Personal contact _ what a concept
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Wednesday, August 22nd, 2007 at 3:37 pm in Oakland Raiders.
Lane Kiffin was asked Wednesday if he had any news on the JaMarcus Russell front.
“No, I sure don’t,” Kiffin said as a prelude to some potentially big news. “They met in person, two days ago in L.A., and they’re still banging away at it.”
Later in the same session, Kiffin was asked if a face-to-face meeting between’s Russell’s agents and Raiders negotiators was a good sign.
“Yeah, I think it was. Any time they can get together, that’s really the first time they’ve been together in person, with everybody together at a meeting, so I would assume that would be positive,” Kiffin said.
Roll that one around in your brain for a moment or two before swallowing hard and trying not to throw up.
“That’s the first time they’ve been together in person . . . ”
What the heck, it’s only Aug. 22. Training camp adjourned in Napa. Daunte Culpepper will start at quarterback Friday night against the St. Louis Rams, followed by Josh McCown and then Andrew Walter as Kiffin tries to figure out which one will start in a few weeks against the Detroit Lions.
Every other pick in the draft has signed a contract.
And Eric Metz met Marc Badain in person for the first time on Monday.
FEMA got to New Orleans faster than this.
The 2006 Raiders scored touchdowns at a better rate than this.
In a way it’s too bad that a team that seems to be giving off some good vibes for the first time in four years has made a joke out of having the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
We’ve all heard the story about the option bonus and how the sage Al Davis saw this one coming a mile away. He’d be the one to bring this rookie money thing under control, while at the same time acquiring his quarterback of the future all while avoiding paying him any money until he was actually ready to play in a game.
It’s nonsense.
They earned the pick and kept the pick, all along having a pretty good idea how much it would cost to reel it in. The strange part is that under the surface, the word is the Raiders are proud of their stand.
The team with the No. 1 selection can negotiate before the draft, so well before the Raiders actually picked Russell, they should have had a pretty good idea what problems were coming down the road.
Never mind the fact that they could have traded the pick and done something to actually help Kiffin in terms of better personnel.
If they selected Russell and then had a serious case of buyer’s remorse at minicamps, thinking he wasn’t the quarterback they thought him to be, then Davis has some serious issues in his scouting department.
For now let’s assume the Raiders still believe Russell to be their future and plan to get him on the team at some point. To have a contentious negotiation is one thing. To actually meet face-to-face fwith his agent for the first time after training camp has closed is an embarrassment.
It’s embarrassing even if Russell signs in the next 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, news and notes:
– Culpepper, who drew the start against the Rams, declined to speak to the media.
“I know Daunte’s excited about it. I could tell when I told him,” Kiffin said.
Kiffin said it has been a process for Culpepper to retrain himself and be a different quarterback than the one who went for a touchdown every play in Minnesota.
“This has guy been a big play-maker for his career, a ton of explosive plays, over 20-yard passes,” Kiffin said. “I told him from Day 1 that has to change, and that may sound weird to you guys, but he’s got to make smart decisions.We don’t want three-touchdown, three interception games.”
Kiffin said he’s not sure if he will decide on the Week 1 starter in the week preceeding the final preseason game in Seattle.
– Jake Grove will start at center, but Jeremy Newberry will get work with the first team.
“It’s kind of like the quarterbacks it would be good to figure this out after this game,” Kiffin said.
– Tommy Kelly will open at right end, with Quentin Moses and Jay Richardson also seeing time. Unlike the offensive line, which ideally remains constant, the Raiders could use different starters in different weeks.
Kelly can play outside as well as inside. Defensive line coach Keith Millard compares Kelly’s versatility to that of Trevor Pryce, who played both end and tackle in Denver when MIllard was an assistant there.
– St. Louis will mark the first time the Raiders have actually game-planned for an opponent, rather than simply put a package of plays together that best suits the quarterback in the game.
– Cornerback Fabian Washington injured a hand at practice but said he was fine.
