but not able to get over the NFL hump. Meanwhile, I will enjoy what I have. If he somehow can last a couple of years with this crew and have moderate success, I can't ask for anything better. I don't see any better options anyway at this point.
nyraider: see, that's exactly my worry. If we win some games against lackluster teams at the end of the season, then maybe that influences Al to maintain the status quo, with no upgrade of our defensive and offensive schemes.
Understood John C.
If Gradkowski stays at starter and we have success, our offensive scheme may change anyway to utilize his strenghts.
I do dissagree on one point, I see him just as athletic as Gannon. He actually looks faster to me.
Washington's secondary coach Jerry Gray is using some of the same words I used to describe Gradkowski. He said about Gradkowski, "It looks like he is not afraid" and "Almost made a mistake where one of the guys dropped an interception, but next thing you know, he came back and threw the touchdown pass. When he can stay alive and move his feet he creates a lot of danger for you on defense."
By the way, DeAngelo Hall might miss the game. Also, Haynesworth is banged up with an ankle injury and may miss. The fullback Sellers is definitely out.
Galley gives me cause for concern. I wonder if The Wiz has been keeping in shape. You know, with eight (if memory serves) Pro Bowls, why isn't he under consideration for HOF?
H
"If anything, it's better that we lose more in the short term to wake Al up."
I chalk that up as utter BS. I understand where you're comming from, but as the last 7years woken him up????
I think winning out is more of a wakeup to him, because it shows his 'golden boy' QB was a HUGE part of the problem.
The D is blitzing more than we have in years, and although we're still giving up big plays, the blitz packages have improved our D. And if we can get a handle on the run D by the end of the year, that should help more. the letdown late against the Steelers was in part to reverting to that BS rush 3 and play everyone soft in coverage.
Think about it, Sapp even said they NEVER practiced run fits, and that's a HUGE part of our runD problem. Cable has them working on that, which Al historically hasn't.
And I hope all you 'boycott the game' folks out there in Oakland enjoy watching the Dis-Chargers this weekend.
-moshbucket
H,
You took the words right out of my mouth. If the O keeps up like is has, Grad should have no problem getting 60% of the snaps for the season.
-moshbucket
PS: Anyone know if the full transcript of that JerryMac/Russell interview is available yet??? I love reading the butchered english that JRuss emits.
First off, I agree that at Davis' age he needs help, but I'm not convinced such help will do us any good. Certainly the Ford family hires "professionals" to run the team. Just because you hire a GM doesn't mean he's going to be a good GM. It's the same crap shoot as coaches. Now, which of us here is going to identify Al's GMs for him.
H is right. Gradkowski is much faster than Gannon - at least at the point that we had Gannon.
Frankly, I don't understand why the expectations for Gradkowski are so low. His history is as good as any-body's with the exception that he didn't go to a top college program, but there's nothing wrong with Toledo. But Gradkowski went to the same high school as Montana, Unitas, et al. and eclipsed all of their records. Plus he definitely has Garcia's and Gannon's work ethic. He's showing Gannon type leadership.
I understand that after seven losing seasons folks are reluctant to climb back on the band wagon, but hop on. Grad can drive this thing.
Not a big fan of this term crap shoot, as applied to the draft or hirings.
It implies that there's no real difference between the Eagles and the Lions than luck.
Certainly, every team will make some mistakes in the draft and in personnel, and will have its ups and downs.
But in the balance, there's a reason why some organizations consistently excel while others consistently fail.
Also, organizations are not doomed to fail or entitled to succeed. Over time, they can go south (like the Raiders) or pull themselves out of the dregs (like the Cardinals). But it's not luck.
When the Raiders stopped hiring qualified head coaches and dispensed with the role of the qualified GM, they went south. It's not a crap shoot, it's a result.
Yes, a bad GM hire won't help the situation. But a good one will. It's up to the organization to do what it takes to make a smart choice. If they make a dumb choice, it's on them.
awesome article...
http://otrsportsonline.com/2009/12/10/jamarcus-russell/?ba096970
take said: "But in the balance, there's a reason why some organizations consistently excel while others consistently fail."
yes, and the reason we fail is called al davis...
Well, guess what, guys... The person who will be picking the GM - who do you suppose that will be?
In other words, when Davis hires a GM, I don't expect much to change around here except that folks will be griping that Davis can't pick a GM instead of griping that Davis can't pick a Head Coach or identify talent.
If Al Davis hires a weak candidate with little power and we don't get results, then yes, you will hear that.
If he hires a talented candidate, gives him power and we get results, then you won't hear that.
It's his choice.
That's life. You do well, you get praise. You screw up, you get criticism. Don't like criticism? Stop screwing up.
Thanks for confirming that nothing will change.
Um, that's not what I said.
Things can change. Unless, that is, you believe Al Davis is incapable of making a smart GM choice and giving him sufficient power to do his job correctly.
If so, you have a pretty low opinion of Mr. Davis.
Well, that's not my opinion. And you know full well it's not. However, if it is your opinion that Davis has become irrelevant in the modern NFL, and that he can no longer identify quality coaching or NFL talent, why do you believe he can identify a strong GM? You see, that's the elephant in the room that nobody seems to want to discuss.
If Davis no longer has a relevant football mind, that should extend to all of his duties as owner. It doesn't change unless Al sells the team or he dies. And, in that case, we are the new Lions.
"Consistant failure?" Really? Conference championship games in every decade, a Super Bowl in every decade but one = "Consistant Failure." My, my... Tough crowd.
I don't deny that Davis has laid up one long and stinky fart over the last several years, but "consistant failure?"
I am asking for change, not saying Al Davis can't change. Do you understand the difference?
If he gets back to hiring qualified head coaches and qualified GMs, and stops running with scissors in the draft, then things will change for the better.
He's the owner, and it's his responsibility to take the steps that will make us better.
If that includes recognizing the limitations of age, and adapting accordingly, so be it.
Oh.... So it's not really change you're after, but adjustment according to changing conditions. Seems to me that's the argument I've been making for over a couple years. I get roundly criticized for it.
No, I want change. Big change. Top to bottom. Al Davis can do it (in fact, he's the only one who can do it). It's a question of will he.
The only change I care about is a change from losing to winning. I don't much care how he does it.
I have an opinion (a take, that is) on how he should do it.
It involves the three most important foundations of success in the NFL: football executive (GM), head coach and draft.
