Oakland Raiders

I tweeted my brains out about rumors of the Raiders being interested in Josh Freeman. I should have been sharing my thoughts here on the web page that I PAY FOR and where people actually come to READ WHAT I WRITE. In a nutshell, what I said was that it takes patience to rebuild a team and if the Raiders sign Freeman it would signal to me that they don’t have that patience. Terrelle Pryor, or as I call him “Not Chris Brown” has been a stun gun since he earned the starting position. He’s breathed new life into a team that has been the butt of jokes and scorn for far too many seasons.

Terrelle Pryor earned his start. There’s no reason for the Raiders to be looking at side pieces.

Admittedly, I rooted for Pryor to start not knowing how well he could play, but looking at the Raiders other options I didn’t see why they wouldn’t take a chance. The NFL can be overly conservative sometimes reaching out for what appears to be the safest option and in the end the result is often garbage. This desire to protect and to limit risk is why Matt Flynn was signed off of a good performance in one garbage time game and collected 14 million dollars from the Seahawks and later the Raiders for doing not a damn thing. Well, actually he did do something, he lost a VERY winnable game against the Washington Redskins.

My point is, some QBs get the benefit of the doubt. Others don’t. Jason Campbell didn’t get it. Carson Palmer did…twice. And so on and so on. On the field is one thing, but in life must we ALWAYS punt on 4th down?

But back to rebuilding, the Raiders are in a similar situation to the Browns. Years of mismanagement of the organization have now led to an overhaul and new regimes taking over. The biggest challenge from a public perception standpoint is building trust with the fans. Being methodical and showing fans and media that there is a real desire to do what it takes to win. Sometimes that translates into spending ridiculous amounts of cash for past prime players just for the opportunity to win 8 or 9 games and compete in the first round of the playoffs. But what it should mean is making a sacrifice for a couple seasons as you straighten out your salary cap situation, evaluate your roster, and take a serious look at your options at Quarterback.

In Oakland, Reggie McKenzie seems like a man who is very serious about making the Raiders a respected organization again. Signing Josh Freeman would have been a silly move and rightfully put confidence in his leadership at risk. Let’s say the Raiders signed Freeman and he played terribly? Then the story is that McKenzie might have a new regime but it’s really just the  ”same old dysfunctional Raiders.” Remember, this is a GM who cleaned house in the truest sense of the word. This is not a time to revert back to old tactics. Not when your QB has the trust of his teammates. And not when they’re winning games while legitimately low on weaponry. Pryor is one of the real bright spots for the Raiders and it’d be a shame if everyone could see it except for the folks sitting the closest.

So kudos to the Raiders for staying on the path of patience. I think it will pay off in the end.

Peyton, NFL fans are grateful for everything you brought to the game. Now go home and be with your family (and take Tony Dungy with you!)

I’m back again with 5 more NFL-related things that must be stopped. Let’s dive in!

1. Premature Ejectulation. I made “ejectulation” up because I needed a word to describe taking out a struggling QB when it’s too late to win the game or prove any discernible point. In general, I’m opposed to benching QBs during games UNLESS that QB is the franchise player. I know that sounds odd, but benching a franchise player is proving a point. It’s just a gesture to wake the guy up after a bad spate of games. It doesn’t shake the team’s confidence in what is going to happen next. Benching guys who are in jeopardy of not starting just causes confusion.

What would have been the harm if Mike Shanahan had have let Rex Grossman finish out his game against the Philadelphia Eagles and announced Beck as the starter before the next game after talking to the team? His decision to bench in dramatic fashion *two snaps* sends a jolt through the team. When you have players like Santana Moss, who barely speak at all and certainly isn’t one to cause controversy, tell the media that the team was behind Rex Grossman, you have a morale issue that isn’t helped by embarrassing the guy they support. No reason Shanahan had to announce via benching that Grossman’s starting days were over.

This weekend, there was other Premature Ejectulation by Raiders coach Hue Jackson First we all thought that Carson Palmer WOULD play (despite it being highly unlikely that he was in good enough shape). Then we find out that Kyle Boller would definitely start. Boller had a horrendous game, and not only deserves to be benched but to be banished from football forever. However, the Raiders were down 20-0 when Jackson pulls the plug on Boller and puts in Palmer who, also, performed in horrendous fashion.

