Postgame Take + Thoughts
Well, you win some, you lose some. That's the Raiders. But they look like they're on their way to winning more frequently. They are improved this year, but the path to true championship contention is looking like a long, multi-year slog under Gruden & Co.
When you see Bill Belichik on the other sideline looking bored as he once again throttles the Raiders, this time with a quarterback nobody wanted; when you watch the Chiefs on Monday night take down the Ravens with such precision and playcalling creativity, you really get a sense of how far the Raiders still have to go to be remotely considered elite.
Personally, I don't think the refs are holding us back from being competitive. Remember that bogus pass interference call that cost the Cowboys the game in Week 1? It happens. Bad calls stink, but we gotta look in the mirror.
It is what it is, and it's on Gruden and Mayock and Mark now. It's not Al Davis, it's not Reggie McKenzie anymore. It's their baby. How fast will it grow up? Will it get stuck in adolescence? We'll see.
Meantime, I'd also like to revisit some recent comments from some of the hardcore denizens of Raider Take:
NY Raider: "RT it would be nice if we could get some of the old blood back and pumping into this site. Blandarocked, H, 00, Calico Jack, PantyRaider and so many others...As I look at other blogs and sites that used to get a lot more traffic, I have to wonder what's going on around Raider Nation. Has the base eroded since the move to Vegas?...Is there anywhere to go anymore to get decent perspective about the Raiders?"
Raider Nate 75: "The problem has become that our society cannot function, nor see the value in disagreement...I really enjoy the disagreements here, as much as I enjoy the agreement that we love the Raiders. I have always said I value everyone's opinion here, with the exception of personal attacks. I too miss the other voices here, and I hope they swing by and read things, but I really hope they speak up too. Blanda, H, 00, Calico, Panty, Jones, Take, NY, and OakTown Blues, I really wish you all the best and hope you are all doing well. I also hope to hear from you, not just about Raiders football, but about life."
I know that this site has been hanging by a thread for a while, and is at this point nearly entirely community-powered. It is less "Raider Take" now and more "Your Take," which in so many ways it always has been.
Raider00 is still here in force, and OakTown chimed in to say that he's a conscientious objector to some of the things the NFL is doing, saying, "Your opinion, my opinion, equally worthy, and worthless."
And that's the point, and it speaks to Nate's lament about our society not seeing value in disagreement anymore, when, in fact, there is great value in disagreement.
So to answer NY's question, where do you go to get decent perspective on the Raiders? I don't know. The Athletic does a good job, but it's subscription based.
But I would posit that the best perspective is right here, not necessarily right here at Raider Take, but in the community of regular Raiders fans, and their raw, honest opinions and interpretations of events in the world of the Las Vegas Raiders. Of coursed, I am biased when I say that I think some of the most thoughtful stalwarts in this community of ideas have put down roots right here at Raider Take.
On that note, thanks for sticking around, I hope more of you chime in as the season progresses, but I understand if you don't. I don't have the time or energy to generate the original editorial that I did some years ago, but it was really always about the conversation, and it still is.
posted by Raider Take at 7:14 AM
7 Comments:
P.S. Do you see that Amazon ad for Badasses in the upper right? If you click on that as your portal to Amazon.com to buy something (anything!), it helps me out (I just paid the annual domain fees for RT). It doesn't cost you anything, it just means Amazon gives me a small cut when you buy something/anything from them after going to their site through that portal.
I will use it. My wife and I purchase stuff on Amazon all the time. Thanks for the heads up, Take. Also, thanks for keeping it real here too. I will keep it up on my end too.
I love the different perspectives, and though I may think differently and see things differently, I enjoy all the perspectives. I know a lot of Raider fans, and have been telling them about the site, and to come jump on and comment. Maybe they do, and just don't comment. But the comments, the perspectives, is what makes it great because it brings a sense of community and family.
Take, much love to you and yours and the same to everyone here who reads, or reads and comments. Much love to those I wish would come back (Calico, where are you man? Blanda Rocked, how's life treating you my friend? Panty Raider, the dude with the coolest name on the site, I hope you are well!) Most importantly, JUST WIN, BABY!
Thanks for the take, Take. You said a lot. For all the disagreement, we've always had the Raiders in common, for better or for worse. It's a marriage of sorts.
And like the song says, Slow Ride.
Amazon! Ditto what Nate said, we use Amazon. I will place a link on my desktop for my wife to access for her purchases.
Cheers!
P.S. It's especially meaningful when Raiders play a NY team. I hope we get to see some more of what we saw the first 2 weeks.
Raiders are badly limping into this week's game, especially at WR.
Edwards, Ruggs and Gafford are out. That leaves Renfrow, Zay Jones and Agholor. The Raiders also will have to sign another WR before the game.
Enter Keelan Doss!
Where the hell has this guy been? The undrafted FA lit it up in preseason 2 years ago, convincing Gruden to actually tell media he would never release Doss long enough to re-sign to the practice squad for fear of losing him, but then did just that (remember, Gruden kept 4 QBs on the initial roster instead of keeping Doss). Jacksonville immediately signed Doss and the Raiders fought to get him back, signing him to a pay grade well above his non-draft status and placing him on their 53-man roster.
So the Raiders went far out of their way to correct what appeared to be a mistake waiving Doss only to overpay the rookie and place him on their roster.
Result: Doss had 11 receptions for 133 yards and no TDs in 2019, i.e., on a team with extremely depleted WR corps.
Huh?
What are we missing? Were the Raiders wrong about Doss's talent all along? Or has he been in Gruden's doghouse since signing with Jacksonville and declining the Raiders initial efforts to sign him back? Gruden was smitten with this kid in preseason, and he's been hiding him ever since, despite epic void at the WR position.
I don't know the answer. What I do know is, we are back to where we were last year at WR, with Renfrow, Zay Jones, Agholor and, well, Doss!
Simple solution: More 3 TE sets and hope Doss never sees the field (because he must really suck if he couldn't break into last year's WR corps).
Or, can the Raiders tap an unlikely hero.
Hey RT, I haven't been here in ages but have you ever thought about moving from here to, say, Facebook? I can't find a good Raiders group there...everyone seems to be filled with loudmouthed idiots.
--Doobie
Gentlemen!
As we hit 2-2 this last week, and face +13 odds on Sunday, I realized how much I missed this bastion of hope and shared frustrations!
Hope you and yours are all well.
My overall take on the first quarter of the season is that we have what we need to be competitive, but we don't have the cadence down yet. The injuries aren't helping us, but that is no excuse. We need more surety and attention to detail to cut down on the turnovers and make clutch moves on critical downs.
I love seeing Gruden on the sideline, and I wouldn't have it any other way, but is it crazy to say that I miss Jack's ability to make the team believe?
Just a quick note to say hello, and I'll be sure to swing by on Sunday for the lively discussion that always takes place during a divisional game.
Cheers!
Niice post
Post a Comment
<< Home