Groves stays true to his school

By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Wednesday, March 30th, 2011 at 4:26 pm in Oakland Raiders.

Raiders linebacker Quentin Groves put up an impassioned defense for his alma mater Wednesday in the wake of an HBO “Real Sports” segment alleging payment to players at Auburn.

Groves described the four players who said they received money from boosters as “medicore at best” and said their comments were simply made out of bitterness and poor decisions made while in college regarding their academic and athletic well-being.

A few of Groves comments on WJOX 94.5-AM in Birmingham, Ala.:

“The only thing I heard guys receiving was a great education, a great experience and great memories.”

“Why would they pay (those) guys when they had Carnell Williams, Ronnie Brown, Carlos Rogers and Jason Campbell?”

“You had Ronnie Brown who was arguably one of the best players in his senior year, driving around a (early 1990s) Honda Accord with the back window busted out.”

Groves said he and many other Auburn players were asked to participate, but the only players who responded _ Chaz Williams, Stanley McClover, Troy Reddick and Raven Gray, were marginal players.

He said he was actually close to McClover, and even called him after seeing the accusations. He said McClover told him HBO “helped with my camp.”

“Everything will be out in the open tonight and if that’s what he did, I have no words for him because the simple fact is, if you’re going to turn your back on the schull that made you over something as little as this, then there’s no telling what you’ll do to me.”

Groves scheduled a Ustream video to discuss the allegations this evening.

[You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.]

Just Fire Baby

Its not like the League is tanking and they need to do this to survive, they just want to be greedy pigs.

************************

The league is at it’s highest peak succes wise, because the NFL has done a great job of promoting teams and rivalries and not players.

Fans don’t go to games to see a certain player play, they go to root on their team.

The league has made massive amounts of INCREASED profits since the last labor-deal, and they deserve to get more rewards from that.

Employees are employees, the cream of the crop is tough to replace, but the average NFL life is 3 years. These guys gets replaced yearly and the league never skips a beat. Why? Because the league and the owners have put together such a good product.

More money to the owers I say, and I will be happy with playoff baseball and college football if I have to for 2011 to teach these players not to bite the hand that feeds them.
http://build-a-bully 909RaiderLifer

Speaking of opening day.. Nice column on the great Vin Scully.

http://www.latimes.com/la-sp-simers-20110329,0,5387655,full.column

@1:07pm PDT.
Just Fire Baby

Being a 30 year old Raider fan, football seasons and Sundays, are more often colossal disappointments more than anything else.

I can use a year off.
HairyBush

48.Just Fire Baby Says:
March 31st, 2011 at 12:22 pm
Being a 30 year old Raider fan, football seasons and Sundays, are more often colossal disappointments more than anything else.

I can use a year off.

—————–
let’s not be hasty
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/ KoolKell

Rockstar

I do work, for myself, I pay taxes, and I hope that poor child of yours escapes Podunk.
Just Fire Baby

Players don’t WORK for wages, they are given a salary, whether they ball out like Jacoby Ford or screw off like Jamarcus Russell.
HairyBush

54.Just Fire Baby Says:
March 31st, 2011 at 12:36 pm
Players don’t WORK for wages, they are given a salary, whether they ball out like Jacoby Ford or screw off like Jamarcus Russell.

————————-
If they don’t “work” like Jacoby, they will be out on the streets like Jamarcus.
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/ KoolKell

Wages = Salary, Republican.
Just Fire Baby

KoolKell Says:
March 31st, 2011 at 11:30 am
Half of all the NFL Owners inherited their teams,

****************************

What’s wrong with a family inheritance??

Some families work hard and pass down legacies, and others (as in your case) just get passed down the man-boob gene.
Buckeyeraider

I see this friggin site still isn’t fixed. My first comment goes 5 spots AHEAD of the post I was responding to. WTF?

C’mon IBA.
Buckeyeraider

Just got the posting too quickly BS, even though I hadn’t posted in over 15 mins. Ugh. I’ll try again…

I believe Chapman is going to be groomed to take over for Coco Cordero as the closer, eventually. Although the Giants didn’t help the cause any by knocking him around for five runs w/out retiring a batter the other day. Ouch.

