God bless, u Jerry. Thank you for sharing all of your memories of you and your pops..

Maybe, I’ll do the same 1 day…

but not today. Today is for your father…

LANE KIFFIN INTERVIEW:
6-18-08
Raiders Head Coach Lane Kiffin: Tomorrow we go more to a team format and try to have fun with the guys, divide them up and let them play a little bit. I feel good about where were at right now as a team. We have a lot of work to do, but we have added some new guys who have been really good out here and they’ve made it much more competitive at each position. We’ll continue to stress to our guys about how important the next month is for them, to come back in shape, and so we can have a great training camp. As far as Javon Walker, I spoke to Javon this morning. He sounds really well and he’s doing well. He’ll be on a flight this evening back here.

Q: What’s Jake Grove’s prognosis? I assume he had surgery after the season last year, is he still rehabbing from that?
Coach Kiffin: Yes he is. Jake is doing extremely well with what he can do as far as the weight room and rehab. We have a lot of expectations for Jake to come right into this thing and battle for the starting spot; we’ll always look to play our best guys. He’s going to have a good opportunity and I know he’s looking forward to it.

Q: Is he a little bigger this year?
Coach Kiffin: He’s really done a great job in the weight room and his upper body has gotten a lot stronger. He’s stronger than he’s ever been since he’s been here. So I’m excited about it.

Q: Is there anybody you’re worried won’t be ready for Napa at this point?
Coach Kiffin: We’ll monitor [Tommy Kelly] and look at his progress, as we get closer. It could possibly be a one-a-day thing, but we’ll be ready to rock and roll.

Q: We see Cooper back out there, it’s one thing to have him on the sidelines but on the field he seems to bring a little extra energy. Is it nice to have him back out there, just to hear him?
Coach Kiffin: Yeah, it’s good. We’re giving him a shot on defense. The last thing I want to do is to cut ourselves short of a guy that could help us somewhere else. He’s not here just to play special teams, we’re giving him the shot to play defense and see how far he can take it.

Q: In terms of the energy…will he pick up a little where Warren Sapp left off? He’s somebody out there who keeps things agitated.
Coach Kiffin: Well, they are different, everybody is different from Warren, but he does bring a lot of energy. He’s done it in the meetings this whole off-season. It’s good to have him back out there.

Q: Is he cleared to do everything?
Coach Kiffin: Yeah, pretty much. We’ve basically put him in just about everything; we just monitor how much we do with him. He could actually play this week, if we were playing.

Q: How does Marques Tuiasosopo look?
Coach Kiffin: Really good. He’s done a great job, especially in moving the ball around and getting it to the right people. It feels like he’s been here for a long time. After tomorrow’s practice were going to sit down and look at everything and see if there are some different spots in other areas, we may move some people around. We’re happy with their progress right now and were not trying to figure out the depth chart right now. We’re just letting them play ball. It’s been good and it’s been good for Andrew [Walter], too.

Q: After going through a full year as head coach at the NFL level, are you going to change anything, tweak anything for training camp?
Coach Kiffin: Well, I don’t think that you change very much, but you can’t be stubborn. You always have to evaluate at the end of the season and through the off-season of what we did last season and what we can do to get better. We’ll always be looking to change and we’re trying to find a competitive edge. There are not a lot of wholesale changes, by any means, that we’re going to do. There are little things, here and there that we’ll continue to improve on that will put us in the best position to win.

Q: With JaMarcus [Russell], are there specific things, improvements you can see compared to a couple months ago?
Coach Kiffin: It’s everything really. Right now he’s really working so hard off the field as well as on the field. He’s done a great job, just like a lot of our other players.

Q: Do you coaches have time off? Do you have vacation?
Coach Kiffin: Yes, there is about a month there where there is some time where they’re in and some time where they’re off. It’s good for them to get right, and then get ready to go.

JAVON WALKER:
Damn, they never learn.
Something like this happened previously in J-dub’s life and he still went out to make it rain in Vegas. Where was his security?
Eh, I’m sorry, kid. We as fans don’t know the entire situation…

but damn..

I guess sometimes all you can do is pray for a quick recovery and hope he doesn’t flex nuts in the near future…….(yet, again..)
The following was the latest reported by the associated press:
LAS VEGAS — Oakland Raiders wide receiver Javon Walker remained hospitalized with a concussion and a battered face Tuesday, one day after he was beaten, robbed and left unconscious on a Las Vegas street after a night of partying.
Police said a large amount of cash and some jewelry were taken from Walker, who suffered “a moderate concussion and significant injuries to his face.”
Police Lt. Clinton Nichols said detectives are retracing Walker’s activities in the hours before he was found injured Monday morning on a street off the Las Vegas Strip.
“We don’t believe this is a random act,” Nichols told the San Francisco Chronicle, adding that police believe Walker was alone at the time of the attack. “They knew who he was and [Walker] presented a target.
“We did get a surveillance [video] of a vehicle and suspects that may have been involved. We know there were suspects, possibly two [but] we haven’t identified anyone yet.”
According to the Chronicle, Walker told police he had about $3,000 in cash and $100,000 in jewelry stolen. The jewelry included a watch, a necklace and earrings.
According to reports published Tuesday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Walker visited a nightclub, Tryst, at the Wynn Las Vegas resort on Saturday night. He spent Sunday night at another club, Body English at the Hard Rock hotel-casino, before leaving about 3:30 a.m…

yawn, is it pre season, yet????!?!?!!??!
peace,
-DR

What’s going on, Nation!?!?!
Practice news and notes coming your way from the Lord of the Sith…
Wow, it looks like Higgins has growns up, Harris is getting blown up and I’ve just thrown up from another 5 mile run! It’s hard work staying in shape in the off season..WHEW! At least I know my Raiders know of the same kind of pain as I work for progression.. (God, knows the crap I’d hear if I entered into the Coliseum as fatass Darth)

Enough about my crappy exercise plan!
Without further a due..more interviews!!!

Huggie Bear jr:

Q: What is it like to come in this year and know your role when in the past years you have been behind another guy or you are waiting to see how it shapes out?
RB Justin Fargas: It feels good and just having the experience from last year under my belt and coming into the same offense and knowing the opportunities are going to be there, I’m just looking forward to taking advantage of it.