– Former Raiders wide receiver Will Buchanon was picked up by the New York Giants.
– John Madsen said he has built himself up to 240 pounds in part because he is eating six meals a day.
“There are times when I don’t even want to look at food. I’d rather go to sleep,” Madsen said. “But I’d like to get up to 245 and it takes some time to do it the right way.”
– The Raiders will hold a walkthrough today which is closed to the media.
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August 22nd, 2007 at 3:49 pm
I got a budgie but it died…woahoh
August 22nd, 2007 at 3:49 pm
I like PIE!!!!!!!!!!
August 22nd, 2007 at 3:54 pm
the raiders should have negotiated with russell and johnson before the draft and signed one of them. if they couldn’t work out a deal for either of them then they could have pursued trading out of the pick (even if it wasn’t for maximum value).
i don’t mind taking a hard stand with a #1 pick, it’s just right now we are not the team in a postion to do that.
please daunte, no fumbled snaps this week!
August 22nd, 2007 at 3:56 pm
The positive side is at least they are meeting face to face. Maybe this thing will be done this week. Just like Clayton predicted before training camp started.
August 22nd, 2007 at 3:57 pm
Thanx Jerry for all the updates. I thought after camp broke I would have withdrawals; But your still on top of things. Can’t believe the Jamarcus negotiations. Its hard to know what to believe in the media, however if this is the first time the agents have gotten together in person it looks like fault of the Raiders brass. Who knows for sure though. Hopefully someone steps up and wins the QB competition so we can move forward. Pulling for Newberry at center (think he will anchor that line and help out Gallery and Sims). I think Groves a little undersized and doesn’t have the push Newberry gives you. Maybe Madsen should call Coop for some sauce to add the additional 5 Lbs. LOL
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:07 pm
How on earth can you possibly call this an embarrassment? It’s as if we should all bow down to the unproven rookie demanding and making waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much. Did you forget about Robert Gallery? How he is going on his fourth year as a vet and precipitously in danger of permanently being labeled a bust? How much bloated salary demands should the league collectively absorb before something is definitively done to fix the pathetic rookie greed that is rampant in the NFL? If anyone should be embarrassed, it is all the owners in the league for letting this ridiculous problem persist for so long. Gene Upshaw should be ashamed for perpetuating it.
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:08 pm
I don’t read Kiff’s comments to mean that this is the first face-to-face meeting that has taken place in this negotiation. He said, “with everybody together in a meeting.” That could mean that previously absent parties (JRock himself, Al Davis, Amy Trask, whomever) will be there this time. I seriously doubt that no face-to-face negotiation has taken place at all.
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:09 pm
BS:
I think the Raiders made a mistake also…I just think they wanted to keep the #1 pick a ???? Just to keep the trade possibility open.
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:18 pm
I knew that AL was bringing in a young stud for HC that we were going to be good sure hope im proven right
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:25 pm
come on Jerry….That is not what Kiffin said. read the comment again. He said it is the first time all the parties involved have met together. sometimes you don’t need everyone present to work out a deal, but since this seems to be dragging on, it seems BOTH sides felt it was time to get everyone involved in one place to hammer this thing out. This isn’t some off the wall malfunction. Quit reaching.
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:31 pm
lol. Only Al Davis. Only the laughable, pitiful silver & bleak. Myopians. lol
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:39 pm
All of this JR nonsense has done is give more fuel to all of the Raider haters in the media to burn us down. We are finally heading in the right direction as a team but this JR mess is like a black cloud hovering over the team’s head. I tend to take everything that is said on BSPN with a grain of salt, but who on BSPN said that JR didn’t want to play for the Raiders? Did they quote a source or was this from JR’s mouth? It is my understanding that JR has yet to make any public statements regarding anything, so I am awfully curious who is stating this as fact. I did notice that JR hardly smiled, if at all, on draft day once he was announced as our pick. I would like to think that if he didn’t want to wear the Silver and Black that he would come out publicly and say so, even before the draft ala Eli Manning or John Elway. His silence throughout does concern me but I will not believe anything that I hear on BSPN until I hear the words coming out of JR’s mouth. He seems like a good kid but who knows.
