Behind the scenes at Raiders HQ there is persistent brainstorming to bring aboard corporate sponsors and season ticket holders. The Raiders really want to sell those game day suites too that price out everyone except people with serious wads of cash to burn.

Not too many businesses, silicon valley entrepreneurs and wealthy folks care enough about the Raiders to pay a few grand to see a football game at Oakland Coliseum. Even for middle class folks with lots of people chipping in, suite sales are weak. If you take it a step down, club seating sales which are the premium second deck views (between the 40 yard lines) with the better food and beverage selections are also weak. If the team were better the last several seasons that might have been different now in anticipation hopefully of a 2011 season but when Al put his faith in JaFatass, tickets sales, sponsorships and everything else went south.

That is the hole Al put his team in to the current point in time. Even with a decent 8-8 season in the books, his head coach brought an unwanted spotlight to derelic behavior that rubbed most fans the wrong way.

It is hard to sell tickets when Tom Cable is the face of the franchise. It is even harder if Al is the face of the franchise since he is an unlikeable man. That is why Amy Trask takes point on the PR machine effort. Not that Al has ever been interested in PR nor does he understand the concept very well anyway. Trask is the official mouthpiece at select events around the San Francisco Bay Area where she pitches to an invite list of anywhere up to 100 people or more at a time aimed at reeling in ticket sales, sponsorships and anything else to promote the franchise.

One season, a random sampling of season ticket holders were invited to Raiders HQ for breakfast with Amy Trask and were encouraged to bring their questions. Not surprisingly, Trask provided expertly efficient answers. She is a seasoned mouthpiece for sure.

Last season, not many sponsors singed on and the Coliseum lost McAfee's big money stadium sponsorhip to boot. Just a small, family owned gin company from Modesto was added to the club section menu. I have to admit, the club section at Oakland Coliseum has some really good food and beverage choices though I am not too fond of gin myself. Yea, you do pay for the privilege of club section but you end up spending the same for amped up tailgating too. It's a personal choice.

At least one of Al's three Super Bowl trophies and a few players and legends accompany Trask to events which can take place at a humdrum corporate business park meeting room or a banquet hall or anywhere big enough to accommodate an invite list of people the Raiders wants to target for their sales and sponsorships.

It's a well known, well tested and provable theory in business. Good relationships improves customer sales. It helps give people confidence in spending their money on your products. Even better if you develop a way to communicate effectively to your audience without media help. Both methods require good public relations efforts.

Without Amy Trask, Al Davis does not have good public relations efforts. This is the reality since Bruce Allen left with Jon Gruden to Tampa Bay. Before Bruce Allen, Al's alter ego (the one with a friendly personality) Al LoCasale was a good PR man. Now they have John Herrera and everyone knows how incompetent and adversarial he is.

When the Raiders moved back from LA, it went really wrong when the PSL (Personal Seat License) fiasco soured many fans. It seems ridiculous to think about now but many die hard Raiders fans shelled out thousands of dollars for their PSL until finally the franchise took control of their own ticket sales several years after the damage was done. Fans don't want to hear about Al's lawsuits against the people who foisted the PSL onto the fans. They want value for their emotional investment in time and resources in being Raiders fans. No compensation was ever offered to fans who were shilled.

Still, doing away with PSLs was a major coup for the franchise. If that had not happened chances are ticket sales would be even worse than they are today.

Al thinks winning is all fans care about. In his mind by satisfying himself then fans must also be satisfied. Not even a billboard stating the opposite could change his mind on this matter. Fans do want to win obviously but they also expect rational personnel decisions from the front office. With some exceptions, this has not happened in recent years. Not even people with money to burn would consider spending on a corporate suite. Season tickets maybe, but that would be for the die hard who is not concerned with Al's business approach.

Things are not as bad as they once were. There is no more JaFatass or a questionable head coach. Al could have done a lot worse than Hue Jackson who fits the role of what a Raiders head coach should be - even if his Big Stick mentality is fantasy. No NFL team will be intimidated by the Raiders because every team has physical players. The days of anyone being intimidated by the Raiders because of their physical play is over and done with. That's just how it is.

Even if the fans are coming back with some confidence, it's not because of anything Al did right.

For NFL fans everywhere, the news is grim for the 2011 season. If Gene Upshaw was still around, I’m pretty sure things would be different. The NFLPA is now guided by a guy that to me, doesn’t seem to have any of the same qualities as Gene. Gene definitely was a tough leader for the NFL owners to deal with but he made sound judgments. This fellow DeMaurice Smith is unlikeable in all respects and lacks the character Gene brought to the table.

I agree with the owners wholeheartedly regarding the lockout situation. While I don’t like their millionaire/billionaire status and the NFL’s let’s make the rich get richer approach at the expense of the fans, I find the position of the players to be even more selfish and arrogant.

Does DeMaurice Smith really expect the fans to believe the NFLPA made a best effort to negotiate? It just wasn’t true according to the unbiased reports that have come out of the meetings.

The hollow sounding press releases of the NFLPA smacks of someone doing their best to cast blame in an effort to disguise his own failures.

I find it silly that Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees have made the decision to attach their names to litigation. The NFLPA used three big names in an effort to gain public support for their cause. Too bad for them most people aren't sympathetic to lawsuits by rich athletes seeking more money. The real issue is the selfishness of the NFLPA.

As for the Raiders, I find it interesting that Al Davis has remained completely quiet on the issues thus far - other than having images of current players removed where possible from the raiders.com web site. I didn’t check every other NFL team page but it seems that at least most of the other NFL franchises have a statement on their web site addressing the lockout and pending issues at hand. The Raiders web site talks about Raiderettes auditions, the Heidi Game and the 3-4 defenses of years past (as of right now when I last checked).

Raiders HQ would like fans to buy tickets, preferably season tickets. However, all the team has done since a Super Bowl drubbing January 26, 2003 is lose a lot of games - many at home, hire coaches at all levels that were the wrong fit, fire coaches in a spotlight of turmoil and sign overrated draft picks to enormous sums of money that reflects badly on the organization’s competence.

The loyal fans who do buy season tickets or fly in from locations around the country to see select games are entitled to a measure of respect for their loyalty. To my knowledge, season ticket holders have not yet received a letter from the organization at least making an earnest connection with people spending their hard earned money supporting other people's lifestyles. It would be easy for Raiders HQ to send such a letter. Something to the effect that "the situation will hopefully be resolved but no one knows yet. Thank you for your continued support".

I'm willing to lay odds that if such a letter eventually arrives it won't be signed by Al Davis. It will be signed by Amy Trask, the solitary dignified link between the franchise and the fans.

If any season ticket holders or booster club members would care to chime in, let us know what Undead Al has to say. Even a generic statement from Al would be an indicator he regards fans as something more than a means to fuel his empire. I don't think he has the moral fortitude to say anything except maybe down the road when he next has a press conference about something else and is asked about it.

I was just commenting on a blog post speculating aloud that Charlie Frye and Kyle Boller will compete for #2 behind starter Jason Campbell. Then I checked the Raiders web site roster and don’t see Frye listed. Instead, I see (gulp) JT. O’ Sullivan.

JT O’ Sullivan? You have got to be kidding. That’s just incredibly bad judgment of talent to consider this guy. Despite 7 or 8 years as a well traveled backup and occasional starter what has the guy done to warrant being a quality veteran? To be fair, very little.

Amazing how Al continues to make horrible personnel decisions.

There is no guarantee the guy would make the team but the fact that he is now on the roster indicates he is there as insurance. I am completely discouraged by the thought of JT O’Sullivan ever taking any snaps as a Raider. He offers nothing at all and would not give the team a chance to win under any circumstances.

Wow, Al’s head is firmly entrenched up his ass as it always is.

It's hard to have any confidence in the Raiders secondary now that Hiram Eugene was re-signed instead of re-signing Michael Huff.

Huff started slow after being a first round pick a few years ago. He definitely was not stout enough against the run to play strong safety but once he found his role at free safety he started to play a lot better. He was making INTs, arriving to make timely tackles and even batting passes as an extra pass rusher. There is no doubt that Huff has upped his game to all-pro levels. Now He will walk away as a free agent apparently.

Isn't it peculiar how a solid player like Huff is allowed to leave yet Al signs second fiddle dudes like Hiram Eugene. Though, Eugene was signed for a lot less at around 1 something million a year than it would have cost to sign Huff. Still, the way Al throws around money, what benefit is there to sign a weaker player?