Q: How is the knee? Is it 100 percent? Do you even think about it?
Fargas: No, I’m not thinking about it. I feel good.. my body feels good. Participating in the off season program and I feel in great shape.

Q: How does it feel to get out here with the whole team and see what you guys have?
Fargas: It’s great, having all the guys out, especially in our room, having a solid core of guys, we can all rotate in there and we don’t miss a beat. I’m the veteran of the group, so I want to take advantage of the opportunity to be a leader in the room and just help us get better as a group.

Q: What can you accomplish in this offense?
Fargas: There is a whole lot more to accomplish, especially in the wins and losses column, just being in the second year in this system, it is the best group of coaches I have been around, the best coaching I have received, I feel like I have been improving as a player under this system and I think the team is as well, so we are going to continue to keep working to get better.

Q: How difficult is it going to be on a team when they have to gear up for you, Michael (Bush), Darren (McFadden)?
Fargas: It’s going to be hard to scheme for, our run game just in the scheme itself is hard to defend, when the guys block they way they do up front and you have the runners that we do its going to be tough on the defense.

Q: How do you feel catching the ball out of the backfield? How important is that all of you guys can catch the ball out of the backfield?
Fargas: Well, in this system it’s big, especially just in the check-down game when things aren’t there downfield, they’re going to come down to the running backs, we are pretty comfortable and it’s something we continue to work on. Darren (McFadden) looks really good doing that and I think we are going to use him a lot in that way, but it’s an important part of our offense for the backs to be able to catch out of the backfield.

Q: When you look at the group around you, that’s a pretty good group of running backs.
Fargas: It’s definitely a solid corps, you can take any one of our guys and they can carry the load, we all complement each other and I think it will show when we get in game situations.

Q: What was your first impression of D-Mac when you saw him?
Fargas: He is fast, real fast. He is a speedy guy, from what I have seen in college he is a tough player and he is a smart player, in the classroom he is on top of his stuff so he is going to improve fast and he is really going to help our team.

Lane Train:
Q: First practice with everyone, what did you think?
Raiders Head Coach Lane Kiffin: I thought the guys had high energy out there and really came out, especially knowing that there was another practice coming this afternoon is not an easy thing to do, I thought our coaches did a good job of getting the players in the right mindset and the players responded and came out and didn’t approach it like it was a two-a-day. Watching it looked like it was a one-a-day practice, they gave everything in one practice. Now we will go back in and figure out a way to get them to do it again.

Q: How quickly has QB Marques Tuiasosopo picked things up?
Coach Kiffin: Last week was the players week off but he was in here every day with [quarterbacks coach John DeFilipo] learning the offense and catching up and was on the field conditioning. We didn’t give him very much today to be able to see him but it’s good to have him around, he has picked up the offense easily and the terminology is similar to offenses he has been in before.

Q: What’s the biggest difference for you going from year one to year two both as a head coach and also as a staff?
Coach Kiffin: Well, I think there are so many advantages that come with being in year two with your staff, for the most part we only made a few changes so we basically have the same staff back that we had last year. They have been able to work with each other on both sides of the ball and understand what they need to get from the other side, it’s very important those guys have a good relationship across the ball with each other, it allows them to get certain looks to help the defense and the other way around so I think it’s very positive.

Q: How about Darren McFadden making some nice moves out there, you had him lined up all over the place out there.
Coach Kiffin: Yeah, Darren is a tough thing to deal with in the sense that you don’t want to do to much with him but he is picking things up so fast and it’s coming so easy to him and sometimes you don’t know that, you research him so much but until you get him on the field, sometimes it takes guys longer to learn things, not just in the classroom but the way that their body picks it up and it is real easy for him right now, so I need to continue to monitor how much we are doing with him because we are doing a lot with him right now.

Q: Is your relationship with JaMarcus Russell important or does that get overplayed?
Coach Kiffin: Well, I think it’s important as a play-caller. I think there is some importance as a head coach but more as a play-caller so that when we are running plays out here today, in this environment when he has all of his guys, he understands this is why we just called this or in this instance right here you should have done this or this came up at Jacksonville, so I think it’s very important as a play-caller more than a head coach to have that relationship with the quarterback. You can always go back to the film but it is so much more powerful to do it right away.

Q: Has he given you any feedback on what he likes to do?
Coach Kiffin: A little bit, we’re really not in that phase yet, this is more of just throw everything at him get him to learn everything then go back to what does he want to do because he kind of doesn’t know yet, he knows what’s comfortable but until he gets more under his belt, and some preseason games he will have a better feel of personnel and the people around him and what he really wants to do but right now it is just more of putting everything on him and make him do everything.

Q: What’s his comfort level now?
Coach Kiffin: I think he is real comfortable right now, I think for guys that have been to a number of practices from last year to this year I would think that would be obvious, at least it is to me, he is a different physical person, the way he is physically, the way he can move around and his strength and his speed and he is different mentally because of his relationship with the players. Now he is the guy, there is no question mark, you are the starter and it’s your job to take this thing and run with it and he is doing fabulous right now.

Q: How far along are you with your training camp schedule? Are you still going to do the day/night practices like last year? Is there any difference this year since you don’t have NFL Europe exemptions? Are you going to hit less?
Coach Kiffin: We are not going to change the day/night format and [we won't have] two-a-days back to back, as we look at preseason, as we look at the beginning of the regular season there were not many injuries at all especially soft tissue injuries, so I think that really paid off a lot and I know our players felt fresh and we played well the first four games of the year. Basically seven Europe guys you aren’t going to have…I just think that changes the reps. I don’t think we are going to change practice.

