“Raiders Matt Millen relives The Day That Eagles Fans Threw Snowballs @ Santa; Is Santa Safe When The Raiders Visit Philadelphia on Christmas”

Santa’s in Trouble

You Have to be a Philly fan to get it.

On December 15^th, 1968; the craziest Christmas story ever told occurred. And to think, this story almost was never known. In fact until Howard Cosell released the news and showed some footage on his weekly show, hardly anyone outside of Philadelphia even knew it happened.   After Cosell reported it, it had a mind of it’s own and it became a part of football lore.

A Miserable Day:

It was a miserable cold December day in Philadelphia, and the fans were not in a good mood. To be honest fans in Philadelphia are rarely in a good mood but they had reason this time.   Their fans are unlike any other fan base in sports. They might be the smartest in the U.S., but they also will go off in a heartbeat if they feel things aren’t going well. Fans that day had arrived to over a ½ foot to a foot of snow on their seats in old Franklin Field. In true Philly fashion, 54,000 die hard Eagles fans came to see one of the worst teams in the NFL on a terrible winter day.

A few weeks earlier there was joy with many fans thinking the Eagles would have the worst record in the NFL. This would mean they could draft a cant miss super star in USC tailback OJ Simpson.   Sadly, they won 2 meaningless games so they now had the #3 pick in the draft. Buffalo chose Simpson #1 and the Eagles chose Leroy Keyes, a RB out of Purdue.   He showed so little promise at RB that they moved him to Safety after 1 year. Keyes was out of the league in 4 years and OJ became one of the greatest RB’s in history. Their fans knew.

Frank Olivo (In Santa’s hat) with his loving family

Philadelphia fans are as passionate as any fan base in history.   They treat their teams like family members. Tough, rough and hardcore, if their teams do well they will be favorite sons. If they fail, they will rip them to shreds like newspaper. Not every athlete can play in Philadelphia.   Thin skinned, sensitive athletes need not apply.

Schleprock from the Pebbles & Bamm Bamm Cartoon

Philly fans are the “schleprocks” of the sports world. They feel there is a black cloud over them at all times, just waiting to drop down a curse that will eventually ruin even the best of seasons.   I remember a tweet by a Philly fan a week ago. He said, “I’m so freaking scared; things are going too good. I know something is going to happen”. The next game star QB Carson Wentz tore up his knee and is now out for the season.

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

On this cold day in 1968, there was nothing to play for. The Eagles lost to the Vikings but that was not the story. Already in a bad mood, the Eagles fans wanted nothing to do with cheer or with crappy halftime entertainment.   The temperature had now dropped to the low 20’s with wind gusts to 20-30 mph. At half time the Eagles had promised a small parade. The Philly cheerleaders would be in cute elves costumes followed by a large band. They also had a Santa float. The Santa float started to go across the field but fans booed because it got stuck due to the bad conditions. The worst part is that the Santa that they had hired, didn’t even show up and wasn’t in the float as expected. There are still stories that he may have possibly had too many adult beverages after seeing how cold it was outside, but that isn’t confirmed.

Eagles Entertainment Director Bill Mullen had an idea. He saw a 20 y/o fan by the name of Frank Olivo in the stands who was dressed as Santa Claus. At 5’ 7” and about 170 lbs., he was a poor imitation at best. Nicknamed “beefy”, Frank was a small, portly Italian man who had lots of personality and he loved to ham it up. Never shying away from attention, Frank agreed.

Olivo found out quick that Eagles fans were in no mood for second class entertainment. Seeing a wannabe Santa was too much for them to take and they started to boo. After someone in the upper deck chucked a snowball at Frank, it created a domino effect. First a few and then dozens of snowballs from all over the stadium started to rain down.

Matt Millen Remembers:

At 11 years old, a young Matt Millen knew what being an Eagles fan was all about. The future Penn State and Raiders star was all Pennsylvanian.  He knew that he was a part of a generation of Philadelphia fans and there was a passionate responsibility to it. As your fathers and grandfathers go, so go the children.

 “I was 10 or 11 at the time and it was a miserable day and they were a miserable team”, said Millen to reporters. “To be honest the snowball throws were the only fun thing about the game.   Dads, kids, grandfathers, and even old ladies started throwing them. I mean he had it coming. When the band played Here comes Santa Claus, that was it. It was no big deal. It was just what we did”.

Matt Millen said it was a much different era obviously. “Fans of today don’t realize how serious Philly fans take their football. Franklin Field was a crazy place to play. More than a few times people would leave the stands and go onto the field to physically confront players and coaches alike if things weren’t going well”.

The Aftermath:

Frank Olivo from the start was a good sport about it. “I’m one of them”, he said often. “I understand them so I didn’t take it personally. They didn’t like anyone at that moment. I do admit though when the Eagles asked if I would do it again next year I said no”.

Frank did admit he never booed a player ever again. “When they boo, you feel like they’re all against you individually,” he said. “And that’s why, when I heard it, I said to myself, ‘My God, what do these players think or feel when they’re getting booed?’ It’s like you’re being told you’re not good enough to be here.”

Frank and his family members were eventually priced out of Eagles games not being able to afford the PSL’s with the new stadium.   Much like in other areas, the most diehard of fans were eaten up by the greed machine that is the NFL.

Years later though, Frank was asked to be Santa at a 76ers game reliving that day and he accepted. At first they cheered him on, and then in true Philly fashion, they realized that for old times sake they had to boo Olivo. He loved it. Frank passed away in 2015 but he treasured his memories of his beloved Eagles until the day he died.

Bracelet Snow:

The latest situation where Philly fans took some heat was last year during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Flyers were down 2-0 to the Washington Capitals and before game 3, they were honoring owner Ed Snider who had recently passed away. Every seat had a white bracelet on it that lighted up.   The light show before the game in honor of Snider was a sight to see and everyone was in great spirits before the first puck dropped.  That feeling eroded though.

As the Capitals pulled away late, fans began to pelt the ice with the bracelets. The game was halted for a time. Not even the Flyers ice girls; who pretty much wear strip club school girl outfits; could stop the madness. The white bracelets were literally impossible to clean up because they matched the color of the ice.  This incident also included a few obscenities yelled out by some fans during the moment of silence.

What Will Happen on Christmas v.s. The Raiders?

Things are going pretty good where the Eagles fly, but you never know.   What if the Raiders somehow beat them?   What if Nick Foles implodes.   What if somehow something bad happens?   If these things occur, I think that whoever is playing Santa better have a thick suit and a thick skin. And if he is anywhere near the good sport and the great Eagle fan that Frank Olivo was, if snowballs come his way then so be it.   He would understand. You have to be a Philly fan to get it.

 

 

“Raider News; Cliff Branch Loses His Home to the North Bay Fire: Immediate Fixes for the Raiders Woes”

 

This year is a nightmare.

In a fire storm that some are calling apocalyptic, 670 people are now missing and 3500 homes are destroyed.  It’s also far from over.  Sadly, as was being reported last night by several news outlets, All-Time Raider great Cliff Branch announced his house was burned down during the Santa Rosa fire storm. He lived near the Coffey neighborhood which looked like a war zone after the raging fire went through the area. All he could get out of his house was money, and his 3 Super Bowl rings. He drove off in one car but lost his other 2.

(below; Mercury News Story on Cliff Branch’s home)

Raiders’ legend Cliff Branch loses home in Santa Rosa fire

“My house was a Raiders house” said Branch. “All three Super Bowl trophies are gone. We all got replica Lombardi Trophies when we won the Super Bowl. A lot of great Raider history from the 1970s and 1980s is gone.” When Mark Davis saw his home he called it a Raiders museum.

I’m sure all of Raider Nations positive vibes and prayers of support are with the Raider great during an extremely difficult time. At least Cliff is safe.

How to Fix the Raiders On the field:

Yesterday I read on social media some very interesting comments.   Let’s address them and see how to make the Raiders as good as they can be to have a successful season.

Raiders OC Todd Downing and Derek Carr

Offense:

Offensive Philosophy:

I have one word for Jack Del Rio and Raiders OC Todd Downing.   ADJUST!

The Raiders are running the same plays as last year but teams are attacking them differently. I’ve been saying it for 3 weeks, the Raiders have to change their philosophy. No longer are teams afraid of the deep ball against Oakland, so teams are going from a cover 2 to press coverage. If you look at the films of last year, many games the Raiders got easy short passes due to the huge cushions Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree got.

 Former Cowboys QB Tony Romo said it best in the Washington game; “teams are no longer giving the Raiders the easy short to mid range passes, so they have to adjust and look to go deep more often to stretch them out”.

Teams don’t allow Cooper to run free on short passes. They are in his face playing physical and he has not responded well.

Amari Cooper

How to Fix It?:

The Raiders bragged all off season about picking up Cordarrelle Patterson, the speed burner WR from Minnesota. NOW USE HIM. The Raiders have 3 fast WR; Patterson, Cooper and Johnny Holton who has already caught a deep ball for a TD. Throw to these guys. It’s funny; when you start to hit some deep passes all of a sudden the DB’s start to give you cushions and the offense opens up. Cooper has lost his confidence and if there was ever a confident Raider, him talking to Cliff Branch would not be the worst thing for him.   He has to be involved more.

Run Game:

All you heard this off season was beast mode, beast mode, beast mode.   I wasn’t thrilled with the signing of Marshawn Lynch and in fact said several times the Raiders committee of running backs was more than enough. I stand by that.

Marshawn Lynch and DeAndre Washington

How to Fix it:

The Raiders need to make Marshawn Lynch a short yardage, goal line back.   He does not have the burst he did during his younger days. I like youth in my RB’s and Lynch is now 31 and is not the same player. You see the same thing with Frank Gore at Indianapolis.   When someone with speed comes in it’s like night and day.

Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington need to start getting the brunt of the carries. Jamize Olawale is an underrated player and also needs 5 touches a game. All 3 are good pass blockers and pass catchers. Lynch is limited and it’s limiting the offense.

Offensive Line:

After their amazing season from last year, the standards are very high.   The Raiders have only given up 12 sacks in 5 games but for this group that’s a lot. Last year Carr was the best protected QB in the NFL and he thrived.   This year there have been 12 sacks and he’s struggled. It’s not a coincidence. His weakness is throwing under pressure and keeping him free of pass rushers is imperative to the offenses success.

Donald Penn confronting a Fan

How to Fix It:

There is only one answer; they need to step up. Oakland is #1 in spending on the OL with 26% of their salary cap spent on this group. You can’t spend more money on the OL especially when the defense needs so much help.

Derek Carr:

Carr got spoiled last year when he had so much time, and on occasion he has held onto the ball too long this year. He’s now being rushed more and it’s obvious he is not comfortable in the pocket.

Derek Carr

How to Fix it:

He needs to audible more and be much more aggressive with the deep ball.   Some old fashioned play action passes while throwing a deep pass on first down would stretch the field and make Al Davis up in heaven happy for sure. Dump off passes to the RB would also take off the pressure some.

