Debark Now...If You Like

Had a 2 week layoff. Tough 2 week layoff. I posted nothing, because I could not think of anything to say that would be believed by ANY Raider fan. After yesterday's game, I AM BACK.

Yes, the Raiders failed to defeat the Patriots. Yes, the Patriots attempted to pile onto a train wreck. No, all hope is not lost. Prepare to be angered.

Yesterday's game was not as bad as it seemed at the time. I theink it is just that we Raider fans are so spoiled by the excellence of the best organization in professional sports, we tend to give Al Davis a very harsh whipping with a razor strip for allowing these things to happen.

I blame the coaching staff. If you look at the numbers, the Raider players are great. They have the potential to be the top team in the NFL with the players they have. The coaching staff has failed to motivate the players to communicate while on the field. They practice harder than any team in the league, but practice is just that...practice. Game time action is totally different. Had the Raiders hired the right coaching staff (Raider Coaches), they would have found a way to shutdown the Patriots defense in the 1st half. They did it in the 2nd half. Why did it take a halftime pow-wow to get it together? Take away the 1st half and the Raiders win the game. What happened in the 1st and 2nd quarters is solely the fault of the coaches.

I still think the Raiders have a top offense and a top defense. But, they need coaches who can not only motivate them, but give them the ammo to succeed. The current coaching staff, in its configuration, can not do that. The head coach lacks the talent to see the challenge and make the bold "Raider" decision on what is needed to shutdown a heavy defensive rush or a heavy offensive attack.

The media needs to get off the Raiders back in terms of asking stupid questions in an effort to trip them up to get a "gotcha" sound bite. In the post game press conference Coach Cable made the statement that the players were developing good. What players? At this point, the only player he should be concerned with when it comes to developing is JaMarcus Russell. He is developing as a good QB. It is his first full NFL season and he is learning from his mistakes. To say "I like the way our players are developing" after week 15 tells me you are too soft on your players. Push them. Make them work. Ask for more out of them on the field. Make them want to sacrifice everything to get a win. The Raiders need a head coach and I don't know where they will find one. The dumbest question, in the press conference, come from some idiot reporter when JaMarcus was under the lights. You have the attention of the world. Everyone is wanting to hear you question. We are all riveted on your coming words, waiting for a brilliant provocative question. the room is silent. You have JaMarcus Russell's undivided attention and all you can think of the ask is, "Is it depressing to keep losing?" DAH! what do you think? I am not even going to print J Russ' answer. But, what were you expecting? Did you think he was going to say, "No, it's not depressing. Losing is just something we do." Apparently, they let anyone in the press room.

Finally, I have to post the best video of the year, in my opinion. When I saw this it made my day.



It makes you wonder about the Secret Service and are they dropping thier guard when it comes to protecting President Bush.

Happy Thanksgiving To One And All!!!

Let's get it started...the Raiders beat the Broncos. Who was surprised. I said all week, it can be done. The Broncos are terrible on defense and they are overrated on offense. I will continue to say, in spite of what everyone tells me, the Raiders have one of the best running games in the league...when Darren McFadden is playing. He missed a few games due to injury, but now he is back and my point was proven in Sunday's game in Denver. When the Raiders running game is in tact, they are hard to beat. They have top receivers who can catch any ball JaMarcus throws. If they can keep the defense leaning forward to defend the run, they will eat them up with the pass.

I have listened to people from the Bay Area to the Gulf Coast rip JaMarcus Russell for being a horrible QB when, in fact, he is at a rookie level and needs time to grow. He is still a good QB and will become a great QB, with the right coaching and a descent line. In the Broncos game, he completed 10 of 11 passes, had ZERO interceptions plus he was the 2nd leading rusher on the Raiders, behind 'Huggy-Boy, Jr." Justin Fargas. Fargas was the 4th top rusher in the NFL for the week. With the combination of JaMarcus Russell, Darren McFadden and Justin Fargas in the game, the Raider receivers have nothing to complain about.

Now, I did receive several messages stating the Raiders had a horrible first half, some even said it sucked. I attribute that to tough fans that do not want to stop showing the Raiders "Tough Love." I have watch the replay of the game and I must say when you consider where the team was during this season, the first half was great. The Broncos entered this game thinking like everyone else (except yours truly) that they would roll over the Raiders like a stampede of wild horses. The score after the 1st Qtr was 0-0. That in and of itself was a moral victory for the Raiders. Halftime, the score was 10-3 Raiders. For me, it was game over at that point. They had mentally beaten the Broncos before halftime. The only thing I was concerned about was the altitude. Mile High Stadium has killed many a Raider in past years in the 4th Qtr of games. Not only the Raiders, but every team that has been forced to play there. I have always contended that if John Elway had played for any other team, he would not have been the comeback threat that he was known for. The Broncos hold their condition training in that high altitude which gives them an edge on any team that has to play there. But, the Raiders handled it in stride. It never came into play. That shows they have the stamina to go the distance. they won the game 31-10 proving my analysis that the Raiders raely lose a game in which they score more than 20 points.

Now, it would take a miracle for them to make the playoffs, only because the Broncos have such a huge lead on the division. But, if the Raiders run the table, they will finish 8-8. The next two games are divisional. The Chiefs in Oakland on Sunday and the Chargers in San Diego on the following Thursday. I think they can beat the Chiefs, but it will be a tough game in San Diego with less than 4 days to prepare. However, I will pick them to beat the Chargers due to the fact that the chargers will overlook the Raiders thinking they can walk all over them. If the Raiders play the way they played the Broncos, the game will go to the Raiders. They have a way of getting into the head of their opponents during a game by simple preventing them from scoring at least 2 times. It forces them to say, "Hey, what are the Raiders doing that we can not score everytime we get the ball?" That can tear a team apart, as the Broncos saw on Sunday. The Chiefs are tough, but struggling. The Raiders should handle them easily.

If the Raiders run the table and the Broncos win only 2 of the remaining games and the Chargers win 4 of the remaining games, all 3 will be tied and the tie breaker will take effect. It would mean the Raiders will have split with the Broncos and Chargers and I don't know what the decision would be. However, should the Raider run the table and the Broncos and chargers tank the rest of thier season (it could happen) the Raiders would win the division. The Raiders have, in addition to the Chiefs and Chargers, the Patriots and Texans in Oakland and the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay. They can win them all, but the Bucs are the toughest, because they are getting stronger. It is almost an impossibility that an 8-8 team will win its division. I did say ALMOST.

Now, my picks for Thanksgiving weekend. Remember, I am not telling you to put money on any of these, but keep them in mind as I think these are safe bets. All are without point spreads, since I do not know the Vegas line, yet. I may change things after I find out the line. But, here I go:

Titans beat Lions
Cowboys beat Seahawks
Cardinals beat Eagles
Saints beat Bucs *
Ravens beat Bengals
Bills beat Forty Niners
Colts beat Browns
Packers beat Panthers
Redskins beat Giants
Dolphins beat Rams
Falcons beat Chargers
Steelers beat Patriots
Raiders beat Chiefs
Jets beat Broncos
Bears beat Vikings
Jaguars beat Texans
* = My upset game of the week

So, there you have it.

Until next time this is Raider-Man wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving,
Support our troops, give a soldier a great big sloppy kiss and let him know how much he is loved!!! ;-)

No More Tears

Hello All,

What a glorious week this has been. Of course I am speaking of the 2008 United States Presidential Election. We have elected our next President and he is Barack Obama. A man who is up on sports. Oh yea, he is a Black man. Martin's dream has come to life, at last. I know I am suppose to talk Raiders here, but I have been so filled with happiness over the election, I could not pass this moment up. All the racist people who have continued to spew hate over the past two days, should stop and think about what they are saying. If they do, they will understand how Un-American they are being. I will stop now or I will not be able to get to the topic at hand.

Here I go! I want to thank all who commented on my past postings. I have a near full inbox as everyone responses via email and not on the site. I do need the comments to come via the site so I can show the size of my readership. I can not post the comments from email via this route.