Isn't it peculiar that a lamer like Stanford Routt received a Nnamdi-like contract as a reward for being complete crap as a football player?

And of course what would a Raiders season be without re-signing a barely mediocre Ricky Brown. You have got to be kidding right? Just you wait, a Sam Williams tender couldn't be far behind.

You know what this comes down to is more of Al's ego. A few years ago when Tommy Kelly was signed for an absurd number (what was it, 50 million?), Al was asked why he did not re-sign the more proven commodity Derrick Burgess instead. Not that Burgess was worth anything close to 50 million either but Al looked the media squarely in the eyes and said "I gave the money to Tommy Kelly and not him."

Al just likes the idea of dominating other men who he feels have failed him. He was in Robert Gallery's corner, handing him a nice package (ahem, salary) until Gallery went turncoat and backed then head coach Tom Cable. That soured Gallery to Al so he was not going to receive another big money deal.

Huff was always a disappointment to Al so even having a strong two seasons to finish his career as a Raider, it was not enough. Al decided to go with a mediocre Hiram Eugene who is completely useless against the run. Just ask Willis McGahee.

In his mistaken belief he is doing what is right in order to win, it's really about showing up a player and making it known who big daddy is. You could see this pattern with how he treated Marcus Allen, perhaps even before then but it's so obvious now it's pathetic.

Amazingly, Oakland Raiders Executive Henchman John Herrera actually spoke about salary negotiations to the media. Specifically he told beat writer Steve Corkran that Robert Gallery was asking for 8 million a season. The Raiders were offering in the neighborhood of 2 million.

I am too lazy to look up his contract numbers from years past but I am pretty sure Gallery has already been lavished with double digit millions for being a first round draft pick. At this point in his career, he must realize he is not worth 8 million a year. A can of tomatoes has more intelligence that he does so there is no way that he would have the wherewithal to bluff Al Davis in contract negotiations. Unless he just let his agent run the show but it would be hard to believe even a lard brain as Gallery would tell his agent to play hardball with Al.

It is more likely Gallery has fully transformed from a naïve farm boy from Iowa into a classic egotistical professional athlete who is all about greed. He could not possibly need the money. He has enough for a lifetime. His spine is fused. He has had countless other surgeries. How much more could his body have left? Maybe he thinks Paul Allen will open the checkbook, expecting a warm welcome from Pete Carroll and Tom Cable in Seattle.

I would find it very hard to believe Gallery will get more than 2 million a year from any other club.

The problem for Gallery is guards are not as valuable as tackles. So if he fulfilled the potential that was expected of him to begin with maybe we his contract demands would make more sense.

I’m glad I no longer have to look at his grotesque form when watching games. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out Mr. Greedy First Round Bust I Bet Your Breath Stinks Too You Ugly Sack of Shit Robert Gallery.

The stench of JaFatass lingers strongly in Raiders HQ. If not for the experience of drafting a QB with drug addiction you would have to think Al and his scouting staff would be thinking - and maybe even hoping - Ryan Mallett would fall into their laps when they make their second round selection.

Mallett is a perfectly equipped Al Davis QB. He has a big arm, stands tall in the pocket, has accuracy with his throws, has game management skills, leadership potential. He played for an SEC school that did not dumb down the playbook like they did for JaWalrus.

The difference in this case is Mallett is probably not a serious addict like Fatass is. It is more likely Mallett look some liberties in public where people can make those kinds of accusations and it takes on a life of its own. I'd be willing to take a chance he's not a serious addict.

The problem is Al is likely going to shy away from a player where rumors of drug use persist. There are also a ton of other needs that must be met through the draft so bypassing Mallett seems like just as easy a call to make.

Jason Campbell is under contract for one more season, presumably to see if he can be the right guy. Bringing in a rookie to compete and groom to make a transition to a starting role seems like a good strategy if they choose to take that route.

I've given up on Gradkowski. I'm tired of his happy feet and taking on defenders. He's a good backup when you need to change looks but I'm not sold on Grad's abilities as a starter. Kyle Boller is not going to lead the team either.

But, this is Al Davis we're talking about and he is very slow to change course. Mallett may not even be there in the second round but if he is, he's worth the pick.

I have to wonder if handing Stanford Routt a new contract worth 31 million over 3 years means Al genuinely believes Routt can replace Nnamdi. If true, what a leap of faith in the wrong man. It's almost like - no, it is like, Al just wants to make mediocre football players rich for some delusional reason only Al can explain but never will. I mean really, you can sign a turd like Routt for veteran's minumum. That's what other teams would do.

The more time that passes, the more proof we have that Lane Kiffin was correct in his critical assessments of the organization.

It's hard not to realize Al Davis is a bad "GM" but we don't often hear criticism towards him because he is so quick on the trigger with lawsuits. That's the only retaliation Al has in his arsenal is an active legal department.

Kiffin showed no fear and spoke out against the policies of the "personnel department" and scoffed at Al's "scholarship" players.

Now that dead weight Stanford Routt has been handed a nice new contract by Al, it is impossible to not miss the proof. What does 31 million over 3 years average out to per penalty and number of times Routt's been burned? The man is being rewarded for bad play so that amounts to bad judgment by Al.

Al has doled out many bad judgment deals the last several seasons so this is just the latest reason why the team is not playoff worthy. Sorry to say. In keeping Routt he is also saying he does not care about locker room chemistry since Routt is notoriously a pouty guy who keeps to himself. He has butted heads with position coaches every training camp and has even refused to take the field when asked to play special teams.

So where does this deal make any sense?

Routt is the biggest liability in the secondary and he has always been the biggest liability since donning a Raiders uniform. If you disagree what are you seeing on the field, stellar play from Routt? Almost good? Hard luck player? The guy sucks. He just looks good in the uniform and by that I mean he is a tremendous athlete with gifted speed. But that's all he is.

I'm sure all of the zipperheads who want to lick Al's balls and give him a lap dance will say "Yea but now Routt has Rod Woodson coaching him"

That's true but no coaching can overcome lack of talent. Would anyone like to wager Rod Woodson cannot transform a bad player who has mostly given up penalties and points for the last several years? Routt has made a handful of nice plays in that time but there is no balance. One step forward, three (no wait, five) steps back. Routt is the most obvious running joke associated with the franchise other than Al's undead appearance. Every time the Raiders secondary is burned who's the first name you think of to blame?

In reading a web site covering the NFL, a headline grabbed my attention. At first I thought it read: League Owners & Union Agree to Meditation.

That's pretty funny I thought.

Imagine, a collection of millionaires putting aside their differences, concluding that there really is enough money to go around for all of them to satisfy their egos; to satisfy their need for material objects to validate their status in life. Imagine people with no interest at all in meditation to agree to do it because they all thought it would solve the problems at the root of their disagreements.

I thought it was funny because actually, meditation may actually help to solve the problems at hand. If they did it correctly, who's to say cooler heads wouldn't prevail. A clear head might even spark reason to all parties concerned. Everyone would discover that they don't have to be a bunch of corrupt, money grubbing, insincere assholes. They would realize the reason they are doing what they do for a living is because people that buy their product are in many cases suffering financially so that the collection of assholes can live financially carefree.

It's a trade off. As fans we get the fleeting fun of winning sometimes in exchange for large men being able to compete over a ball moving from one point to another as a profession.

The reality is, the two sides don't like each other and it's all about money. To decide their financial worth they have agreed for mediation to figure out the particulars, none of which any of us really care about. None of us see a dime of the vast wealth stuffed in the pockets of league owners, the NFL, the players. I doubt any of us even participate in any of the charities they sponsor. We just help fill the coffers.

The NFL is a billionaire machine that can compete with an Arab oil sheik in opulence should they choose to do so.

Have we seen any reasonable reduction in ticket prices? Have we seen any reasonable reduction in cable or satellite service to see the games? Have we seen anything that would help out the fans in tough economic times?

Of course not. Instead we have seen escalations to the FBI to bring down internet web sites carrying NFL games. We have seen nothing but arrogance in negotiating million dollar level deals. We have seen the doling out of excessively large contracts for men to chase a ball.

There's more of course but point is, why do we really care? For me it is a hobby. I don't have an emotional investment in anything but many fans do. It's time to reconsider that if you are one of those emotionally invested in supporting the lifestyles of corrupt athletes, team owners and a league that laughs at you with their hand out for more of your cash.