I like your mock draft the other day, btw.

I think it would be a wise move to draft a young QB for the future, especially Kaepernick. That guy has impressive upside..and could hopefully sit and learn from JC for a couple of years.

And I’m alot higher on JC than you are, I believe. JC got off to a horrific start last year, then really came on. I like his mobility and play action ability.

Hopefully, JC seizes the starting job next year and runs with it. If not, they’d have his succesor on hand and ready to go. Worst case scenario, they would have a quality backup. Or even a Kevin Kolb-like bargaining chip to dangle as trade bait in a few years if JC proves the long term answer.

It’s a win-win, IMO and a wise move..even if it’s not a pressing need. There should still be starting quality O-lineman like Wiz 2.0, Moffit or Franklin available in the 3rd and even later.

As far as WR, I’d rather see them bring in an established vet like Santana Moss or even Plaxico than draft another rookie. If and when there is free agency.
HairyBush

NFL news is pretty slow when Bucs CB Aqib Talib get’s a feature on sportscenter. SAD
Just Fire Baby

Buck,

What’s going on my man!!

Yeah, I’m sure I would miss NFL football in September, but really right now, not a top priority.

And lately I have become more and more jaded on the Raiders, especially after the SF Giants won the WS.

A handful of playoff appearances (always ending in major disappointment) during my whole lifetime?? My chlosterol and hair-line could use a season off, LOL.

So what are the Reds doing with Chapman?
HairyBush

BRING ON FREE AGENCY ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HairyBush

I guess I’ll just focus on the Celtics/Spurs tonite.
DutchRaider77

Funny, Following the 49ers game many posters on this site felt the Jacoby Ford was:

-”Lamar Houston (the invisible man)is the biggest disappointment from this draft class followed by Jacoby Francis Ford.”
-”I can’t watch players like James Jett, Jacoby Ford, Mike Huff, Stanford Routt, Alvis Whitted, James Trapp. They have no business on a football field”
-”Wow, a passer rating of 10? I wonder what the lowest in the history of the NFL is. Even Donald Hollas and Josh McKown probably didn’t have passer ratings lower than 12. Yikes.
Tyvon Branch: sucks
Michael Huff: sucks
Jacoby Ford: sucks”
-”Replacements should be played. And Jacoby Ford should not see the field either.”
Just Fire Baby

Without a first rounder this year, at least we don’t have to cycle through all the Trade-down scenarios that are always posted in here.

Al has traded down in the later rounds (he traded down a few spots before taking MM34) and he may do so again this year.
Just Fire Baby

Vin is awesome, but he needs to retire so my cousin can take his job, and we can have some Vin Scully money in the family.
http://www.raiders.com/ r8eray

Oakland: The Raiders have been predictably quiet about the players they are visiting with. In fact, in a radio interview, Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett rattled off the names of several teams he is set to visit with and then he dropped a juicy one. He said there was another visit that he couldn’t mention. It made me the think of the secretive Raiders, who could use a strong-armed quarterback prospect. I’m not saying Mallett will visit the Raiders. Just connecting the dots.

Anyway, here is a reported visit for Oakland: Clemson offensive tackle Chris Hairston. He is expected to be a mid-round pick.
Just Fire Baby

Rolando McClain, Buster Posey, Ekpe Udoh.

Three Bay-Area rookies for their teams last/this year, who the organization will be relying on for years to come.

RoMac improved as the year went along, and I look forward to his second season, whenever that is.

Posey already won a WS, and Cooperstown will be waiting for him when it is all said and done.

We need to get Udoh a little meaner and knock some dudes on their tail instead of these touch-fouls, but he is easily the best Warrior defender already, and it is not even close.

These three guys give me hope for years to come.
noteasilyimpressed

Off topic but here’s news about our beloved Silver & Black: Raiders | Scheduled to work out Chris Hairston

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:48:20 -0700

The Oakland Raiders are scheduled to conduct a private workout with Clemson OT Chris Hairston before the 2011 NFL Draft, a source told Aaron Wilson, of NationalFootballPost.com.

