Archive for October, 2011

So far this season, the Oakland Raiders, have lead us on a crazy journey. From extreme high is to extreme lower (like last week’s loss against the Kansas City Chiefs). This season has been crazy and unpredictable from game one. One thing that is been consistent for the last four games has been the play up Darius Hayward Bey! Hayward Bey is the top wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders, statistically, and in spirit for the last four games. In our last game verses the Kansas City chiefs, DHB was targeted 11 times. That would be consistent with being the” [...]

Just as I was lamenting on missing the Raiders, the bye week has officially ended as the business of football resumes in the East Bay. Today, Oakland re-signed veteran cornerback Lito Sheppard. As you’ll recall he made a brief cameo in Silver and Black during the preseason only to be left off the 53-man. As you’ll also recall the man that beat out both the vet Sheppard and the upstart rookie Sterling Moore was Joe Porter. To the surprise of none Porter played poorly when he found himself in the mix due to injuries in the secondary. Even less surprising [...]

Seems like it has been a year since Kyle Boller and Carson Palmer split a six-pack in that embarrassing loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. But that’s how it goes when you roll into a bye week on a bad note. This Sunday wasn’t like other Sundays. I still watched football. I just so happened to do so without much emotion. You see, as much as I love the game I’m just not as invested when the Silver and Black aren’t playing. Sure, fantasy football and general interest keep me fixated. But what good is watching without rooting? I’m more [...]

Today there were plenty of reports out there surrounding the death of Al Davis. If you want, feel free to do a little digging to find out. For me, I’m not concerned with how he died. Instead, I’m choosing to continue to celebrate his life. For those that don’t know, fear not. There are no salacious details. For those that do know, is there any real surprise? It didn’t take a PhD to know Mr. Davis was dealing with some tough health issues. Forget about his outward appearance. The fact that he began missing occasional games said it all. While [...]

Carson Palmer needs as much time as possible to learn his new teammates. That’s precisely why Palmer and a select group of Raider receivers are using the bye to get in some extra work. Though Palmer is still feeling out his new targets he already has a good feel for Darrius Heyward-Bey. In Palmer’s unceremonious debut in which he split a six-pack of picks with Kyle Boller, Carson and DHB seemed to catch on fast. The two had an almost instant chemistry. While Palmer gets some praise for his ability to find Oakland’s emerging receiver it is Heyward-Bey that gets [...]

Yeah, the bye week could not have come at a better time for the Raiders. Now how they went into the bye is whole other story. How they come out of it will reveal the true character of this team. With seemingly everyone except Hue Jackson himself nursing injury – though I’m sure his ego needed some ice after Sunday – it was nice to know tests revealed no “structural damage” on Darren McFadden’s foot. Once upon a time Run DMC getting injured only meant Michael Bush would be the next in line to run the Raiders to victory. While [...]

So the prince of the purple drank has opened up to Sports Illustrated. All of a sudden we’re all supposed to feel bad for JaMarcus Russell because he had to struggle with sleep apnea while pocketing more than $30-million? Are we really expected to act as if Tom Cable throwing Russell under the bus was some sin committed against humanity? Let’s get something straight. I celebrated when the Raiders drafted Russell. I screamed obscenities at Lane Kiffin when he refused to let JaMarcus take the field when the team had nothing to play for. I hung my hopes on every [...]

As I watched Sunday’s game verses the Kansas City Chiefs, I couldn’t help but reflect on the days when Jamarcus Russell was our quarterback. Big time flashbacks! I had that same hopeless feeling in the pit of my stomach knowing we were probably going to lose no matter what we did. It all started when Darren McFadden got his foot injured in the first-quarter. I was thinking “worst freaking case scenario ever”! Then Kyle Boller decided to channel his inner Jamarcus and decided to throw balls to the other team like they were long lost teammates. Three interceptions later, Boller [...]

Jason Campbell had his right arm in a sling, was in street clothes on the sideline and yet never looked better as an NFL QB. Sometimes the best way to unearth true beauty is by contrast. Take Kyle Boller for example. Nobody ever thought he was an elite NFL thrower, at least nobody has since he flamed out as Baltimore’s franchise arm. On the other hand Campbell was always considered an underachiever of sorts. Well Sunday put into clear focus just where each of the aforementioned men stand in the quarterback hierarchy of the league. By contrast, Campbell is a [...]

Anytime you’re a head coach and your team gets stomped to the tune of 28-0 you’re going to have some hard feelings. Those same feelings are made doubly painful when it comes at the hands of your long time rivals. Now what can take that pain from Matt Ryan uncomfortable to Joe Theismann unwatchable is when you spend the entire week playing cute with your QBs only to see them throw a six pack of INTs. All of the above and then some is what Hue Jackson was mulling over as he made his way across the field to engage [...]