Linebackers and Defensive Backs:

This group has no interceptions in 5 games. I’m tiring a little with some fans on social media saying how great this defense is and that if they had a good DC they’d be awesome.   Ken Norton may not be the answer, but this defense is not talented. Before the season started, Sports Illustrated and ESPN had the Raiders LB’s ranked last in the NFL. Their DB’s are not much better at times and take out Mack out of the DL and it will make any Raider fan cry.

Karl Joseph

Teams found out David Amerson struggles with the deep ball, and Sean Smith now struggles with any ball. Safety Reggie Nelson really isn’t making much of a difference and Karl Joseph is better against the run v.s. the pass but he’s still learning. Rookie Gareon Conley is still hurt and rumors have him being out for a while, but take that for what it is worth. Conley was not good against the run at Ohio St. and it remains to be seen how good he is covering because he’s missed so much this year. The hope is that Conley is a great cover guy but this may be a wasted year for a #1 pick.

How To Fix It:

Shalom Luani deserves a chance at safety. Allow him to play more. I’d like him to get some time with Joseph because he has such good safety instincts.

At LB, the Raiders are in big trouble. There are a handful of people in the free agent pool but to be honest, there are no answers for this group this year. They need to disguise their blitzes and be super aggressive and get to the QB to hide their week back 7.

Defensive Line:

Unless you have a pass rush in today’s NFL, you are going to struggle.   These rules are so biased for the offense that passing records are falling left and right. As Jack Del Rio has said, they are a few times that they are the Khalil Mack show and not much else. Mario Edwards Jr. has his moments early in a game but he disappears and is not consistent. Bruce Irvin doesn’t have a sack all year and hasn’t had the impact the team was hoping for.   Eddie Vanderdoes has also not been as impactful as was hoped and Justin Ellis has occasional good moments but it isn’t enough to make a difference.

How to Fix It:

Again, this is going to have to be addressed next year. Someone on social media was raving about the possible signing of ex Bear DT Jaye Howard but that is beyond positive thinking.   Howard played 5 years; 2 missed from injury and he only has 7.5 sacks and no one would sign him this year.

The Raiders HAVE to get to the QB. Start blitzing like mad on 3^rd down and long and make sure that you do a better job at disguising it. Also it’s insane to blitz and then give WR cushions because you know a quick pass is coming.  Get in the WR faces when you blitz.  Sometimes the DB’s are lazy when they are blitzing and they give it up too quick.   I saw Nelson and Joseph Blitz against Baltimore and you could see it a mile away.

Jims Jamz:

This is a must win for Oakland. San Diego is not a great team and they finally scored a TD late in the 4^th quarter for the first time in 24 games. Oakland should handle the Chargers but nothing is for sure.   With the last part of the Raiders schedule being so difficult, this is a must win.

They are running the same offensive plays as last year and teams have caught up. Oakland also has been trying to solve their pass defense for years with DB’s and it doesn’t work. Until the Raiders get a stud DT and a pass rush, get ready for issues up front. And if the Raiders draft an offensive player over a LB or DT next year, heads should roll. Defense wins championships and this defense isn’t winning any championships. Seeing the response online, if the Raiders don’t turn this thing around this is going to get real ugly.

If the offensive philosophy changes and the Raiders adjust, the offense can carry them a long way. The defense will have to take chances and blitz though. It’s put up or shut up time in Oakland and a win against San Diego would be a nice start to a new chapter.

“GRADES: Raiders Are Humbled In DC; Why Fans Should Look For a Good Raider Bounce Back Game In Denver”

Final Oakland Raider Grades @ Washington; Week 3:

Washington  27 (2-1)

Oakland Raiders  10 (2-1)

“They gave us a big slice of humble pie”, said Khalil Mack. Was that an understatement or what.

In one of the worst performances in recent memory, the Raiders were physically dominated by Washington losing 27-10 on national television. What is scary is that if you take away the two turnovers deep in Washington territory, this game should have been a shutout. The Raiders now have to go into Denver needing a win big time or they could go 2-2 in the best division in the NFL.

There was no Marshawn Lynch Dance Parties. There was no Super Bowl Talk. There was no commitment to excellence.  Below, let’s first look at the poor grades, and then at why the sky isn’t falling.

Quarterback:

Derek Carr was awful.   He had a deer in the headlights look that I haven’t seen in a while. His first bad throw was a deep ball into 2 deep coverage that was intercepted and lead to a touchdown. He also threw another careless interception later in the game and another was dropped. If you can put a pass rush on Carr, he’s just not the same QB. He was uncomfortable in the pocket all night and he was humbled big time. Maybe his worst game as a Raider.

GRADE: F

Derek was in a fog at times, and it was strange to watch. He also wasn’t ready for the snap 3 times. He was rattled by the early sacks and never recovered.

Running Backs:

It didn’t matter who was in there. Washington neutralized the running game and Marshawn Lynch especially wasn’t a factor.

Grade D-

There were few holes, and few opportunities and the running game just wasn’t working.

Offensive Line:

Washington defensive coordinator Greg Manusky was sick of all of the questions about how good the Raiders were and was offended that teams felt his team wasn’t physical enough for the Raiders offensive line. They didn’t blitz and just mostly bull rushed 4 DL and it worked.   They dominated the Raiders offensive line in a way few have. Carr had little time and the holes were not there in the running game.

Grade F

Washington didn’t even blitz. The pass rushers were straight up bull rushes that overwhelmed the Raiders and Carr. The OL’s worst game in years.

Wide Receivers:

Even playing against a team with lots of nagging injuries in the defensive backfield, the Raiders WR were no factor in the game. Carr was off, and the pass rush overwhelmed the passing game. Amari Cooper continued dropping passes as did Michael Crabtree. They both combined for 2 catches for 13 yards. The WR had few plays where they managed to get open.

GRADE: F

Absolutely awful.   Cooper is a talented but passive player but you can’t justify so many drops. Crabtree had a chest injury and the hopes are that he will be ok for next weeks game at Denver.

Defensive Line:

They started the game fairly well. Mario Edwards Jr. had 2 plays getting pressure on the QB and Khalil Mack was his usual self. After the first quarter though the Washington OL began to take over and wore down the Raiders DL. The DL struggled getting pressure on the QB and it showed with Kirk Cousins throwing for 365 yards, and their RB’s ran for 116 yards on the ground.

Grade: D

Khalil Mack played well but that was about it after the first quarter.

Linebackers:

The LB’s were exposed big time. Washington used a short passing game and the LB’s had no chance in covering their RB’s. The Raiders then put a DB on RB Chris Thompson but no one could cover him and he caught 6 passes for 150 yards. Like I’ve said, the LB’s at times are going to look awful.

Grade F

The hopes are that someone steps up out of this group but who will it be if anyone?

Defensive Backs:

David Amerson got burned deep, which was the norm last year. Outside of Karl Joseph, the DB’s really struggled tackling. Gareon Conley was never a good tackler at Ohio St. and the hopes are that his cover skills will overcome those issues. He was close on two passes but he did give up some short to medium receptions. Sean Smith struggled guarding TE Vernon Davis which was a bad look.   If your starting CB is getting beaten deep by their #2 TE, then he sure isn’t going to keep up with a WR.   Washington RB Chris Thompson overwhelmed this group when he got the ball in the passing game. Poor angles and poor tackling by the entire defense especially the DB’s.

Grade F

Just an awful game by this group.

Coaching:

Jack Del Rio needs to be called out and he agreed. It’s up to him to get the team prepared and they were in a fog. The Raiders need to stop reading the papers when they win and not get big headed. You are only as good as your last game. The Raiders know their defense isn’t good enough and they continued to blitz often which is all they can do because they still don’t have a good pass rush. It worked against the Jets, but the Jets are really bad.

Grade F

The Raiders laid a big fat egg on national tv. The coaches are doing the right thing.  Own the bad game and work hard to fix it and to be focused.

Special Teams:

Marquette King and Giorgio Tavecchio are turning out to be a good special teams combo. It’s hard to see Sebastian Janikowski in a Raiders uniform next year. King is really punting well.

Grade A

Not much action other than King’s punts.

Conclusion:

This was the worst game the Raiders have played in years. All of the overreaction to the Jet’s win is now gone. The game in Denver will lay a foundation to the 2017-18 season. The Raiders do not want to end up 2-2 with the difficult part of their schedule in their future. With Denver also not wanting to start 2-2, this is the most important game in the NFL for the first quarter of the season.

Can the Raiders Bounce Back?:

I just read where some of the Sportsbooks in Nevada had their greatest weekend in HISTORY due to all of the upsets in the NFL this last weekend.   The days of the super teams are long gone, and a team can look like world beaters one minute, and then like egg beaters the next.  The Raiders are a good team and they have a good head coach.  No good team with a good head coach is going to not come back strong after such a terrible outing.

I think this loss in the long run will help the Raiders. They have won nothing and needed to calm down a bit.   They needed to be humbled so they could refocus. The Raiders have holes on defense big time and it’s not going to change any time soon.

Against Denver, look for a much disciplined and deliberate passing game with short passes being the norm. With Denvers pass rush, a quick passing game with 3 and 5 step drops are what you need to use against them. Denver is much better against the run this year, but the Raiders are going to have to try to run on the Broncos using smash mouth football. The Raiders OL will try to reestablish themselves like they did in the Denver game in Oakland. I’m sure they are up for the challenge considering how good they’ve been the last 1 ½ yrs.

On defense I am so not a Trevor Siemian fan. He can look great one game and then look like he’s overwhelmed the next. Look for Oakland to crowd the line with Joseph and dare the Broncos to throw. Their running game is a good one and I’d rather put the game in the hands of Siemian than CJ Anderson and Jamaal Charles.

I like the Raiders to come back strong next week after licking their wounds.   Good teams with good coaches bounce back from these types of games and I think both the Raiders and Broncos will be ready big time.  You can’t lose your mind if you lose badly, and you can’t let it get to your head when you win big.  This is a long, long season and you can’t get too high or too low. However, if the Raiders lay another egg, then this team is going to struggle this year.  I really do expect them to come out swinging in another hard fought game at Mile High that will make the Washington game a bad memory.  Welcome to today’s NFL.

 

 

 

“The Tragic Loss of Raider Derrick Jensen & the Mounting List of Players ALS & CTE are Claiming”

The nightmare continues.

When ESPN’s article on the money grab which is the brain injury lawsuit against the NFL came out recently, it showed just how little is being done for former NFL players struggling with head injuries. So far they have not seen one dime of the settlement money. With lawyers charging outrageous fees, and medical corporations and doctors practically targeting them, you wonder how much money the players will really see. The extreme greed is hard to watch.  The sad part is, more players are being diagnosed with ALS and CTE and many feel this is just the tip of the iceberg.

http://www.espn.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/19029607/billion-dollar-nfl-concussion-settlement-turns-nasty-lawyers-others-vie-pieces-payouts-players

Studies now show NFL players are 4-5 times more likely to get ALS than the regular public. The famous Italian soccer study showed Italian soccer players were 6 times more likely to get it. Severe forms of CTE are now feared to be a cause of ALS.  Former woman’s US soccer star Brandi Chastain has agreed to donate her brain to CTE studies. The first MMA fighter has now been thought to have CTE. Even BMX legend Dave Mirra was shown to have CTE after his suicide at the age of 41.