Q: How about Greg Spires? He was really exploding out there
Coach Kiffin: Yeah, especially the last play, it came down to the last play of the series, best of five, the defense made a good comeback to make it 2-2 and he got off the ball and ran right by the right tackle, he looks very explosive and I’m glad for him that he has an opportunity. What he brings every day is valuable to us, the way he prepares, the way he practices, the way he understands the game.

stay sexy, Nation!
DR

What’s Good, notorious Nation!?!? Long time, no write!
Tui’s back on board? Sick, yo.. I just hope he makes the other Quarterbacks work harder. With Andrew Walter also on the roster, we have one of the most youthful and inexperienced QB squads in Oakland Raider history!
I guess the organization is thinking nothing but the best for Mr. JaMarcus Russell. This can only mean the Coaches are seeing something special from JAM during the off season.
Even Coach Kiffin says we’re seeing a different kind of Quarterback in JR from recent practices from this year to last.
I just hope his progression carries over to the 2008 regular season.
I’m sure all eyes will be on our sophomore QB this up and coming Pre Season…the Lord of the Sith can’t wait!!!!
Thank the heavens and the force for the NFL network.

Can some one tell me what the SWARCO Raiders are?
Well, they’re in the playoffs! YEY!!

..and now what you all have been waiting for…
MORE interviews!

Coach Kiffin: It has been exciting to have the rookies back and obviously RB Darren McFadden is a headliner there working with QB JaMarcus Russell. We have a long ways to go working with those two on working them together but it’s been good to have them together and I think they’ve hit it off pretty well. We are just going to keep incorporating Darren as much as we can into our gameplan and keep throwing more stuff at him. He’s doing a phenomenal job mentally being able to handle it and physically it seems to be easy on him.

Q: What have you managed to get accomplished the last three weeks with the rookie mini-camp and two weeks of OTAs?
Coach Kiffin: I think our guys are really coming together, there are so many new pieces especially offensively, there are so many new guys and new spots that we don’t even know who the starters are going to be necessarily. Anytime you have a quarterback who is close to being a rookie, having not played very much last year, you can never have enough practices. I think we are moving in the right direction with the new pieces on defense, the front-liners; they are working really well together.

Q: How is JaMarcus throwing the ball to running backs right now? Does it come natural or does he need to work on that?
Coach Kiffin: Well, that’s where we have to get him, get into that 65 percent completion [percentage] and you don’t get that by throwing the ball all the time downfield. There are times where you need to stretch the field but he has got to know when those are, especially this week, even better than the week before, his completion percentage in using his backs and tight ends instead of forcing things.

Q: I see him talking to players a lot more this year than he was last year at this point. Do you see more of that out of him?
Coach Kiffin: No doubt. In his leadership role, I like that he hasn’t tried to fake it and he has let it come naturally and been smooth into it. He did it before he got on the field, he did it by what he did this off-season. By showing up in shape, his weight the way it is and they way he is working out and lifting with the guys. We all see this (football) out here, but there are hours and hours they spend lifting in the weight room and running together and meetings. You can see the players start to come alive around him as well.

Q: You mentioned before about having two safeties that can [alternate free and strong]. Can you comment on that?
Coach Kiffin: I think anytime that you have guys that can play multiple positions it is going to help you regardless if it is defensive tackles who can play nose or three-technique or running backs who can play both or receivers who can play split end and flanker. That does give you versatility with that. I like where we are at as far as experimenting with them, Michael Huff and Gibril Wilson.

Q: What are you hoping to get done with the upcoming mandatory camp with the full team?
Coach Kiffin: Yeah, it’s not a whole lot different. The practice isn’t much different from what we are doing except that we will have two during the day. We don’t really change a lot except that they will be doing two-a-day practices. This week coming up they have off so it’s very important for them to stay in shape, take care of themselves because you will notice the guys who don’t quickly when it comes to two a days.

Oakland Raiders Safety, Gibril Wilson:
Q: Can your break down for us how often you played free safety with the New York Giants?
Wilson: Nowadays the safety position has to very interchangeable, there were at times where I was at strong and then there was a time I was at free, but the majority of the time last year I played free but in the past I have played both positions.

Q: Can you talk about the wear on the body playing up closer to the line?
Wilson: The strong safety position is just a very physical position, your shoulders and stuff like that, but if you keep those fit everything will be all right.

Q: Does that suit your game well?
Wilson: Yeah, I think what I bring is my physical presence, being in the box, I’m used to being the box so it doesn’t really matter to me.

Q: How much does that help your all around game?
Wilson: I think it helped a lot. They had me playing the middle of the field more, so I think doing both and having experience in both helped me out.

Q: [After being] on a team that had that run, what now can you bring here?
Wilson: Like I was telling some of the guys, being in the Super Bowl and winning the Super Bowl is probably the greatest feeling, outside of having your kids, just having that experience being there sharing that with them, I mean this is what we play for. Once everybody realizes the goal and works hard to get there we will be all right.

Q: Did you have to add on any weight?
Wilson: I’m comfortable with what I’m at right now, I’m at like 210. I just want bring that physical presence, whenever I think of the Raiders I always think of a physical, physical football team, and that’s what I’m going to do my best to bring back. All I’m bringing is physicality, I pride myself on being one of those guys that is going to make the difficult tackle and going to get guys down, that is what I’m doing my best to bring.

Q: How does it feel to be home and does that help the transition?
Wilson: It feels good to be home, being 30 minutes from where I grew up is always good. Does it help the situation? A little bit but I got all these people, all these old friends calling me now, so I have to deal with that.

Q: Have you and Michael Huff been able to help each other?
Wilson: Yeah definitely, we’re going to complement each other very nicely, like I was telling him, there is no time, there is not a play where we shouldn’t talk before the actual snap of the ball. We need to be on the same page, we need to know what each other is thinking, and the disguise and everything and not giving away the defense and everything like that so I think we’ll be great together.

have a great week, Raidah fans!!!
-DR

Congratulations on getting married, Robert Gallery! Hope the new ball and chain doesn’t weigh you down too much…you’re too soft as it is!! (ouch)
D.Burgess was also out of practice due to laziness. Hey, I’m not complaining…but…c’mon maaaan..TEAM UNITY!!
Screw it, as long as his sack total increases….

It seems like the rest of the guys are hard at work in the sun, practicing in the heat, studying film and looking over new plays for the up and coming season.
I can’t help but to listen to even more Camp chatter…can you???

JAM CHATTER:
Q: How much better off are you in terms of your conditioning?
Russell: From this time to last year, I’m 100 percent better, I feel a lot better and I can move a lot better.

