Dear Al Davis, Isn't It Time For Your Nap?

A S — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 07:10:37 -0500

Dear Al,

At the ripe ol' age of 104, don't you think it's time to pack up and move to Florida? (Say Hi to that young whippernsapper Jon Gruden for me!) It's time to trade in your business suits for hoodless sweatshirts and suede velcro shoes.

Come on Al. Let the Raiders go. Remember when you fired future Hall of Famer Mike Shanahan after 20 games? Oopsy!

In the last half dozen seasons, you've thrown about as many coaches out of Oakland as Jamarcus Russel has touchdown passes. You could try to coach the team yourself...but you stepped down as a coach 43 years ago after leading one of the worst teams in the history of the AFL.

In the last five seasons, your beloved Raiders have lost more games than the 49ers—and yes—even more than the Detroit Lions. Sorry, let me say that again in case you forgot to put on your bifocals. In the last five seasons, your Raiders have lost more games than the Detriot Lions.

I'm surprised the Raider faithful hasn't burned and pillaged McAfee Stadium to the ground. If they only put half the effort they put into their spikey black and silver uniforms of destruction into getting you out of the front office, you'd probably be eating Fig Newtons and watching Wheel of Fortune someplace warm by now.

Al, it's time to retire. Please.

Sincerely,

Concerned Citizen of B/R

p.s.—Good call on getting that fourth round pick from New England. Who did you have to give up? A wide receiver? Randy Moose or something? I'm sure he wasn't any good.

Give and Take: What the NFL and NCAA Can Learn from Each Other

A S — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 09:53:18 -0500

What the NFL can learn from the NCAA:

-The coin toss in overtime doesn't have to play a huge hand in determining the game's winner. In the NCAA, the team who wins the coin toss and chooses to start on defense wins about 52 percent of the time. Compare that to the fact that the winner of the overtime coin toss wins roughly 65 percent of the time in the NFL.

-Put a white stripe on the ball! It's easier for the ball to be seen on TV, not to mention for the players on the field.

-Allow possession to be established after getting one foot inbounds, not two. This would create more excitement and encourage offense, while possibly speeding up the game by reducing the number of instant replay challenges.

What the NCAA can learn from the NFL:

-Introduce the two-minute warning at the end of the second and fourth quarter. It gives fans a moment or two to hold their breath and get their last minute Hail Mary prayers before the end of the half or game.

-You're not down until someone puts you down. Enable the down by contact rule and stop blowing the whistle when the ball carrier's knee hits the ground.

-And of course, PLAYOFFS. If the NFL had the BCS system, the New York Giants would have been nowhere near the national championship game. The only way to crown a true champion is through a playoff system.

Bleacher Report - Articles by A S

Dear Al Davis, Isn't It Time For Your Nap?

Give and Take: What the NFL and NCAA Can Learn from Each Other