Bleacher Report - Articles by Raider D Richardson

If-Win, If-Loss For The Complete Oakland Raiders Schedule: Pt.3

Raider D Richardson — Tue, 19 May 2009 22:00:52 -0400

Game Three: Broncos

If a win

JJ Arrington gets 78 yards and a touchdown, but the Broncos throw in Lamont Jordan just to piss-off the Raiders. Although he got a touchdown, he only had 34 yards on 16 carries. On one play, Nnamdi Asomugha hits him like crazy on a screen pass, and he stays on the ground for 17 seconds. He wasn’t injured.

Want Cutler back? Not much happened in the passing game for the Donkeys. No touchdowns, one turnover, 104 yards passing.

Jamarcus Russell went 21 out of 24 for 207 yards, and two touchdowns plus an interception. Schillens and Miller both get their second touchdowns in three games. Darrius Heyward-Bey gets 123 yards but no touchdowns.

Justin Fargas gets his most carries so far this season—24. And on those 24 carries to him, he got 131 yards plus a touchdown. Michael Bush only gets 4 carries, 13 yards. McFadden: 12 carries, 55 yards and a TD.

Shane Lechler doesn’t have to punt much, and averages a pretty good 54 yards per boot. Janakowski: 2-0 for field goals (34 yards, 54 yards) 4-0 for PATs.

Raiders 34, Broncos 20

If a loss

Lamont Jordan: 123 yards on 32 carries, two touchdowns. After the second touchdown, the “boos” got so intense that Jordan was forced out of the end zone (where he was celebrating) by a guard.

The Raiders’ passing D got burned so badly I will skip the Broncos’ pass offense paragraph.

Jamarcus Russell: 15 out of 23 for 65 yards, a TD (to Darren McFadden on a short pass), and two interceptions. He also fumbled, which makes a total of three turnovers for him on the day.

Justin Fargas: 20 carries, 79 yards, a touchdown. Michael Bush got 15 carries, 54 yards, two touchdowns. Darren got no rushing TDs, and only 34 yards on 14 carries.

Raiders 28, Broncos 41

If-Win, If-Loss For The Raiders Complete Schedule, Pt. 2

Raider D Richardson — Tue, 19 May 2009 00:23:38 -0400

Game 2: @ Chiefs

If a win:

Larry Johnson plays a great first quarter (43 yards on 11 carries, and a set-up touchdown as he got to the Raider’s 2 yard line.) Yes, the injury was caused by Mike Mitchell. It was only enough to get him out of the game(it wasn’t on purpose).

Matt Cassel realizes it’s harder to play with KC than New England. He went 18 out of 26 for 84 yards and a touchdown, which isn’t that bad, but had two turnovers including a interception by Nnamdi Asomugha (it wasn’t even thrown to his WR!) The other turnover was a fumble at the Raiders’ 17.

The Raiders chose to pass more, and it pays off. Jamarcus Russell goes 25 out of 31 for 211 yards and 3 touchdowns!

Heyward-Bey gets his first TD, which put the Raiders up 14-10 with 12 seconds left in the 1^st half. Johnnie Lee gets his 2^nd touchdown in 2 games, and Zach Miller got a great catch in the end zone.

Darren McFadden gets the only rushing touchdown of the game. He also got 87 yards, Michael Bush got 56 yards on few carries, and Justin Fargas got 66 yards on 19 carries.

Lechler had a great game, including a 65-yarder that pinned KC on their one yard-line. Janakowski went 4 for 4 on PATs, and 0 for 0 on field goals.

Raiders 28, Chiefs 13.

If a loss:

In this one LJ doesn’t get injured and runs all over the Raiders. 189 yards, and two TDs. Although in one of his touchdowns (the second one, which was a 55 yard run away score) Mike Mitchell only got one hand on Larry, but managed to push towards out of bounce. Let me rephrase that: Mike Mitchell pushes LJ out of bounce and Johnson’s foot was clearly not in play… not according to the ref. Johnson turns back inside and runs from the Raiders 44(where he got pushed out of bounce) to the end zone.

Matt Cassel has a bad day in this version too. 16 out of 27 for 123 yards, one touchdown, 2 inners. Interceptions go to: Hiram Eugene, and Michael Huff.

JR stats: 21 out of 28 for 204 yards and two touchdowns to Schillens and Walker. The one to Javon was the touchdown that gets this one to overtime. Although he didn’t get a TD, DHB caught 4 passes for 97 yards, and got to the Chief’s 16 yard line.

McFadden: 34 yards on 15 carries, a touchdown.

Michael Bush: 57 yards on 17 carries

Justin Fargas: 28 yards on 8 carries

Justin Fargas got injured in the second quarter after starting a good game.

Lechler does the regular: a good game. Janakowski: 3-0 on PATs, 0-1 on a 64 yarder.

Raiders 21, Chiefs 24 (OT)

Breaking Down the Oakland Raiders' Schedule: Part 1

Raider D Richardson — Mon, 18 May 2009 00:51:43 -0400

Game 1: San Diego Chargers

For the Raiders to Win:

LaDainian Tomlinson finally gets shut down against the Raiders, but Darren Sproles comes in and picks-up 110 yards, including a touchdown. It was a 44-yard run that hurt the Raiders.

Philip Rivers goes 15-for-23 for 126 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. The interceptions were collected by Thomas Howard and Chris Johnson. Of the 126 yards, 34 come on a touchdown on a screen to Antonio Gates.

JaMarcus Russell goes 14-for-17 for 142 yards and two touchdowns, but he has a fumble. The first touchdown of the season for the Raiders was a Russell-to-Chaz Schillens pass for 16 yards and six points to get a 7-0 lead (Sebastian Janikowski makes the PAT). The other touchdown was to Johnnie Lee Higgins.

