SB Nation User Blog: DarksideJU08

I'm Back

DarksideJU08 — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 08:25:37 -0000

Hey Guys, I finally got a chance to get back online here. I haven't been on here since the end of the school year, and have had some road blocks in my Family (grampa died) and personal life (tough decisions about school and such) which is why I haven't been on lately. It's good to see everyone still blogging about the Raiders, and getting ready or the Season which is approaching quickly.

I'm going to share some questions about the Raiders to stir up discussion.

With Derrick Burgess on the trade block, how do you think the addition of Greg Ellis is going to affect a relatively young defense?

How will Zach Miller's involvement with the Offense help the blossoming of Jamarcus Russell at QB?

The O-Line has been progressing with Coach Cable, and with the Raiders making big splashes in the OL free agency, how is the Raiders Run game going to stack up with the rest of the AFC west?

Just some thoughts, my First Fanshot back after a tad bit of a hiatus, but it's good to be back.

Man to Man pt4-5: 'Sheed, Stuckey vs. Ilgauskas, Williams

DarksideJU08 — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:03:15 -0000

I figured since I didn't get online yesterday, that I would combine the two Man to Man for today. I'm really enjoying Motown String Music, and am hoping we get more and more here so that this can be the best possible Pistons blog on the web.

Today we will look very briefly at these players (mostly '09 stats- i'm kinda in a rush today) and then I'll make my final prediction for the series.

The first match up is Rasheed Wallace and Big 'Z' Ilgauskas, with the second being Rodney Stuckey and Mo Williams.

First off we will look at Big 'Z' Ilgauskas:

The guys huge, no doubting that fact, but in reality how good is Ilgauskas?

Here are some of his stats: Every game Ilgauskas played in, he started in (58 games played, 58 started), with pretty good numbers:

He's had the best FG percentage of his career, this year!! It doesn't matter that he is getting old, but that he is contributing on a grand scale for the Cav's. Ilgauskas has been a master at the boards this season putting up almost 8 rebounds per game.

Key for Ilgauskas: So that the Cav's get a good foothold in this series, they'll need to be solid on the boards. Ilgauskas can provide that need and much more if he can dominate Rasheed.

Rasheed Wallace:

Rasheed has been one of the main cogs on the Pistons lineup since the 2004 season, and has been one of my favorite players because of the fire he plays with. 'Sheed doesn't want to lose , and that is a fact.

Some of 'Sheed's stats:

He started 62 of the 66 games he played in because of injuries this season. He (if I'm not mistaken) had an injured calf, but now that he is back he can make a deep impact for the Pistons. With 12 points per game, almost 7.5 rebounds per game, and a 1 block per game- the Pistons will need 'Sheed to bring that swagger back!

Key for 'Sheed: The Pistons will not only need 'Sheeds big shots from downtown, but they'll need for 'Sheed to dominate the paint on both sides of the court. If he doesn't get a body on Ilgauskas then the Pistons are in trouble.

Now let's move on to the guards- Stuckey and Williams

Stuckey:

Rodney Stuckey:

Rodney has come a very long way from when he was taken in by the Pistons from East Washington, and has developed into a truly great young player. He is part of the future of this franchise, and his development at PG is what is going to be needed if this team is going to compete with it's other young players.

Some of Stuckey's stats:

Stuckey put up decent numbers this year, despite having a bigger load to carry: He averaged 13 points per game, almost 5 assist per game, and about 1 steal per game this season. Stuckey's performance is going to be a good factor in how our backcourt is going to play.

Key for Stuckey: NO Turnovers! The Pistons can't afford to give the Cav's more opportunities to score, and they need to take advantage of every opportunity they have the ball and not squander it. If Stuckey plays solid Piston D, and doesn't turn the ball over, the Pistons are in good shape.

Mo Williams:

Mo was brought in by the Cav's to be a big asset for King James, and has contributed greatly to what they were trying to do. Williams gives the Cav's the depth they need to make a legitimate run at the finals. Mo is the missing piece to Lebron James title puzzle.

