Oakland Raiders: Every Dawg Has His Day

So much attention is being spent on the quarterback position with the Oakland Raiders. Let's change up a bit and spend some time looking at the cornerbacks. 

The reports even tally the tardies of those who may be late to practice. Some say that JaMarcus Russell has not reported to practice at this time. The question is, will Russell come up to par and give us his best performance in 2010?

When some of these young men were in high school, three tardies were counted as one absence.

In college, most professors don't have time to count tardies. Some professors go so far as to lock their classroom door so that those who are tardy will not interrupt their class.

Will the coaches "lock the door" on Russell? After all, he seems to be tardy (in more than one way).

Accommodations for special situations make sense in some cases. This is professional football, and professional behaviors are expected for each and every one of the players. Is this too much to ask? I don't think so.

Let's take a look at the cornerbacks. They deserve attention, too.

Here are some facts about the four cornerbacks on the roster for 2010.

Position: DB		Chris Johnson
Height: 6-0    Weight: 198 lbs.
Born: September 25, 1979 in Gladewater, TX
College: Louisville
Position: DB		Stanford Routt
Height: 6-1    Weight: 195 lbs.
Born: July 23, 1983 in Austin, TX
College: Houston
Position: WR		Jonathan Holland
Height: 6-0    Weight: 191 lbs.
Born: February 18, 1985 in Monroe, LA
College: Louisiana Tech
Position: DB		Asomugha
Height: 6-3    Weight: 215 lbs.
Born: July 6, 1981 in Lafayette, LA
College: California

Texas and Louisiana are equally represented at the cornerback position.

Of the four cornerbacks, one of them stands out: Nnamdi Asomugha. His involvement with charity reaches international boundaries. Having traveled to Nigeria three times respectively in 1999, 2000, and 2001, I am drawn to Asomugha because I have come to appreciate the heritage of which he is a part.

Furthermore, I have been encouraged to spend more time researching the NFL players of Nigerian heritage. Jeff Adelagun, a friend and publisher of a Nigerian newspaper, has asserted that this is important to the Nigerian community in the United States, especially to those in Southwest Houston, Texas.

Asomugha believes that giving to others is a way to encourage yourself when your team is at a nadir, such as the one the Oakland Raiders are experiencing.

There have been speculations that the uncapped year in the NFL may have some affect on Asomugha and others with the Oakland Raiders. This, too, could be a cause for concern.

One writer, Patrick Patterson says, "The Raiders are not going to be able to bring in high priced free agents as they normally do."

He continued, "The NFL is headed into uncharted waters this offseason, so no one knows what to expect.

"The type of offseason that fans have become accustomed to are about to change dramatically...no clue as to how things will be situated by 2011."

So the crystal ball of some of the experienced writers who attempt to forecast what will happen just might get "fogged" by the uncapped year in the NFL.

Every aspect of the situation, every player needs to be known and understood, and every "nook and cranny" needs to be analyzed, and interpreted carefully.

So, cornerbacks have been added to the list of positions to observe.

As the young generation says, "Every dawg has his day."  Now my beloved Oakland Raiders who are cornerbacks are being put under a microscope to see if they can make a greater contribution to the successes we anticipate in 2010.

Go Raiders!