Archive for August, 2011

According to ESPN the Oakland Raiders – to the surprise of none – have taken former Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor in the NFL’s Supplemental Draft. Once Pryor popped an eye opening 4.3 40-yard dash you knew it was academic Al Davis would select the tantalizing prospect. Also of little surprise would be how high a value Oakland placed on Pryor. Proving their draft day reaches aren’t limited to the regular draft, some had slated Pryor as a late round pick. Then again it took the Pats 6 rounds of drafting to land Tom Brady so draft value is as [...]

Last night’s loss in The City is shrouded in bad omens for the Oakland Raiders. There were few positives with a long list of negatives the most glaring of which had nothing to do with what happened on the field. While the aftermath of the Battle of the Bay has left a black eye on the faces of both Bay Area franchises, the Raiders seemingly stand alone as the most injury-prone team in the NFL. Hue Jackson addressed the media via conference call to discuss the current state of his team. Jason Campbell’s health is the primary concern as he [...]

As we learn more of the unnecessary and unfortunate events that unfolded last night after the Battle of the Bay the more it becomes clear what the real problem is. Bay Area News Group is among the first news outlets to report gang affiliation as one of the culprits for the violence that took place. Naturally the next leap is to make a direct association with Raider Nation. Not so fast. Using a sporting event – where public support for your affiliation is not only tolerated but encouraged – as an excuse to insight or settle gang feuds should not [...]

Some things are just too incredibly tragic and ignorant to believe. How two men can be shot in the Candlestick parking lot after a meaningless game of preseason football is inconceivable but that’s exactly what happened. Certainly passions run high anytime the Raiders and 49ers get together but this is just ridiculous. According to reports one of the shooting victims was wearing a “F— the 49ers” t-shirt while one of the suspects detained was donning Raiders attire. We already know where this one is heading. More of the same stereotypes perpetuated by some unsavory fan or group of fans. But [...]

Preseason football is never a thing of beauty. That being said the 2011 edition of Battle of the Bay was ugly in a way not even a mother can defend like the kid from that Cher flick. We’re talking ugly in every way. Here is your snapshot of this game: At halftime the Raiders and 49ers combined for as many points as turnovers (3) The Niners overcame a comedy of special teams errors to send Oakland to 0-2 in the preseason thanks to a listless 17-3 loss. So far during Hue Jackson’s bully construction he seems to have forgotten about [...]

We’re just hours away from the opening kick at Candlestick. For many Raiders today’s game is going to be pivotal in their chances of earning an increased role or simply making the cut. These preseason games have a very different feel thanks to the lockout. Normally teams would have had more opportunities to evaluate talent during the OTAs leading up to camp. Instead training camp and the preseason games themselves have become the only chances for guys like Derek Hagan to show what they’ve got. Here are a few things to lookout for this evening. – Hagan is in the [...]

Here’s a story that resembles Warren Sapp’s waistline cause you could see it coming from a mile away. According to reports a former Raiderette who became a cop in Vacaville is suing the city for harassment. Apparently the Cow Town cops couldn’t keep their snide remarks and sexual innuendos in check when it came to Nicole Rosenstiel’s Silver and Black past. One instance mentioned in the suit refers to a sergeant that “asked for a show of hands who wanted to see her naked”. Another claim made by the suit states that her supervisor asked her not to workout in [...]

It might be hard for you youngsters out there to believe but there was once a point in time when more than bragging rights were at stake in the Battle of the Bay. While the Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers might be living in football oblivion these days, bragging rights will always be something to take pride in. Even during the preseason. With yet another coaching change on both sides of the Bay there are heightened expectations and renewed promise for both of these storied franchises. Eric Melendez, lead blogger for Niner Noise and expert on all things [...]

Giving up a draft pick for Terrelle Pryor would be as bad an idea as Tom Cable endorsing jawbreakers. Some things are just better off left untouched. No matter how amazing Pryor looks in his pro day workout Al Davis would be better served sitting out the Pryor sweepstakes. This has been the official JBB stance from day one and I’ve only dug in deeper since. Pryor provides nothing that will help the Raiders this season or next. He’s a project that will only delay the process of building a bully. Hue Jackson doesn’t need to worry about bringing along [...]

The injuries are piling up faster than bad press in Miami for the Oakland Raiders. Since this is training camp and teams aren’t required to disclosure every nick, cut, bruise, bump and season ending surgery most of what we learn is all part of a gamesmanship. No matter the severity of the injuries to Darren McFadden, Louis Murphy, Chaz Schilens, Jacoby Ford, Mike Mitchell, Chris Johnson, Hiram Eugene and Samson Satele (to name a few) there is one thing we know for certain – the Raiders don’t have the depth to afford lost time. When Al Davis chose to let [...]