Bleacher Report - Articles by Rob Calonge

Rob's 10 hard and fast rules for 'ruling' your fantasy football league

Rob Calonge — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 18:20:00 -0400

Many of you have probably already had your fantasy draft. I know that I’ve already had one of mine. I really hate conducting a draft prior to Labor Day weekend due to the fact that all of the NFL transactions have yet to be conducted. If you have already drafted, or you’re about to draft, keep the following in mind when you do and you could be fighting for your league's title by the end of the season:

Pay Attention To Trades - Teams will always try and get a ‘mulligan' for a guy that they can’t use for the season. Nearly half the teams have some form of ‘excess’ at a position or two. If a player can’t catch on with an elite team like Dallas, that doesn’t mean that he’s not better than the players on a poor team like Oakland at his position. Good teams already have good players, which is why they ARE good teams. If they, (the good team), are trading someone, the net result could be the traded player will finally get his chance to be a star. It also could mean that the team receiving the player isn’t fully committed to the guys they already have on their roster at that position.
Pay Attention To Veteran Cuts - This can possibly signify the beginning of a player’s career. This is a rare occasion, but sometimes the starter is beaten out by the less expensive backup. In that case, KNOW who that backup is. You should also pay attention to what team that veteran latches on to.
Injuries, Injuries, Injuries… - They happen. Sometimes they happen in the last preseason game while other times they’ve already been injured throughout the preseason. If you haven’t been following the team, you might find it shocking when the player gets put on the Injured Reserve list, PUP list, or they’re even cut. When any of these transactions happen and the player was on your cheat sheet, be the first to find out why and react if it makes sense. My favorite draft experiences are the ones where my competition drafted guys out for the season. Nothing says "SUCKER" better!
Take Holdouts Into Consideration - For example, Steven Jackson has held out nearly the entire preseason. History shows that a holdout usually leads to a season ending injury, sometimes a career threatening injury. It’s a good idea to either have his backup or an eye on him. Wideouts and running backs are the most susceptible to this rule of thumb and I recommend dropping a player at least two rounds in your draft when a player has held out. The risk is just too high to put even Steven Jackson in the first round.
Players Coming Off Of Injury Can Affect The Value Of Their Teammates - Peyton Manning is a good example of this rule. Marvin Harrison had already dropped in value due to the emergence of Reggie Wayne as the go-to guy the last two seasons, but now that his quarterback is going to be rusty and probably feeling discomfort from an infection related to knee surgery, he’s dropped considerably. Instead of putting Harrison as a low end number two receiver, you should reconsider him all the way down to a lower three or four guy now. Going back to Steven Jackson, if he’s not running well or he gets injured, Tory Holt and Marc Bulger could suffer due to the one-dimensional offense.
Coaching Makes Players Stars - This is my secret weapon. Nearly nobody takes this into consideration, or follows football enough to follow this rule very thoroughly. Norv Turner helped make Alex Smith look like he deserved to be drafted number one when he was the offensive coordinator of the 49ers. As a head coach, Norvell hasn't been much of a star maker. Mike Martz is in San Francisco now and if he can make Kitna and Furry an elite combo in Detroit, he can do the same with J.T. O’Sullivan and undrafted rookie Josh Morgan. Those guys are both risks, but worth taking late if they’re still available. Offensive and defensive coordinators, as well as head coaches, play a big role in WHO will be the big fantasy scorer on the team. If you study the coaching carousel well, all you need to know is who is starting for each team to have a great (not good) draft.
Homers Make Mistakes - You got into fantasy football because your a football fanatic. You became a football fanatic because you love your team. Drafting those players that you so often root for will keep you from hoisting the cup at the end of the year. Whatever you have them ranked at in the draft, drop them at least a round. Unless you’re in a league with other guys that are homers for the same team, you’ll get your guy for a lower price, and it will probably be for more than he’s worth. If you’re in a league where everyone is a fan of the same team…good! Don’t draft ANYONE from your team, unless you’re a Vikings fan and you have the first pick of the draft. In other words, unless the rest of the world undoubtedly has the guy rated that high, don’t pick him. Let your friends pay the price of drafting players too high.
Cheat Sheets Are ONLY A Guide - One year, I came to my draft only to find that another owner had the same cheat sheet that I was using. I think that the cheat sheet that I use from a very reputable source is the best on the market so I wasn’t about to trash it, but it’s not the bible of drafting. Remember that cheat sheets are only another person’s EDUCATED GUESS. Use common sense and YOUR knowledge as well as the cheat sheet. My opponent and I drafted that year, he went straight down the line of his list, while I added my judgement to my selections. I took second and he was dead last in a competitive eight team league. See my point?
Don’t Be Afraid To Admit Your Mistakes - I’ve made my first free agent move hours after a draft before. You do look stupid to your friends, there’s no denying that, but would you rather look stupid for a day or stupid for four weeks? The worst thing you could do is hold on to a guy that adds no value to your roster or is not a part of your future plans in any way. While you wait to dump him, the best available guy for your team gets picked up by your competition and you’re left with his/her scraps. If you’re lucky, your opponents scraps are better than what you would’ve had, but if you’re in a strong league don’t bet on it.
Patience Is Required, But Activity Is A Must - You have two types of players in fantasy football, the proven stars and everyone else. If you have a proven star such as Steven Jackson or Peyton Manning who starts off the season slow, don’t give up on him right away. Since both are coming off of quite a bit of inactivity, it may take four weeks before they begin to shine. Don’t drop them or trade them for some guy you’ve never heard of before because he’s had a great start to the season. Be patient. For everyone else in the NFL, if they’re not performing and it doesn’t look good, dump him and find someone that HAS started the season HOT. Chances are, if you’ve identified the player’s correct rating, nobody else is going to pick him up either…except for maybe a homer. Make moves often, improve your team every chance you get, and don’t be slow to react on a guy who’s never been more than average, or hasn’t been great for a couple of years (Marvin Harrison).

There are no guarantees that if you follow all of these rules, you’ll win your league. Last year, I was part of seven fantasy league’s with various methods of scoring. Out of the seven leagues, I won 4 titles, took second once, and third once. In the last league, I was a pitiful seventh out of twelve teams. Hey, it happens! If you do use these methods and some common sense along with keeping YOUR personal feelings in check, you can be competitive nearly every year in nearly every league. That’s what makes fantasy football fun.

Even the Oakland Raiders' Most Optimistic Fans Should Be Worried

Rob Calonge — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:15:48 -0400

Going into the 49ers' game last Friday night, there was no doubt in my mind, or the minds of many of those who've been following the Raiders over the past few months, that the Raiders were a much better team than we'd seen over the past five years.

Unlike past seasons, they didn't disappoint, as they showed most of the Bay Area that what many of us have been saying was at least partly true, they WERE better. The question now becomes: Will they stay that way?

The news coming out of camp is filled with injury after injury of key performers that the Raiders can't afford to lose. The head coach has been quoted as saying that he doesn't have enough depth and that the team isn't very good right now.

What's a fan to think?

Some go about their business and blindly believe that the Raiders will be good or bad this season, regardless of the news. Others, like myself, seem to continue living this roller coaster of dread/optimism that has its ups and downs, corkscrews, and flips.

Then there are those in between, who vary on their opinions, which hover around the middle of all of the predictions.

Starting with special teams, here are just a few of the injuries to keep track of. Sebastian Janikowski is having his annual hamstring problem, and Shane Lechler has just developed a quad injury to keep him company.

Not to be outdone, rookie safety and starting kick returner Tyvon Branch just had an operation on his thumb and is now wearing a cast. Looks like special teams is doing well, doesn't it?

On offense, starting left tackle Kwame Harris has a shoulder injury which is forcing Mario Henderson into the starting left-tackle spot. The problem with that is, for all of the fear about Harris protecting the $60 million dollar man, JaMarcus Russell, Henderson is much worse.

Luckily, Ronald Curry, Drew Carter, Justin Fargas, and the injury prone Javon Walker seem to be healthy for the moment. Backup offensive tackle, Mark Wilson, broke his leg early in camp and has since been cut.

The defensive news is what really troubles me. Terdell Sands has already had to drain his ailing knee a couple of times, Tommy Kelly is coming off of surgery on one of his knees, and most of the secondary is banged up.

That combo of DeAngelo Hall and Nnamdi Asomugha that Raider Nation has been dying to see is hobbling at best. Hall has a sprained or broken hand, depending on whom you talk to. If you talk to Kiffin, it's fine. If you talk to Hall, it's broken. Go figure, Hall is already disagreeing with his coach.

Nnamdi Asomugha, the best corner in the league, now has a foot injury. X-Rays were negative, but so were the X-Rays on DeAngelo Hall's hand. You get my drift?

Luckily, the Raiders have Stanford Routt, who isn't injured. The problem is, nobody else on the roster can cover a fifth-string NFL receiver. Nobody, unless of course they put Michael Huff in the corner and move someone else into the free-safety spot.

Hey, isn't the free-safety spot one of the Raiders problems from last season? Yeah, and if Huff isn't playing there, it will be a problem next season too.

Am I wrong to feel worried?

I picked the Raiders to go 11-5 this season, with the caveat that I could change my mind as the season approached.

After Favre signed with the Jets, the number dropped to 10-6, and without Asomugha or Hall, it plummets to 5-11. I don't think I'm wrong to be worried, but I might add that I'm also not jumping ship either.

The Raiders have 25 days to right the wrongs that are currently causing this pessimism. I'm hoping that the whole team, from the owner on down to the ballboys, gets better over those next three-and-a-half weeks.

For better or worse, I'll be cheering them on when they meet the Broncos on Sept. 8, and I'd really enjoy starting off the season over .500.

Being over .500 would make it a first in a really long while during the regular season, and Raider Nation deserves at least that for all of the pain they've been through since the silver and black made it to the Super Bowl.

Rob Calonge is a community leader for the Oakland Raiders on Bleacher Report and writes for MVN's Thoughts from the Dark Side at TFDSsports.com - an independent Oakland Raiders media site.

NBA Draft: ESPN Needs To Draft a Few For Its Coverage

Rob Calonge — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:52:01 -0400

Watching the NBA draft on the Entertainment Sports Programming Network would've been mildly entertaining if it wasn't so painful to watch. Normally, I tend to have more disdain for the 'NOT ready for PRIME TIME' reporters interviewing the teams after their picks, but this group broadcasting from the WAMU center in Madison Square Garden needs an injection of chemistry.

Before I start my rant, let me just say that Mark Jackson and Jay Bilas have done a great job with their overall analysis and their ability to inject a little bit of life into the evening, but neither seem to know the other is even in the room. It's really not their fault so much as it is about the poor chemistry between all of them.

I try to limit my ESPN watching if I can, so would someone please tell me how long it's been since Stuart Scott has been even a little amusing? His cracks throughout the night haven't even stirred snickers from his co-panelists. Stu Scott is still a great anchor, so don't get me wrong about that, but maybe he should go back to SportsCenter, because as the NBA Draft host, he's not cutting it.

Not being funny has only been half of Stu's problem. He hasn't even tried to pretend that anyone else that he's working with has been amusing. Well, he tried to with an already off-camera Dick Vitale, but he's already off-camera Stu.

As the anchor of the telecast, Scott has got to be much better, or else they need to bring back Chris Berman. Yes, folks, it's pretty bad when I'm saying to bring "BACK, BACK, BACK" Berman.

The major culprit is Jeff Van Gundy. Never has a man made more off of hanging from another grown man's leg...in public, at least. Following Mark Jackson and preceding Jay Bilas doesn't help, either. His knowledge has been general and weak, and all of his comments seem to have caught the rest of the panel off-guard with how quickly they've ended.