Maybe it is not a coincidence the first day or mediated meetings ended in silence.

It’s hard to deny Bill Romanowski’s impact on the game of football. He was a fierce competitor that held nothing back. As a Raider closing out his long career, he pushed the limits of his endurance and played the game until he was more or less compelled to step away.

Romo was not without controversy, including legal troubles but somehow he overcame all of it.

One thing that always impressed me was Romo’s knowledge of vitamins and supplements. Every interview he had he was dropping insight into the mix. Before you chime in with Romo jokes as to his supplement habits, if you actually listen to what he was saying, none of it was anything remotely harmful to the human body.

It is too easy to get caught up in the buzzword "supplements" as something bad. Yea, there are harmful supplements on the market but certainly not all of them are harmful. In fact, most aren’t. Supplements are basically plants and minerals, herbs that have kept the human race alive for many centuries as far back as hunter gatherer days. It’s how you use them that makes or breaks you.

The NFL brain trust, being blind and pretty much ignorant out of choice on the matter, prefers to simply ban whatever it pleases regardless of health, rehabilitation or anything else. The latest controversy with Hue Jackson being chastised by the league office for handing out supplements to players is ridiculous. The "banned substance" at issue was deer antler. In fact, deer antler is an excellent supplement for the human body.

But, things being what they are under the iron fist of Roger Goodell, the redeeming qualities of deer antler don’t matter.

As for Romo, he has really upped his game as far as distributing supplements. His company Nutrition 53 produces a number of products loaded with vitamins and supplements. To my knowledge, none of these products have deer antler in it in case you are wondering. I could not even tell you what this stuff is and honestly, the marketing materials read like too much science to me too. I'm a willing test subject though since I believe in Romo.

If you work out at all then you most likely have some kind of protein drink, or at least you should. I’ve been holding back on my review of Nutrition 53’s "Lean1" drink to see how my body handles it and because it's not a protien drink in the true sense of the term. Still, Romo suggests drinking it before and after a strenuous work out. The hardest thing for me is to not gorge after getting out of the gym. I eat two dinners, one before the gym and one after. I’m no bodybuilder but I do go all out for at least an hour with weights, cardio, stretching. I’m in top shape but no protein drink has been able to really serve as a meal replacement for me over the years. I’ve tried many, including shakeology which many people swear by. Nothing has really worked except Romo's Lean1. It is far more than a protein drink. It is a true meal replacement.

There are a few other Nutrition 53 products with various flavors, all of them are reasonably priced if you do competitor shopping. There is a product that helps you sleep, have stronger mental acuity and one with a concoction of vitamins (I have not yet tried any of these). I trust Romo and I know he understands everything in these products.

Sorry if this sounds too much like a sales pitch. I know many Romo fans appreciated him as a player. Now we get to appreciate what he had been using to recover from injuries (including concussions) and keep his career alive for so many years. Hey with a wife that looks like this, you have to believe in Romo.

I just want to make sure I understand the logic of Al Davis. After all, he does ask the Raider Nation to believe in his decisions. He is the "custodian" as he refers to his role. No one is accountable for anything Raiders except for him. Of course, Al reserves the right to assign blame to others when decisions don’t work out well.

Like head coaching hires for example. Let’s look at the really bad decisions Al has made and then try to somehow believe that Hue Jackson is a good hire in 2011. I like Hue and he is excited about getting a shot at being a head coach. Yet the fact remains, he is set up to fail and fail miserably. It’s just how it goes in Al’s world. If Hue succeeds, Al will find a way to negate the success.

We’ll draw the line of demarcation with John Madden. He was a good hire in retrospect but at the time, he was a big risk. He was early 30’s, unproven as a head coach. He had the opportunity to learn on the job and what saved his employment was he was a yes man to Al. As Snake tells it, Madden was crafty when disagreeing with Al when he felt the need for it. he had to pick his spots as all coaches have to learn. But in the end, he recognized who the boss was and just played the hand he was dealt. I get the feeling Hue is a similar character. You need to have a temperament of accepting Al’s meddling to hang on to the job.

The difference is Al was not in wheelchair and had the ability to maneuver on the sidelines in Madden’s day. He was Madden’s shadow. Madden did not even call plays. The Quarterback actually called plays in the 70s. The head coach just stood around and motivated players as his primary mission. Back in those days, all he had to do was yell at the refs and make it look like he was in charge. Madden got an ulcer anyway and retired from coaching after beating the Vikings in the Super Bowl. Too many years of frustration in playoff defeats led to his ulcer.

Tom Flores was as much a puppet coach as you can get. He had no authority at all and was too polite to even ask for any.

I know I’m skipping some hires but look at Art Shell. He didn’t do too well in LA or Oakland. He went from being promising to almost really good and then plummeted to goat. That guy was just a bad head coach. A great player but a lousy head coach. I still find it hard to believe Al let Shell choose the bed and breakfast guy as an offensive coordinator. That should be all the proof we need Al is truly clueless. He expects us to believe it was Shell’s call to hire that guy.

We all know what happened with Mike Shanahan. A young, promising head coach needed the authority to make things work and he ran afoul of Al in the process. Only to go on to much success with division rival Denver.

Then we have Mike White who was unceremoniously fired on Christmas Eve. Al has no soul so I’m sure he did not notice what day it was.

Joe Bugel? Like Bill Callahan, the guy knew how to coach offensive linemen as one of the best. As a head coach he was a foot in mouth type of guy. Tom Cable is just one of four offensive linemen head coaches Al has fired with vengeance: Shell, Bugel, Callahan and Cable. Al just never learns from his mistakes and as the rolling camera revealed, Al did not even know anything about Tom Cable when he made the hire or maybe we was just dippy from his meds.

We’ve already discussed Jon Gruden at length. A Raiders head coach is not allowed to have an identity greater than Al. He was sent on his way for that reason. Need we go on to know that Al simply has not made any coaching hires worth a damn. I’ll give you Madden and Gruden but they are more successful as broadcasters now strangely enough. The luster of Gruden’s bravado as a head coach has worn thin. I know Hue has the best of intentions but he doesn’t stand a chance. The last thing any Raiders fan is interested in is bluster about bullying teams. Every team has big guys. You aren’t bullying anyone. What you are going to be is fired in 2 years.

If you are Hue Jackson you have to be wondering, is it worth it to take the Oakland Raiders head coaching job if it is offered?

To any coach working in the NFL, it is natural to aspire to be a head coach at some point but working for Al Davis means you have very little control to make your own decisions. That is pretty much known as a given. It goes beyond control however. What is more often not said is being in Al’s clutches means you are working for a petty, vindictive, cowardly rotting corpse with no soul.

Hue is less likely to feel the full wrath of Al if the team does not make the playoffs in 2011 because he is black. Al likes black men. He likes paying black men rather well to be part of the Raiders. It is a surprise Al has hired any white coaches at all or white players but that’s one of the great mysteries of Undead Al. He is whimsical but disguises it by taking his time and making everyone think he is being methodical.

The truth is Al has no idea what he is doing and he never has. He is as knowledgeable about football as any five year old kid playing fantasy football or in his own backyard. Al has routinely used other people’s ideas and patterned his own thinking around that, making it part of Raiders game planning. That’s because all of Al’s own ideas are terrible. He would never have won any Super Bowls if not for the great ideas of other people he either employed or stole from.

Al has no problem wasting other people’s money and his own yet he insists on re-claiming it in nickel and dime "fines" or by way of lawsuits or league grievances. That’s because Al makes dumb choices with his personnel decisions as well as coaching hires. Then he attempts to prove it was all someone else's fault.

If you are Hue Jackson, you probably believe you are in Al’s good graces because you are black (and therefore Al treats you fairly) and because Al has shown you nothing except his good side thus far. He is grooming you to take the hot seat. Al dearly wants to take credit for your success.

So Hue has a decision to make if he is offered the job. Sell your soul to an ugly little man with no backbone other than the legal system or, Hue can move on to greener pastures.

If he takes the greener pastures route there is not a person anywhere who will blame him. In fact, he will land on his feet with a new job and self respect.

I never thought Tom Cable was a legitimate head coach but I have to admit, after the offense was turned over to Hue Jackson this past season, he didn’t do too badly. I have a hard time believing Al Davis let Cable walk because he did a bad job. In fact, knowing how Al likes his head coaches to behave, I am of the opinion Cable’s contract was not renewed because in fact he did a good job.