I do have to answer one such reader, my dear Big Brother. He, along with my Sister, is a central reason why I am a Raider fan to this day. He responded to my last posting, in email, and it contained such good points and expresses the sentiment of the fans in the Bay Area, that I must address it before moving on. (This will make for a long post)

He writes (Please read it so you can follow my answers. His remarks are in blue.) I will try to answer each point as it is made:

It is a major stretch to say the Raiders played the Jets like the 70's Raider teams.  That simply is not true.  These Raiders have not earned the right to wear "Silver and Black" yet.  Simply put - - they were lucky last week!!

When I say they played the Jets like the 70's Raiders, I kept the pressure on. They played hard and they rattled the Jets. Yes, they were lucky, but they got the job done.

I can forgive the Coaching errors last week because we have a rooky coach.  That forgiveness is only on the table for "last week".  No Raider organization member will get a pass this week.  I fully expect Raiders to adjust to last weeks errors as they prepare for this weeks combat.  They all need to be ready to leave every ounce of their Professional Football Experience on the field today.  RAIDERS need to get down and dirty - - real dirty.  They need to do what you suggested - - "PLAY LIKE THE RAIDERS THAT CAME BEFORE THEM IN THE 60'S AND 70'S !!!!

I agreed with the coaching comment until this week. More later.

All this bellyacking needs to stop right now!  I am a totally loyal Raider fan.  I expect my team to deliver or go down bloody trying.  I just don't see that in my Raider team today.  Now lets talk about our quarterback - JAMARCUS RUSSELL:

I know our quarterback is a gifted, talented, and totally qualified, great quarterback that will (hopefully) someday be enducted into the Football Hall Of Fame.  He can start his climb to the top of the ladder by doing just 3 things MUCH BETTER THAT HE IS DOING THEM TODAY:

I do not agree about JaMarcus, This is equal to a rookie season for him and he is trying to learn in a system that is dysfunctional to say the least. I do not think any rookie QB can step into this offense on this team, start and be much better than him. His problems are not all his fault. He does have much to learn, but he is learning.

1 - JaMarcus needs to make the decision to throw or run the ball much earlier.  If he is going to throw the ball - - then release it and let th receiver run to the spot where the ball will be waiting for him to catch it in stride.  That way the receiver will be able to catch the ball and run for yardage, if not a touchdown.

He will learn.

2 - JaMarcus must deliver the ball just over the head of the receiver (NOT JUST OVER THE RECEIVER'S OUTSTRETCHED ARMS)!!  Better yet - - The ball needs to be delivered right in the chest of the receiver or just in front of him in full stride.  Marcus is waiting for the receiver to get almost to the spot where the ball is going to be delivered.  That simply will not work.  Marcus is playing like he is worried about interceptions.  That will only lead to failure.  He must let the receiver earn his money.  All Marcus needs to concentrate on is keeping the ball down at the delivery point.  The receiver is paid to do the rest.

He will learn. The receivers need to learn how to catch him, as well. They will.

3 - JaMarcus is a big strong quarterback.  He must make the decision to run the ball when needed - - then take off like a halfback or fullback.  He must take advantage of the gaping holes in the front line of the defensive line that is in front of him.  I want him to think FIRST DOWN - - FIRST DOWN - - first down - - because that is the only way the ball will be advanced effectively down field..

Much of that comes from the guidance of his QB coach.

Did you see Marcus get sacked in the end zone today - - that sack makes my point exactly - - Marcus needs to release the ball much faster.  He did not have to be sacked in that end zone.  There is no time to scramble around in the end zone - -   He should have handed the ball to a runner or throw it to a point where he knows a receiver would be.  That my Raider fan - - will lead to RAIDER SUCCESS !!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are so right, Big Bro. I love you!

Now, on to week 10. It is mid-season, things will be gin to tighten up. Last weeks game was a true let down. I can not defend what happened on the field. I can not remember when the Raiders were ever totally shutout of a game. Not even a field goal.

I can tell you this. The players appear to have bailed on the coaches and the owner. They are not playing with the heart and drive I know they have. The coaches have begun to throw the players under the bus. It is not the players that need to go, but John Herrer,  the defensive coach and the head coach. The head coach is not ready to be a head coach in the NFL. You, the loyal Raider fan, saw what went on and I know you are angry.

John Herrera is Al Davis' right hand man. He has spent the last 2 years lying to Al Davis and the media about Raider operations and inside information. It has been proven, dozens of times, he is the source when you here ESPN and other media outlets say "According to sources inside the Raiders camp..." John Herrera is that source. His reason, he and Rob Ryan want Rob Ryan to be the Head Coach. Al Daivs does not think Ryan is ready to be Raiders Head Coach and he has made that clear.

Ryan has tanked the Raiders defense by putting them in situations that he and everyone watching knows they can not succeed. The Raiders get a big lead and he calls a soft defense for the entire 4th quarter. Never challenging the players to play thru the aches, pains and fatigue. The result...lead blown game lost. It will get worse before it gets better. Mark my words.

Yesterday, Al Davis released Donte Hall. He told Donte, who believes him, that it was not because of him as a person or player, but it was because of business. He needs to get rid of the higher paid players to make room for growth. Donte says he is glad. Glad. He signed a 7 year, $70 million dollar contract. He is cut and only gets $8 million. My take...he is happy because he did not want to play for the Raiders in the first place. He signed because it was big money for him and he would get the chance to me Al Davis. He said that last night. He was getting beat on almost every play, because the Raiders were calling the wrong defense for his talent. He is short, quick and needs to play a different style of defense. Yea, he made lots of mistakes, but again, he was fighting out of position. Now, the coaches have thrown him under the bus.

Al Davis is doing this to shake up the team. More plyers will be cut. My guess...Tommy Kelly will be next to go based on the results of the Panthers game. He is the highest paid at his position and has not produced. Keep that in mind.

This week the Raiders host the Panthers. A team I know they can beat. But, watch and see one of two things will happen. Either they will lay down like they did last week or they will dominate the Panthers for 3 quarters and play soft in the 4th.

I will be watching closely to see what happens this week. I know the Raiders can still turn this season around. I am in the minority, but I hold true to that. With the other teams in the division not playing to their potential, the door is open. It is up to the players to pull together and handle their business. Focus on the game and the game only. It tough with the coaching going the way it has, but I think Big Al will get that worked out and the Raiders will be victorious once more.

Until next week,

Raider-man out.

Do Not Forget Who We Are!

I must apologize for the delay in this issue, but with the "breaking news" of the week, I had to check out all my sources to be sure no Raiders were named in the "water pill" drug test failure. I must say I have heard nothing of a Raider teammate being investigated. Yea! Now, I can write my article.

I have heard from most of my loyal readers (and some new ones, too) and all are chomping at the bit for for this issue. Everyone is ecstatic over the Raiders overtime victory against the Jets, last Sunday. I must say that while I am happy, I am cautious. I do not like the way things developed during the game and I surely am not happy with what was said in the post-game press conference.

In the 4th quarter, with seconds remaining, the Jets positioned themselves for a field goal which would send the game into overtime. Raiders Head Coach, Tom Cable, waits behind the official for the moment before the snap...to call a timeout. A TIMEOUT! When I saw him duck down to ear level with the ref, I shout "NO!!!" Anyone who has played kicker or coach, knows that it is stupid to call a timeout at the snap of the ball in an attempt to "ice the kicker." Doing so gives the kicker a second shot at the kick and takes most of the guess work out of the kick. If he was thinking pull it left and he misses too far left, he can come back, not pull so hard and make the kick. If it is right, he can pull more to the left next time. If you want to "ice" a kicker, just call timeout after they break the huddle or line up. Yes, Mike Shanahan  did this to us against the Broncos, but I bet you if it ever happens again, Sea Bass will not miss. The Jets kicker hit the upright and missed the field goal. That would have been game over in regulation, but because the Raiders coach called timeout, they got a second chance and made the field goal, sending the game into overtime.

