Bleacher Report - Articles by Mike Woods

JaMarcus Russell Learning From The Teacher in Donovan McNabb

Mike Woods — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 19:08:38 -0400

If you want to blame JaMarcus Russell for the Raiders being 1-4 and possible looking at 1-5, don't.

If you want to blame JaMarcus Russell for the Raiders being in the bottom half of the AFC, try again.

If you think JaMarcus will magically become a franchise QB over night, don't get ahead of yourself just yet.

JaMarcus never had this one thing. This simple thing that many will say is a result of his poor play and bad decision making. He never had the time or opportunity to learn under a seasoned quarterback, in the way that many of the NFL's current and former QB stars have.

Tony Romo had Vinny Testaverdy, Tom Brady had Drew Bledsoe, Drew Brees had Doug Flutie, JaMarcus Russell had...Josh McCown?

Class will be back in session for JaMarcus this Sunday as the Raiders face the 3-1 Eagles. This lesson however, will be much more hands on and more voluntary for the young quarterback.

Donovan McNabb will volunter his expertise in the art of quarterbacking but we all know the saying, you can lead a horse to water but you cant make him drink.

It will be up to JaMarcus to utilize the advice that is given to him and not only take it, but use it to salvage this season.

Take McNabb's advice with a grain of salt if you will but does JaMarcus really have any other options?

There's option A. He can continue to do it his way, which with a 42.1 passer rating apparently isn't working.

Or he can try option B. Switch things up, try a different take on this quarterback thing, and try to correct what's wrong.

I like option B better myself.

The student needs a tutor and there's nothing like getting advice from someone who's been there. Someone who's taken the jabs and gotten back up again.

You see, JaMarcus is a lot like the McNabb of old. Chosen at a young age out of college to be the leader of a team full of underachievers.

Forced to learn how to become an NFL quarterback on the fly. Booed by fans when he looks bad and celebrated by those fans when he looks good.

He knows how tricky this quarterback job can be and maybe that's the connection.

Maybe that's the one thing that separates the two QB's but also brings them together. Perhaps McNabb will set off just enough voltage to turn on the light bulb in Russell's head.

And with that, hopefully Russell can shed the light on the entire team, so they can all see as well.

This nightmare called a season isn't dead yet folks, and this student called a starting quarterback isnt done learning.

McNabb will show and explain to Russell something that hours of game tape cannot: how to handle adversity.

It may not happen overnight, but Raider fans hope it's not too much of a stretch to see this happen before things turn from bad, to worse.

A Forgetable Week Five For Raiders, How Bad Is This Thing?

Mike Woods — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:11:40 -0400

And the laughs just keep on coming.

In case anyone was asleep the past five weeks, let me get you up to speed—the Raiders are a really, really bad football team.There is no skating around that fact. There is no constructive criticism constructive enough to fix what's broken with not just the team, but the organization as a whole.

Lets talk yardage per game.

Spanning a four-game stretch, Oakland has yet to produce more than 200 yards of total offense on the field. First downs have been hard to come by as well, with offense only generating 12 per game. You can't win with numbers like that.

Lets talk injuries.

As of week five, the Raiders have 11 players currently in probable, out, and questionable status including RB Darren McFadden, G Robert Gallery, WR Chaz Schilens, and FS Michael Huff to name a few. You can't compete with the Giants of the football world with second string talent on the field.

Lets talk Russell.

Currently, Russell has a QB rating of 47.1, 606 yards, and one touchdown so far this season. This is your franchise quarterback were talking about. Remember that 2007 draft? There was a guy in that draft by the name of Adrian Peterson.

Let talk coaching.

Do you think Cable knew that he was way in over his head when he took the job? Probably not, but is he ever, on and off the field. For simulating a bar room brawl with assistant Randy Hanson, Cable might be getting more than what he bargained for.

Under California Penal Code section 245(a)(1), Cable could receive a maximum of four years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. You can't win when your coach thinks he's a UFC warrior.

Lets talk Al Davis.

The great Al Davis, the commander and chief, the orchestrator of this badly composed symphony, he has much blame. Why is it that former players believe that they can transition into management so easily, without a hitch? Stick to what you know best Al—go coach a little league team and let someone else call the shots for once.

Yes, it's bad Raider fans, so bad in fact that even Michael Vick, footballs most hated man, decided not to sign. A man who was seemingly begging for a contract with any team.

He had a little help, though. According to ESPN insider Bill Williamson, Tony Dungy instructed him against signing. What kind words did he have for Mr Davis?