Stats Link:

Mo started every game except the season finale. He has scored an average of 17.6 points per game, with almost 4 APG, and almost 1 steal per game. 46% from the field, Mo is a pretty decent PG, and one the Pistons need to watch for when Lebron likes to kick out (has a 42% 3pt percentage).

Key for Williams: Don't change anything that he is doing. He has played a pretty well all season for the Cav's and they need him to play his game. Mo needs to just run the offense and everything will be fine for the Cav's.

So, now that we've seen the matchups we can now sit back and enjoy the game. Hopefully the Pistons don't get swept, but I'm hoping that they put up a fight and regain that 'Swagger' back.

In these matchups I'm taking Rasheed, and Mo Williams. Mo because of experience, and Rasheed because I think he talks to much trash for 'Z' to handle.

In the end, I'm picking the Cav's in 6. Like I said earlier- I'm in a rush, so I'm sorry, but hopefully we can pull the upset today! and I hope you guys enjoyed this series of 'Man to Man'.

Cheers!

List of those prospects who are visiting the Raiders

DarksideJU08 — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 03:59:41 -0000

As I was searching around tonight for all things Raiders, I found on SFgate a list of those Draft prospects that are planning (or have already) to come to visit Oakland. This is ,for me personally, exciting because it shows that people still want to come visit the Raiders and play for this great franchise.

What do you guys think?

Who looks good out of all of these Draft prospects that the Raider Nation would love to see in Silver and Black?

Here is the Link to SFgate

Believe me when I say- That I can't wait any longer for the Draft!

DRAFT SAVE US!!!!

Man to Man pt.3: Antonio McDyess vs. Anderson Varejao

DarksideJU08 — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 22:15:31 -0000

In this series, for the Pistons, there will be a definite need for them to dominate down low. The Pistons have always had a good set of big men, and strong rebounding.

In today's segment of Man to Man pt.3,Motown String Music will look at the battle between Antonio McDyess and Anderson Varejao (although I said that I was going to do it on 'Sheed I remembered that 'Sheed is going up against the Great 'Z', so I decided to match McDyess with Varejao instead). Both men posses the height to dominate down low that will be necessary to (for the Cav's) dominate or to (for the Pistons) put up a fight.

There are distinct styles that make up these two players. Now lets look at this matchup!

Lets start off with Anderson-

via www.nba.com

Since coming to the NBA from Brazil, Varejao has been somewhat of an impact player for the Cav's when they acquired him from a trade with the team that drafted him, the Orlando Magic. I wonder what kind of team the Orlando Magic would be today with the team that they have plus Varejao! Now that would be something to see!

Although I really don't care to much for Varejao, I can't ignore the fact that he is a main contributor to the Cleveland Cavaliers, with an average this year of 8.6 PPG and a solid 7.2 RPG! Here is Anderson's Page off of NBA.com.

This is one guy that the Cav's are going to definitely need if they are to take care of business at home and on the road at Auburn Hills. If the Cav's are on all cylinders against the Cav's they are going to need Anderson to crash the boards BIG TIME. I'm of the opinion that Lebron James can't do it all himself. He can't score 95 points by himself, and if he does let him do it by himself- because I would rather get beat by Lebron James himself than Anderson Varejao, but that's just in my humble opinion. Varejao is a decent player (not great, but is very much a talented athlete), but he can do damage- as seen by his career high's this season:

On November 7, 2008, Varejao scored a then career-high 18 points in a win against the Indiana Pacers. On January 2, 2009, Varejao eclipsed his personal best by scoring a career-high 26 points in a win against the Chicago Bulls.

according to Wikipedia's page on Varejao and his production this season. Varejao has proven this season that he can produce and he needs to produce, not only so that the Cav's win this series, but that they can get to the Finals.