During the press conference, Tom Cable said he called the timeout "Because the Broncos did it to us." WHAT! Just because someone does something stupid to you and gets lucky does not mean you follow suit. We are the RAIDERS! We play Raider football. That should be the message. Hopefully, he has learned his lesson. Also, in the press conference he made the statement, "We are 1 and 0." It was later repeated by Russell in his portion of the press conference. BAD IDEA! Cable has the team in the mindset of each Sunday we are going to be 1 and 0. As a player, I can tell you that may work for 2, maybe 3 weeks, but then you run the risk of your players looking at things from a "We are undefeated" attitude. As they when 3 in a row, they will go back to not working as hard, because they will think "We got this. We can win 1 game." and that is a tougher problem to fix, than teaching them to work hard during the week and leave everything on the field on Sunday. (Commitment to Excellence) This "We are fine as long as we go 1 and 0 each week." thinking will bite the team in the butt at a time when they still have a chance to win the division.

The Raiders fought against the Jets like the Raiders of the 70's, giving Brett Farve headaches by not allowing his WR's to get open and they Raiders rose victorious. JaMarcus Russell showed, once again, he is a future star.  The defense played to their expectations. The Raiders have one of the best, overlooked, defenses in the league.

This week, the Raiders travel to Baltimore to play the Ravens. They will defeat the Ravens. The Ravens defense is suffering due to Ray Lewis playing injured. Their offense is not playing their best. When Ray Lewis is less than 100%, they suffer because they have nobody who can carry them the way Ray can. They Raiders will be able to run all day on that Raven defense. They Raiders defense will be in the Ravens backfield more that the QB. My main reason for saying this is simple...the Raiders are underestimated by everyone on the Ravens, except Ray Lewis. He has spent the past week trying to keep his teammates from looking past the Raiders, because he knows how good they are and how they can defeat his team, any team, that does not take them seriously.

I must go, now. I will try to post the next edition, sooner.

Raider-Man, out.

The Road Less Traveled

OK. I'm back. I have read the emails. I have listened to the voice mails. I have talked to all who called. Watched the replay of the game against the Saints. Now, I will but my Kool-aid on ice.

The past 3 weeks have been brutal for our team, our fans, our city. But, I have to remain positive. they need the energy. The Raiders lost a good coach, gained an Offensive Line Coach (not a head coach) and the distractions loom bigger than ever.

Alright, it is going to take some time for the players to get on board with the new Coaching staff arrangements. That is par for any team. If the interim head Coach, Tom Cable, attempts to continue with the plan and lessons of Lane Kiffen, it will only be good in that the players can try to continue on the path Lane had them moving toward. If he attempts to change things, they are doomed.

It was clear that he has changed the style and game plan for the Raiders. Being Head Coach has lessened his availability  to the offensive line, which was doing great. The defense is suffering from culture shock and has to try to recover.

I say all that to say this, nothing is impossible. It is still the first half of the season and with the other teams in the division suffering, I think the Broncos are on a down turn, the Raiders can turn this season around. The schedule is not kind, but I lends itself to teams that will overlook the Raiders and I know that makes for a good upset.

With that, this weeks game welcomes the Jets to the Raiders home turf. After falling on their face against the Saints, the Raiders had better be ready for the Jets. The Jets think this is automatic for them, because they have Brett Farve at QB. We know what he did to the Raiders the last time he played against them. STOP IT! He was with the Packers then, it was Monday Night Football and his Dad passed away the day before. Can you say KARMA? He does not have Karma on his side this week. The Raiders can when this game and I think they will. They practised hard this week and they are trying to get behind Cable. The Jets are looking way ahead to their week 9 game against the Buffalo. They play the Raiders in week 7 and the Chiefs in week 8. Both teams they know they can beat. They are not thinking about the coast-to-coast traveling they must do to face the Raiders. Teams that have done that have not done well this season. Each week upsets abound in the NFL and my upset pick is the Raiders over the Jets.

I do have to address the fact that it looked as if Tom Cable did not know how to make decisions during the game. He will get better. I do not see a new coach named before the end of the season, but I was also the one who said Lane would not be fired before the end of the season.

Do not give up on the Raiders, fans. When they are down, they need to hear the noise even more than when they are ahead. As a former player, I can not tell you the impact a quiet stadium or area has on a home team that is playing from behind. Everyone is loud and happy when the team plays good. But, you must understand, the energy given off from the fans cheering their team on is a boost to the players ego. Boost the players ego and he plays harder, focuses better and performs with greater success. If they think the fans are not behind them, they loose energy.

Think I'm full of it? Take the MLB Playoff game last night in Boston. The Red Sox were losing 7 - 0 in the 6th inning. Their best hitters could not get on base. Game over. According to the TV announcers it was. they were handing the game to the marlins. But, nobody told the Red Sox fans. They were on their feet cheering as loud as they could from the 1st inning. At the end of the 6th inning, the Red Sox player realized that the fans had not given up. They were wearing rally caps (basebal fans know what I am talking about), they were shouting and taunting the Marlins and doing everything they could to let their team know they believed in them. The Red Sox players said "We have got to get it together, now." They keep the Marlins from scoring in the top 7th. They scored 4 runs in the bottom of the 7th. They keep the Marlins from scoring in the top of the 8th. With 2 outs and 2 men on base in the bottom of the 8th, they hit a home run to tie the game. They stop the Marlins in the top of the 9th and they get a home run in the bottom of the 9th to win the game. At the post-game interviews every Red Sox player said the fans played a big part in that victory.

Get my point? do I still seem crazy?

Don't give up. Never give up.

Raider-Man, in Vegas. :-)

The Saga Continues

OK, I have viewed hours of videos, read numerous articles and posts from both sides of the coin and have heard from all my loyal advisers. Now, I will give my opinion.

Before I do that, please take the time to view the following videos in order. You will then have an idea of where I am coming from.

1) Al Davis' press conference explaining the firing of Head Coach Lane Kiffin:

• Part 1
  
• Part 2

2) Lane Kiffin's interview on ESPN's Sports Center moments after the Al Davis press conference:


__________________________________________________________

Where do I begin? Yes, I am going to "keep it real" and talk about the game against the Chargers. I still say the Raiders have one of the best teams in the league, this year. The big problem is physical conditioning. The players are out of shape. You can blame it on the Head Coach, but that is the fault of the individual player who, for whatever reason, thinks he does not need camp or preseason and can do just fine without them. They shut down everyone they face for 3 quarters. The 4th quarter, which is when the game truly counts, they are out of gas. The Raiders proved the Chargers are nothing. The Chargers running game could not match the Raiders defense. The Chargers defense had nothing for the Raiders offense. The only thing the Raiders need to do is work on their physical conditioning. They have to be able to last 4 quarters.

Now for the business at hand. Al Davis has fired Raiders Head Coach Lane Kiffin. Davis is upset that Chris Mortensen of ESPN broke the story within 5 minutes of Davis informing Kiffin that he was fired. Al is mad at Lane for that, but Al states, in his own words, it could have been no one other than John Herrera and Mike Taylor, his two right hand men, to have given that story to Mortensen. He is angered by false statements in the report. My question to Al Davis would be "Why are you angry with Lane when John and Mike are the people you say gave Mort the scoop? Mort says sources close to Lane have reported, not Lane has reported. John and Mike are close to Lane in the Raider organization." No one will ask that question.

I think Al Davis was wrong to fire Lane Kiffin "For Cause" and I think he should pay him is money. Davis does not see that the division is coming from Herrera and Taylor. The orchestrated the entire "Fire Lane Kiffin" campaign. The reports of infighting came from John and Mike. In my opinion, the Raiders are going to continue to face hard times as long as John Herrera and Mike Taylor continue to work for Al Davis.