"It starts with the organization and Al Davis needs to cede this over to someone else,” Dungy said. “Every coach that has been there has felt that they have been hamstrung a little bit (by ownership)."

We've all said that for awhile Tony, good luck getting him to listen to it though.

Will Oakland ever get a decent head coach, Tony?

"I don't think they will unless you can get total autonomy and I don't think that's going to happen,” Dungy said.

So as we approach week six matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, here's one thing to look forward to: It can only get better from here on out. Lets hope I'm right.

Losses, Rants, and Rumors, Oh My! What's Happening with the Oakland Raiders?

Mike Woods — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:41:50 -0400

The clock ticked down, the score read 29-6 Texans and with that, another miserable, uneventful weekend in Raider nation came to an end.

The first week was ehh, the second week was ok, the third week was come on, guys, and now the fourth week is feeling more like someone's got to go.

We're talking firings, we're talking cuts, we're talking demotions, we're talking anything!

The problem is, many actually expected the Raiders to come out and put up a fight, which they attempted to from the kickoff. On their first drive, the Texans scored on a field goal from Kris Brown and the Raiders answered with their own from Sebastian Janikowski.

It got ugly from there.

I never knew who Steve Slaton was until Sunday—I now know who he is, and so do Raiders fans.

I think the Raiders defense will see Matt Schaub in their nightmares, as he picked them apart time and time again.

I didnt know the Texans had the league's worst run defense; it sure didn't look like it when they were holding the Raiders to just 45 yards on 22 carries.

And now we've come to this. According to a rumor started on fannation.com, Al Davis is pondering adding a new head coach to replace Tom Cable.

Now wait a minute, this was the guy who was supposed to lead the team back to the glory days. Out of Cable's own mouth, this was the guy who vowed to bring a championship back to Oakland.

Now, Mr. Davis, you want to fire him? Is this some last-ditch effort to appease fans for the horrendous team that you put together?

Well, it's not all that surprising, seeing as how Davis didn't really know too much about Cable from the jump. In the infamous YouTube video you can overhear Davis, after being asked to introduce Cable at a press conference, saying that he admittedly did not know much about him.

Huh? You hired a guy you knew nothing about? A foreshadowing of things to come, none the less.

This is what happens when you make an impulse hire; you get confusion, you get fan outrage, you get plummeting ticket sales, you get a losing record.

If there is any truth to this rumor, this will undoubtedly be the change that Raider Nation has waited for—well, at least half.

The other half still believes the problems lie solely on the players, say no more, I agree. I could, however, find a number of fans that would argue the opposite, though.

Cable's head has been on a silver platter since he got to Oakland, so who are we kiddin', it had to come eventually.

And it's coming, believe it or not.

With Yahoo Sports reporting that an arrest could be made soon, Davis will be forced to make a decision, either have an assistant step in as an interim coach or go outside the organization and find another one all together.

Either way, it doesnt look good for big Tom. It could be via suspension from the league, or arrest, but he's going.

However, with all rumors, we must wait and see what the outcome holds, we already know what the outcome holds for this team and this season; to no one's surprise, it's not good.

Oakland Raiders Optimistic About Season Despite Slow Start

Mike Woods — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 19:47:22 -0400

"We're just around the corner, everything that we want is right there in front of us". That was coach Tom Cable's response to the media, in terms of his team's effort on the eve of their loss to the Denver Broncos.

As we wait and see how this Raiders team will respond to those words of encouragement Sunday, this writer is confident that they will do so in good fashion.

When I look at this Raiders team, from a distance I see a team that possibly due to these times, a lot of fans can relate to, even myself.

Its a story of ups and downs, highs and lows. It has all the makings of a Hollywood movie, but there's no Rudy on this team and whether fans will want to replay this season over and over after its done is still in the air.

It is, however, a lesson in perseverance that we all can learn from.

October 2009, I found myself without a job, without food, and frankly without options.

I, like the millions of other hardworking Americans, suffered the sting of the chronic layoff that has threatened to bring the country back into a great depression, and depressing it was.

Rent was due, bills were still coming and the weeks were getting shorter. I felt like giving up, I felt in some since of the word lost, as if I had failed at something but I could not put my finger on it.

It was the quintessential "moment of truth" for me. Either let the situation get the best of you, or get the best of the situation.

The Raiders may not have reached their moment of truth yet, but they appear right around the corner. Times are hard, wins have been few and far in-between and the criticism is not letting up.

Fans are demanding answers to questions that the organization seems unable to answer right now.

With that being said, one thing to marvel at when it comes to this Raiders team is there resilience, as well as their cool under pressure demeanor.