Darkside's take on Varejao:

Varejao can do some damage, but it's going to be a big question if he can contribute in the playoffs. Here are some of his numbers from last postseason: GP: 13, RPG: 5.2, APG: .7, PPG: 4.1! If Varejao is to be a contributer, he needs to maximize not only the points per game, but his assists per game.

Next we look at the heart and soul of the Detroit Pistons: Antonio McDyess

via www.nba.com

'Dyess has been on the Detroit Pistons Roster since the 2005 season, and has found a home in Detroit. He has constantly been a key motivation for the regulars like 'Sheed, RIP and Tayshaun, but also a mentor as a vet to Stuckey, Afflalo, Bynum, etc. One of my favorite players on the Pistons for the past couple of years, I get energized when I see McDyess energized on the court. He always plays with such heart, but still hasn't gotten that god damn ring yet!!! As the motto for this year's playoffs is: Ice for 'Dyess! The Pistons, if anything should motivate them to do well, should win one for this man- who has played his heart out all of the time.

McDyess numbers have been pretty solid also, at 9.6 PPG, 9.8 RPG, and 1.3 APG. He is a big asset on the court not only on offense, but also defense- with his rebounding and solid guarding his position. But as I also said about Varejao, McDyess is going to have to keep these numbers up in this series.

Here is 'Dyess on NBA.com and his stats.

He will have to come up big when he is needed to. I don't doubt his heart in this, but it just doesn't take heart to win a championship- Heart needs to be added to finishing plays, and that's what McDyess needs to do in order to play a big part in this series.

Darkside's take on 'Dyess:

Antonio is one of the most passionate players on this roster, and if anything- I think he will play every game as it is his last. We all know he doesn't have much left in him, but we all now that he plays with such heart that it would be a travesty to see a player like 'Dyess leave the game without a ring. If McDyess can play his role, and play solid D on Varejao, then I can see us being totally in this series, but if McDyess lets Varejao's flopping (I'm sorry I just couldn't resist talking about his flopping) get inside his head, and doesn't out-rebound, and out-defend Varejao, then the Pistons are screwed.

In the end, this all comes down to the first match up we saw in Lebron James vs. Tayshaun Prince. If the Pistons can force James to do it by himself, and deny the rest of the team- we are more in this series than one might think! Although Anderson Varejao is taller, and younger than McDyess- I can see Antonio contributing in such a way that he takes this match up.

So in this match up, I'm taking my boy McDyess over Varejao. Sorry Cav's fans who are reading this, but I gotta go with my boy 'Dyess on this one!

Next, Man to Man pt4: Rasheed Wallace vs. Zydrunas 'Big Z' Ilgauskas

Till tomorrow Piston Faithful,

Cheers!

Man to Man pt 2: RIP Hamilton vs. Delonte West

DarksideJU08 — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:40:47 -0000

Yesterday we looked at what would be a key matchup for the Pistons first round series against the Cav's, between Lebron James and Tayshaun Prince, and I came to the concensus that Lebron James wins that matchup.

Today, I'm going to not only be doing this but also adding a poll in this fanpost just in case any of you disagree with myself. Today's was originally going to be RIP vs. Wally, but one of the guys from Fear the Sword made a good point that Wally is highly unlikely to post major minutes in this series, and Delonte West would be a better choice to matchup against Richard Hamilton.

So without more interuptions, I give you RIP vs. Delonte

I'm going to first start off with Delonte West.

via www.nba.com

Delonte West is a very decent player on the Cav's roster. His PPG average is just around 11.8, with 3.2 RPG and 3.5 APG. Delonte has been in the League for about 4 years, but has had his only starting chances with the Cav's last season. Delonte played about 63 games, and every single one he played in - He started in. The way he got to the Cav's was through a major deal with the Sonics that sent Ben Wallace and Wally Szczerbiak to the Cav's also.

