I won't take much time reviewing the season here, I want to get down to business. This is my favorite part of the season, the offseason, which unfortunately, has started early for Oakland yet again. However, there's some good looking FA's out there at areas of need for Oakland.

With I believe three or four draft picks (depending on compensatory picks for Miller and Nnamdi), this team will definitely have to build through free agency. It'll be interesting to see what the new coaching staff will have in mind whenever they're assembled. Maybe a 3-4 defense? Maybe a West Coast offense? Who knows? So I'll just delve right in on with my preferred possibilities.

Continue reading this post »

In the shortened post-lockout offseason, two things were the prevailing talk of the town.

1. The Spurs need a big man whether or not McDyess comes back, though if Dyess didn't return, it was needed even more so.
2. The SF position needed addressed by a true, well-rounded starter.

Eight games into the Spurs season and only 2 was "addressed". Who knew Jefferson would return and look like a new man? And while yes, he did start strong last year only to fade, he was nowhere near this good. His technique and fundamentals are worlds apart this year compared to last.

Meanwhile, Issue 1 was left practically untouched. Scrubs were brought in only to be cut in preseason. How could the Spurs hope to compete with the group of Tim Duncan, DeJuan Blair, Tiago Splitter, and Matt Bonner? Well as it turns out, they're right on the championship schedule. Perhaps even more so than most. What in the world am I getting at?

Continue reading this post »

via www.bringbacktitanfootball.com

When Hue Jackson became the coach of the Oakland Raiders after the firing of Tom Cable, many fans were ecstatic. There would be consistency, a fiery leader, a man who really knew football and commanded the locker room.

Hue promised to build a bully. He brought promises of being a mean, tough football team. And sure enough, the team jumped out to 4-2 and looked every bit the part. They were hard hitting, never gave up, they ran it down teams' throats, and they imposed their will.

However, recent developments have this team sitting at 4-4 and lucky to be tied for the AFC West lead. Hue Jax City's promises of the bully has instead turned into bullying the fans. Read on after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

Well football fans it's the end of the first quarter of the season. So far the season has been full of 20+ point lead letdowns, emerging stars and emerging teams, surprising teams struggling out of the gate, and lots of empty hype.

However, let's first focus specifically on the Oakland Raiders and who the MVP's of their season's first quarter have been. There's some we knew would be dominating and others who have come from out of nowhere onto the scene. Some players are further establishing dominance, while others are starting to lose their underrated monikers in favor of being called a consistent player.

Without further ado, your first quarter Oakland Raiders MVP's:

Continue reading this post »

Football is back people, and not just football, Raider football! We just finished up the first of four preseason games and you know I've got a lot to talk about. Like every exhibition game there was good, bad, ugly, and of course; we still have to take everything from it with a grain of salt. I'm psyched to talk football, and a lot about offseason.

You know I hate the long intros so let's get right into it after the jump. After all, I've had a whole offseason of thoughts built up just ready to let it loose.

Continue reading this post »

It's been a long time my fine S&BP brethren, the lockout and other things have kept me from writing on here and I apologize. But I've been holding this in for a long time and I have to let off some steam. I respect Roger Goodell for cleaning up the league and heavily reducing the illegal conduct of the players.

Let's face facts here, the NFL is becoming incredibly soft. As I type this, Mike Golic is going off on how the NFL's becoming so soft. His view point and my own are very similar. I hate these long intros, so let's just delve right in to then nitty gritty after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

Pounding the Rock, this is a post that is going to be dead serious. I've said it before recently and made my jokes here and there. However, this is something that is killing professional sports everywhere and making small market teams annually irrelevant with a few exceptions here and there (the San Antonio dynasty, the Giants World Series out of nowhere, the Rays success, the San Jose Sharks recent successes, etc)

Now then, let me first say that I'm going to be talking about sports economics and revenue. Two topics I'll admit that I'm not very knowledgeable about. I don't know exact figures and have no interest and pulling up numbers. What I can give is the trends that you don't need to be part of Wall Street to know and comprehend. I apologize if this gives my post less ground to stand on but it's just my way of doing things.

Without further adieu, LeBron Syndrome diagnosed and why the small markets will continue to suffer without a hard cap.

Continue reading this post »

Hey PtR! KA1Z3R again with another post about the Spurs needing to make a move. I know I posted something like that only just a few days ago, but this is not about move ideas. This is just the why and the what, as in what will happen if no major move is done. Check it after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

Yep a serious post for once in my stinkin' life....yeah don't count on it to stay that way. I doubt i honestly make it through this without putting something dumb/Sunkist related in here. Let's hope and pray that it stays to a.....reasonable minimum.

Continue reading this post »

All of this talk around the interwebs and television and all I'm hearing on the Oakland Raiders 2011 draft is "they reached for this guy," "they reached for that guy," "he was a huge reach." Reaching might just be the most overused, overly annoying, and overall irrelevant term in the NFL Draft.

See what I mean after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

I think the draft of the Oakland Raiders has a lot of potential, more so than other years. It's just a matter of coaching and using the pieces we acquired correctly. Other than Wis and Barksdale, this was a draft of depth and developmental starters. For a team that came to close to the playoffs, it's not a bad way to draft. However, I think this was more than just drafting some depth and a couple O-Line starters. My interpretation of the draft plan after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

This is my first attempt at a full seven round mock. Not predicting trades. Will explain first and second round selections and any other significant picks or picks I feel will need explained. Not necessarily picks I agree with, just what I see happening. I apologize beforehand if I accidentally left out a high caliber player. Like I said, these picks are not necessarily what's best for the teams, just what I see happening. While a team may have needed say, a corner, but instead made sure to address their O-Line and taken a best available player or two.