(more…)

Hi Palmer, is that a one for "one last chance?"

Assuming that Jay Glazer is right in his report that Carson has been training and is football ready, I’m cool with this deal. I worry because it has been 9 months since Palmer played football or was involved in any sort of organized team activity. As we’ve seen thus far, with all the injuries to players, OTAs, camps and all that matter. You can work out until your heart’s content, but there’s something about preparing the muscles you use in practice and in play that apparently just can’t be totally replicated in singular workouts. To the Raiders credit, if Doug Farrar is correct, they’ve sourced their information regarding Palmer’s physical condition pretty well.

Besides those concerns, I like it for a few reasons.

1. It sends a sign to a team that hasn’t gone to the playoffs since…since…(aww hell somebody look it up)…that the team wants to win this year. And by win, I mean go to the playoffs. I’m not talking about Superbowl here. I think it’s clear that Terrell Pryor probably isn’t ready to play having been suspended for 5 games and having questionable mechanics and technique in the first place.Nobody on the Raiders wants to ‘start over’ with their season going this well. They want something proven, even if it is somewhat of a risk. I think this will be a morale boost for the guys.

Plus it’s hard to deny Palmer can get the ball in a receivers hands. Regardless of the 586 attempts he had to take last year to do it, he did pass for almost 4K yards and had a 61% completion rate. You can complain about short passes (he was under 7 yards an attempt) but guess what? Short screens are driving passing stats up this year, tis the world we live in. Jon Gruden doesn’t like it, I’m not necessarily a fan, but here we are.The game is evolving for better or worse.

Plus the Raiders have power house RB Darren McFadden. When all else fails direct snap or hand off. Just don’t give the appearance of starting over right now while the team is believing in itself.

2. Palmer wasn’t “terrible” last year, but certainly he wasn’t anything to write home about. 33 interceptions in his last 32 games leaves me thinking Rex Grossman caliber QB. On the other hand, Grossman may also still be starting in the league. And the Redskins are 3-2 which is further than a lot of people thought they’d be. Anyway, a not-good QBs can get you over the hump sometimes. I don’t see Palmer as an automatic suck…a possible one sure, but automatic? No. If Palmer has chemistry with his receivers and is low on turnovers the Raiders may have the last laugh.

3. Palmer has something to prove, and we might see a different guy given his new circumstances. Palmer spent the entire summer publicly arguing with Cincy owner Mike Brown and after getting nowhere with it decided to retire rather than play for the Bengals. This was a God send for them both. Cincy’s defense has improved tremendously this year, and rookie QB Andy Dalton and his primary receiver rookie AJ Green aren’t yet affected by how silly the organization has behaved the in the past. They’re simply happy to have an opportunity to play and things are running along better than expected.

Given the Bengals odd stats, which I blogged about before,  new offensive coordinator could also help Palmer give a better performance. There’s a reason Bob Bratowski doesn’t have a job right now. There’s also a reason Cedric Benson said he wouldn’t return to the Bengals if Bratowski did.

4. Palmer’s knee has likely gotten proper attention and rest. The popular theory is that Palmer hasn’t been great since his knee was injured. Probably true.  Athlete Performance, Palmer’s gym of choice, is pretty well known for the physical therapy aspect of their services. If his knee could be rehabilitated, there are not too many better places he could go to get it done. I haven’t forgotten that Palmer is getting up there in years but as I look at the QB landscape…so are a lot of people. Palmer is about 2 years older than backup Kyle Boller and has a year on Michael Vick.

5. Palmer and Coach Hue Jackson already know each other and are familiar with each other’s styles. Palmer shouldn’t have huge issues fitting into the offense right away. Again, the Raiders don’t need another shake up. An immediate good fit would be optimal for them.

