Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

The Raiders are being rebuilt in every way possible. Not only is the team itself changing but the very philosophy of the franchise is being overhauled.

Reggie McKenzie wasn’t being disrespectful to Al Davis during today’s pre-draft press conference when he said “we’re not looking for guys that just run fast”. Instead McKenzie was simply making the point that gone are the days of the stopwatch taking top priority during the evaluation process.

In years past the man that walked out of the NFL Scouting combine with the fastest 40-yard dash time was almost guaranteed to be a Raider. If that happens again on McKenzie’s watch it will be because he’s fallen in love with the total package with the speed being a bonus.

There was nothing inherently wrong with the Davis approach. The Darrius Heyward-Bey selection drew plenty of criticism but three years later he’s played his way out of the bust label while completely silencing any Michael Crabtree comparisons.

For Davis he saw the intangibles first, those things that just can’t be coached. DHB’s blazing speed and considerable size made him the perfect canvas for Davis to paint his philosophy on. Heyward-Bey was a project to be sure but one that Davis saw great things in. Same could be said for what Davis saw in Nnamdi Asomugha who was an unheralded safety in college that became a shutdown corner in the pros.

The reality is McKenzie isn’t interested in taking on project players any longer. He’s more in the business of finding players ready to contribute in some way from day one. Naturally every player has room to improve and must be coached up. Only difference is McKenzie won’t be placing as high a value on the stopwatch any longer. I’m sure the same holds true for the broad jump, bench press and every other underwear workout that is valued by scouts.

Nothing guarantees the McKenzie approach will turn the tide for the Raiders. He’s still got plenty of work to do until his ideals become as popular as the ones Al Davis implemented. That is unfair considering there will never be another football man like Davis. But considering the recent lack of success the Raiders have endured it is refreshing to know a new philosophy is in place. After all, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over again and hoping for a different result.

Phil Carter-US PRESSWIRE

He’s baaaaccckkkk…but not in Oakland. Never that. Not during the Reggie McKenzie era and never again will Randy Moss be allowed to disrespect the silver and black. Instead it’s that other Bay Area team that has chosen to roll the dice on Moss. The San Francisco 49ers, a team with almost no passing game to speak of, has signed the recently unretired Moss to a one-year contract. No word on whether or not there is a quitting clause in the deal. As in if Moss mopes around the sideline then Jim Harbaugh can cut him without pay. The old Brad Childress “programmatic non-fit” escape clause, if you will.

Now I don’ have the gift. I can’t see into the future. But I’m pretty sure I know how this one will end.

The 9ers, a team still claiming Alex Smith as its quarterback, aren’t going to be able to keep Moss happy once he realizes how horrible their passing game is. He’ll likely give short answers to the media, mouth off to the coaches and walk his routes whenever he knows there’s no chance he’ll get the rock.

From there Harbaugh will have no choice but to release Randy and send him on his way.

But if you think I’m just some sour Raider fan still holding a grudge against Moss then feel free to talk to any number of fans in New England, Minnesota and Tennessee. I’m pretty sure they’ll tell you the same thing.

Good luck with all of that, 9er fans. With one dive in place named Michael Crabtree and Moss in the mix why not go for the hat trick? I hear Terrell Owens is looking to get back into the NFL. He’d love to come back to The City.

Despite all that the Raiders are still in a better place for having passed on Michael Crabtree.

On draft day the collective football world laughed when Hey-Bey came off the board before Crabtree. In actuality the real crime is that DHB and Crabtree were picked ahead of Hakeem Nicks. But that’s another topic.

Today we’re just focusing on all the reasons why the 49ers are the team that really whiffed on draft day nearly three years ago.

Since becoming a resident of The City Crabtree has done little to dispel the notions of his diva nature. While his production has been much better than Heyward-Bey’s his attitude has helped to continue the struggles of that other Bay Area football team.
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