Article by Chris Limburg

Well the 2009 NFL draft is over with and the Oakland Raiders sure made a lot of people including myself scratch their head. It is clearly evident that Al Davis values nothing more than speed when evaluating players. Sure, Darius Heyward-Bey ran the fastest 40 time at the combine but what does that really prove? The NFL is about so much more than pure speed (although it does help) and some of the best receivers in the game do not warrant the word “burner” being associated with them. First, I cannot for the life of me figure out why the Raiders passed on Michael Crabtree when he was sitting their right in their lap. Furthermore, if Davis REALLY wanted Heyward-Bey why didn’t he trade down in the draft to get him? Two principles are in question here. First is Mr. Davis’ ability to properly evaluate talent at this stage of his life. Moreover, his managing of drafts is also under serious scrutiny after last weekends debacle. The Raider Nation is not happy I can tell you that. I am not knocking Heyward-Bey at all but he was the 5th or 6th ranked receiver on every one’s board. Sure, he is fast but his hands are inconsistent at best. Now, to his defense the NFL is a whole different animal and NOBODY knows how this will all work out over time. With Crabtree fittingly winding up across the Bay in SF the 2 rookie WR’s will be compared to their entire careers. I am open minded about Heyward-Bey and now the Raiders have their version of the triplets set. We needed a big play receiver and now we have one and it will be up to Russell to get him the ball deep and accurately. I did see an interview on NFL Network and Heyward-Bey seems like a good kid who is ready to start working. It does concern me however that he mentioned that he has not talked to QB JaMarcus Russell yet.

Here is my take on the Raiders garbage draft:

2009 NFL Draft Picks:

7. Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland –Very limited production at Maryland to go with extremely inconsistent hands. Moreover, Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin were both on the board. Grade: F

47. Michael Mitchell, SS, Ohio –I truly don’t understand this pick. Oh wait a minute, yes I do. Mitchell ran a great 40 at the combine and that was enough for Al. This is absolutely a horrible pick. Mitchell was a sixth-round prospect at best and countless NFL executives had him pinned as an undrafted free agent. No solace in the fact that the Bears were apparently interested in Mitchell too. Hopefully this fires him up and turns him into a Pro Bowl player. Mitchell has to make multiple Pro Bowls for the Raider Nation to forget about this pick. Grade: F

71. Matt Shaughnessy, DE, Wisconsin –Yet another total reach here by the Raiders. We need a defensive end, but similarly to Mitchell this guy was rated a 6th or 7th round prospect by most draft pundits. Time will tell but one has to wonder if he will even make the team. Grade: F

124. Louis Murphy, WR, Florida –Finally – a player who isn’t a reach. Good pick and ideally both him and Heyward-Bey produce this year. Any Gator is great value in the 4th round. Grade: B+

126. Slade Norris, OLB, Oregon State –Very limited production at Oregon State and yet another head scratcher. There was much better talent still on the board. Grade: F

199. Stryker Sulak, DE, Missouri –Nice pick here and Sulak is better than Shaughnessy that was drafted rounds before. Sulak is a quick pass-rusher who I expect to make the team and to contribute this year. Grade: B+

202. Brandon Myers, TE, Iowa –His 40 time was lacking making you wonder if Al had left to go play bingo for the day. Grade: C

Overall Draft Grade: D-

Time will tell how this all plays out but the Raider Nation is not happy with Al and that is unusual because historically Raider fans have not questioned his judgment. These are different times in Raider land however and when you have a team that has not been competitive in years patience starts to wear thin. And after a draft like this patience is as thin as I can ever remember.

About the Author

Chris Limburg is the fanatical purveyor of Gothicfootball.com: A Oakland Raider/fantasy football blog that provides commentary on everything that is the NFL and fantasy football. Visit today at: http://www.gothicfootball.com

This was aired today (9/25/11) Post New York Jets @ Oakland Raiders. Jacoby Ford, and Tyvon Branch
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This is a re-upload of my Mission: Miami videos originally uploaded in March 2010 Part 3 of 4 of a video dedicated to the Saints’ historic run to Superbowl XLIV. This video highlights the NFC Championship game vs. the Minnesota Vikings . Song: “Fix You” by Coldplay

dedicated to the new orleans saints. Enjoy. I don’t own anything. I’d like to know how to put videos in “Windows live movie maker”, though. If you know how, please comment or send me a message. THANKS subscribe!
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Only a few, with the following of the WHO DAT NATION, believed what was about to happen next… ***RE-UPLOADED***
Video Rating: 5 / 5