Now present and former NHL players are coming out to talk about it.   If you thought the NFL was obtuse about head injuries, the NHL makes them look like Mother Theresa. They sued to block their emails dating back to as much as 10 years ago trying to block studies on the effects of concussions partly because they didn’t want to limit fighting.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl-doctor-slams-situational-ethics-on-concussions-in-unsealed-lawsuit-documents-1.708729

Last month the NFL world was shocked and dismayed to hear that former 49er great Dwight Clark was diagnosed with ALS. Alabama great Kevin Turner; an 8 year veteran of the NFL; died last year at 46 from ALS. He was one of the key witnesses in the CTE trials v.s. the NFL. His brain was later studied and he was found to have severe CTE damage. He was diagnosed with ALS in 2010.

Raiders stud FB Steve Smith has been battling ALS for 15 years. And sadly the Raiders and Seattle families lost a valuable person last week in Derrick Jensen.

I still remember Cowboys owner Jerry Jones last March saying he personally still didn’t think there was a link to head injuries, concussions and CTE.   That’s what players are up against.

Mark Davis & Reggie McKenzie honor former Raider Derrick Jensen before Seattle Seahawks game

Derrick Jensen Loses His Battle With ALS:

http://www.raiders.com/news/article-1/Raiders-Mourn-the-Passing-of-Derrick-Jensen/ca64a3e6-8b9d-4ceb-8815-1a93ad9ba9d0

Raiders super sub and special teams captain Derrick Jensen lost his battle with ALS last week after being diagnosed in 2012. Jensen was 60. He was a key member of the Raiders and won 2 Super Bowls. In the first 5 minutes of Super Bowl XVIII, Derrick blocked a Washington punt and recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown that set the tone for a huge win against a team that most in the media at that time was calling the best ever.   I remember pretty much going insane as a kid when it happened.

Davis & Derrick Jensen

Derrick was a solid and valuable player, but he also was a long time respected scout for the Seattle Seahawks with over 2 decades of amazing evaluations.   He was beloved for his kindness and respect towards people. He was eclectic and fun and went out of his way to just say hi to Seattle staffers.   You would be hard pressed to find a more loved guy. His death was a great loss to the NFL. The Seahawks have renamed their draft room in his honor. Sadly Derrick lost his wife Amanda in 2009 in a car accident and now his 19 y/o son Davis (in honor of Al? I don’t know) must go on without his parents.

http://www.seahawks.com/news/2017/04/07/seahawks-remember-longtime-scout-derrick-jensen

A 5-Star Must Read Book on Players & Their Families Fighting CTE:

Many are reading this book in one sitting.  If you want to get a raw, in depth look at what players & families go through with CTE, read Cyndy Feasel’s book “After the Cheering Stops”. Her late husband Grant Feasel; a former Seattle Seahawk OL; was struck by CTE and this story is an amazing one. I can’t recommend this book enough. Grant sadly, was far from being the only one.  RIP Grant.

http://afterthecheeringstops.com/

NFL Royalty Now Struggling:

When Ken Stabler’s partner Kim Ross-Bush came out talking about the CTE symptoms that Ken was suffering from, it seemed that more people started to listen.   Sadly, the list of players struggling continues to grow.

Cowboys great Tony Dorsett has done several national interviews talking about his battle with depression, mood swings and extreme memory loss.  Ex-Raider/Eagle/49er RB Charlie Garner says he can’t go anywhere without someone coming with him because he forgets where his car is & has trouble in conversations.

NFL Royalty and super man Gale Sayers barely talks anymore.  One of the most articulate and smart people in NFL history, can no longer remember some people or even carry on simple conversations.

http://www.espn.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/9931754/former-nfl-stars-tony-dorsett-leonard-marshall-joe-delameilleure-show-indicators-cte-resulting-football-concussions

Detroit Lion legend Mel Farr died in 2015 and it was shown he had severe CTE which he suspected.  At one time Mel had the largest African American owned company in the U.S.

Frank Wycheck, Mike Adamle, and so many others are now saying they are afraid of what lies ahead with their symptoms.  Raider great George Atkinson says it’s hitting him as well and Phil Villapiano says it’s the scary thing everyone is talking about.  Their memories fading, while their thoughts get lost in a fog.

http://www.espn.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/18585718/former-detroit-lions-rb-mel-farr-had-stage-3-cte-died-2015

These aren’t dumb football players folks. These are smart, articulate, and successful men who contributed great things to the NFL and they are now losing their faculties. AND STILL, no support from the NFL.

The NFL Needs a Wake Up Call:

http://www.myajc.com/sports/football/fate-dwight-clark-gale-sayers-reaffirm-nfl-not-doing-enough/oh3s4BqtAVhI6nye7XQbEN/

People have changed in our country and some leave their brains at the door.  If some belong to a political party, love a football team or belong to an organization, they will blindly defend it no matter what.  Right and wrong no longer matters to them.  It’s like they take it personally if someone questions what they are a part of.  It’s pathetic and insecure to be honest.  You can’t fix problems unless you admit them.

The NFL see’s that same phenomena.  “Don’t be a hater, don’t be negative; you are a troll”. It’s like a bunch of cult members are walking around saying question nothing. To admit a terrible mistake by something they belong to or like is out of the question.

“I’m loyal from the crib to the grave. Win lose or tie, loyal til I die”. These are sayings that are seen often in fan groups of all NFL teams.   Unfortunately the league, the teams, and the owners don’t feel the same. They will move to another city without a worry, buy off politicians and not support the players that made them rich while not thinking twice about it. Their goal is one thing; make more money.  Some NFL fans are the abused spouses of the sporting world and they don’t even know it; enabling the NFL to the end blindly defending anything they do, or fail to do.

Cheerleaders had to sue to get minimum wage and the overwhelming support in social media was for the NFL. The names these women were called by some male fans on social media shouldn’t be repeated. The Ref’s were destroyed by fans for wanting to be full time employees with full time training and salaries. This would greatly improve the calls in games and improve the integrity of the game. Sadly the “cash strapped” NFL said they couldn’t afford to pay them full time. Most fans backed the NFL and told refs to get other jobs if you don’t like it.

The treatment of the retired players is worse. Our society has lost it’s ability to be compassionate, especially to elderly people. If I wrote a story about Derek Carr giving someone a ride, I’d get thousands of readers an hour. Talk about the sad demise of a great player from the past and the numbers drop significantly with a yawn. It’s too sad and no one wants to bother.

What Can We Do:

It will take maturity and confidence from fans to create change. First, we can listen. We can listen to the players and their families.   We can support them by complaining to the league and owners in social media or in actually writing letters that we need to respect them and their needs. A little bit of effort goes a long way. The NFL was going to do nothing in the Ray Rice case until fans were outraged when TMZ proved them to be liars.

The NBA had a known racist, Donald Sterling as an owner.  They knew and supported him for years through his racist actions and rants.  They defended him until a video came out that was seen by fans.  The outrage was epic and public opinion forced the NBA to get rid of him.  Professional leagues morals are based on money & public opinion.

We can also support pages, stories and the players themselves.   Instead of putting up that 1000th team meme or 5000th cat photo on Facebook, teach yourself and/or your kids about the history of the teams and the great players from the past. These players sacrificed a great deal to play football and many were extremely loyal to the cities and fans.  Some became integral parts of the community with many living and dying in the area they played in. We need to stop acting like 18 y/o gang members and respect all players from all teams. You can hate a team or player in fun but remember we are all in this game called life, and that is much more important than any football rivalry or team loyalty.

What is happening to retired players is unacceptable and we need to be the answer. You can still love football and the players in it while not condoning some of the actions of the NFL and the owners. The NFL’s actions show it is loyal to one thing; money. It is their god. Well it’s not mine. They are not loyal to players, fans, cheerleaders, cities and even the refs.   I’m not letting ANY corporation or person use me or disrespect me, and you shouldn’t either. Look at their actions, and not the words. Love the game, and the teams and players but be respectful of what’s going on.  And if we are as loyal and respectful to the game as we say, let’s make a difference and show the NFL that the sport is about the people in it, and not the profit from it.

“Mark Davis’ Quick Meeting With an Iconic Oakland Fan; Everything About the Raiders Move to Vegas”

 

“never, ever, ever give your heart to a professional sports team”

Ann Killian, Bay Area Sportswriter

 

 

In a 31-1 vote with only Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross voting no, the NFL approved the vote to have the Oakland Raiders move to Las Vegas. The numbers still don’t add up but that doesn’t seem to worry anyone; until now.  Even if the Raider’s can’t pay back this loan, the NFL has a hold in sin city, something they always wanted.

The National Media:

What bothered me most about yesterdays and today’s sports reports, is that FINALLY many are now talking about the numbers and questioning whether this is a viable deal. Even KNTV out of Las Vegas did a live report saying it will be interesting to see if this can financially work long term because some of the numbers don’t add up. ESPN also questioned the deal and talked about the extreme greed of the owners and that the message to fans is clear; you mean nothing; revenues mean everything. Are you kidding me? After the fact? Where have you been for the last year media?

People wonder why I quit my writing jobs and went solo. It’s because I don’t want to have to kiss up to the NFL, companies, owners, or players. After Bill Simmons of ESPN was fired for calling Roger Goodell and the NFL liars (which TMZ proved they did lie), you realized the power the NFL had over the sports media. This move to Las Vegas shows it even more.   Remember when the NFL wouldn’t let Tony Romo have a fantasy sports conference at a Casino? Yet the NFL, MLB, and the NBA were kissing the hand of daily fantasy betting sites even though the Feds were investigating the sites for being so crooked.

NFL slams door on Romo-organized fantasy football convention

Las Vegas & Nevada:

Las Vegas and Nevada is a hot mess. Like I said in my article last week, Nevada is last in the U.S. in education and near last in many other categories. Instead of using a hotel tax to help the people of Las Vegas and Nevada, they use that money to build an NFL stadium which in no way is going to bring the same money in return. Lobbyists at work.

The city of Oakland announced that they still owe $95 million to the Raiders from the insane deal they made back in 1995 to bring them back. The city of St. Louis now says they still owe up to 128 million for the stadium for the Rams who are now playing in Los Angeles. Politicians that use tax dollars to fund stadiums are irresponsible. Good luck Vegas; you’ll need it.

Also add the 900 million dollar Nevada road project that will be needed for the new stadium; state and federal sources will be needed to help foot that bill. They hope that the Raiders will at least pay 400-450 million for this project but the money has not been allocated for that yet and is an extra cost, just like the relocation fee. This stadium is costing way more than 1.9 billion. As I said before, this is a terrible deal for Las Vegas and the state of Nevada and the Raiders. If the Raiders default on the loan the NFL still wins big time and that’s what the owners want.