Q: How do you like your new receivers, Javon Walker and Drew Carter?
Russell: You know, they’re good, we all have a few things to work on together but at the same time you can tell those guys are playmakers.

Q: It looked like there was a lot of safe plays and safe reads, is that kind of the way you see it going?
Russell: As of right now, coach wants us to get moving, once we get deeper in practice more things will come out. That’s what we feel like going with so that’s what we did out there today.

Q: Do you see that as helping your development or do you see that as just football?
Russell: That’s football. That’s is why we have practices, to continue to come out and better yourself.

Q: Did you hear those ridiculous rumors of you ballooning up to 300 pounds and if you did, what did you make of that?
Russell: It was funny to me and most my family, my grandmother took it hard, but at the same time I think it’s all fun and jokes, just a reason to get better and just keep myself in shape.

Q: Are you looking forward to working with Darren McFadden?
Russell: Yeah, I can’t wait for him to get here, I played against him, going against me and the rest of my teammates at LSU, it’s going to be a lot of fun having him as a teammate, I have seen him do numerous things on the field and just can’t wait to be a part of it.

Q: Does it feel like your team yet, or is it still in the process?
Russell: From the way things are going and being a young guy and having a lot of young guys looking up to you, I really do feel that way. It’s going to take a lot of guys to help me out to help me be that leader that I need to be and once that time comes I think we will all really bond together as a team and really come together.

Q: What are your responsibilities as a leader in terms of practice and in terms of workouts? What do you got to do to show that you are deserving to be the leader so to speak?
Russell: I’m not really a loud talking kind of guy, but I try to lead by example and show guys the way I can do it and let them do it as well.

Q: Talk about being out here with the guys and the heat. Is this what you thought training camp was going to be like?
Russell: Oh man, this ain’t nothing, you get breeze out here. I’ve been in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. You don’t get a breeze, it’s real humid out there, 110 degrees, real humid, with pads on, Saturday scrimmage practice, so I’ve been through it all.

Q: How do you look at that challenge in terms of getting things the way you want them to be?
Russell: It’s going to take time; everything doesn’t get better in one day.

LANE TRAIN TALK:
Raiders Head Coach Lane Kiffin: After our first week of three practices of OTA days, I’m very pleased with our attendance. I’m pleased with the attendance, pleased with the effort, we’re really focused this week because we get 15 more new guys next week so this week our guys have the most reps they are going to get before the rookies get here. We really feel good about JaMarcus’ week, the way he is throwing the ball, we’re going to continue to build off that.

Q: Can you talk about what you have seen with JaMarcus?
Coach Kiffin: Yeah, that’s where I went right away, we feel really good about JaMarcus’ [conditioning] and the way he is throwing the ball, now we have to get all the pieces around him to come together with him. Working together in the OTA days is as important as anything out here, getting that chemistry going

Q: How far has JaMarcus come learning the offense?
Coach Kiffin: Well, it never ends so I never know how far he has to go. He can always keep improving, but he has done a really good job, he has spent more hours than anybody on our team over the last two months getting ready for this and were very pleased.

Q: Do you see a difference in his presence? The way he carries himself?
Coach Kiffin: It is night and day, the confidence factor out here and the way he feels about his body, he has been around these guys the whole time working out and running with them. He looks completely different.

Q: It looks like there are a couple of job openings at wide receiver?
Coach Kiffin: Yeah there are a lot of openings, were moving people around giving guys a lot of chances and a lot opportunities, we get two more guys next week coming back that were here last week so it will be a good competition.

Q: Do you try and make JaMarcus to be an all around quarterback, or do you at first make him an efficient, mistake-free guy and then sort of work in more daring things?
Coach Kiffin: Were throwing a lot at him right now, letting him make those mistakes right now and as we get closer, we will go back to exactly what he will do in order on game day but right now were taking a lot of chances with him to see what he can do and so he can make those mistakes right now.

Q: As far as JaMarcus, how different is he now than he was when you first got him here last year, mentally more so than physically?
Coach Kiffin: His confidence level is so much different. He knows his team, he knows his teammates. He has a different presence about him, instead of being in the huddle and just trying to get the play call out and getting to the line of scrimmage, he is giving reminders in there and he is way more comfortable than he was before.

Q: How has Gibril Wilson been doing?
Coach Kiffin: Good, really good. Even though we don’t have the pads on out here, his physicality flashes at times. We really think he is going to be able to help us, especially in the run game as well as the pass game.

Q: JaMarcus says he feels better off having had those games last year even when he didn’t play well. Explain why that is important to go through that and why maybe this year it will help him.
Coach Kiffin: Well I think first of all, he is going to have a bad game, so he got to do that in Jacksonville and come back from that. Instead of it being his first time next year, he knows things are going to happen.

Let’s just hope those kind of things don’t “happen” very often THIS SEASON…

Stay Frosty, Nation
-DR

Times like these I’m glad I’m into other sports..(how dare you not pay attention to the NBA playoffs..)

Behold, it’s day 1 billion of the off season and the draft has ended, now what???
The Nation falls back into slumber, works out during the Summer, takes a vacation and goes back into hibernation until once again the time calls for cheering on the Silver and Black at the beautiful Oakland Coliseum..
unless, of course..you’re a die hard.
I’m guessing if you’re reading these blogs, daily Oakland Tribune stories or Jerry M’s takes, you are MORE than qualified to be titled as such.
I mean, it’s not like you need a Darth Vader mask, Skull belt and cape to represent your team..

So what’s the latest and greatest info that a Die Hard Oakland Raider fan needs to know???

Anyone for May Mini camp interviews?