Have a peek at this exciting video : Become a fan of “Party in The MIA” on facebook. Send this video to other Saints fans. Congrats to the New Orleans Saints! Who Dat! 2011 trustseo.com Miami Web Designer Thanks to the first uploader of this video was DATMOBILE2SSRS
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Davidson, NC (PRWEB) April 30, 2009

The College Football Performance Awards proudly announces its 2009 Preseason Trophy Favorites. The list consists of top returning performers for 14 trophies, including Oklahoma State’s Dez Bryant, the recipient of the 2008 Wide Receiver Trophy. The compilation is a rough watch list for 2009 – all Division I FBS college football players are eligible for trophies at their respective positions.

Overall Performer of the Year Trophy:

Colt McCoy – Texas, Sam Bradford – Oklahoma, Tim Tebow – Florida, Terrelle Pryor – Ohio State, Case Keenum – Houston, Daryll Clark – Penn State, Jevan Snead – Ole Miss, Kellen Moore – Boise State, Jerry Hughes – TCU, Dez Bryant – Oklahoma State, Max Hall – BYU, Jahvid Best – California, Chris Brown – Oklahoma, Zac Robinson – Oklahoma State.

Defensive Performer of the Year Trophy:

Jerry Hughes – TCU, Kevin Basped – Nevada, Jason Worilds – Virginia Tech, Eric Berry – Tennessee, Will Tukuafu – Oregon, Sergio Kindle – Texas, Jeremy Beal – Oklahoma, Eric Norwood – South Carolina, George Selvie – South Florida, Jammie Kirlew – Indiana.

Placekicker Trophy:

Alex Henery – Nebraska, Thomas Weber – Arizona State, Josh Arauco – Arkansas State, Philip Welch – Wisconsin, Kai Forbath – UCLA, Matt Bosher – Miami, Josh Cjazkowski – NC State, Joshua Shene – Ole Miss, Brett Swenson – Michigan State, James Aho – New Mexico, Alex Steigerwald – Toledo, Ross Evans – TCU, Trent Mossbrucker – Iowa, Sam Glusman – Troy, Matt Eller – Illinois.

Punter Trophy:

Derek Epperson – Baylor, Matt Dodge – East Carolina, Zoltan Mesko – Michigan, Chas Henry – Florida, Jeremy Boone – Penn State, Spencer Lanning – South Carolina, Robert Malone – Fresno State, Keenyn Crier – Arizona, Bryan Anger – California, Rob Long – Syracuse, Ross Thevenot – Tulane, Brad Langley – Nevada, Chris Hagerup – Indiana, Kyle Peterson – UTEP, Clinton Durst – Auburn.

Running Back Trophy:

Chris Brown – Oklahoma, Kendall Hunter – Oklahoma State, LaGarrette Blount – Oregon, Jahvid Best – California, MiQuale Lewis – Ball State, Derrick Washington – Missouri, Vai Taua – Nevada, Charles Scott – LSU, Toby Gerhart – Stanford, Bryce Beall – Houston, DeMarco Murray – Oklahoma, James Starks – Buffalo, Jonathan Dwyer – Georgia Tech, Evan Royster – Penn State, Nic Grigsby – Arizona, Jacquizz Rodgers – Oregon State.

Wide Receiver Trophy:

Dez Bryant – Oklahoma State, Dezmon Briscoe – Kansas, Aldrick Robinson – SMU, Naaman Roosevelt – Buffalo, Kris Adams – UTEP, DeAndre Brown – Southern Miss, Jordan Shipley – Texas, Mardy Gilyard – Cincinnati, Golden Tate – Notre Dame, Kerry Meier – Kansas, Tyron Carrier – Houston, Damian Williams – USC, Emmanuel Sanders – SMU, Dion Morton – Colorado State, Cortez Gent – FAU.

Quarterback Trophy:

Sam Bradford – Oklahoma, Colt McCoy – Texas, Case Keenum – Houston, Tim Tebow – Florida, Todd Reesing – Kansas, Max Hall – BYU, Tim Hiller – Western Michigan, Trevor Vittatoe – UTEP, Zac Robinson – Oklahoma State, Terrelle Pryor – Ohio State, Kellen Moore – Boise State, Colin Kaepernick – Nevada, Dan LeFevour – Central Michigan, Daryll Clark – Penn State, Jevan Snead – Ole Miss.