If his disciplinary issues were a factor (such as punching an assistant coach or beating on an ex-girlfriend) then he would have been gone a lot sooner. Where Cable must have gone awry is taking credit for success or at least a turnaround 8-8 campaign. Anyone can nitpick and Al Davis is no exception. He may in fact be like the rest of us and think we should have won 2 or 3 or even 4 more games than we did. But Al has been through too many games to be suckered into using "almost" as an excuse to let a coach go. No, I think Al just didn’t like Cable taking any credit. That’s what drove him to get rid of Jon Gruden.

I'm not saying Tom Cable is even close to Gruden's caliber of coach but look at the pattern. Even though the players are different, Al built a very strong team when Gruden was head coach. The roster was strong enough to make it to the Super Bowl and potentially win it. We know about the tuck rule game that derailed the playoff run of 2001-2. There was no question in anyone's mind the team had the ability to get back to the playoffs the following season. But, Gruden was shipped out. That should be enouhg of a clue where Al's priorities are. They are with Al's ego exclusively. How dare Jon Gruden take any credit for winning.

Quite simply, Jon Gruden was shipped out because he was a winner. Al doesn’t like winning coaches. Only Al is allowed to take credit for the Raiders winning. So losing games may be an excuse to release a Raiders head coach but we know better. Al believes any coach can get the job done so long as they follow his script. The only problem with that is his plans have failed him in his twilight years. He makes bad head coaching decisions. Lance Kiffin anyone?

Cable wasn’t a great head coach but in the role he developed a bit of chip on his shoulder. We would all overlook that for the sake of wins and one would think Al could too. That is his fatal flaw. Al is looking for that chip on your shoulder so he can knock it off.

Even when Gruden was gone, a second rate head coach in Bill Callahan with Marc Trestman calling plays was able to actually get to the Super Bowl. So we know Al believes it is all about the players and less about the head coach. Obviously he feels the same way about the 2010 roster or at least believes they can achieve a winning record whoever he selects to lead the team.

Whoever he gives the job to next had better be very, very humble and win quick before he gets a chance to feel good about his accomplishments. Either that or just be a toady and compliment Al Davis for everything every chance you get.

Mike Lombardi's source won't hold up. Al Davis will not send Tom Cable on his way. My bet is Cable will get either a one or two year deal at the very least.

If you think Jon Gruden will ever coach the Raiders again while Al is alive, you’d be dead wrong. Al will take that one to the grave. There is no wiggle room at all.

Al’s biggest concern right now is re-signing Richard Seymour. In order to sign Seymour, Al will have to pay him more than he does Tommy Kelly. If you recall, Kelly was handed the richest contract for a defensive tackle in league history for doing absolutely nothing a few years ago. Has he earned 50 million dollars? Hell no. He’s a guy worth under a million a year or whatever the veteran minimum is for his years of service. If you think having seven sacks and being a pro bowl alternate this year makes him more valuable than Seymour or any other defensive tackle in the NFL, it’s a no win argument. Nothing Kelly has ever done warrants him being anywhere close to earning the elite money he was handed. And he’ll never earn it because he is an average player.

Seymour was given 12 million for a one year deal in 2010. He’ll want more to stay with the club. My guess is Al did not offer him more because of the unsettled CBA situation beyond this season but if I know Al, I am betting there is a handshake deal between all parties involved for Seymour to be paid accordingly once the CBA issues are resolved. We’ll see how that plays out.

In all honesty, did anyone expect the Raiders to beat the Colts last Sunday? I admit, it would have been nice. Though it seems whoever the opponent is, every time there are big plays made or the team gets on a roll, there is some penalty or blown coverage or Stanford Routt mistake (which can always be counted on at the worst possible time) or a letdown in the run D that sets things back. Unless of course we’re playing Denver in which case we can afford mistakes since they are so easy to score on this season.

To be a bona fide playoff caliber team the Raiders have to win those winnable games. This year they coulda, shoulda, woulda beat the Colts, Cards and Whiners. Despite leaving at least 3 wins on the field, this season was several steps in the right direction. Without Tom Laying Cable calling plays the offense has a chance. The problem was it took a while to sort things out on the OL and for Jason Campbell to get comfortable in the offense.

Let’s just forget about Gradkowski as an answer. He was an adequate backup that looked like a savior because JaFatass was so horrible. He’s good but he’s not a next level type of QB. Despite his critics, Jason Campbell has shown he can handle a full season of getting pounded in the pocket (how many stingers can a man take?) and make some good plays. I’m not saying he’s perfect but he played pretty well for the most part. I’m happy to see him come back next year as the starter.

By now you know how disgusted I am with the OL. I will eat some crow because finally, they seem to have found a groove. The pass protection is slowly arriving. It just took too long. I can’t really criticize that timeline too harshly because I knew Jared Veldheer would need time to mature into a pro. You don’t just make the leap from Division II in college to the NFL. Finally, that lame shit for nothing Mario Henderson has been left for dead as he should be while Veldheer appears to be an answer at left tackle. I never thought having him at center was a good idea. I am also in favor of keeping dumb oafs Robert Gallery and Cooper Carlisle at guard next season. The reason is the more pounding and sacrificing their bodies they take in the trenches, the more they will suffer with chronic back problems and other physical ailments when the game spits them out. For now, their sacrifice is demanded as overpaid oafs to protect the QB. I like Samson Satele but he too will suffer horrible back pain when he retires due to the demands of the job.

I’d like to see Undead Al draft a right tackle to replace lard ass Langston Walker (or keep him around as a backup) and some more depth on the OL. I’d like to see Al grab his balls, cough and draft a receiver in the early rounds of the draft. I don’t see him giving up on DHB though the guy is useless. His meager production has zero impact on any given game. We need better talent to help out Zach Miller and Louis Murphy. I’m tired of hearing about Chaz Schilens. The guy will stub his toe and miss next season so forget him.

As for this season, it was not beyond reason that the Raiders had the potential to steal a game or two had they gotten into the playoffs. Still, I don’t mind at all that they did not make the playoffs since I know the team is on the right track. Whether they can avoid letdowns as they did this season will remain to be seen of course. I think it’s entirely possible to win 10 games next season and continue beating the shit out of division opponents.

Mike Mitchell said the unthinkable to a reporter after the Colts game. He said "This team, we died." I have to disagree. I think the team is finally starting to show some life.

I don’t like Tom Cable for a number of reasons, most of which I have blogged about already. What I haven’t mentioned too much are his strengths. Namely, he is really good at diplomacy. He is very careful when speaking to the media and I have to believe he knows how to speak to Al Davis or he would not even have gotten the job to begin with and not lasted as long as he has with the level of controversy and stretches of losing the team has endured.

Now that the Raiders are wrapping up a season in which they played much better than they have in a long time, Cable can be assured of returning for another season. That is my best guess based on I know about how Al’s history with hiring and firing coaches. Al would need a good reason to get rid of Cable. With the Lane Kiffin episode still in memory, Al is likely to take the right course of action and stick with Cable.

Cable has not lost a division game all season. Even if the team loses to the Chiefs in the finale, it’s not so bad. Going 8-8 is a lot better than 4-12. Realistically, 7-9 or 8-8 has to be seen as a major improvement. Not even Al expected a Super Bowl run in 2010.

As much as I really hate to admit it. Cable has also squeezed as much as possible out of the OL. It’s a mediocre group of players on their very best day but it’s hard to make a case against them in opening up some running lanes. Darren McFadden is having a Pro Bowl year (hopefully he’ll make the All Pro team) and in general, the OL hustles to get downfield for blocks which is a good sign.

I’m not sold on pass protection at all so until that gets resolved, the Raiders passing game has no chance to succeed consistently. They also need better receivers. It is obvious trying to force DHB into a role as a primary target is a completely deluded strategy. They need more and better receivers. That’s the only fix. The latest controversy with a Yahoo sports columnist claiming he had sources indicating friction between Offensive Coordinator Hue Jackson and Tom Cable seems have blown over. There is always going to be some kind of disagreements on a coaching staff. It’s the nature of a football team when emotions run hot during games and after losses. It’s how you bounce back that tells the story.