I found this quote on Delonte West from Wikipedia:

On April 27, 2008, West made perhaps the most clutch 3-pointer of his NBA career with 5.4 seconds left in a playoff game against the Washington Wizards, in Washington. His tie breaking game-winner took the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 3-1 lead in this first round series. In 13 playoff games, West averaged 10.8 points, 4.2 assists, and 3.3 rebounds. West scored 21 points in both Game 3 and Game 5 against the Boston Celtics.

Delonte knows how to execute in the playoffs, and he knows how to make clutch shots when the Cav's need him to. One can't deny that he is an asset to Lebron James and this whole team, and asset that is an effective tool to Lebron and Co.

His Free throw percentage has been amazing in the playoffs, and if I were the Pistons, I wouldn't want to foul this guy at a 'end of the game' situation (his FTP being 85.4% from the line)

My take on Delonte: His defense isn't the best, but I don't think that the Cav's have any worries going in to the playoffs because for the most part they have controlled most games this season.

Next we bring in one of my favorite players: Richard "RIP" Hamilton. I was consious about Richard Hamilton since his days at UCONN, but never really payed attention until he got on my favorite team. Since being on the Pistons, RIP has really put together a masterful tenure with Detroit. He has been clutch, technical, and flat out amazing at times. He was one of the reasons the Pistons won the Championship in 2004 and continues to be a key player on the Pistons.

via www.nba.com

Richard Hamilton has been plagued with injuries this whole year long, but it seems to me that he is finally coming out of the valley of the shadow of the bench, and is playing like the leading scorer that we have needed all season long. Even when RIP was benched earlier this season by Coach Curry, we saw RIP contribute in that role as much as he could (especially with 38 points against the Bucks which is the record of any Piston reserve), until he stated that he wanted to start again. The way RIP plays has been solid the past couple of seasons. He has a type of endurance that isn't seen in a whole lot of players in the NBA, because he doesn't seem to stop on either ends of the court.

RIP's season numbers have been an average of: 18.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 4.4 APG, which are very solid numbers for a player who has been injured for the most part of the Season. A couple of weeks ago, Richard Hamilton set his career high of 16 Assists this season against the Raptors. Basically, RIP has had exceptional numbers considering that he has been not to healthy this season.

My take on RIP: He will continue to contribute to this team come these next couple of games if he can get open and score from open looks. His ability to continue to move around and get open is one of the most important contributions that he has for this team. I expect RIP to have an exceptional series and still lead this team in scoring through these playoffs.

Who wins in this matchup?

I go with RIP, and not because he is a Piston, but because he is an experienced player who knows how to get open and knows how to score (but who is at this most point finally getting over the injuries and coming up big in these last few games). Delonte is young and is very talented, but I believe that Richard Hamilton comes out of this as the victor of Part 2: Man vs. Man on MSM.

Tomorrow: 'Sheed Wallace vs. Anderson Varejao

Till tomorrow!

Cheers!

Poll

Who has a better chance in this man to man matchup between Richard Hamilton and Delonte West?

Richard Hamilton

10 votes

Delonte West

6 votes

Tie (Explain in Comment Section)

0 votes

16 votes | Poll has closed

First Round Playoffs- Man to Man pt.1: Lebron Vs. Tayshaun

DarksideJU08 — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:35:08 -0000

While reading JMW's post on the first round, I decided to start a series before the first round begins looking (at least the starting) players in the 7 game series between our Detroit Pistons and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

I'm calling this Man to Man for the reason that we will be looking at the potential different matchups between the players from both teams.

In this first segment we will look at what will probably be the most talked about matchup: Lebron James vs. Tayshaun Prince. This is a classic example of Offense versus Defense. Sure, We know that Lebron will get every call in the book, but what Tayshaun needs to do is play consistent Basketball Defense on Lebron, and the Pistons will be right in the thick of it.

So with out further delay, Let's look at the Lebron / Tayshaun matchup!