Comment (0) | Share: | Source: NationalFootballPost.com – Aaron Wilson

Here’s a bio on Hairston:

http://clemsontigers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/hairston_chris01.html
http://straightcashhomey.net/post/20310438/eddie-jones-los-angeles-lakers-you-probably Dakota

Jerry,

Why can’t your great tech staff fix this problem? You had this exact problem once before and they fixed it then….wtf is the deal? Just look in the log book and follow the instruction from how it was resolved last time you friggin idiots.

What, are they too busy working on the Y2K problem to get this fixed?
noteasilyimpressed

Might be nice to pick Hairston in the 5th rd.
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/ KoolKell

# Just Fire Baby Says:
March 31st, 2011 at 11:57 am

More money to the owers I say, and I will be happy with playoff baseball and college football if I have to for 2011 to teach these players not to bite the hand that feeds them.
———————————–
Monkey, I think you have it ass-backwards, like most Republicans.

Trickle down economics has been emphatically disproved.
DaTruth91

@ RaidersRockStar

the Texans gave up 2 more rushing TD’s than the Raiders did last year!

the only reason they finished 13th in rushing yards per game (allowed) was because teams could pass the ball AT WILL against them. They weren’t even Top 15 in rushing attempts per game. To say that they have a stout Run Defense is based on stats and easily disproved by watching games
——————————-

I never said the texans have a stout defense, but if we lose Nnamdi and Huff, we start to look alot like there secondary( the worst)
The notion that fix the run makes the raiders a better def is absurd, esp of we lose nnamdi and huff.

The pass def and run def play off of eacthother, if you lose one, the other will falter

the KEY POINT, “personal doesnt stop the run…its attitude”. period
the steeler and ravens are the best not bc of players but the attitude they have abput the run
Buckeyeraider

This blog is still jacked….

My last post went through some sort of Bay Area News Group time warp and appeared an hour in the past. Right out of Star Trek or Dr. Who or something.

Craziness…
http://build-a-bully 909RaiderLifer

JFB….

Vin is still the best, been lucky enough to hear him for about 45 years. I’m more of a Angel fan than Dodger, for the fact Angel stadium is closer to where I live and that’s where I go a few times a year to see a game live, but I’ll check out Dodger games when Vin is on the call..

I have heard your cousin a few times this spring, he seems capable for the job when it becomes available, and I hope he gets it. He’s way better than Charley effin Steiner..I’m in no hurry for Vin to hang ‘em up anytime soon though..

@2:07pm PDT…..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Davis The Realist Dirty Raccoon

Random thought:
Am I the only one that would like to see M. Reece return Punts or Kicks? If Ford was out of course?
http://www.raiders.com/ r8eray

R8eray Says:
March 31st, 2011 at 1:15 pm
Oakland: The Raiders have been predictably quiet about the players they are visiting with. In fact, in a radio interview, Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett rattled off the names of several teams he is set to visit with and then he dropped a juicy one. He said there was another visit that he couldn’t mention. It made me the think of the secretive Raiders, who could use a strong-armed quarterback prospect. I’m not saying Mallett will visit the Raiders. Just connecting the dots.

Anyway, here is a reported visit for Oakland: Clemson offensive tackle Chris Hairston. He is expected to be a mid-round pick.

———-

POSTED THAT @ 2:19PM

C’MON JERRY!!!!
ArchiveTony

Man, slim pickins both in Raider talk, prospects, and blog management.
Well, MLB starts up today, so at least the lull me to sleep portion of the year is over.
ArchiveTony

Hey? My post was in order.
I fixed the blog.
Yaaa for me.
ArchiveTony

Yep, pretty slim pickins.
Posters trying to justify JC still, I see, even with his qb rating outings of 10, and 7.
Posters discussing our first round pick, when we don’t have one.
And as usual, Koolkell complaining about salaries, and such, when he’s admitted he hasn’t worked in years, and admits its his wife who works, while he blogs all day and night.
Some things won’t change. JC will still be spotty. First round will be a yawner. Kookeykell will still continue to collect his unemployment checks, that the rest of us pay for.
ArchiveTony