Some can take this as a lackadaisical attitude, while others see it in terms of an NFL poker face; you can't let them see you sweat.

I found that in order for me to get back in the game, I had to switch some things up, I had to let some things go and above everything else, I had to remain positive.

I took the little savings that I had and invested it in making myself better. I revised my resume, I started my own website for networking and with what was remaining, I paid off any bills that were due.

Is it the Raiders time to switch things up?

Not so fast according to Coach Cable. Darren McFadden will be the starting RB and JaMarcus Russell will continue to throw it downfield.

Maybe it hasn't gotten to that point yet.

Oakland sits third in the AFC West standings going into their showdown with the Texans this Sunday and by all accounts the team looks poised and confident.

We have seen this before however, things look good up until the coin toss and then all hell breaks lose, so it is yet to be seen if that confidence will translate over.

The Raiders have something to prove going into this next game, in the same way that I did.

They must prove that they're able to take a fall and get back up, both mentally and physically.

They must show us all what being an Oakland Raider is all about.

After sending out resumes, numerous interviews and phone calls, I was able to land a job. The process not only taught me a lot about myself, but it gave me something I did not expect to receive at the end, confidence.

It was my perseverance in the face of obstacles that got me to that point.

Can you see yourself in this Raiders team?

Take it from this sportswriter, a little optimism and perseverance can go a long way. So as we sit here on the eve of yet another statement game, let's remain positive and hopeful.

Granted this might be a little hard to fathom while in the midst of the storm, but let's enjoy the learning process and watch this team grow.

Pessimism, in retrospect, I've been guilty of using it when it comes to this Oakland Raiders team. I think I'll try something a little different this time.

JaMarcus Russell Still Has Confidence Factor On His Side

Mike Woods — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:10:31 -0400

It takes not only a smart player, but a confident player to survive as an NFL quarterback. You have to have heart, you have to have guts, lets not forget the all important "It factor."

Its what separates the weak from the strong, the free agents from the starters and the so called "bust" from becoming budding stars.

It also takes a player willing to take a fall and learn from it. Bust stay down, stars get back up and try again.

Interceptions, criticism, demotion..which seems unlikely given coach Cable's trust in him, will in time shape the player that JaMarcus Russell will eventually become; if hes willing to learn from it all.

The greats learn from their mistakes, watch film, study other greats, and work on getting better.

When looking at Russell I see Tony Romo, even Tom Brady, a storyline that can be motivation to QBs that come after him.

Both are quarterbacks in the league who started from the bottom and had to climb their way to the top with hard work. The road was not easy, the red carpet was not laid out, they were virtually unknown. These are stars who took their fair share of criticism and continue to do so today.

With a passer rating of 39.8 percent, how can I mention Russell in the same breath as these guys? It's simple, Tom Brady was not the "Golden Boy" at the start of his career, and Tony Romo was not the Tony Romo we know today.

Even the greats start slow sometimes, but they finish strong.

Tony Romo, despite a college career at Eastern Illinois that included among other awards, the Walter Peyton Award for the top player at the NCAA Division I-AA level, went undrafted in the 2003 NFL Draft.

After signing as a free agent with the Dallas Cowboys, Romo fought his way up from fourth string QB to first over the span of three years, learning from guys such as Vinny Testaverde along the way.

As proven as Romo is today as a three time Pro-Bowl selection, he continues to get criticism for his lack of a killer instinct in big game situations.

Tom Brady, who's name is being mentioned among such greats as Joe Montana, struggled to even get playing time during his college days at Michigan.

Going into the 2000 NFL Draft, Brady was selected with the 199th pick. Similar to Romo, Brady also had to work his way up from being a fourth string quarterback, before getting his shot the following year.

In Toms first playoff game, he threw for 312 yards and lead a heroic 10 point deficit comeback to win the game in overtime against non other than the Oakland Raiders.

This is what stars are made of, this is what hard work looks like. Nothing was given and everything was earned.

If JaMarcus Russell wants to take his game to the next level, he has to embody the confidence and work ethic it will take to get him there.

If there is one thing that remains constant in interviews with Russell, it is his overall confidence in his game and his willingness to get better.

This is what you want to hear from your leader, this is also what gives Raider Nation hope that one day Russell just might get it and turn into a Tony Romo or Tom Brady.

As the number one quarterback for the Oakland Raiders, and the support of his coach, time is on his side; let's see how he uses it.

Oakland Raiders Fans Left Speechless After Loss

Mike Woods — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:36:30 -0400

So who's fault is it this time? The Coaches? Ownership? Jamarcus Russell? It doesn't matter because what's done is done.