So...
GM: Get one. A good one.
Head Coach: Conduct a real search and interview numerous highly qualified candidates.
Draft: Don't pull a stunt like DHB again. Ever. Learn to better evaluate the character of your prospects. Have a plan instead of a stopwatch.
I don't find anything wrong with DHB's character. My problem is that he can't seem to catch - something he did fine in college. One thing about that play where JLH gave up on the rout, DHB wouldn't have given up on the rout - he might not have caught the ball, but he wouldn't have given up on the rout.
Which brings me to the reason that I think Gradkowski is a good QB. JLH gave up on the rout because he was not a check down receiver, he was only a decoy. Gradkowski recognized that because all of the check down receivers were covered, the decoy must be open. Gannon would have spotted that, but not JRuss. JRuss would have taken the sack, thrown the ball out of bounds, or attempted to get the ball into coverage, leading to an interception.
Also, I'm still of the belief that the Raiders need consistency. If Cable can pull out at least two more wins down the stretch, I'd give strong consideration to bringing him back. If he wins three, I'd definitely bring him back. And at the beginning of the season, foreseeing 7 wins, almost everyone here would have said to bring him back.
John C,
i think it's very possible that gradkowski may be the real deal.
in tampa, grad, was just starting out, and learning the ropes.
now, still a young guy, he is getting his 2nd chance, and with more experience, seems more sure of himself, as a player, and leader.
it happens that way sometimes. a guy gets lucky, and lands in a situation just right for him and the team.
remember kurt warner, from bagging groceries, to SB champ.
and tony romo, from undrafted to stater in NFl.
it can happen, and the raiders are sure overdue for some luck.
Raider00, I agree. You really never know where your stars are going to come from. You can evaluate horse flesh all you want, but it doesn't always point to a champion.
Nobody ever expected what we got from Plunkett. He wasn't very successful in either NE or SF. Davis signed him for the league minimum. Dan Pastorini was desgnated as the Raiders new Golden Boy with Wilson waiting in the wings. But it was Plunkett who rose like phoenix.
Blanda,
it's so true. some more examples,
drew bledsoe, golden boy, number 1 draft pick, over taken by 6th round pick tom brady.
bret farve, cast aside by atlanta, finds home and hall of fame career in GB.
little known phil simms, from moorehead state, walks around with 2 rings on his fingers.
i could go on and on. the history of the NfL is filled with stories like this.
i know its a big if for some of you but bear with me here.
if Grad had started all season i feel pretty comfortable saying we could be 6-6. we could have beat SD in week one with Grad at the helm and i think KC in oakland looks different with him as the starter also. 6 and 6 aint that far of a stretch.
here's the part i'm curious about, if we were 6 and 6 with those minute changes and in the playoff hunt right now which of you guys out there would still be asking for "tangible change"? just wondering.
frkyraider
crapshoot-
i don't like this term either. these things take skill and vision. but if we need a term to put it into, i'd like to think of it more as a poker hand. you can be dealt the aces and still get them cracked. even tho you bet with the odds in your favor. sometimes dispite making all the right decisions you still get unlucky, sometimes it lasts a while. but the hot streaks come and go too. ultimately it takes skill and vision to survive playin poker just as it does in the decision making in the nfl. yeah, more of a "poker hand" than a "crapshoot".
frkyraider
Look how THEY creep back, shoveling the same ole shit again. Where were Blunda, Gory and Freak when there were no chance of winning? Now the Raiders have won 2 out of 3 and here they are, spewing that it's all good now, as IF Grad would have been the starter was all that needs to be changed. So 2 out of 3 wins and it's all erased...Al knows what he is doing, the dysfunction is the presses fault...blah blah blah.
It's political propaganda, same technique applies to these Bozo's. They could still tell you that Saddam Hussein did 911 and call you crazy because you say it isn't true.
It is impossible to reason with such buffoons. They have been shut down, proven over and over that their theories are wrong...still, they come on here and start right back at the beginning again....insanity = doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. This is the "CREW" to a T.
Anyone with a brain knows the reality of the situation and no matter what spin the crew puts on it, won't change that. You think that they would wait at least until a winning season before they tell us once again that Al Davis is still a major force at the top of his game.
JONES
Jones:
"Look how THEY creep back, shoveling the same ole shit again. Where were Blunda, Gory and Freak when there were no chance of winning? Now the Raiders have won 2 out of 3 and here they are, spewing that it's all good now, as IF Grad would have been the starter was all that needs to be changed."
I wonder if you consider that some of us actually work for a living, and come here to bide the time and discuss the Raiders. We don't actually come here to read you blithering complaints.
"It's political propaganda, same technique applies to these Bozo's. They could still tell you that Saddam Hussein did 911 and call you crazy because you say it isn't true."
Who, exactly, said that?
"They have been shut down, proven over and over that their theories are wrong..."
And when have you EVER done that? Saying that you know the TRUTH isn't even an opinion. Everybody has trouble agreeing with you Jones, because you don't actually say ANYTHING but hurl insults.
"Anyone with a brain knows the reality of the situation and no matter what spin the crew puts on it, won't change that."
What, exactly, is your reality, Jones? Or are we still waiting for the drugs to wear off?
Hell... Everyone knows Al Davis caused 9/11.
Jones, you name calling, fuck-tard. You need to pull your head out of your ass, and put that crystal ball of yours up there.
Classic far-left-winger, shout everyone down, and try to marginalize them with insults. I guess Bush and the CIA pulled off 9/11, didn't they? WTF are you dragging politics into this blog for anyway? Maybe if EVERY INTEL AGENCY ON THE PLANET had your chrystal ball, they ALL wouldn't have gotten it wrong.
-moshbucket
Blanda is hopeless. The guy loves Al way too much. The Raiders are one of the worst NFL franchises in the last 20+ years. The one small period within that time frame when we did win, Al had given up control to a legitimate GM and head coach. Hardly consistency.
Blanda, learn to stop evaluating players by their college stats and start actually watching them play. You're dead wrong on McFadden. It's a fact that he is not good at following his blockers and he has little to no leg power. There's a reason he's not a starter. Fer chrissakes!
No Blanda, DHB dropped a LOT of balls in college. In fact, he barely caught the ball or scored touchdowns. Stop making crap up. I actually saw him in college. Did you? Doubt it.