First, We will look at the Hated Lebron James. I don't mean that I hate Lebron, but that he is so good, that you have to hate the fact that he is on a team I'm not particularly fond of! I'm, in fact, in awe everytime this guy touches the ball!

via upload.wikimedia.org

Lebron James is an amazing player and a force to be reckoned with. Period. I mean, the guy is only 24 years old, but has every tool and resource to be one of the Legends in the Future. This season his average for PPG is 28.4 (Here is the Link to his stats page on NBA.com), and his rebounds and assists per game are both around 7.4- One word comes to my mind when I think of Lebron and that would have to be- BEAST.

He is everything a coach desires in a player and even more. Lebron brings his A-game every night, so the Pistons can't let their guard down when it comes to Lebron, and I think that containment is key to going far in this series!

I think that Lebron's page on Wikipedia puts it well:

Answering" a 61-point game by Kobe Bryant two days before, James nearly scored the first 50-point triple double since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975, when he recorded 52 points, 11 assists, and 9 rebounds against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on February 4. The game was originally counted as a triple double, but the NBA later took away one rebound.

And it also says:

James scored 55 points in a win over the Milwaukee Bucks on February 20, 2009. From March 10 to March 13 he posted three triple-doubles in a row against Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns, makes him the leader in the league for this category in front of Chris Paul with seven triple-doubles in a season.

This just doesn't mean that James has had just a good season, it means that Lebron James has had a Career / Historical season!! One that will mark him as one of the most elite players in the NBA at this point.

Look I'm a Pistons fan (and despise anything that isn't - especially that of division and historical rivals), but I have to give Lebron his due. He is an amazing player and without him the Cav's would be nothing!

My prediction on his role: Simple- Lebron will get a heap of looks, and will be a key cog to if this team is ready to take it to the next round and the next level. The Cav's didn't assemble a historic Home record for nothing!

Next we will look at him most likely defender: Mr. Tayshaun (Tay-Tay) Prince

One of my Favorite Defenders in the League (and NOT just because he is a Piston) because of his intensive style of play and really really long arms! I'm 18 years old and I've been watching Tayshaun play since he was at Kentucky. He has (and always will be) a dominant, effective, and technical player of the game of Basketball. I am totally confident that Coach Curry will put Tayshaun on Lebron James, but how will this come out? Let's look at Tayshaun's stats in this 2009 season:

via www.nba.com

Tayshaun has had a pretty ok season by most terms. It's a normal Tayshaun season at 14.3 PPG (here is the link to the NBA stats page for Tayshaun Prince) and also 5.9 RPG and 3.2 APG. It's been pretty good- but what do we normally associate Tayshaun with? Good ol' traditional Defense! Here are Tayshauns Defensive Numbers: I said that Tayshaun is averaging 5.9 rebounds per game- but of those rebounds and average of 4.3 come on the defensive end of the court. He also has had 44 steals this year and 51 blocks. Sure these numbers don't create that great of an average, but when one plays tight D then it usually creates Turnovers/Rebounds/Blocks for your teammates.

No matter what the 'Tayshaun haters' have to say Tayshaun has proven himself time and time again by consistently being on the Defensive Second Team from 2004-2008. No matter what anyone says, Tayshaun has proven that he can defend.

My Prediction on his role: Tayshaun will have to come up big in this series. If not, then we can expect the Pistons to get swept in 4 games, plain and simple. It will take a major defensive effort not only by 'the Prince' but by the rest of the Pistons.

Who will win out of these two?

It will be a clash between these two, but as much as I hate to say it, King James looks to damn good to be taken care of one on one. If Tayshaun can drop the average of points scored by Lebron and the rest of the Pistons play solid D, then we are looking at a fight, but like a good portion of the year- The Pistons have played so inconsistent that I'm not even sure if they can play at the same level for 7 games.

So I'm choosing James over Tayshaun in this one. *yuck* My mouth has a sour taste in it!

Next Man on Man pt. 2: RIP Hamilton and Delonte West!

Till Next Time!

Cheers!