There is plenty of blame to go around, but the fact of the matter is this: The Raiders lost in terrible fashion to a team that outplayed them on both sides of the football, point blank, period.

What more can be said about this outing that hasn't already been said? The people have spoken and they have spoken loudly enough, but is anyone listening?

Denvers running backs Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter made the much talked about Raiders defense look like swiss cheese. Meanwhile, Darren "Jell-O Hands" Mcfadden fumbled three times and picked up only 45 yards on 12 carries.

Kyle Orton, with 157 yards and one touchdown thrown unmolested, looked like he should have been the number one pick instead of Russell, who once again proved his worth with 61 yards and two interceptions.

Don't worry though, Raiders fans, according to Cable, Russell will suit up next week for another go.

The only thing Cable can hope for is that the drubbing serves as some form of motivation not only for his team, but for himself to improve as a coach.

As a coach you naturally like to take the blame for a loss; most times it's to switch the negative media attention away from the players, to cut them some slack. However this time it's solely on the Cable guy's shoulders.

Openly admitting that his team was not prepared properly for the game was an understatement; they forgot to hit the alarm clock on Sunday.

Still, amidst all of the struggles this team has had, I am willing to applaud effort, heart, and guts. Those things are present but not consistently from game to game.

There seems to be no sense of urgency, there appears to be no improvement from one game to the next, and, sadly, there is no accountability.

This is inexcusable.

You either get it, or you don't. There is only so much game film you can watch, so many two-a-days you can put in.

Coach Cable talked in a press conference Monday about how 90 percent of the guys "get it" and the other 10 percent do not. He talked about how it's a struggle for the coaches to get these guys up to speed.

I say demote them and let them learn from the sidelines. This goes for Russell who Coach inadvertently referenced to as part of the 10 percent.

That said, I believe there needs to be a shake-up with the roster. If not, and the losses keep coming, you might start to see a shake-up in attendance. Maybe that will get management's attention.

Preparing for the Raider-Bronco Showdown;Examining Kyle Orton

Mike Woods — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 23:38:48 -0400

When Bears' General Manager Jerry Angelo traded Kyle Orton for disgruntled QB Jay Cutler, it raised more questions than it answered. Did the Bears give up too much? Was Jay Cutler worth the risk, and with Kyle Orton coming into his own in Chicago, was he the QB that the Bears needed going into the future?

Rex Grossman had all but over stayed his welcome, and Kyle was seen as sort of a clean up man, or a very good second option before Grossman was officially relieved of his duties and Kyle became the number one option.

By all accounts he raised a lot of eyebrows in the Bears organization, as well as the Broncos, primarily because of his arm strength, his decision making ability, and his ability to scramble and make plays out of the pocket.

See:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/peter_king/04/05/trade/index.html

Only a few games into the season and he is being praised already by teammates for his leadership and by his former team, the Chicago Bears, as Lovie Smith explained to CBSsports.com

"He has the things you look for in a quarterback. First, you want him to be a leader, and the team had faith that he could get the job done. There's no question of that...His first year as (a starter), the team voted him as team captain, and that's saying a lot."

Orton threw for 2,972 yards and 18 touchdowns in 15 starts his last season with Chicago per chicagobears.com.

Per ESPN, Orton's current QB rating is 90.9 with 506 yards and 2 touchdowns thrown with the Broncos.

It goes without saying that the Raiders in their match-up Sunday with the Denver Broncos cannot forget Orton and his ability to change the dynamic of the game.

Coach Cable noted some keys to the game which include better execution, sharper focus, and more attention to detail.

One of the keys to watch for, not noted, will be the defenses ability to rush Orton effectively and pressure him into mistakes. One team that seems to do this well would be the Green Bay Packers, we all know what their pressure defense did to the Bears.

See: http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=11136958

If the defense can remain consistent and come out with fire and ready to play, the Raiders should be able to record their first win at home this season.

For Head Coach Tom Cable, The Season Just Got More Interesting

Mike Woods — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:45:22 -0400

It's probably not the way Cable wanted to start off his new gig. It's certainly not the way he envisioned his first few weeks in office.

Suspect offensive play calling, a team that raises more questions and concerns than a healthcare town hall meeting, and the cherry on top of the cake; a police investigation hanging over his head.

Two games in and the fun is just starting

According to the Napa Valley Register, Cables involvement in an August 5th altercation with assistant Randy Hanson during training camp, will heat up again as police seek Cable out for questioning.