On another note I think that DC will look better on Friday than he did on Saturday just for the simple fact that he is more familiar with the playbook and he has some confidence after his decent showing against the Whiners. I will say it again, McCown will be the one a$$ed out as soon as JR does sign, this is really a battle between DC & AW.
I was watching Saturdays game on dvr last night and I caught a little gem and I am wondering if anyone else noticed. At one point the camera was on Kiffin and he was telling the ref that his qb was calling time out. The ref finally called time after about 15 more seconds. After that Kiffin walked over to the ref and as the ref was walking away I could read Kiffin’s lips as he told the ref “that’s bullsh!t and you know it!”. I went back a few times just for laughs. It reminded me of Gruden. What a bad a$$ though, second professional game of his career and he is already in the ref’s ear with some fire. Kiffin’s got stones that’s for sure, let’s just hope that he is able to keep his cool better than Chucky. Did anyone else pick up on this little exchange on Saturday?
Raiders for Life…I’m In!
Raiders for Life…I’m In!
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:39 pm
LOL! Charger’s a@@! Only Charger and that pathetic, pimply a@@ of his! His mommy and Daddy must be proud. Whatever prison or crack hotel they’re in. Go Charger!
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:40 pm
Thanks Jerry for the JR update. Al has never played a rookie QB, I think he was trying to make sure he didn’t start now. I sure hope Lane Kiffin can handle the Twilight Zone.
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:44 pm
I don’t know why you people continue to root for the most pathetic franchise in pro sports. lol I guess that’s why they call you Myopians.
What do you all do when the old man pulls this crap? Bend over and say, “give me some more uncle Al?” lol
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:46 pm
If JR didn’t want to be a Raider he wouldn’t have worn black on draft day, nor bought a Home in Oakland before he’s even signed. I think he’s shown his intentions, thanks.
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:46 pm
Hey Charger how come you never responded to my comments earlier about coming back to this board and being a man when and if you are wrong? Just curious. Someday you will have to back up your banal comments and we’re just wondering if you will be man enough. Everyone on here highly doubts that you have the stones to back up anything that you say. My feeling is that not only will you be nowhere to be found I am also fairly sure if I asked you what a myopian was in person you would have a blank look on your face with no answer. Just a hunch.
Raiders for Life…I’m In!
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:49 pm
Charger, you’re irrelevent. Haven’t you noticed? Keep bangin away though, if that reips your trigger. But the Love of Raiders Fans is too strong, you’re wasting your time. But everybody needs a hobby.
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:50 pm
Love that DC is doing all the things the Dolphin haters said he wasn’t capable of. Do me a favor Raider Nation…..see that Randy McMichael drops a few more. Of course you don’t need to make him do it, but I’m sure if ya roar at the guy he’ll sqee like a pig.
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:50 pm
RaiderDogg-
The Kiffin quote is priceless. Thanks for sharing that. It’s nice to see someone on the sideline who’s actually running the show. Maybe we’ll see one or two timely red flags this year.
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:54 pm
“I don’t read Kiff’s comments to mean that this is the first face-to-face meeting that has taken place in this negotiation. He said, “with everybody together in a meeting.” That could mean that previously absent parties (JRock himself, Al Davis, Amy Trask, whomever) will be there this time. I seriously doubt that no face-to-face negotiation has taken place at all.”
BINGO! More mediocy…
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:56 pm
Madsen may be more like Mike Williams than…MIKE WILLIAMS!
Madsen is about the same height/ weight (good weight) as Williams and probably faster! They should swap positions!
I’m a Madsen fan and I think he’ll suprise a lot of people with his athletic ability and his versatility (TE/WR/ST).