That said, Al Davis is now going to attempt to destroy the life of Lane Kiffin just to keep from paying him $4 million dollars. I think that is a terrible thing to do to someone. No NFL owner has ever held this type of press conference to tear down a former coach. I take it as an attempt to bring enough negative press toward someone that no other owner will ever want to hire the person. I only hope Lane survives this attack.

I think it cheap for an NFL owner think "I sent him a letter" is the same as "We talked." You take it however you like.

Also, I do not like how the reporter from San Jose tried to turn the press conference into a personal attack on Al Davis by asking him if he would overlook personality if the Raiders win, taking a stab at the "Just Win, Baby" moto. Al is as sound as any owner in the NFL. Keep the reporting to football. Stop the personal attacks.

The person who thought he was going to get the job, did not get the job. The person who has been named interim Head Coach has a tough road ahead. The players are upset, because they were behind Kiffin and ready to play for him and now he is gone. Time will tell if it will work out.

This entire situation is embarrassing to watch as it is played out. The Bay Area media got what they wanted. Bay Area fans got what they wanted. (Not my loyal readers, but they are wiser than the average Raider fan)

One last thing. Allot of the chaos could be cleared if Chris Mortensen were to reveal his "source close to Lane Kiffin." Al Davis takes that to mean "Lane Kiffin", I take it to me someone else. Someone else who purposely spread lies on an innocent person.

There are a number of radio broadcasters, who are Raider fans, that are not going to mention them in commentary for awhile. I will not post anymore entries this week as I try to see how things play out for Al, his staff, Lane and the new Head Coach. the Raiders have a week off, so let's hope they can right the ship.

Until then,
Raider-man, later!

To Coach Or Not To Coach, That Is The Question

I promised my Brother I would not give my weekly cheer for the Raiders in the edition of Raider-Man. It is hard, but I will try to keep my word.

What went wrong in the Bills game? I have heard it all. Now, here is the truth.

Coaching did not lose the game for the Raiders. I have heard from every Raider-hater and Raider-fan I know and they all say it is the Coaches fault the Raiders lost, because he failed to use the 2 timeouts he had in the last 4 minutes of the game. When I was Coaching high school and Pop Warner football, many years ago, I was told "Never leave your timeouts on the table. Even if you are winning. They give you timeouts to use, not save." I still believe that to this day...except when you have the lead. In the case of Sundays game, I think Lane Kiffin figured, "My defense is tired. The Bills have the momentum. Let's just end this." Is that the right mindset to have. No, but it is a posibility. You have a Defensive Co-Ordinator who refuses to communicate with the Head Coach, his boss. You have an Owner/Managing General Partner who will not speak to his Head Coach nor will he insist that the Defensive Co-Ordinator get on the same page as the Head Coach. He will not even fire the Defensive Coordinator, because they are buddies. But, to get back to the game, clock management did not lose the game, conditioning lost the game. Lack of work, lost the game. Not pushing ones self, lost the game.

Hear me out, because I am about to step on my soap box. The Head Coach is not the only person who can call timeout. Repeat that last statement 3 more times. Now, The Raiders lost the game to the Bills because the Raider defense ran out of breath. The were swashbuckling for 3 quarters. They had the Bills number. We all saw a Raider team that would not be denied. But, when the 4th quarter began, the air ran out of the tires. The Bills did not suddenly find something that worked, they ran the same thing they ran all day. It is just that the Raiders defense got tired and could no longer stop them.

Who is to blam, then? Not the Head Coach, the Defensive Coach. While I think he is the best Defensive Coach in the league, he failed to have his man ready for FULL battle by week 3 of the season. He is mad because the Head Coach, his boss, asked the owner to fire him. He is not fired, the Head Coach is not fired, get over it and come together. Agree to disagree and win a Superbowl.

The media wasted 30 minutes of a press conference trying to anger Lane Kiffin by asking him if anyone in the Raiders organization has told him he is fired. The media clearly wants him fired, fans in Oakland holding signs on T.V. that say "Fire Kiffin!", want him fired. But wait, the Raider players DO NOT want him fired. They finally get the picture and are behind their Head Coach. They are playing better. They are playing together. It is a long season and lots of things will happen. Wait, watch and see if I am right.

As for Lane Kiffin's firing...it ain't happnin'. If you have ever followedthe Raiders you know one thing, Al Davis is the cheapest owner in the league. He hates to give money away. If you recall, When Mike Shanahan was hired, Al had a feeling he was still loyal to the Broncos. So, he made him sign that, after he was done with the Raiders, he would not go back to the Broncos as Head Coach for at least 3 years or he would lose the balance of the pay from his contract. Shanahan was fired after losing to the Broncos. The next week he went back to the Broncos as Head Coach and thought he would still get paid by the Raiders. Al said "No way!", Shanahan said "I'll see you in court!". Shanahan lost. While Kiffin does not have that kind of clause in his contract, if he is fired he will be paid about 15 to 20 million. Al is not going to give up that much money in one lump sum. You will have to work that off. That is why Kiffin will not quit. If he does, he gets nothing. He will be fired, that is the fate of all Raider Head Coaches. It's just not going to happen anytime soon. Wait until he is closer to the end of his contract, like when he has 1 year left. Hopefully, the Raiders will when the Superbowl before that comes.

Sorry Brother, I have to do this...The Raiders will defeat the Chargers this Sunday in Oakland. The Chargers key players are injured, they have no respect for the Raiders and that lack of respect will be their downfall. They are looking past the Raiders and the Raiders are tough on offense and defense.

Raider-Man, out!

Never Give Up!

Hello Fans,

When everyone was upset because the Raiders ran out of time against the Broncos, I said "Don't worry. It's only week 1 and the Raiders have a good team." The media has buried the Raiders for 5 years. That not going to change.

In spite of all that, the Raiders showed what they are made of against the Chiefs, last Sunday, by rolling into Kansas City and taking charge. JaMarcus Russell showed the NFL why he was drafted #1 by the Raiders. He showed that, with support, he can do damage to any defense he faces. He now has to learn to be consistent. The receivers showed that they can catch his passes. The running game is a beautiful thing, even if the media does not want to believe it.

The Raider defense proved that they can stop any big play offense, even with too many penalties. They has fewer penalties the in game 1, but still too many. They will improve on that.

This week the Raiders travel to Buffalo to place the Bills. A game I believe they will win returning to Oakland with a 2-1 record. They are currently holding 2nd place in the division ahead of the Chiefs and the Chargers.

Hold on to your hats. The Raiders are going to spoil everyones party. Every team in the NFL thinks they can beat the Raiders, but they are in for a rude awakening. The Raiders are on a roll, the league just does not know it.

In the words of Coach Jim Valvano, "Don't give up, never give up!" Don't worry, I won't.

Raider-Man, out!

There's Got To Be A Morning After

Game 1 done. The Raiders fell apart. They looked awful. Fire the coach. The players don't care.

Now that I have gotten that out, time for my TRUE feelings. It was week 1. You put the bus on the BART track and throw the team under it. There were a number of teams that were expected to win who lost this weekend. Week 1 is the first time the entire starting team, for any team, gets to play together. Give all teams 3 games before you truly evaluate them. The Giants lost their first 3 games, last season, and fans wrote them off as losers. They ended up winning the Super Bowl. The Chargers were 1 and 4 after the first 5 games of last season. They ended up in the AFC Championship game. Think about it.

To put your mind into a positive set before next week, think about this. The Broncos never took their starters out of the game. The final 2 drives the Raiders had were over 80 yards each and they scored both times. That should tell you we support a good team. They got off to a bad start.

Game analysis:

1. The refs were not calling the early Broncos penalties. On the opening drive, the Raiders moved the ball to the Broncos 9 yard line. There were 2 penalties that the refs blew, a pass interference in the end zone and a defensive holding penalty. That would have changed the flavor of the game, because the Raiders would have been up 7-0.
2. The Raiders defense got shook early by a 5'10" 180lbs. wide receiver. For whatever reason Deangelo Hall would not let anyone else cover that receiver. That will not happen, again.
3. The 2 personal foul penalties called against Hall were questionable. That was the first time I heard of an "Excessive Punishment To The Runner" penalty. The NFL will soon became a touch football league. Throwing the runner out of bounds....he did try to hold him up when he noticed they were out of bounds. The Broncos proceeded to sling Raiders out of bounds without penalty.