Stu: Jeff, what do you think of the pick?

VG'dy: ((pause)) Well, this is, this is a guy who is a big man that can be tough in the paint. ((pause))

Jay: ((slowly to full speed)) This guy....((long thorough analysis))

Another problem with the telecast has been Mr. Front Runner himself, Stephen A. Smith. I always thought he signaled the end of Fox Sports competing with ESPN, but to now be on ESPN has helped to lower NBA ratings in my household. How this guy is still working on TV is beyond me, because he's horrible.

The first 15 picks they went to the front runner, sitting in fantastically over-sized chairs with the latest draft pick. The first five picks, he tried to make mention of how he'd already talked to them the day before as if he and the pick were longtime friends. Does anyone else see through this hack? Is it just me?

After those five, it was evident he didn't have a clue who he was talking to.

Front Runner: So how does it feel to have been picked by [insert team here]?

Draft Pick: [Insert politically correct statement]

FR: What do you bring to [insert team here]?

Draft Pick: [Insert politically correct statement]

FR: Are you saying you're going to [win/start, you pick]? Hahaha!

Yeah, FR, what have you brought to the telecast? Weight-control I suppose, because after every time you were on, I felt the sudden urge to regurgitate my dinner.

From the network that invented the televised NFL Draft, I expect better. I also expect better from the network that invented 24-hour sports coverage, but I especially expect more from a league that makes billions of dollars every year selling a game built around teamwork.

Rob Calonge is a writer for Bleacher Report and MVN.com. Normally, you'll find him writing about the Raiders, Warriors, and Sharks. You can usually find him on Thoughts from the Darkside, an Oakland Raiders independent media site.

Oakland Raiders Fans Should Stop Hating on Stuart Schweigert

Rob Calonge — Thu, 22 May 2008 05:25:21 -0400

It's just too dang easy! It really is. Instead of watching the game, or in some cases re-watching the game, you can easily rely on a SportsCenter highlight to determine your viewpoint about a team, game, play, or player.

In some cases, such as former Raider Tyler Brayton getting caught kneeing punk Jeremy Stevens in the family jewels on prime time, these mini-clips can make a player look completely different than what they truly are. In Brayton's case, the mild mannered, hard-working defensive end that rarely made highlight-reel plays was determined to be the prototypical Raider hoodlum, which couldn't be further from the truth.

In the case of Stuart Schweigert, these mini-clips can make you look like an awfully bad football player. Whether it was a Ladanian Tomlinson touchdown run, a Tony Gonzalez touchdown catch, or any of Denver's running backs dragging him for ten more yards, Raider Nation and the haters both looked at him as the culprit for the big momentum shift.

I'm not blind. If you are looking for a hard hitting, snot jarring, play-making safety, Schweigert is not going to be your first choice. While I think he could be a playmaker in the right defense, thanks to his speed and soft hands, he was never to be confused with George Atkinson or Jack Tatum. He just never has had the killer instinct to be that enforcer in the secondary, which the Raiders have so desperately needed over the past few years...Ok, the past decade...alright, since Ronnie Lott donned the Silver and Black.

So, with Raider Nation expecting a Lott, Schweigert was doomed to disappoint. But think of all the safeties before him? Besides Rod Woodson and Eric Turner, name a safety over the past 15 years to wear the patched-eyed bandit on his helmet that didn't disappoint.

Can anyone say that Schweigert was worse than Anthony Dorsett? How about Derrick Gibson? Sure, he was no Vann McElroy, but he wasn't one of those first guys either. Does anyone reading this think Calvin Branch was better? Ok, I'll give you Eddie Anderson, but that's a close call.

Would you like to see the rest of the list? Patrick Bates, Chris Carr, Perry Carter, Rickie Dixon, Torin Dorn, Hiram Eugene, Johnie Harris, James Hasty, Derrick Hoskins, Carl Kidd, Dan Land, Albert Lewis, Lorenzo Lynch, Keyon Nash, Elvis Patterson, Reggie Tongue, James Trapp, Denard Walker, Lionel Washington, and Brock Williams, are the players listed as DB's who were notable or played for more than one season in the Raiders' secondary since Lott moved on to the Jets.

Out of that bunch, I'd be willing to give you Dan Land and Albert Lewis as guys who were as good or better than Schweigert as a Raider. So, in 16 years, the Raiders have had four or five guys who were as good or better than Schweigert play safety. Better yet, none of those guys were even in the league over the past five years.

The biggest complaint that I read and hear is that Schweigart couldn't tackle, yet in the only year that he's started all 16 games, he had 107 tackles. That's a linebacker number! I also hear that he didn't take good angles to the tackle. Hmm, normally when you saw Schweigert looking out of position, it's because he was out of position for a strong safety or linebacker.

People forget, or don't know, that with his speed, Schweigert covered a lot of ground, and that was his downfall with the Raiders. Many of the out of position tackles he was making were cover-ups for strong safeties like Derrick Gibson or linebackers like Sam Williams.

The fact that his number was called so often should've been a sign to Raider Nation that this guy wasn't the problem. Instead, he's been booed and vilified on message boards as 'terrible.' If you must blame anyone for the lack of an enforcer in the secondary, blame the person who picked Michael Huff to be a strong safety.

Yeah, I'm a Raiders fan that thinks highly of Stuart Schweigert, so? I'm not even going to remind everyone that he was the type of professional athlete that a fan could be proud of, with his community service, team first attitude, and willingness to meet with fans. So yeah, I'm a fan of his too.

So long Stu, I hope that your career winds up being long, and that you don't come back to haunt the Raiders when it counts. I'll still root for you, other than games that the Raiders face you. Whatever you do, don't even think about running your mouth like Chris Carr or Jerry Porter, because then it won't matter what I think of you now. If that happens, then I'll know that all of my good feelings about you will have been for nothing.

Rob Calonge writes for Thoughts from the Darkside on MVN.com. More Raiders stories and articles by Rob can be found at http://mvn.com/nfl-raiders

Raider Nation: No Need to Give the Haters What They Want

Rob Calonge — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 03:05:00 -0400

You've all seen it. A perfectly good discussion amongst members of Raider Nation. As the banter starts to get good, the post of some lonely hater breaks up the topic of conversation.

It happens far too often to bother counting, but if I had a dollar for every time I've seen it, I wouldn't have a bill to worry about again. How many times I've been called a convict, pedophile, idiot, etc..., I can't really tell you. It's been quite a bit.

What's the point haters? I guess you are so filled with jealousy of my team that you can't seem to control yourself. I guess I should be honored that you find my team and myself so important in your life that you would waste part of yours to call me a loser or defame my team.

Is it really that bad hater? Is your life so empty that you have nothing better to do with your Saturday nights? Really? Maybe I shouldn't feel honored so much as I should pity your poor life.

You really must explain to me what it is that urges you so to jump on my message boards to tell me I'm a loser. What is it about you that makes you think, "Oh yeah! I'm gonna' go call those Raiders fans losers!"

Is it genetic? Really, is that what it is. Do you have a few branches in your family tree that DON'T branch out? Do some parts of your family just stop existing because it would be against the law to procreate? Ah, since you wouldn't understand that, what I'm asking is: Do you have family members that have married their brothers or sisters? You see, a yes would start to explain some things.

Is it that you didn't get enough nurturing? Be honest, does your mother have any children that she likes? Are there any children in your family that your father actually claims?

My guess is that the owners of your team of choice would be pretty embarrassed to call you their fan. You see, a real fan isn't a fan AGAINST another team. A real fan is a fan FOR their own team.

Well, I better get going. Lights out on cell block D, but you already knew that right?

For more articles by Rob Calonge visit his profile page.

Rob Calonge also writes for MVN.com. There he writes for the Raiders, Warriors, and Sharks pages.

It's official! I want to be Matt Leinart!

Rob Calonge — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:51:00 -0400

MSNBC calls it a setback for Leinart, the Arizona Cardinals, and the NFL. I call it a setback for my ego. Seriously, I thought I had been pretty adept with the ladies back in my 'playin' days, but I have to tip my hat to Matt Leinart...he's doing better.

Really, what the heck do a bunch of pencil pushing, PC patrolling, namby-pamby reporters know about the good life? While they are hunched down in the bushes outside of some celebrity's house waiting to drill them with questions, the celebrity is IN the house living the life of...well, the life of a celebrity.

I referenced my good ol' days, but I have an excuse for my seeming ineptitude compared to Leinart: I wasn't a rich, famous, professional starting quarterback. There! I feel much better now.

In comparison to the women Leinart has already been rumored to have been with, this group isn't really up to his normal standards, but hey sometimes quantity IS better than quality.

What the media will now have you believe is that Bill Bidwell, Ken Whisenhunt, and the Cardinals organization are embarrassed and humiliated by these pictures. The truth of the matter is they aren't. You see, only the people that have never seen on TV, had, gone to, or heard about a party are going to be shocked.

If you've never beer bonged a twelver or been in a room where someone has, then you've been sheltered. You may want to go down to your local hardware store, purchase a funnel and tubing (preferably 3' to 4'), stop by the store, snag a case of your favorite beer, and call a friend over (to hold the assembled bong).

Drinking is a serious issue if abused or done prior to operating heavy machinery, nobody is making light of that. The truth is, why do people have to make light moments dark? The guy was having a fun time in the privacy of his home and not killing dogs, selling or doing drugs, throwing dollar bills at strippers, or punching out newly turned adults.

Matt Leinart does have a couple of problems though. The first problem is that he doesn't have enough arms to put around his girl friends. If he asks real nice, I may give him a hand. The second and biggest problem that he has is that one of his so-called friends doesn't know the meaning of 'private party'.

If I were Matt, that would be the only problem concerning me.

It's Official: I Want to Be Matt Leinart!

Rob Calonge — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 06:31:52 -0400

MSNBC calls it a setback for Leinart, the Arizona Cardinals, and the NFL.

I call it a setback for my ego.

Seriously, I thought I had been pretty adept with the ladies back in my "playin" days, but I have to tip my hat to Matt Leinart, he's doing better.

Really, what the heck do a bunch of pencil pushing, PC patrolling, namby-pamby reporters know about the good life?

While they are hunched down in the bushes outside of some celebrity's house waiting to drill them with questions, the celebrity is IN the house living the life of, well, the life of a celebrity.

I referenced my good ol' days, but I have an excuse for my seeming ineptitude compared to Leinart: I wasn't a rich, famous, professional starting quarterback.

There! I feel much better now.

In comparison to the women Leinart has already been rumored to have been with, this group isn't really up to his normal standards—but sometimes, quantity IS better than quality.

Now that's always a welcome sight...the beer bong!

What the media will now have you believe is that Bill Bidwell, Ken Whisenhunt, and the Cardinals organization are embarrassed and humiliated by these pictures. The truth of the matter is they aren't.

You see, only the people that have never seen on TV, had gone to, or heard about a party are going to be shocked.

If you've never beer bonged a twelver or been in a room where someone has, then you've been sheltered.

You may want to take a trip to your local hardware store, purchase a funnel and tubing (preferably 3' to 4'), stop by the liquor store, snag a case of your favorite beer, and call a friend over (to hold the assembled bong).

Drinking is a serious issue if abused or done prior to operating heavy machinery—nobody is making light of that. Why do people have to make light moments dark?

The guy was having a fun time in the privacy of his home. He wasn't killing dogs, selling or doing drugs, throwing dollar bills at strippers, or punching out newly turned adults.

