Let The Games Begin!!!

What a great season we have to look forward too. Our Raiders will be in fine shape. The final roster is being set and I am waiting patiently to see the outcome.

I told you, last week, I would give you predictions you can bet on. Let's get it out of the way. Here are the teams that will win their divisions:

AFC

Raiders
Patriots
Titans
Steelers

NFC

Seahawks
Eagles
Falcons
Vikings

Between that and the college picks I gave out, last week, you should do very well.

Now a word about that Oregon-Boise game, last night. Oregon RB LeGarrette Blount has been a real trooper, this summer. He is having problem academically, is has had attitude issues to the point that the head coach suspended him for 1 practice at the start of camp and after Oregon's big loss to Boise, last night, words were spoken to him by Byron Hout of Boise State. Hout then patted Blount on the shoulder an Blount returned the touch with a right cross that decked Hout. All live on National Television. After Boise coaches and players separated the teams, one of Oregon's coaches held Blount and began walking him to the locker room when fans in the stands began shouting things at Blount. He then charged towards them in an atempt to get in the stands and pound a few Boise heads. But, police, coaches and players wrestled with Blount and rushed him to the locker room. I was appalled and embarrassed to see an African American college athlete, who was a definite NFL draftee, behave as if he had just finished a junior high school game. As soon as I saw the punch, I shouted, "You just blew your college career, college education and you lost yourself millions of dollars in NFL money." I know he appologized and said it would never happen again, but I think if Oregon's coaches want to keep the respect of their players, LeGarrette Blount must loss his scholarship, be removed from the team and be sent home, without hesitation. People are calling for him to be suspended, but I think it should be deeper than that. NUFF SAID.

RAIDERS!!!!

This is the 50th anniversary of the Raiders franchise. I have been a Raider fan for 47 of those 50 years. It will NEVER stop. I say that to say this...the Raiders are going to the Superbowl!!!!

Here is what the standings will be at the end of the regular season:

AFC West: Raiders, Chargers, Chiefs, Broncos

AFC East: Patriots, Dolphins, Jets, Bills

AFC North: Vikings, Bears, Packers, Lions

AFC South: Titans, Jaguars, Colts, Texans

NFC West: Seahawks, 49ers, Cardinals, Rams

NFC East: Eagles, Cowboys, Giants, Redskins

NFC North: Vikings, Bears, Packers, Lions

NFC South: Falcons, Saints, Panthers, Buccaneers

That is how I see it.

The first game is a Monday Night Football game against the Chargers. The Chargers are slowly going down hill. I do not see the matchup. They depend on LaDamian Tomlinson to carry the team on offense and his ego has gotten in the way far too many times. On defense, they are looking to Sean Merriman to lead them thru the season. After his PED violation and his injury last season, he has not looked as consistant as he did his rookie season.

I see the Raiders dominating, not only San Diego, but the entire AFC Western Division. As for this first game, I am going to do something I never do. (This is for you, Big Bro) Micheal Bush will rush for 80 yards, Darren McFadden will get 100 yards rushing, Darrius Heyward-Bey will catch for 80 yards, Johnnie Lee Higgins will have over 100 yards in catches and the final score will be Raiders 27 - Chargers 17.

That's not a prediction, it's my opinion. You do not have to agree with me, but respect it.

Until week 2,
Raider-Man...See Ya!

3 Down, 1 To Go!

week 3 of the NFL preseason has ended. I more to go. I am so excited, I can hardly wait for the season to get going.

Bret Farve got his reps, even with cracked ribs. Tavares Jackson got 1 series under his belt. I wonder what that means. Mike Vick went 4 for 4 and was done. I think you have to look for the Eagles and the Vikings in the NFC.

I will say this and then I am done. The Raiders lost. By allot. People, it is still preseason. These games do not count. Players are still being evaluated because someone has to be cut. All teams must downsize their rosters by a certain number of players each week until they are down to 50 by the start of the regular season. So, do not panic. The Raiders are looking good in the starting positions. They are strong, they are deep and they are coming together. Nuff Said.

Next week I will give my predictions for the season by division. I have to think long and hard, because the only team I am sure of is the Raiders.

Here is a treat for all of my betting fans. i don't usually do this, but since you have continued to ask, I will give you something to think about placing bets on. Vegas sports books take bets on how many games a team will win during the regular season. You must place the bet before the 1st game of the regular season. So, get ready to run to the casino as I am going to give you my choices for college football. Remember this is just for fun.

Here we go:

Over (bet these to win more games than Vegas says they will)

Penn State
Stanford
Rutgers
BYU
Notre Dame

Under (bet these to win fewer games than Vegas says they will)

Washington
Texas Tech
West Virginia

There you have it. If I am feeling frisky next week, I will give to NFL over/unders for the season.

Remember, this is preseason. Try not to get worked up over the play of people who will be cut the following week. They do not hurt the team.

Never forget, each season the Raiders won the Superbowl, they started with a losing preseason.

You don't have to agree with me, respect my opinion.

Raider-Man, out.