Don't get me wrong, the game was pretty ugly. But I have seen worse. The Raiders QB is good and he did prove that to me. The receivers must catch the ball. They will. Do not sell them down the river. It is too early.

The Raiders play the Chiefs in Kansas City on Sunday. THEY WILL WIN. You must stay positive, as a fan, in order to send positive energy to the team. (smile)

Keep The Faith,
Raider-Man, out!

Bring It On!

Hi All,

Well, the agony of the pre-season is over and now it is time to celebrate! The start of the regular season is just 2 days away.

The Raiders closed out the 2008 pre-season with a loss to the Seahawks (23-16), but as pre-season games go, they did better than the score showed. Non of the starters for the Raiders played, while the Seahawks starting lineup did play. Which tells me one of two things, either the Seahawks are not that good or the Raiders are awesome. The players were not good enough to make the team were good enough to give the Seahawks problems. I conclude the Raiders are AWESOME!

On a sad note, another NFL player was shot over the holiday week. Apparently, he had attended a night club with a friend. They meet some females and left the club. They were sitting in the car, waiting for the females to come out of their (the females) house when someone drove up along side them and fired multiple shots into the car. I will not name the player. I will say that it is reported that he is in critical condition. It is obvious that athletes, today, must make themselves very aware of their surroundings. The people they hang with, the places they attend, the areas the venture into. They are not safe just "going wherever I want" anymore. People are mean for no reason and they are bend on harming high profile people whenever and wherever the opportunity presents itself. If you know a young athlete, at any level including High School, impart unto them how to protect themselves. Tell them to be careful where they go and who they call friends. High school athletes are featured on ESPN regularly. The games are televised which can put them in the "high profile" category.

That is it for today's soapbox.

The NFL season starts on Thursday. I can not tell you who is playing. I knew, but I forgot. My post will come at least once a week, sometimes more. Send me your comments on the games and things you want to discuss. It does not matter who your favorite team happens to be, we will discuss anything. No topic is off limits, including politics. Just know one thing...I shoot from the hip. Sometimes, people do not like that.

The season actually starts, for me, Monday night, September 8th as the Raiders play the Broncos in Oakland on Monday Night Football.

The Raiders will win.

You do not have to agree with me, just understand my perspective.

Until next time,
Raider-man, later!

A True Football Player

Hello fans.

It has been awhile since my last post, but you know I do not care about preseason. It is hard to write about players who will be looking for work come September. But, I cannot go without writing, today. I would no longer be able to carry the name "Raider-Man" if I did not express myself on this day.

This is the day of what most will call "bad news". The passing of NFL Players Association President, Gene Upshaw. Because of that this post will be a long one.

If you listened to the radio (ESPN) or watched TV (ESPN) they continue to talk about his work in the player's union along with his Hall of Fame career as a player. I will take a different road in my discussion of him.

My first meeting of Gene Upshaw came when I was a 10 year old boy in the city of Oakland, CA. I was a member of the East Bay YMCA and I was name Boy-of-the-Month. One of my rewards was to meet the Raiders. I meet rookie guard Gene Upshaw and others. He was a big guy to me at the time, but events like that drew me closer to the Raiders and explains why I am such a big fan. I am only going to dwell on Gene Upshaw the player, not the union president.

Gene Upshaw is one who embodied the term "Football Player". He played at a time when man beat each other down on the field and went to dinner together afterwards. Nobody complained about "he hit me after I throw the ball" or "He tried to block me in the knees". If the players of today had half the heart and desire Gene Upshaw had, as a player, the NFL would be even bigger than it already is.

I have long missed the player of that era. They will never come back. Gene Upshaw will truly be missed.

Now, on to my own tribute. The photos you see are via www.NFL.com. The opening words are from the NFL HOF website. I hope they do not get angry with me, but they are far better than anything I could have put together on short notice. I do give credit to those involved. Please, scroll thru these magnifcient photos.

Peace out!

Eugene Thurman Upshaw, Jr...First who played guard exclusively to enter Hall...No. 1 draft pick, 1967...Won regular left guard job as rookie...Played in 307 games altogether...Possessed size, speed, intelligence, intensity, exceptional leadership ability...Extremely effective leading sweeps...Played in 10 AFL/NFL title games, three Super Bowls, seven Pro Bowls...All-league seven years, second-team All-NFL four other times...Born August 15, 1945, in Robstown, Texas...Died August 20, 2008, at age of 63.



Gene Upshaw - Rookie head-shot 1967.



Oakland Raiders guard Gene Upshaw (63) pulls to block during a 24-12 victory over the San Diego Chargers on October 26, 1969, at San Diego Stadium in San Diego, California. (Photo by Charles Aqua Viva/NFL)



Cleveland Browns defensive back Oliver Davis (21) finds himself face to face with Oakland Raiders Hall of Fame guard Gene Upshaw (63) during a 26-10 Raiders victory on October 9, 1977, at Cleveland Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Tony Tomsic/NFL)



Hall of Fame defensive end Jack Youngblood (85) of the Los Angeles Rams and Raiders Hall of Fame guard Gene Upshaw (63) wear the stains of turf they battled over during the Rams 20-14 victory over the Oakland Raiders on December 4, 1977 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by NFL)



Hall of Fame guard Gene Upshaw of the Oakland Raiders prepares to block Baltimore defensive tackle Joe Ehrmann during the Raiders 37-31 overtime victory over the Colts in the 1977 AFC Divisional Playoff Game on December 24, 1977 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Tony Tomsic/NFL)



Oakland Raiders Hall of Fame guard Gene Upshaw (63) during Super Bowl XV, a 27-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on January 25, 1981, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/NFL)



The Oakland Raiders offensive line--Henry Lawrence (70), Mickey Marvin (65), Dave Dalby (50), and Hall-of-Famers Gene Upshaw (63) and Art Shell (78)--before Super Bowl XV, a 27-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on January 25, 1981, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Ross Lewis/NFL)



Oakland Raiders guard Gene Upshaw in 1981. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/NFL)

HERE, HERE!!!!!!!!

2008 Season Predictions (Conclusion)

After 14 days of training, the Raiders will finally get to face someone other than their teammates. they will take on the 49ers in Oakland, tonight.

All looks well for the Silver and Black. WR Javon Walker may or may not be ready. He did state, at one point that he wanted to give back his $11 million signing bonus and retire, but Raider owner, Al Davis, convinced him he come to camp and workout. As he did, he began to feel better about himself and the team. He looks good in Raider colors. He is working thru his issues in regards to his being attacked in Las Vegas, earlier this summer. LB Kirk Morrison is ready, QB JaMarcus Russell is ready and should fair well. RB Darren McFadden says he is “excited about going out there and getting to compete against a different team. You have nerves because it’s your first NFL game, but, hey, you gotta go out there and take care of business like it’s any other day.”

I think the Raiders will do well. Those who know me know I never make predictions on Pre-Season games and I am not going to change that philosophy, now. "Get 'em, Raiders!"

Back to the lesson at hand. The regular season predictions:

AFC North

In 4th place I see the Browns. They have a good team and they will shock some teams, but I do not think they can win their division.

3rd place will go to the Bengals. Too many distractions. Their management has little, if no, respect for thier best player, WR Chad Johnson. He asked to be traded and they will not do it. He is going to be forced to play, because of money, which is the wrong thing to do to your team. They will play him, but they will not use him. It will be an effort to make him look bad and get him negative publicity. I do not like that, but that is how I see it.

2nd goes to the Steelers. Age is a big factor. QB Ben Roethlisberger has not been 100% since his accident 2 years ago. They have no "playmakers" to catch his passes. It will be too tough for them to take the division.