The Raiders organization can't be too happy about this right now. Al Davis cant be to comfortable about this hire.

Furthermore, do we or the players really need to be reminded of this incident again? It's a major distraction to an otherwise focused team.

Although I am quick to assess the incident as nothing more than stupid, I do understand, as should we all, that the story has not been disclosed fully and is still under investigation.

Nobody knows exactly why he sucker punched his assistant, if he in fact did punch him which he vehemently denies, see http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4405681.

There have been numerous reports of what happened the aforementioned link features eye witnesses telling there account of the incident, one thing seems to be certain though, it was just a disagreement between two testosterone filled men. I'll buy that, heck I've had plenty of brotherly fights with my siblings, some ugly.

Difference between Cable and me, nobody ended up in the hospital.

Cut him so slack though Raider nation. Truth be told, coaching is a very stressful job. Couple that with the added pressure of reviving a once proud franchise in a city starving for something great, and were talking about a guy who probably has to pop pills to make it through the day.

Still, this isn't the UFC and now he has extra pressure, weather he asked for it or not.

Not only will he be judged by how many wins he can generate over the season, but now his credibility will be called into question. How many free agents do you think will want to be coached up by him knowing that he’s being probed for assault?

It also begs the question, what will happen to Cable if he is in fact convicted, will this affect the chemistry of the team?

convicted of this incident, Tom Cable could face felony charges, of which he could receive jail time. The NFL will most surely fine him or suspend him.

Maybe the NFL should start having mandatory stress relieving classes Perhaps this will teach hot head coaches how to channel there frustration into productivity on the field.

Oakland Raiders: So What to Make of Moral Victories?

Mike Woods — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:01:09 -0400

JaMarcus Russell is still inaccurate, The receivers are still learning, arguably the Raiders best offensive lineman, Robert Gallery, is out with a leg injury, but hey, a win is a win.

What is a moral victory anyway, who came up with that? Last time I checked, the only thing that mattered were wins and losses.

With a team still searching for its identity and confidence, any win is good, be it moral or immoral...okay, maybe not the latter but you get the point.

If anything positive can be taken away from this victory, its being able to shut the doubters up, at least for another week.

For JaMarcus, it's confidence that if he's struggling, collectively he still has a unit that will pick up the slack in the end. For the fans, no, you wont be this year's Detroit Lions.

Let's be honest, No one expects for this team to win by a huge margin, but rather compete each night at a high level.

If you expect that, you also are in the group of people who expect money to grow on trees and food to fall from the sky, "cloudy with a chance of meatballs" style.

We're realists, not to say that this team is incapable of such a victory, because when it all comes together the right way nothing is impossible, but take it one step at a time.

I'll tell you what I'll be watching for next game: will Russell learn from his mistakes, will the OL respond, will the defensive show up?

In the meantime, while analysts and reporters are busy picking apart the "subpar" showing, I'll have these questions in my head and crossing them off during the next outing.

So what to make of moral victories? Give me a moral victory any day of the week, and I'll give you a loyal fan who's proud of them.

My Weekly Rant; Sapp Yappin at The Mouth

Mike Woods — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 22:40:00 -0400

Sometimes inspiration can come from the smallest things, at the most unexpected times. I have been inspired recently to start my own thought of the week which I will call the weekly rant. This will consist of mainly anything that bugs me in regards to the Oakland Raiders, the media, the NFL as it pertains to the Oakland Raiders, and any combination of the three. First up, Mr. Warren Sapp.

If you guys didn't get the chance to catch inside the NFL this week, here's what you missed. According to Sapp, here's what he thinks of the Oakland Raiders and their season.

"Its absolutely over." "Write 'em off." "They play worse when they have confidence."

Wait, now this is a free country last time I checked, and freedom of speech is a constitutional right, but I reserve the right to call out craziness when it's laid out in front of me.

Sapp, in his own right, has never been a guy to bite his tongue. In a way he gets a lot of respect for that and he doesn't let mainstream media change him up. However, since when did it become cool to bash your former team on national television?

Sapp's hatred for the Raiders organization is not a mystery to anyone. He once called the Raiders an embarrassing and dysfunctional organization.

He clowned the Raider front office, their handling of JaMarcus Russell and the drafting of players in an interview done with ESPN radio, laughing stock I believe was what he called them.

However, it wasn't always this way. When Warren signed with the Raiders in 2004 it was cheers, tears, and beers for fans as they got a seven time Pro Bowl defensive tackle, on the downside of his career non the less, but still effective.