While Tom Cable’s character will always be a question mark, he does handle controversy pretty well. Plus, he knows how to handle adversity from losing. So long as the team keeps improving I’d say Al will not make a head coaching change in 2011, regardless of the fact that Cable is not currently under contract beyond the 2010 season.

Tom Cable is in the driver's seat right now.

After last season, much of the Raider Nation felt that Bruce Gradkowski was the man to lead the team at QB. I felt that way too, especially since nothing meaningful was done to improve the offensive line. Grad's mobility was the only saving grace the offense had other than Zach Miller. In fact, it seemed the only option possible was to have a QB who can improvise and make plays.

Al Davis felt differently and brought in two strong armed pocket passers, Jason Campbell and Kyle Boller. Charlie Frye was kept around as well. No doubt about Campbell being brought in to start. He's not a very mobile guy except under severe pressure. Boller and Frye are somewhat mobile but in contrast, none are similar to Gradkowski.

As it turns out, Grad's happy feet have not been as effective this season and he's been hammered when he hangs in the pocket. He gets hammered when he's on the run too because he takes on defenders. Grad is done for the season and I would not be surprised if he was done as a Raider.

I see Al's QB preferential logic but what I will never get is how he can let his QB investments become fodder for bull rushing defenses. Is it a secret that every NFL team places a priority on being able to maul an offensive line and pressure the QB? is it a secret that every NFL team specifically looks for defensive ends who are athletic and can easily out maneuver a lumbering, clumsy offensive tackle? Shouldn't the idea with building an OL be to match speed, power and finesse? How is Al Davis so blind to these realities that he places his faith in a scrub OL?

Any Raiders QB is going to get hammered in the pocket. Coaches Laying Cable and Hue Jackson have tried a few methods to keep the pressure off the QB. Sometimes those plays are effective. However, as a consistent game plan, more is needed.

Darren McFadden's emergence this season has been the lone factor in proving me wrong on bashing the OL. McFadden has been rushing straight ahead for much of his yardage. He is also excellent at catching passes and gaining yards. The problem is in pass protection, not with run blocking which has been 50-50 when McFadden is healthy, he gets a hole to work with. I made up that 50-50 ratio as a general example based on what I see.

Gradkowski made up his mind he was going to run just about every time he was asked to pass. That's when he is at his best but unfortunately for Grad, that is not how Al wants his offense to be played. Most likely, that is not how Hue Jackson wants it either.

If they bring in right and left offensive tackles that have some credibility, maybe the Raiders can manage to find some run-pass balance regardless of who plays QB.

One thing that amuses me about being an Oakland Raiders fan is the difference between the "live" fan and the online version. A live fan doesn’t pout. If you watch a game at Ricky’s or another Raiders-friendly bar, you are likely to encounter frustrated fans when we lose but they don’t whine. They critique. Even drunken louts seem to carry a logical analysis. No matter a Raider fans station in life, whether it be a blue collar guy, a corporate guy, a knowledgeable fan, an old timer or even the guy who blames everything on the ref – everyone seems to have a valid opinion about the reality of the team. Good, bad, ugly, everything in between is all taken in stride because we have seen it all before. I’ve been a Raiders fan for about 20 years so I've seen the upside and the lows. Before that I was a Jets fan having grown up in New York. Ok, I’m not a Raiders "lifer" but I hate the Jets now and I’ve known enough Raiders fans to understand the culture pretty well.

Even with blowout wins and down to the wire wins against key rivals, live in person Raiders fans take an even keeled approach. After celebrating, we all know it’s a temporary step - one that seems to lose traction after a game (or two or three).

The online fan, the kind that does not live in the bay area, that has no one to celebrate with or watch the game with to bounce ideas off of or pick up on things they miss – those fans have nothing interesting to contribute. They blather nothing bullshit in blogs (including here). They sound like they are fifteen years old even when they are in their 20’s or 30’s or possibly even 40’s. They are whiners, crybabies, bitchy and disillusioned. They read Jerry McDonald’s blog and think they know something. You watch the game and draw conclusions but as it turns out, you're a bumpkin- you know nothing. You are isolated and have no clue what being a Raider fan is sitting by yourself. You have to live and breathe the culture with other fans. Not a game here and there, blowing your vacation money on a single game to beautiful, downtown Oakland or Raiders Mecca. The real Raiders Nation lives here. The rest of you are lamers.

I’m a fan by osmosis and even I understand that the reality of where we are as a franchise. We suck because the OL sucks. I’ve said this a lot. It’s not injuries. It’s Al’s fault for building a bad OL and wasting money on nobody acquisitions the last several years (this past season was much better but still not enough in the area we need – the OL). You can stick up for the OL all you want and mistakenly believe that is the reason Darren McFaddeen is having a good season. You can believe Jared Veldheer is some sort of rising star. You can believe Robert Gallery really isn’t a dumb useless oaf or that we have a valid center in Samson Satele. You can even believe Langston Walker isn’t a lard ass who is easy for quick DEs to beat. Then there is the barely mediocre Cooper Carlisle. Thank Odin Mario Henderson was benched but if you don’t see the problem as clear as day like every real live Raiders fan then you may as well be from the Dakotas.

Any barely average QB can make plays behind a good OL. It’s that simple. Al has his head up his ass and he always has since that dreaded SB loss in 2002. So there you have it. Believe it or not, everyone with a clue who is in the stands or watching the game in a community setting sees the team for what it is- crap - because of a very bad OL that loses games for us. At least it’s not a bad run D as well. That seems to have gotten better.

The Raiders' sudden win streak in the middle of the 2010 season must have Al feeling encouraged but not happy.  Al does not allow himself to be happy unless a super bowl is won.  Still, being encouraged should be a welcome change of pace from the sour puss he usually carries when TV cameras catch him watching a game.

Now, a possible cherry on his ice cream has arrived. The results are finally in from the Lane Kiffin claim for the remainder of his salary after he was fired by Al a few years ago.  A NFL arbitrator has denied Lane's challenge that he is owed over 2 million.  Based on the chain of events leading up to his dismissal it was obvious Lane intentionally sought his own firing.  Anyone could see that.  It was  a bad pairing, he and Al.  What is so strange is how neither side realized this during the lengthy interview process.

No doubt about Lane being a smooth talker but it takes a lot of finesse to outwit Al the Sharpie.  Al covers details in coaching interviews that require strong football knowledge, not blowing hot air.  As it turns out, Lane's coaching carousel since the Raiders has shown him to be an excellent head coach so he must have been pretty honest with Al during the interview.  Where Lane did not excel is in his ability to understand the extent to which Al would actually run the table.  For any head coach to be effective, you have to delegate authority which Al does not.  This befuddled Lane who was stymied, leading to a decline in his effectiveness and enthusiasm for the job.

That's why the Raiders will always be a franchise that bears Al's footprint.  He always has his foot firmly on the back of the coaching staff's neck (not just the head coach).  No matter how well the coaching staff does, Al must always know it was he who made success happen, not the people on the field directing players during games.  It is his decisions alone that make it all possible.  Even when the team is losing he bears the responsibility.  It is a sacrifice he is willing to bear for whatever fruits of victory the team does achieve.

Al never seeks adulation through the media though he holds a grudge whenever criticism is dispensed.  It will always be a harsh reality Al can never accept or completely understand.  It seems odd how he can't quite grasp it after so many years of dealing with the media.  He is remote and aloof only when it suits him not to be.  There's your answer Sharpie Al.  The world does not revolve around your need to feed your ego.

Yet, the current NFL regime has tossed Al a cookie enabling him to enjoy his fading, fleeting moments in the sun.  Lane was his second biggest coaching hire mistake ever (Art Shell part 2 holds that trophy).  Lane has not torn Al from 2 million something dollars Al so eagerly sought to retain in his coffers based emphatically on principle not need.

Al's money is only suited to pay bad or marginal players such as JaMeatloaf Russell (who has set a new record when it comes to ripping Al off like a blind man), sideshow circus freak first round bust Robert Gallery, barely mediocre at his finest Tommy Kelly, 1 million per game artist DeAngelo Hall, don't you just love Vegas Javon Walker, where is he now Gibril Wilson.  The list goes on.  Al is a whimsical and rather bad money manager but the NFL, playing Al's game of not angering the lawsuit happy mongrel has obliged by denying Lane Kiffin his claim.