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:57 pm
The artical says everything is the Raiders fault….but where are these agents located….the metting is in LA so that tells me that the Raiders had to travil to LA to meat with the agents….not the other way around…why havent these agents been up in OakTown knocking on the door….they are the ones trying to get a “PayCheck” here….Not the Raiders…..
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:58 pm
RAIDERUS PRIME: Good point!!!
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:03 pm
Myopians. lol
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:03 pm
KoolKell - the Twilight Zone, eh? Yah, yer right, as if Raider fans haven’t developed a thick skin through 35+ years and aren’t too damn worried about “embarassment”. Even when we went 12-2, 11-3 every year it was a little … GREASY. Dirrrrty. It’s for me. Who cares about image? Who cares what the bastards think? Four down years in a row and it’s still just a bloody riot. Jerry, sir, you should know that we just don’t get embarassed. Never gonna happen.
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:08 pm
I’m Not at all Surprised we haven’t signed J.R. Yet . The Raiders Never rebuild they just reload and Russell wouldn’t play this season anyway unless they were not in playoff contention.You Can’t tell Al that the raiders are not going to be in Playoff contention because he would never hear of such nonsense before the season begins. Al Know What he is doing If J.R. Is our future then fine but now is the present not the future We are getting a better QB in Culpepper then we would with J.R. He hasn’t even expierenced How fast the nfl game is compared with college
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:08 pm
J-Mac audio with BSPN!
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=oak#
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:09 pm
Wither get it done or not, I care less and less every day whether or not JaMarcu$ Ru$$ell ever takes a snap as a Raider….
http://mvn.com/nfl-raiders
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:11 pm
So far, so good. Not too worried about Al and JRussell. Al’s been good to his players to a fault, IMHO, so it’s in Russell’s ball yard now. Ya wanna be a Raidah? Then come prove yourself, young man. That’s all it takes. You will be given every chance to do so. And the money? It will be there as well. No brainer. In the meantime, DC will be the starter. Period.
I am more concerned about Michael Huff, folks. I do not see the impact player that we should have gotten at the #7 pick last year. I’m starting to wonder if he is a safety, corner, nickel back, or what. He seems a little small to me to be trying to handle TEs. I guess time will tell as it did with NA who blossomed last year into a Pro Bowler. I’ve just gotta wonder about whether NA would be better at safety with Huff at corner. Thoughts, criticisms, rebuttals, rebukes, Raidah Nation?
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:12 pm
Nice little reference to steroids by Madsen @ the end.
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:15 pm
I’ve run the gamut between quiet hope and disgust on the JaMarcus topic.
Right now I’m getting the feeling that after Al saw the minicamps and how JaMarcus will likely need more than just training camp to be a full time starter, and how he commented that he was afraid of injuries at camp, we deliberately kept JaMarcus out of the heavy duty in-pads practices and planned on bringing him in around when the regular season started… running the scout team and attending meetings and watching things from the sidelines should keep him healthy until year 2.
That’s one way to partially protect a large signing bonus.
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:15 pm
This is my last post in this comment box, I promise. If I say anything else, LT will be cursed with an injury that threatens my team’s season.
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:19 pm
SAN DIEGO DISCHARGE…I know your a closet Raider fan…and The discharge don’t have anyone on their blog, so you chime in on the only Nation blog - RAIDER NATION. But hey, why don’t you get it over with and change your handle..You don’t have to be charger says…
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:20 pm
HEY CHARGER,
Wasn’t it not too long ago you’re team went 1-15!!?????? 1-15 i said!!!!! and your stadium was EMPTY!!! remember that you’re franchise is full of bandwagon fans, I remember a game in SD 5years ago where there was vastly more Raider fans than Charger fans…
don’t think you have the right to dogg us right now.. you’re a pitiful franchise…oh…
HOW MANY SUPERBOWL RINGS DO YOU HAVE!!??