Mark Davis & him reaching out to an Iconic Raider Fan:

I’ve said it before, Mark doesn’t seem like a bad guy. He is though way out of his league. Instead of reading the room and being gracious after the vote, Mark Davis ripped on local officials in Alameda and Oakland and said he pretty much blew them off after the Carson vote and wanted nothing to do with them. He blamed the increase in rents (even though they were minimal) and the counties saying they’d wait to negotiate until he had no other options as to the reason he no longer wanted Oakland. Some can finally stop acting like Mark Davis did everything to stay in Oakland. Saying you want to stay and trying to leave may fool some but it doesn’t fool me. His reasons are obviously CYA.   Actions show a man’s heart, words are the BS to hide those actions. His hurt feelings mattered more.

Mark Davis never wanted to be in Oakland; he wanted the glitz of LA or Las Vegas. He’s like the nerd in school who’s rich dad gave him a big football team and he now wants to hang out with the cool jocks. He never got Carson done. He said Adelson was in the bag until he tried to trick him into agreeing with all his demands. He then said Goldman Sachs was in the bag as an investor and that was news to them. Finally it was obvious this was becoming a joke so arrogant rich big brother Jerry Jones came to the table. As everyone close to the situation has said, Jones secured the Bank of America funding and, he also got the votes to pass this move. Davis again being put on 3^rd base thinking he hit a triple.

It’s now no surprise that ESPN (Colin Cowherd; who I’m not a big fan of also said it this morning) and other media outlets have said there are rumors of verbal deals with some of the services at the new Las Vegas stadium being done by Jerry Jones owned companies. What an amazing coincidence.

Mark Davis is already in damage control. He has reached out to a well known Raider fan to start the process of smoothing things over. He’s going to say it’s not his fault. He even said in a press conference after the vote that he wants to bring a Super Bowl to Oakland. Here is Zennie Abraham’s interview with Raider fan Godfather Griz & his interaction with Mark Davis.

Emotions aside, I still haven’t seen ONE financial person say this is a good financial deal for the Raiders and that they are going to make a ton of money. This deal almost reminds me of all the no money down housing loans banks gave out like candy for a while. Be careful what you wish for Mark Davis. You owe a lot of money; I mean a lot. The new black hole is going to be Mark Davis & the Raiders need for money.

John Madden’s omen about NFL Fans:

John Madden said about 5 years ago on his morning radio bit that he does locally that within his kids lifetime NFL fans will be little more than props. He said the most wild ones will be let in nearly free to create an atmosphere, and only the rich will be able to afford games. Most average fans will watch on tv at home where teams make most of the money.

Backlash in Other Communities:

Already the backlash of the ridiculous corporate welfare that Mark Davis is getting is being seen.   Two months ago North Carolina law makers called for a tax to help pay for their stadiums upgrades fearing they’d leave. Jacksonville and other areas also are beginning to shake in their boots and talk about tax money. It sets a bad precedent; pay NFL owners money for stadiums like a gold digger trophy wife, or they will straight up leave you, blame you, and break your hearts.

Everyone should do their own thing. For me though Mark Davis and the NFL doesn’t care if I live or die; they just want my money. I’d rather give thousands of dollars to my friends or family, pay bills, or buy people gifts than give it to an NFL team. Where I come from loyalty is a two way street.  You have to find your own way.

Oakland Raiders Writers and Bloggers:

There has been a lot of angry backlash against some of the more popular Raider social media voices for some of their predictions. I’m rare in that I can write about things and not be biased. Few can do that anymore.

Raider voices were just so emotionally involved that I think they kind of heard what they wanted to hear.   I didn’t have a clue what the vote would be but I just knew on paper this deal stunk & I said it. I argued with some of them. I said all of the rah rah stuff, the rally’s, and the talk of history and loyalty mean ABSOLUTELY nothing to NFL owners and they disagreed. I hate being right in this case.   I hope that you give them a break though; this team meant so much to the community & it’s hard to not understand it.

Libby Schaaf & Oakland/Alameda:

I was driving home on election night and a local reporter was walking with Libby to her election victory party. The reporter asked live on camera about keeping the A’s. “The A’s are going nowhere. They are staying in Oakland”. She was then asked about the Raiders. “We are going to do our best to keep the Raiders here”. I think that was always the vibe that worried the NFL and Raider fans. If you were to talk to Oakland people, they’d rather keep the Raiders than the A’s. If you talk to politicians though, the A’s seemed to be untouchable. In a second year of almost 100 losses, the A’s drew a total of about 1.5 million fans in 81 dates. The Raiders drew about 570,000 in their 10 games in 2016.  Bauce man and Dr. Death were both right on the A’s.

Libby was right in not using tax money for this stadium, but she was way wrong in the way she went about it. Right or wrong, with the A’s always in the background picture, this just wasn’t going to work for the NFL.

I also think they should have done a PR plan a long time ago, and released the plan then.   Doing this at the last second was wrong.   Uninformed fans took this as a last second deal thrown together to save the Raiders. It came off as desperate and unorganized. Months before I would have had ALL Oakland and Alameda officials, Fortress, Ronnie Lott, and everyone involved at the table in a press conference with smiles in one hand and Oakland Raider t-shirts in the other saying that everyone was in this together. Doing this the Saturday before the NFL vote was almost ridiculous in my mind. It made people feel good but didn’t do anything for the NFL.

Fan’s:

No team in the history of any sport in any country has left their city twice. It’s heartbreaking & eye opening. The very thing that players and people close to the team said when the Raiders went to LA is exactly what’s going to happen in Vegas.  Just like when they moved to L.A., I think over time the Raiders are slowly going to go from a gritty, tough, blue collar team with a lot of diversity in the stands, to a glitzy made for tv product. As so many players said in 1987 in the TV interview I showed on Facebook, (I couldn’t load it on this blog)“We changed”. Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it.

If you are in southern California, Vegas is closer so if you are into going to the games that will be good for you.  If you choose not to go, again that is your choice and there is nothing wrong with that.  Do what is best for you and don’t let others tell you different. You are not a better or worse fan by doing one or the other.

For fans to tell others how to feel (I hope they don’t teach their kids this) and react to this move is as immature and selfish as it gets. Everyone is different and however you feel is alright with me. If you blow off the Raiders I get it. If you are no longer a fan I get it. If you stay loyal I get it. I used to be a Raider, Warrior & partial A’s season ticket holder up to 10 years ago, but I woke up. The Raiders are not paying my bills or making me soup when I’m sick. I realized a long time ago my loyalty to them was much more than their loyalty to me so I didn’t invest near as much as the past.  Again; you have to find your own way.

(a quick history of Raiders memories)

10 great Oakland football memories the Raiders won’t be able to re-locate to Las Vegas

For Oakland and east bay fans I think it’s time you moved on. A lawsuit isn’t keeping the Raiders here. I’ve heard of some saying this deal may financially fall through in the future and maybe they’ll come back, but I say enough.   It’s now an abusive relationship.   The Raiders do not care about you or the bay area and once they move you will be nothing more than a distant memory.   You are a prop and an ATM. They love your money but they don’t think you are good enough.

What will remain though are the memories and friendships along the way. This includes all of the great players and their families that were a big part of the Oakland community. They worked, partied and enjoyed life with the players and the players felt just as much adoration for the fans.   The relationships were deep and passionate. From the 1960’s before some were born to now, I don’t know of a more special bond with a community than the Raiders players had with their fans. Those that didn’t live it will never understand it. The Raiders were much more than a football team. They were family.

Thinking of parents, players, coaches & grandparents that are no longer with us, you realize an era has ended and it will never be the same. Remember though that no amount of arrogant greed can ever take these special memories & feelings away. How innocent were those days; how rich we are to have known them.

“The Raiders Las Vegas Deal is Possibly the Worst in U.S. Sports History; And the ONLY Way it Succeeds”

Does believing you’re the last sane man on the planet make you crazy? ‘Cause if it does, maybe I am.

Will Smith, IROBOT

The Raiders Las Vegas deal might be the worst and most dysfunctional deal in US sports history. I’ve been telling friends for weeks, I’m shocked this is still on the table.

I was doing a few radio station interviews including an ESPN affiliate and each host had one last question. Where will the Raiders end up. My answer to all 3 to their amazement was Oakland. “The numbers don’t lie guys. The only reason they leave is if the NFL wants it.  All they are talking about is the cost of the stadium. Now you add the relocation fee as well as possible interest payments and other costs that always come up with this type of deal.  The price for Mark Davis goes up; way up”.

While fans are being played like fiddles giving “unnamed sources” comments as facts, let’s deal with reality. Again this deal is so bad, the ONLY way I see the Raiders going to Las Vegas is if the owners; especially Jerry Jones; flat out want them there.

The Mainstream Media With An Epic Fail:

I worked for a fortune 500 company as an administrator at a young age. We were the biggest health organization at the time in the U.S.   I’ve done large deals and also have done some for my own small company, so I know about business.  I also have asked 3 friends who are big wigs in Silicon Valley and in the medical field financial arena what they thought about this deal. They all said let’s look at the numbers. They all said ugh.

This is where the mainstream media and many of those following this story have failed. DO THE NUMBERS! Instead of being responsible, they leak fake stories or rumors to get a rise out of people and get traffic to their articles and sites.   It shocks me that until the last few weeks, few have literally made a spread sheet and looked at the numbers of this deal.

The Numbers Don’t Lie:  This Deal Is A Joke:

The people below can do a better job than I, but here is this deal in a nutshell. The stadium will cost 1.9 billion dollars. The Raiders will NOT own it. They also will have to pay 350-500 million dollars in a relocation fee that can be spread out over time. Now thanks to the Department of Transportation’s demands that the Raiders pay for upgrades in highways and roads leading up to the new stadium, there are more added costs. The cost is estimated to be around $900 million. The Raiders will have to pay at least $450 million of that. Oh; and I’m sorry. What about the yearly interest/costs to the loan that the Raiders supposedly have shored up with Bank of America. That’s predicted to be between $40-46 million per year.

I could give you a lot of people, but for now I’ll just give a few that looked at the numbers.

Roger Noll, a Stanford University economics professor has made a few comments on the deal. “The numbers don’t add up and the probability that it could happen isn’t zero, but it is pretty close to zero.”

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/03/22/raiders-las-vegas-plan-flimsy-stanford-economist-says/

Another controversial voice is Zennie Abraham. He broke down the numbers in depth. He has spoken with the likes of Raiders owner Mark Davis, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and several of the people that are involved in the Oakland offer and the Las Vegas deal.

Zennie likes to talk (so do I) but I found a readers digest version of him showing the actual numbers of the deal. I disagree with him at times but I like Zennie and I ask that you please check out this video and his other videos on Youtube.

Zennie says this is NOT happening and said it would be a miracle if it passed because the numbers don’t make sense.  I think the opposite.  If politicians can be swayed & the NFL wants it, it’s happening.

Below is Zennie’s comparison of the Las Vegas deal v.s. the Oakland deal.