On the issue of giving up first round picks for Palmer, I don’t care. I said this on twitter. I don’t think the Raiders have a lot of incentive to tie up guaranteed money in first round picks even if the new wage scale puts salaries at significantly less than what rookies made previously. If you go into the 2nd round you’re looking at even less money tied up and possibly similar impact.

The Raiders have given up a lot of picks in various deals however they also have mid-round picks coming their way due to the loss of Robert Gallery, Nnamdi Asomugha, Zach Miller, and Thomas Howard. If Palmer pans out for them they will have made a smart choice. If he doesn’t, they will just have to fish well in the upcoming drafts as they should anyway. The Patriots seem to do that sort of thing pretty well, no reason the Raiders can’t reverse their tide.

Speaking of the Patriots, wouldn’t Ryan Mallet look awesome in a Raiders uni??? I’m just saying! I love that man and I’m ready to see him play so I plug it every chance I get.

NNamdi Asomugha's contract with the Oakland Raiders was voided when certain incentives weren't met.

Unless you’ve been hiding under Serena Williams’ bountiful booty, you probably know that Nnamdi Asomugha is the most highly desired free agent on the market right now. The long suffering (9 years to be exact) Oakland Raiders Cornerback is out of the Defensive Back Witness Protection Program and ready to sign with a new team and hopefully make an official debut on the national stage.

Asomugha isn’t just talented on the field he also is one of the smartest, nicest, and genuinely charitable NFL players there is.

He’s also extremely, extremely HOT. #TheThirst #Oolala #DamnHeFine

Since January, team message boards around the league have been filled with chatter about where the Nigerian Los Angeles native will land. Even teams with no freaking chance of signing the “shut down” corner have fans who are holding on to hope.

Well, never fear, I am here to help. I put together this handy guide that your team’s owner and front office can use to woo Aso.

Pronounce His Name Correctly

As someone who has a last name that people, including family members, butcher into stewed beef pieces I know what’s it like to have a name people struggle with. And I also know it’s kind of a nice surprise when people try to pronounce it anywhere close to right.

NNamdi Asomugha presents problems because both names look like gibbrish to the average American public school graduate. Just remember, One N is just for decoration and real Gs move in silence like Asomugha. Now you know Nnamdi is “Nahm-dee” and Asomugha is “Awe-sum-wah.” Even though on Madden Asomugha is pronounced Ahso-moog-gah, your team’s front office shouldn’t be satisfied to wallow in video game ignorance. Pronounce the man’s name the right way and win a few extra points when the signing process comes down to the wire.

Do the Salary Shuffle

Look, Corners with the ability to consistently cover deep man-to-man are rarer than quiet moments at Chad Ochocinco’s house. If you want Asomugha, you got to come up with some serious paper. Not you, Detroit Lions, you’re all tapped out. But the rest of you? The lockout has given your team plenty of time to think about who they can release, whose contract(s) can be restructured, and what other personnel moves might be necessary to make this thing happen.

When Asomugha shows up at your team facility, you need to have a plan you can show him. Just like when you take a fine ass woman on a first date, don’t stand there looking confused, show a little creativity and initiative!

Emphasize Your Commitment to Winning

This pretty much leaves out the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, Cincinnati Bengals and, of course, the Oakland Raiders. But for the rest of the 28 teams in the NFL, you either need to show Asomugha that you have been winning or that the changes you’re making for this season guarantee at least a .500 record or more—preferably a playoff berth. A power point presentation that breaks down matchups, the spread, and your schedule including which SPECIFIC games you expect to win might be appropriate.

Asomugha has been stuck on a losing team for far too long. And through it all he has maintained a positive attitude, impressive command of the English language, a clean arrest record, no visible tattoos, zero paternity suits, and a mouth completely free of gold teeth. Why should such a perfect specimen have to choose between winning games and getting a contract that lets him ball ‘til he falls?

Get Real Ethnic On His Ass

If you can’t tell, NNamdi Asomugha isn’t your regular run-of-the-mill black name—it’s Nigerian. Nigeria and Nigerian culture are really important to him. He is the chairman of his own foundation called Orphans and Widows In Need (OWIN) which provides food, shelter, and medicine as well as supports literacy and vocational training in Nigeria.