Per reporter Peter King of SI.com, that marriage quickly turned sour when Sapp and team owner Al Davis couldn't agree on the direction of the team, young players, more specifically Tommy Kelly started to tune him out and he couldn't get through anymore.

It's evident that Sapp's wounds still haven't healed from his time in Oakland, and maybe they never will. However, publicly bashing your former team and airing out dirty laundry will not fix what's broken.

Sapp will always be that special lineman that fans will remember, but let it be for what he's done on the field and not what comes out of his mouth.

The Forgotten; Raider History Losing Its Flair.

Mike Woods — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:33:26 -0400

Some of us from the newer generation are a little too young to remember some of the greater moments in Raider history. The fans that have been around awhile, however, remember the feeling.

They remember the feeling of capturing the franchise's first NFL championship. They can tell you vividly what the mood was in the organization when John Madden became head coach. They can also tell you how it felt during the glory years, when the Raiders became first in the division not once, but 16 times between 1960-2002.

But that's history, this is now. However, maybe it's good to look back at all of that greatness to have an idea of where you've come from and where you're going.

The problem is, many fans have no idea of the history that covers this franchise. They cannot recall a winning season, or a complete football team that plays for four quarters.

So with that said, some questions come up that maybe you can answer to yourself while watching a game. Is the great Raider history becoming tainted? Is this team becoming more of a Sunday joke? Is the losing really that bad? Questions, questions.

In my free time I like to blog and read other writers' posts from different sports-affiliated Web sites. I also like to glance over comments that fans post, sometimes they're dead-on with their critique of the article, sometimes it's just simply funny to read what they write.

One post that got my attention was from a fan, not of the Raiders but from another team, an outside view. They were commenting on the possible acquisition of Chris McAlister—formerly of the Baltimore Ravens—by the Raiders. Without plagiarizing what he said, he made reference to the fact that Oakland is a sorry team and the organization could only get players on the downslide of their career.

That was his assesment of the team. Case closed.

It seems moreso than ever wins are overshadowed by losses, coaching is given a backseat to controversy, and the media eats it all up. When did this happen? When did a loss become more interesting than a win, when did it become more memorable?

If the Raiders win Sunday, everyone will still feel the urge to talk about Monday's loss to the San Diego Chargers.

The greats are being forgotten.

John Madden, Jim Otto, Art Shell, Gene Upshaw, Marcus Allen. These men have shaped Raider football through the years and should not be forgotten. No one can say that John Madden didn't shape the face of American football for years.

Championships are growing irrelevant.

Three-time Super Bowl champions: '76,'80,'83. Four-time conference champions: '76, '80, '83, '02.

But again, that's just history.

The truth is, only winning can bring the franchise back to the dominance it once held, only then will the organization become more than a wise joke or punch line. However, we all know jokes get old really fast, maybe this one will also.

Don't Count Him Out Yet; DHB Silencing Doubters for Years

Mike Woods — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:54:52 -0400

So who is Darrius Heyward-Bey anyway? He could be your cousin, your brother, or your best friend. He's like any other person that has had goals and obstacles to overcome, like you or like me.

Similar to us all, he's also had people tell him no, you can't and you shouldn't.

However, one of the greatest things about this Raider is his personal belief in himself, despite coaches or popular opinion. His rise to the NFL reflects his rise from HS through college in many ways.

We've all heard the saying, blessings come as disguises sometimes. For Darrius, it was incredible physical speed.

It virtually allowed DHB to pick and choose which scholarship type he wanted to accept, as he was an All-American in both football and track at Mcdonoug HS in Pomfret, MD.

Admittedly, football was not his first love, and something he had to get used to as he explained in an interview with Kevin Van Valkenburg of the Sun Reporter

"Usually, I was just out there running for my life," Heyward-Bey said. "If I scored a touchdown, it was always out of fear of being tackled."

He had aspirations of becoming a professional track runner, but ultimately, from the urging of friends and family, chose football.

From the day he accepted a scholarship from the University of Maryland, he was labeled a marked man. He was met with skepticism from players and fans that he could not translate track success into college football success at a major athletic program.

With that motivation, he went to work.

He set new records at Maryland for receptions, 138, third in school history, yards receiving, 2,089, second best in school history, and was All Atlantic Coast Conference twice.

After finishing his junior season as one of the most heralded wideouts in the ACC, he again had to face criticism, this time from the NFL media and Mel Kiper Jr., who routinely picked him as a bust and bad selection over the likes of Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin.