Which Home Games Interest You the Most to go to at this point.

DarksideJU08 — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 02:44:13 -0000

I just wanted to know which of the games in this upcomming season the Raider Nation would be willing to go to attend. Obviously the Charger Game is going to be the first thing that pops into my mind, but sadly I am going to be only restricted to December games since I leave for College in August and return in December for Christmas.

According to Raiders.com our selection of opponents at home include:

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

Philadelphia Eagles

New York Jets

Washington Redskins

and our AFC West Rivals:

Denver Broncos

Kansas City Chiefs

and Opening Night: the Hated San Diego Chargers

I just want to know- who would you guys be willing to see if you could only go to one of these games??

Poll

Which game would you want to see if you could only go to one?

Chargers

27 votes

Broncos

13 votes

Chiefs

5 votes

Bengals

5 votes

Jets

1 votes

Redskins

6 votes

Eagles

4 votes

Ravens

5 votes

66 votes | Poll has closed

Bears Get Big Splash With Cutler

DarksideJU08 — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:32:25 -0000

The Chicago Bears have finally gotten that QB that they have needed for so long by trading for Jay Cutler. No- This isn't like Saint and his April Fools Joke, this is supposed to be real and ESPN has the Story. Supposedly the Bears give up Kyle Orton and Two First Rounders for Cutler. I don't know if this is Good or Bad but I know I don't like the Donk's getting Two First Rounders, but I can deal with Orton, because he is inconsistent.

How does the Raider Nation respond? I know that we can whip up on the Donks like we did in December- but it'll take consistency. I don't know if the Donks will rebound from this catastrophe inside their own organization, but the Raiders need to be prepared for anything.

What do you guys think about this trade?

Greatest Raider of All Time

DarksideJU08 — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:58:56 -0000

As we get closer and closer to Draft day, I thought we might take a look at some of the greatest Draft picks the Raiders ever selected.

Today I was searching and reading a mock draft on ESPN when something at the right caught my eye, and it was a link to an instant debate on NFL.com on who was the Greatest Raider of All TIme. I read their debate and noticed something right off the bat, some people were missing from this debate. That list of unmentioned (that could have been on) includes:

Jack Tatum

George Atkinson

Ray Guy

Rich Gannon

Bo Jackson

Daryle Lamonica

Dave Casper

Howie Long

Cliff Branch

etc. etc. etc.

Here is the Link to the Debate on NFL.com

wanted to put together a list of guys that I felt were the Top Raiders of All Time, and some of my personal choices. So if I state something that you might (and probably will) disagree on, put your own list on a comment so we can talk about it.

Here is my List and I'll tell you why:

#10. Marcus Allen

Once upon a time in Raider-Land, Marcus Allen was the King of Running Backs, and even led our beloved Raiders to a Super Bowl Title over the Washington Redskins with his epic Reverse Rush all the way down field to be at that time the longest rush in NFL Super bowl History. Years past and as we know, Marcus left the Silver and Black to join the hated Kansas City Chiefs. The reason I have Marcus so far back in my list is becasue although he was a vital cog in the organization during his tenure with the Raiders, He left us to finish his career with the Chiefs, which was not only a slap in the face to Al, but also a slap in the Face to the Raider Nation. I just can't put him below 10 because he left us with such a bitter taste in our mouths. I know I'll probably get hell for putting Marcus this Low but its just my personal feelings towards the man.

ya see why I put him last....

#9. Jim Plunkett

The man could play, and Al finally gave him that chance. Jim and his time with the Raiders was memorable and how he wove the masterpiece in Super Bowl in 1980 was pure excellence. For the fact that He was the Quarter Back of the first ever Wild-Card team to win the Super Bowl, he is on my list as number nine.