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:25 pm
The next person who even gives attention to the Charger fan is a moron… sorry but it is true… some of you here have kids I am sure… what is the best way to deal with a difficult child who is acting out, don’t give him attention to the negative behavior…
Boycott even responding to his stupidity.
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:30 pm
No Charger. Embarassing was Eli blowing your team off, P. Rivers holding out until August 24th (remember?) , the way Marty was released and your “star” linebackers admitted steroid use and suspension. Good luck with Norv. You’ll be lucky to win half your games.
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:32 pm
Sorry I forgot to boycoot crack head charger…
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:35 pm
HE WASN’T GOING TO PLAY THIS YEAR ANYWAY. CHILL OUT. EMBARRASSING?!? YOUR LOGIC AND JOURNALISTIC CREDENTIALS ARE EMBARRASSING. CALM DOWN, TUBBY.
August 22nd, 2007 at 6:11 pm
If J Russell is as good as he is supposed to be then he is worth the wait and his not starting is just a wasted moment in this season. Letting Kid Kiff have some time to get this thing straight before the real weapons are unleashed.If he isnt that good then we have a somewhat proven commodity for a bargain price in daunte.I dont see any down side to this one except maybe a misspent first round pick…..Maybe.We wouldnt have found out for sure until a few games were spent this year and by then we would be stuck.This way Kiffin gets settled in and comfortable with his personnel then figures out what to do with J russell next year.This year we make some noise and hopefully keep Rob Ryan around for a year or two more while we go for another championship.
August 22nd, 2007 at 6:33 pm
Just for speculation……If we had the defense we have now with Grudens offense we would have been arguably the best Raider team ever! Well This system is probably better in scheme than grudens and we just need a comparable performance by whoever is quarterback to make us very competitive.Look Out Boys here we go
August 22nd, 2007 at 6:38 pm
C’mon, don’t anyone get their panties in a bunch over these negotiations. If its the first head
to head meeting, then thats what it is. This is a business investment and thats the way Al
is treating it. You have to bring in the talent you feel you need to win but you also have to
be smart about it. What the heck is wrong with that? And calling it an embarrassment? The
embarrassment is that you chose to nitpick over this and are trying to make a bigger deal
of it that what it is. Relax peeps…JR will come in when he comes in…and if he doesn’t, we
move on. Don’t get your panties in a bunch…what a concept!
August 22nd, 2007 at 6:45 pm
Ed Reed 5′11 200lbs SS as a rookie (and up until the past couple of years)
Troy Polamalu 5′10 205lbs SS
Michael Huff 6′1 205lbs SS
He might be a little thinner, but he’s around the same size as these guys and they play/played SS just fine.
Polamalu didn’t even start his rookie year and look how he’s turned out.
I know we’re in the ESPN Romo-is-a-hall-of-famer-after-2-games age but man…give the cat a few years before knocking him like this.
August 22nd, 2007 at 6:47 pm
Jerry McDonald’s article is well written, and he makes some interesting points, but I don’t really think he and a good number of Raider fans are getting the big picture. While it’s true that Al Davis has made some large and important personnel mistakes in the last 10-15 years, he knows the game and business of football extremely well. He not only has to do what’s best for the team this year, he also has to consider what’s best for the franchise down the road. By getting the number 1 overall draft pick, Davis has not only gotten the most potentially talented player in the draft, but also a highly visible national platform to make a statement about the size and nature of rookie contracts. He put his foot down and refused to cave in to the ridiculous demands of greedy agents and the whole culture of draft-day hype and inflated salaries. Now personally, I love the off-season and the draft and all the speculation and maneuvering that go into into it. That’s a huge part of the game. But let’s face facts; there is that schlocky Mel Kiperesque hype machine behind the whole thing, that distorts the value and importance of rookies relative to the other members of the team.