Lastly here is Clark County Commission chairman Steve Sisolak who is a huge backer of the Las Vegas stadium. He has been very outspoken at the lack of disclosure by the Raiders & the Stadium Board in regards to the deal. Even he is questioning the deal saying the numbers don’t add up. Remember the Raiders saying Adelson’s money was in the bag?   Then remember them saying Goldman Sachs was a for sure? Remember the media saying these things were a done deal? Now Davis says Bank of America’s funding is for sure but there is nothing on paper, no lease, and B of A hasn’t confirmed anything.  They may have made a deal but it’s hard to trust Mark Davis word.  It reminds me of Carson when the media said the vote had been finalized for the Raiders to move. Facebook groups all spoke about it.  I said wait; 2 reliable sources.  Ooops. The stories were false and the Raiders did not go to Carson.

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/03/09/raiders-mum-about-loan-while-las-vegas-officials-have-questions/

 Losers in the Las Vegas Stadium Deal:

Loser #1, Mark Davis:

Some of you are saying, “did Jax lose his mind?”  Read the above numbers.   Doesn’t Mark have any friends in finance? Can’t anyone tell him that his arrogance and inability to admit a mistake may cost him big time? If he put 10% of the effort into Oakland that he has into Carson, San Antonio & Las Vegas, there would already be a stadium deal done. Is he trying to one up his dad and prove himself? The whole situation is bizarre but he is not loyal to Oakland in any way and I’ve been saying that for a long, long time.  He doesn’t want to be in Oakland, end of story.

Loser #2; Las Vegas & Nevada:

Nevada is the best at being last. The state is last in education; near last in many health statistics, and near last in many air pollution rankings. I’ve read where they desperately need better public transportation, inner city spending, and funds spent for the infrastructure of the state including Las Vegas.

What does the legislature do? Sheldon Adelson hired 12 lobbyists to bribe; I mean encourage; politicians to vote for the $750 million stadium plan even though Nevada is a hot mess.   See why I want to outlaw lobbyists in all forms of government?

Are we that naive to not realize that there now will be less money for other more important things like education and infrastructure?  And what about cuts?  Some of you think I’m nuts but I see possible cuts as well.  Time will tell.

After being confronted with his huge donations to the Donald Trump campaign by Forbes magazine, Adelson said, “I don’t believe in the ultra rich using their power to dictate what happens in politics, but until they change the rules, I will”.

The City of Oakland is still paying for the Raiders move back 22 years later. St. Louis says they still owe $100-128 million to pay for the Rams stadium even though the Rams are not in the same time zone. Can you imagine the mess Nevada is going to be in?   Study after study shows tax payers paying for stadiums get one thing; screwed.

Loser #3; Raider fans:

The Raiders ticket prices are near the lower third of the league right now even after 2 years of increases. Already monstrous PSL prices are being predicting for Las Vegas and the cost could make them the top 5 most expensive in the NFL. Top that with very high ticket prices and parking.   Now add airfare which will run let’s say $150 per person. Now add hotel rooms which will cost a good $200 dollars or more per night with many hotels looking to get at least 2 nights out of you, possibly 3. Food and drink during your stay adds up in this pretentious and overpriced land. How about a husband and wife taking the kids? Fat chance.  And you thought Disneyland and Harry Potter World were rip-offs (ok they still are).

Oakland Raider fans will especially lose. The move to Los Angeles ruined the Raiders and they’ve never been the same. Even though the Raiders had a nice core of about 30,000 loyal fans, the crowds at times were embarrassingly low with it’s lack of support. It was so bad that when they came back to Oakland, the players made fun of the LA fans. The violence, bad behavior and flakiness were hard for Oakland fans to watch.  A once proud tradition ruined.

Even Raider great Tim Brown on 95.7 The Game said LA was a bad place for an NFL team because when teams don’t do well, fans won’t come. Las Vegas will be worse. Just ask the once darling basketball program at UNLV who’s attendance is now at record lows due to some average years. With the Raiders needing 40-46% of the seats being filled by tourist/travelers, that is a pretty scary thing to rely on.  Do you think the Raiders are going to be Super Bowl contenders for 30 years or that the economy will be great for 3 decades?  What if a natural disaster or increased crime or another type of tragedy happens? In a loyal place people will still come.  Not in Vegas.

(below is a 1995 article describing a Divorce Made in Heaven; the Raiders leaving LA)

In the glory years, many fans worked, played, and partied with some of these Oakland greats. They still talk about the Santa Rosa training camps and now on Facebook you see kids and grand kids of Raider greats happily befriending kids and grand kids of longtime fans.  If you say the Raiders can play anywhere and it won’t matter to you then you don’t understand the connection and even though you are a good fan, the Raiders are Oakland.

The Raiders may be your team but for Oakland and the east bay, they are family.

What Will Happen At The Vote Next Week:

If this was in the real world, there would be no vote.  There is no financing on paper because if there were, there would be a lease agreement.   What are they going to vote on?   I mean if they do vote yes, now they are giving free reign for the Raiders to do what they want in regards to any crazy deal with his boys from Clark County. And let’s say the Vote is yes; which would be shocking; the deal still isn’t finalized. They still have to get approval from the Stadium board and finalize the financials.   If it is approved, there is something going on behind the scenes that isn’t kosher because this is a bad business deal all the way around. One thing trumps EVERYTHING. It doesn’t matter if it’s right or wrong, If the owners want the Raiders in Vegas, they are going to Vegas.

And Please STOP LISTENING TO MAINSTREAM MEDIA! How many more times do they need to be wrong before people stop quoting them and giving them so much credit. I know there is a lot of bad writing out there on the internet.  Everyone thinks they are a writer now, and there are many that should not be writing at all.  In reality though there are some unique bloggers and writers that are getting a lot done for fans. It’s “fools” like myself and countless others who love learning and sharing the facts with others that should get more love.  Some work like dogs to give the best information. Why do you think my 3 part series on Ken Stabler was read by thousands? It’s not because I’m some genius. It was because I stayed up for weeks on end sometimes doing all nighters researching and writing because I felt I owed it to Ken & his family along with great college and NFL fans to do something that would inform them and be enjoyable to read. (below is the article on the passing of Ken Stabler)

“The Passing Of Legendary Raider Ken Stabler Shocks a Nation”

Conspiracy Theory; The Only Way This Vote is Approved:

Some of you say I’m too much into facts; don’t know why that’s a bad thing; but I’m not a fool and I know conspiracies exist. I get that they can be fun to think about. Some are saying the NFL is doing it on purpose.  Why not let this deal go through and let Mark Davis crash and burn. The way things are now, there is a possibility that he can’t pay all this money back. And if he does default on the loans, will the NFL make him sell out to minority owners who have more money, or just sell out all together?  You have a stadium and a team that might not be able to pay it’s bills.  Now the NFL has all of the power over him.  Crazier things have happened.

We talked about this a couple of weeks ago; what if the stadium vote goes through and Mark does default on the loan within 3-5 years. Will Oakland again be an option? Holy Toledo!

Jims Jamz:

I’m not dumb; the NFL is going to go to Las Vegas eventually. The NFL, MLB, & NBA showed their real feelings about gambling when they sold their souls to daily fantasy sites even though the feds had to step in because the games were so crooked. Take out gambling and fantasy football and NFL ratings plummet.   For the Las Vegas deal, it doesn’t matter about the bickering, hurt feelings or emotions. It’s about the money; it’s business. And if you look at the numbers and at history you realize that this may be the worst proposed deal in the history of U.S. sports with so many losers. Let’s hope that the House of Thrills has one more miracle up it’s sleeve to stop the insanity.  If not, remember Jim Jax warned you.

“Raiders Off Season; Derek Carr & Kahlil Mack Contracts; Salary Cap; Who Stays, Who Goes”

It was a fun season for Oakland Raider fans but now the off season lull begins. I am extremely optimistic about the Raiders next season but there is work to do.  Let’s see if we can’t fill that void with early off season talk.

Salary Cap:

First off, if you are new to my writing my regulars would tell you I only write one way; honestly.  I’m not a homer and I don’t say what people want to hear.  I’m also not a hater.  I have the following I do because I respect the game and the readers.  I want to inform readers of all levels; whether you are new to the game and the Raiders or whether you know about schemes and techniques.  This is supposed to be fun and informative.

The salary cap was created by the NFL to create parity. The NFL felt that if they leveled the playing field and prevented dynasty’s, there would be more fan interest because different teams would be in the playoffs. Both Super Bowl teams from last year didn’t even make the playoffs this year.

Remember when Seattle won the Super Bowl? QB Russell Wilson was making under 1 million. His average annual salary is now 21.9 million. With that salary cap hit, they are struggling with their OL & depth at many positions. Well the Raiders are now in that same boat.

Last month the Raiders and Derek Carr both said that they wanted to finalize a deal in the off season. Carr is set to make 1.7 million in 2017. They were looking at a 4-5 year deal for 20 million a year. If the Raiders wait another year, they may get into a bidding war with teams and most feel the price would go up to 23-25 million per year.  Resigning players in their contract year is the smart thing to do.

In 2018 they now have to resign Kahlil Mack. He also is going to get a huge raise from his 4.6 million dollar average. The good thing is they can franchise him so they won’t lose him. Those are huge chunks taken out of the salary cap. Most that are looking ahead also think it’s near impossible for the Raiders to keep OL Gabe Jackson when his contract is up. He’s going to get a big raise from his 4 year average salary of 770k. Some think he’ll get around 7-8 million/year.

Derek Carr’s contract will dictate what the Raiders do in the off season.   The days of having a ton of money under the salary cap are gone. Seattle has done it right by emphasizing good drafts and player development through good coaching.  Raiders need to do the same.

The Reality:

The Raiders have to limit their busts. The Nate Allen’s and Sean Smith’s of the world can’t happen anymore.   The Jihad Ward and DJ Hayden draft picks can’t happen anymore (both picks that I took heat for from fans for hating them). If your 1^st, 2^nd, or 3^rd round draft choices aren’t starting within 2 years and at least playing fairly well, then they were not good picks.   Before the salary cap you could bench picks and let them learn over time. Those days are gone. The standards need to be high if you want to keep winning.  Let’s now look at each position.

Quarterbacks:

Derek Carr will be back and healthy after healing up from his injury. Matt McGloin’s meltdown in Denver pretty much sealed his fate.   He’s an unrestricted free agent (UFA) and he said he’d like a chance to start somewhere. Look for McGloin to sign elsewhere and Cook to be the backup.   I said it at the draft last year, I think Cook is a back up at best in the NFL and I’m not a huge fan of his but he’s ok.

Running Backs:

DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard at times really stole the show.   Both are explosive and can catch the ball. I don’t think either is a franchise back but they are very valuable in a RB by committee way which has been the trend in the NFL.

Latavius Murray is a nice back but he doesn’t thrill me at all. Some have said he’ll ask for 6-7 million a year.   If he wants a lot of money I let him go and pick up a free agent or a later round rookie power back. There are some steals that can be had in later rounds. I still like Jamize Olawale and I wish he’d get more carries. The Stanford RB “Christian McCaffrey to Oakland” in the second round rumors have already begun.