#8. Howie Long

Howie is next on my list for a few reasons: His all around athleticism was one to be remembered and his stats were amazing! He completed His Career with a total of 84 sacks INCLUDING 7.5 in 1981 before the sack was even made into a stat. His Five tackle performance was the capping of our Super Bowl XVIII Victory and Third Super Bowl. Defensive Player of the Year in 1985, 8 time pro-bowler, and leader on a Defense that was dominating in the 80's.

#7. Ray Guy

Probably the most dominating Punter of All Time who has been screwed over time and time again by not being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Basically I can tell you that Ray Guy is probably why the NFL instituted the Hang Time. Guy's Booming Punts and massive amount of Hang Time even resulted in opponents checking for Helium in the Ball after his punts! Although I admit that Shane Lechler is probably going to pass Guy's legendary status as a punter, Shane is still on active. Guy was also there for all three super bowl wins, and his punt against the Redskins that drove them back to the 12 yard line was the one that set up Squirek's Interception that led to a 21-3 halftime lead that eventually turned into a 38-9 Super Bowl Victory.

#6. Tim Brown

I basically grew up watching T-Brown play and all I could say about him was... 'wow'. Tim Brown was born to be a Raider and bled Silver and Black all the way. Yes, he did end up in Tampa, but that was because of some issues. Even though he ended up in Tampa he was still a Raider and recorded his 100th career receiving touchdown in Oakland ( Destiny). He was Longest Tenured Raider, holds Raiders Records in Touchdowns, Yards from Scrimmage, and all purpose Yards. He was a Fan Favorite his whole career in Oakland and He loved the Raider Nation with a Passion.

#5. Ken Stabler

One of the Greatest Quarterbacks in Raiders history was 'The Snake'. His presence in the organization during the 70's and during our first Super Bowl Team. Sure he was a little scandalous off the field, but who in the Raiders wasn't at the time? Nicknamed 'the Snake', Ken was force on and OFF the field getting into a whole bunch of problems, but he always came through and was part of the rebel mentality during the Raiders success in this era. He is still one of the Quarterbacks not in the HOF that was on the 1970's All-Decade Team (along with Terry Bradshaw and Roger Staubach) which is a travesty in my books. Although he was outrageous and though he was as a counter-hero, Stabler always was clutch as clearly stated by Gene Upshaw:

When we were behind in the fourth quarter, with our backs to our end zone, no matter how he had played up to that point, we could look in his eyes and you knew, YOU KNEW, he was going to win it for us. That was an amazing feeling.

#4. Dave Casper

The Ghost to the Post

Dave Casper, TE for the Oakland Raiders was a part of one of the Greatest and Most Controversial Plays in NFL History, known as the Holy Roller. Dave Casper has a career full with 378 passes caught and 52 Touchdowns. He was vital in the First Superbowl team of the Raiders and is considered one of the Best Tight Ends in NFL History. His First Season as a starter, he spring boarded himself to the National Limelight with 53 catches, 691 yards and 10 Touchdowns! 'The Ghost' as he was called by His teammates was a very humble player and never took credit for his pass catching abilities and often referred to them as "no big thing", but 'The Ghost's' no big thing was in fact Huge. It was the 1977 Divisional Playoff Game versus the Baltimore Colts that lasted 6 Quarters and can be summed up into one play-'Ghost to the Post'. The Rest as they say is History. Casper finished his career in Los Angeles as a member of the Raiders Organization.

Get outta my way Donkey!!

#3. Gene Upshaw

'Uptown' Gene

Gene Upshaw has to be one of my favorite players ever to wear the silver & black. As a Guard, Gene established himself a rep of being one of the most dominating players on the field. Upshaw helped the Raiders win 2 Superbowl's during his time with the Organization, and was during his time, a standard in which most offensive linemen were measured. His Rookie season he was moved to guard from playing tackle, and because of his speed and moblility, he became the prototype for the next generation of NFL guards. His Awards consisted of: AFC Lineman of the year 3 times, NFL Lineman of the Year in 1977, Six Time Pro-Bowler, and played in 2 Superbowl teams.