Darren McFadden gets 93 yards on 23 carries and a touchdown. Justin Fargas collects 26 yards on eight carries, and Michael Bush gets 56 yards on 17 carries, including yet another touchdown. Lorenzo Neal and the offensive line block their tails off.

Final Score: Raiders 31, Chargers 20

For the Raiders to Lose:

Tomlinson gets shut down in this one too, but Sproles comes in earlier and picks up 135 yards, absolutely demolishing the Raider defense. Sproles also scores two touchdowns.

Rivers goes 20-for-22 for 256 yards and three touchdowns. Chris Chambers gets two of the Chargers' passing touchdowns, along with 158 yards.

Russell fumbles, throws a touchdown, throws an interception, and goes 17-for-29. It's not his day. The only touchdown was seven yards to Zach Miller.

Using three different rushers, the Raiders only combine for 90 running yards. McFadden gets 21 yards, Bush gets 40, and Fargas gets 29.

Final Score: Chargers 35, Raiders 23.

If Peyton Manning Went to the Raiders: Why He Is Overrated

Raider D Richardson — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:02:47 -0400

Yes, that's right. I think Peyton Manning is overrated. So, I expect a lot of, "He's the best QB in the NFL!" Or maybe, "You're just mad because JR sucks!" from Colts fans. They amuse me.

Anyway, on to the actual article.

What would happen if Peyton Manning went to the Oakland Raiders? What would happen if he didn't have Reggie Wayne? Or if he didn't have Clark, or Harrison? What would happen if he was in front of the line that the Raiders started the season in?

I also know that this isn't going to happen, and I don't want it to. But, just think about what would happen.

His stats would drop dramatically. The adjustment would be crazy hard for him, and he wouldn't be the Peyton Manning everyone knows.

Now do you see why JaMarcus doesn't quite have the same stats?

While Manning was passing to Harrison (with a good amount of time), Russell was watching Javon Walker and such run the wrong routes, drop passes, or just give up on plays. Not quite the same thing, is it?

You could reverse this question and say, "What would happen if JaMarcus Russell went to the Colts?"

Now, that definitely won't happen, but I'm illustrating a point.

What if he had more time to throw, and better receivers to throw to?

His stats would also change, but in a good way. And if people might actually talk about him, he'd get a lot of the praise that Peyton gets, even though personally he didn't improve.

By the way, Manning is not the best QB to ever play, he's not even the best right now.

Robert Gallery: Possible Candidate For Oakland Raiders Next Breakout Player?

Raider D Richardson — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 14:02:18 -0400

When the Oakland Raiders drafted Robert Gallery in 2004, they were badly in need of a left-tackle. So, they went with the man from Iowa.

Well, that turned out to be a big mistake.

Robert Gallery seemed to only be good at letting people go by him, which was a factor in why the Raiders let up so many sacks.

But look at the picture above. He's smiling. Here's where that comes in.

Robert Gallery has since been switched to guard and turned out to still not be too good, but a little better. However, during the last few games, Gallery has blocked for JaMarcus Russell well. He turned on some weird, hypothetical switch or something.

So lets quickly recap: A Raiders' player starts out a career as a bust and then unceremoniously turns it around.

Sound familiar? Names such as Jim Plunkett, Gorge Blanda, and Rich Gannon might come to mind.

The main difference though, is that Robert has been with the Raiders his whole career. And that he is an OT/OG, as well.

Jim Plunklett was drafted by the New England Patriots, and had a great year as a rookie. But after that, he started getting worse and worse. He than went to the San Francisco 49ers and wasn't any better there either..

His last team was the Raiders, where he was a back-up for QB Kenny Stabler. After playing a while, he then went to Al Davis wanting a new team but Al wouldn’t let that happen.

When Stabler left for the New Orleans Saints, the Raiders brought in Dan Pastroni instead of turning to Plunkett. Pastroni then got injured, and it was finally Jim's turn.

Jim went on to win two Super Bowls, and was even MVP for one of them.

Gorge Blanda started with the Chicago Bears, and played QB and even a bit of linebacker.

He then retired in 1958, but came back in 1960 and went to Houston to play for the Oilers. This is where he lead them to their first success as QB and place holder for the team.

The last, (but definitely not least) team for George was the Raiders. His arm was amazing, and he got to compete in Super Bowl ll, but lost 33-14 to the Packers.

Blanda's 26- year career was a great example of Raiders' comeback players.

Rich Gannon was drafted by New England, and was supposed to play DB. He then made it know that he wanted out! So, he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings.

In 1993, Gannon was then signed by the Washington Redskins after coming back from a surgery.

He only started three games, and was released after the season. He went to the Kansas City Cheifs, and was a back-up there for two years. He got to the playoffs, but didn’t get any playing time and the Chiefs lost.

The Raiders then picked up Gannon as a free agent. In his first year with the silver and black, he was voted to the Pro bowl.

He went on to win the Pro Bowl MVP two years in a row. He also got to participate in the Raiders' most recent Super Bowl as well.

Can Robert Gallery start something like this for Raiders lineman?

First Round NFL Mock Draft, Picks 1-7

Raider D Richardson — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:11:03 -0400

Here is how I think the first seven picks of the NFL draft will go.

1, Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia.

I think this pick is obvious. The Lions need a QB, and here's the best one in the draft.

2, St. Louis Rams: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor.

Another obvious one. The Rams are in desperate need of a good tackle to bolster the offensive line.

3, Kansas City Chiefs: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest.

With QB Matt Cassel on their team, the Chiefs can now focus on defense, which was awful in Kansas City last year.