Matt Leinart does have a couple of problems, though. The first problem is that he doesn't have enough arms to put around his girlfriends. If he asks real nice, I may give him a hand.

The second and biggest problem that he has is that one of his so-called friends doesn't know the meaning of "private party."

If I were Matt, that would be the only problem concerning me.

Raider Nation Fielding Posts from the Masses

Rob Calonge — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:06:00 -0400

Raider Nation has held strong during the tumultuous offseason.

As the offseason has continued, Raider Nation has continued to keep a watchful eye on their beloved Oakland Raiders. Even when the news was at its bleakest, many of the following have posted to message boards to calm the rest of the brethren.

Through it all, even the least optimistic of Raiders fans has weathered the storm of the media only to now be accosted by other teams' fans raiding the Nation's message boards to vilify, taunt, and insult the Silver and Black following.

I myself have been insulted just for writing pieces having to do with the Raiders, a coming of age for any writer you could say. I won't reveal who it was, but I will say that they went out of their way to create a profile so they could tell me that I am, "a no-talent hack." The only thing that had caught me off guard was that I wasn't writing anything of conflict, some might say I wasn't writing anything of interest judging by the popularity the article received.

Water under the bridge right? Sure, until the 2008 NFL season starts. These messages of hate have grown considerably more frequent since Big Al made the trade for DeAngelo Hall. Prior to the trade and the boat load of free agent signings, the Raiders and Raider Nation weren't even being paid attention to.

Now, you can't go on a Raiders message board without seeing an upset Charger fan or an incessant 49er fan making fun of the Raiders, Al Davis, and Raider Nation. This hasn't deterred the avid Raider poster though, in fact it seems that the Raiders posters have banded together to fight off this scourge commonly referred to as, 'Haterism.'

It's a well known fact that the average Raider fan knows far more about his team than the most fanatical of other teams. It's also very well known that the average Raider fan can carry on a legitimate debate using real facts and analysis unlike most other football fans. The common thread in these debates is that rarely have Raiders fans resorted to broad generalizations of groups of fans to denigrate them as a people...at least as far as I've seen.

A colleague of mine recently wrote an article where fans of other teams decided to post comments. You can see the article here. It was a decidedly biased article, but nonetheless the debate turned ugly quickly as you'll see if you scroll to the bottom of the article and read the posts. Even I had something to say, which when it comes to these types of back and forth, I normally stay out of them.

One must wonder what would cause people to spend their free time insulting people minding their own business. I find it hard to believe that people would have the time or care to bother with Raider Nation unless there was something to it. Prior to the start of free agency, nobody cared if 'Rocky the Raider' was on a message board saying that they Raiders would win the Super Bowl next year...except for other Raiders fans. Now, going on to a Raider board and saying something positive about the Raiders, could get you a long rant about how your mother is a convict and you are a welfare baby and that's why you're stupid.

I wouldn't fret though Raider Nation. Your numbers are strong, and for every hater, there are three or four in the Nation that have your back. Rejoice! Once again, the Raiders and the Raider Nation are relevant on the football scene. Thanks to Mr. Davis, others fear Silver and Black domination.

Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, and 49ers fans fear it the most. They fear not being able to have anything to say to the average Raider fan that elevates themselves in the conversation. They won't be able to dust you off with the simple phrase, "19-61 over the past five years," for much longer. They may actually have to learn about what they speak and stop throwing the false rumors at you so you'll have pause.

Soon, you'll be able to stop the hater...and they won't be able to say that you're living on the past. Soon, they'll have to revert back to the 'old' put-downs dealing with the costumes, how all Raiders fans are hoodlums, and how Al is controlling everything. Well, they might be right about Al, but they aren't right about you are they? Ah, who cares, as long as the Raiders are beating their teams it doesn't matter what they say. The only thing that matters is the old Al Davis mantra, "I'd rather be feared than respected." Their posts are proof of that.

He'd Be a Good Oakland Raider!: AFC East

Rob Calonge — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 07:21:13 -0400

This is part five of an eight part series detailing players that have jumped out at me and made me say, "Man!! That guy would be a good Raider!"

When I started this, I knew this day would come. First let me just say that there are only two teams that I despise at this moment in time, the Chargers and the Patriots.

You'd think that when most everyone who's not part of Raider Nation hates the Raiders, I'd hate all of the teams. The thing is, in order to hate your team they have to, 1) be good, and 2) have done something that has infuriated me, like beating the Raiders in some extraordinary way.

For the Patriots, as you probably know, it's the 'tuck.' I don't think I'll ever get over it. The Chargers are a different case all together, and I'll get into that when I go over the AFC West.

Before I start, here's what I've done so far and where I'll be going in the next few days:

Mar. 29 - NFL-Oakland_Raiders-Arizona_Cardinals-San_Francisco_49ers-He_d_be_a_good_Oakland_Raider_-_NFC_West-300308">NFC West
Mar. 31 - Falcons-New_Orleans_Saints-He_d_Be_a_Good_Oakland_Raider_NFC_South_Targets-310308#comments">NFC South
Apr. 1 - Bears-Green_Bay_Packers-He_d_Be_a_Good_Oakland_Raider_-_NFC_North-010408">NFC North
Apr. 2 - Redskins-He_d_Be_a_Good_Oakland_Raider_NFC_EAST">NFC East
Apr. 3 - AFC East
Apr. 4 - AFC North
Apr. 5 - AFC South
Apr. 7 - AFC West

Buffalo Bills

First off, don't expect me to name guys like Teyo Johnson, Courtney Anderson, or Langston Walker to this list. Even though Walker was part of the best line the Bills have had since 1989, and they let up a minuscule 26 sacks, he was also part of one of the worst lines in the history of the NFL when he was a Raider. Not only that, anyone that is as ungrateful as he was when he left, can stay gone.

I do like Trent Edwards and Paul Posluszny, but they're young and unproven for the most part.

RB - Marshawn Lynch: Along with begging Mr. Davis to draft AP, I also begged him to draft this guy. Not in person of course, but from the comfort of my home with a a bag of cheetos in one hand and an ice cold pale ale in the other. I still begged though. He didn't disappoint as he rushed for over 1,100 yards in his first year. He's a finesse runner that puts his head down and bowls you over if you get in his way and he's not afraid to defend himself or his teammates a la Marcus Allen. When your running back doesn't take any crap, usually the rest of the team does the same.

OT - Jason Peters: This guy has the perfect story. Undrafted out of college, cut in 2004 but signed to the practice squad, then when signed to the team he plays special teams. Four years later, he's a Pro Bowl left tackle. That guy would be a good Raider!

OC - Melvin Fowler: Responsible for calling the protection schemes and being the cog for the running game, you've got to give this guy his props since Buffalo was successful at both last year. He's not the most talented center in the league, but if he were to join the Raiders it wouldn't be a bad thing because he's a hard worker and he's smart.

OG - Derrick Dockery: This guy is great in pass protection and can block for the run. You often hear that teams don't let great players leave, but I bet Washington missed him last year. He's everything you'd want from your guard.

S - Donte Whitner: Called a 'major reach' in 2006 when he was drafted behind Michael Huff by Mel Kuiper Jr., but I wonder if he'd like to take that back now. Whitner is one of those guys that's all over the place, and when he reaches his destination expect an explosive hit. That's Raider-like.

Miami Dolphins

Really? Ok, I'll try. I think I'll pass on Ricky Williams though. I'm also not going to mention Renaldo Hill or Quentin Moses who were Raiders, and don't expect a Ted Ginn add either.

QB - Josh McCown: Yeah, Raider Nation, he's a good Raider. He took your abuse, a transitional team, and no future as the starter, but he kept his dignity and character and was often seen on the sideline helping his teammates. I wish him the best of luck.

Bill Parcells: If it weren't for the fact that he and Al Davis may be almost the same person, he probably would've already been the coach/GM of the Raiders at least once.

RB - Ronnie Brown: I know that his injury puts his status in doubt, but he's proven to be more versatile than the Caddy so far and nobody doubts his ability. Anyone that good who can take a backseat to someone like he did in college is usually who Al Davis goes for.

DE - Jason Taylor: His best friend is Zach Thomas. His wife is Zach Thomas' sister. To this day, I don't really know how to take that. Something in my stomach churns like it would if one of them went on Dancing...with...uhh...yeah, it just doesn't sit well with me. I can't deny the guy is a monster though. He hasn't missed a game since 1999 and last season amid all of the turmoil, he still racked up 11 sacks, 4 fumbles forced, and a pick.

OC - Samson Satele: This guy is quick, strong, and nasty. It really helps that he looks mean too. Even if I didn't like the way he played, I'd have to give him consideration just because of the name...yeah, that's a pretty cool name.

New York Jets

When looking at this roster, I'm actually shocked. I don't figure the Jets to be that good, but they have quite a few players that I like, and I'm not talking about Eric Barton. So that's where Darnell Bing landed...

QB - Marques Tuiasosopo: Just when I had finally learned how to say your full name without stuttering and then put pen to paper and spell it in one fell swoop, you were gone. Thanks for ruining your career and being a Raider.

OT & OC - D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold: Doesn't this sound like the lead actors of a porn movie? Maybe they would short their name to D'Brickashaw and Mangold. If for nothing else, it would be good fodder for Raider Nation at the games. They're young and unproven, but should be good for years to come.

RB - Tony Richardson: Bruising fullback that can catch the ball out of the backfield. Hard-nosed, tough, and never shies away from punishment. He's also an undrafted rookie who's found a way to stay in the league for 13 years. It seems like everyone he blocks for becomes a star; Priest Holmes, Larry Johnson, Chester Taylor, and Adrian Peterson. I'm just glad he's no longer a Chief.

OG - Alan Faneca: How can you not like this grizzled veteran? He's absolutely the 'take no crap' type of lineman that ALL teams want...especially at guard. I like him because he plays to the whistle, and sometimes a little past it, like a guard the Raiders used to have (the Wiz).

DT - Dewayne Robertson: Besides having a face only a mother could love, this guy is a disruptor on the line. He's able to stop the run and force the pass, which for a defensive tackle is what you want. Averaging over 50 tackles and nearly 3 sacks a season is good stuff for a nose tackle. He's good, and his looks don't hurt either...as long as your not looking.

New England Patriots

Never had ill feelings for this team until that January game in the snow. I'll always believe that was a fumble. It doesn't help that they went on to start a dynasty that season. Even after all of that, I probably could've let it go had it not been for BSPN focusing all of their Sports Center's on the Patriots ever since: "Tom Brady is leaving his girl friend for a super model," "Belichick is going to auction off the cut sleeves from his sweat shirts today," "Tom Brady couldn't find his keys this morning." Blah, blah, blah...national networks shouldn't focus locally.

Bill Belichick: I never thought he'd be a good coach after what he did with the Browns. I guess that just goes to show you what I know. Often ridiculed as a cheater now, and known for saying much about nothing, he would be the perfect coach for Al Davis. He just wins baby! He's good at secrets, security, and doesn't crave for the spotlight. There's a reason that the Raiders operate in a cloak of secrecy, the whole NFL 'cheats' so get over it. People jumping onto coattails about the video taping need to learn their football history. Being on a team where one of the catch phrases is, "If you're not cheating, you're not trying," would probably be a better fit for him.

OC - Dan Koppen: No matter who lines up with this guy, they always look good. You have to credit the guy in the middle for that. He's held the line together and called all of the protections, and minus the Super Bowl, Tom Brady has stayed really clean during games. Low key guy who was once a fifth round pick. Nothing like an underdog manning the line.