This team has grossly underperformed, even by Lions’ standards. Right now, any GM would be better than no GM (is Matt Millen available?).
How a GM is hired (e.g., through diligence or Raiders nepotism), and to what extent that person is empowered to make critical decisions will have a tremendous impact on success or failure. That much is up to Davis.
Based on Davis’ recent HC hires and unprecedented failures, there can’t be a lot of confidence out there among the Raider community.
Personally, I’m of the “seeing is believing” category. Based on what I’ve seen, I strongly believe that Davis will not hire (and certainly not empower) anyone to supplant his managerial authority in any way, and that he will continue to oversee all the football operations, from water bottles to draft selections, that he presently oversees.
In other words, I expect a big dose of the status quo for 2010. I just hope better decisions, like starting Gradkowksi over Russell, can be made on the field.
How long have we been posting on this site Blunda? How many times have we been around your circle of stupidity? Did I not explain to you years back, the way things were run in Alameda, Raiders had no chance? How many times, how many years ago? Tell the truth now.
How many years have you been on this site saying it was the press, it was the haters, it was a conspiracy of the league vs Al? How many Blunda? I have been very consistent in my posts, even Take called me a hater, blah blah. Stood my ground and here we are again Blunda. You are trying to convince that all is good and " just around the corner" after 2 out of 3 wins. How many posts you put up in a day Blunda? Who is blithering?
JONES
moshy said :
"Jones, you name calling, fuck-tard. You need to pull your head out of your ass, and put that crystal ball of yours up there.
"
Classic moshy.."you name calling FUCKTARD"..too funny. CLASSIC
"Classic far-left-winger, shout everyone down, and try to marginalize them with insults."
You must be a far left winger, if you keep "shout everyone down, and try to marginalize them with insults"
CLASSIC MOSHY, KEEP EM COMING
JONES
Nothing wrong with the 'character' of DHB. The guy just can't do the 1 thing he was hired to do ... catch a football.
In the last 3 drafts we have completely whiffed on our most important pick (a high 1st round selection).
And please ... let's get off the "what if" carousel. There was no chance in hell that Gradkowski was going to be the opening day starter. Russell, rightfully so, was given the opportunity to make his bed. Would I have liked for Ski to be starting in game 6 (or sooner) instead of game game 9? Of course.
The way I look at it is that every decision (or indecision) has consequences. In the case of the Raiders, many of the decisions that should be made by the coaching staff are made by Davis.
4 quick examples:
Would a HC with full authority trot out Russell week after week or bench him after week 4, 5, or 6?
Would a HC with full authority trot out DHB week after week when he is producing less than 1 reception per game?
Would a HC with full authority have Javon Walker take a valuable roster spot if he was never apart of the 2009 plans?
Would a DC with full authority play a simple, predictable, defense that relies on M2M 95% of the time?
Our new reality is a team trying to do their best with 1 arm tied behind their back. Guys like Ski & Murph make our reality more pleasant for the moment but to truly turn the corner it will take significant, comprehensive change in the power structure.
Real change isn't changing your QB & HC every year or 2.
Real change is empowering a GM, HC, and coaching staff with the authority to make football decisions to include personnel, schemes, and systems.
yeah i kinda figured i wouldn't get a straight answer to that question from the all negative team.
frkyraider
ps, i've been here, everyday jones. never left, stayed positive and am still drivin the bandwagon, so please step to the side sir, you are not welcome on this ride.
Here's a litle draft analysis of H-bey that I thought was dead-on at the time:
"If there’s one player in this draft that I’m confident will wind up being a bust, it’s Darrius Heyward-Bey. Because Maryland’s quarterback was a local kid from LA, Chris Turner, I saw a good amount of their games and paid attention to what they did. Let me tell you this: I never once remember hearing or seeing Darrius Heyward-Bey, and that’s part of my biggest concern with him. How is it possible for a guy who’s supposedly a top-10 pick in the NFL draft to be so easily taken out of games in college? For an 8-4 team, does 42 catches, 609 yards and 5 touchdowns impress you? That doesn’t seem too impressive for a 12-game season. Heyward-Bey only had one game where he caught more than five passes and that also was his only 100-yard game of the season. Does that scream out game-changer to you? Me neither.
Al Davis and the Raiders are running the team the same way they did 30 years ago when Davis was a genius — playing the speed game. Heyward-Bey ran one of the fastest, if not the fastest 40 times at the combine. Darrius ran a sub-4.30 40 which was a time good enough to get Chris Johnson drafted from East Carolina in the first-round by Tennessee last year. Speed certainly is a weapon, but I’d be more concerned with taking a player who’s more of a play-maker with great route-running abilities and hands. Speed alone wouldn’t make me take a guy with the 7th pick in the draft. I feel sorry for you, Raider fans. You needed a big-time receiver and instead you got a speed demon who can be taken out of the game without much trouble. Way to rebuild the franchise, Oakland. Thanks for playing."
-JC
Staying blindly positive when the philosophy being applied consistently produces negative results, doesn't work and never will is a negative trait in my book. See no evil, hear no evil...blah. We've all had to deal with people who put their head in the sand. Nothing more frustrating then working with someone like this.
i follow nothing blindly. i stay positive by choice. my head is nowhere near any sand. maybe you could see these things if you'd pull yours out.
frkyraider
"yeah i kinda figured i wouldn't get a straight answer to that question from the all negative team."
You've been getting that answer from me for at least 4 years. What do you think the answer is? Obviously you know it if you HAVE BEEN HERE ALL THE TIME, right?
Freak is as clean as a whistle, as pure as the undriven snow...he is the leader of the bus. I remember that bus..it had all the "special" kids on it. The ones that always had smiles on their faces, they didn't know what they were smiling about, but hey.....ignorance is bliss, right Freak?
JONES
jones you ignorant child, yeah i know what your answer is, i was talkin to the grownups tho. so run along little one. but before you go i'd like to tell you this, it's a bandwagon not a bus. do you know the difference? one is big and yellow, much like yourself. why don't you jump on the next one!!!
frkyraider
Let's stay on target, folks.
Regarding whether or not I would be agitating for tangible change if the Raiders were 6-6 right now, the answer is yes.
I don't think that the business model of an elderly owner, no GM and Tom Cable is a foundation for sustainable success.
It's sort of like asking if Lions fans would have wanted Matt Millen fired if the team had gone 8-8. Well, they didn't.
