I have pondered this post for a while and cannot help but think this is the case.

Let me put forth some evidence as I am certain I am not the only person with this thought. Al is bent on getting the 4th Super Bowl and his last few decisions seem to point the way as he knows time is of the essence. All of us who witnessed the last press conference saw him as feeble as it gets. The mind is still strong as witnessed with his jousting with the press and statements. However once proud and strong able to move with energy and confidence, now slow, decrepit, and wobbly moving at a snails pace with his walker and looking as though he had been a victim of elder abuse at a seniors home for the destitute. The body gives in often sooner than the spirit and mind. His every 81+ years are showing and then some. We all can see the writing on the wall time is catching up with Al's body.

The similarities of the team building of the Gruden era and now are so very close if you look. A young head coach not yet proven but solid and confident. Gruden=Jackson. This team will not be built as the 99-02 teams for that push as Al seems to be wary after the Javon Walker, Sapp, Hall et al signings of the mid 2000s. There will be no massive signing of veteran FAs with championship experience and great work ethic to mold the team but rather a player representation on the coaching staff with former players having these qualities. We have made a few trades (Seymour, JC) for some solid players but Al has decided to bring in a number of former players as positional coaches all of which were Raiders at one point in their careers and solid in work ethic as well as loyal. Tough, smart players that will be great role models and teachers for today's player in the game. Steve Wisniewski, Rod Woodson and Greg Biekert with hopefully a WR coach named Tim Brown to be added as hopefully the dead weight of Lal is set a float on the river of unemployment. The speculation of another former Raider (Winston Moss) on board as DC would make the circle complete. This maneuver is a much better and a fiscally responsible approach to keep a solid nucleus of a team that can compete long term and not just sacrifice the future for the now. Throwing huge sums of money at a group of older good players that may or may not meld into a force on the field is always a gamble and as often backfires as succeeds if not the former more frequently than the later.

Solidifying a few positions through FA signings possibly a good draft here this year as last year was and the upgrade of coaching should easily throw us into the mix. One more year for the nucleus of the team to play together and will definitely make this team a contender to be considered a threat. The addition of an O lineman (Light) possibly an OLB, S and CB through FA and depending on who we keep and who we cannot re-sign will dictate further what needs are most pressing. I would argue a WR not of super star caliber but of solid speed, hands and not injury prone. After the draft will also dictate what needs are to met through player availability.

Truly the signs are there as they were in 1999 with the changes made. Everyone can argue all teams are building to win a Super Bowl but few make the correct changes needed to win. Al indeed has seen the sands in the hour glass drawing to an end and has definitively made this his last chance at glory to fulfill his desire of championship glory. Thus comes one final push.

After reading this article I was thoroughly shocked. I had a friend who had an underling that did research for him and told me a story about 3 years ago how approximately 80% of NBA players were in bankruptcy or about to enter it. I was shocked but after seeing and hearing different things I realized how it seemed correct. The stat contained in this article simply confirms how there is an air of lavish lifestyle amongst our professional athletes today. I imagine the numbers aren't much better in the NHL and MLB either. 

The problem being I doubt even with a lockout (or strike) few players will get a grip on reality and realize they need to put money away and be smarter. Hire a business manager that helps control your money and investments and to help keep the leeches away. I believe part of the problem are the agents that are representing these guys are a in part at fault. They push the union in many ways and press the owners with a lot of the holdout and contract demands not in the best interest of a player but in their own self interest.

In the end I just want a season for 2011 so I can go to Oakland finally, party at the tale gate and blackhole drinking a few of you guys (and girls Spirals) under the table.

Peyton fucking Manning?

Really why not? He is a free agent after this year. His salary would be in the same range we pay Nnamdi and if what Al seemed to imply is true he was not keeping him at that price. So why not use that money to get a true All Pro QB that makes everyone around him better.

I don't think the Colts will franchise him because at the same time he will get pissed if they do. There is no certainty that he even wants to come back. He did after all stop negotiations last year to focus on the 2010 season. He did way more with less than we have at the receiver position. He had only 2 receivers with more than 3 years of experience this year and had to deal with 2 rookies most of the time at WR. His #1 RB was out for a good chink of the season. The offensive line in Indy is about as good as ours. Even the Dolts fans would say so.

Captain forehead makes everyone around him better. He works tirelessly with all aspects of the offense top to bottom and no one can deny his ability to control and run the offense.

This would be a much better use of money to sign him. We are at least as attractive as Indy. We have a superb and reliable go to receiver in our TE Miller (if we resign him and imagine how that would appeal to him if we had Peyton). Our WRs are young and burners, with Ford and maybe DuHB if he can get the lead out of his ass and stop leaping for every ball thrown his way. Murphy is ok. We can ditch JLH and Nick Miller for sure. Schillens............. who knows keep him if he can keep his shit together and no shatter another part(s) of his body.