OT - Matt Light: Nothing like a big talented left tackle to keep your franchise quarterback healthy. This guy is just plain good. I don't think I've ever heard or seen a negative about this guy's game. He's been the starting left tackle throughout the dynasty, and that is really all that needs to be said.

QB - Tom Brady: Compare him to any great QB ever to play the game. He fumbled, but he didn't the other seasons they won the title.

RB - Laurence Maroney: Is there any fan out there that's not worried when this guy is playing against their team? He's intimidating, and that's the Raider way.

WR - Wes Welker: 5'9" 185 lbs and undrafted, signed as a free agent by the Chargers, then cut and signed by Miami. No chance right? Yeah, right. A handful to cover, he's proven to be one of the top possession receivers in the league, but he can also catch in traffic. And that can't be easy when a guy almost twice your size is about to crush you.

DL - Vince Wilfork and Richard Seymour: You can't argue productivity and that's what this tandem has been. They are both dominating against the run and disruptive in the pass. There aren't many pairs like this working together in the league and better yet, neither seeks the attention. They do their job, make a great play, and then go back to the huddle with little fan fare or adulation asked for.

LB - Tedy Bruschi: That saying, "Stats don't tell the whole story," applies to this guy. He's got a big motor, never quits on anything, very smart player, and lays a hit when it's called for. He's everything you want your inside linebacker to be, and then some.

LB/DE/TE/FB/RB - Mike Vrabel: Is there anywhere this guy hasn't lined up? That's why I like him, but then I watch him play. Nobody catches the ball out of the backfield too often when they play the Patriots. He's the biggest reason why. See the play, read the play, kill the play. That's Vrabel in a nutshell, plus he's not a bad receiver when he's playing on the offensive side of the ball.

That's a bunch of guys from the Patriots! Lucky for me, I didn't have to add that other receiver to the list, since he's already proven NOT to be a good Raider.

Did I miss anyone? Did I reach too much? Agree or disagree?

Any feedback you have is greatly appreciated. I want to thank the guys that have given their feedback so far, including 'sure Bert' who gave a very thoughtful analysis of me. If you think I got it wrong, let the world know by posting it.

Remember the only criteria to make my list, is that the player has had to have made an impression on me so significant that I would say to myself, "He'd be a good Raider," or "I wish he was a Raider."

Who's done that for you?

He'd Be a Good Oakland Raider!: NFC East

Rob Calonge — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 07:13:43 -0400

Have you ever been sitting around your house on Sunday watching the weekly games when, BAMM! Some player you haven't paid much attention to from another team starts making you notice?

I can't say I watch every game of every team, but I do catch my fair share and there are players out there that are impressive. Many of the guys I'm referring to are throwback players who like to hit hard and play with reckless abandon, while some are just very talented players who also are very good at the team concept.

This is part four of an eight part series detailing players that have jumped out at me and made me say, "Man!! That guy would be a good Raider!"

The NFC East is made up with some of the better teams in the league. It's arguably the best division so it's going to be easy coming up with guys, so easy that I'm going to have to leave some guys off the list that would definitely be a good fit, but there's only so much time and space.

Here's what I've done so far and where I'll be going in the next few days:

Mar. 29 - NFL-Oakland_Raiders-Arizona_Cardinals-San_Francisco_49ers-He_d_be_a_good_Oakland_Raider_-_NFC_West-300308">NFC West
Mar. 31 - Falcons-New_Orleans_Saints-He_d_Be_a_Good_Oakland_Raider_NFC_South_Targets-310308#comments">NFC South
Apr. 1 - Bears-Green_Bay_Packers-He_d_Be_a_Good_Oakland_Raider_-_NFC_North-010408">NFC North
Apr. 2 - NFC East
Apr. 3 - AFC East
Apr. 4 - AFC North
Apr. 5 - AFC South
Apr. 7 - AFC West

Washington Redskins

The talent evaluator for the secondary - Really, whoever this guy is he's pretty good. You'll see that in the next couple of selections, and if you haven't guessed by now, one of them is Sean Taylor (R.I.P.). Although the Raiders have a great secondary, you can never have too many good players or too much talent.

Don't expect many offensive players for this team. They are far too inconsistent or injury prone to make this list. The Redskins are a defensive team and that's why I've picked the following:

S - Sean Taylor: If you didn't know about this guy, you learned after his untimely passing due to a group of thugs looking for an easy score. Teams didn't get an easy score when he was playing. A look at the stats last year shows that he still lead the Redskins in picks (5) in only nine games. He wasn't a finesse guy either, he could lay a hit on the unsuspecting receiver and quite often did.

S - Laron Landry: This kid was as good as advertised. He had 95 tackles in his rookie campaign with 1.5 sacks and 6 passes defensed. He showed that he not only has athletic ability, but a good head for the game as he constantly made it improbable for quarterbacks to hook up deep with their receivers.

LB - London Fletcher: Honestly, I don't want to like this guy. I don't know exactly why, maybe it's the name 'London' or maybe 'Fletcher' reminds me too much of Chevy Chase. Whatever, the guy would be a good Raider. He's played in 119 straight games, and lead the team in tackles last year with 128. That's not all either, he had 13 passes defensed to go along with 3 picks! You may not know this, but only Brian Urlacher, Thomas Howard, and Kirk Morrison were better in passes defensed for linebackers last year.

TE/RB/FB - Chris Cooley: I don't know what position this guy plays, and quite frankly I'm not sure anyone else does either. He's a 'slash' of another type, not the flashy kind. He blocks well, runs well, catches well, and can play special teams if needed. I wonder if he can throw well too? You have to love throwback guys like this, and I do.

OT - Chris Samuels: Even though I thought Norv might have ruined him in his rookie year, he's bounced back from being coached by Norvell quite nicely. Perennial Pro Bowl left tackle, with good technique and balance. He's not afraid to get nasty, and in Oakland that's how we like our linemen to be.

That's it! No Clinton Portis and his funny disguises, no Jason Campbell, no Andre Carter. I didn't forget them, just didn't choose them. Moss was definitely a possibility due to his speed and ability, but I'd like to see more of a consistent passing game to judge that.

Philadelphia Eagles

First off, let me just say that I'd take any of the Raiders top four corner back's over Assante Samuel. Does that make me a bad person? I also want to point out that while I'd pick Donovan McNabb high in a fantasy draft, I'm not sold on his leadership abilities as a quarterback. Does that mean ESPN won't hire me? I also wanted to put Lito Sheppard in this list. Is there anyone else in the league that makes bigger plays? The problem with Lito is he's got C-Wood syndrome, hasn't ever played more than 11 games in a season.

RB - Brian Westbrook: 5'10" and 210 lbs, this guy takes and gives a pounding. To say he looks nearly identical to Charlie Garner, would not be too much of a stretch. He does it all, runs between the tackles, around the tackles, through the tacklers, and when he's tired of doing that, you can throw to him over the tacklers or have him throw it to you. If you don't love this guy, that's because you have a favorite team in the NFC East.

OG - Shawn Andrews: This guy is quick, agile, strong, and versatile. He plays Guard but can fill in if needed at Tackle. Listed as a Guard/Tackle he made the Pro Bowl as a Guard. The only question about this guy is, what's up with the Mohawk?

S - Brian Dawkins: Was there ever any doubt that I'd want this guy wearing the Silver and Black? He's the heart and soul of the Eagles defense and possibly the entire team. His favorite comic book character is Wolverine, 'the low key leader of the X-Men'. Well Dawkins has been a leader throughout his career and he doesn't do a bunch of talking. He'd rather punch you in the face than let you get out of bounds. He's a little long in the tooth after 12 seasons, but a great role model and example of a pro.

Wow! I'm surprised that I'm done with them. Where's Trent Cole? What are you, his mother? If so, please tell Trent to put up another 10+ sack season next year and I'll add him to the list.

New York Giants

After the Super Bowl, I'm ready to anoint all of them as honorary Raiders. Al has already made two of them official Raiders,(Gibril Wilson and William Joseph), and a couple of others already were, (Danny Clark, Kevin Boothe, and Dave Tollefson). Some guys will get left off even if they're good. Some guys wouldn't look right outside of a Giants uniform.

QB - Eli Manning: You thought I wasn't going to put him on here? He's a legacy player, meaning that his dad, brother, cousin, etc.. is or was a former player. In Eli's case, he's got two of the three characteristics. He has the ability to move out of the pocket, has a rifle for an arm, and can lead the team with a laid back approach. In all actuality, this guy would've been a Raider had it not been for Marty coaching the freakin' Chargers at the time. The biggest knock has been that personality, but I think he proved the doubters wrong with 'the catch 2' play in the Super Bowl. He's got plenty of heart.

WR - Plaxico Burress: Originally, I would've never thought this, but over the past two seasons this guy has become more and more what you want out of your primary receiver. He plays hurt, and is able to come up big even after sitting out the week before unable to walk. That's a gamer, and that makes the list.

OC - Shaun O'Hara: Gritty, tough center that has been a cog for the Giants for the past four years. Not the most talented player at his position, but he makes the most of his abilities and does an outstanding job in the run and pass.

DE - Osi Umenyiora: 41.5 sacks in 53 starts! Everyone already knows about this guy, I don't think I need to waste your time with my praise too.

DE - Justin Tuck: He broke out last year, and even though he doesn't start for the Giants, he had 10 sacks! If you had to pick a role player for your team, you'd be hard-pressed not to select Tuck as the guy. Besides, Raider Nation would love to make a new 'Tuck Rule.'

What?!? No Sam Madison or Michael Strahan? What about Antonio Pierce or Amani Toomer? Madison five years ago, yes! Strahan and Toomer, wouldn't look right out of a Giants jersey, plus I keep remembering how Warren Sapp didn't help us and Toomer is probably on his last stretch. Antonio Pierce is truly borderline, but not impressive enough...I think it's the system.

Dallas Cowboys

Proof of the fact that criminals are not part of the Raider Image, Tank Johnson was not selected for this list...I hope he got rid of his guns. Despite being a great player, and probable future Hall Of Famer, T.O. is not on this list either. While he might love him some him, the locker room rarely does...well half of it anyway.

OC - Andre Gurode: I love the way this guy plays. He's big, fast, and knocks people down. He's 6'6" and weighs in at 366 lbs! Who wouldn't want this guy protecting him? With two Pro Bowls under his belt, only injury can keep him from being mentioned with some of the best centers one day.

The rest of Dallas' Offensive Line: Does that make me wishy-washy? I can't help it though, these guys are the types of guys that Raider Nation would be excited to have, which might be why you'll often see speculation of Flozell Adams being traded to the Silver and Black. Personally, my favorite of the bunch is Marc Colombo at 6'8" 320 lbs. Maybe it's the name...hmmm...nah! He's good, but his name is pretty good too. Speaking of names, how can you not like the name Flozell. You think he's getting any dividends from Flo Rida? Defensive players find it very difficult to get any Mail on Sunday with these guys manning the line.

QB - Tony Romo: What? You tellin' me that Raider Nation would tell Jessica she can't come to the game sporting a white and pink Raiders jersey? Not likely, and every bit as good a reason to say, "Damn! I wish he was a Raider." He waited for his shot a la Stabler, and then when he got his opportunity, he made the most of it. I've tried to find holes in his game, but he doesn't have many and he deserves the hype he's received. He's good. Plus, anyone that could cause T.O. to blubber like a schoolgirl in his defense has that special leadership quality. That's why, *SOB**CHORTLE**SOB, "He's my Quarterback!"