MICHAEL BUSH
Q: Was it awkward being in the rookie mini-camp a year after you were drafted?
Michael Bush: Yes, it’s awkward but at the same time I love it. I have been out of football. I am just happy to be out there doing football plays and getting out there running around and showing everybody that I am healthy and showing the coaches that I am fine and ready to play.
Q: What kind of situation do you think you are in because they just drafted a running back and Justin Fargas just signed a long-term deal?
Michael Bush: Nowadays the league is doing two backs or rotating three backs sometimes and we still got Justin Fargas there. Right now I have really been worried about myself.
Q: Compare this situation to the one Fargas was in last year when he was sort of under the radar. They had LaMont Jordan and Dominic Rhodes and all of a sudden he ends up being the guy. Do you take something from the way Justin handled his business last year?
Michael Bush: I’ve actually talked to Justin about it. He said, “It’s okay. Just hang in there.” I wasn’t really nervous about not playing, I was worrying about where I would stand in an offensive standpoint. Things happen.
Q: Have you been told by the coach what your role is going to be?
Michael Bush: No, I haven’t been told. Right now I am just worried about getting the playbook down and just getting out there and running around and getting as much knowledge of the game as I can.
Q: How is the leg and is it 100 percent? If so, what was the time line on a full recovery?
Michael Bush: The leg has been 100 percent for a while. Last year I was ready to play. I practiced with them for three weeks when was on the PUP list. I haven’t had any problems out of it or don’t feel anything from it. Sometimes I don’t even notice that it was broken except for this large knot that I have on it. Other than that I am fine.
Q: How hard was it last year when you found out that you weren’t going to play?
Michael Bush: It was tough but at the same time by the time they told me I wasn’t playing the season was just about over. I was just happy I was able to stick around and get more of a chip on my shoulder for this year to come out and play and show them what I can do.
Q: Do you think this could have been a blessing in disguise?
Michael Bush: I think so. Maybe something else may have happened if they did play me but I feel like I saved my body for another year. I’m just looking forward to this year.
Q: You said that even after they drafted Darren (McFadden) that you are still happy with your situation. Why are you still happy?
Michael Bush: I think the coaches still know what I can bring to the table as well. I’ve never doubted myself at any point. As far as the team, they brought in the best guy on the board at the time. It’s good because it also helps us out as a winning team. Any time you bring in new guys that help our team is good I think.
Q: What were your impressions of Darren at practice yesterday?
Michael Bush: He looks good and fast. He has that speed and quickness, he has good hands and he’s a good guy too. Just talking to him, he’s like myself, kind of quiet but we’re starting to talk a little more. All the rookies come in kind of shy and worried about what’s going on but he’s a good guy too.
Q: You spent most of last year either working by yourself or with two or three other guys that were in rehab while your team practiced right next to you. How hard was that mentally and were there any low points throughout that process?
Michael Bush: No, because I was still doing something that I loved to do. To me, I was training, basically, to one day get on the field. There weren’t any low points. I was out there focusing on my conditioning, trying to get right in every aspect of the game as far as quickness and speed. I was still in the meeting rooms as well. Just being in the locker room with the guys was kind of cool as well.
Q: Does McFadden’s versatility make it more challenging for other teams to game plan against you?
Michael Bush: Yeah, it makes it harder for defenses to prepare for our offense. We can finesse you, pound you. He (McFadden) can use his speed outside and catch a ball and also get in the backfield and use his speed to get around the corner. That’s a good thing that he is on our side and everyone is going to have to prepare for us.
Q: Are you enjoying yourself, running plays and playing football? How eager are you to get in a real game?
Michael Bush: I’ve been telling people that my season starts the first pre-season game. It’s been a long haul for me, just sitting out and not being able to do something you love. Just going out there and being with the team, in the huddles, it’s just exciting to me right now.

RUN DMC!!!
Q: What was it like yesterday getting out there and seeing some action?
McFadden: It was great being able to get back out there on the field, been doing a lot of working out just on your own and stuff, being able to get out there and run plays and be around teammates and just get to know everyone is a great deal.
Q: How are they accepting you, with open arms or keeping their distance?
McFadden: I feel like they are accepting me with open arms, anything I needed help with they have been helping out and that’s something I have been looking forward to being able to get out here and get going in full blast.
Q: What is your impression of Lane Kiffin?
McFadden: I feel like he is a great coach, he tries to use his players and move them around a bit, I feel like it is something he may try with me.
Q: What was your first thought when you saw the playbook?
McFadden: They hand you a playbook with pens and highlighters with a notebook to take notes, that’s something you don’t get in college, if you want to take notes you have to come with your own stuff, so I knew it was serious once they handed the playbook like that.
Q: Do you feel having a shared duties fits you well?
McFadden: I feel like something like that will help out in the NFL system because it is hard for a guy to go out there and go every down, it is hard on the running back, especially in the NFL. You have linebackers and defensive ends running 4.4’s so being able to have a fresh guy will help the team out a whole lot.
Q: Did you have set series at Arkansas that you knew before the game, how did that work?
McFadden: Coach would just rotate us on certain plays, sometimes we just go out there and when one of feel like were gassed, we just tell the other one to come in.
Q: Were you ever on the field together?
McFadden: Yes sir, we were on the field together several times, we had a formation that we ran called the Wildcat, which put us both back there, I was the quarterback and Felix was a lot of times the slot receiver.
Q: Did they tend to run the same running plays for you and for Felix as opposed to having some that you were better at and some he was better at?
McFadden: I think we switched it up a whole lot, it just depended on who we were playing against and the type of defense they were running.
Q : Have you been able to meet [Raiders Owner] Al Davis the last few days?
McFadden: Yes sir, I got to meet him when I came out on my visit when I was getting drafted and then I met him when I came out for my press conference Sunday after the draft.
Q: Impressions of him?
McFadden: He is a great guy, he has been around for a long time, he has a lot of history and you can tell he is very passionate for the game still.
Q: How different is the playbook from college?
McFadden: There are some similarities, you just have to learn their verbiage and how they decide to call it out, but I feel like it’s is pretty similar but it’s still a lot I have to learn.
Q: What are you going over in your team meetings?
McFadden: They were putting offensive plays in right off the bat, so when we came out for Friday practice we’d be ready.
Q: Lane Kiffin says he doesn’t want to throw everything at you [at once]. Would you like everything thrown at you?
McFadden: For me, I’d say I’d like it because I’m a competitor. But at the same time, it’s good to get a few things so that you can understand and get the concept of. Once you get the concepts of the first part of it, it’s a lot easier to catch on to the rest of it when they throw it at you.
Q: How much are they throwing at you right now?
McFadden: I don’t feel like they threw too much at me right now. Basic running plays and pass protection is just something I’m trying to catch on to right now.

