Archive for April, 2010

After a week filled with more drama than an afternoon of Telemundo programming, the Raiders finally got their first mini-camp of the off-season underway today. Following through on what Adam Schefter reported two days ago, JaMarcus Russell reported and participated in drills. According to multiple eye witnesses including Jerry McDonald, Vittorio Tafur , Patrick Patterson and Cam Inman, JaMarcus didn’t look like he was tipping the scale at 3 bills and he actually looked sharp in the drills. Russell’s performance was quite contrary to that of Jason Campbell who was reported to be out of sync during the morning session. But [...]

Leave it to the Evil Sports Empire built on Raider Hatred to do an investigative report on JaMarcus Russell hatred among Raider Nation. This Sunday, ESPN’s Outside the Lines will air a piece detailing the ever growing “ill-will” directed towards the Farce of the Franchise. Included in the story are images of Raider fans burning Russell related memorabilia in effigy and some colorful language being used to describe the hostile feelings for the Round Mound of Sit Down. Pretty much the same scene you’d expect to see in Denver when asking Donkey fans about Josh McDaniels. Much like OTL’s Tom [...]

The salad days are over for JaMarcus Russell. Come to think of it they never even began. Let’s try this again. The steak, pizza, bacon, KFC Double Down and gravy days are over for JaMarcus Russell. His reported 300-pound scale tipping physique appears to have finally broken the back of Al Davis. The football world is abuzz with reports circulating that the demise of Russell is nearing. If the reports come to fruition then it will be the best possible scenario for all parties. Despite Jason Campbell’s desire to learn all he can from Russell, it is better for the [...]

Evaluating a draft class before any of its members has suited up on Sunday is as pointless as trading for Tim Tebow. But that is neither here nor there. After the dust settled, most pundits gave the Raiders high grades for their 2010 draft class. It is far too early for Al Davis to take a victory lap on this one. While Davis did make some sound selections that are aimed at addressing team needs, there is still much work to be done before this class can be considered a success. Rolando McClain, MLB, Alabama (Round 1, Pick 8 ) – [...]

The Oakland Raiders are done waiting on JaMarcus Russell and are just done with Kirk Morrison. After drafting Rolando McClain in the first round it became apparent that Morrison’s time in the East Bay was limited. The Raiders traded Morrison to the Jacksonville Jaguars today and used the draft pick they acquired to select Clemson speedster Jacoby Ford. It is the second time this week that two teams have had dealings. Not too long after moving Morrison, Adam Schefter reported that the  Raiders had finalized a deal to acquire Washington Redskins QB Jason Campbell. The Raiders gave up a 4th round [...]

After playing it safe for the first two rounds, the Raiders finally rolled the dice. In the third round Oakland selected offensive tackle Jared Veldheer out of Division II Hillsdale College in Michigan with the 69th pick in the draft. Veldheer turned heads at the draft combine after putting up 32 reps on bench press and running a 5.09 40-yard dash. Standing at 6 feet, 8 inches Veldheer is an imposing figure that will be given every chance to compete for immediate playing time. After watching Kwame Harris and Cornell Green false start their way out of Oakland the last [...]

After two trades and 5 minutes of total confusion that brought the NFL draft to a screeching halt, the Oakland Raider selected Texas defensive tackle Lamarr Houston with the 44th pick in the 2010 draft. Originally slated to pick 39th overall, the Raiders exchanged picks with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers while acquiring a 5th round pick for their troubles. They then turned around and made yet another deal with the New England Patriots. The Pats slid into the number 42 slot, the Raiders moved down to 44 and gained a 6th round pick in the process. All that just to [...]

When all else fails, simply draft the best player available. This is a golden rule of drafting that has either haunted or helped many a general manager and head coach in the National Football League over the years. On Thursday night, Al Davis took a step back and saw the big picture. His once beloved franchise is seven years into a journey to oblivion. He’s foolishly ignored the advice of others, instead choosing to roll the dice on long shots when safer bets were there to be made. With millions committed to nearly a decade’s worth of worthless first round [...]

With the first round of the draft in the books, it’s time for all the talking heads to get back on their soap boxes and proudly proclaim which teams did well for themselves and which ones went Josh McDaniels Jumped the Shark. I’m no expert. I just play one in cyberspace. The only thing that matters to me is who can play and who can’t. Style points mean nothing. Just Win Baby! So before we begin to debate the prospects of a bunch of guys who have yet to suit up on Sunday, let’s check the tape. For your viewing [...]

Unlike previous drafts, there were no moans or groans after Roger Goodell announced the pick turned in by the Oakland Raiders. Nope, this time around Al Davis played it safe and didn’t reach. With a laundry list of needs longer than JaMarcus Russell’s belt, Al Davis chose to address his defense by selecting Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain with the 8th pick in the 2010 NFL draft. McClain is the top ranked linebacker in the 2010 class and completed a stellar career at Alabama by celebrating a BCS championship. While plagued by some inconsistent play, McClain anchored one of the most [...]