RB - Marion Barber: Obviously, I'd be nailed to the wall if I didn't select this guy, who's rumored to be part of a draft day trade to the Raiders. He came into the league to be a backup/third down back. He didn't whine or complain, he went to work like a true pro and now he's the starter...I mean, for now. He's starter/star material and it's a huge bonus that he's a hard worker that does his talking on Sundays.

How about any of their linebackers?: I hate to be so enamored of the Cowboys, but who wouldn't you pick? Demarcus Ware, Greg Ellis, Bobby Carpenter, and now Zach Thomas. Like I said, any of these guys would be good Raiders. The group as a whole is an over achieving, tough, hard hitting, and blue collar guys. What's not to love?

S - Ken Hamlin: Smart player that doesn't shy away from contact. He's a heavy hitter that also can call out the plays to the defense. How did these guys not make the Super Bowl? Hamlin had 5 picks last year with 15 passes defensed and a Pro Bowl to show for it.

S- Roy Williams: I almost didn't include this guy due to his problems in coverage. He's a borderline guy that fell on the right side of the fence. He's fast and hard hitting. With Hamlin on his side, he doesn't need to cover as much and can focus on enforcing, which he's exceptional at. That's probably why he joined his teammate in Hawaii.

If I missed anyone else on the Cowboys, they need to work harder! They definitely have the most guys on this list so far.

Tomorrow, we jump into the AFC East where I'll get to dissect the New England Patriots while throwing up in my mouth. That should be fun, so come on back.

Any feedback you have is greatly appreciated. I want to thank the guys that have given their feedback so far. If you think I got it wrong, let the world know by posting it.

Who's done that for you?

He'd Be a Good Oakland Raider!: NFC South

Rob Calonge — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:25:36 -0400

Alright, so now that I've gotten rid of one of the tougher teams to choose from, the 49ers, I get to go to another difficult one, the Buccaneers, while I troll along in the NFC South for guys that would be good Raiders.

I'm guessing, since most of the comments that I received on the NFC West were those editing it, I must have done alright.

Remember guys, I'm putting this out there expecting to be blasted if need be, so don't be shy. Luckily for the shy ones, you can post on this site as "Anonymous."

So here it goes: Part two, and I'm going into the NFC South.

I'll be listing my guys by division in the following order:

Mar. 29 - NFL-Oakland_Raiders-Arizona_Cardinals-San_Francisco_49ers-He_d_be_a_good_Oakland_Raider_-_NFC_West-300308">NFC West
Mar. 31 - NFC South
Apr. 1 - NFC North
Apr. 2 - NFC East
Apr. 3 - AFC East
Apr. 4 - AFC North
Apr. 5 - AFC South
Apr. 7 - AFC West

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Ok, they're not players but I'll give credit where it's due. Gruden and Allen made good Raiders. Now that I'm done with that...

QB—Jeff Garcia: The former CFL'er, Niner, Brown, Lion, Eagle, and current Buc is the epitome of a journeyman QB, and we all know how coach Gruden hates rookies.

What Gruden does like, and why he's on my list, is Garcia's toughness. The guy is barely 5'10" tall, so not only is he sometimes running for his life, he also has to move around in the pocket just to see a receiver.

Big deal, right? He does it at a +60% career completion rate! He's smart, tough, and he's good.

He might not be as good as Gannon was as a Raider, but he plays like him. You also have to give the little guy his props when he can stay above the fray of controversy like he has when having his manhood called into question by his former number one receiver (T.O.).

LB—Derrick Brooks: You want to talk about tough? Try this guy. He's never missed a game in 14 years! 192 straight games, 10 pro bowl selections, and still averages over 100 tackles a season.

There isn't much not to like about this guy, but the thing that I like the most is that he does ALL of his talking on the field. He's one of the most respected players in the league, and even though that's mostly due to his incredible play, much of that respect has to do with the character that this guy has.

WR—Joey Galloway: Here's another 14-year veteran who's still showing up the younger guys. He's not on this list for the same reason his teammates are on the list, but that's probably due to him being a receiver.

This guy is fast! He's not young anymore, but he is still the deep threat in an otherwise short passing game.

He's had reconstructive knee surgery, sat out a year due to a contract dispute, and yet at age 37 he's still beating young corners for the long ball. As fast as he still is, can you imagine how fast he was when he was drafted?

I think Mr. Davis would agree with this one.

RB—Mike Alstott: I know he's retired, but he deserves a shout out.

Mean, nasty, ornery, and yes, tough. Anyone who's crazy/stupid/tough enough to come back after having his spine fused and play at the level that he played before breaking his neck again...that's Jim Otto type of stuff there.

New Orleans Saints

I like Mike McKenzie, but not enough. I do miss seeing him and Al Harris line up together as "Twin Predators." That was always cool seeing the two compete against each other for the best dreads.

Also, at one time I probably would have had Brunell on this list, but I'm still trying to figure out what happened to him.

QB—Drew Brees: I like this guy because he doesn't give up. The defense can crush this guy all day long, yet if he can get up, he will, and he won't hesitate to throw one deep.

He's definitely not a prototypical Raider in the sense of arm strength, but neither was Gannon or Stabler. I liked him at Purdue and hoped that the Raiders would be able to get him when he left San Diego.

Things worked out in that regard for both he and the Raiders.

LB—Scott Fujita: Am I the only one that was happy when this guy left Kansas City?

Every time I watched the Chiefs play, I'd hear about this guy being inconsistent, yet he was in on every defensive play. Now he's doing it for the Saints.

This guy is pretty fast for a linebacker too. He has the range to go sideline to sideline and the ability to rush the passer. Sure, he has flaws in technique, but he's a high-motor guy that doesn't quit on a play.

Although he's not a perennial Pro-Bowler, he's a pro and when starting, he'll give near 100 tackles a season.

LB—Dan Morgan: This guy is along the same lines as Mike Alstott. How many season-ending concussions can one guy take?

He loves the game though, and that puts him on this list. You're always inundated with stats when talk of a player comes up, but like they say, you can't measure heart.

If they can design a helmet that can prevent this guy from seeing stars and calling his buddy 'Momma' while drooling, he'd definitely be in the upper echelon of linebackers in the league. If only...

Carolina Panthers

Don't worry, Tyler Brayton isn't on this list. I believe I did say that I wasn't going to try and reach too much. Jon Fox was a pretty good D-Coordinator for the Raiders until he walked out one year during the preseason, pissed at Mr. Davis.

WR—Steve Smith: There is probably nobody in the league that means more to his team, including Brady and Manning. The past two seasons, if the Panthers didn't have this guy, The Raiders might have drafted one spot lower.

This guy is listed at 5'9" and 185 lbs. Since most of these stats are either over or under inflated, he's probably pretty small. He plays like he's 7' and 250lbs and he's a speed demon.

I also like the fact that out of every elite receiver in the league, he's probably had the most to complain about, yet takes the high road when asked about the QB situation with a terse response equalling a 'no comment.'

LB—Jon Beason: Morgan's replacement, he more than filled that role with 160 tackles, a forced fumble, and a pick in his rookie year.

I like the way he plays. He doesn't miss tackles, he's everywhere the ball is, and he's just nasty. He might be one of the meanest looking players in the NFL too. Don't believe me? Take a look for yourself. I like guys who are intimidating and this guy is just that.

DE—Mike Rucker: This guy isn't flashy, and his stats don't jump out at you, but this guy is a solid DE.

He's formidable against the run and can still rush the passer too. Every down, this guy puts his hard hat on and goes to work. These are the kind of players that you want on your team.

Sure, you'd like them to be stars too, but these guys are good role models for the other players and show them how they should play every down.

DE—Julius Peppers: The complete opposite of Rucker in terms of production and flash. I tend to think he was playing injured last season, but even with last season's poor showing, he's had double digit sacks in every year but two. A guy that can rush the passer like that has to be list worthy, don't you think?

Atlanta Falcons

Ok, so the first guy would be DeAng...err, what about Patrick Kea..oh yeah...well, there's Micha...oh yeah, prison...hmm...nah! Boy! This one is going to be tough! They do have a cool website though.

LB—Keith Brooking: Another mean looking guy. The guy is a tackle machine. I don't know why, but the Falcons have him listed as making over 200 tackles in a season twice, but I can't find those same stats on NFL.com.

Either way, he does make his tackles, he's a leader on the field and he's a tough guy. He reminds me a little of Matt Millen so, I think he'd be a good Raider.

DE—John Abraham: This may be my reach of the day. Don't get me wrong, this guy is good. I just think he's borderline.

He's gifted athletically, but he's not as nasty as I'd like, but I can't argue his production (67.5 sacks in 8 years). If he can get me 10+ sacks a year, I guess I wouldn't complain.

S—Lawyer Milloy: He's not the same player he was a few years ago, but he's still solid in the secondary and can lay a hit on a receiver coming across the middle when necessary.

He's no Jack Tatum, but he plays like a Vann McElroy. Very cerebral and he makes the defense better just by being on the field. Judging by the safety play we've gotten over the past few years, he'd be a welcomed addition in the Black Hole.

There you have it for the NFC South. I'll be updating you tomorrow on the NFC North. That should be much easier for me, since I know I won't have a problem finding my Bears, Packers, and at least one Viking and Lion.

Post yours now. Tell me who I should've selected so far or who I should select in the other divisions.

Who's done that for you?

He'd Be a Good Oakland Raider!: NFC West

Rob Calonge — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 22:23:42 -0400

A couple of years ago, while berating Adam Schefter for being a former Broncos beat writer, Al Davis mentioned that Jerry Jones should be in the Hall of Fame...as a Raider. What?!? The owner of the Cowboys (America's Team folks) is being pimped for hall inclusion by the owner of the Raiders (America's favorite team to hate...well maybe second behind the Yanks) as a RAIDER?!?!

How novel is that? Instead of signing sure fire Hall of Famers late in their careers to add to the legacy, why not just give them the honor of being a Raider when they get elected to the hall, without them ever having been a Raider? Of course, I'm playing with all of you in order to get the 'haters' to chuckle a little.

I've always looked at players and thought, "That guy would be a great Raider." C'Mon!! Don't tell me that you didn't envision Jerry Rice or Ronnie Lott as Raiders prior to those wishes coming true! So the other day, after the DeAngelo Hall signing, I started wondering who'd be great Raiders. So here it goes, part one and I'm starting in the NFC West.

I'll be listing my guys by division in the following order:

Mar. 29 - NFC West
Mar. 31 - NFC South
Apr. 1 - NFC North
Apr. 2 - NFC East
Apr. 3 - AFC East
Apr. 4 - AFC North
Apr. 5 - AFC South
Apr. 7 - AFC West

I'm going to try and not make big reaches, so I'll try and find at least one player per team, but no promises past that. If you have any suggestions, post them. Ok, so here it goes:

Seattle Seahawks

Let's see, hmmm...well it's definitely not Shawn Alexander.

QB - Matt Hasselbeck : Ok, so he's not exactly a bad boy. He is a character though. With his thinning hair, he has that Stabler-esque aura. One of my favorite playoff moments is the coin toss the first time he took the 'hawks to the playoffs in Green Bay. They won the toss and the official looks over at Hasselbeck and he says something like, "We're gonna' receive and we're going to score." You gotta' love that. It's irrelevant that he ended up throwing a pick on that possession and the Packers scored soon after. Another item I like about him, his Super Ad commercial. You might have seen it, but I like it.

MLB - Lofa Tatupu : What's not to like about a bad-ass linebacker that is a monster on the field? Three years and never missed a game! He's averaging over 100 tackles a year with about 85 of those solo. He makes the defense better, so I wouldn't complain if he was a Raider.