We could probably attract other FAs that would love to play here with Peyton at the helm. They may even come for a little less just to have the chance to win a Super Bowl. Imagine using McBroken and Bush out of the backfield in a pro set! Defenses would shit their pants. We all know how good our FB is coming out of the backfield. The options with Peyton at the helm is endless. Our D would get more rest that is for sure especially with our O cashing in with all of these weapons.

Woohoo we won! Despite almost having a heart attack I am here to discuss, curse and award our grunts in Silver and Black. Despite the win it was totally a roller coaster ride that if I didn't shave me head like Steve Austin I would certainly see lots of gray in it JUST FROM YESTERDAY. I know my beard has some. The true reality is a win no matter, the fact of the matter is we looked far from a well oiled machine yesterday EXCEPT on Special Teams and they have now redeemed themselves..................for the time being. So give them an ok for a grade on the season as a whole but they need far more consistency. Were not for the 9 points from special teams directly AND at least one or two pretty good returns to set up we all would be bitching lots today. So time for some reality checks. Just a few observations of what is obvious and needed.

Sloppy coverage in the defensive secondary. Routt, CJ and well the entire bunch save one (we know who that is) you have now been held responsible my sclerotic liver and stomach ulcer all in one day. I am not sure I have seen so many open receivers past 15 yards past the line of scrimmage in any Raider game I have watched in the past. 400 plus yards from Rivers says it all.

LB coverage underneath..................... was there any? I have stated this will be how teams will pick our secondary apart before the Texas game and we all know how that went down. Time for some situational player changes or at least some different looks. Try some real zone coverage on passing downs with a OLB or safety blitz. WTF is Wimbley doing covering Gates? Anyone? Bueller? Christ we all know that is not going to work, how about Mitchell or Huff or Branch or Spirals? I give some credit on holding down the run game for the most part but the price paid in the secondary made it almost for naught. We need to look at switching up personnel for situational conditions and calling defensive audibles which almost seem nonexistent.

O line you look like a herd of cattle that heard gun shots and scattered in every direction for the most part, however they got the job done on run blocking MOST of the time not everytime however but I will say good not great.

D line you all need a lesson on moving when the ball in snapped. TK you will get a conditional pass ONLY for this week and it shall be revoked depending on next weeks performance. Your fat head needs to wait to move until the ball is snapped although you did have an ok day stopping the run I still prefer Henderson over you. Seymour had a pretty damn good day and his penalty(s) will be forgiven as he was his usual performer. Good pressure from the outside on occasion from the crew. Needs to more blitzes just look at what that does (thank you Huff and crew for the safety blitzing). Marshall must have turned off the AD phone in the last 10 minutes of the game because we were bringing the house on occasion and that basically kept us from losing.

JC must have realized unless he stepped it up in the second half he was going to ride the pine for every NFL team he played for after this season. His first half performance blew. Really do me a favor and take some chances, our O line can't keep a 3 man rush at bay for more than 3 secs let alone the 6 you want to hold onto the ball for. Nice rollout and pass to Myers on the 4 and 1 but you gave me a heart attack with the play call Hue. Totally unexpected but good. Grad your toughness is admirable BUT at the cost to your body and QB skills. You couldn't play toss with a 2 year old now that your shoulder(s) it has been treated like silly putty and hammered like a railroad spike all at the same time. Get well soon and make smarter decisions running and try sliding.

Miller you are the main man for receiving and I will live with that. Our one WR gets a pass (Murphy) but the rest of you can try and get open more? Nice catches Murphy too bad your the only WR to make one today. Myers nice catch to keep the drive alive. Reece try keeping your body under a little control but coming out of the back field you are the choice without McBroken in the game. Bush can also catch although he is not the threat of McBroken the 2 we have without him work fine and get the job done.

Bush you did what I knew you could and I have faith you can continue if you chose. Don't suck out with being too tired or not in proper condition. I will continue to call for McBroken to be traded for viable player(s) and draft pick(s) in some sort of combination. There is a team out there where we can get good value for him and pawn off Schillens with him.

Now let the tomato throwing (or bottles for you rednecks) begin.

Oh help me. The roster moves. The shear pain and thoughts of how could we? What are they thinking? Let me get this straight. We let the Pearshaped loser go and then virtually one week later PRESTO! He is back. Ok I heard the argument. LAP "he knows our system" hack pugh! I spit on the ground upon hearing that.

I would argue most us as fans know our system and could perform better. It's not rocket science or quantum physics. Are there no other viable O linemen out there that can play better? Could we not have pulled the trigger on a deal to get at least 1 everyday serviceable offensive lineman before the season was under way or during the preseason?

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