Kickoff Returner Trophy:

Perrish Cox – Oklahoma State, AJ Jefferson – Fresno State, Phillip Livas – Louisiana Tech, Mardy Gilyard – Cincinnati, Brandon Banks, Kansas State.

Punt Returner Trophy:

Javier Arenas – Alabama, Dez Bryant – Oklahoma State, Brandon James – Florida, Kyle Wilson – Boise State, Phillip Livas – Louisiana Tech.

Tight End Trophy:

Jermaine Gresham – Oklahoma, Rob Gronkowski – Arizona, Cody Slate – Marshall.

Kickoff Specialist Trophy:

Ben Vroman – Utah, Dan Bailey – Oklahoma State, Donnie Carona – Texas Tech.

Defensive Lineman Trophy:

Jerry Hughes – TCU, Kevin Basped – Nevada, Jason Worilds – Virginia Tech.

Linebacker Trophy:

Sergio Kindle – Texas, Eric Norwood – South Carolina, Mark Herzlich – Boston College.

Defensive Back Trophy:

Eric Berry – Tennessee, Ahmad Black – Florida, Anthony Gaitor – FIU.

2008 Kickoff Specialist Trophy winner David Buehler Taken in NFL Draft:

2008 Kickoff Specialist Trophy winner David Buehler was the first placekicker/kickoff specialist to be selected in the 2009 NFL Draft. Buehler was selected in the 5th round by the Dallas Cowboys. The only other placekicker/kickoff specialist to be selected in the draft was South Carolina’s Ryan Succop, who finished the 2008 season with the fourth highest kickoff performance rating.

The College Football Performance Awards annually presents the Kickoff Specialist Trophy to the Division I FBS college football player with the highest kickoff performance rating. The award is the only national trophy for kickoff specialists and the only national trophy to consider kickoff performance in its selection.

Purpose:

The goal of the College Football Performance Awards is to provide the most scientifically rigorous conferments in college football. CFPA recipients are selected exclusively based upon objective scientific rankings of the extent to which individual players increase the overall effectiveness of their teams. Prominent sports ethicist and former football coach Gordon Marino writes, “Brad Smith’s (CFPA) system endeavors to level the playing field for evaluating gridiron performance and as such may transform the individual trophy quest from a PR battle to the legitimate question of which athletes did the most for their teams- BCS or not.”

Contact information:

For more information, please contact Executive Director, Brad Smith at 570-854-1252 or visit the official website of the College Football Performance Awards (http://www.collegefootballperformance.com).

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More Dez Bryant Press Releases

Article by Bet Online

NFL Week 4 matchups are upon us and, while the season is still very young, we’ve seen some interesting surprises so far this season. Let’s examine the top five out-of-nowhere stories of 2009 through three weeks.

5. The New York Giants wide receivers

Wasn’t Eli Manning supposed to struggle without Plaxico Burress and Derrick Ward in the passing game? Instead, plucky Steve Smith and Mario Manningham have blossomed into uber-reliable targets. Each guy already has a 10-catch game under his belt. Looks like the Giants will be rock-solid NFL picks after all.

4. Cedric Benson’s rebirth

So much for Cedric Benson, laughing stock. The versatile back has morphed into an every-down guy for the surprising Bengals and ranks third in the NFL in rushing through three weeks. There’s nothing to suggest his solid play won’t continue.

3. The rough, tough San Francisco defense

We knew Mike Singletary would stamp his fingerprints on the team and maximize its defensive potential, but the 49ers may be ahead of schedule. Patrick Willis is an absolute monster and rookie Dashon Goldson has been a nice surprise at safety, registering 20 tackles and a pick already. Amazingly, the 49ers lead the NFC in run defense despite having faced Adrian Peterson already. Impressive.

2. The Broncos are the best instead of the worst

Raise your hand if you bet at the sportsbook on Denver being 3-0 at this point. The Broncos’ schedule certainly hasn’t been difficult so far but many pundits picked Denver to be the AFC’s worst team after a nightmarish offseason. Instead, the Broncos rank first in total defense in the NFL. They’ve done their damage with their offense still dormant. Can they keep up the good work if Eddie Royal and Brandon Marshall wake up?

1. Gang Green reigns supreme

The New York Jets were hot sleepers among betting services entering 2009 since we knew Rex Ryan would have this team playing strong defense, but the Jets are even better than expected. Whereas Denver is a hollow 3-0 after beating Cincinnati, Cleveland and Oakland, the Jets beat Houston, New England and Tennessee to open the season. Darrelle Revis is rapidly emerging as a fantastic cornerback, capable of blanket coverage and big plays. Mark Sanchez has been an adequate caretaker as a rookie quarterback so far too. Watch out for these Jets!