We need a GM who is not beholden to stopwatches, scholarships and simplistic defensive schemes. We need tangible change.
We haven't won six games, we've won four. And we've been utterly blown out several times.
That said, I have to say that I'm impressed with these recent victories. It means to me that we've got something to work with. We just need a better way of working with it.
frkyraider-
I thought I did answer your question. The reason I think it is silly to play along with your particular "what if" scenario is that is was not plausible.
Russell was going to be the starter for the majority of games this season come hell or high water. That decision was pre-ordained when they made him the #1 pick.
The organization needed to find out what we had with Russell before moving on to Gradkowski.
For argument's sake, let's move forward to 2010. Let's assume that the Raiders are 6-6 under the same type of circumstances;
(1) Cable Head Coach
(2) No Offensive Coordinator
(3) A simple, predictable D
(4) No GM
(5) Gradkowski the starter
Would I be pining for substantial, substantive, significant change? Hell YES.
Let's be clear. With good QB play, a few breaks, and decent D, the goal of .500 is within reach of most teams. So what. The changes that I'm pining for our long term solutions to how business is conducted in Alameda so the team can be playoff caliber and have sustained success.
Reaching .500 once or twice every so often is yellow bus material not a bandwagon.
Just curious frkyraider ...
Are the fans that are digusted with double digit losses welcome on your wagon?
Are the fans that want a GM, HC, and coaching staff to have authority on football decisions welcome on your wagon?
You seem rather content with putting band aids on gushing wounds. You also seem to be striving for the holy grail of 8 wins.
If you don't understand the importance of having a GM, a comprehensive search for the most qualified HC, allowing coaches to teach & implement a modern offense and sophisticated D, I suggest you get another driver for your wagon or you will crash like Tiger Woods on ambien.
Hey frky,
I have no issue with staying positive. What I take issue with is the blind ignorance regarding Al's activities. I believe that on any given week, any team in the NFL can beat everyone. So it doesn't surprise me that the Raiders can beat or compete with any given team on any given week. We've seen horrible teams like Detroit give Indy a run for their money. However, as someone who has a little experience in the scientific method and statistics, there's a clear trend in the last 20+ years that can't be ignored. The solution is simple: Al needs to dial back to the Gruden years and hire a legit, hands-on GM and a head coach agreed upon by that GM. Moreover, the defensive scheming has to improve: this whole idea that the players keep missing their assignments is becoming a lame excuse for the system itself, especially when we hear this excuse over and over and over again. Even Nnamdi spoke up about this a couple of weeks back. Players are human. There will always be mistakes on the field. The whole point of scheming is to make up for any deficiencies in athleticism or human error.
If Al doesn't change course, the trend will remain. Change doesn't happen by luck. It happens through intervention. It's just the way it is. I guarantee you that if these changes aren't made, we will continue with the poor draft choices, simplistic schemes, and goofy lawsuits that seem to interest Al more than team wins. Now, I'm actually POSITIVE that Al can make these changes. It might take a couple of more head coaching changes, but he HAS in fact made the correct decision within the 20+ year time frame I'm speaking of. My theory is that Al doesn't like all the accolades going to someone other than him, but at a certain point, I hope he takes into consideration his legacy. The problem is fighting through all of these yes-men around him, including the Al loyalist fans who put the personality of Al above the interests of the team and community itself.
I take this opportunity to remind everyone:
If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, then every day would be Christmas!
"If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, then every day would be Christmas"
Imagine...IF the Raiders had won 3 super bowls in the last 6 yrs, would we still be harping on Al Davis??? Well, come on, why can't you answer that? Everyone is so dumb, just because we lose so much, why do you all have to be so negative? I'll never understand people and why they think there is a problem in Alameda....it just doesn't make sense. The GREAT Al Davis wants to win too ya know, so who are we to question him...this isn't a communist country where people have the right to speak their minds.
It's Al's team and he can do what he wants and you just better shut up about it because damn it, this is AMERICA. Where only the owners have rights and everyone else just needs to learn to STFU......now everyone...don't say a word about how the country is being run, this is AMERICA and you don't have that right. Just STFU and do what the politicians tell you... and if you disagree, we will call you names and tell you that you are yellow.....welcome to the CREWS VIEW.
JONES
Jones,
Yea, that was kind of my take on "Jane, you ignorant slut.." (old school SNL before it went into the crapper).
Just don't like the name calling, man. Everytime you disagree with people, you've got to trot out your little nicknames and slurs. Save that for the enemy (or is your stance "if you don't have the exact same outlook I have, you're against me."?
EVERYONE here knows Al has f-ed everything up. Everyone here has agreed that's the case. Some people think he might be able to pull out of it if he drastically changes the way he operates. Of course that leads to the debat CAN he change the way he operates (I'm not so sure he can). Others feel Al just needs to go away (I like Al as an icon, kind of like the crazy old uncle, but if he must go for us to win again, he must go...).
Yet you seem to think there's a bunch of people here who think Al is doing a great job and everything is peachy keen. Name them, please.
And regarding your inference that people are trying to sensor you, if you are reffering to me telling everyone to STFU months ago, I appologize. I felt like I was in a room full of 3rd graders all yelling at the same time, and kind of snapped. I have stated several times since then that I NEVER meant to imply anyone should not speak their mind.
And for the record, you are the only one I ever hear calling people dumb in here (although there have been a chit-load of posts over the last several years, so I'm CERTAIN I missed many).
-moshbucket
Moshy said:
"Yea, that was kind of my take on "Jane, you ignorant slut.." (old school SNL before it went into the crapper)."
Freak said:
"jones you ignorant child, yeah i know what your answer is, i was talkin to the grownups tho."
WTF, so how many names are you? And WTF are you?
As far as your lame ass whining about me calling you Moshy or Blunda or whatever the # is of names you have....Too bad, the crew has been riding me since my first post on this blog...called me all sorts of names, like fucktard and things like that.
The Crew is a very shady group, full of shady characters...some funny things happen around here man.
JONES
Let's move on.
Take, you better devise a system to weed out those who post under different aliases. It really brings down the credibility of the site.
JONES
I think that the credibility of the site is predicated on the overall tone of the collective conversation. I understand that things can get heated. Happens to me sometimes. But persistent personal attacks just drag the whole thing down. Help me out, folks.
wow jones, talk about your proverbial pot calling the kettle black. and thats the "TRUTH"!!!