ALSO, please let me know who you think the winners and losers of the draft are, and who the biggest reaches and steals are.

Hope you enjoy!

Continue reading this post »

It's been a while since I've posted and I must say I regret that. I've been wrapped up in the NBA, my girlfriend, and my Youtube channel. But here I am with my second Raiders mock. I won't drag out too much of an intro so check out my mock after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

"We need a new center."

"Trade up for Wisniewski."

"Satele is garbage."

"Center is our biggest weakness."

Quotes like these have been flying left and right through Raider Nation about center Samson Satele. The Raiders acquired Satele from Miami in 09. I'm baffled as to why people are bashing Samson. He's a far better center than what people are giving him credit for. After the jump, I state my case for Satele as the starting center whenever football starts again.

Continue reading this post »

Well folks, it's time that I finally make a mock draft. I've held off for quite awhile doing this to some proper research and such. Looking through several other mock drafts, scanning prospects, and looking at needs, I've comprised a mock draft of the Oakland Raiders draft.

Thus without further adieu (and I hate doing long intros) the KA1Z3R Mock Draft Version 1.0

Continue reading this post »

So the Raiders just lost All-Pro corner Nnamdi Asomugha to free agency due to a contract void and it would appear that Raider Nation is furious and disappointed. Many are calling this further downfall for the Raiders. That this is just as bad, if not worse, than the firing of Tom Cable.

But is it really?

Let's see why I'm not too broken-hearted about the departure of Asomugha, and why this is probably a good thing. Read on after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

An offseason addition that many, including myself, underrated was the acquisition of 26-year old rookie Gary Neal. His summer camp performance caught the eyes of many as he was lights-out from 3 point range. As one who's been proclaiming "more 3-point shooters, we need more!", I was really pulling from him to make the team.

Sure enough, Gary Neal was given a contract and made a member of the San Antonio Spurs. I was elated, but also a tad ho-hum. Neal had just came over from Europe, no NBA experience, and a small sample size of success. Plus, Popovich is notorious for stashing such players into the D-league system, sometimes to never be heard from again.

Yet, here we are with Neal a surprising role on the Spurs team. Some call him a good bench player who can pop some 3's. But I call that a major underestimation of just how valuable Gary Neal has been. Dare I say, he may just be our fourth most important player on the team (that's huge when you have the big-3 as the top-3). Read on to find out why.

Continue reading this post »

Gonna keep the intro short so not to take up space. Just posting a few rule reminders that I felt needed restated.

Read on please

Continue reading this post »

It's been a while since I last wrote, but I gotta put my final statement on this debate. I'll say right off the bat that I love Bruce Gradkowski and Jason Campbell equal, however I'm largely on the Campbell side of the fence here.

I won't do much of an intro here, but read ahead to see why Campbell is clearly the best option as the starter for the Raiders.

Continue reading this post »

Welcome all, time for another trip to the world of the bizarre. That's right, you're reading a KA1Z3R fanpost. The sheer wtf-factor that's about to follow actually has a purpose this time (KA1Z3R posting with purpose? How preposterously peculiar). It's official, I'm some kind of mojo master. I've found out the secrets to my mojo magics, and feel I should give you a guide to understand if what I'm bringing is good or bad.

But KA1Z3R, as a Spurs fan, don't you want all your mojo to be good? Yes......to some extent. While mojo is an influence on luck, and can greatly determine a game (at least to us superstitious PtR faithful), sometimes I like to mix it up just to mess with you all. The majority of the time I bring good vibes, and inspire a positive mojo.

So without further ado, here is your guide to KA1Z3R's mojo (set to some of the best hip-hop ever)

Continue reading this post »

Great D has the Raiders beating Seattle 10-0. Seattle gets ball after halftime. Zach Miller got injured early on and hasn't returned yet.

First off let's get ourselves calmed down as we start off with what can only be considered the ultimate in chill.

A Tribe Called Quest - Jazz (We've Got) (via DaClassicz)

Now then, while the Raiders seem to be finding ways to lose even the most winnable games, it's not as bad as many think. There's simple solutions for every flaw of this team. From horrid passing offense, to poor YPC, to those 2-3 big plays allowed per game on defense.

So relax to the jazz-fused rap and read on.

Continue reading this post »

A Tribe Called Quest - Jazz (We've Got) (via DaClassicz)

Hello denizens of PtR, you thought I was gone didn't you? Happy to be rid of the Kaiser of Sunkist weren't you? Well you can't keep a good Kaiser down! After a long offseason of me being overly lazy and caught up in video games I mean, hanging with my girlfriend (9 months strong!), I mean having an epic quest of awesomeness, I have returned!

So I shall now attempt to recollect my epic odyssey of my departure and return. Prepare for the bizarre.

Continue reading this post »

Hello Raiders faithful. After a two week hiatus, the Raiders O-Line series has returned. After a horrible outing versus Tennessee, the O-Line seemed (key word seemed) better. It is after all blocking for the second leading rusher in the NFL Darren McFadden. However it's still giving up too many sacks and taking a little too long to open up those holes.

The line is hard to gauge right now with so many different change-ups, on the line and at QB. Plus they haven't gotten consistent levels of competition at to this point, making things harder to figure out. But let's see where the lien stands after the St. Louis game and what it might be in the Cardinals game.

Continue reading this post »