There are many knocks when it comes to Heyward-Bey as a true receiver. From "he doesnt have good hands" to his confusion in running accurate routes. This gives the media and those who doubt him fuel for the fire, but also makes watching him all the more exciting and interesting.

Be as it may, Heyward-Bey knows he will have to work hard to prove himself, referring to dropped passes and becoming a true catcher in the NFL

"They tell me all the time, 'Forget about that one, move on to the next one,' " "I'm just trying to work through the kinks. That's football. It happens."

Being successful, following through with goals and achieving them, that's called hard work.

Its one of the many things Darius Heyward Bey brings to this new Raiders team, and one of the reasons why management will bank on him having a career similar to that at Maryland.

Through Thick and Thin: Motivating Raider Nation

Mike Woods — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 15:25:43 -0400

Raider’s fans have been taught through history, preconditioned even, to keep expectations low, hopes high and fingers crossed when a new season approaches. More often than not that hope and that prayer go unanswered and it’s more of the same, from year, to year, to year.

So if you expect the worst, why go to games? Why pay to see these players play? Surely watching a team struggle is not exciting, of course being letdown time and time again is no fun.

Maybe by divine intervention, Jamarcus Russell will turn into that franchise quarterback that we hoped for. Perhaps if the football gods love us enough, maybe we’ll get to the playoffs and win a game or two.

Wishful thinking maybe, but this is why we pay, this is why we watch.

Everyone needs some type of motivation, to push them over the top, and in the same way every one needs someone to believe in them even when times get tough. Amidst all of the unanswered question revolving around the team and the expectations, one thing needs to remain constant to achieve those expectations, a strong support system.

Of course there will always be bandwagon fans, those who see the bus leaving and try to jump on at the last minute. Better yet, those who try to get on the bus for free when it’s finally moving, after the rest of us have paid.

However, never forget when things start to click; when the bus starts rolling, it’s those fans that have been there from the beginning that will enjoy the ride the most.

So let’s try something new. Let’s watch effort, let’s watch progress. Let’s measure the players by this instead of strictly wins and losses.

Now as Herm Edwards passionately put it, yes you play the game to win, but if the effort is there the wins will come, no one can argue that.

Stay strong Raider nation for the best is yet to come. As William Penn put it, “no pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown.”

With a promising young wide receiver in Darius Heyward-Bey and a talented RB and QB in McFadden and Russell, time and patience is key. You can’t take a baby out of the crib at 4 month and expect it to walk can you? Players need time to develop and learn the game together.

So as you’re watching opening day Monday, watch with optimism because who knows, maybe this is the season where wishful thinking becomes reality.

Lonely or Misunderstood? What's Going On With Stephon Marbury?

Mike Woods — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 22:46:11 -0400

I have a confession to make. I think Stephon Marbury is brilliant.

By now, most of us have heard of the Marbury 24-hour marathon on Justintv, or viewed it in passing, if not by mistake. Truth be told, it’s actually pretty interesting; In fact, you can find yourself sometimes over-analyzing the man, as sometimes his broadcasts more resemble a therapy session than a harmless video chat.

It’s not every day that you see an athlete expose himself emotionally to the world in the matter that Steph does—without fear, without any doubt that what he is saying is the truth, and without conscience.

Chances are, if you have witnessed one of his many viral breakdowns, you too have called him crazy at least once or twice, or questioned why he was doing it all together. I stand guilty of that. However, in the midst of it all, chances are you probably also called him a genius.

He's fooling the masses with his thoughts and acts, but he hasn’t got me. What we must understand is that Stephon is a lot smarter than what most may think...he knows exactly what he is doing. Perception is not always reality.

He is using the Internet and JTV as a vehicle, a tool to maintain his relevancy with the fans and media outside of basketball, to open up other endeavors. Let’s face it, even Steph's most loyal fans know his basketball career is all but over—he knows it, we know it. However, like mom always said, you have to have a fall-back plan.

You have to hand it to him, though; he's perfect for this—almost as if he was made to do it all along. He knows how to entertain even the most uninterested viewer; he knows how to hook you.

Take a look at his viewers’ panel next time you visit and you'll see what I’m talking about. Maybe it's Steph's back against the wall, keep it 100 attitude that intrigues, maybe even inspires.

Dare I say we see a little of ourselves in him?

Let’s get back to this idea of crazy. Take a look at another athlete who fans can't get enough of—Terrell Owens. Look at what acting crazy has got him—a reality show on VH1, and a invitation to Dancing With The Stars.

Maybe this guy isn't so crazy after all. Maybe that’s what he wants all of us to think because he knows what sells and what draws attention. Steph is no stranger to the marketing game.