"wow jones, talk about your proverbial pot calling the kettle black. and thats the "TRUTH"!!!"
I have never posted under any other name, JONES is the only one. I see you did a drive by...where's your name?
JONES
It is clear to anyone who has observed the past 7 years' worth of drafts, head coaching searches, and performance of the Raider teams, that Al Davis needs to get his head out of the 70's and into the modern world.
The SOP that Davis has been operating under with the exception of the Gruden/Allen years, is a proven failure. If he resists change, executive support, and adapting to the current modern NFL times, the team will continue to struggle.
There are 2 very distint paths or choices before Davis.
Door 1: Status quo => changing your QB or HC or both every year or 2; devaluing team chemistry, shrugging your shoulders at a GM vacancy; placing more importance on combine measurables than football acumen; handcuffing the coaching staff to implement their own systems and personnel decisions
Door 2: The Awakening =>
A realization at the age of 80: With his legacy being tarnished each successive season, time running out, it is time to let go of the reins. Hire a GM, delegate the proper authority for football decisions to the people he has hired in the first place.
Calico -
My money is on Door #1. Davis is still in deninal. If he wasn't, we'd already see a plan in action.
...unless, of course, you consider hiring Randy Hanson to the scouting department part of a master plan.
This quote of yours pretty much sums it up for me:
"Our new reality is a team trying to do their best with 1 arm tied behind their back. Guys like Ski & Murph make our reality more pleasant for the moment but to truly turn the corner it will take significant, comprehensive change in the power structure."
I don't see any such change in our immediate future, and not until Davis is forced to do so by his failing health or through some type of intervention, e.g., by the minority owners or the NFL. Their authority to hold Davis accountable must be nil, since nothing is being done on any level.
It's really up to the fans, but there are still too many fans enabling this bad management. The same fans that see our late season spark as a sign of the future.
Didn't we just go through this last year?
Calico, I'd argue that it's not just the last 7 years; it's the last 20+ years. If it was just 7 years of backwards thinking, I'd cut avis a little more slack. But it's more than that. Many of us were surprised with the hiring of Gruden and Allen when it happened. One theory proposed is that Al was so tied up in the courts that he was willing to give up more control.
I go away for a couple of days and I see we are back to blaming Al Davis for all the worlds woes. Hell, he’s old enough we could blame him for the Black Plague.
Raider00,
As for your list of castoff unheralded quarterbacks, please add John Unitas, Kurt Warner and Jake Delhome. Warner and Delhome were undrafted and took teams to Super Bowls.
On the subject of Gradkowski only starting three games, I’m sure we were all disappointed Gannon’s first year only duplicating the previous season of 8-8.
Frkyraider,
I’m with you. Positive by choice. Even when calling for Russell’s benching. I had no idea if it would make a difference, but I knew it wouldn’t be worse on the field. But, even when there is something positive to point to, folks refuse to do so. Gradkowski might fall on his face the next four weeks. But, then again he might win out. I’m somewhat excited to see what will happen.
Today’s game should be competitive. I want to see what he brings to the table against an evenly matched team.
Take,
“I understand that things can get heated. Happens to me sometimes. But persistent personal attacks just drag the whole thing down. Help me out, folks.”
I’m with you on this one. Name calling and slurs of peoples handles only shows you don’t like people disagreeing with you.
H
H -
There's no one else to blame but the man in charge. He won't even staff his front office. He continues to place the Raiders at a significant disadvantage. There's no logical reason for Davis to continue his present course of failure.
For seven consecutive years we haven't been able to break the barrier to mediocrity, yet nothing has changed in the way business is conducted. It's beyond explanation.
We could win out our games this year, but it won't change the facts... Davis can no longer do this by himself, nor should he try. Enough is enough.
"But, even when there is something positive to point to, folks refuse to do so."
Maybe some see positive as being proven over time. A positive here or there after years of falling down doesn't make it anything to get excited about. If the Raiders can put a couple winning seasons together.....then we have something, until then, pointing out a guy here or there or a victory here or there....that really doesn't deserve a huge positive wave now does it? When the Raiders play well, we all give them a thumbs up. It just takes more consistent positives to get a positive reaction because of all the negatives before it.
One of the real problems with the "positive people" is their smug ego of being on "higher ground" because they choose to be a "positive person". I think it is more of an ego thing than really being positive. It gives them a sense of being better, or more loyal, or better at coping with life....or whatever. It is very hard for those with no need to stroke their own ego to understand this type of "reasoning".
I for one, find it very hard to read comments of those who act as if they are in a higher place because they refuse to see the Raiders for what they really are. It makes no sense to me and I see it having no value in turning the ship around. It actually lends itself to keeping the ship stuck in mud, but that is just my opinion of course.
JONES
Jones:
I agree with the thrust of your last comment. In particular, I would like to HIGHLIGHT one of the key words that you used: consistency ...
A win, an upset win, a thrilling come from behind win is still just 1 win. It is enjoyable. We give it praise. We high five, give thumbs up etc.
However, the KEY thing is consistency ... week to week. You know, actually putting 2 (not 1), 3 good games together in a row.
As a fan, I'm simply not content with:
(1) finishing the season strong then laying an egg the following year
(2) beating the former SB champs in a season of numerous blowouts
(3) being out of the playoff picture in November
(4) keeping the status quo
I have no problem whatsoever with learning to crawl (7,8 wins) before we walk (9,10 wins) before we run (11+ wins).
However, for this to realistically happen, the same failed path, failed philosophy, failed managment structure isn't cutting the mustard.
H, you're not making sense. Who else would there to blame other than Al??? He's the most hands-on owner in the league fer chrissakes. This blind faith in some cult figurehead crap is weak and useless in my book.
Jones,
Bob Tucker, Birmingham, AL. Used to post as BamaRaider, but Bama7 was already established here so I switched to moshbucket. Never posted as anyone else.
Fucktard was the FIRST time I ever called anyone anything, and that was to be funny, and throw it back at you. I don't care if you call me Moshey, my responce was to your post dogging on several other people.
-Moshey
4-12, here we come.
Good-bye swagger, fire up the clowncar.
-moshbucket
It's amazing to watch how slow JaMarcus is back in the pocket. Even with a three-man pass rush, he can barely get through his progressions. Terrible QB.
Raiders hold true to form and get blown out after a win.