The Die hards can’t wait for more…
Yo, Pumpkin!! Happy Madres day!

ps Can you believe they already have #20 McFadden Jerseys on sale??? Let’s just hope this 1st rounder comes to camp on time!!!!

For those of you who are wondering, my draft day went something like this..

“What up, foo?”
“I’d knew you’d call..I mean really, it’s about damn time!!”
“Hey, man, I had to play Basketball earlier this morning..so who’d we-”
“364 F$##@$ other days you can play ball and you choose THIS day..”
“Shut the hell up! You know my fitness is more important than a few minutes of-”
“I can’t believe you just said that…364 days!!! What, you need me for more insight on your infamous stupid blog!?!?!!”
“WILL U SHUT THE HELL UP AND TELL ME WHO WE PICKED???”
“Nah, man, I’m not telling you..”
“You’ve GOT to be F##@^ing kidding me.This is so F%^&ing wrong..”
“Knowing who you are, you SHOULD be watching this sh-”
“CHRIS LONG!!! We got Chris Long!!!”
“If you read the correct reports, you’d know that foo would be gone by pick #4!”
“Shut the hell-…Mcfadden!!?!?!!”
“Hmm..should I tell ya?”
“Son of a Beeaa..”
“We got Mcfadden…”

The man on the other end of the cel was my good friend, Master Chad. We’ve known each other since High school and has better insight than most of the Oakland Raider fans on the planet.
He’s actually worked with Raiders a while back and has the gift of having Coaches eyes.
That means while you’re looking at a JaMarcus Russell TD pass..
he’s looking at the blocking from the entire line..
While you’re seeing a man open..
He’s seeing the Quarterback pressured..
While you’re watching the Defensive line not penetrating..
He’s watching the Offensive line holding.
I’d like to say I have the same talent, but the truth is, it’s harder to see what he saw with a 105 degree helmet on your head.
Ha! He’ll probably say that’s no excuse….shut up, foo.

The point of all of this jabber is this;
I’m hoping you all have a friend like this to answer all of your sports questions you need to know on a regular basis.
No, I will not miss your ass if you move to New Jersey, bitch…
only Kay and Jonah.

Soooo… is he a good pick? You can’t really say he wasn’t. I mean if you see his profile and read all of the interviews, you’d know this guy is a playmaker. If you need to know more, hey check his 2007 profile, son…

Before the 2007 season, McFadden was believed to be one of the top NFL draft picks after the 2007 season if he declared for the 2008 NFL Draft. In Sports Illustrated’s website, a photo gallery chronicling the best possible candidates in the 2008 draft was tipped as the number 1 pick. McFadden was also predicted to be a front-runner for many awards, including the Doak Walker, the Maxwell, the Walter Camp Player of the Year, and the Heisman.
McFadden began the 2007 season with five consecutive games in which he gained at least 120 yards. Highlighting these were a 195 yard effort against Alabama, a 151 yard game against Troy, and a 173 yard effort against Kentucky. After this stretch of games, McFadden looked to be a lock for the Heisman trophy, at the top of generally every watch list. But in the next three weeks, McFadden tallied only 43, 110, and 61 yards against Auburn, Ole Miss, and Florida International, respectively. After these three games, McFadden had gone from being at the top of the lists, to near the bottom, or in some cases, off.
On November 3, 2007, McFadden tied the Southeastern Conference single-game rushing record (Frank Mordica, Vanderbilt, 1978 vs. Air Force) with 321 yards rushing against the South Carolina. An 80 yard run highlighted McFadden’s day, as well as preserved the Arkansas win.
The next two weeks, McFadden rushed for 117 yards in a loss to Tennessee and 88 yards in a win against Mississippi State.
On November 23, 2007, McFadden led Arkansas to a 50-48 triple overtime victory over the #1 ranked LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, winning the Battle for the Golden Boot for Arkansas. McFadden rushed 32 times for 206 yards and 3 TD’s, and completed 3 of 6 pass attempts for 34 yards, also throwing a touchdown to Peyton Hillis. The Wildhog formation was key for McFadden and the Hogs, as the majority of McFadden’s yards came when he received the snap.
By any measure, McFadden’s 2007 season was a success: McFadden was selected as the Sporting News magazine National Player of the Year, was a consensus 1st Team All-American for the second straight season, won the Doak Walker Award for the second year in a row (only the second person to ever win it twice, Ricky Williams of Texas), was selected as the SEC Offensive Player of the Year by SEC coaches, and he was also awarded the Walter Camp Award (given to the nation’s best overall player).
McFadden is second all-time in career rushing yards in the SEC behind only Herschel Walker of Georgia (5,259), and is also currently holds seventh place for the SEC career record touchdowns with 40. McFadden has 1,829 yards rushing on 325 carries and 16 TD’s, plus he has thrown for 4 TD’s, and has 1 TD reception. He leads the SEC and is third in the nation in rushing yards.
On December 6, 2007, McFadden was announced as the winner of the Walter Camp Award and as the winner of the Doak Walker Award. He became only the second person (along with Ricky Williams) in history to win the Doak Walker Award twice. McFadden finished as the runner-up for the 2007 Heisman Trophy for the second year in a row. He was runner-up to Tim Tebo of the Florida Gators, making him the first person since 1949 to finish second in Heisman voting in consecutive years. Additionally, he was, for the second consecutive season, a consensus All-America selection.

He is the most decorated player in school history, and holds virtually all of the universities rushing records, and is also in a number of the SEC’s all-time top 10 rushing spots. After Arkansas lost 38-7 to Missouri (and fellow 2007 Heisman finalist QB Chase Daniel) in the January 1, 2008 Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas, McFadden decided to forgo his senior season and declare for the 2008 NFL Draft on January 14, 2007…
and here we are.
Wow, 4,589 total yards in 3 years….not bad.

Yeah, I know a lot of you wanted Dorsey. Although, if the Coaches think Kelly will be better at this position..
then I think so…
as…uh… well???
Reassure me, Lane Train!!!