4, Seattle Seahawks: Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia.

Seattle's O-Line also could definitely use help, and here's a great pick just waiting to be drafted.

5, Cleveland Browns: B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College

An impact player to beef up the D-Line is right here for the Browns.

6, Cincinnati Bengals: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech

Losing WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh is a injury that can't be healed by one person, but Crabtree would be a huge help in filling that hole.

7, Oakland Raiders: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri

Al Davis singed free agent tackle Khalif Barnes and said he wouldn't draft a tackle in the first round, so WR is now one of the biggest needs in Oakland. Remember that much help is needed to "build a team around (JaMarcus) Russell."

Golden State Warriors: Maybe Next Year?

Raider D Richardson — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 20:43:39 -0400

Note: before you read this, I'd like you to know this is my first Warriors article, and my second NBA article. So don't expect any crazy good front-page thing.

Let's face it.

The Warriors suck this year.

A lot.

But...maybe next year?

There are a few reasons to believe Golden State can improve from next year.

Such as Anthony Randolph, a young player who has a chance at being...well, someone. Or Ronny Turiaf, one of the best back-up centers in the NBA today.

And if he hasn't fully recovered yet, Ellis should be better than ever next year. C.J. Watson has his good times. How about Andris?

Problems from last year:

The loss of Baron hurt mostly because Ellis isn't a point guard! Although I believe (there's that slogan again) that he'll progress in that position. That, or we'll bring in another point guard, although the first one would be better.

And Nelson was, well, Nelson. Can't change that with the new contract.

Defense was horrible. But remember, with this awful season comes one good thing: a high draft pick. And, the Warriors are slightly progressing on that side of the ball.

The players a few paragraphs above should play a big role in this better future season. Especially Randolph, Turiaf, Andris, and maybe Watson.

The big question for GS is the point guard. Here are the options.

A: Get Monta more used to it.

B: Draft one.

C: Go through Free Agency and find one (Nash?).

Keep praying Warriors for next year, and remember:..

"We Believe(barely)!"

Oakland Raiders: Top Five First-Round Picks at Seventh Overall

Raider D Richardson — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:45:04 -0400

These are, in my opinion, the top five first-round picks for the Oakland Raiders, who have the seventh overall pick. So, whatever the top six picks are will change the Raiders' pick.

No. 1: Jeremy Maclin

The Missouri Tigers' WR would definitely fill a need for the Raiders, as the WR spot was awful last year, with not many changes this offseason. Johnnie Lee Higgins would be a much better receiver as the No. 2 than No. 1, and Chaz Schillens is a better No. 3 than No. 2.

With Jamarcus Russell's strong arm (huge understatement) and Maclin's speed and ability to get open, the opposing defense would respect the pass, helping the run.

No. 2: Michael Oher

Oher is a great tackle who could fill the Raiders' LT problem, switching "Super" Mario Henderson to RT.

With Oher's protection, Russell would have more time to make better passes. Or give McFadden more running space.

No. 3: Jason Smith

Same explanation as Oher, a need the Raiders have that could be filled by Smith.

No. 4: Rey Mauluga

Many people think Mauluga is overrated, but it's not true. He is a great LB who could play MLB, while we switch Kirk Morrison to OLB, where he is much better. Mauluga could help fix the run-stopping problem in Oakland.

No. 5: B.J. Raji

Another player who could help fix the Raiders' run-stopping problem is Raji, a good nose tackle the Raiders could definitely use.

Oakland Raiders: What SHOULD Happen, in My Opinion

Raider D Richardson — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 23:58:29 -0500

Before you read this, please remember: This is what I think SHOULD (key word: "Should") happen. Not what actually will happen.

Draft

The Raiders have many needs, and they need to draft well. Here's what SHOULD happen.

First round: In the first round, I think the Raiders should go for Jeremy Maclin, WR from Missouri. JaMarcus Russell has one of the strongest arms in the NFL, and Jeremy is a blazing fast receiver who can catch the deep ball.

Not only would Jeremy Maclin help Russell, he could also help Johnnie Lee Higgins. If Jeremy was always catching long balls, teams would put all focus on him, like teams do to Larry with the Cardinals, and Johnnie Lee would have much less attention from defenses, getting open with his great speed.

Same thing with Chaz Schillens. Jeremy Maclin could also help Darren McFaddenn/Michael Bush/Justin Fargas. Teams would be expecting the pass, after a few good gains from it, and there comes the run!

So if Jeremy Maclin would help the QB, two good WRs, and the RB group, I think it's safe to say that he would be helping the whole offense.

Second round: Since I don't really follow College football that much, I won't put a name for the second round, but I think the Raiders should draft a RT. Many people think that the Left Tackle position is one in need of fixing, but I liked the way Mario Henderson played in those last two games.

Remember, blocking Mario Williams isn't so easy. But deciding that the Raiders need help in the pass protection is.

Third round: I would draft a DT in the third round being the Raiders, and get rid of Sands, and replace him with the third round draft pick. The Raiders could definitely use one.

Getting rid of players

Now, usually this should just be a three-to-five-game suspension, but Sands isn't even good! There is no reason to keep him. He sucked last year, and he sucks again this year. HE FAILED HIS SECOND CHANCE! GET HIM OUT!

Kwame Harris must’ve cost the Raiders 50 yards HIMSELF on penalties, not to mention he isn’t quite the best Lineman in football. Harris is definitely not the awnser.

If we were able tProxy-Connection: keep-alive Cache-Control: max-age=0 oxy-Connection: keep-alive Cache-Control: max-age=0 2C I would also cut Javon Walker, Drew Carter, Either Oren O’neal/ Justin Griffith (one of the two) considering that the Raiders probably don’t need two fullbacks, but many of these players have many years left in their contract, and guaranteed money that would go to waste.