# Just Fire Baby Says:
March 31st, 2011 at 11:57 am

More money to the owers I say, and I will be happy with playoff baseball and college football if I have to for 2011 to teach these players not to bite the hand that feeds them.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Screw the owners, and the players. both are far too greedy.
both make ridiculous money, while charging fans ridiculous prices
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/ KoolKell

# Just Fire Baby Says:
March 31st, 2011 at 11:57 am

More money to the owers I say, and I will be happy with playoff baseball and college football if I have to for 2011 to teach these players not to bite the hand that feeds them.
———————————–
Monkey, I think you have it ass-backwards, like most Republicans.

Trickle down theories of economics has been emphatically disproved.
http://straightcashhomey.net/post/20310438/eddie-jones-los-angeles-lakers-you-probably Dakota

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Chris-Culliver-to-work-out-for-Raiders.html

Fast CB projected to be in 3rd or 4th round working out for the Raider? Guess we will reach for him in round 2.
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/ KoolKell

Red States Feed at Federal Trough, Blue States Supply the Feed:

Welfate State South Dakota receives $1.59 for every $1.00 they pay in taxes.
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/ KoolKell

The report shows that of the 32 states (and the District of Columbia) that are “winners” — receiving more in federal spending than they pay in federal taxes — 76% are Red States that voted for George Bush in 2000. Indeed, 17 of the 20 (85%) states receiving the most federal spending per dollar of federal taxes paid are Red States. Here are the Top 10 states that feed at the federal trough (with Red States highlighted in bold):

States Receiving Most in Federal Spending Per Dollar of Federal Taxes Paid:

1. D.C. ($6.17)
2. North Dakota ($2.03)
3. New Mexico ($1.89)
4. Mississippi ($1.84)
5. Alaska ($1.82)
6. West Virginia ($1.74)
7. Montana ($1.64)
8. Alabama ($1.61)
9. South Dakota ($1.59)
10. Arkansas ($1.53)

In contrast, of the 16 states that are “losers” — receiving less in federal spending than they pay in federal taxes — 69% are Blue States that voted for Al Gore in 2000. Indeed, 11 of the 14 (79%) of the states receiving the least federal spending per dollar of federal taxes paid are Blue States. Here are the Top 10 states that supply feed for the federal trough (with Blue States highlighted in bold):

States Receiving Least in Federal Spending Per Dollar of Federal Taxes Paid:

1. New Jersey ($0.62)
2. Connecticut ($0.64)
3. New Hampshire ($0.68)
4. Nevada ($0.73)
5. Illinois ($0.77)
6. Minnesota ($0.77)
7. Colorado ($0.79)
8. Massachusetts ($0.79)
9. California ($0.81)
10. New York ($0.81)

There’s Republican hypocrisy for ya!
Just Fire Baby

909RaiderLifer Says:
March 31st, 2011 at 2:08 pm
JFB….

Vin is still the best, been lucky enough to hear him for about 45 years.

*********************************

Vin is definately the best. Had the benefit of listening to him for a few years when I lived in Vegas. Nobody asks a question……waits for the pitch……than seamlessly answers his own question like he does. Dude is brilliant.

Glad you are with me on Steiner, he stinks to high-heaven. My cousin used to do the Sunday night Dodger Talk with Steve Lyons, seems they replaced Lyons with someone this year, and they should let them do the booth together whenever it is that Vin fades into the sunset.
Just Fire Baby

Mallett in a private workout for the Raiders???? Probably just a rumor but who knows.

The minute Hue said that the Raiders were absolutely not looking at a QB, you had to think that was exactly what they are doing.

They have been very mis-leading (like every team) the last few years with the pre-draft talk.

Remember Cable on all the talk of the “Cadillac” O-lineman that one year? Than we went out and drafted two WR’s and a Safety in 3 of our first 4 picks and zero O-lineman.