Now, I just read somewhere this week that Commissioner Goodell is now talking about the inevitability of a future rookie salary cap. This is great news for all football fans and for Raider fans in particular. When the rookie cap comes, it means that rookies won’t be able to skew the salary structure for the league and force the early drafting teams, (like the Raiders and Lions this year) to break the bank on unproven talent. I suspect that this will have a disproportionate effect on small market teams like Oakland, so the Raiders position will get stronger relative to the majority of other teams in the future. The financial rewards to the owners and to established players, not to mention the desire of the majority of fans will probably insure that this will happen. Unfortunately, the Raiders may not be able to sign Russell this year, and he may re-enter the draft. Davis may lose the Jamarcus Russell battle, but he will most likely win the salary cap war, which is far more important.
August 22nd, 2007 at 8:24 pm
Al Davis,
Drive on and Just Win Baby!!!!!!! Save the money and give it to more players who deservee it like Burgess, etc!!!!
August 22nd, 2007 at 9:30 pm
Jerry,
I’m sorry but your take on this is way off. The Raiders should stand their ground on this. The rookie signee situation in the NFL is a joke. The Raiders needed their QB of the future but that doesn’t mean they should be idiots and do to themselves what the niners did via the salary cap. You make some pretty stupid assumptions about it being the Raiders that are the reason that EVERYONE hasn’t gotten together. Furthermore, I’ve heard from reliable sources that Jamarcus’ first take at a contract was for $40 million guaranteed. You aren’t a part of the conversations, so for you to take the side of the unproven rookie whose never taken a snap is seriously backwards. If the NFL EVER pulls its collective head out, this kind of holdout won’t happen because some rookie with zero experience won’t EVER be the highest paid person on the team. If there is stupidity in this situation it certainly isn’t on the side of the Raiders. The Raiders are offering fair money (based on the ludicrous precedent that has been created in the NFL) and if he doesn’t want the money he can always be redrafted next year in the second round and see what kind of cash he gets then. Your stance gives the Raiders no say in what they pay an employee just because they hired someone during the first round. I guess you might take a different stand if YOU had to pay his salary to watch him sit on the bench his whole first year, and then factor in the probability of him actually ever being worth what it is they are offering. He could easily be the next Ryan Leaf and then you’ll be here saying how stupid they are for giving him $30+ million with all these guarantees. While I appeciate your blog, you sound pretty dumb condemning them on this. I say they should stick to their guns, and get what they want for what they’re willing to pay, just like every other employer on earth. But no, this is the NFL, all stupid all the time, when it concerns the draft.
August 22nd, 2007 at 9:47 pm
Jerry, this last guy Raider Ray is rather harsh. I am going to agree with him on some notes, though. During the draft hype word was the Raiders will have to sign JR for $30 million (guaranteed $). This deal will close over that figure. In that time the Raiders signed a security measure in Daunte Culpepper. During the past three weeks Daunte is emerging as someone who could possibly come in and take the job. The Raiders are in a position where they are in no rush. They are taking a loss on any playing time for this season. However, that may play into their hands (ala Carson Palmer). At the same time, there is a possibility of Daunte ressurecting his career(???). In the end, you have to take the Raider’s side on this one, especially given the circumstances that are unfolding with the team.
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:19 pm
Guy’s JMac is a victim of his environment. Let me explain. The culture that his is in on a day in day out basis is very anti silver n black. The media that cover this team have a sort of herd mentality where they compete to see who can spin the news best in terms of making this organization look bad. No matter how many positive things are going n the emphasis is always on the negative. They sit arund in grups constantly bashing Mr. davis and the org. and poisoning the minds of the readers. You can even sense in some of the posts in here. It’s always Big Al’s fault even B4 the facts come in. The locals are constantly bombarded by anti Al and anti raider crap.
But those of us that understand and can see through the crap as I see there are more us than even I thought have developed a thick skin. And have done our own homework to get amre accurate read on things. Then there are others who buy into it hook line and sinker and the think Big Al is this devious maniac who underminds his own staff.