No matter, Lane's coaching career is doing fine.  He'll recover financially.  This, even after bolting from U Tennessee (leaving them in good standing record-wise and with recruiting) and landing in a USC program under NCAA penalties.  Lane is a surprisingly quality head coach.  He's proven that at the collegiate level and had he been given latitude with the Raiders, success just might have been quicker for sluggish Al's taste.

You may have remembered JaMeatloaf played slightly better under Lane.  Meatloaf was far from "good" but he was much better in his limited outings than he was after Lane left.  Until the play calling went south on purpose, Lane came into games prepared to win.  In a sense he did win in the end since Al's counter suit was also dismissed.

Happy trails Sharpie Al.  You have won your latest round of meaningless legal tangles.  Pat yourself on the back if you can still lift your arms.

 

 

 

 

Let's just tell it like it is.  Al Davis is responsible for blacked out local broadcasts of the Oakland Raiders.  His bad personnel decisions, poor leadership of the franchise, irresponsible and senseless overpayment of mediocre players over the last several years have all led to

a) an exodus of casual fans unwilling to spend the money on tickets

b) a hefty plummet in season ticket renewals

c) sponsorships pulling out

When home games are blacked out regularly it deteriorates the local fanbase's willingness to pay attention.

I'm not referring to the tailgaters by the way.  Tailgaters are addicted to tailgating.  That's their passion.  They plan, they wake up ridiculously early and sit in the parking lot until game time.  Those fans and the Halloween, low end ticket payers in the black hole measure up maybe (maybe) 1/4 of the expected crowd necessary to avoid a blackout.

The current win streak stands at two.  The team has a chance to beat the division leader and stake a claim to be the front runners to actually win the division.  Playoffs are suddenly not so funny a topic to raise.

A big win may go a long way to regaining some fan trust but will they spend the money to buy tickets for the next home game?  A two for one ticket fire sale this week may close the gap and ultimately sell out the coliseum for the Chiefs game (if Al buys the remaining nosebleed seats no one wants at face value).  This would be a step in the right direction.

I won't hedge my bets just yet but at the least, I expect fan confidence to improve if the team shreds Kansas City.

 

Is the Raiders surge for real or are they catching teams at the right time?  We have to believe Darren McFadden is for real.  He is defying the odds since we know, beyond any shadow of a doubt the Raiders OL is not a model of competency.  You can try to make a case for them all you want but thus far, they have only handled defensive lines that are either plagued by injured starters or not very strong in general.  Darren McFadden is running with purpose, bad OL be damned.

I like how McFadden is running.  I am much less impressed with Michael Bush.  In fact, I am not impressed with him at all this year, at least thus far.  I am glad to see Marcel Reece finally getting involved in plays other than being a blocker.  The guy is really talented and needs more touches.

The Raiders defense is playing animalistic.  I have to wonder if finally, John Marshall or Coach Laying Cable just convinced Al to let them do it their way.  The Raiders defense has never blitzed this much.  In fact, this could be a reason why they are so dominant right now defensively.  For many years it was taken for granted the Raiders will play a base defensive front with a four man rush.  You had the occasional safety blitz but now, they are throwing everything at the opponent and going for broke.  In addition, they are stopping the run, or at least they did against Seattle.

We can ask why has it taken this long and the answer is Al is a stubborn mule.  He wants things done his way only and the defensive coordinators of the past were yes men.  John Marshall is showing by example what needs to be done to win.  It has taken this long for Al to come around.  At least this is my best guess.  If we had been getting burned by the pass when we throw the kitchen sink you can bet Marshall’s head would roll.  But, thus far the kitchen sink effect has won key games.  No question we would have beaten the Cardinals too had we thrown the kitchen sink against skinny man Derek Anderson.

Seattle isn’t the best of teams and they have some problems along their OL which slowed down their rushing game.  I am waiting until the Steelers game IN Pittsburgh before declaring the defense has arrived.  I think we all hate the Steelers enough to want to beat the living shit out of them.  Especially Ben Roethlisberger who is a pansy and needs to be drilled into the Heinz Field turf and left there as a monument to the destruction the Raiders shall inflict.

I hate Roethlisberger more than any QB, even more than Tom Fairy Brady.

Anyway, I don’t have anything against Matt Cassel but as Al would say, he must go down and he must go down hard.

 

I’m still on the fence with giving DHB his due.  He finally had a big play which so far is one of very few defining moments for him.  I still don’t think he's a reliable target.  The problem is we’re short at receiver this year and we’re stuck with his slow development.

I think we can beat the Chiefs and roll through Pittsburgh and Miami.  That would make me a believer.  Even if this is just a temporary surge in optimism, it’s better than what I have been seeing since 2002.

 

 

The Raiders were playing the Vikings this week instead of the Seachickens?  The Raiders should be surging and should put a dent in Old Man Hasselbeck's melon.  Poor Old Man Matt.  He never hurt anyone.  The closest he has ever come to being offensive is a near nude photography session with Trent Dilfer.  Why, Matt, why?

It would be nice if the Raiders took a crack at Old Man Favre instead.  Is there a bigger goofball in the game than Favre?  Are we all sick of everything to do with Favre's never ending soap opera bullshit?

It stands to reason the Raiders would make quick work of the Seachickens but we Raider fans know better.  This is a follow up to a win and we're not very good with those odds.  We know we are capable of a big win at least.  We did not know we were capable of that until last week.  Though we have beaten the Donkeys before, that was a huge win based on the sheer destruction involved.

Seattle will be a different animal.  Pete "I had no idea Reggie Bush was receiving gifts from boosters even though he drove a very expensive car" Carroll is a good coach, if not inconsistent as a pro.  He fares much better in the college game.

The Chickens have a new running back who has done very well in the bay area.  Marshawn Lynch is not to be overlooked and we all know the Raiders run D is not fixed.

Don't let your eyes deceive you.  The Donkeys are in bad shape.  The Raiders are still the Raiders and there is no way they will be hanging 59 points on Seattle.  Hang onto your hankies folks.

 

I knew the Raiders had a chance to win but I had no idea it would be that easy.  The Broncos looked no better than they were in the early AFL years (which I was not yet around to see but their record indicates they were the worst of the worst).

It is rare that a team doesn't show up the way Denver did today.  In their own stadium no less.  Donkey fans have felt bad for Raider fans in the past for being such a horrible franchise.  Today I felt pity for the Broncos fans who spent their hard earned cash to witness such a non-effort by their home team.Losing so badly is a big step back for the Broncos organization. 

Can it be possible this is the signature game the Raiders have needed to shake the loser monkey off their back?  We believed they turned the corner a few times now since the horrendous thumping to the Bucs in Super Bowl XXXVII (the line of demarcation when the dark ages began).  Ever since that fateful thumping has been disappointment each time the team attempts to follow up success with more success.  It’s been a steep decline for the most part.

Last season, we had a big win over a good Eagles team only to squander the momentum the very next week.  There are many similar examples.

Even as recent as two weeks ago we beat a decent but not great Chargers team and then followed up with a pretty woeful effort against the 49ers.  Today, the Raiders have every right to feel pumped up after a huge win over a conference rival but speaking for myself, I won’t be sold until they put a few more wins together and look good in the process.  It doesn’t have to be blowouts, just respectable outings to prove that this particular win was no fluke.

I will not be heeding Coach Laying Cable's call to buy home game tickets based on one outing where the opposition did not look prepared to play.

Haven't we seen enough seasons of an inferior offensive line?

I admit to seeing a few impressive downs from the Raiders OL this season and perhaps even prior seasons but it's hard to overlook the utter failure of maintaining credible pass protection.  Let's point the finger at the only person responsible for killing his own team - Undead Al Davis.

Once upon a time, not that long ago, the Raiders had some pretty good offensive linemen.  Despite his descent into madness Barret Robbins was an excellent center.  His backup was not too shabby either and a darn good long snapper - Adam Treu.  Steve Wisniewski, Frank Middleton, Lincoln Kennedy are all gone and none have been adequately replaced.  Mediocre guys like Barry Sims were brought in but the results of his tenure and other washouts who overstayed their welcome tell the story.  Too many penalties, too many losses, too many rushed passes, harried QBs fleeing for their life, too many sacks given up.  Shit you'd have to be Rich Gannon to beat those odds as a Raiders QB.