I would rather have Colin or Locker, but Mallett is the big, strong armd guy that Al covets.
Buckeyeraider

State of the Raiders on NFLN Total Access coming up @ 7:00 et. With the newly wealthy Stan Routt in studio. lol.
DutchRaider77

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Chris-Culliver-to-work-out-for-Raiders.html

Fast CB projected to be in 3rd or 4th round working out for the Raider? Guess we will reach for him in round 2.

_______________________________________________________

Dakota, I think you are right. Telling sign in the article is “He was moved from safety to cornerback prior to last season.” So would the Raiders really be looking at him to play the FS position?
Buckeyeraider

Testing…1,2,3…
Kirk

Echo…echo…echo…
SnB Production

I agree with Dknight and others. Subtracting out Nnamdi and Huff and keeping everything else the same = a weaker defense.

The Houston Texans comparisons were sadly appropriate.

A very iffy Stanford Routt who is AVERAGE…and a bunch of guys.

Not good.

Run defense? Same ole story “they have to play better” but they never do.

Offense better score A LOT of points.
priesttj

JFB that’s why he does what he does…..just get players scheme are as interchangable as clothes if the team is well schooled. Defensive fronts based on personnel rather than running a scheme the players can’t execute. If you can be dominant in a base defense you are very talented. If you need exotic blitzes to be great you have average talent. I’d much rather have great talent and not have to blitz than blitz out of necessity. Because you can be victimized easier. If you have a dominant front4 you can play dominant defense with whatever coverage you choose.

I’ve been saying that all the 5 years I’ve been ob this blog and you guys still don’t get it. You think blitzing is GREAT! just because it’s a blitz. It’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard, all you guys ever talk about is blitz….lol

The Steelers in trheir heyday rarely ever blitzed and they played cover2 mostly b ut their front4 was so dominant it didn’t matter what they played in coverage. Same with Purple people eaters and the Fearsome Foursome. The front4 is the thing that’s how the Giants won vs the best team we’ve seen in 20 years the undefeated Pats.

But in here all you ever hear is BLITZ!!! LOL
priesttj

My personal opinion on the QB’a in this draft is I like Cam newton Ryan Mallett and Colin Kaepernick. Blaine Gabbert has Alex Smith written all over him.

I would take any of them in the first 20 picks Cam should’ve stayed in school. The rest are late 1st rnd or later picks. Locker is a 3rd rndr IMO. I would take kaepernick over him.
Just Fire Baby

I think Routt acquitted himself well on that NFLN show/interview.

Mora Jr kept trying to grill him about losing coach Cable but Routt seems like a sharp dude.

Was interesting, Routt’s take on if having a new DC without a training camp would be an issue.

Routt said it’s all basically football, whether it was a cover 2, cover 0 or cover 4. Than he said maybe we can sprinkle in a few more zone blitzes.

Basically, the 4 man pressure front, Al Davis defense, doesn’t really matter who the DC is.
DKnight007

SnB Production Says:
March 31st, 2011 at 7:33 pm

I agree with Dknight and others. Subtracting out Nnamdi and Huff and keeping everything else the same = a weaker defense.

The Houston Texans comparisons were sadly appropriate.

A very iffy Stanford Routt who is AVERAGE…and a bunch of guys.

Not good.

Run defense? Same ole story “they have to play better” but they never do.

Offense better score A LOT of points

^^^^^^^^
Yep! The offense is going to need to score points just like how they did last year, if not do better.
JB

IMO, part of the poor run defense is directly attributable to the style of defense we run (i.e. Man to Man in the defensive backfield) almost 100% of the time. Instead of having 11 run defenders, we only have 7 or 8. The remainders are running away from the runner, in their man to man coverage while looking away from the runner. Perhaps if we ran less man to man and mixed things up more we would be more effective defending the run. This theory seems to be even more credible in 3rd & long plays where we are always in tight man coverage.
priesttj

That’s why there’s two sides of the ball offense and defense. The offense is supposed to do it’s part as well as the defense. That’s how you win championships. I thought the run defense at times was very good last year. It just needs to be consistent………..period

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Groves stays true to his school