And to those I ask you, what other owner do you know that could be sharp enough to find a Lane Kiffin amongst the crowd and have the vision to project him into this role. There isn’t one no one! Jon Gruden would have had a tough time getting a job as early in his career if Big Al doesn’t have the vision.
It’s very easy to selectively pick out someones mistakes and flaws but it’s also very irresponsible to do so without giving them credit for their successes. And his successes are mountainous in comparison. As I’ve mentioned earlier he is one of the most fascinating sports figures in the history sports. But you’ve got these dumbbells who crouch for every opportunity to criticize. it’s very petty in my opinion. No one is right 100% of the time and he’s no different.
The only guy in mind that compared to Big Al was Red Auerbach.
August 23rd, 2007 at 2:14 am
were gonna sign JaMarcus and roll, period.
August 23rd, 2007 at 2:48 am
Amen Blackholepriest, I have said it many times, the day Big Al hoists Lombardi 4 I will be cryin’ like a baby for that man.
The day he dies will be the loss of a legend and I am sure to shed some more tears then. I am 40 yrs old and I have never seen a more dedicated owner in all of sports. I’m not sayin’ he doesn’t make mistakes, he has made plenty. I love his maverick gambling mentality and sooner or later it will pay off.
It is not embarrassing at all to me that we haven’t signed JR. Just because the last holdout happened in 97 with Pace doesn’t make the Raiders wrong. Who are these Mediots representing? The sports agents? The Raiders never planned to have JR starting from the gate this year. If they did Al would have had his @$$ signed ASAP. I bet JMac couldn’t get within 5 years of the last holdout the Raiders had before this. Pathetic!
As for Chargerless….A pathetic franchise? What is the measuring stick of a franchise? My team went 14-2 last year before bending over once again at the first sign of a playoff game?
Just the facts….Once again Stupid U can’t argue with W/L records…At least the Patsies have 3 rings to go with their overall pathetic W/L totals…but here we go. Slowly so you don’t hurt your dimwitted @SS…
Chargers lifetime achievement….Overall record 350-367-11 big L on the forehead….Playoffs 7-13 big L on the forehead….Record vs Raiders 38-54-2 big L on the forehead. Oh and no Super Bowl wins….last playoff win 94…where for art thou Stan Humphries???
Raiders lifetime achievement….Overall record 421-319-11 we have a Winner…Playoffs 25-18 including 3 Lombardi’s and two Lamar Hunts..or losses in the SB we have a Winner…Just flip the H2H and we have yet another winner….
Oh and this little tidbit from wikipedia…San Diego Sports Curse
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The San Diego Sports Curse or simply the San Diego Curse, is a mythical explanation for San Diego’s inability to win a Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals or any other major league sports championship in the United States.
Because of the lack of a championship, and the city’s population, San Diego has the distinction of being the largest city in the United States to have never won a Major League Sports championship.[1] Furthermore, San Diego has one of largest sports championship droughts in all of the United States, only winning the AFL championship in 1963.[2]
Unlike other “curses” that seem to strike particular teams (the Boston Red Sox’s Curse of the Bambino, the Chicago White Sox’s Curse of the Black Sox – both of which seem to have been lifted, and the Chicago Cubs’ Curse of the Billy Goat), this evil is said to have struck all professional teams in the city and county of San Diego (much like Philadelphia’s Curse of Billy Penn). Neither the San Diego Padres nor the San Diego Chargers has ever won a championship. Nor has any other major sports team that has resided in San Diego (the Clippers and the Rockets) done so while located there. Furthermore, San Diego does not have an NHL team nor an NBA team, making it harder for the city to break the long running problem of being the largest American city without a championship.