The horrid stretch of a bad OL really took shape when a sizable investment was made in drafting Robert Gallery.  This marked the beginning of the end.  Since he was such a high draft pick, the rest of the OL was supposed to be built around him.  Say what you will about his ability to play guard, the guy completely flopped as a tackle (which he was drafted to play) and added nothing special whatsoever to the team's chances of winning.  Ever since this bad draft pick Al has refused to draft another O lineman early in the draft and he has refused to delve into free agency to pick up someone decent who can play anywhere on the line.

He spent a ton of money on bad free agent signings on defense such as Gibril Wilson, DeAngelo Hall (who might have fared better in a zone defense), Tommy Kelly, etc.  Al broke the bank trying to find solutions on defense yet none of his tactics worked out.  He had to rebuild almost entirely on D.  It has taken a few years just to recover from those bad signings and we're still carrying Kelly's fat duff around as baggage.  What good reason is there to not even make an effort to build a credible OL?

It's all about Al's pride and commanding his coaches to coach.  "Make them great."  That's what he must tell his puppet, turnstile coaches.

Why not concentrate on protecting your QB for a change?  These scrub retreads like Khalif Barnes, Langston Walker, Cooper Carlisle are not helping.  Mario Henderson stinks to high hell, ok?  Sorry, I know he's a nice guy but the man is not NFL caliber.  He may not even be UFL caliber.  Don't keep the guy around simply because you don't want to give up on a third round draft pick.   Who wants to bet he's on the roster next season?

I'm also sorry to say that it is a pretty big leap of faith to draft a small school guy like Jared Veldheer and think he can step in and play at NFL standards.  Al STILL thinks of himself as a genius because he discovered small school offensive lineman Art Shell and Gene Upshaw in yesteryear.  Veldheer's play speaks for itself.  He is not ready to take on the mammoth task of playing at a solid NFL level.

It's all Al's fault the QB struggles in Oakland.  A bad OL kills QB careers in fact.  Look at Andrew Walter, a one time promising prospect all but ruined thanks to inept coaching and a bad OL.  In 2010 we're down to Kyle Boller as our last best hope.  That says it all right there.

The new incarnation of a slow-witted Raiders QB, Jason Campbell, has no chance to succeed with the current hypocrisy of an OL. 

Also, it is worth looking back.  We all know JaMeatloaf Russell flopped out of the league on his own de-merits but it would have been less painful to watch if we had a decent OL.  Any QB with a horrid OL in front of him is set up to fail.

So when will this hypocrisy end and when will Undead Al decide to make an investment to protect the QB?

step 1 is for Al to steel his nerves and get rid of Gallery.  Lose the pride and just cut the guy loose.  You can bring in any college lineman to do what he does at guard.  Realize that and you are halfway to nirvana Al.

step 2 is roll the dice and replace every single component of the line in the draft and free agency.  Every one of them must go.  A new crew could not possibly do any worse than what we have now.

Step 3 is refrain from drafting receivers or more defensive linemen or DBs.  Just draft O linemen rounds 1-4 (at least) and fish in free agency in the off season.  Make good offers to players with some track record of success.  At least make an effort to bid on those top caliber players.

Get a clue Al, you are a fumbling, bumbling fool wearing a sour faced mask and no one is laughing any more.  People want change and you have to address the glaring problem everyone else sees but you refuse to acknowledge.

 

Yes,it's disappointing and frustrating to only score 9 points against a winless team but it's not unusual at all.  There have been a lot of games like this for teams throughout the history of the NFL and AFL.  It just happens. 

The fact that the Raiders should have played better is a broken record by now.  None of us have any memory cells left for the number of locker room quotes from players saying the same thing. 

There is no question this was the biggest failed opportunity to show some respectability by achieving a .500 record, winning back to back games and one upping their Bay Area rival.  Putting ourselves in better position within the division would have been nice too but this is the Raiders we're talking about so really, is a bad loss that unexpected?

Let's review some facts:

1.  The Raiders did not play great when they beat the Chargers.  They had a few big plays that don't happen regularly for any team (two blocked punts resulting in TDs and an interception for a TD late in the game as a result of hitting the QB's throwing arm).  That's 21 points.  Without these big plays the Raiders did not appear to have enough offensively to beat Phillip Rivers and his passing game. 

Not all teams choke on horrendous special teams play.  There was nothing overpowering about those blocked punts.  There was no blocking on the Chargers OL period.  If you think the Raiders should be dominant on special teams why was that the only success getting to a kicker they have enjoyed thus far this season?

Ya think it comes down to a Chargers deficiency more than a Raiders strength?

The much maligned Michael Huff made a great play to seal the win against the Chargers.  He doesn't do that often.  The defense did not do anything great to win that game otherwise.  Typical up and down, decent but prone to giving up the big play and massive chunks of yards.

2.  Jason Campbell played pretty well against the Chargers.  It is safe to say he helped the team win. He just didn't do the same thing against the 49ers.

3.  Gradkowski is not a great QB.  He's not an answer at QB.   He's average and he's reckless.  That's why he did not make the Bucs roster, the Rams roster and the Browns roster.  That's why he's injured and that's why he was injured in the off-season.  How many QBs tear a pectoral muscle in the weight room?  How many QBs take hits from defenders past the line of scrimmage?  The guy needs to get a grip, lay off the sugary snacks and stay within his means.

5.  DHB and Louis Murphy are decent at times but they are not going to carry a team's receiving game.  The fact that those two guys play every down and the offense is reliant on them for big plays shows we're not going to score a lot of points.  Zach Miller is going to get a few touches and make the most of them but he's just one guy.  That's not enough.  There's a weak receiving game in Oakland.

6.  Bush can't carry the running game by himself.  McFadden is needed at his best and he's predictably injured right now.

Let's not even review the previous games this season.  The point is clear.  The Raiders are not a good team.  They are ok sometimes but they need a lot of help.  Help in the form of the other team to hand them the game.  It didn't happen against the Niners.

So why is it a surprise when they can't score a touchdown in a game?  That really surprises you?

The Chargers have no one to blame but themselves for such piss poor special teams.  Shit, I could have stuffed those punts myself.  Ok, we stopped the running game much better than in the past but now we can't stop the pass. 

On the final drive, the call on Rivers looked close.  His arm was real close to going forward.  The call could have gone either way and it seems likely he would have put SD in field goal range at least.  Woulda, coulda, shoulda, ain't happenin'

Chris Johnson is a whiner and his play has declined this season.  Maybe because of hamstring issues, maybe not.  He's a worse liability than Stanford Routt.

In other, non-Raiders matters, Brett Favre has to be the biggest idiot if in fact he did a) take photos of his willie and b) have the notion that a woman would want to see that unsolicited.

I understand macho behavior and it is present in athletics but for pete's sake Favre, to hell with your crying already.  You're an idiot.  Plain and simple.  I have to wonder if you just might escape this hideous episode just because Jenn Sterger has the moral fiber to not drag you through the mud.  Though take heed, you are an absolute moron of the highest order for bringing this upon yourself. Give up all your wealth and become a monk. That's your only hope.

An even bigger loser has to be the guy who runs Deadspin.  Only a complete shut-in would spend 23 hours a day at the computer.  He and Mike Florio should be roommates.  Get a life. Seriously, Florio and Daulerio = loozahs. Even though Florio gets laid missionary style he's still all about milk and cookies like a finger wagging good boy.  I am willing to lay odds A.J. Daulerio has not even had so much as a glance of an opportunity with a female, ever.  Yes, I do like to call out a man's feebleness where it is warranted.

Have a nice day

 

 

As Raiders beat writers Jerry McDonald and Steve Corkran pointed out recently, comments from former Chiefs and Chargers head coach Marty Schottenheimer were posted in the Raiders rocker room in an effort to fire the team up.  These comments were from Marty's Sirius radio program.

Unfortunately, the quotes were misquoted in an embarrassing way.  Whoever posted the comments stated the Raiders would "fold" late in games.  Marty said something different (though alluded to the team folding if things don't go their way).

We can learn from this  mistake about how the Raiders coaching apparatus functions.  It tells us they are sloppy.  It tells us they did not bother to verify anything.  They just went by word of mouth, perhaps even third hand.  It tells us they have nothing else to fire up the team other than an accurate quote from a former rival coach sitting in the catbird seat on satellite radio.

Without knowing who posted the comments, with who's permission and other details, it still ends up with one solid message.  The Raiders coaching staff paints themselves as a joke.

If you can't get an accurate quote on your locker room wall how are you going to be trusted to analyze game film and come up with strategies to win games?