If you want to attract the four-time All Pro standout to your city it might be good to show your ethnic sensitivity. In other words, this is the perfect time NOT to mention KWANZAA (or, God forbid serve a Kwanzaa cake), kente cloths or any other faux African practices. It’s also not a good time to talk about your daughter’s cornrows or to try to show off the little bit of Swahili you learned in college. And please, please do not wear some silly ass dashiki to lunch with this man!

Instead of all that offensive stuff, you might want to point out if your city is near a large Nigerian population (*ahem* Houston Texans), or not too far from the Nigerian Embassy (*hint hint* Baltimore Ravens) or simply has a great Nigerian restaurant or two (HELLO Philadelphia Eagles). At the very least, your team should make sure to note that they would do its best to support Asomugha as he endeavors to expand OWIN to other African countries.

Treat Him Like a Cancer

No, not the Terrell Owens kind, the zodiac kind. Asomugha was born on July 6, 1981 which makes him a cancer. Male cancer characteristics include a need for loyalty and privacy as well as sensitivity to criticism. Mention some things that might appeal to these traits. Is there stability within your core group of players? Do you have a contract with a security service? Do your fans rarely boo or verbally assault players? These are the kinds of things he might like to assess.

Flaunt Your City’s Food and Beaches

Now I don’t know if Asomugha is a foodie or not, but I do know he’s going to need something to do while he’s bored in the backfield. If none of the Quarterbacks are going to throw to him, the least we can do is offer the man a delicious snack while he’s wandering about aimlessly.

I would think beaches would be an important selling point too (Hear that, Miami Dolphins?). Asomugha has lived in California almost all his life. He grew up in Los Angeles, attended college at California Berkeley, and played for the Oakland Raiders ever since he left college. This man probably likes water. If you’ve got a few beaches, it might not be a bad idea to entice him with the prospect of being able to do whatever it is that people who like water do near the water or whatever. I don’t like water, so I really don’t know.

Make Sure Your Community Isn’t Singing What Have You Done For Me Lately

Asomugha had Nike add a stipulation to his contract that he would outfit freshman students at one high school with football and basketball team with shoes. He also, takes high school kids on college tours to ensure they pursue higher educations and has personally mentored and tutored students in Oakland.

The NFL touts community service and Asomugha has been exemplary in this area. If your team has made a commitment to its surrounding community, I think Asomugha would like to know.

And there you have it. I hope this handy guide helps you land the man of your team’s dreams.

You’re welcome, and good luck!

Josh Cribbs still wants a chance to prove himself as a returner.

Placekickers just had their best week ever. Kick returners? Not so much.

Fans and players alike were looking for a break from the lockout talk and the NFL just gave it to them in the form of the latest rule changes. The NFL announced this week that kickoff will now take place at the 30 yard line instead of the 35 yard line. Touchbacks will remain at the 20 and coverage teams will get a 5 yard head start instead of a 10-15 yard head start.

What does this mean?

Less returns

Less injuries on returns

Less excitement

More touchbacks

Less excitement

Last season, with kickoffs taking place at the 30 yard line, there were 23 kickoff returns that resulted in a touchdown. The last time teams kicked off from the 35 yard line was 1993. That year there were four such returns.

I can’t boo loud enough!

Kickoff returns are one of my favorite parts of football. There’s just nothing like a an exciting return, especially to start a game. I’ve heard a lot of theories about why 26 teams would vote in favor of the rule change-everything from having to avoid paying returners to setting the stage for an 18 game season. All valid. But I think that the owners heard the phrase “prevent injuries” and knew they could go for it both for financial reasons as well as to appear sensitive to the safety issue-especially since they voted down increased protection for defenseless receivers at the same meeting (SIDE FUCKING EYE!).

If you are a regular reader of my blog you know that I support anything that keeps the fellas on the field safer. But I really hate when practices are eliminated through the backdoor. In this case, the NFL isn’t really reducing injuries through modification, they’re doing so through elimination.  If the NFL wants to get rid of kickoff returns they should just do it rather than pretending there’s still a real choice for coaches and players.