Re-signings

Chris Johnson: After DeAngalo Hall was cut, the Raiders' backup was Chris Johnson. Chris played 10x better than Hall, and showed excellent play in the last eight games of the season. His contract is ending soon though…

Nnamdi Asomugha: Every Raider fan should know how Nnamdi is. He was selected 31st overall pick in the 2003 draft out of Cal as a FS. Almost NO (including Brett Favre) QBs ever throw his way.

Many Non-Raider fans think that Asomugha is not staying in the silver and black next year, but there is no way Al Davis is going to pass up on Nnamdi.

From Pat: “The problem with Nnamdi is that he's a corner. Not too many teams will break the bank on one. Lito Shepherd was hung out in Philly for trade and in 6 weeks the Eagles had no reasonable offers.

"Do that with a QB or a wide receiver and a line will form. Not too many teams are going to be able to afford or be willing to pay for Nnamdi even though every team would love to have him. It's the nature of the position.”

OK, I’m getting tired of writing explanations that you guys already know.

Shane Lechler
Jon Alston
Isaiah Ekejuiba
Rashad baker
Jake Grove

Free agent signings

The Raiders last year went berserk at free agency, and many of those players are now injured, or no good. So, maybe the Raiders should take it easy on FA this offseason.
The only FA the Raiders truly need would be a good OLB. Besides that, maybe a DT, but not much on FA would be nice.

So that’s what I think SHOULD happen, but, probably won’t with Al Davis. Thx for reading!

Oakland Raiders Win Final Two Games of the Season, Looking Good

Raider D Richardson — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:38:14 -0500

Thing is, it didn't matter at all. But it is nice to now that the team found a way to come together in the last to games...But only to finish 5-11. Of course, that's better than ending the season on a bad note and going 3-13. Unless you're already looking forward to the draft.

The first of the two was the last home game for 2008, in which the Raiders beat the Houston Texans, 27-16, giving Raider fans an early Christmas present. They did all this in a blacked-out game, BTW.

Some stars of the game

Mario Henderson.

Coming into the game, Mario Williams (DE) was on his way to the pro bowl and had a great number of sacks. Being blocked by Mario Henderson, Mario W. had the same number of sacks coming out of the game.

In fact, Mario Henderson (in only his second start) did such a good job, Williams never even touched JaMarcus Russel. We might not need to draft a lineman after all!

Chris Johnson/whole Secondary

Another star for Houston, Andre Johnson (WR) was playing stellar all season...'til he came to the Black Hole. In that game, he got two catches for 14 yards, both in the fourth quarter. All thanks to the Raiders pass-defense, mostly Chris Johnson. The replacement for Hall is playing at least 10 x better than DeAngelo.

JaMarcus Russell

JaMarcus Russell really showed what he can do with a great line and receivers that are playing like they're great, too. One of Russell's TD passes was to Chaz Schillens, the other to Johnnie Lee Higgins

18 of 25 for 236 yards and two TDs. Nice!

Johnnie Lee Higgins

Johnnie Lee Higgins scored his third punt return for a touchdown and also caught a 29 yard JR pass in the end zone even though there was pass interference. Johnnie proved his skills in the best way possible: a win.

The second win of the two was something the Raiders haven't seen all year: a comeback. Down 24-14 early in the fourth, the Raiders rebounded and beat Jon Gruden and the Buccaneers, 31-24. (In this game, the Raiders tied their single game most points scored record.

The other game with 31 for the Raiders was against Denver at home.)

Some stars of that game

Michael Bush

Michael Bush wasn't even supposed to play that game, but an early Justin Fargas injury gave Michael his best game in pro football.

Bush, in 27 carries, ran for 177 yards and two touchdowns, the most single game yards for the Raiders from a RB this year! He was easily the star of the game with such stats. Just more proof we might not need a OL in the next draft...

JaMarcus Russell

Although throwing an interception that was returned 85 yards while a moving Raider offense was in field goal (or touchdown) range(Russell made a tackle that knocked the wind out of the defender on that play) Russell didn't really have that bad of a game. He went 14 of 21 for 148 yards and two TDs! This OL is looking better and better...

Chaz Schilens

Chaz Schilens made a touchdown catch from JR that made it 14-7 in the second. It was only his second touchdown in the season. Chaz Shcilens was so open in the end zone that even JAMARCUS RUSSELL couldn't mess up the play/drive.

Just kidding, but it's still been an OK at best season. Hopefully that will change, soon.

Jets-Raiders: HA! HA! HA!

Raider D Richardson — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 14:39:50 -0400

Fans who attended today's game must be soooo glad to see an unexpected win like this!

On the other hand, fans of the NFL, who said this game wouldn't be worth watching, and said the Jets would kill Oakland by such scores as 31-10...to you I say: "HA! HA! HA!"

By the way, I wonder if the following were watching that last game-winning, Raider-record-breaking, marvelous kick. Those of the following will claim we barely won, and only by luck.

Actually, it was over late by luck...luck for the Jets.

THESE ARE IN NO ORDER.

1) Michael Huff—who wasn't even in the game that much—Nearly had an interception at the Jets' 40, with plenty room to run. The ball was at his chest. It hit his hands, everyone thought he had it...And he drops it. Somehow. Remember: He had a lot of room to run, would've easily made field-goal range, and it was overtime. The game could've been over then. Or...