The team completely fizzled with Russell in the game. Mario Henderson had his worst game as a pro.
Russell managed to throw an INT and fumble. He stays in the pocket when he should step up, and he steps up when he should stay in the pocket (no awareness of the pass rush). He seems to always throw underneath on 3rd down.
It’s more than ironic that the little guy with the "little arm" throws down field, while the big guy with the "big arm" throws underneath. Basically, Russell depends too much on others, while Gradkowski makes things happen.
The o-line was like a swinging door. But JR has to at least chuck it up for grabs if he's going down on 4th at the end of the game. I guess if you ask him what happened in the second half, he'd tell us that everyone quit making plays around the QB after halftime.
On the other side, our 3 leading tacklers were all in the secondary, and Chaz had as many tackles as Seymour and Kelly! (1 each).
It was like when Bruce went down, everyone gave up.
14 penalties for 118yds I think it was, that sure didn't help.
Murphy had another amazing almost-catch, and Zach seems to have caught DHB syndrome.
-moshbucket
NY, you nailed it, brutha.
-moshbucket
Moshy says he said:
"jones you ignorant child, yeah i know what your answer is, i was talkin to the grownups tho. so run along little one. but before you go i'd like to tell you this, it's a bandwagon not a bus. do you know the difference? one is big and yellow, much like yourself. why don't you jump on the next one!!!
frkyraider"
Yet it's signed FREAKY...hmmm, how can that be Moshy? See here:
"Jones,
Yea, that was kind of my take on "Jane, you ignorant slut.." (old school SNL before it went into the crapper).
-moshbucket"
Am I missing something Moshy/freaky?????
JONES
Jones:
Moshbucket & frykraider are definitely not the same guy. I have been on this board since close to it's inception.
Whether you have a bone to pick with Moshbucket or frykraider is your choice but pick 1 or both and don't make the mistake that it is the same guy because it isn't.
As far as my take on the game today:
In a weird way, I'm thankful. Why? Because it became CRYSTAL clear to everyone without a shadow of doubt that Russell needs to be cut.
The difference between Ski & Russell in the 1st half and 2nd half was like night and day.
Alas Calico, I must concur. I was in favor of drafting Russell and had high hopes for him. However, after seeing how the team was playing with Gradkowski the past month I could see the difference. The team plays better with Gradkowski than they play with Russell. It looks to me like they play harder for Gradkowski because they believe in him. The same can't be said of Russell. Listening to KSFO over the internet and I keep hearing everyone say that you could feel the energy drain out of the team and even the stadium.
It looks like we'll be on the hook for awhile till Russell's salary comes off the books because I don't see anyone clamoring to trade for him. Right now it would take a miracle for Russell to become an effective QB for us. The problem is, we don't have the time to wait for Russell to get it. He's had his moments, but they've been too far in between. Someday the Raiders will have to learn how to develop a rookie QB, but after today I don't think Russell is that player. Scorpio, you said you would reserve your judgement about Russell till late in the season. I don't think you need to wait any longer, it looks like you were right.
I still think Al is behind Russell. More likely than Russell being cut is Cable being fired. Al is the kind of guy who pins a lot of player deficiencies on the coaches. In his mind, Russell is probably not playing well because he is not being prepared properly by the coaching staff. Meanwhile, a chump like me can clearly see that this guy doesn't have the talent to be an NFL player, whether he is a hard working player or not.
And what happened to Bush today? Did he even take a snap? I know he had no carries or receptions. To big a pussy to play FB, so we never get to see Bush/McFadden backfield I guess. I'm sure he would have been more effective than Russel (RB), but who knows with that abysmal O-line of ours.
-moshbucket
Fargas: 9 rush 21 yards
McFadden: 8 rush 21 yards
Murphy: 2 rush 9 yards
G. Russell 2 rush -2 yards
Gradkowski had 16 yards on 3 scrambles. If the Raiders had a T.O.P. of 32:08 how do you explain so few rushing attempts and no carries at all for Bush? What kind of rotation is that? Tom Cable, you've got some 'splainin' to do.
People are going to point to Russell's protection being worse in the second half than Ski's, as an excuse for him. That's BS because Ski was getting pressure. He just knows how to get rid of the ball and he can feel pressure and move to elude it.
Russell just has absolutely no feel for pressure and does not move well within the pocket. As a matter of fact, the guy often moves INTO the pressure. There was at least one instance where instead of stepping up in the pocket, he stepped outside and right into where RT Green was blocking his guy. Green wasn't too happy about it either.
There's no instinct with Russell. There's no there there. And the atmosphere in Oakland wrt Russell and the fans (and it's starting to sound like with his teammates as well) is poisonous. I really think he's over with.
I wouldn't doubt it if Frye gets the start at Denver over him.
Is this the same Jack that said I was "coach"?
Mosh says he wrote the "jane/jones, you ignorant slut", did he not? Why is it signed Freaky? Simple question, why no answer? Like Randy Moss said, "weird things go on here".
JONES
From the Redskins broadcast on Sirius Radio:
Redskins had their biggest point total this year, and their largest margin of victory since 2007.
Don't be fooled into thinking Russell will get cut in the off-season. Davis made it very clear that Russell "will be great". This scholarship isn't over yet.
John C.,
It’s not blind faith; there are many things I have disagreed with Al Davis on over the years. I’ve even stated here, on this site, that he IS ultimately responsible as owner. And, I do wish he would hire a GM in name and responsibility. I’m just not going to stomp my feet and hold my breath for months on end.
But, I do recognize and thank him for the memories that are exceeded by very few franchises in the NFL. And, that 20 year period you referred to the other day includes multiple division championships, multiple trips to the AFC championship game and a trip to the Super Bowl. That’s probably better than 75% of the other teams in the league. This year the mighty Atlanta Parakeets will probably extend their streak of having never made the playoffs or having a winning season two years in a row.
Calico,
I do think it’s time to cut the strings with Russell. And, I was one of the folks who wanted Al to draft him. But, I didn’t want McFadden or DHB.
As for yesterday’s game, where do I begin?
First, we are definitely going to have to find an answer for Jamarcus Russell. That or start asking different questions.
Having said that, the officiating crew didn’t do us any favors either. It was so bad, I kept waiting for Ed Hochuli, or Walt Coleman to step up in front of the camera to explain the calls.