Kiffin: It wasn’t only because the position. As you look at Glenn, he’s going to be a great three-technique in this league. To take a guy fourth overall and put him at nose with Tommy Kelly already there at three-technique just doesn’t make very much sense to do. To pay a guy what you’re going to pay a guy in the fourth slot and move him to nose, which isn’t even his natural position, it’s just too hard of a switch to do. Glenn’s a great player. I actually was hoping he wasn’t going right after us so we’ve got to play him twice a year. I was hoping he’d go somewhere else. It just didn’t make sense.

Only time will tell who made the right decision…
us or KC?
May the force be with us….

DR

Darth’s Turn..
I’m not as good as selecting as the rest of the media, but here are my best guesses on the top 10 players selected in the 2008 NFL draft….
(Who really cares for the rest of ‘em? I’m actually going back to bed after the 4th pick..)

1. Miami Dolphins–OT Jake Long, Michigan.
Easy call…or is it? HE’S GETTING TRADED??? Can’t they keep anyone?!?!? snicker..

2. St. Louis Rams–DT Glenn Dorsey, LSU.
I agree and I’m sure the world agrees….. the best defensive player on the board.

3. Atlanta Falcons–QB Matt Ryan, Boston College
Vick plays with dogs, so they need a replacement.

4. Oakland Raiders–DE Chris Long, Virginia.
I also believe if Dorsey or Long are selected by this time, we’re going to go with McFadden…The reason for this is clear. Al Davis LOVES the guy and told many people the exact same thing. Trade Bait? Perhaps….but only if we can get a D-linemen out of it.
BTW.. love the nickname: RUN DMC.

5. Kansas City Chiefs–G-T Branden Albert, Virginia.
More of a wall to help the bastard which is; Larry Johnson.

6. New York Jets–RB Darren McFadden, Arkansas.
PARTY TIME IN NYC! Hope he doesn’t make the same mistakes as Donald Strickland, a reserve defensive back for the 49ers, was arrested earlier this month in downtown San Jose on suspicion of being drunk in public. HAHAHHAAHHAHAHAAA!

7. New England Patriots–CB Leodis McKelvin, Troy
Asante Samuel gone..they address their need.

8. Baltimore Ravens– CB Dominique Rodgers, Tennessee State
They’ll always have a great D in my mind. This move makes them even stronger.

9. Cincinnati Bengals–DT Sedrick Ellis, USC
Don’t be surprised if the Raiders take Mr Ellis, if we trade down.

10. New Orleans Saints–WR Devin Thomas, Michigan State
Improving their Offense. I believe this team will bounce back from hell this year.

YAWN!!!!!!
back to my slumber….WHAT?!?!?! I’m playing Basketball this afernoon? Damn you gut, for giving me the inspiration!!!
Holla at ya again soon, Nation..
DR

Whatup Nation???!?!
Pop Quiz, Hotshot! So if YOU were given the choice to offer your #4 overall pick for Mr. Ocho Cinco OR get a quality Defensive linemen in the draft, what would you do???
WHAT DO YOU DO????!?!??!??
This question keeps boggling Darth’s mind. Maybe Cincinnati will take the bait…
or not.
Apparently, the unhappy Chad Johnson story is not going away…..

Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson left no room for doubt Wednesday: He wants out of Cincinnati as fast as possible and he doesn’t plan on reporting for any future Bengal function — mandatory or voluntary.
What spurred Johnson’s immediate reaction was a statement made by quarterback Carson Palmer that indicated Johnson had told Palmer he would be at the team’s mandatory minicamp in mid-June. Johnson said that wasn’t true.
“I want to make this very clear,” Johnson said Wednesday. “I don’t know where he got that. I made no assertion to Carson that I would do that. Nothing has changed from what I’ve been saying for three months that I don’t want to play for the Bengals.”
Johnson made one of his strongest statements in saying he is not planning on reporting to any team functions because he wants to be traded.
“I want to be traded before the draft, and if that doesn’t happen, I want to be traded as soon as possible,” Johnson said. “I don’t intend on reporting to anything.”
The Bengals said they have no comment in response to Johnson’s statements. A team spokesman pointed to coach Marvin Lewis’ statement at the owners meeting that he has fully discussed the Johnson situation and didn’t feel it was productive to talk about it again.
Johnson is skipping the team’s offseason workouts as he tries to push for a trade. But the Bengals have also made it clear that they have no plans of trading him.
Lewis has said repeatedly that the team has no plans to deal Johnson, despite the wide receiver making the rounds of radio and television talk shows to voice his displeasure about his situation in Cincinnati.
In a February interview with Jim Rome, Johnson said he felt he was being blamed for the Bengals’ problems and disappointing showing last season.
“I’m not allowed to say. I get the blame; the so-called best player, I’m the problem,” he said. “Someone in-house is spreading this. Maybe they want me to quiet down [and] stop being me. That is not going to happen. I can’t function that way. I tried it. It sucked. There was no excitement.”
Last month, on ESPN’s First Take, Johnson again hinted at wanting a trade.
“I want to continue my career wherever I have the opportunity to win a playoff game and get to the Super Bowl. That’s where I want to be,” he said.
Wednesday, the Pro Bowl wide receiver said he was surprised by Palmer’s comments about his possibly reporting to mandatory camp.
“I wish he would stay out of my business,” Johnson said.
Damn, it’s getting ugly in Cinci..
Peace,
DR

There’s nothing like a peaceful Sunday.

No one is mowing the lawn outside..
no one is in the house….
God turns on the mute button…
birds actually fly to the window..
the Warrior game is on..
I’m not thinking about my team losing..
and the Raiders open with Denver on Monday night.

A cool breeze comes from the window..
I tear up bacon, eggs and tots..
I enjoy the hangover healing icy Gatorade..(my all time personal favorite remedy for anything)
i remember Chris Rock jokes from the other night..
and we open the pre-season with hosting the 49ers..

The bed is still warm..
the Sun finally shows..
I get calls from friends..
the cat jumps on the couch..
my headache is gone..
and Lane Kiffin cleared up his status with the Oakland Raiders.