2) Brett and the drive that brought the game in OT. 1st-and-10 at the Jets' five-yard line. Brett Favre in a four-yard shotgun all by himself. He has pressure...might get a safety, no he just barely gets a throw off. If it was a safety, the Raiders would get the ball with a five-point lead, under a minute left, against a team without a timeout. Who wins there...?

3) Early in the game, Mr. Janikowski faced a 40-yard field goal. He's left-footed, and the ball's on the right margin. So close to making it...it just barely hit the post, went wide.

4) The opening drive, Jets' football. The drive actually wasn't that impressive. The only reason they got three points was those dang defensive penalties.

5) 0-3 Jets. Raiders' ball, 3rd-and goal. Russell to TE Zach Miller for a TD, if there wasn't a flag. Not enough men on the line on Javon Walker. Walker was NO WEAR NEAR action, so it didn't matter. That would be four more points.

6) Of course, the play that sent it in overtime, the field goal. The first one: no good, not by much though. But, Cable calls the timeout, and he gets a second shot. The second one: barely good, by less than the 57-yarder the Raiders made.

Yeah, so the Raiders actually sould've won before overtime, but I'll chill. WE WON!

Oakland Raiders: Will All The Spending Work?

Raider D Richardson — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:21:54 -0400

As all Raider fans know, this has been a busy, exspensive offseason. But will all of this spending come together for a 10-6 playoff season?

Raiders such as Javon Walker, who haven’t had the best training camp despite getting paid millions, probably won’t be that much of a factor. Raiders such as Aso, who are having a fabulous training camp, no matter what the money, will not only be a huge factors, but get more chances.

Offense:

Running game: Will anyone be able to stop the trio of Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas, and Micheal Bush? I don’t know, but it’ll be a challenge for any NFL defense. D-MAC will take most of the hand-offs and the other two will play if he gets tired or if the defense figures out how to play him. The Fullback position is not needed when you have these backs.

Passing game: JaMarcus Russell will be great with all the training and with better WRs. Drew Carter, Arman Sheilds, and possibly Javon Walker will be key additions. Not to mention the amazing Zach Miller at TE will be back. Final note: some backs will also be getting passes!

Defense:

Run defense: With such a secondary, the run defense will be a main target. Last year, the Raiders had an absolutely AWFUL run defense. Say, didn’t the Vikings have a 100-yard runner without Adrian Peterson? Or how about Kolby Smith from the Chiefs? You get the picture. Hopefully this 3-4 defense will be better against the run.

Pass defense: Our secondary is going be a highlight of the Oakland Raiders ’08. QBs’ will have to hope pro bowler DeAngelo Hall has a bad year, because Nnamdi is on the other side. At SS the Raiders have G.B. Wilson, who just came from a Superbowl winning team. I have plenty faith in FS Micheal Huff.

Well, that’s it. Thanks for reading!!!

NFL: Worst Division?

Raider D Richardson — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 07:19:40 -0400

I'll start with the NFC.

Well, this one is quite obvious. It's the NFC west. Who else?

The 49ers have gone from one of the best teams ever to nothing, a.k.a. what they are now. The last time they've been to the playoffs was 2002, and with coach Mike Nolan, you can't expect more.

The Rams have done no damage either, going 3-13 last year. And they have plenty of holes to cover. Besides, I'm not sure about Bulger. Can he make the Rams the team to beat next year? No way.

The Seahawks have been leading this division lately. But then again, that's not saying much. Since their SB appearance, they haven't gone that far in the playoffs. In their first year after the-almost-big-one they practically got defeated by Dallas. The only reason they won: Romo fumbled.

Second round: Killed by the Bears, who would go to the SB that year, only to get killed themselves.

Last year: beat Redskins, than lost to the Packers.

Lastly, and probably least, the Arizona Cardinals. Through most of the past years, Arizona has finished last. But I actually think the Card's could win the NFC West this year, and that's a different story.

Now, the AFC.

This is between the north and west, and I'm going to have to go with the AFC West. I'm gonna speak like I'm not a Raider fan in this.

The Chargers are the only good team in the present for this division. LT being their main weapon, helping Phillip Rivers, the QB. Add TE Gates and WR Chambers to help the passing game.

The Chiefs? Well, I really don't know much about them. Let's see, they don't really have the best QB in Crolye. They've placed third for most of the past years, and I don't see them doing anything better this year, if not worse.

The Denver Bronco's. They haven't been doing awful (Don't ever make me say that, it's murder) but they haven't been amazing either. They're probably the second overall in this division, but who gets a trophy for that?

Finally, The Oakland Raiders. They haven't been to the playoffs since San Francisco, and haven't won more than 19 games since. I see the Raiders doing really good this year, but in recent past, they've played like high-schoolers (also murder).

Of all the NFL? I'd say the NFC west with no doubt.

Well, thanks for reading! Happy football season to everyone!

San Francisco 49ers: Why I'm Not a Fan

Raider D Richardson — Fri, 30 May 2008 14:58:28 -0400

Let tell you a bit about myself.

I live in the west part of the Bay Area (45 minutes from the big city of San Francisco). I follow the NFL. I am a RAIDER fan. I am NOT a Forty-Niner fan.

A lot of people ask me why I'm a Raider fan, I simply reply, "we have the real fans," or something like that.

But that's not the only thing I'm questioned about most.

"Why aren't you a 49er fan?"

1. Their next move

I hear the 40-Whiners are moving to Santa Clara. I can here next year's draft right now..." and with the #? pick, the Santa Clara Forty-Niners select..."

Hold it! The Santa Clara 49ers?!?!?! Hopefully for 49er fans, someone finds gold in Santa Clara.