DE - Patrick Kearney : After being injured his last season with Atlanta, I questioned whether or not the move to Seattle would make a difference. I was wrong. This guy is one of my favorite defenders and not just because he reminds me of Howie Long. He's got a huge motor, and great technique around the corner, but what I love about him is that he's so smart. He always seems to anticipate where the QB will be. He's in.

Arizona Cardinals

Some might say the Edge and Boldin should be on here, but I left them off. They're borderline, but I don't see them as Raiders...not that I'd complain. I also like Dansby, but he doesn't have enough production and I can't make a case for him as a character.

QB - Matt Leinart : What is it about Matt's? From Stabler-esque to second coming of the man himself, Matt Leinart has proven he likes to party like the Snake and everyone thinks that he does a pretty good impression when he's playing too. He's got the looks, notoriety, the tabloid coverage and none of it bothers him. We all know that Al agrees with this one.

WR - Larry Fitzgerald : Four years, 330 catches, and 34 TD's. One of the top five receivers in the game, yet you never hear anything from him. Catches everything thrown to him and runs very precise routes. Yes, he sounds and looks a lot like Freddy B., except faster. I'm sold!

St. Louis Rams

Before Marshall Faulk retired, he would've definitely made this list. I like Steven Jackson too, but he doesn't give me the Raider vibe. I'm not even going to mention La'Roi Glover either because I'm still angry that he became a star AFTER the Raiders let him go. I like Drew Bennet too, but I think he might be a little too fragile. I like Will Witherspoon also, but as many players he doesn't quite make it.

WR - Tory Holt : He's fast, he runs great routes, he's not mouthy and he's not afraid to go over the middle and get hit. At his size, he's reminiscent of a Cliff Branch.

FB - Brian Leonard : I'm still disappointed that this guy didn't become a Raider. Remember that preseason run he made where he jumped over Washington for a first down? This guy can run the ball, catch it, and he's not afraid to punch you in the face or jump over you to get the first down.

DT - Adam Carriker : This guy is a beast and he's going to continue to get better. Another high motor guy, he also has the ability to get to the QB, or chase a play down if he needs to.

San Francisco 49ers

Yes, there are a few 49ers that I think would make good Raiders. I didn't say this would be easy, but here it goes...oh...here's a hint, Alex Smith isn't one of them.

LG - Larry Allen : Sure, he's probably retired now, but he SHOULD'VE been a Raider. I don't think I have to spell it out, but let's just put it this way: He's the best lineman of his era.

WR - Isaac Bruce : One of the best receivers of all time. Nicknamed the Preacher, he might also make the list as one of the nicest players too. Not all great Raiders were bad boys though, they just had to strive to be the best. Bruce is all about that.

RB - Frank Gore : Yeah, he's injury prone but I like him. He's mean, nasty, and he's got a Garner-esque look to him. He should be a Raider and if he was, he'd be a good one.

ILB - Patrick Willis : 174 tackles, 4 sacks, and 5 passes defensed in his rookie season. What's not to like?

DT - Bryant Young : He's retired now, but just a shout out to arguably San Fran's greatest defensive tackle of all time. He could've been a great Raider too.

There you have it. None of this is scientific and is based on nothing, but my eyes alone. What do you think? Did I miss anyone? Post it! I can take it. Remember the only criteria to make my list, is that the player has had to have made an impression on me so significant that I would say to myself, "He'd be a good Raider," or "I wish he was a Raider." Who's done that for you?

Raider Nation: What Makes Darren McFadden So Appealing?

Rob Calonge — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 20:09:15 -0400

Last year while most of you were champing at the bit for the Raiders to draft JaMarcus Russell, I was feverishly preaching that the Raiders needed to draft either Adrian Peterson or Marshawn Lynch. Then, my reasoning was that with Andrew Walter already on the roster, a horrible offensive line, and no running back on the roster capable of putting fear into a defense to keep them from blitzing every down, the Raiders HAD to get a big-play running back.

A year later and it looks like you all have caught up to me by raising the fervor for McFadden, but now I'm in disagreement...again. You see, after last season things have changed. Okay, so the Raiders still have Walter on the roster, but you got your wish last year when they drafted Russell. Even though, I think Andrew Walter is going to tear up the league when he gets the chance, I'll concede that you guys were probably right about Russell. He's as good as advertised, but so was Peterson and Lynch.

So what's different? Why don't I believe that we still need the home-run hitter that I so passionately argued for last year? The Raiders took care of that last year. Michael Bush, selected with the first pick of the fourth round in 2007, IS that guy.

Not only is he the guy that can take the Raiders to new heights, the team's offensive situation is completely different. Going into last year's draft, they were arguably the worst offense ever. This year, they go into the draft with the sixth-best running attack in the league and an ever-improving passing game. With Russell at the helm, Walker running routes opposite Curry, and Fargas pounding tough yards while Bush makes his mark, the Raiders need anything but another running back!

If you say they need an offensive lineman, sure I'll agree. If you tell me they need a defensive end...okay, that makes sense. Even if you were to tell me they still need a defensive tackle, I'd have to listen. The problem is, you're telling me that the Raiders need a fifth running back, and that, my friends, doesn't make sense to me.

If they cut Jordan, which is expected, and then trade Bush or Fargas—then yes, they should draft McFadden. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the Raiders are not drafting McFadden! This year, I'm going to preach that they should trade down, but I'm not going to rule out drafting either Long or defensive tackle if/when any of them are available with the fourth pick.

If Al Davis can work a trade to get two first round selections and a second or third round pick, that would probably enable the Raiders to select a good receiver, defensive tackle, and a defensive end. So I'm going to fly in the face of logic and defy all of the so-called draft experts and call it right now: The Raiders are trading down in the draft (probably to Dallas) and they are going to stockpile a few picks in return. However, I did think they'd pick Peterson last year too.

Cal Finally Has a Shot to Become a Basketball Power

Rob Calonge — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 07:10:58 -0400

The University of California is finally cutting ties with embattled coach, Ben Braun.

His inability to make the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in five years, eighth place at best finish in the Pac 10 three of the last four years, and continual underachievement with marquee talent has attributed to his departure from the program that he took over amid NCAA investigations 12 years ago.

The bad news for Cal is that they will lose a great recruiter. The good news is that they'll now have the opportunity to hire a coach with more success at maximizing player potential.

It's not like Cal hasn't been able to recruit top-flight players. We are talking about the Alma mater of Jason Kidd and Tony Gonzalez. That all alone is a very capable recruiting tool.

Braun has four former Cal players in the NBA right now; Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Sean Marks, Francisco Elson, and Leon Powe. He leaves a roster with possible future NBA players DeVon Hardin, Ryan Anderson, Patrick Christopher, Jordan Wilkes, and Jerome Randle.

The question remains, would they be better served by a different coach? Sandy Barbour and the fans of Cal basketball agree they can.

There are plenty of candidates available for the position. Former UCLA coach and current ESPN analyst Steve Lavin has been mentioned as a possible candidate along with former Stanford and Golden State Warriors coach Mike Montgomery.

It's been reported that athletic director Sandy Barbour will be looking for a disciplinarian. This may give former Warriors and Sacramento Kings coach Eric Musselman a leg up on the competition. Musselman has been known to have run-ins with his players, but coaching in the pros is a completely different animal than the college ranks. Much can be said about holding a young man's education and possible pro career in your hands compared to having to co-exist with an already selfish millionaire who's made his claim to NBA stardom.

Other possible candidates mentioned include St. Mary's coach Randy Bennett, UNLV coach Lon Krueger, and Arizona assistant Kevin O'Neill.

Barbour is keeping her short list confidential for the time being, but Cal will have to move quickly in order to keep some sort of continuity in the program. She has employed the firm of Eastman & Beaudine, Inc. to aid in the search for the next coach, and will keep the rest of the coaching staff on until a new coach can be found.

The obvious choices are either Lavin or Montgomery, both with Pac 10 experience and success, although any of the coaches mentioned would be considered an upgrade over Braun. Requirements for the job are a clean program and a winning program.

If Cal gets the right man for the job, you could see the program lifted to heights not seen since Jason Kidd and Tony Gonzalez donned the yale blue and golden yellow uniforms.

Oakland A's: 2008 Starts Like 2007 Ended—with Injuries and a Loss

Rob Calonge — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:55:37 -0400

Eric Chavez is injured, Bobby Crosby is dinged up, two pitchers (Chad Gaudin and Kiko Calero) are already on the DL, Huston Street blew a save last night, and the A's lost a game they should've won.

Does any of this sound eerily similar to last year? It should since all of these things led to the demise of one of the most successful organizations over the past 10 years–just last year.

Even though the A's are facing similar situations to last year, they've completely rebuilt the team with young, untested talent, and though they have started the season 0-1, there is plenty of reason to be optimistic this time around.

Even though the big three and Haren have moved on to other teams around the league, the pitching staff is strong enough to keep the A's competitive.

The days of expecting 1-0 pitching duels to go in the favor of the A's may be long gone for now, but this team has something that hasn't been seen in Oakland since Tejada packed his bags and his needle to leave for Baltimore—hitting.

It's premature to believe that any hitting right now is going to last throughout the season, but the bats in Oakland seem much livelier than they've been the past few years.

If the A's could ever have great pitching and hitting at the same time, it would be like the early '90s again.

Players seem to be filling their positions well.

You can expect Crosby, Ellis, and Chavez (when healthy) to bring their bats to the game, but there are others that have stepped up, as well.

The two most impressive so far have been newly acquired Emil Brown and utility man Donnie Murphy. Brown is starting in left field, while Murphy is taking over for Maco Scutaro as an A's clutch hitter/fielder.

While Chavez is out, the A's will use Jack Hannahan at third, and, in game one, he went 2-4 with a home run, one run, two RBI, and a walk.

Travis Buck, in right field, came on last year and should also be a force at the plate. The DH position will be filled by Jack Cust and Mike Sweeney, which not only gives the A's quality but also depth.

Suzuki may not have the savvy that Kendall had on defense, but he more than makes up for it with his hitting by comparison. Right now, the only question mark at the plate will be at center field where Ryan Sweeney seems to be the starter.

Starting pitching isn't taking much of a drop off this year if Rich Harden can stay healthy.

Joe Blanton, Harden, Justin Duchscherer, and Gaudin are slated to be starters along with Dana Eveland, who came over in the Haren deal.

Unfortunately for the A's, the lone question mark for pitching is going to be Huston Street, the closer.

Street is coming off of a shaky year, and, like previously mentioned, he's continued to be shaky this season. With Lenny DiNardo, Santiago Casilla, Alan Embree, and Keith Foulke in the setup spots, the strength of the staff could very well lay in the middle relief.

The last time that the A's had a team like this was 1999, when they won 87 games and barely missed the playoffs.

The following year, they took first in the AL West. That team had many similarities, as well.

They rely on a good mix of veteran no-names and up-and-coming stars with current stars already on the roster.

Not only do they have similar makeups and chemistry, but this year's team will also be playing with nothing to lose.

If the A's have a losing record, nobody will be shocked, except for maybe Billy Beane.

If the A's have a great year and make the playoffs, nobody will be shocked either, especially Billy Beane.

Only time will tell, but if the A's can shake this injury bug that's plagued them over the past two years, they may make noise come playoff time.

Raiders News: Another Camp Quarterback Added but NOT Due to Russell's Weight

Rob Calonge — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:53:20 -0400

What happened to all of that salary cap space that was supposedly eaten up by the CRAAAZY spending spree that Al Davis and company have been on?

Unfortunately, I don't have access to Mr. Davis' checkbook register or his accounting books. If I did have access to any of it, I probably wouldn't tell you anything anyway for fear of losing that access.