About the Author

http://www.betonline.com

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New Orleans Saints 2009 NFL Draft 1st Round 14th Selection….MALCOLM JENKINS, CB, OHIO STATE

Article by Matt Joal

Not that their fans need a reason to request Dallas Cowboys tickets, but the 2009 season will be held in a new stadium and this has given sales a boost. This football team has always had one of the strongest and largest fan bases of all the NFL teams and attending one of their games is a cause for celebration. This will certainly be the case when this new arena opens to the public. Spectators are going to be happy to discover that the roof opening will remain because it is considered by many to be one of the Cowboys signatures as well as a good luck charm. Texas Stadium has been the site of Dallas football games for more than 3 decades and will be well remembered, but the new state of the art showcase is certain to capture the hearts of all Dallas fans. This fall the first upcoming football weekends are going to be packed with people who want to see the game, but have also come to take part in the christening ceremonies and parties that are being planned. How it all BeganWhen the NFL franchise was given to Dallas in 1960, there was some opposition posted by the Washington Redskins management and owners. The Skins wanted no competition in the South and fought hard trying to block the move. The Dallas backers countered this by buying all rights to Washington’s traditional football song. They then announced that the song could not be used until Washington consented to the Cowboys becoming part of the NFL. Even though this was settled years ago the deep-seated animosity and rivalry is evident anytime these 2 teams clash on the field.Power and Appeal Mean SuccessOne of the perennial powerhouses in the NFC East the Cowboys have continued to set records in many areas. They have strung together 20 winning seasons in consecutive years, won 5 out of 8 of their Super Bowl bids and are almost always in the playoffs. Their millions of fans across the country can also be counted on to make the requests for Dallas Cowboys tickets and merchandise soar to new records every season.One of several expansion teams in 1960 the Dallas Cowboys were quick to carve out their own niche in professional sports history. This team is now number 2 on the list of most successful and valuable sports teams in the US, and they generate revenues of almost 0 million dollars annually. As one of the wealthiest of all NFL teams, there is also a certain amount of attitude present. This is the football organization nicknamed “America’s Team”, and they polarize fans throughout the country. People have strong feelings about the Cowboys and no one remains neutral. You either “love ‘em or hate ‘em.” The football team is headquartered in Dallas, but their old stadium is in Irving. The new playing field is located in the town of Arlington.A Platinum Setting for a Jewel of a TeamThroughout the past half century, the Dallas Cowboys Tickets have been some of those most eagerly sought by fiercely loyal fans. The years have brought some of the finest players and coaches in the world to the big state of Texas. Among some of the stars are names like Coach Tom Landry, Dandy Don Meredith, Roger Staubach, Hollywood Henderson, and Don Perkins. It’s become common knowledge in the sports world that everything really is Bigger and Better in Texas and this includes the football team, the cheerleaders, the half time show, and now the new stadium. Fans are eager for 2009 football madness and they are looking forward to celebrating their anticipated victories in one of the finest settings in the world.

About the Author

By Matt Joal, sponsored by StubPass.com – StubPass sells Dallas Cowboys Tickets, sports tickets, Football Tickets, theater tickets, concert tickets and more to just about any event in the world.

San Francisco (PRWEB) April 2, 2009

San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis and ESPN personality Keyshawn Johnson will kick off the 2009 NFL Draft by hosting The Celebrity Draft Classic, a high profile, invitation only celebration, Thursday, April 23 in New York City.

The exclusive event will take place at an undisclosed location just two days before the NFL Draft and will feature a line-up of celebrity DJ’s, including ESPN analyst Marcellus Wiley and live performances by some of today’s hottest artists. The evening’s festivities will serve as a kick off to a weekend that promises to be filled with energy, excitement and anticipation, as NFL teams stock their rosters with the best young players from the college ranks.

Yardbarker (http://www.yardbarker.com), the web’s most interactive sports media network, is a media partner for The Celebrity Draft Classic and will be providing exclusive online coverage, including interviews with the celebrities and invited guests.

“We’re excited to be a part of The Celebrity Draft Classic,” Yardbarker co-founder and CEO Pete Vlastelica said. “There is always so much excitement and anticipation surrounding the NFL draft each year. Having access to the athletes and celebrities at this exclusive event will allow us to capture some very compelling content and enhance the NFL draft experience for sports fans everywhere.”