2. Their fans

Funny, I don't see any fake mining supplies (you know, a pan, or a fake shovel) in the 49ers stadium (at the current moment, I'm blanking on what stadium they have, is it still monster park?). Yet, on the other side of the bay, the Raider fans treat their nation with what it deserves, real fans.

3. The QB problem

The QB problem last year for the 49ers was, well...embarrassing.

First, Alex Smith proves he's worth NOTHING but a $1, four-year contract. Next, that same guy gets injured. Then, we get to see what Trent Dilfer, someone who brought many attention in the offseason, can do: nothing.

After that, even though he himself didn't think he had fully recovered, Alex Smith was still put in by coach Mike Nolan, and he wasn't any better. Lastly, Sean Hill, the third stringer gets some wins.

I think the worst thing was that Mr. Hill, A THIRD STRINGer, proved to be better than the first stringer. Does that make sense?

4. No plan B

What if Mr. Third string gets injured? What if Frank Gore (make that Frank Boring) gets injured?

5. Hope

Both the 49ers and the Raiders are coming from bad years. The Raiders have something called 'hope', by adding D-Mac, D. Hall, and technically J-Russ.

And the 40-Whiners added who?

So there you have it, that's why I'm not a 49er fan.

The Top 10 Most-Not-Writtin'-About NFL Teams on Bleacher Report

Raider D Richardson — Mon, 26 May 2008 07:05:44 -0400

Some teams don't see too much action on this place. Either because there isn't that many fans of that team here, or there's nothing to talk about for their team. So, here are the top 10 most-not-writtin'-about NFL teams on Bleacher Report:

10. Kansas City Chiefs

9. Buffalo Bills

8. Denver Broncos

7. NY Jets

6. San Diego Chargers

5. Philadelphia Eagles

4. Minnesota Vikings

3. Detroit Lions

2. St. Louis Rams

1. San Fransisco Fourty-Niners

Now, before the evil and mean comments pour in, I'm gonna make a prediction:

I'll get five bad comments, two good, and one not good or bad. Thanks for reading:)

How Good Is Your Team? The Four Levels Of The NFL

Raider D Richardson — Sun, 11 May 2008 07:55:09 -0400

Come September, 32 teams will try to win it all, or at least get into the playoffs.

So which records are good, which are awful, which are okay and which are great?

Pretending every team has the same difficulty-level schedule, here are the four stages of the level:

1. 0-16 to 5-11, awful

49er fans, Raider fans, Chief fans, and Falcon fans come to mind. “We were better than you this year. We had five wins and you had four,” says 49er fan to Raider fan. “We had a harder schedule,” says Falcon fan to any of the other 4-12 teams. Truth is, they're the same. Your team WAS NOT good, and you didn’t make it to the playoffs.

2. 6-10 to 9-7, okay

Nothing to be proud of. You could do better, but not awful. Maybe a wild card, and unless your division is awful, you don’t win it. Good luck in the playoffs!

3. 10-6 to 12-4, good

Congratulations, You won your Division (unless you're with the Patriots). You probably won’t win the league, but you’ll still play an easy team in the first round.

4. 13-3 to 16-0, great

Well, have fun on your week off, you won the league (then again, you might be with the Patriots)! Have fun playing a wild card on Week 19.

Those are my four levels of the NFL. Thanks for the read!

Compare/Contrast, Video Games vs. the Real Thing: Pro Baseball

Raider D Richardson — Tue, 06 May 2008 15:32:23 -0400

Baseball, the American sport. And, video games. Which provides more entertainment?

Video games go first.

Video Games

Stolen Bases

In a real baseball game, they’ll attempt to steal a base every once in awhile. But isn’t it fun to choose when to steal a base, and when to keep on running just by pressing a button?

Strikes/Balls

The strikes and curves the pitchers can throw are pretty cool. Although they will never compare to the real world of baseball, they’re great!

You can throw a pitch way to the left. With help from the joystick, the ball ends in the lower right corner of the strike zone! Cool, huh?

Home Field Advantage

In a real baseball game, this matters a lot. But in a video game, it doesn’t matter that much. You might think this is bad, but to me it just means that the teams (players) more equal.

Outfielders

An advantage in video games is how easy/fun it is to outfield. All you have to do is run to a flashing circle, wait, wait…and watch a person on a screen catch a baseball.

The Fun

No need to get tense here, it’s a video game. No more “He has to hit a homer,” or “He has to throw a strike." You can calm down. It’s a video game.

The Real Thing

The Crowd

If you ask me, millions of baseball stars wouldn’t be able to show their talent if it weren’t for the fans. I’m talking about buying tickets to just rooting for your team. FANS ARE THE REAL PLAYERS!!!

Homers

Okay, I admit. They do this in video games, too. But whether it’s a splash hit in AT&T Park or just a second row hit in your average stadium, it’s better than in a video game.

Hall of Fame

I don’t know what the closest thing to this is in a video game, but I do know that their hall of fame is nothing like the real one.

Star players deserve this. A person sitting on a couch pressing buttons on a controller does not. All was said—let’s move on.

The Records

Every sports person deserves and enjoys records. Example: Barry "Steroid" Bonds' 750-something home runs. A-Rod is the youngest person to hit 500 home runs, so on, so forth.

It’s just not that amazing on a video game.

The Follies

The funniest thing in the history of comedy: sports follies. Nothing else to say.

Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed it!

Raiders Cut Dominic Rhodes, Lamont Jordan Is Next, What's Ahead?

Raider D Richardson — Thu, 01 May 2008 17:55:17 -0400

Dominic Rhodes of the Oakland Raiders was recently cut from the team, and Lamont Jordan will be next.

Should the Raiders stop there?

Michael Bush comes to mind. If the Raiders cut another RB it will be him. And if they stay with three great unknown running backs, will owner Al Davis want more?