Believe me folks, I try really hard to not believe there’s a conspiracy, but yesterday left me scratching my head, and not from the heartbreak of psoriasis.
The last two minutes of the first half a pass that was ruled a catch was reviewed so it could be overturned. Shortly thereafter it was decided a pass that was ruled incomplete (that silly going to the ground thing) would NOT be reviewed when the replay showed the ball being knocked out of Schilens hands AFTER he was fully on the ground. It’s not whether the ruling would have been changed or not, but the decision to not even look.
There was illegal contact ruled on Washington that was actually interference. Results, five yards and repeat the down instead of twelve yards and a first down.
Then the absolute perfectly timed special teams tackle that was ruled interference with the catch. Oh yeah, Miller catches a first down pass – oops, during the crossing patterns the Leatherskin DB brushes shoulders with our other receiver and we have offensive interference. I’ve seen DB’s get knocked down like that and no call made. Oh yeah, the review of the interception where the ball bounce up and hit the DB in the face being ruled an interception upon review costing Cable a timeout. It also looked like Miller took a helmet to helmet blow late in the game with no call.
Now for the pièce de résistance, Santana Moss slips and falls to the ground on his own, our DB (I think it was Johnson), trips over him and is called for interference extending a Leatherskin drive that resulted in a touchdown.
I believe the SEC loaned the crew they suspended earlier this season to the NFL so they could get their game check back. All kidding aside, at least the SEC took a long look at their officiating this year and made an effort to smooth out the officiating, publically admitting a few blown calls, suspending a crew and an official openly admitting he made a call without clearly seeing an infraction of the rules. In fact there wasn’t any on that particular call.
I understand we have more problems and we can lose on our own quite well without the help of the officials. But geez, let’s at least realize that a receiver can fall down on his own, and if you are going to look at a close reception in the last two minutes, show some balance and look at a close incompletion.
In my no longer humble stinking opinion officiating at the college level is better than the NFL. They tend to let the game flow, every play is subject to review, their reviews are quicker and the conferences do a better job of holding officials accountable. Hell, there were fewer total penalties in the SEC game than Washington had Sunday.
Sorry guys, I had to vent.
H
Jones,
I said my 'fucktard' comment harkened back to an oldschool Saturday Night Live news skit where Chevy Chase opened his response to his co-anchore with "Jane, you ignorant slut...".
Freaky pasted a take that began with "Jones you ignorant child."
How that somehow means we are the same person, I have no idea. I guess I have to proof read everything I write now, to make sure it isn't even close semantically to what anyone else posted, or people will think I'm posting under multiple names.
I just read the interview with JRuss on Jmac's blog. Uh-Oh!!! Looks like I'm really Bland also!!!
Or should I say Blunda? woops, gave it away that I'm actually Jones!
"Roses are red, violets are blue, I'm a schizophrenic and so am I"
-moshbucket
Back to Raider stuff.
Bring on Frylock!!!
JRuss is useless without a killer O-line, even then I would have serious doubts. He's like a slug back there.
Dr. Evil's done for the year. Both MCL's, wow. He probably won't need surgery. They did repair my MCL, but only because they were in there doing the ACL and miniscus anyway, otherwise they would tried to let it heal on it's own first.
If he does have to have the torn one repaired, I don't expect to see him in Birmingham. I wish him the best on recovery. Even if he isn't our QB of the future, I would be comfortable with him being our Tui of the future :-)
I didn't see the hit that did it, but evidently he got twisted up in a sack.
-moshbucket
What this game makes clear is that the team responds to a gamer, and JRuss is no gamer.
In fact, in view of JRuss' comments last week, I think the O-Line sent him a message. I expect that if JRuss starts the rest of the season, we'll certainly lose every remaining game as the team will now become dispirited.
I'd like to see what Frye has in the tank, but I don't think Cable will go there in view of JRuss' contract.
Like H, I was on board with signing JRuss (but not DHB or DMC). But there was one invisible characteristic, visible only on hind sight. That characteristic is that JRuss has no character. At least DHB and DMC have that.
My thing is, listen to Russell's interviews, etc. Did he only recently start sounding like this? No way.
That's the difference between the fans and a team when it comes to draft decisions.
We don't get to break down hours and hours of film with a team of scouts. We don't run background checks. We don't get to ask friends and associates about a player's character. We don't sit down and interview the players and look for obvious cues, such as leadership quality and work ethic.
If JRuss EVER sounded like a hard-working leader with outstanding character, then he must have been a better actor then than today. Or were we just looking at how far he could chuck the ball off of his back foot?
I don't think JRuss is so secure just because he's a 1st Round pick. So was Wilson. Wilson got his chance to start and then was ultimately replaced by the likes of Rusty Hilger.
H has made this point, and I'll repeat it. Davis' philosophy seems to be, "If I'm going to replace someone who isn't getting the job done, I have to find someone who CAN get the job done to replace him first." That sounds crazy to some, I know, but it is what it is.
RT, JRuss DID show character at LSU. But it appears that his life goal was to be drafted into the NFL, not to get to the NFL Hall of Fame. For that, he only has interest if you give it to him.
Now, you can argue that NFL scouts should have caught all of that, but NO team ever does - that's why this happens to SOMEBODY almost every year. It doesn't just happen to us. There isn't really any way of determining that up front (except by making an educated guess), which is why rookie contracts need to be regulated.
Personally, I thought JRuss traveling across country to attend a QB camp AFTER he'd finished his career at LSU was a good sign of character. But apparently that was a smoke screen of sorts, and only done to encourage a #1 pick.
It should come as no surprise that Russell fooled many of us with a few highlight streams on YouTube, but it also would appear that he managed to fool the Raiders' scouting, or ridiculous lack thereof.
DHB has no college highlights to speak of, so I'm not sure what the thought process was there, except that he runs fast.
I agree with Blanda that this team probably won't respond to Russell and we will likely lose out the remaining games.
And let's not kid ourselves about this defense. We easily won the TOP battle, and they still surrendered a blowout score.
Another 11+ loss season, here we come!
Apparently there was some consideration on the part of Cable to send in Frye, and he said that he'll announce a QB for Denver on Wednesday. Let's hope it's Frye, because the team has demonstrated, in no uncertain terms, that they will no longer play for Russell.