That leaves the Ravens. I think they will regain the "fear factor" they were once known to have in the past. QB Kyle Boller is ready to be a leader and I think he will get the starting job. LB Ray Lewis is healthy and strong. when he is on his game, they can only be beat by the Raiders. That defense will be one of the toughest in the league to beat.

AFC East

I have had to revamp my predictions for this division based on moves made in the last 48 hours. With that said, here I go.

4th place goes to the Bills. I don't like them. But, on the serious side. They are too quiet to make a move. I think they are looking to the future and not on the present. They have good players, but no real "playmakers".

3rd place will go to the Dolphins. They have made good changes in the front office, which has carried over to the locker room. The only negative is giving away DE Jason Taylor to the Redskins. All else will prove to be better than last season.

2nd place will go to the Patriots. No more 16-0 season. Too much to recover from in the way of injuries, egos, emotions of losing the big one, etc. They will play well off thier reputaion, but will fall short too...

The Jets. They have aquired the legend of Lambeau Field, QB Brett Favre, form the Packers in a bitter split over his retirement/return. I will go into that more in a future blog, but for now know this, Brett Farve did not deserve to be treated the way the packer management treated him this past YEAR. He is great. I only wish Al Davis would have jumped into the fire sale when it started. Favre plays with the heart of a Raider. It will take him time to gather the jets playbook, but when he does...watch out. the Jets will sweep the Patriots and win the division.

NFC West

In 4th place will be the Cardinals. They have two good QB's, but can't seem to make up their mind which should be the leader. To be a winner, you must have a great QB in the driver's seat. Until they settle on one, they will struggle.

In 3rd place will be the Seahawks. Losing RB Shane Alexander will be their 2008 downfall. the pressure will prove too great for QB Matt Hasselbeck to overcome.

The 2nd place team will be the Rams. RB Steven Jackson is coming off of an injury which will cause them much pain in attempting to reach the top.

The 49ers will shock the NFL by winning the NFC West. They are ready. most people do not think so, but they are. You will see.

NFC South

The Falcons will find it tough to get out of the gate and they will never recover, making them the 4th place team in the division. They need a quality QB. It will be at least 2 more seasons before they are once again a contender for the division.

3rd place will go to the Buccaneers. They were a major player in the "Brett Favre Fire Sale" of the past 2 days. That, I do not think, sat well with they QB Jeff Garcia. The issues with that are going to kill the chemistry they Head Coach John Grudden has built and will be the downfall of the team.

The 2nd place team will be the Panthers. They are healthy, but the lack the QB leader they need. That will keep them from defeating the Saints.

1st place will go to the Saints. They are healthy and they will be able to utilize RB Reggie Bush as they originally intended. He will quiet his critics by having a Pro Bowl season in 2008.

NFC North

This is harch, but 4th place will go to the Packers. To put your trust in an unproven commodity when you have a "Hall of Famer" in you pocket is unaccecptable in my opinion. I think the pressure from the fans (who own the team) and the media will be too great of a distraction. The egos of the management of the Packers will do them in. They will win 6 games this season and fall from 1 game away from the 2008 Superbowl to not even making the playoffs this season.

3rd place will go to the Lions. They have a good team and they try hard, but they just can not get over the hump in 2008.

In 2nd place will be the Bears. They are trying to overcome minor injuries and that is not good. They will beat the packers twice.

1st place will go to another team who will beat the Packers twice, the Vikings. they will show everyone why they wanted, but did not need QB Brett Favre. they have a good team and we will all see in 2008.

NFC East

4th place goes to the Redskins. While they try hard, they will not be able to overcome the other teams in their division. They did add DE Jason Taylor to the roster, but it will not make much difference in performance.

3rd place will be the Giants. Yes, they are the defending Superbowl champs, but they have lost LB Micheal Strahan and that is they core of their defense. They also lost TE Jeremy Shockey (which could be a good thing). They got lucky last year and it will show this season. They will play hard, but they will fall short.

2nd place will go to the Cowboys. Everyone is expecting them to win the division, but they have too many new players on the roster who need to work into the system. You can not expect to win your division like that.

The 1st place team will be the Eagles. No one is paying attention to them and they can easily sneak up on everyone. QB Donovan McNab is healthy and ready. The RB core is tight. The WR core is tight. They defense is a quiet tiger waiting to pounch.
___________________________________________

That ends the regular season. I must add, The Cowboys will get the wildcard in the NFC. The Patriots will also be a wildcard team. They just will not win the division. So, stop hatin' on me.

This has been a long issue, today, but I hope you enjoyed it. Forward this to friends, family, even people you don't know. I will be back after tonights games.

Until then,
Raider-Man out!!!

2008 Season Predictions (Part 2)

Camp has started! The Raiders are in two-a-day mode. After day 1, they look like they are ready. No reported holdouts. Nnamdi signed his deal on Wednesday and was in camp on time. JaMarcus looks great even if he is 50lbs. heavier than the other Raider QB's. Walker was in camp and looks like he will be a great fit for the team. he is even taking pointers from WR coach James Lofton. Check out the photos.

As promised, here is the 2nd installment of my NFL 2008 season predictions:

AFC South

1. 4th place will belong to the Texans. I think they may upset a team or two, but I do not see them winning more than 4 games.
2. 3rd place will go to the Titans. they are so high on Vince Young, but I am still not impressed. He has not showed me that he can get it done in the final 2 minutes of the game. I still think he is over rated.
3. 2nd place, this will shock most of you, will be held by the Colts. They are a great team, but with the injuries to key players, older players having a hard time maintaining their numbers and mannings surgery, they have too much too come back from. They fought hard last season, but I do not see them in the running this season.
4. The team to win this division will be the the Jaguars. I think they are a good, improving team. I see them winning at least 10 games. That I think will be enough to win the AFC South.

All eyes are on the Packers as it was reported, today, that Brett Favre has told the Packers GM he will report to camp. Camp starts for them this Sunday, July 27th. We will see what happens. The man wants to play and I think he will play. the Packers have asked for trade offers and I know there will be some teams offering the world for Favre.

Next up, the AFC North.

Until the next time,

Raider-Man out!

2008 Season Predictions (Part 1)

Hey gang,

***13 years ago today, July 22, 1995, the NFL voted to allow the Raiders to move from Los Angeles to Oakland.***

I live in Vegas and I feel I owe it to my readers who visit sports books. While I do think my choices are good, I am not telling you to run out and lay money on them. that is solely your chioce. I do this purely for the entertainment value.

With that, here I go. MY PREDICTIONS FOR THE 2008 SEASON!

I do not do college...but I will say the following:

1. Colorado will beat West Virginia.
2. Michigan State will beat Notre Dame.
3. Alabama will beat Clemson.
4. Missouri will beat Texas.
5. South Carolina will beat LSU.
6. USC will beat UCLA.
7. USC will win the Rose Bowl.

Now that that is out of the way, no more college talk this season. (Unless my predictions come true.)

In this installment, I will cover the best division in the NFL...the AFC West!

1. In fourth place will be the Broncos. They have made to many changes and they have too many off-the-field distractions to be effective in the west. They will lose 2 games to the Raiders.
2. Third place will go to the Chargers. They are too cocky and LaDainian Tomlinson's ego will kill them. They will lose 2 games to the Raiders.
3. Second place will go to the Chiefs. They have made nothing less than positive changes.
4. First place goes to THE RAIDERS! The Silver and Black is back. They will win the division without any problems. Remember, only half their games are within the division.

That covers it. Until I have covered every team in the NFL, each post will be devoted to a different division. The next post will cover the AFC South.

These are not predictions that I take lightly. I put great thought into each one. Some may contain a little prejudging, but I am Raider-man for a reason. (Ha, Ha) You may (and I am sure you do) see things differently than I do, but that's life. Get over it and roll on.

Until next time, because I said so.

Raider-Man.

V Foundation Day

Well, today the Jets rookies reported to camp. That means IT'S FOOTBALL SEASON!!!!