Wide Receivers:

The Raiders are set with Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper. They both dropped a lot of balls this season though, including one each in the playoff game so hopefully that improves. I said it last year; Seth Roberts is not a good #3 and he also had the dropsies. The Raiders have the rights to Roberts but you wonder if they move on. Lower down the Raider needs list, adding a good #3 WR would be a plus. Andre Holmes has his moments and is solid at #4, but where he shines is special teams where he has become a big contributor. He’s an UFA but I think he’ll come back.

Offensive Line:

The engine of the Raiders.

I still remember Donald Penn being raked over the coals on social media by many Raider fans when he asked for a lot of money in his last contract.   Well he is worth it. He had his best year and didn’t allow a sack until Carr was hurt late in the season; and on that play he slipped.

The OL will stay intact but there will be some changes. Menelik Watson is an UFA and may not be resigned. He is hurt a lot and his play is sporatic.   Mike Tice loved Jon Feliciano; I didn’t. I still didn’t get drafting him and he hasn’t been great either. Look for some new faces backing up the starters next year.

Tight End:

It’s hard to evaluate the TE’s because the Raiders throw so little to them (Part of the reason I didn’t like Bill Musgrave’s offense). During the year they were always top 8 in catches v.s. targets.   When they were thrown too they usually caught the ball.

Clive Walford is a good blocker and pass catcher. Mychal Rivera is a good pass catcher but can’t block and may not be resigned. Lee Smith; a loss that no one brings up that was a big one; will be back after breaking his ankle in week 4. He is the best run blocking tight end in the NFL and can catch a ball or two when needed.

Defensive Line:

The great Woody Hayes once said when asked about the potential of his freshman QB Rod Gerald, “Potential? Potential means you ain’t no damn good yet!”. The Raiders can’t be enamored with potential anymore. They need results.

The Raiders were LAST; DEAD LAST in sacks. They also were last in yards per play (6.1). I said it last year and I’m saying it this year; clean house in the DL.   Stacy McGee and Denico Autry have shown glimpses of good play, but injuries and inconsistencies have limited their success. McGee is UFA and Autry is restricted. Raiders need to move on unless the price is right.

I ripped on the Jihad Ward draft pick and still don’t get it. He started 13 games this year and played in all 16; did anyone notice?   They drafted him too high but I would not have drafted him at all. You can’t miss on early picks in the salary cap era.

Dan Williams and Justin Ellis were bad this year and their days are numbered.

The best way to help your DB’s is to have a great pass rush. The Raiders have to sign or draft a DT that can put pressure on the QB.   Mario Edwards so far isn’t the answer either. He’s hurt too much and has had some good play but it’s still not a given he’ll be good. Aldon Smith? In my personal life I avoid high maintenance people or drama so this whole thing gives me a headache.

Linebackers:

The Raiders LB’s this year at times were awful. They could not cover tight ends and they struggled in the running game. Malcolm Smith gets lots of tackles but many are much more downfield than they would like. He usually is good in coverage but he struggled at times there too.   He’s never been great against the run; that’s why in Seattle he was not a 3 down LB; and he’s not now to be honest.   Do you resign him for big money? No.   Lesser money? OK. He along with Perry Riley Jr. are UFA. Riley Jr. played great when he was first picked up but his play tapered off the longer he was on the field. He’s an ok player but as a starter, he may not be the answer.

The Raiders need to sign a physical LB that can shore up the position and they still haven’t found that.

Defensive Backs:

Clean House. For years the Raiders have wasted a ton of money, draft picks and signings on DB’s to fix their defense and it hasn’t worked. I’d rather spend less money on them and more money on the DL. The Matt McGloin fan club has almost been as annoying as the DJ Hayden fan club. No he’s not a shut down corner.   No he’s not a great slot cover guy.   Let him go. It didn’t work and I said it when he was drafted; it was a bad pick and it’s time to move on.

When Raider fans last year had David Amerson as the king of the world while holding up Pro Football Focus stats, I said hold your horses and give it time. I was right. Amerson is good on outs and short to mid range passes but he struggles a lot against the long ball. He was burned often this year with the deep ball and it’s the reason he struggled at Washington. The poor play of the safeties didn’t help him either.

Nate Allen has been a bust. He and Reggie Nelson take so many bad angles it’s hard to watch. Allen is an UFA and I let him go. Bad signing. TJ Carrie is more of a backup and Keith McGill was very bad at times and his days may be numbered.

Karl Joseph struggled in pass coverage but did well against the run for the most part.   Hopefully a healthy year and experience will fix that but the Raiders are hoping he’s not injury prone.

Sean Smith was a huge bust. Many of the people ripping on Smith now were applauding his signing back then (see, being a GM isn’t so easy). Smith is tentative and I’ve never seen a guy give so much cushion near the end zone. A couple of writers said he needs better technique; huh? So he’s great for 3 years but he forgot everything the next? Come on.   The truth is Smith played on a team known for their pass rush and great safety play at Kansas City. He seems to need it and he gets neither in Oakland.   The Raiders are stuck with him for one more year at least; possibly two.

Coaches:

Jack Del Rio has done a good job but these dumb penalties still need to be fixed.  Also, the Raiders lifeless performance against Denver can’t happen.  Even if you lose your QB you still die hard.  Del Rio has said the standards need to be higher now and that’s a good sign.

I don’t know what else Ken Norton Jr. was supposed to do. He did a great job at Seattle but Seattle had players. The Raiders LB’s are not good and their DB’s are worse.   Then add the poor DT play. Their Safeties and LB’s flat out can’t guard TE’s.   They have the worst pass rush in the NFL. Love to see what genius can make that work. The Raiders agree with me and are bringing back Ken Norton Jr. for 2017.

Some Raider fans are clamoring for Wade Phillips to take over as DC. Only thing is, Denver was 28^th in the NFL against the run this year and it was one of the main reasons they struggled. What was different? Stud run stopper Malik Jackson signed with Jacksonville and LB Danny Trevathan signed with Chicago. The year before? Denver was #3 in the NFL against the run. Did Phillips forget how to stop the run? No. He didn’t have the same players.   Coaches help but some fans need to stop giving all the credit to the players when they win and then blame the coaches when their favorites don’t play well.

I wrote this article below when Bill Musgrave was signed and I flat out didn’t get it. The Raiders letting him go is a good thing. (Conservative; poor adjustments in game). The Raiders have the 2nd best OL in the NFL and great talent on offense.  They were #6 in the NFL in offense because of their great talent; not because of Bill Musgrave.

The only thing is they sure like to hire their friends.   Todd Downing goes from QB coach to OC.   Downing is a good friend of Mike Tice who hired Downing in the early 2000’s when he was coaching the Vikings.   He has very limited success up until now. Time will tell. Rookie OC’s don’t tear up the NFL either for the most part.

“Who is Bill Musgrave? The Raiders Hire a new Offensive Coordinator”

How to Keep the Success:

With Mack and Carr making so little money compared to others, the Raiders have had it easy.   Now the hard work comes in. The Raiders can still keep their success but they have to stop taking reaches on some draft choices and their signings have to be right on. They also can’t keep dead wood around if they aren’t getting the job done or staying healthy.

Like everyone else, the Raiders have holes to fill; mainly on defense. For me, DT, LB and DB should be addressed in that order.   Personally, the Allen’s, Murray’s and Malcolm Smith’s of the Raider world may have to go. Even if they are doing a fairly good to good job, it’s all about the salary cap and staying under it. Look for the chips to fall after they sign Derek Carr. This will be the most important off season for the Raiders in 15 years, and one of the most interesting.  It will be stressful but exciting to see what they do.

“GRADES: A Nightmare in Denver; How Do The Raiders Win Their 1st Round Playoff Game in Houston”

Final Oakland Raider Grades @ Denver Broncos; Week 17:

Denver Broncos  24 (9-7)

Oakland Raiders  6 (12-4)

In a game where the Raiders needed to show heart, grit and determination, they instead were lifeless and seemed happy just to be in the playoffs.

Quarterback:

This is the first time I’ve ever seen Matt McGloin overwhelmed. He’s always had heart but he didn’t Sunday. His accuracy was terrible and he looked like he wanted to be somewhere else. Connor Cook played fairly well considering the situation. He missed badly on two throws; one which was picked off; and his fumble was due to him not securing the ball. In the one scoring drive he had 3 nice throws.

GRADE: D+

McGloin isn’t a rookie and has started before so they should have opened it up more. To all of the fans that wrote me over the years telling me how good Matt McGloin is, please stop; enough. I don’t want to be mean but you, Jed York, and Trent Baalke have the same ability in judging talent. Come on.  The hate mail needs to stop.

Running Backs:

Denver stopped the run and the Raiders had no imagination on offense and were very predictable when McGloin was in. DeAndre Washington looked good again though with 7 carries for 43 yards.

Grade D

As the announcers said several times; the Broncos were daring the Raiders to throw the ball.   They stopped the run and the Raiders had no answers.

Offensive Line:

Denver put 8-9 in the box and if the Raiders weren’t doing a running play, they were now rushing 5-6 players to get to the QB. Not their best game but they are getting more blame than they deserved. They normalized things in the second half but the Raiders offense was fighting an up hill battle all the way.

Grade C

Just bad vibes in this game and the OL was a part of those vibes. Look for a bounce back game next week.

Wide Receivers:

Walford dropped a key pass and other than a great catch and run by Amari Cooper, it was a quiet day for this group. Obviously the issues at QB were a problem.

GRADE: C-

A forgettable game

Defensive Line:

The Raiders ended the NFL season last in sacks. The DL; like the rest of the defense; took the first half off. Denver seemed to do what they wanted and it was hard to watch an offense that struggled for a month, dominating them.

Grade: D

They played better in the 2^nd half with some tackles for loss but the Broncos were just running out the clock for the most part. Denver had 143 yards on the ground. A forgettable performance.

Linebackers:

Another rough game.   In several big plays, they looked lost.   They struggled against the play action pass and their tackling was really awful at times.

Grade D

Ugly day. They improved in the second half but the damage was done.

Defensive Backs:

https://theforumcelebritypodcast.wordpress.com/2014/11/25/the-greatest-defensive-backfield-of-all-time-the-oakland-raiders-soul-patrol/

The soul patrol this isn’t. Wow what a bad performance. This is not counting the 3 times WR were open deep with Siemian missing them by a mile.   I still don’t get what Nate Allen and Reggie Nelson are seeing. Their angles are so off that it’s not funny. Keith McGill was so bad the Raiders used 3^rd stringer Bryndon Trawick who ended up having 10 tackles, an interception and a pass deflection. ESPN didn’t even know who he was and didn’t have him on their end of game tackle list. The NFL was abuzz when the Raiders signed Chiefs CB Sean Smith.   Now they need to be buzzed to watch him play; another rough performance and his tackling was hard to watch.

Grade D-  

If Siemian had a better night this would have really been ugly. The Raiders struggle against the deep ball, and if the pass rush isn’t there, they are sitting ducks.

Coaching:

Lifeless. The Raiders played like a team that was happy to be in the playoffs and had given up on the season because their starting QB was hurt. Unacceptable. Some fans may have blown off the season but the coaches and players do not have that luxury. It’s about heart and being professionals who make a lot of money.   Fail.

