Chatter 2
By Charles Ybarra
Friday, May 16th, 2008 at 1:31 pm in Oakland Raiders.
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
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May 17th, 2008 at 10:38 am
Thanks for the “Chatter” DR. Everyday I check this stuff. Cant wait till Monday nites kickoff against the DONKEYS !! Give Shanahan a taste of DMAC !!!!
GO RAIDERS …………all in !
May 17th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
My Dad had 50yd line season tickets when I was a kid growing up in San Leandro.
I used to go down and stand behind the little 4ft chain link fence behind the players.
I remember Ben Davidson standing there with his handlebar mustache like a giant.
Ken Stabler standing on the sidelines getting educated by Papa George and waiting for his chance.
Biletnikoff snatching practice passes during warmup out of the air like somebody picking an apple from a tree.
We’ve all been through some dark times recently.
Bandwagoners lying in busted heaps all over the road right now.
Me, I’ll always be a Raider fan.
It’s not about Al Davis.
It’s about seeing Silver and Black.
My fellow lifers and I know the feeling we get when we see the colors and the eye patch.
You almost have to grow up in the East Bay to understand true Raider , what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger mentality.
Who cares what those nimrods on ESPN think?
WE all know it’s turning around.
I can’t wait to see them acting all surprised when the Raiders start the next era of domination.
Silver and Black Raider Nation, Yeah!!!
May 17th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
The Raiders are talking about their projective running game with Fargas, McFadden and Bush, and with a running backfield with that much potential, surely, we’ll be doing a lot of running.
At the same time, I believe that it’s critical that we win our first game against the donkeys, on Monday nite no less, our opener on 9/8/08. Shanarat knows that and he will be doing all he can to upset our applecart. He loves to beat us Raiders, in our home, more than anything else, other than maybe a Super Bowl?
Kiffin and AL (daddy) know it to. Therefore, I believe that what we see during preseason and training camp will not be exactly what we see on that huge, Monday nite game. We’re going to have some surprises for Shanarat in the form of passing and I mean a lot of bombs. With the rockets and missels that Russell can throw and our new receiving core, it’s a win-win. A lot of long bombs will back up the linebackers as Shanarat will not want to get burned. When they back off a little that’s when we unleash Dmac and Fargus and then pound them up the gut and off tackle with our slegg-hammer Michael “the hammer” Bush.
May 17th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
3rd.
Get Some J-Russ
I’m lovin this
May 18th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Weaselbit — Amen Brother! I’m sick of the hating and the smack! Yes, the last few years were rough, but tough times never last TOUGH RAIDER FANS DO! Thanks again to Darth for his info and positive outlook on it all — it only hypes us die-hards up even more!
I’M (always have been and always will be) IN!
May 21st, 2008 at 1:56 pm
I agree with Weaselbit and Doc Raider. I only differ on one thing, I’m not from the East Bay or even the West Coast. I’m a die-hard Raiders fan since the early 70’s and I’m from Pennsylvania. Don’t cut all other Raiders fans short, if you love the team don’t get off the band wagon when the wheel is broken. The Raiders will be back and this group of players is just the beginning. Screw ESPN and anyone else that doesn’t believe in the Silver & Black. Go Raiders!!!
May 21st, 2008 at 9:19 pm
right on ob1 I too am a die hard raiders fan and i live in bristol connecticut you dont know how many i would like to wait for one of espn anlyist to get out of work so i could run them with my car but thers not worth going to jail over
back to the raiders we are diffently headed in the right directioin 1 more year then look out
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:51 pm
ha i’m in PA too… and a die hard silver and black fan as well…
May 23rd, 2008 at 8:58 am
I have been a Raider’s fan since the early ’80’s and I live in Louisville, Kentucky. There are Raiders fans everywhere. If you are a true fan–you hang in there through the rough times. I have high hopes for our Raiders this season–I think we will do very well. The commentators on TV are never going to say anything good about the raiders–that’s why I hope we make them eat their words. Go Raiders!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
May 23rd, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Hey!, My name says it all!
May 26th, 2008 at 9:19 am
No Doubt! I have been a Raiders fan since I was 8 years old. I have vivid memories of games in my youth and I loved watching the Raiders. I too am from the east coast and live in Maryland (Redskins Country) and also you can find alot of (Cowboy villages in that country because of the Rivalry…So how did I become a Raider in the midst of all that tradition. I loved seeing the silver and black walking in a Sears department store the Raiders where playing the Bears and the secondary where striking players left and right. I then found out that they dominated Monday Night football so that was one of the few chances back then. Then when the Colts moved to Indy we didnt have to watch the Colts away late games (4pm east time) so they showed alot of Raider games. Fortunatley now I tune in to Direct TV’s NFL Package so that I can see them all. Thats the only reason I have the package cause Im a VERY CRAZY TRUE RAIDER FAN. Just like there are very true cowgirl fans in DC MD VA it happens. If I lived anywhere near Oakland I’d be one of the guys who’d be filling a seat yearly. I know what True fan ship is. These Skin fans are rabid they fill that stadium out EVERY YEAR all YEAR and is sold out for YEARS to come the waiting list for season tickets is like 10 years. No doubt. But I’m a Raider in all this and dont like NO one even slightly suggesting my Raidership. ALL who know me know I bleed Silver and Black and I get clowned for it at times but the love is too deep. There was a rumor that Davis wanted to move the team to Baltimore before the Ravens re-created themselves there. I almost had a seizure from that. I’m Just True. We play in Baltimore this year. Thats one game I wont be watching on TV.
May 26th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
big dale hope to see ya u in baltimore we will probably be the only raider fans in the house me and my buddy are leaving the wives at home and taking the 5 or 6 hour drive from connecticut down to maryland to watch the raiders kick the crap out of that aging raven defense ed reed and ray lewis should have lots of fun falling for the play action the raiders should feed them all day long