He launched his own Starbury brand on the same principles. Give them something that they haven't seen before—something that’s relevant—and watch them come.

Then, it was affordable, in-style basketball shoes for inner city kids. Now, it’s an in-depth personal view of an athlete’s life through social networking.

As of August 4ht, Stephon Marbury had over 1,000 page views and visitors to his JTV site.

Still think he's crazy?

Looking Back: The Biggest Trades in NBA History

Mike Woods — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 02:51:58 -0500

Jason Kidd is on his way out of New Jersey in one of the largest player trades since Miami acquired Antoine Walker in a 13 player trade back in August 2005. New Jersey is asking for equal value and Dallas is giving them everything but the kitchen sink to fill that need. The breakdown looks something like this:

New Jersey Receives:

G Devin Harris

C DeSagana Diop

G Maurice Ager

G Trenton Hassell

F Keith Van Horn

Two first round draft picks and three million in cash

Dallas Receives:

G Jason Kidd

F Malik Allen

F Antoine Wright

You have to ask yourself though, is an aging Jason Kidd worth so much? Dallas better pray the right decision was made and Devin Harris doesn’t turn into an all star overnight in New Jersey, or Dallas fans will look at Mark Cuban in contempt.

According to ESPN, here are some of the biggest trades in NBA history, try and wrap your mind around these player moves.

Thirteen Players, August 2, 2005

Miami Heat acquires F Antoine Walker from the Boston Celtics, G Jason Williams, F James Posey, and G Andre Emmett from the Memphis Grizzlies, and the draft rights to C Roberto Duenas from the New Orleans Hornets in a five-team trade that sent G-F Eddie Jones to Memphis, F Rasual Butler to New Orleans, a 2006 second-round draft pick, a conditional second-round draft pick, F Qyntel Woods and the draft rights to Albert Miralles to Boston. The Utah Jazz acquired C Greg Ostertag from Memphis; Boston acquired C Curtis Borchardt from Utah and G Raul Lopez from Memphis; New Orleans acquired G Kirk Snyder from Utah.

The biggest piece in this trade was Antoine Walker who at the time was having one of his best seasons with Boston. Unfortunately Boston felt they weren't winning with him or getting better with his contract so why not try winning without him? Thus began Boston's demise.

Twelve Players, September 20, 2000

New York acquires F Glen Rice, C Travis Knight, and a first-round pick from the Lakers and C Vladimir Stepania, F Lazaro Borrell, G Vernon Maxwell, a first-round pick and two second round picks from Seattle in a four-team trade that sent C Patrick Ewing to Seattle. Los Angeles acquired F Horace Grant and F Chuck Person, C Greg Foster, and G Emanual Davis from Seattle; Phoenix acquired C Chris Dudley and a first-round pick from New York for C Luc Longley.

New York trading Patrick Ewing? it happened in this deal. What's most surprising is who they traded him for, Glen Rice? As you can see, New York has yet to recover.

Eleven Players, August 27, 1999

Houston traded G Michael Dickerson, F/C Othella Harrington, G Brent Price, F/C Antoine Carr, and a future first-round draft pick to Vancouver as part of a three-way deal in which the Rockets received draft rights to G Steve Francis and F Tony Massenburg from Grizzlies, and F Don MacLean and future first-round draft choice from Orlando. The Magic received F Michael Smith, G/F Rodrick Rhodes, G Lee Mayberry, and F Makhtar Ndiaya from Grizzlies.

Houston scrambles to get the Franchise, smart move by some, crazy by others; mainly because Francis would go on to achieve pretty much nothing for the Rockets as a whole, while making himself look good.

Nine Players, February 17, 1997

Dallas traded G Sam Cassell, G Jim Jackson, G George McCloud, F Chris Gatling, and C Eric Montross to New Jersey for C Shawn Bradley, G Robert Pack, G Khalid Reeves, and F Ed O’Bannon.

There goes the Dallas-New Jersey trade again. The two must really like doing business together. New Jersey got the better of this deal obviously. Do you remember any of the players Dallas traded for besides Shawn Bradley (who was a tall bust)?

Eight Players, January 5, 2003

New York traded F Antonio McDyess, G, Howard Eisley, G Charlie Ward, F/C Maciej Lampe, and the draft rights to G Milos Vujanic to Phoenix for G Stephon Marbury, G Anfernee Hardaway, and C Cezary Trybanski.

New York got the better of this deal, as they got both Marbury and Hardaway in their prime. On second thought, maybe it wasn't such a good deal, what has Marbury done in New York worth remembering?