Raider's camp starts July 24th.

The links below will take you to some interesting places:

Locate your favorite teams training camp reporting date.

Favre says he's tempted to call Packers' 'bluff' by reporting.

The V Foundation

The V Foundation Auction

OK. Today is a great day for those who fight cancer. ESPN Radio host an auction to raise money for the Jimmy V Foundation for cancer research. I won't go into details on Jimmy V. I will say this, "Please click the links above and read about Jimmy V. If it does not touch you and move you to tears...I do not know what to say."

Jim gave a speech, at the ESPN ESPY Awards, when he know he was dying from cancer. Watch this speech, please. ESPN Radio airs the auction live all day, once a year, at this time. It is truly moving.

I have but one gripe. How is it that you can be a local affiliate of a major network, like ESPN Radio, and not cover this event. Yes, you mention it, but you cut away from it to keep your local listeners from being entertained by it just to promote your own, local, auction that does not even happen until later in the month. I think it is stupid that the program director did not even think to change things for one day to support this.

I'm out.

WWBD? (What Would Brett Do?)

Here we are, 1 week before the Raiders start camp. I can not wait to see what happens in the battles for open starting spots.

Everything has been overshadowed by news of Brett Favre returning to the Packers. The reports, for those who have not heard, is coming from Brett's family. They say they are pushing him to return. It is further reported that he called the Packers a couple of weeks ago to say he was thinking about returning and the Packer snubbed him. The Packer deny it, Brett's agent claims Brett left several text messages with no response, Brett says it's all a rumor.

Here's my take. Brett did make the call to say he has the itch to come back. The Packers said "We have moved on." I think Brett will return, but not with the Packers. I think he will be with the Vikings. (I wish it were the Raiders) When you have a superstar Hall-of-Fame player that wants to continue, you let him. After all, he has earned the opportunity. People say, "He will never wear a uniform for another team." Not true. Superstars that get disrespected by management change teams in an attempt to prove the still have it. Think I'm lying. Think about this. Jerry Rice became a Superstar, Hall-of-Fame reciever with the 49ers. They dissed him and so he became a Raider and went to the Superbowl. The 49ers did not. Joe Montana reached Superstar, Hall-of-Fame status as a 49er QB. They dissed him, he signed with the Chiefs after the experts stated "He will never play for any other team." Marcus Allen became a Superstar, Hall-of-Fame Raider running back. Al Davis dissed him, he signed with the Chiefs. Emmit Smith became a Icon as a Cowboys running back. They dissed him. He moved to the Cardinals.

There are many more examples. The track record is set. Be it ego or the thrill of playing, when you snub a star, that gives them fuel to make a point. Wheter they make that point or not, they do not bow out without attempting to make that point. In most cases, they sign with the rival of the team that made them famous. That is why I say Favre will join the Vikings. The Packers have closed the door in his face, he does still wants to play, he can still play and help ANY team in the NFL. The Vikings are the only team that has a shot at the Superbowl who could use a QB. The others have quality QB's. (The Raiders will do it with or without him.) The Vikings are rivals of the Packers. That would be a slap in the face to Packers management. I know Packer fans, here in Vegas, that are saying if he signs with the Vikings, they will burn everthing they have with his name on it. Shirts, jerseys, cards, autographs, the entire lot. They also say they with hate him for life. I think it's funny, myself. The kicker is....the Packers home opener is against the Vikings September 8th. Do you think the NFL does not want Favre to come back? Look at the amount of money they will make 1) If Brett comes back and 2) If he comes back as a Viking.

Food for thought.....

I am Raider-Man, later-man.

Show Me The Skills

Hi all,

It is almost time for camp. I can't wait. This is supposed to be the dead time in sports. Only baseball talk. But, in Basketball, Baron Davis signs with the Clippers, Ron Artest sleeps thru the free agency deadline (I blame his agent for not knowing the deadline), in tennis, the Williams sisters are on the verge of facing each other in the Wimbledon finals, in baseball, the Dodgers are winning games 1 to nothing without getting a hit. That means the other team pitched a no-hitter and still lost. In NASCAR, Kurt Busch wins a race by not racing (Race ended after a rain delay. I can vent on this later). All these things happening in the sports world this week and all I can find to talk about is...NFL Rookie Salaries.

YES! I think it is disgraceful that NFL rookies can sign for bigger salaries than men who have played (and proven) themselves in the league for a number of years. I think that if you are coming out of college (I do mean COMING OUT of college, because most rookies do not graduate, they leave school early.) to play as a professional, you should not make "Big Money" until you have played and proven that you are worthy of the higher salary. How can a wide-receiver who has yet to put on an NFL uniform justify being paid more than someone who was smacked around by guys like Gibril Wilson (notice how I found the opportunity to name a Raider) all last season? How can a defensive back who has yet to put on an NFL uniform justify being paid more than someone who was had to cover Javon Walker (another Raider) several times a year? There are far more (and you may think better) examples of the off-center salary situation the NFL is facing, but I will stop at this point.

I think it is insulting that when an experienced Pro player asks for a raise comparable to the rookies, he is told "You were not a first round pick". Why is that the measure of greatness? Is the rookie an All-Pro? How many Pro Bowls has he appeared in? How many NFL Championships does he have? You tell me, is it fair?

Also, these rookie salaries directly affect ticket prices. NFL ticket prices are out of hand and part of the reason is player salaries. If they lower the rookie max, they can bring down the ticket prices. But, they will not.

The owners and the commissioner have chimed in on this issue. The commish has called the rookie salaries "Outrageous!" which leads me to believe he is going to attempt to change them. The players have chimed in to say something should be done, but they are still soft on the issue. I understand their reason. They want the money the owners would save with a rookie cap in place. I call that greed. Why not be happy making $10 million a year with a rookie making $500,000? So what is the owner is making more money due to having to pay less for rookies.

Neither side is thinking of the fans. I think, if the league starts a rookie salary cap, the owners should take their savings (or some part of it) and put that into lower, more affordable ticket prices. You will put more butts in the seats and season ticket sales for struggling teams will increase. They will be able to afford it, because it will come from money that was going to rookies and so it not like it will be missed.

End of story.

Take the poll on the right side of this page. Visit my sponsors. Send me your suggestions for a better blog. Do something nice for someone, today.

Look for my 2008 NFL season picks, later this month.

Raider-Man, out.

Bring It On

Hi All,

It has been a busy week, so I will keep it short. I told everyone an arrest would be made in the Javon Walker robbery and beating. In an effort not to bore you with the details, click on the links and follow the story yourself.

The arrest is announced:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3459040

More on the story:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3461737

Before ending, I must say this to ALL the sports commentators who continued to say "He's (Javon Walker) lies when he says he was kidnapped from his hotel room." They based that on the word of a "relying source". (See my June 19, 2008 post) The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said (Officially) "He (Javon Walker) NEVER made that statement to anyone including the police investigators. It has never been a contention of his from day 1.

I rest my case.

I am Raider-Man...this proves it. :-)

Sounds Good To Me

Hi All,

After hearing the Coach Kiffin's comments on the OTA's (Organized Team Activity) I am excited for the season to start.

I am so happy to see them sign Marcus Tuiasosopo (I am not that smart. I had to look up the spelling.) that it makes me think I know alittle about what I talk about. I have always said he has shown that he could be a starter with the Raiders, but was constantly put in a no win situation. They would only bring them in when they were down by more than 3 touchdowns, so the defense knew he was going long 3 out of 4 plays. Or they would give him a 1 game start, hardly enough time to get the offense used to the QB. I was sad when they let him go to the Jets, last season. But, they did not know how to work him into their system. Well, he is back and gives the Raiders a solid backup for JaMarcus Russell. Both, according to Coach Kiffin, are looking really good and working very hard.

This is my opinion and I am sticking to it.

Visit the links on this blog.

Until next time, I am Raiderman, who are you?