Here's my plan:

Step 1

Trade Jordan and save money for a good wide receiver. Lamont Jordan is not worth his salary, and he wants out!

Step 2

We don't need Michael Bush anymore. He might be good but we have this year's first round pick, Darren McFadden and last year's starter, Justin Fargas. Keep on saving for a WR! That's our real need.

Step 3

Time for the WR I was talking about. We have already signed Javon Walker. We also have Ronald Curry, but we could have more. I'm not going to say names, but almost any veteran WR could and would help the Raiders.

Raider Nation is hoping for a good season finally, and with these moves I believe one is on the horizon.

Compare/Contrast Video Games vs. The Real Thing: College Football/Basketball

Raider D Richardson — Thu, 01 May 2008 11:32:40 -0400

College football/basketball video games VS. real college basketball/football starts now. The real thing will go first.

        College basketball/football


       1. The lameness– A video game of college sports. Does that sound a puny bit weird to you? Sad how they make video games of college students.

       2. The Anger- Someone probably thinks I’m wrong about this, but here I go! This mainly applies to college b-ball, but I like it when there’s a questionable call, and the coach/players get very mad. That’s entertainment.

       3. The style- Some college teams have a style that they like to play. Do I have to give examples for this? Anyway, in video games, the only style is in the players, not the team.

        4. The reason- In college, players don’t do it for the money, in fact there’s barely any money involved. No one needs to make a video game out of that.

        5. The excitement- I used this in my NBA one, but it works for every sport. It takes way longer for a real sport to get boring than a video game.

        Video Games

        1. The playing- One argument for video games. Well, that could be hard for college, but here I go! In a video game you're actually playing. In real sports you're watching.

        2. The choice- This is kind of similar to the first, but I'm already running out of idea's. In a video game you get to chose who to pass to, what hole the RB goes through, who shoots the 3, so on, so forth.

        3. The view- Unless your someone who gets #1 tickets almost every game, the view is better in a video game. Even though it's animation, you still get a close up view for both sides of the field.

4. The running game- This only applies to football. In a video game, all the spin/juke/stiff arm/right and left cut stuff can be fun. I know in real football they can do it to. But, it's fun to press it and someone on a screen does it for you.

5. The bloopers- Have you ever messed-up in a video game on purpose? Sure you have. I mean shooting a half court shot over and over again till you make it. Running backwards 20-30 yards and then throw a bomb on the other side of the field. That's the real fun!

Thanks for reading!

Compare/Contrast, Video Games vs The Real Thing: Pro Basketball

Raider D Richardson — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:40:45 -0400

I know what you're thinking, there's no competition! Well, there are reasons to support both sides. Video games go first. By the way, the reasons are in no order.

Video Games

1. The Schedules- If you're playing in a video game, you get to choose who you play, when you play them, and who's home. I'm guessing real NBA players would love this. No hard teams (unless you want to challenge yourself), no playing on some other team's court. Paradise to these guys'.

2. The Commercials- I think most people will agree with me when I say these are only good on the Super Bowl. Don't these get on your nerves all the time! Anyway, there's none in video games. move on.

3. The skill level- NBA players' would nearly die for this. You can pick what team you play (I prefer the Bobcats), and how good they are! No matter what team!

4. The refs- Their not really "refs". To me their computers. The point is, they never miss a call! Well, at least, not when it matters. Okay, I went too far with "they never miss a call". What I meant was they don't usually don't. Next real NBA game you watch, notice how there's way more blown calls.

5. The dunks- "I wish I could do that,"comes through my mind when I see those super dunks. You know, the "jump so high your chest touches the rim". The reverse, and my personal favorite the windmill. Those are some of the dunks they do.

Real NBA

1. The 3 pointers and jump shots- It seems to me, that every time I shoot a 3 pointer in a video game, It's simple. Get behind the arc, hold the shooting button, and let go at the right time. The right time is 1 second to 1.9 seconds.

Three steps.

In the NBA, it's somewhat different. You have to get open, square yourself to the basket, make an arc, jump, and release.

Five steps. and it's the same with jump shots.

2. The excitement- sometimes the crowd gets wild, a tense moment, or anything else. This keeps it from getting boring. If I had to play a 48 minute b-ball video game, I would get very very cranky.

3. The crowd- When the crowd gets wild, I either think "good for them" or If I like the team, I'll cheer with them. The only thing is, sometimes the players listen to them cause they buy tickets.

4. The intense games- Most times I play a video game for any sport, it's a blowout.

This doesn't apply to every game, but in the NBA most games our close.

5. The Plays- You can't call a play in video games. If you go close to someone on your team, they do a screen, but that's it!

Well, that's it, hope you enjoyed it!!!!!!!!!

DeAngelo Hall: Was He the Right Choice?

Raider D Richardson — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 11:03:40 -0400

After the No. 4 pick, I sighed. I wished we'd picked Dorsey, Ghostlon, or even traded down. But, I got over it.

What I didn't get over was DeAngelo Hall—and for more than one reason.

Reason number one was that, in an interview, Hall said the Raiders should work on the offense in round one.

Was he thinking right?

He's essentially saying, "CB and I will stop the run and pass so the team can get an offensive guy in the first round."

I don't think so.

Not only that—now the only DT we get is a fourth rounder. Great!

Reason number two is that if we hadn't traded for him, we'd have a third and second pick! I'm feeling we shouldn't have acquired him. Anyone agree?

What if he's a complete bust? Then we're dead. Then we're stuck with NO run-defense—at all!

And what about Sapp's position? Who's covering that?

Oh yeah, I forgot—our fourth round DT.