The reason why I ask though is because I keep hearing and reading that the Raiders are either at the cap, or over it. As always, I can't see that any of that is true.

The last time the Raiders were in REAL salary cap trouble, they were still accounting for the ill-fated Larry Brown contract. My guess is that Mr. Davis learned back then how to balance that checkbook of his.

In case you haven't heard, the Raiders signed another QB today...or should I say re-signed? According to the transaction log, Jeff Otis has been signed again.

According to his Wikipedia page, he was signed one day short of exactly one year since the last time the Raiders signed him. How's that for consistency? Here's what Wikipedia says about his college career:

"He played for the Columbia Lions^[2] in his NCAA career. Jeff ranks second in the All-Time Columbia University passing list with yardage of 4,666 and pass completions 429. Jeff was the starting role for the Lions in 2003. Jeff was responded by finishing third in the league in per game passing average at 255.2 yards per contest. Jeff was named an outstanding player for the Lions. Jeff ranked seventh in Division I-AA in completions per game, and finished third on Columbia University's all-time single-season list with 217 completions. Jeff rated fourth on the school's single-season touchdown list with 17 and third in total offense with 2,675 yards."

With this signing, the Raiders have now signed two Div II college quarterbacks in the same number of days. It's not uncommon for the Raiders to bring several QB's in before the start of the preseason, so this probably doesn't rate as huge news. At least it's something to chew on for the day.

Russell Sighting

Something interesting happened at the Oracle when the Lakers came calling upon the Warriors. Russell was courtside. After the rumors of him pushing 300 pounds, I expected to see a guy that looked more like Terdell Sands rather than what I did see, a semi-svelt big guy.

If you've read any of my past articles, then you know that I don't approve of the lack of true reporting that we often see in the media today. That's why I was interested to see if anyone would have the courage to write about how good Russell actually looked, despite what they've actually reported so far.

No such satisfaction was obtained. Raider Nation can take heart in knowing that their young gun is working and staying in shape. According to some reports, Knapp has said that he's been in the facility for several weeks now working out and studying everything he can.

If the Raiders have found the right formula of talent, they may have also found the right men to lead this team for years to come. With players like Asomugha, Fargas, Morrison, Howard and Russell, the Raiders have marquee players who put in the extra time to get better.

That is a big difference from the C-Wood/D-Russ/J-Porter days where players mostly relied on their abilities to make up for their lack of study.

Letter to the reader:

Thanks for all of the support. I've been reading your posts and have really enjoyed them. I'm so glad that many of you have voiced your opinions about the truth and fairness in journalism.

One thing is sure, Raider Nation is alive and well! The most visited articles have been Raider articles on Bleacher Report. While I can't speak for everyone here at BR, I'd like to take this time and promise to continue to give you honest and objective reporting.

I can't promise to always be good at it though, but I'll continue to bring my lunch pale and put in the work. If you're looking for truth, honesty, and fairness, you've come to the right place. While you may not always agree with me, you can count on the words to be as objective as possible.

Oakland Raiders News: None, But The Media Will Find Something

Rob Calonge — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 16:35:43 -0400

After completing the DeAngelo Hall trade and resigning their Exclusive Rights Free Agents, the Raiders weren't expected to make anymore headlines until draft day nears. With the tradition of silence that surrounds the franchise, Raider Nation will have slim pickings when it comes to the daily news cycle right? Don't count on it.

Over the past week, I've read dozens of posts, blogs, and fellow BR writers' articles detailing the false, and in many cases irresponsible, reporting of the Raiders. Although I don't necessarily feel that this is only commonplace with the Raiders, one only needs to enter the realm of political reporting to see that, I can't completely rule out that it's not conspiratorial to some demented respect.

Out here on the west coast, it's common for ALL fans to resent the reporting and slights perceived by the nations' leader in sports, BSPN...uh, err, ESPN. Sorry east coasters, you're going to have to take my word for it when it comes to east coast bias. It exists, even BSPN acknowledges it from time to time. What you may not know, unless you live in the Bay Area, is that there is a very real bias against not only the Raiders, but the A's too by the local media.

Let's go back to my original premise about the news cycle. Today, the only news to come out of Oakland is the signing of QB Erik Meyer. Who? Yeah, that's what I thought too, but they do need more than two to start the season. So, I guess you think I got that tidbit from the local newswire right? That's where I should've gotten it, but instead I got it from the Oakland Raiders website, under 'transactions'.

While going to my favorite Raider sites to get my fill of Raiders News, I came across an article written by the infamous Raider Hater himself, Monte Pool of Inside Bay Area. The title of the article was, Silence from Raiders is Deafening. So what's the story? Here's part of it:

Speaking of DeAngelo Hall -

"Through his first four days as a Raider, the 24-year-old cornerback has seen the halls of the Alameda facility and parts of the Bay Area but spent not a minute conveying his joy to the general public.

Which might have something to do with the live grenade that is Lane Kiffin's status."

So, for Three Card Monte the story is how the Raiders didn't have a press conference for Hall and as you can see, he's back on the Lane Kiffin is getting fired bandwagon. This is what infuriates Raider Nation. Stories that pound the Raiders with no quotes, no proof, and usually no facts. Don't believe me? Read this quote from his 'story'.

"Kiffin has been mute about the Great Gear flap, wherein he opted not to wear his customary Raiders attire while coaching at the Super Bowl."

Super Bowl? Even after being told the error early this morning, it's still not fixed. Oh well, maybe Monte is still patting himself on the back on his favorite bar stool and boasting how he really put the screws to the Raiders today. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with well thought out criticism, but the article goes above and beyond criticism to downright hatred.

The real story should be that the Raiders signed a once promising young QB which is listed in Wikipedia with this:

" His 166.5 career passing efficiency rating set a record for I-AA quarterbacks with at least 400 completions. In 42 games, he passed for 10,261 yards, with 84 TD passes against just 17 INTs. Posted 65.7 percent passing accuracy, completing 721-of-1097. His career interception percentage (1.5) also is a Division I-AA record."

Today the national media has been releasing news about players who've been franchised that aren't showing up to off season conditioning programs because they can't. I guess you can't work out with the team if you're not under contract which a player franchise tagged isn't, unless he has signed the tender. Guess which Raider that describes.

So instead of getting the type of coverage on a new signing like Raider Nation should, they'll likely be hearing about how Asomugha is not working out with the team and throw in some sort of false report that he's not happy about not having a contract or something. I wouldn't be surprised if I saw that tomorrow. Would you be?

Oakland Raiders: Revised Depth Chart and Draft Needs

Rob Calonge — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 21:34:00 -0400

Up until the start of the NFL free agency period, it was like pulling teeth to get anything new out of Oakland other than more Lane Kiffin firing rumors. Since that day, the Raiders have been working at a feverish pace to rework the roster that only brought them four wins last year.

Now that the Raiders have expanded the payroll to near cap level, I expect that there will be a lull in the action until draft day. This might be a good time to go through the roster and analyze the depth chart and the revised needs.

Depth:

JaMarcus Russell
Andrew Walter
N/A

Need: FREE AGENCY - You can go into the season with two QBs, but one of them better be experienced. This means the Raiders will need to sign a backup in order to provide solid depth if Russell goes down.

Depth:

Justin Fargas
Dominic Rhodes
Michael Bush
Adimchinobe Echemandu
Lamont Jordan

Need: NONE – What they need to do is cut or trade Jordan—and even then, they’ll have one too many RBs.

Depth:

Justin Griffith
Oren Oneal

Need: NONE – May be a strength on the team.

Depth:

Zach Miller
John Madsen
Tony Stewart
Fred Wakefield

Need: NONE – Another possible strength for the team. Only three of these guys are going to make the team and I’m pretty sure that Miller and Madsen will be two of them.

Depth:

Javon Walker
Ronald Curry
Drew Carter
Johnie Lee Higgins
Chris McFoy
Jonathan Holland
Will Buchanon
Drisan James

Need: DRAFT – Tim Dwight is still listed on the team, but it’s unlikely he’ll be resigned. Higgins and McFoy haven’t proved themselves to be NFL-caliber receivers and the top three on the depth chart have all been brittle during their careers. The Raiders have to draft a receiver.

Depth:

Cornell Green
Paul McQuistan
Kwame Harris
Mario Henderson
Mark Wilson
Seth Wand
Jonathan Palmer

Need: DRAFT – At this time, I can’t think of any Left Tackles on the market worth signing and none of these guys have been starting Left Tackles in the league. This position could be a problem, but I don’t know much about being an offensive line coach so I’ll defer to whatever Tom Cable says we should do.

Depth:

Robert Gallery
Cooper Carlisle
Paul McQuistan
Jake Grove
Chris Morris
Jesse Boone

Need: DRAFT or FREE AGENCY – This is a position that we have both starters ready to play on the line for a second year straight and we can fill the depth either late in the draft or during free agency. Not really a need, but we should probably make sure that we haven’t overlooked anyone—especially since the depth could be starting at other positions.

C
Depth:

Jake Grove
Chris Morris
Jesse Boone

Need: FREE AGENCY – I’d like to see us re-sign Newberry, but if we don’t we should be fine going into the season.

Depth:

Nnamdi Asomugha
DeAngelo Hall
Stanford Routt
Fabian Washington
Chris Johnson
John Bowie

Need: TRADE – Now that Hall and Asomugha are under contract, the Raiders need to trade either Washington or Routt. Carr is probably going to sign on elsewhere and the Raiders are unlikely to match any deal.

Depth:

Michael Huff
Gibril Wilson
Hiram Eugene
Stuart Schwiegert
Jarrod Cooper
Rashad Baker

Need: NONE – With Wilson and Huff starting and the depth full of talent, this is a strength this season. Cooper still needs to re-sign, but after the special teams play dropped off after his injury last season, it’s a sure bet he’ll be with the team.

Depth:

Kirk Morrison
Thomas Howard
Robert Thomas
Sam Williams
Isaiah Ekejiuba
Ricky Brown
John Alston

Need: DRAFT or FREE AGENCY – Either way, the Raiders need to pick up a strong side linebacker. Thomas is nothing more than a backup, along with the rest of the linebackers not named Howard or Morrison.

Depth:

Derrick Burgess
Jay Richardson
Tommy Kelly
Sam Williams

Need: DRAFT or FREE AGENCY – Long and Gholston have been popular choices at the No. 4 pick, but I’m starting to think that the Raiders aren’t going to be picking there. If that’s the case, then they will be drafting this position later in the draft. Al Davis is a master at finding talent at this position so it’s a good bet that he already has a plan here.

Depth:

Tommy Kelly
Gerrard Warren
Terrell Sands
William Joseph
Josh Shaw

Need: FREE AGENCY – Expect this to be a position where an undrafted free agent or lesser known veteran is picked up. Like with DEs, Davis has been pretty good with diamonds in the rough here too.

Special Teams

K – Sebastian Janikowski
P – Shane Lechler
LS – John Condo

Need: NONE – The Raiders are set here, especially since Kiffin isn’t afraid to go for the 50+ yard field goal once a game.

Analysis:

Although many in Raider Nation are clamoring for McFadden here, I think that the Raiders will have a tough choice to make between sitting at the fourth spot and picking Jake Long or McFadden, or trading back for more picks. I know that Davis is more likely to trade up, but I really can’t see how he’ll pull that off this year.

The more I think about it, the more I can see Jerry Jones and Al Davis making a blockbuster trade that enables the Cowboys to draft McFadden. According to the chart, the Cowboys would be giving up both of their first round picks, a third rounder and a fifth rounder. Since the Cowboys need very little to make a championship run, this could be a likely scenario. Whatever the Raiders do, it’ll definitely be interesting.

