Archive for May, 2010

We now know exactly what JaMarcus Russell was holding out for when the Raiders made him the number one pick in the draft. He needed $9.55-million in cash! Russell and his agent knew that the Lord of Lethargy would go through $30-million faster than a case of Sticky Buns. Like all good scumbags agents, Eric Metz was looking out for his client’s best interests. Problem is, JaMarcus failed to realize who he was doing business with. Al Davis might spread cash around more haplessly than Pacman Jones in Sin City. But don’t think for a second that Uncle Al isn’t [...]

 For the last two years, Michael Bush has been the most sought after commodity in Oakland not named Nnamdi Asomugha. With a career average of 4.6 yards every time he touches the rock, it is easy to understand why Al Davis has a dedicated phone line for all Michael Bush inquires. Perhaps that last statement isn’t so true. Neither were those ignorant internet rumors that the Raiders had dealt Bush for Chad Ochocinco last offseason. Before bored bloggers were shipping Bush to Cincy for a pack of Ochocinco Condoms, there were reports of the Raiders being in talks with the [...]

When healthy, Chaz Schilens is the unquestioned best wide receiver on the Raiders’ roster. The key word in the previous statement being that sticky term “when”. With only 44 catches and 4 touchdowns in two seasons it might seem strange to outsiders that Schilens is the best target not named Zach Miller in the passing game but his potential is immense. Keeping that in mind, the Raiders are being extremely cautious in handling Chaz and his injured foot. After breaking his foot in a non-contact drill during an intra squad scrimmage against the 49ers last year, Schilens missed half of [...]

Define Ad Nauseam: Bored sports journalists with nothing better to do than continuously resurrect unfounded rumors of the Oakland Raiders pursuing free agent locker room cancer Terrell Owens. I said it before, I’ve said it again, I even said it again for good measure and finally Tom Cable himself has said so. “We really haven’t had any discussion about that,” Cable said. “We’ve got a good, young receiving corps, it’s never been a point of conversation.” Maybe the rest of the sports world is that bored and can’t wait to flood the internet with the inevitable summer of LeBron and [...]

Straight Outta L.A. failed to tell not only the whole story of the Los Angeles Raiders but even Ice Cube himself came up short in telling the complete story of West Coast Hip Hop. It goes without saying that there are many hurdles (see producing a documentary about Gangsta Rap for Disney as exhibit A) to overcome in making a piece such as the one Cube Vision undertook. O’Shea Jackson should be proud of all he’s accomplished and the city of Los Angeles should be equally proud to call him a Native Son. Cube, much like Al Davis, is an [...]

Ice Cube’s documentary on the Raiders and their days in Los Angeles debuts on ESPN tonight at 5pm (Pacific Standard Time). Titled Straight Outta L.A., Cube paints a picture of the cultural importance the Raiders played in the City of Angels. For SoCal natives such as myself, this documentary was long overdue. While the pain suffered by the fans in the East Bay is more than understandable, the joy experienced by football fans in Los Angeles cannot be expressed. Many of my best memories growing up are linked to warm Sundays at the Coliseum, the sound of the Autumn Wind [...]

It’s a heavyweight fight of JaMarcus Russell proportions. When the Oakland Raiders finally pulled JaMarcus away from the buffet by giving him his outright release just three years after being the number one pick in the draft, the debate for biggest bust went from a crawl to ludicrous speed. Finally, Ryan Leaf has a worthy adversary. But like the Highlander, there can only be one! Without further ado, I give you the tale of the tape on Russell vs. Leaf with the prize of biggest bust in NFL history on the line. Try to imagine Michael Buffer reading the vitals. [...]

You can lead a horse to water. But you can’t make him drink. What happens if the person leading that horse was chasing an oasis in the desert? In that case, the dehydrated donkey is as confused as the foolish caballero. In other words, Al Davis is as much to blame for the JaMarcus Russell debacle as Russell is himself. No excuses needed for JaMarcus. He made his own bed and his lethargic legacy is going to sleep in it until Tim Tebow jerseys become the most useless rags since Silver and Black #2 shirts. Russell never took football serious. [...]

The Oakland Raiders shed over three hundred pounds of dead weight today by finally severing ties with JaMarcus Russell. The move had been a forgone conclusion given the draft day acquisition of Jason Campbell. Come to think of it, this day seemed all but inevitable before he even took his first snap in the NFL. Now all that remains is to debate whether or not Russell has supplanted Ryan Leaf as the biggest bust in NFL history. Three lack luster years that cost the organization $39-million while only amassing a total of 7 wins is hardly the kind of stuff [...]