Yeah, I still remember at least a dozen writers and two dozen fans shouting in their own meaningless way of words
“He will NOT coach again for your team in 2008! Trust me!”
My response was always the same..
“..If you don’t have personal chats with Lane or Al??
..just shut the hell up..”

Nation, it feels so damn good to have dreams in April.
I dream about the draft..
I dream about Javon Walker proving to his former team that he’s still worth a damn on Monday night..
I dream about JaMarcus progressing as a leader, not a Rookie..
I dream about several interceptions from Nnamdi and D-Hall..
I dream about sacks from Burgess Burger and Captain Kirk..
I dream about Justin breaking his own personal best rushing record..
and the world just makes sense.

BTW..
Can someone tell me when Vernon Gholston became relevant to the conversation regarding the draft?
I swear I turn off the tube for a wee bit and I miss something..
someone turn on NFL Network for me, damnit!!!!

VERNON GHOLSTON NOTES
Vernon Gholston is a remarkable talent, but he’s only just begun realizing his vast potential.
He never picked up a football until his sophomore year in high school and had just one season of defensive experience as a linebacker before being converted to defensive end when he arrived at Ohio State.
Blessed with incredible speed (clocked at 4.56 in the 40-yard dash), long limbs and superb strength, Gholston is the prototype pass rusher that professional teams look for — big, fast, strong and explosive. An avid performer in the weight room, he boasted the best bench press on the team at 455 pounds. He also put on an impressive performance for teammates, squatting 405 pounds 20 times.
In 2007, Gholston earned All-American recognition and was a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award, given to the nation’s top defensive end. He posted 37 tackles (25 solo) and was a terror in the backfield, ranking eighth in the nation with 15.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage and second nationally with 14 sacks. He also scooped up a fumble and returned it for a 25-yard touchdown.
In 34 games at Ohio State, Gholston started 25 times. He registered 87 tackles (47 solo) with 22.5 sacks for minus-184 yards and 30.5 stops for losses of 199 yards. He had two pass deflections and an eight-yard interception return, as he also recovered a fumble that he returned 25 yards for a touchdown.

On top of it all, he’s one of the few who got past the beast which is Jake Long..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yot9ClPvZDg

Perhaps I’m not seeing enough with this damn mask on..
ahhh, that’s better.
Have a great week, Nation.
I hope you’re enjoying YOUR Serenity Sunday as well…
-DR

Don’t worry Jerry, I’ll have enough faith for the both of us..
Speaking as a fan, I will ride that thing called faith for a damn near eternity..
Sure, it’s been rough for many years..but the honest truth is; even if the Raiders had yet another bad year (Heaven and forces forbid), I’d still be there after every game, in the northern End Zone (Dark Side), trying to figure out a way how we can and will improve our situation.
I would also keep telling myself to remember to party like it’s New Years, my Birthday and Christmas combined when the Raiders finally make it back to the Playoffs again. Life is now too short.
I would think about how much progress we have made over the past couple years and be thankful I’m not a die hard Dolphins fan.
What awful colors….
I would also realize again that there are still several teams without a Super bowl trophy in their history (including San Diego(:) while my team holds 3.
You know what, guys? Today I’m feeling optimistic. It’s going to happen. We are going to make it to the Playoffs this year.
I usually don’t like to look at the schedule very much, but when I do, I feel VERY positive.
The Falcons? a Win! The Panthers? Win! The Jets,Saints and Texans? WINS! Patriots at home? WIN!!
Ok, maybe I better just settle down a bit. I’ve been drinking “Raiderade” for far too long….so have the most of you.

If we can actually acquire more wins this year, the reason will be due to the progress of our former #1 pick.
I actually saw Mr. JaMarcus Russell at the Warrior/Laker game Monday and he looked great. Whoever told the media the guy was pushing over 300 was an idiot. The guy has been generally big since he was a teenager.
The true question is will he be ready for the trials and tribulations that come from being a true leader.
” I will be a leader on the field. If I do my best, I know that rubs off on everybody else. I know if I work as hard as I can, anything is possible.” -JR
That little tag was displayed on the season ticket holder folder every seat owner gets about this time.
I just hope he practices what he preaches, Nation.

Anyone thirsty for more Chris Long information? “And with the 4th pick, the Raiders receive…???”

2007 HIGHLIGHTS:
• Had his jersey retired prior to his final home game against Virginia Tech
• Selected the ACC Defensive Player of the Year
• First-Team All-Atlantic Coast Conference
• Dominating presence on the nation’s No. 17 defense (22nd against the run)
• Third on the team in tackling with an average of 6.3 tpg
• 14 sacks are tied for third in UVa history
• Has been in on 21 tackles for loss (17 solo, 4 assist), tied for the most in school history (Please note: Virginia credits 1 TFL whether solo or assisted, his NCAA total is 19.0)
• Finished with seven tackles, including two sacks, against Wyoming in the season opener
• Had six QB pressures vs. the Cowboys, the second-highest total of his career
• In the win over Duke he shared the team lead with eight tackles and had two sacks for the second game in a row
• Also had three QB pressures vs. the Blue Devils
• Made four tackles vs. North Carolina, including a sack for the third straight game
• Intercepted a pass early in the fourth quarter to set up what ultimately became UVa’s game-winning field goal in a 22-20 win
• Led the team with nine tackles in the win over Georgia Tech, the third-highest total of his career
• He also had a sack for the fourth straight game and broke up three passes, a career high
• Big effort vs. Middle Tennessee with five tackles, including two for loss
• Blocked a field goal in the second quarter that was important in UVa’s two-point win
• Four tackles, including a sack, and a caused fumble vs. UConn
• Tremendous effort in the 18-17 come-from-behind road win over Maryland
• Tied his career high with 10 tackles and was named the ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week
• Was in on five tackles for loss (two solo, three assists), including two sacks
• Big sack for a safety in the third quarter that proved to be the difference in the one-point victory
• Made five tackles, including one sack, vs. NC State on Oct. 27
• Equaled his career high with 10 tackles in the win over reigning ACC champion Wake Forest on Nov. 3 and received the ACC’s Defensive Lineman of the Week for the second time in three weeks
• Six tackles, including two sacks, vs. Virginia Tech in his final home game

Keep it shiny and dark..
-DR