Raiders News: Signing Of Hall Provides A Rare Quote Or Two

Rob Calonge — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:57:23 -0400

A couple of days ago, I detailed Raiders-Raiders_News_A_Vote_of_Confidence_for_Lane_Kiffin_-190308">evidence that would give you reason to believe that Head Coach Lane Kiffin had indeed gained Al Davis' confidence in his short stay in Oakland. Some applauded and others questioned my logic. For those that disagreed, the main reason of dispute to my article was the fact that Lane Kiffin hadn't made a single quote about any of the goings on this off season.

Of course, anyone that has followed the Raiders during this odd off season has read about these points more times than they care to count. What they haven't read are comments attributed to the young coach. Until DeAngelo Hall signed late last night, the following are the only comments that anyone has read:

“For whatever it’s worth, I just wanted to let you know that the part about me being out dancing was 100 percent inaccurate,”

“I’m not saying I wasn’t at a bar,” Kiffin said. He added that his wife was not too pleased with the report because she hadn’t seen him dancing in five years.

“Nope,” he said. “Just wanted to let you know I wasn’t out dancing.”

Kiffin hasn't been quoted speaking of anything football related in over two months! In this day and age of media harassment, instant media, and twenty four hour sports it's really quite an accomplishment that he's been able to avoid having his name put to ANY quote let alone one about his high profile job. It is admirable that he's more fearful of his wife than he is of his boss, Al Davis, fearful enough to break his silence long enough to set the record straight about dancing. Excuse my A.I. moment, but we're talkin' 'bout DANCIN' ya'll!

So, after a really boring first night of watching the NCAA College Basketball first round (no upsets), I was shocked to not only find the Raiders made a press release so quickly after signing DeAngelo Hall, or that it mentioned that Hall spoke with Kiffin prior to signing, but that Kiffin actually had something to say...on the record!

Maybe the Raiders are tired of reading the same press clips that Raider Nation has grown weary of, or maybe they pulled Kiffin out of the doghouse long enough to feed him, but I think that these quotes are further evidence that the rift between he and Davis was not only overblown, but also inaccurate.

So what did Kiffin have to say?

“We’re very pleased about the acqusition of DeAngelo Hall to the Raiders."

“This, following offseason signings of Tommy Kelly, and Gibril Wilson, we feel have one of the most talented defenses in the league.”

Granted, I don't know if Coach Kiffin was wearing a Raiders shirt or not and it's not a lot of public speaking, but it's more than we've seen since the end of the season. What it tells us is that Kiffin will be coaching the Raiders to at least start the season. Even though I think he'll coach the whole season, I'm not going to try and NFL-Oakland_Raiders-You_d_Have_To_Be_Psychic_To_Guess_What_The_Raiders_Will_Do_Next-200308">guess what Al Davis is thinking at any given moment. It also tells us that Big Al has forgiven the young coach enough to allow the comments to be put on the site because anyone that follows the Raiders knows that if Mr. Davis doesn't like you, it's as if you've disappeared from the planet.

So for now, Raider Nation can breathe a big sigh of relief. Their coach will be back, they now have maybe the best corner back tandem in the league, and their owner is only 'mad' in the amount of money that he's spending. So I guess the next big controversy will be who wears #21 next season? Will it be Hall or Asomugha?

You'd Have To Be Psychic To Guess What The Raiders Will Do Next

Rob Calonge — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 05:36:13 -0400

I read plenty of articles from the so-called 'experts' day in and day out.

Sometimes I read something, scratched my head, and came to the realization that the 'expert' knows about as much about football as my eight-year-old nephew.

Other times I think, "Wow, that guy really knows what he's talking about!" As events unfold, I've found over time that both the clueless and extraordinary 'experts' are right about 50 percent half of the time, while being 100 percent wrong the rest of the time.

In my bio, you'll see that I'm an avid Raider fan. It's true, I've been part of the Nation since I've been watching football in the early '70s. I was that kid at school with the Raiders book bag, jacket, hat, shirt, and even the shoes.

That's why I find it odd when I read 'experts' and other fans' predictions about what the Raiders are going to do next. The last time that I was right about a prediction for the Raiders, it was the Robert Gallery pick. We all know how well that's worked out to this point.

Al prides himself on being able to do the unexpected or be the 'genius' that he at least once was. If you're part of the Nation, then you probably feel that the off season has been the most fun part of being a Raider fan over the past five years because it's been where the Raiders have shined every year.

Mr. Davis always seems to put the enthusiasm and hope back into rooting for the team with moves that are not only surprising, but also very logical after they've all played out. This year is probably his finest in both confusing the world and making the best moves possible...so far.

So far, he's paid huge amounts of money for DT/DE Tommy Kelly while letting DE Chris Clemons go. I like Kelly, but the last time I checked, Clemons had a better season in 2007 and finished it healthy. He let viral malcontent WR Jerry Porter go (for reasonable money) and spent a boatload of money to bring in viral malcontent WR Javon Walker.

He's in the process of trading away a second— and a sixth-round pick for malcontent CB DeAngelo Hall while still not resigning nickle back/return stud Chris Carr and while still carrying five other corner backs on the roster, three starters, and the guy he drafted just last year with the pick received for the Randy Moss trade.

He released his starting LT Simms and signed underachieving RT Harris. He's also made moves that make complete sense (right now) like the signings of WR Carter and SS Wilson. On the surface, even the most confident Raider fan has been left scratching his head once or twice this off season, but anyone who's been paying close attention over the years understands that there is a master plan.

As a lover of everything Silver and Black, it's difficult to zip my lip when the Haters come out of the woodwork after any of the moves are made. How do you tell someone who won't understand that there is a master plan that is being played out and after the pre season starts everyone will realize what it was?

It's not like the Hater is going to be around in three months so you can say, "SEE?!?! I told you that you were an idiot!" No, I prefer to wait and keep quiet for now. There's no point in talking a bunch of smack since I don't even have a good record to boast about, and I haven't a clue what's next.

What I do know is that when it's all said and done, a look back to day one of the free agency period to the beginning of preseason will look like the work of a mastermind has been completed.

Whether you're a fan or not, whether any of the moves pan out or not, it's pretty hard to criticize the effort that's put into a Raider off season. As long as Mr. Davis is around, Raider Nation can at least be proud of that.

Raiders News: Big Al Giving Kiffin a Vote of Confidence?

Rob Calonge — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 07:16:27 -0400

It's been over a month now since the stories started inundating the net about the rift between Oakland Raiders Head Coach, Lane Kiffin, and the notoriously impatient and crass owner of the Raiders, Al Davis.

While many of the media still expect a change in philosophy and personnel from the head coaching position of the Raiders, there is another theory that could be just as accurate judging by all of the moves out of Oakland since the explosion of rumors flooded the net...Al Davis believes Kiffin will turn things around (still).

I know, most of you are probably saying, "WHAT?!? This guy is outta' his mind!" While many of my friends and family could tell you stories to reinforce that thought, bear with me for a few paragraphs while I make my point. One could look at the changes that have occurred over the past two months on and off of the field to see that Big Al is placing all of his chips on the Lane Kiffin "pass" line.

James Lofton has been called, "Kiffins' successor at head coach." How about calling him the most questionable firing of the 2008 off season?

The Chargers young receivers showed marked improvement last year over years past. Stats don't tell you how much better the receivers have gotten at catching a football, they only tell you how many times that guy DID catch the ball. A look at Philip Rivers' stats from 2006 and 2007 shows that he attempted the same number of passes (460) for seven fewer receptions last year, but that doesn't tell the whole story either. Rivers threw six more picks and had three more fumbles in 2007 than in 2006, which would also begin to explain the lower average yards and total yards in the Charger passing game.

L.T. and Gates both had their usual seasons combining for 135 of 281 receptions made, which also steers away from Lofton's accomplishments. Where Lofton succeeded was in the development of Vincent Jackson and Chris Chambers. Jackson caught a career high 41 receptions during the season, 16 games, while in the three post season games he had a total of 18 catches for 300 yards. Chambers played in only 10 games for the Chargers and caught 35 balls for 555 yards, but in the post season he had 16 catches for 278 yards.

If you take their production in the post season and translate that to 16 games, Jackson would catch 96 passes and Chambers would catch 85!! You don't get tougher competition than in the post season, and that's where the benefits of good coaching shine.

On the flip side of the Chargers receiving production, the Raiders receiving corps was not as successful. Running backs on the Raiders combined for 89 receptions of a total of 260! Curry and Porter each had 55 and 44 receptions while rookie Tight End Zach Miller also caught 44. Tim Dwight, Johnie Lee Higgins, and Chris McFoy combined for a total of 13 receptions and this year Porter and Dwight won't be on the team. With Curry getting older, Walker a health risk, and Carter here for a year, the Raiders need to have receivers developed within the next two years.

This is why the James Lofton hiring makes sense and also why it rings of an endorsement to Kiffin's abilities. Why replace the receiving coach if you think the person calling the plays is at fault? Simply put, you don't.

If you think the Head Coach/Offensive play caller is doing things right, you give him more tools to get the job done, and what better tool to give an offense that struggles with the pass than a Hall of Famer Wide Receiver turned coach? The only way Al could've done better would've been to convince Jerry Rice to be the receiver's coach/third receiver.

Despite all of the reports to the contrary, Kiffin's admin Mark Jackson is still taking an active part in signing players. It's been reported that he's been doing much of the contract "hammering" since the off season started. He may not be an active part in Davis' decision making this off season, but from the looks of it, only Davis is making decisions. One of the most overlooked aspects of the Raiders off season has been the overall minor tweaking he has done on the offensive side of the ball. Most of his work continues to be defensive, and that gives me hope that this is also another vote of confidence in the young, brash, Kiffin...sometimes referred to as "Lance."

On offense, Al has made only one big signing while making other moves that would make the offensive staff very happy. We've already spoke of the new receivers' coach, but how about the additions of Javon Walker and Drew Carter? Walker, by far was the jewel of the 2008 free agent receivers this side of Randy Moss.

It was reported that over 10 teams were trying to land him, but the "lowly" Raiders were the clear winners. Although the Raiders didn't land Berrian or Bryant Johnson, (which I was hoping they'd do), they did pull in Drew Carter who has flashed the ability to be a star in the league. Due to Carter's inconsistency, he was free to sign on with the Raiders for one year at $2 million.

At Lane Kiffin's end of season press conference, he mentioned his "hope" that the Raiders would be able to resign Fargas. Kiffin's hope was realized while not breaking the bank. Then the wily Davis signs Harris, fulfilling offensive line coach Tom Cable's hope of getting another zone blocking lineman. To the world, Harris is a bust and a waste of $14 million. Only time will tell, but Cable was reported to say at the combine that 2/3d's of the linemen are disqualified off the top due to the agility demands of zone blocking. With that said, let me also point out that Cable was also reported to want Harris.

Kiffin said there would be many changes before next season, but who's to say he meant coaching changes? Are we to believe everything the media writes? If that were true, history would look much different than it does now.

The truth of the matter is, only Kiffin and Davis really know what's going on. Full scale changes have already occurred on the defensive side of the ball with the retirement of Sapp, signing of Wilson and Hall, and other lesser discussed signings and releases. As it stands now, the Raiders defense already has four new starters, and that my friends is plenty on a team of 11 players.

What's next? Your guess is as good as mine, but I predict that nobody else will be clear on Al-Lane's plans until April 28th, a day AFTER the 2008 draft.