Consider Your Source

Happy Emancipation Day & Juneteenth! Look it up. I do not feel like holding history class for those who are less aware of what those two days are and what they mean. Sorry.

Raider news. It runs me nuts when the media thinks they have the scope on everyone and the stories around them. No one, other than the person or people who committed the crime, God and Javon Walker (who has a severe concussion, so he may not know) knows what happened him prior to leaving the Hard Rock Casino and being found, out cold, by Las Vegas police.

Yesterday, as I was driving home, I was listening to the local ESPN radio station and this one announcer (they call him Paulie) was ranting about he has a very reliable source who was told by Walker that he was walking down Las Vegas Blvd. in front of the Bellagio Hotel and was abducted by 2 or 3 guys who robbed him, beat him and throw him out of the car. I wake-up to see on the local news that a WEBSITE claims to be friends with Walker and is reporting that Walker told them that story. I now know Paulies very reliable source.

Both of those media sources have no clue as to what happened and there is absolutely no proof that Javon made this statement. I do not like naming gossip websites, but in this instance I must. The media is relying on things written and photos uploaded to thedirty and spyonvegas. Hardly any place I would think would be reliable. The photo of Walker spraying champagne on the crowd shows he was not the only one spraying champgne. But, that is not what they want you to see. I have my opinion why, but I will keep that to myself.

Javon suffered a severe concussion and other injuries which caused him to be hospitalized for more than 2 days. How do you that he can even recall what happened? Some or calling sports talk radio claiming he is saying he was kidnapped because what really happened to him would be embarrassing to his reputation. Bull!!! Until he or his representative are in front of the media explaining what happened, WE DON'T KNOW!

All we know, and that is coming from the police, is Javon Walker visited nightclubs on the Las Vegas strip over the weekend. He partied at a nightclub in the Hard Rock Casino on Sunday night. He was found knocked out in the street outside an abandoned timeshare property after 7am Monday morning. He was robbed of $3000 cash and around $100,000 in jewelery. That is all we will know until the investigation is over or an arrest is made or both.

Respect that! The Raiders have. He will report to camp. HE SAID THAT HIMSELF. My source... THE RAIDERS. Nuff Said.

You do not have to agree...so what.

I am Raiderman...you are not. Peace out!

Update on Walker

Hi everyone,

Here is the lastest as of 11:30pm yesterday, June 17, 2008. Javon Walker was released from the hospital in Las Vegas sometime late yesterday afternoon. He returned to California, no details on exactly where in California. He will be checking into a hospital there for further treatment.

As stated 2 days ago, he has sustained some pretty severe injuries. What the police are saying is he was attacked by more than 1 person after attending parties at various nightclubs on the Las Vegas strip. He was robbed of jewelery and over $3,000 cash. They are in the process of trying to identify those who did this.

Again, I say, as do the police, it was not connected to the Denver incident. It was a matter of people seeing an oportunity to victimize someone flashing expensive jewelery. You have to be aware of who you are and where you go. You may not agree with me, but that is my opinion.

On other notes...CONGRATULATIONS to the Boston Celtics. They clearly wanted that game so badly that they took it from the Lakers. I do not say the Lakers lost the game. Instead, I say the Celtics won that games. The clearly played like a team on a mission before the home crowd. I am not upset that the Lakers did not win, but I hope the can see how good they are and where they need to turn it up a notch.

I only hope that Kobe does not get down so much that he ask to be traded. He found that his team does have heart. They played hard and fought all the to the finals. They now know what it feels like to play in the finals. They now know what they must do to win the championship. I think if the Laker management can keep Kobe happy and talk "D Fish" into returning for one more season, they will start the season at full strength. By that I mean they will have Andrew Bynum back on the floor and we can see what they can do with him in the mix. He does make a difference.

Similarites. The last time the Lakers were in the finals it was against the Pistons, I think. They played without their true starting 5 (Karl Malone was injured and the doctor would not release him to play). Had Malone been allowed to play, the Lakers would have had a better chance at winning and I think they would have won. The 2008 finals. The Lakers were without what was suppose to be their true starting 5 (Andrew Bynum was injured and could not play). Had Bynum been able to play, the 2008 finals would have had a huge difference. Bynum would have brought a more physical game to the Celtics. They would have had to play the Lakers differently. They European players on the Lakers play basketball the way it was played 20 and 30 years ago. It was a much nicer game back then. Not as rough as today's game. Rule changes have allowed for allot of things the were not allowed back then. Back then (and in Europe today) basketball was a non-contact sport. It is a full contact sport, today. I hope Kobe takes it upon himself to help teach the Lakers European player how to be more physical and not be afraid to bang with players bigger than themselves. Several times, in last nights game, as the ABC announcers (and Dwayne Wade gave the championship to the Celtics at halftime and at the start of the 3rd quarter, because they were up 28 points) I saw Kobe motioning to his teammates Sasha Vujacic and Pau Gasol to move up on the man and not give him so much room on defense. Had they done that, it would have changed the game. The Lakers proved, in each of the games against the Celtics, that they could come back from being down by 20 or more points in a matter on a few minutes. So, that is why I never gave up on them. They just had players who were so overwhelmed by the moment that they seemed to not trust that they could play a harder game, last night.

Lakers, keep your heads up. You were fantastic this season. You proved why you were the best in the west.

Celtics, congrats to a great championship.

Golf. Tiger Woods has to have surgery, again. The doctor has to repair a stress fracture in his left knee. He fractured it a couple of weeks before the U.S. Open, which means he was played 91 holes on that fractured knee. This brings an end to his 2008 season. Some are saying he will retire. I hope not. I do not think he will. He is saying, on his website, http://www.tigerwoods.com/, that he will need extra time to rehab a double fracture on his left tibia, as well. That tells me he is planning to return to golf. He is, truly, the best to play that game, but his injuries also show how tough it is to do what Jack Nicklaus and other have done in the game, which makes what Tiger has done and is doing all the more great. Even Jack Nicklaus says Tiger is going to surpass him in total Major wins. If any one can eclipse them, Tiger can.

Until next time, you don't have to agree with me, but I am right.

Raiderman, later!

Sad News

Sad news came my way last night. Javon Walker was found in the street, beaten, robbed and left unconscious on a street behind the Imperial Palace Hotel/Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is expected to be released from the hospital, today. There are some close simularities between him and a former teammate of his, who is deceased.

First, when Javon was a player with the Denver Broncos, he and other teammates were partying at a Denver nightclub. They were spraying champagne on people in attendance. (I guess that is something that happens at today's nightclubs) This angered, according to Javon, some gang members who happened to be there. A melee insued, also according to Javon. Javon and his teammate left. A car pulled along side the limo they were riding in. shots rang out and one person was hit. A teammate of Javon's who I will not name. (Those who know the story know who it was.) He died in Javon's arms. As the team went to Texas to the funeral, Javon went to Las Vegas, because as he put it "I was afraid for my life." He was released from the Broncos this past off-season and signed a big deal with the Raiders back in February of this year. Enter this past weekend. Javon is visiting Las Vegas Nightclubs carrying large amounts of cash and spraying champagne, according to police. He is found unconscious and robbed of money and jewlery. He will survive, but we have not heard the extent of his injuries. But, it seems he needs to better protect himself. My prayers are with him.

On another note, the Lakers are playing for keeps in a true win-or-go-home NBA finals game. It is game 6 and they are in Boston. Lakers edge...Ray Allen may not have his head 100% in the game. His son took sick in LA on Sunday and Ray had to take a red-eye flight back to Boston, last night. I know his son will be on his mind during the game. It is tough to focus on a game with a family member being sick at the same time. Bostons edge...Lamar Odom was late for the team flight from LA, because he was at a nightclub. His head my not be in the series if you can not make your team appointments on-time. That would be the only thing on my mind, no matter where I was that night. My pick...I said it before. The Lakers will win game 6 and take it Boston with no problem at all. Boy, this Kool-aid sure taste great!

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Thanks for your support.