The Broncos were determined to stop the run and the Raiders offensive game plan helped them do that.   They played so conservative, twice running on 3^rd down and 4. They were predictable and had way too many third and longs. The coaching staff obviously felt they could run on Denver like in the first game, but Denver made great adjustments.

The local media has said at times the Raiders read their own press clippings a little too much and I think they arrogantly thought they could run all over Denver. Del Rio even said in a local media interview he was shocked they couldn’t run more.

On defense there was no heart in the first half. Denver steam rolled them and did what they wanted. In a game where the defense could have made a statement, they instead reminded people they have significant holes.

Grade F

The coaches were like the players; lifeless. Players play but this was a game where the Raiders could have made a huge statement to the league and their fans saying they haven’t given up. They did the opposite. Players and coaches need to step up next week.

Special Teams:

Janikowski wasn’t a factor and Marquette King had a ball punting in the high elevation of Mile High.   He was upset though on his punting inside the 20’s.

Grade B

King was good and the other parts of special teams were no factor.

How To Rebound Against Houston:

On Offense:

Raiders Offense: #13 passing: #6 rushing; #7 scoring

Houston Defense: #12 v.s. run; #2 v.s. pass; 24^th in sacks

The Raiders coaching staff and players need to be embarrassed with that performance, and I think they will be. I see them playing their hearts out against the Texans.

If I’m running the Raiders, Matt McGloin lost his job. I don’t play him even if he is healthy; I go with Cook.

I also script some plays like the Bill Walsh 49ers used to. What a surprise to script 5-6 quick passing plays going no huddle. The Raiders will have to open up their offense a little because Houston is going to do what Denver did; put 8 or 9 in the box to stop the run and make them throw.   Oakland has nothing to lose.

JJ Watt is out for the season but they are getting healthier in Texas.   Cornerbacks A.J. Bouye and Johnathan Joseph are nursing injuries but both have said they are ready to go for the playoffs.

Houston’s way of winning is old school; play good defense and run the ball and control the time of possession. The Texans tend to get pressure on the QB but they don’t get a lot of sacks.

A couple of quick and easy passes to start the game would be a good idea.   The Raiders are going to have to use a balanced attack and not be afraid to air the ball out. A long pass to Amari Cooper on the first play isn’t the worst idea in the world either. They have to stretch the field and not be so conservative as to allow the safeties not to respect their passing game. You can’t run if the safeties don’t respect your passing game.

Raiders On Defense:

Houston offense: #29 passing; #8 rushing, #28 scoring

Raiders defense: #23 vs run; #24 vs pass; Last in the NFL in sacks.

This might be the worst season in regards to quality of play in the NFL in the modern era. Houston won their division and were outscored this season by 49 points and the quality of QB’s in the playoffs is brutal. Some are saying the Raiders/Texans game is the worst QB match-up in playoff history. At 9-7, Houston was 4-6 outside their conference and 2-6 on the road.

The Raiders need to go all out. Houston’s Tom Savage and Brock Osweiler are as bad a tandem at QB as there is in the NFL. I blitz both often. The Raiders need turnovers to take pressure off the offense.

The Raiders need to do what teams are going to do to them. Load up the box and force Houston to pass the ball.   RB Lamar Miller will be back and stopping him is a must. If the Texans can run, this sets up the play action pass and takes the pressure off of their QB’s.

Osweiler isn’t an accurate QB but he can hit an occasional long ball. The key to everything though is stopping their run game.

They do have weapons. Deandre Hopkins is a stud at WR and Will Fuller has had some nice moments as well.   Big tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz has had a good year.

Jims Jamz:

This is going to be an old school ugly football game. Both teams are going to struggle scoring and each team will concentrate on stopping the run. Special teams may rule this game so Marquette King will be a big factor.

This game may come down to field goals with Janikowski (#12 in FG’s) and Nick Novak (#2 in FG’s). Novak has fought off injuries this year and he’s had great success. He has made 16 in a row and seems to be mostly recovered from a back injury.

I think the Raiders are going to come out with a lot of energy to erase the nightmare in Denver, and Houston will be excited with their crowd roaring it’s approval. To me this is a sloppy joe game.  It’s going to be ugly and messy, but in the end it will be exciting but nerve racking for the loser, and a great taste for the winner.  This one should go down to the wire.

 

  

 

 

“Win or Lose in Denver; Who Will the Raiders Play In the Playoffs: How Can Matt McGloin Succeed”

With Derek Carr injured, it’s all about Matt McGloin right now.  Let’s look at what he brings to the table as well as the playoff picture for the Raiders.

The Good and the Bad of Matt McGloin:

With a handful of Raider fans using Youtube videos to try and convince people how amazing Matt McGloin is and some Raider fans making fun of them, it’s become just another internet drama. You’d think they’d just want the Raiders to win but it’s just how things are in today’s world.  Let’s deal with the truth as we always do without all the drama.

McGloin is as tough as it gets. The word that many people use to describe him is grit. He was a 3 star athlete out of high school who wanted to go to Penn St. He ended up going there but had to make the team as a walk on. He eventually won a scholarship during the tumultuous Jerry Sandusky scandal and played fairly well but was far from a great college QB.   Most felt he was a semi-long shot to make the NFL as a backup. He was signed by the Raiders as an un-drafted free agent.

I looked it up and as a starter he is 1-5.  He played most of the game in the 2015 opener against Cincinnati (33-13 loss) when Carr got hurt but he didn’t start.  He hasn’t started a game with the Raiders since 2013 and he now finds himself in the eye of the tornado.  When he did start, he played on some bad teams.  At times he played very well but he also had some real rough spots.

McGloin does have some skills. His main one is he is pretty accurate. He is good on timing patterns and short to medium range passes to the outside. He also has a knack for finding tight ends and that could be a big plus in the Raiders passing game.

On the bad side his pocket awareness at times is lacking and that has gotten him into trouble in the past with turnovers against a pass rush. His delivery can be painfully slow when he’s not aware of the pressure.

His main weakness; which he also had in college; was that he doesn’t stare down his receivers; he gazes into their eyes. After McGloin takes the ball from center, you almost always know where he’s going to throw the ball. He struggles with medium to long throws down the middle because of it. Former Raider great Lincoln Kennedy a few years ago during the Raiders-Bengals game in Oakland was just frustrated. He was the Raiders sideline reporter that day for their radio team. When asked what was wrong with McGloin, Kennedy told the Raiders radio crew, “I literally know where he’s throwing the ball even before he takes the snap.   Every pass he throws he’s staring down his receiver”.

How to Set Up McGloin to Succeed:

One thing the Raiders need to do is to make sure they use quick throws, preferably to the outside.   Especially against a team like Denver, you don’t want him to stay in the pocket long with that pass rush all around him.

The run game is the key though. Their offensive line has had a great year and it needs to continue. The Raiders need to run the ball just like they did in the first game against the Broncos. So sick of the Bronco media saying their downfall is due to their offense because it’s just half of the reason. Their offense last year was one 19^th in scoring and this year so far they are 22^nd. Last year they had a running game, this year they don’t. Peyton Manning had 18 interceptions (the worst in 2015 was 19) last year and he did that in only 9 starts. Manning had the worst Super Bowl performance of any winning QB in history and was 1 for 15 on third down. Manning was 29^th in passing in the NFL last year. He was atrocious. But this year so is Denver’s run defense which is getting a pass.

How Do the McGloin Lead Raiders Beat Denver:

This year the Broncos run defense is 29^th in the NFL (last year #3) in rushing yards per game.   The national media isn’t doing their homework blaming all of their ills on the offense.  This defense is a shell of what they used to be last year.

The Raiders need to run the ball and run it some more. A first down pass to shake things up, followed by a physical run game. Denver gave up 218 rushing yards to the Raiders, 136 to the Patriots, 238 against the Chiefs, 180 against Tennessee, and 154 against Jacksonville. And this is just in the past six weeks! In those 5 games they are 1-4.

Who Will The Raiders Play In the Playoffs:

If they Beat Denver:

This Denver game may make or break the Raiders season.

If the Raiders can pull out a win against the Broncos, they now are the #2 seed.   That gives them a bye the first week and then a home game against probable winner Pittsburgh.  If Miami somehow wins; which I doubt very much; the Raiders will then play the highest seed left.   Again it’s hard not seeing Pittsburgh winning.   Miami is another overrated team with only a plus 4 point differential.  Playing Pittsburgh in Oakland is a lot better than a contest in the cold of Pittsburgh. The Winner will then probably get New England on the road; a very cold, winter game. Whatever happens, the AFC championship will probably go through New England.

If they lose to Denver:

If they lose and KC beats San Diego, the Raiders will be the 5^th seed.   They will go to Texas and play Houston in the first round. Houston is far from a good team and they are in a bad division. This game is very winnable. If they win they then go to Kansas City or New England. Not a fun road to go down. Asking Matt McGloin; and even Carr for that matter; to win 3 road games with 2 being in the cold, is just too much. This Denver game is pivotal.

Why the Raiders Can Make a Post Season Run:

Let’s be real; if ANY team loses their starting QB, they are in trouble. Think of Pittsburgh without Ben, or the Patriots without Brady.   Other than the Cowboys with Tony Romo, no one really has a good backup.

The QB position in the NFL may be the worst it’s ever been. The Raiders alone had backups in the past such as Ken Stabler, George Blanda, and Jim Plunkett. Earl Morrall lead the 1972 Dolphins to the only undefeated season when starter Bob Griese was injured in week 5. Griese made 2 appearances late in the season and played in the Super Bowl, but without backup Morrall, the Dolphins don’t end up with a perfect season.

(side note; that Miami team was the only Super Bowl team in the modern era never to be invited to the White House due to the Watergate scandal. In 2013 the 1972 Dolphins were honored at the White House by President Obama).

The NFL longs for parity. They want a new Champion every year and this year they got it. Both Super Bowl teams won’t even make the playoffs and they are thrilled.   This allows for different fan bases to be involved in the big game and the playoffs.

A funny thing happened on the way to the bank though. The NFL ratings are down. What the NFL arrogantly felt is that fans would watch the NFL no matter what.   That hasn’t happened. The Thursday night games have mostly been bad and there are no more great teams. In the 1960’s-90’s you had some of the greatest teams of all time; especially in the 1970’s; so when the best teams played it was must see tv. The NFL world stood still with such Matchups as the Raiders-Steelers, Steelers-Cowboys, 49ers-Cowboys and so many amazing rivalries.  Now you have teams like Houston who are in first place and are going to the playoffs and they have a MINUS 42 point differential so far in their season. They’ve been outscored by 6 touchdowns this year and will make the playoffs.  They are also 3-4 against teams with a winning record. That’s smelly.

In the AFC there really are only 2 QB’s to fear in the post season for the Raiders. Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady. And sorry KC fans. Andy Reid and Alex Smith are more conservative than Ronald Reagan at Bohemian Grove so they will never win a Super Bowl in my opinion. You win Super Bowls; you don’t hope not to lose Super Bowls.

