Oakland Raiders: Switch "The Nasty" On and Off

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Some folks in the Raider Nation want to bring back the "nasty" in the Oakland Raiders. Earlier this article was posted and it fell off the radar.

I dedicate this article to the young Oakland Raiders on the roster in 2010.

It is pertinent enough to be highly considered before the draft this month.

Let's just say that if we "bring back the nasty" aggressive, fearless, and daredevil type Oakland Raiders, let's hope they can turn their switches off, when they are off the football field.

The Article

There is a light switch in my office that is not predictable.  I flip it on, the light stays on for a while and then the light goes out.  Sometimes, the light is off, I think, but it comes back on. There is a shortage in the switch.  There is a poor connection.

Switching to an aggressive, fearless personality on the NFL football field and then flipping off that aspect of your personality to become a "kinder, gentler man" is not that easy for some of the NFL players.  Somehow, their switch gets broken, or it gets a shortage and trouble starts.

The violence may "flip on" in the club, at home or in the neighborhood.  Flashbacks of violence kick in; and a clean and clear legal record, "flips off."

NFL players, like military men, are trained to be a certain way.  Sometimes that conditioning is difficult to debrief or to flush out of a man's system. 

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What is good behavior on a football field, is criminal behavior off the field.

So, there are conflicts, and paradoxes.  There are behavioral complexities. There is a need for research to restore and repair the "broken switches." 

One player tells another:  "Turn if off, man.  Cool down, we are not on the playing field."

A quote in a 1998 article makes it plain and clear:

''When you think about it, it is a strange thing that we do,'' Giants linebacker Jessie Armstead said. ''During a game we want to kill each other. Then we're told to shake hands and drive home safely. Then a week later we try to kill each other again.''

So, the NFL fury is on and off like a light switch.  The archive of data on divorces and other incidents are an indicator that sometimes the "switch gets broken."

The Addenda and List

Here we go again, saying that maybe we can win again, if "the nasty" is brought back.

We want to say thanks to Sons-of-Blanda for collecting this data. This list was suggested in a comment strand:

Russell Okung: Oklahoma State (HT: 6'5¼  WT: 307  40: 5.17) Projection: 1st Round

Bryan Bulaga: Iowa (HT: 6'5⅜  WT: 314  40: 5.26) Projection: 1st - high 2nd Round

Guards

Mike Iupati:  Idaho (HT: 6'5⅛  WT: 331  40: 5.26) Projection: 1st-Round

Mitch Petrus: Arkansas (HT: 6'3⅛  WT: 310  40: 5.29) Projection: 4th Round

Chris Scott: Tennessee (HT: 6'4⅝  WT: 319  40: 5.49) Projection: 5th Round

Brandon Carter: Texas Tech (HT: 6'5½  WT: 329  40: 5.36) Projection: 5th-6th Round

Shawn Lauvao: Arizona State (HT: 6'2⅞  WT: 315  40: 5.29) Projection: 5th-6th Round

Doug Palmer: East Carolina (HT: 6'3  WT: 315) Projection: 7th Round-UDFA

Centers

Matt Tennant: Boston College (HT: 6'4½  WT: 300  40: 5.16) Projection: 2nd-3rd Round

J.D. Walton: Baylor (HT: 6'2⅝  WT: 300  40: 5.24) Projection: 3rd Round

Eric Olsen: Notre Dame (HT: 6'3⅞  WT: 306  40: 5.23) Projection: 6th Round

Jeff Byers: USC (HT: 6'3⅜  WT: 301) Projection: 7th Round

MLBs

Mike McLaughlin: Boston College (HT: 6'0¼  WT: 236  40: 4.83) Projection: 6th-7th Round

Brandon Spikes: Florida (HT: 6'2⅞  WT: 249) Projection: 3rd Round (caveat: borderline character btw. heroic aggression and psychosis)

FB
LeGarrette Blount: Oregon (convert him to FB) 6′0½″ 241 lb

And Linval Joseph: East Carolina (HT: 6'4½  WT: 328  40: 5.11) Projection: 4th Round

Go Raiders! Thanks, Sons-of-Blanda.