One of the things I noticed in the first half was that under Gradkowski the team started paying attention to details. Simple things like out patterns, where the receiver catches the ball and gets out of bounds to stop the clock - let alone, trying to get open. When Gradkowski is in there, they start to play like they are in the NFL. When JRuss comes in, they become like a high school team attempting to learn the game for the first time.
When Gradkowski is in, you begin to believe Cable when he says, "we're close." When JRuss is in, you can't see that the team even has a clue.
Bama7
As bad as it looks at times i see no way that there is a conspiracy against us. The nfl wants the raiders to be good because it would make them more money. We get bad calls because we are now known as a bad f'n football team so we get watched like a felon on release.
As for jruss, i said it before. we ruined him. No rookie QB will ever be good here without a solid, stable coaching staff. Think we've had that? Our coach beat the flip out of another coach in front of two asst coaches that shouldn't even be coaching in the nfl.... holdovers from our past (Washington & Brown) speaks volumes. we expect order? We expect player development? All we're good for is placing undo expectations on the players with the most talent... too much pressue on them in unwinnable situations (moss, gallery, huff, woodson, russell, mcf, etc) while upstart secondary players with no pressuer on them (fargis, Grad etc) can stand out because other teams aren't focusing on them nearly as much. There is no pressure on them.
If we dump Jruss and make Grad our guy (putting the weight on his shoulders) he'll have tougher time in our disfunctional system. Then we'll call for his head. Remember, 3 other nfl teams have passed on him.
And someone tell me what the difference is between the line mailing it in (not blocking worth a shit for jruss compared to their 1st half performance) and what Randy Moss did dogging it a few years ago? It's actually worse. People on this board were up and arms that randy wasn't laying his life on the line across the middle while we were 4-12, but M henderson and Co can turn into matadors and all we say is "see, jruss sucks... get grad back in there." The line was abysmal really the entire day. Rookie DE for them gets 36% of season total in sacks in one game... against us.
I think it's hysterical that Moss is melting down in New England. Same old Moss. I saw him dogging it on Monday night a few weeks, before people were really talking about it. Jogging out a route. The Panthers basically said he quit yesterday. What a clown. At the slightest sign of adversity, he folds up his tent. I still can't believe Mr. Davis defended that ass clown after Moss stole his money.
Moss is the new Dion Sanders. He only wants to play for whatever team is going to the Super Bowl, with or without him. That way he can take off whatever plays he wants, but still get glory when he shows up on a pass rout.
The big difference is, Dion always played according to his contract. If he found out he wasn't on a team headed for the Super Bowl, he still showed up.
As for JRuss, one of the things that sticks out his his rush to get out of the stadium after a loss. A TEAM MEMBER hangs with his troops even in disappointment. JRuss flees to his posse of hangers on who will tell him how great he is, hoping to get at some of his contract money. (At least that's my suspicion.)
Comparing JRuss to Wilson is a good comparison at this point. I really believe that what ended Wilson's career was the team started to refuse to play with intensity with Wilson under center. Eventually the team preferred to play for Rusty Hilger.
I know that Plunkett and Wilson didn't get along, and that Plunkett actually showed a preference to mentoring Hilger than Wilson. And even though Plunkett had very little left in the tank, whenever Plunkett replaced Wilson the team would play better. Even though Plunkett could no longer move in the pocket, the O-Line did more to protect him.
I believe the team has sent a message to Al that they will no longer play for Russell. And whatever Al's flaws may be, he does listen to his team (if not his coaches). I would expect every effort will be made in the off season to resolve the "Russell problem." The only thing that can save Russell at this point is to be spectacular in the remaining games. Do any of us expect to see that?
Just saw that the Panther's D said that they knew their gameplan would make moss give up. To funny.
As far as the line goes, I think JRuss not being able to move in the pocket had more to do with it than the line mailing it in. Although they were obviously frustrated with JR's COMPLETE lack of pocket awareness, that doesn't excuse lakadasical play if that was the case.
Kind of wish I had got Sunday ticket this year just so I could re-watch and try to get a better feeling of what went down in that second half.
Normally I don't like fans booing their own team (especially if they are still in the game), but this turd laid Sunday deserved every boo and then some.
That second half was positively Leafian. (Guess I'll have to start using "jamarcusian" instead of Leafian).
-moshbucket
The other thing about Russell bolting from the locker room after games. I think that pretty much accentuates what he said last week.
He believes that the only reason the team wins with Gradkowski is that they suddenly start making plays for him. When he bolts from the locker room, he's saying, "you guys explain YOUR loss."
A quick note on what scouts saw in Russell. Supposedly, he was a guy that players followed naturally. Well, that works on kids, when you're the biggest kid, and seem to have all the skills. But that shit don't fly in "Big Boy School", as Ray calls it.
-moshbucket
When Russell was due to arrive, the team was chomping at the bit to get him on the field, and worked hard for him through the end of last season. During the course of the year, things have apparently changed in the team's attitude. After about a quarter of the season, they stopped exerting themselves for him.
When Gradkowski began to start, it was almost like lights started going on. I believe that if Gradkowski had not been injured, they would have found a way to beat DC. When they knew that Gradkowski would not be coming back, and that it was going to be Russell for the remainder of the game, they simply gave up and went through the motions, just as they had done before the emergence of Gradkowski.
This is a team desperately in search of a leader. And Russell ain't it.
Add Gradkowski...
With Grad, even McFadden was starting to get in the mix. Grad had gotten DHB his first TD reception two weeks ago before DHB went down with an injury.
When Russell showed up yesterday, McFadden disappeared again, and even though Russell couldn't blame incompletions on DHB, he continued to have trouble getting the ball to anyone else.
When Gradkowski is on the field, we have an offense. When Russell is on the field, we have 11 individual players.
i keep getting fooled by these raiders.
after last week, i could see clear, signs of improvement. things seemed to be falling into place.
but after yesterday, things only seem to be falling apart again.
the skins took the field minus portis, haynesworth, & hall, and having not won a road game all year.
hey, no problem, they kicked our butts anyway.
beyond the obvious, ski going down, and frankenQb coming in, the raiders, once again, seemed ill prepared for their opponent.
i can no longer endorse even the notion of bringing tom cable back next yr.
i believe randy hanson was brought back because al davis will fire cable after season for cause.
by doing this, al is clearly taking hanson's side.
plus, he doesn't want to pay his cable bill, so to speak.
this is all guess work on my part, but with the raiders, if it sounds crazy, it's probably true.
New take is up.
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