Two years of spelled-out awful run defense. Anyone know a good junior/sophomore DT?

I need one for next year—unless, of course, we take an "offensive" guy again.

NFL Draft: What Should Miami Do?

Raider D Richardson — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 14:59:04 -0400

At the #1 pick, what should Miami do? Here are my top 5 choices of what they should do.

1. Trade down- Unlike other years, this draft doesn't have an oh-so-far-on-top guy. I'd rather have 2 D-Mac's than one.

2. Matt Ryan, QB, BC- It's pretty obvious that they need a QB. I don't know about you but I think that Matt Ryan's the best one in this draft.

3. Jake Long, OT, Michigan- I think we all know they need a lineman that can block. Why not Jake Long?

4. Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU- I totally disagree with this pick, but I couldn't think of anything better. The Dolphin's do need a defensive lineman of some sort, but you don't start a franchise with a DT.

5. Chris Long, DE, Virginia- The same thing as Glenn Dorsey, they need a DE/DT. But, as I said before, you don't start a franchise with a DE.

And those of you who think Darren McFadden, I can't even write about that.

NFL Draft: Where Does DeSean Jackson Go?

Raider D Richardson — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 10:25:48 -0400

I bet you're all thinking about D-Mac, Glenn Dorsey, Chris Long (Howie Long's son), Matt Ryan and more. What about DeSean Jackson?

Well, here are my top 6 ideas for where he'll end up.

1. Philadelphia Eagles, 1st round- The Eagles are probably going to pick a WR in the 1st round. Almost all WRs will still be on the board. I'd pick DeSean.

2. Tennessee Titans, 2nd round- I think the Titans are drafting a CB in the first round, but WR is still a slight problem (besides Randy Gay). If he's still available I think Tennessee would take him.

3. Baltimore Ravens, 1st round- You probably think this is crazy for 2 reasons. First, you probably think that in the 1st round the Ravens will pick Matt Ryan. Second, the Ravens need a QB. Well, Ryan will be taken (the Dolphins/Falcons come to mind). Plus, Joe Flacco does not deserve a 1st round pick; I think we all know that. Flacco will probably still be available in the 2nd anyway. Sounds like a good plan to me.

4. Baltimore Ravens, 2nd round- Although I disagree, let's pretend the Ravens draft Matt Ryan in the 1st. Well, the rest is simple: they draft a WR (DeSean Jackson) and practice using him as a tool for Matt.

5. Washington Redskins, 2nd round- I'll assume the Skins pick a big TE in the 1st round. In the 2nd, they pick DeSean to mix it up.

6. Washington Redskins, 1st round- The reason this is last is because, as I said before, the Redskins are drafting a big TE. The reason it's in here at all is because the big idea is Washington drafting someone who cathces the ball.

How Did Kobe Bryant Fake It?

Raider D Richardson — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 14:06:10 -0400

I'm sure you've all seen the stunt were Kobe "jumps over" a car. None of you actually think that he jumped it, right?

First off, would Kobe actually risk legs, his life, and his career to sell some shoes? I don't think so. Would the NBA (or his contract) even let him? I don't think so. I think Kobe is 100% capable of doing that, but he obviously faked it.

So now we know he faked it, only one question lies. How did he fake it?

Some people think they moved the car to the right so Kobe just jumped in mid-air when the car got there. There's also the possibility they filmed him jump (without the 50 miles per hour car), then filmed the car (without Kobe) and put them together.

Tell me how you think he faked it.

Why Are Oakland Raider Fans What They Are?

Raider D Richardson — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:45:02 -0400

Why raider fans are what they are?

Is it because the Raiders were the team that hit (sometimes too) hard?

Could it be because we hate other teams?

Is it because of our success (besides the last five years)?

Is it our colors?

Or, is it because were from Oakland?

Maybe some of us not only want change in the team, but the other fans in the NFL?

Is it for no reason, probably not. Probably Raider fans have a lot of reasons or they all have different reasons. But raider fans are what they are, for some reason.

If you’re a raider fan, tell me what you think in the comments.

Top Four NFL Fan Bases

Raider D Richardson — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:01:48 -0400

I found time to write about the top four teams by best fans. I'm not rating by who has the most fans, but by who has the most real fans.

What I mean by "real" is doing more than wearing jerseys for they're team .If you want to you call it being creative, go ahead.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers - The stadiums always packed almost every fan's wearing a jersey, and they have the most female fans, you have to give them something for all that.

3. Green Bay Packers - As much as I hate them, the packers have some creative fans. (The only reason there on this list is because the "cheese heads" a lot of them wear.

2. Minnesota Vikings - they've been wearing those horns and wigs for a real long time.

1. Oakland Raiders - The first, the best at it, and the most common. The raiders go overboard, the painted faces, the spiked shoulder pads, and any thing dark and mean.

Raider Naition: Why We're the Best

Raider D Richardson — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 12:27:30 -0400

There are many Raiders haters out there. A lot of them say two words constantly: Raiders suck!

If you're a Raider fan and you hear someone say that ask, "Do have a fact to back that up?" Maybe "We have the highest winning percentage" or "We're the only team that's been to a Super Bowl in three different decades."

Of course there's always "We had the best RB ever" (Bo Jackson) or "We've won more games than any other team in the N.F.L."

If the hater still says "Raiders suck!" do this: If he's a cowboy fan (most Raiders haters are) tell him/her our winning percentage over them (.677). If the hater is a 49 year old fan tell him/her our percentage over them (.600). If they're a bolt fan tell them our percentage over them (.587), so on so forth.

If their team has a good winning percentage over us, tell them "We're the only team with real fans."

And if they don't like a team, they shouldn't be talking football with you.