Injuries have also hurt teams badly. Kansas City is now wondering if pass rushing star Justin Houston will ever be the same, again struggling with his health after coming back from surgery.   Their other pass rushing great Tamba Hali says he has no cartilage left in his knees and can only play on passing downs.

The Texans get a myriad of players back but they have greatly missed JJ Watts this year.

Pittsburgh’s offensive line is finally getting healthy but they are still struggling to keep healthy on the defensive side.

New England has their best offensive threat in RB Dion Lewis back from last years surgery but that gaping hole you see in their offense is the loss of tight end Rob Gronkowski who is out for the year.

What all this means is that no team is unbeatable. Everyone has weaknesses but the Steeler’s and Patriot’s have their trump cards in two great post season quarterbacks.

Derek Carr will be out 6-8 weeks and being young, he will probably heal up quickly. If somehow, someway the Raiders get to the Super Bowl, it will be right on the 6-7 week time frame. Can he come back? Yes; many have come back and much sooner than that, but time will tell.   For right now they can’t worry about that. If they lose to Denver they play an ordinary Houston team who they can beat but then they will probably get into some murky waters in Pittsburgh and New England or Kansas City. And with a backup QB, that’s not the place to be swimming.

The Raiders though have their own ace in the hole; the second best offensive line in the NFL. If the Raiders give McGloin the time they gave Carr, McGloin can have a chance to play well. The Raiders also have to use their 3 headed monster running game, using all of their RB’s to keep them fresh.

Jims Jamz:

This Denver game is bigger than people think. The Raiders being the #5 seed I think gives them little to no chance of making a deep run. If they beat Denver though and are the #2 seed, they now have to gut out one home win; probably against the Steelers; to get to the Championship game against the probable winner New England. And oh the online drama. The media and fans everywhere will be in their dramatic social media glory. It will look like a Jr. High School love triangle with the melodrama of the Tuck Rule.  For the meantime though the Raiders need to think one thing; beat Denver.

“GRADES: For The 1st Time in Social Media History, Raiders Playoff Posts; Next Up The Colts”

Michael Crabtree keeps his feet in bounds for a Raiders touchdown.

Final Oakland Raider Grades @ San Diego Chargers; Week 15:

San Diego Chargers  16 (5-9)

Oakland Raiders  19 (11-3)

A black hole in San Diego?  For one Sunday, yes there was.

For the first time in social media history, people could post that the Oakland Raiders were in the playoffs and be right. In what some in the San Diego media called, “The darkest hour in Chargers football history”, Oakland fans took over Qualcomm Stadium pretty much sealing the fate of the Chargers future playing in San Diego.   Even with a handful of delusional young Charger fans; and a even a few young Raider fans who just like to argue; trying to convince me there wasn’t that many Raiders fans in attendance, it was obvious this was a black out. It is now impossible to think San Diego will have a football team in the near future which is sad unto itself. I think with all of the politics, losing and moving talk, San Diego is done with the Chargers.  Below is a video that shows how the Raider turnout demoralized the Charger players and even the media!

http://www.mighty1090.com/2016/12/18/chargers-recap-humiliating-day-at-the-q-a-low-for-san-diego-sports/

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/chargers/sd-sp-chargers-raiders-game-20161218-story.html

Philip Rivers and the Chargers have had a history of 4^th quarter and second half fails and this was another one. Rivers is a good quarterback but when they say he’s great I shake my head. No he is not great.

Rivers also was disgusted and discouraged after the game. “This was like a road game. We had to use a silent count”. The Chargers went 21 minutes to end the game without scoring.

Quarterback:

Carr came alive in the 2^nd half again with 2 great throws zipping them across the field in tight coverage. He also had a nice pass to Crabtree for his only TD. Carr struggled at times though with the occasional pass rush again. He never really seemed to feel comfortable all game. He stared down his receiver in a terrible red zone interception and again had an off day.

GRADE: C+

Carr should have an easier time of it next week with a weak Colts defense, but to be honest the Chargers DB’s aren’t that good either. Carr was 19 for 30 for 213 yards with 1 TD and 1 interception. The Chargers sacked him twice and did a fairly good job at making him uncomfortable in the pocket.  Saying that I think Derek will come back strong against the Colts.

Running Backs:

The Raiders OL dominated at times and the run game was churning again. Murray, Richard and Washington combined for 145 yards on the ground with Murray leading the way with 81 yards. For the second straight week though, the RB’s were not a big part of the passing game. Murray’s fumble deep in Chargers territory can’t happen. Part of the lack of pass production was picking up blitzes from the Chargers but some wasn’t.

Grade B

Another solid game from this unit. I would like to see them more in the passing game though.

Offensive Line:

The Raiders did well in the run game and did good in the passing game. The Chargers did get 2 sacks though and even though they didn’t get to Carr often, they made him feel somewhat uncomfortable at times.

Grade B

A solid game from these guys but not the dominating performance in pass protection that has been the trademark of the Raiders OL. Carr goes as well as these guys go so their level of play needs to get better next week. They have spoiled Carr and Raider fans and have had a great year.  Look for a good game against Indy.

Wide Receivers:

The WR’s had a quiet day with only Michael Crabtree standing out. He made an amazing catch to keep his feet in bounds for a touchdown and was solid most of the day. Not much from anyone else though. Amari Cooper caught one electrifying long pass and run but that was it.

GRADE: C+

Carr was struggling but it was still a disappointing day against a bad and beat up defensive backfield.

Defensive Line:

Overall a good game.   The Raiders struggled a little early with San Diego using a quicker passing game, but in the 4^th when the Chargers seemed to abandon it, the Raiders put good pressure on Rivers and stopped the run. The final drive with Rivers looking deep downfield, the Raiders pass rush gobbled him up.

Grade: B+

A solid game from this unit. Denico Autry had a sack and 2 tackles for loss and had an overall good game. Mack was quiet until the last quarter and Bruce Irvin had one of his better games as a Raiders.

Linebackers:

What has been a weakness for the Raiders all year, the LB’s came out and played well against the Chargers.   Perry Riley Jr. had a key strip late and caused a fumble and they were fairly good in coverage.

Grade B+

One of this unit’s better games.

Defensive Backs:

Sean Smith was beaten by 5 yards deep for the long touchdown to Travis Benjamin. He also played too deep at the goal line allowing another TD on a slant to Hunter Henry. Dontrelle Inman also caught 5 passes for 68 yards. The Raiders DB’s have struggled against the long ball all year. Fast WR that can go long have been their weakness. Overall they did not play a bad game, especially in the second half.   David Amerson had two jarring tackles on crossing patterns.

Grade B-  

Another long pass for a touchdown but overall not a bad game from this unit; not a great one either.

Coaching:

First the Chargers.   I think head coach Mike McCoy must think they get 6 time outs a half; he uses them up like candy. Also he abandoned the quick passing game and they fell into the hands of the Raiders pass rush, especially on the last drive.   Just not getting what is going on in San Diego with their play calling especially in the 2^nd half of games.

The Raiders I felt should have run the ball a lot more. The Chargers could not stop the run and their soft DB’s literally seemed to be avoiding blocks in the first half. Del Rio won a challenge on a spot play which helped get a first down.

Grade B

Give the Chargers credit; they did have a nice goal line stand and stopped Murray on a 3^rd and short but the Raiders got 145 yards on the ground and should have run more.

Special Teams:

Janikowski was perfect and King was ok, struggling at times to punt inside the 20. The coverage team was good and the return game didn’t do much.

Grade B+

A solid day from this unit.

Conclusion:

Raiders should celebrate for a day and then get back to work which I think they will. This defense doesn’t scare anyone though and still rank 27^th in passing, 29^th in yards per catch, 27^th in sacks, and 25^th in run defense. And they aren’t playing offenses like Pittsburgh, New England and Dallas. Still lots of work to do.  A good gutsy win in front of a lot of Raider fans was a site to behold.

Next Week the Indianapolis Colts:

With the Patriots final 2 games being against the Jets and a Dolphins team that will probably be without their starting QB, they look to be the first seed team in the AFC. If that happens it’s important for the Raiders to keep winning and that won’t be easy.

Next week the Raiders host the Colts. Andrew Luck has been on fire and they’ve actually begun protecting him some. Their OL has struggled all year at times being a sieve, and their defense has struggled more.

Indy’s defense has been bad. They are 28^th against the pass and 21^st against the run. They have an average pass rush (17^th in the league).

On offense their OL is ranked 29^th in sacks and Andrew Luck has been running for his life most of the year.   Look for Mack and Irvin to have a big day. Indy does a lot of 5 and 7 step drop passes and that should give the Raiders enough time to get to Luck.   Luck is a gun slinger and will take chances so 1-2 picks is my best bet. Don’t underestimate him though. Even with a bad offensive line he can carve up any defense in the NFL.   The Colts on paper don’t look to be a great team but they are dangerous and are still in the playoff hunt in a fairly weak division.

The Raiders match up well against Indy and I see a high scoring affair with Indy not being able to stop the Raiders and the Raiders occasionally shutting down Indy’s offense. It should be a good day for Oakland in the friendly confines of the Coliseum.  Raiders are in for a dog fight and can’t take anyone lightly.  Then on to the cold in Denver.

Jims Jamz:

The Raiders ended a drought that was the worst stretch of win/loss football in the history of the NFL. Those that stood by the Oakland Raiders deserve to savor this.   The lows were very, very low.   The terrible drafts that some fans tried to defend; the crazy coaching hires that some fans said would bring them back; and the bad free agent signings are all a thing of the past.   Those that have endured the pain for years can finally smile.  Those that used to pretend, can now be real and look at the truth again. Oakland is in the playoffs.

It’s imperative that the Raiders win out the rest of the way. Winning on the road twice in the playoffs in possible cold weather would be quite a chore.

And the Raider luck or magic; depending on what you believe; continued in 6F weather in Kansas City. In a game that the Chiefs seemed to be looking ahead to Denver, they were stunned by the Tennessee Titans. Alex Smith disappeared in the second half just like in the Raiders game, and this helped Tennessee get back into it.

Titans kicker Ryan Succup; a former Chief; missed a last second 53 yard kick so the Chiefs win, right? Wrong; Head Coach Andy Reid called a time out right before the kick allowing Succup to readjust and kick the winning field goal as time ran out. A 53 yarder in 6F weather.   Wow! This allows the Raiders to have first place in the AFC West all to themselves.

Some fans always complain about front running fans when a team starts winning and yes, people come out of the woodwork to get on the band wagon; especially younger fans. Just look at the Warriors. So bandwagon fans if you jump on board make sure to get drinks and food for the regulars first.  It’s about seniority.

It was a nice come from behind win in San Diego that shores up a spot in the post season. Raider fans invaded a stadium like no other fan base I’ve ever seen. And for the first time in social media history, Oakland fans aren’t being laughed at for crazy predictions or hope of the post season. They don’t have to talk of the past; it’s the present.

You may see some Raider fans pinching themselves today, but don’t judge them.  They just wan’t to make sure it’s not a dream. They’ve been through a lot to get here.