DSA Media Group, Destined For Success Management AND MOVES Magazine are the producers of the event.

“This Draft Classic will prove to be an evening of fun with a host of surprises created to deliver an intimate “unplugged” celebrity experience,” President of DSA Media Group Dante Simpson said. “In the spirit of the NFL Draft weekend select VIP’s and trendsetters will engage the public and fans, in real time, via blogs and tweets.”

Davis, who writes a blog at Yardbarker.com and will provide content from the party, shares a special interest in this year’s draft.. His younger brother Vontae Davis, a cornerback from the University of Illinois, is expected to be a first round pick.

Log on to http://www.thedraftclassic.com for more information about the event. For media requests and inquiries for The Draft Classic please send an email to press (at) thedraftclassic.com.

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Black Hole Fans

Alameda, CA (PRWEB) September 11, 2009

A group of die hard Oakland Raiders fans who started the notorious “Black Hole” at the Oakland Coliseum are unveiling a new plan to encourage all Raider fans to unite and build on what is truly football’s best home field advantage. At Monday night’s game vs. the San Diego Chargers, die-hard Raider fans will be kicking off “Campaign Black,” an attempt to turn the entire Oakland Coliseum into a “Black Hole” by getting all of the Raiders’ fans to wear black.

“We want to drown the opponents in black this season,” said Rob Rivera, a member of The Black Hole, LLC, and a Raiders season ticket holder since the Raiders’ return to the Oakland Coliseum in 1995. “In the past, The Black Hole has been an intimidating force in the end zone. This year, we want to cover the entire Coliseum with black and make sure opponents realize this is the Original House of Pain.”

The “Holers”, as the die-hard Raider fans sometimes refer to themselves, have created a more organized effort this year than in the past. Last month, The Black Hole LLC (the legal entity the fan group created) launched an official website, http://www.blackholefans.com. The website allows fans to connect with other fanatical Raider fans and to buy Black Hole T-Shirts, Hats, Swing Towels, Static Clings, and other gear to show their support for the Raiders.

“When we started the Black Hole in the 1990s, we made up T-Shirts by hand and sold them in the parking lot – so everyone could be a part of it,” said Rivera. “They kind of cracked down on that because you’re not supposed to sell things in the parking lot. So we haven’t had any Black Hole shirts for a while. Our current arrangement with the Raiders and NFL is perfect. We get to design what we like, without anyone telling us what to do. We just can’t sell anything in the parking lot anymore. So people need to buy the Black Hole gear from our website.”

Over the years The Black Hole has attracted a strong following, with many fans coming to games in costumes to add to the intimidation factor for opposing teams. Black Hole Chapters are currently being established in cities around the country, as Raider fans can be found anywhere. These fanatical fans think of each other as family. A number of Black Hole fans have been featured on ESPN, Fox Sports, CBS and a number of other media outlets.

As part of this year’s expanded effort, members of the Black Hole will be setting up a 20-foot Black Hole tent in the North Parking lot of the Oakland Coliseum for interested “Holers” to congregate before each game. For the season opener on September 14, The Black Hole BBQ team has entered the Raider’s Most Valuable Griller contest to show off their award winning ribs.

About The Black Hole:

THE BLACK HOLE fan club was started by a core group of intensely fanatic Oakland Raiders fans in 1995, the year the Raiders returned to Oakland. Since then, these fans have earned a reputation throughout the NFL as the most intense, passionate and loyal fan base, earning the nickname, “Football’s Most Notorious Fans™.” THE BLACK HOLE® trademark is an officially registered trademark exclusively licensed to THE BLACK HOLE, LLC, the club formed in 2001 by Oakland Raiders fans. The club is based in Oakland, CA. For more information about The Black Hole, please visit its website at blackholefans.com. The Black Hole, LLC has partnered with GameChanger Products, LLC based in Alameda, CA to help manage merchandise production and sales.

For more information contact: Valerie Popelka at 510-521-2308.

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More Oakland Raiders Press Releases

Article by Chris Limburg

Well here we go again. Another season of Oakland Raider football is rapidly approaching. What will the Oakland Raiders be like in 2009? Will it be more of the same or will the Raiders finally make some headway in an AFC West that in my estimation is wide open. First, I will start off by saying that I like Tom Cable as a coach and I believe that the Raiders made a smart move by keeping him aboard. I think that the Raiders have shown more promise under Coach Cable than any coach since Gruden. When one looks at the realistic candidates for the Oakland job one realizes that keeping Cable in an effort to bring some stability to a franchise that has lacked it for years makes sense. Cable is a former OL coach and with McFadden, Fargas, and Bush this team is built to be a power running team and I think that Cable will really work on establishing the run this year.