Even the reduced lead time for coverage isn’t going to help returners enough to prevent their inevitable drift into never never land. One day I will tell my grandchildren about the spectacular kickoff returns I’ve seen. By then I’ll probably also have to explain to them that there used to be punt returns, sacks, and tackles too.

I’m exaggerating…slightly.

But I really am uncomfortable with the way that the rule changes that happen every year send different messages about the game’s direction.  Perhaps as soon as we’re done discussing the CBA there should be a general conversation about the future of the game.If kick off returns are so dangerous, is it possible that they may eliminate punt returns next? PLEASE GOD NO! Hi Roger! Let’s chat about this. Call me.

Seriously though, some teams have invested in their special teams (the Browns being one example as well as the Bears who both voted against the rule) and if we’re going to talk about finances, it might be good for owners to talk about where the game is going before making rules that negate investments some of them have already made. Part of being a good business owner is planning. ZING!

On another note, it bothers me that the NFL refused to release any data on this issue. Football players are injured on any time play action takes place. I couldn’t begin to take a guess about whether kick off returners are being injured more often on returns than in other times they’re on the field.

The most notable return injuries last season weren’t a result of velocity rather awkward tackling and illegal hits such as what happened to Dez Bryant and Ellis Hobbs. Kick off return injuries are also more memorable than other types of injuries and without data, how do we know the NFL isn’t scapegoating?

That being said, many injuries on kickoff happen to other players-not the returners. And even without numbers you can assume that there’s a health benefit to the rule change (reduce contact, reduce injury, 2+2 = 4 and other complicated things of that nature).

Predictably, kickers around the league went to bed while visions of touchbacks danced in their heads.

Graham Gano:

“On kickoffs you do see a lot of big plays, a lot of big hits, and a lot of big touchdowns. I think it will affect that a whole lot. You’re gonna see guys who don’t have a strong leg putting it in the end zone, getting touchbacks, so that’s going to take away chances to get big returns. For us I think it’s going to help us out a lot.”

Jay Feely

“Personally, I’m very happy about it. I think all the veteran kickers are happy about it. I do think it will definitely take some excitement out of the game. It eliminates good returns from guys like LaRod (Stephens-Howling), Devin Hester, Leon Washington.”

Speaking of Hester and Washington, they had plenty to say, so did Josh Cribbs.

Devin Hester

“They’ve gone too far. They’re taking the whole fun out of the game,” Hester said. “The fans come out, especially in Chicago, to see returns. That’s one of our key assets to our team. Fans love our big returns. Not only do they kick it out of bounds when it’s time to punt the ball. But now they get this advantage on kickoffs where we felt we were guaranteed a kickoff return. Now you’re taking that away from our return game. The return game is out of the picture.”

Leon Washington

Oh they hating on me man. Come on now. You know I don’t like the rule. I’m sure sure Brad Smith and Devin Hester and Joshua Cribbs and the rest of those guys you know doing a good job returning the balls don’t like the rule. I mean it’s a part of the game that is really exciting. I think fans look forward to it because it’s an instant momentum change. You gotta think about it. It’s the first play of the game or the first play after halftime after the opposing teams scores, so it’s one of those things. I think the NFL is trying to figure out how can they minimize the injuries on the kickoff and kickoff return unit. Also like you said there might be some greed involved. I’m sure teams will try to adjust to it. I was telling my dad the other day you know it looks like there’s going to be a bunch of 109-yard kickoff returns because I plan on coming out of the end zone if that takes place.”

Josh Cribbs

“It’ll be a tremendous amount of touchbacks…They’re already kicking away from Devin Hester, myself, other guys and this will just make it over the top, like no kickoff returns.

“I guess I just have to get my punt game up until they change that. I just can’t fathom that other alternatives were not taken. What it does do is take a lot of the excitement out of the game, decreases the opportunity for guys like myself coming out of college to have an opportunity to play football because scouts won’t recruit guys like that anymore because they won’t need them.”

Just so you know, the Eagles, Browns, Jaguars, Bengals, Raiders, and Bears were the only teams to vote against the rule change.