#2. Jim Otto

Quote from RaidersOnline.org: " For Fifteen years, Jim Otto became a fixture at center for the Raiders, never missing a game due to injury- and there were many of them... To this day, Jim Otto embodies the toughness and determination the Raiders began to ferment in the mid-1960's, after Al Davis took over the team"

Jim Otto is what you would call a rare case of "Raider By Birth". Jim was destined to play for the Raiders and Destiny brought him to Oakland. He was selected to the Pro football HOF in 1980- which was the first year he was on the ballot. He played 14 years with the Oakland Raiders. He always reffers to Al Davis as 'Mr. Davis', and has the upmost respect for the man who began one of the original teams of the AFL. Let's say this, the man was and still is tougher than nails and was a dominator in his position for over 10 years. He is still remembered as one of the Greatest Offensive lineman of all time. That is why Jim is number 2 on my list.

and.....

#1. Fred Biletnikoff

Fred Biletnikoff goes on my Greatest Raider of All-Time list as number one for a couple of reasons

Fred Biletnikoff was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 1965 draft and eventually developed into one of the most dangerous WR's of all time. At the time of his retirement in 1978, he was the holder of record for Raiders receiving yards and held a buttload of NFL marks as well such as catching 40 or more passes in 10 consecutive seasons. His career stats were amazing during his day at 589 passes caught 8,974 yards receiving, and 76 touchdowns. He was the primary target for Ken Stabler during the Championship season of 1977 and is the only WR in NFL Superbowl history to be named MVP without more than 100 yards receiving. He was responsible for setting up our scores during a route of the Vikings in Superbowl XI. He was also a 6 time pro-bowler. Also a little known fact is that Freddie rarely ever wore shoulder pads when he played. He was a REAL MAN!! =)

He has to be my all time favorite Raider WR of all time, and had such an impact on the early days of the Organization that I put him at the #1 spot.

So like I said.. I'll probably get Hell for some of my picks, but if you want put your own list together in the comments section.

My Honorable mentions are : Cliff Branch, Daryle Lamonica, Art Shell, George Atkinson, Rich Gannon, Jack Tatum, Ted Hendricks, Lester Hayes, Willie Brown, Bo Jackson... if I forgot any let me know!

RAIDER NATION USA

I wanted to put together a list of guys that I felt were the Top Raiders of All Time, and some of my personal choices. So if I state something that you might (and probably will) disagree on, put your own list on a comment so we can talk about it.

Here is my List and I'll tell you why:

#10. Marcus Allen

ya see why I put him last....

#9. Jim Plunkett

#8. Howie Long

#7. Ray Guy

#6. Tim Brown

#5. Ken Stabler

#4. Dave Casper

The Ghost to the Post

Get outta my way Donkey!!

#3. Gene Upshaw

'Uptown' Gene

#2. Jim Otto

and.....

#1. Fred Biletnikoff

Fred Biletnikoff goes on my Greatest Raider of All-Time list as number one for a couple of reasons

He has to be my all time favorite Raider WR of all time, and had such an impact on the early days of the Organization that I put him at the #1 spot.

So like I said.. I'll probably get Hell for some of my picks, but if you want put your own list together in the comments section.

My Honorable mentions are : Cliff Branch, Daryle Lamonica, Art Shell, George Atkinson, Rich Gannon, Jack Tatum, Ted Hendricks, Lester Hayes, Willie Brown, Bo Jackson... if I forgot any let me know!

RAIDER NATION USA

Coles to Bengals... Crabtree now to Raiders?

DarksideJU08 — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 22:03:24 -0000

Story from ESPN

I don't know if this means that the Raiders will get Crabtree but we are definetly a contender..

I tried posting this link on the transactions thread but it didn't work so i just put it on this new fan post so that you could read it.

Do you guys think that now the Raiders will get Crabtree or will we take a different route in this years draft?

What are your thoughts on Coles going to Cincy and would there be any obstacle in getting Crabtree now?