Maybe I'm reading too much into a small error but it seems with every step they take, my confidence in Al's bad coaching hires just collapses more and more.  It would take a trouncing of the Chargers on Sunday to convince me this team is on the right track.

 

 

I don't want to be too hard on these guys because they know a lot more about football than I do.  I know being a coach at any level is hard work.  As an assistant coach you work very long hours and receive no glory usually.

It's a living and Al Davis has reached deep within his network of networks to assign who he feels is the best fit for his organization.  For a long time Fred Biletnikoff was the receivers coach.  Though Al didn't just hand him the job.  He made him go out and earn it.  For a season or two, Freddy was the receivers coach with a bay area junior college before Al tasked him with coaching the Raiders receivers.  That's a pretty big jump and Fred was the most unorthodox of players to begin with.  Was he really the right choice for the job?  Guess not because he was replaced by James Loften.  Finally, a guy with some strong opinions on how to best use talent.  For his efforts Al fired him.  Oh excuse me, Loften was demoted to some random office job while honoring the rest of his contract.

Replacing hall of famer Loften is a guy with much, much lesser credentials.  Sanjay Lal?  Yea right.  He may have some local college experience, who knows.  Any other team the guy is shagging balls, not coaching the receivers.  I’m all for cultural diversity but I’ve never heard of the guy and don’t think he is a great choice to coach at the NFL level.

But does it really matter who coaches the receivers when all you are really doing is playing the same two guys instead of rotating in your talent?  Why was Nick Miller awarded a roster spot all of last year while injured and did not play a game?  Now that he is not injured, he rarely sees the field?  There is no logic in what the Raiders do with their receivers becauise Al is cheifly concerned with making a winner out of DHB.  To his credit, DHB is trying real hard to earn his status as a number one pick but it shouldn't have to be that way.  More than the same two guys should be playing.  You need a rotation of receivers (not just because one or both of them is injured) and you need a better receivers coach.

The linebackers coach Mike Haluchak is tasked with building a winning crew with number one pick Rolando McClain as captain.  From the looks of things Mike has had a few too many donuts and McClain is not earning his keep just yet.   It doesn't look like a great match of talent and coaching.  The results speak for themselves.

I’m also a bit miffed and confused why Al insists on holding roster spots for guys that are injured.  Travis Goethel is likely going to be a very good player but it is pretty apparent he is hurt bad.  If he comes back this season, great.  But it looks to better serve the situation by putting him on injured reserve.  We need more depth at LB and with Ricky Brown injured, Al has picked up some scrub off waivers.

This all could have been better handled if Al did not reward nice guy Sam Williams with a scholarship to play special teams.  We need a guy to be both a special teams ace and a backup linebacker.  Has anyone noticed no one even bothers to mention Sam Williams as a possible replacement for depleted linebacker depth?  There is no excuse for him being on the team if he can’t backfill because of injuries.

Once again, Al proves that he is his own worst enemy and a lousy general manager (since he refuses to hire one).

 Mike "too many donuts" Haluchak talks up a disinterested Rolando McClain

 

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"Mike "too many donuts" Haluchak gets flustered with a disinterested Rolando McClain

I realize losses are very disappointing.  I also realize woulda, coulda, shoulda means less that nothing but we shoulda beat Arizona.  We outright lost to a better team today.  Obviously the lack of run defense is alarming.  What was really scary was how easy the Texans made it look.

Scarier is our vaunted number one draft pick Rolando McClain getting boxed out of plays like he’s nothing.  If the best he can do is body slam an undersized receiver like he did against the Rams then this guy has a bust label target on his back.

Our other LBs are getting burned as well.  This is supposed to be new and improved D.   There has to be a way of not looking so damn foolish trying to stop the run.

On O….

Al is committed to developing DHB and Louis Murphy at receiver.   The only way there will be any diversity is one or both of those guys gets hurt.  Until then, TE Zach Miller will continue to be the number one receiving target until he gets beaten to a pulp and replaced.  This is inevitable and with his record of concussions, a little too much of a reliance on him in my view.

QB Gradkowski is answering the call but he is showing equal amounts of good play with some poor decisions as well.  He needs to get himself under control and not let his emotions run the table, which is what happened today.   He is really accurate with his throws if he is focused.  We need him to do that since the other QBs on the roster can’t run for beans.  Grad is the only guy that can manage this offense and put the points up to win games this season.

McFadden is a beast this year.  I never would have guessed he would start living up to his potential but suddenly we have a running game, uh,  if he is healthy.  Bush doesn’t seem able to carry that load alone.

I met George Blanda once after his retirement from football and it was only for a few seconds.  He struck me the same as he looked in his football cards (I never saw him play on TV or live).  He seemed like one of those old timers who felt right at home sitting on a bar stool.

He smiled but you could easily see what Ken Stabler meant when he described Blanda's " the hell with you" attitude.

In 1976, when Blanda was a month shy of his 49th birthday, during pre-season he was told his career with the Raiders had reached the end.  His teammates never saw him leave.  They just saw his empty locker after practice. Training camp was loose back then but people took notice when a respected player was cut.  Fred Biletnikoff openly wondered why Blanda's departure from the Raiders wasn't handled differently.

It didn't seem to bother Al Davis how impersonal the process was.  Though Al pays lip service to Blanda's greatness now, the fact is it seemed to be a routine business matter to him at the time.  It's no secret George did not enter retirement a happy guy feeling like he had the dignity he deserved.  We'll never know if Al told Blanda himself, shook his hand and thanked him for his years of service.  My guess is probably not. 

If it was John Madden who told him (since he was the coach in 1976) he was the apologetic messenger.  Blanda has always thanked Al Davis for extending his career. Though it is worth noting in every interview he ever had, Blanda maintained he never quit and was "fired" from every pro team he played for.

No player wants it to end. Blanda always felt he could keep playing. 

Perhaps his HOF induction helped bring closure to Blanda's career.

My one and only experience talking with him was my chance to try and understand the man a bit more.  I waited on a long line to get his autograph along with other Raiders legends.  During that time I thought about what I would ask him. 

I decided to go for broke and ask him if ever he felt he was not appreciated as a player.  He looked at me astonished.  Most autograph seekers just say "you're great" or something similar.

Blanda grabbed my shoulder and said "YES,  especially in my wallet! " He laughed and sort of shuffled me along since there were throngs of other autograph seekers.

That's how I'll always remember him, along with his grizzled demeanor.  He must have been a great teammate.  Ken Stabler praises him in his book "Snake", crediting Blanda with mentoring him into the QB he eventually became for the Raiders.

I wish I had more time getting to know George Blanda.  Something tells me he might have welcomed a few more conversations with appreciative fans.  If only I knew which bar he frequented before his passing.

Turns out Ken Wisenhunt is more knowledgeable about managing an NFL game plan than I am.   Either he or whoever the Cards offensive coordinator is figured out how to get Derek Anderson to manage the offense rather than sling errant passes as he is prone to do.  He even rifled one in to Larry Fitzgerald to show up Nnamdi. 

I eat crow since I was expecting Anderson to choke hard and hand the Raiders the game.  That job went to the Cards defensive secondary who put the Raiders in field goal range with a few ticks of the clock left.

Oh that's right, Jano doesn't need to work on his game in the off-season.  He plays golf with Shane Lechler.  I mean, what else does Jano have to learn about kicking field goals?  I'll forgive him for the missed 58 yarder but anything within 40-45 should be money.    You know, the kind that Jano makes.

I was surprised at a few things in this game.  The first is Darren McFadden really does seem for real after all.  I was not expecting him to keep putting up good numbers up 3 games in a row pounding through the heart of a defense.  Turns out his off-season workout regimen is paying off.

Next is the OL actually played a bit better than usual.  Perhaps because lumbering oaf, doofus extraordinaire Robert Gallery has been replaced due to injury.  The overrated, beast-like (in appearance) Gallery is crap.  Daniel Loper looked impressive in his place.  I'm not saying the OL is ready for prime time.  Clearly the whole team has work to do but the OL looks improved.

The proof is there for all to behold, Gradkowski needs to be our QB.  We cannot afford to have dimwits who can't make quick decisions or escape the pocket playing QB.

Speaking of an off-season workout regimen, does Derek Anderson have the skinniest arms of any known QB or was my TV playing tricks?  The guy does not look like he lifts weights at all.