Unlike past off seasons where the Raiders have tried to land some big name free agents this year’s free agency period has proved to be relatively uneventful for the Silver and Black. Outside of signing QB Jeff Garcia the Raider’s biggest off season move has clearly been the re-signing of CB Nnamdi Asomugha. Asomugha is one of if not the best cover corner in the league today and he invoked memories of Lester Hayes when you watch him play. The Raiders also resigned punter Shane Lechler which I also believe was a solid move. We all saw in last years playoffs how valuable a punter can be in terms of field position. Lechler is one of the best and I am please to see him back.

In my estimation the Raiders OL is a mess which is a shame because they have 3 backs that can tote the rock effectively in McFadden, Fargas, and Bush. It remains to be seen whether there will be any holes for any of them to run through. To bolster a line that has underachieved for years the Raiders added LT Khalif Barnes from Jacksonville. While it appears on paper that this is an upgrade over Kwame Harris this is still a position that the Raiders need to address in the draft next weekend. Former 1st round pick Robert Gallery has played virtually every position on the OL and been dominant at none of them. Jake Grove is gone to Miami and in his place comes Samson Satele who should benefit from the Raiders zone blocking schemes that Cable likes to utilize.

Defensively the Raiders have numerous glaring weaknesses. After Asomugha the secondary is extremely thin despite ranking 10th overall in passing yards allowed with 201.2 per game. Former Texas standout Michael Huff has been a tremendous disappointment much in the same way that Gallery has and towards the end of the year was replaced in the starting lineup by Hiram Eugene. Chris Johnson is a solid player but Stanford Rout and Justin Miller are situational players at best. The LB’s are fairly solid with Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard anchoring down the middle but this corps could use some help from the DL which was a nightmare last season with the departure of Warren Sapp. The Raiders allowed 159.7 yards per game on the ground in 2008 to rank 31st in the NFL. Tommy Kelly had a horrible year and Gerard Warren has never made any kind of an impact anywhere he has played.

So, who should the Raiders draft with the 7th pick overall? I have been saying that the future of this franchise remains QB JaMarcus Russell. Obviously, we all know that Russell has a cannon arm but his throws are erratic and he has been hurt not having anyone to throw the ball to outside of Zach Miller. If Russell pans out the Raiders will be fine but if he is a bust and you are already hearing whispers to that effect the Raiders are done for another 5 years at least. Cable subtly hinted recently that Russell’s work ethic could be better and that he needs to establish himself as more of a leader on the team. Russell responded by showing up to the Raiders off season workouts and hopefully has gotten the point because Cable is right when he says that if he matures and works on his mechanics he could be great. With that in mind I unquestionable believe the Raiders need to select either Michael Crabtree or Jeremy Maclin with the 7th pick this Saturday.

To Russell’s defense he has never had a go to guy since his inception into the NFL. Javon Walker is a joke and Ronald Curry had been release and has since signed with the Lions leaving the Raiders virtually nobody at the position. The Raiders need to give Russell a go to guy; someone to work with and grow together much in the same way Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison used to do it in Indy. The Raiders and Russell in particualr need a receiver desperately. I am hearing many so called “guru’s” saying the Raiders will draft OL Andre Smith out of Alabama. This would be a HUGE mistake no pun intended. Smith’s pysique is atrocious which to me is a sure sign of laziness. Laziness is one thing that the Raiders do not need anymroe of. What the Raiders do need is someone to step in right away and be a playmaker for the team and especially Russell and either Maclin or Crabtree would provide it. Further down in the draft the Raiders can then address some of their other need positions such as DL, OL, and the secondary.

It has been a long time 2001 to be exact since the Raiders have had any glimmer of success. Hopefully this is the year that Russell makes some strides and gives all Raider fans something that Michael Irvin said is the only thing a man needs in order to keep going: Hope. Till next time.

Cheers and Beers

About the Author

Chris Limburg is the fanatical purveyor of Gothicfootball.com: A Oakland Raider/fantasy football blog that provides commentary on everything that is the NFL and fantasy football. Visit today at: http://www.gothicfootball.com