All of the above and then some is what Hue Jackson was mulling over as he made his way across the field to engage in pleasantries with Todd Haley after Oakland’s embarrassing defeat yesterday. Once Jackson was face to face with Haley, a little of that emotion spilled over as the two shared a tense moment.

Jackson pulled a page from the book of Haley and did a little finger wagging while giving the bearded one from Kansas City a piece of his mind. You’ll recall Haley did something similar with then Broncos coach Josh McDaniels last season.

Jim Harbarugh rough handshake followed by Jim Schwartz “do you want a piece of me?” this wasn’t. Jackson perhaps wasn’t pleased with Haley taking a shot at the end zone late in the game. Or it could just be the nature of this bitter rivalry as tempers were running hot before the game even began.
(more…)

You read right. I said no other coach. Not Bill Belichick, he would have told Al Davis he’d never play JaMarcus Russell and been fired on the spot. No other coach could have possibly handled all that comes with coaching under Davis better than Cable.

When the interim tag was removed many were quick to label Cable another company man. Well, tell that to his benching of Jason Campbell. Many thought Cable was just another puppet. I don’t know too many puppets that can convince their stubborn owner to cut ties with a man they’ve committed more than $30-million to.

Simply put, Tom Cable has the perfect balance necessary to manage the Raiders in their current state. He keeps things simple by playing physical football. He’s honest with his players. He’s a blue-collar coach in a blue-collar town. He’s the right fit and he must remain in Oakland in order for this franchise to progress.
(more…)

A decade that began with so much promise devolved into dysfunction and disappointment.

While it wasn’t all bad, the last seven years of the decade have certainly overshadowed the stellar first three.

Here is a look back at the decade that was for the Oakland Raiders with hopes of a better future.

2000

Record: 12-4, AFC West Champions, lost to Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens in AFC Title Game

Head Coach: Jon Gruden

Summary: The Wonder Kid head coach with the Chucky scowl takes the Raiders out of 90’s mediocrity with a journeyman thrower that he helped to mold into a  franchise QB.

Leading Passer: Rich Gannon 92.4 QB Rating, 3430 yards, 28 TDs, 11 INTs

Leading Rusher: Tyrone Wheatley 1046 yards, 9 TDs

Leading Receiver: Tim Brown 76 catches, 1128 yards, 11 TDs 

Notable Draft Picks: Sebastian Janikowski, Kicker, Florida State (1^st round); Shane Lechler, Punter, Texas A&M (5^th Round)

Draft Notes: Al Davis draws laughs for picking a kicker in the first round. Funny thing is that he might be the best first round pick not named Nnamdi that the Raiders made in the 2000’s. Jano owns a boot like no other (see 61-yard field goal in the cold) and just happens to be the all-time leading scorer in franchise history. Super Shane is statistically greatest punter in NFL history and booms punts that make Ray Guy blush.  

The Seed of the Tuck Rule: Raiders lose to Baltimore Ravens in AFC Title game after Tony Siragusa belly flops on Gannon’s shoulder. They now have rules that protect Tom Brady from being sneezed on but Gannon couldn’t get a roughing flag when Shamu was dry humping his arm. Andre Rison’s 4^th quarter TD is waived off on phantom pass interference, Raider Nation paranoia level goes up a few notches as we all become aware that the NFL doesn’t want us to win. 

2001

Record: 10-6, AFC West Champions, lost to New England Patriots in Divisional Playoffs

Head Coach: Gruden

Summary: Raiders win 10 of first 13 only to drop three straight to end the season. The lat slide dooms then to competing on Wild Card Weekend where the prize for beating the New York Jets in Oakland is a trip to New England to play during a blizzard. This is the final year of the Seattle Seahawks in the AFC. One less divisional rival in the West looms large for Raiders later in the decade.

Leading Passer: Gannon 95.5 QB Rating, 3828 yards, 27 TDs, 9 INTs

Leading Rusher: Charlie Garner 839 yards, 1 TD; 72 catches, 578 yards, 2 TDs

Leading Receiver: Brown 91 catches, 1165 yards, 9 TDs

Notable Draft Picks: Derrick Gibson, Safety, Florida State (1^st round)

Draft Notes: Davis begins his decade long quest to find the greatest defensive back to ever play the game. Gibson spent his entire pro career in Oakland, all five years of it.

The Tuck Rule is Invoked: With a 13-10 lead, late in the fourth quarter, Charles Woodson blitzes Tom Brady, ball comes loose, Greg Biekert dives on the rock, Pats have no timeouts, game over…right? Wrong. Adam Vinatieri becomes a legend, Brady becomes an NFL god and the Raider Nation paranoia level goes to orange. 

2002

Record: 11-5, AFC West Champions, AFC Champions, Lost to Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII

Head Coach: Bill Callahan

Summary: Callahan leads Raiders to the Super Bowl with the team that Chucky built where he meets Gruden led Buccaneers that Dungy built. High powered offense in Oakland rips through the AFC winning 7 of their last 8 regular season games after dropping four in a row to conclude first half of the season. Gannon is voted MVP by the associated press and Garner was everything that Darren McFadden should be as a do everything dynamo.  

Leading Passer: Gannon 97.3 QB Rating, 4689 yards, 26 TDs, 10 INTs; NFL MVP

Leading Rusher: Garner 962 yards, 7TDs; 91 catches, 941 yards, 4 TDs

Leading Receiver: Jerry Rice 92 catches, 1211 yards, 7 TDs

Notable Draft Picks: Phillip Buchanon, cornerback, Miami (1^st round); Napoleon Harris, linebacker, Northwestern (2^nd round); Langston Walker, offensive tackle, Cal- Berkeley (3^rd round); Ronald Curry, wide receiver, North Carolina (7^th round).

Draft Notes: Buchanon’s selection makes it consecutive years of DBs in the first round. Harris would later be traded to Minnesota Vikings for Randy Moss. Walker and Curry would later make two of the most memorable plays of the decade for the Raiders on a snowy night in Denver.

The Tuck Rule Fallout: Chucky knows all of Gannon’s tricks, tells Dexter Jackson not to bite on pump fakes, Gannon throws 5 picks, Jackson gets Super Bowl MVP, Chucky gets last laugh as Bucs win with a flattering score of 48-21. Raiders play the game without All-Pro center Barret Robbins who went to Mexico to party the night before the big game. We later learn the haunting tale of Robbins who suffered a manic episode that tragic night; a sad tale that would ultimately be the impending sign of doom for the rest of the decade. Raider Nation paranoia level reaches new heights and actually registers on old Soviet satellites still orbiting in space.

(more…)