The cause of the curse is unknown although one explanation offered for the curse is the trade of wideout Lance Alworth to the Dallas Cowboys[3], which is similar to Boston’s Curse of the Bambino, as the flip side of the curse was the Cowboy’s success after the sale, from becoming a team that seemed to be a perennial loser in championship games over the previous five seasons (the Ice Bowl, Super Bowl V) to a team that won the Super Bowl during his first season in Dallas (and has won 5 Super Bowls overall), as well as the distinction of being “America’s Team”, while the Chargers were sent into a huge championship drought, although that wouldn’t explain why all San Diego teams are cursed (the trading of Bambino cursed just the Red Sox, not the Patriots, Celtics, or Bruins, as they all have dynasties in their respective leagues).
No official name has been established by anyone for all of San Diego’s misery and heartbreak, hence the name San Diego Sports Curse.
Charger come back when your pathetic team gets above .500 in the playofs, above .500 vs the Silver and Black, or wins a Super Bowl. Cya
August 23rd, 2007 at 3:01 am
Oh I forgot the playoff record vs the Raiders…..0-1 big L on the forehead!!!
August 23rd, 2007 at 5:03 am
Jerry writes..
“The team with the No. 1 selection can negotiate before the draft, so well before the Raiders actually picked Russell, they should have had a pretty good idea what problems were coming down the road.”
Agreed. However, this does NOT mean that issues will not arise AFTER the fact.
It’s not a perfect science Jerry.
Next Jerry writes…
“Never mind the fact that they could have traded the pick and done something to actually help Kiffin in terms of better personnel.”
I hate to be harsh here but I’m going to have to be as it is YOUR job Jerry to KNOW these things…
Jerry, you can only trade the pick IF you have a trading partner and/or a fair or good deal! Well you please stop writing this stuff if you haven’t figured it out after all these years!
This is how people in the media lose credibility.
Hint: KNOW YOUR STUFF JERRY!
August 23rd, 2007 at 7:04 am
Keep in mind that these “mediots” you talk about are either former players ala Collinsworth, Jaworski, Schlereth, et al, or people who always wanted to be athletes but never had the skills to pull it off - Kornheiser, Clayton, this list goes on forever. In some way, both examples live vicariously through the current players. The ex-athletes who feel slighted because they thought they were the best ever and made less but always wanted more, and the analysts who will always dream of being what they never can. You can’t spell analyst without anal.
August 23rd, 2007 at 7:29 am
Being the PROFESSIONAL NFL WRITER THAT YOU ARE, YOU DIDN’T KNOW? OR FORGOT THEY’VE ALREADY MET “FACE TO FACE”?
Asleep at the wheel…
August 23rd, 2007 at 7:25 pm
Al Davis is a shrewd negotiator and a brilliant strategist. Perhaps with the uncertainty in starting quarterback and a new coach, he didn’t want JaMarcus in camp any sooner, since he’ll probably not play this year anyway.
Don’t go shedding any tears because they haven’t moved any faster than what you have seen. From the Raiders’ perspective, it just might make a lot of sense.
August 24th, 2007 at 1:59 am
bill Says:
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:25 pm
*come on Jerry….That is not what Kiffin said. read the comment again. He said it is the first time all the parties involved have met together. sometimes you don’t need everyone present to work out a deal, but since this seems to be dragging on, it seems BOTH sides felt it was time to get everyone involved in one place to hammer this thing out. This isn’t some off the wall malfunction. Quit reaching.
Sounds like another Raider fan starting to realize Jerry’s not on our side…
August 24th, 2007 at 11:55 am
BoJacks456 Says:
” I know we’re in the ESPN Romo-is-a-hall-of-famer-after-2-games age but man…give the cat a few years before knocking him like this.”
Thanks for responding B’456. The other two safeties you mentioned play much bigger than their size and were “assassins” b4 hitting the NFL. Neither can be said of Mr Huff b4 nor since arriving in Alameda, therefore, my analysis. And as I said, time will time (still can’t figure out his position, however, but time will time on that as well). “Knocking him”? An honest critique is good for all of us. Try it sometime and send some of it to Sacramento and D.C. Works wonders when applied correctly. Oh, and by the way, your reference to ESPN to an old-timer like me is a bit funny. Also, how is the hip these days?
Peace.