Darrius Heyward-Bey was drafted by the Oakland Raiders seventh overall in the 2009 NFL Draft.
This drew widespread criticism from media and fans alike, as Heyward-Bey was expected to be a mid-first round selection.
He was called a height-weight-speed pick, being 6'2", 215 pounds, and running a 4.25 40-yard dash.
"DHB" wasn't a bad player; he earned All-ACC Honorable Mention in 2008 and was called the third or fourth best receiver in the draft.
Still, the pick was a reach and nobody liked it.
Raider fans rallied behind Darrius, saying he'd prove the haters wrong in the upcoming season.
Alas, this was not to be. ...
Projected line-up for the upcoming season.Begin Slideshow
Chaz Schilens could be considered a bust based on failures to meet the expectations of Raider Nation. Last year, I hopped on the fantasy bandwagon and stashed him away on my bench as he was mysteriously "injured" in "practice" before the season began.
The most compelling part of these mysterious injuries over the past two years is that they never actually take place on the field of Battle. Last year Chaz "Owie" Schilens was initially diagnosed with a minor toe injury in preseason and was expected to sideline for about a month. He didnt return until week 13 and helped ...
My, what a strange trip this has been for Tom Cable.
When Oakland was done destroying all remains from the 2006 disaster, they found Tom Cable, recently unemployed due to Jim Mora's departure from the Atlanta Falcons.
Placing him as the offensive line coach, it was Tom's job to watch over an inconsistent line with issues ranging from penalties to injuries. That is, until Lane Kiffin decided to rebel against the Rebel.
With a simple move, Lane Kiffin was gone and Tom Cable was given a chance to try the position out for the rest of 2008. Going 4-8 and tying a win over Jon Gruden helped, as the team ...
You probably already know all of the names of the players on the Oakland Raiders roster. I challenged my associates to learn the names. The easy way to start was to learn the names of the guys with the same last name.
Here is a list of the five groups of guys with the same last name and of the entire roster. The names of the men who have the same last name are underlined:
Active
#
Name
Pos.
Ht.
Wt.
Age
Exp.
College
84
Adeniji, Damola
WR
6-3
215
23
R
Oregon State
21
Asomugha, Nnamdi
CB
6-2
210
29
8
California
69
Barnes, Khalif
T
6-5
325
28
6
Washington
32
Bennett, Michael
RB
5-9
205
31
10
Wisconsin
10
Bodiford, Shaun
WR
5-11
185
28
4
Portland State
7
Boller, Kyle
QB
6-3
220
29
7
California
73
Boschetti, Ryan
DT
6-4
310
28
6
UCLA
30
Boyd, Jerome ...
Is it quality or quantity when it comes to judging how good of a draft you had? Let's look at the Oakland Raiders' drafts from 2007 (11 picks) and 2008 (five picks). Now some picks from 2008 were traded to acquire the 2007 picks, but to me whatever year the player was drafted is the year that counts. If a pick was traded for a player, then it doesn't count.
2007
1. Jamarcus Russell—currently seeking NFL employment and fighting a possession of codeine charge.
2. Zach Miller—currently the starting TE and is pro bowl caliber.
3a. Quentin Moses—cut from camp in 2007.
3b. ...
As the weather gets warm around the middle of July, year in and year out, there always to be a summer sale in the city of Oakland. The shelves at the Oakland Coliseum are usually full of spectacular deals: packages of good baseball players at low prices.
For the rest of Major League Baseball, it is always fun to visit the outlets of the Oakland Athletics, for they are assured of getting quality players for quality prices.
It’s a summer shopping spree, where buyers usually acquire a useful, and potentially long-lasting souvenir.
Every year around this time, the Oakland A’s players are placed ...
The Oakland Raiders have struggled the past few years, but there are still many reasons to be a fan.
Some are more important than others, but all are valid reasons to cheer for the Silver and Black!Begin Slideshow
Its been a tough, tough road for the Oakland Raiders. For over three decades the Oakland Raiders represented tough, fierce football. During that span they grew a fanbase that stands above all in the NFL. The Oakland Raiders represented greatness in days past but in recent times has been abyssmal.
The dark years came for the Oakland Raiders in the early 2000 years. After a decent 90's season the Raiders led by coach Jon Gruden and QB Rich Gannon made the playoffs consecutively. These were great times for the Oakland Raiders and its fans. The Oakland Raiders then released ...
Al Davis is notorious for being quick to fire recent coaches.
Whether it was Bill Callahan, Art Shell, Norv Turner, or Lane "Lance" Kiffin, most head coaches don't last long with the Raiders.
This seems to be changing as current head coach Tom Cable has been retained for a second full season. Should he not get fired, it would be quite an accomplishment considering the past seven years.
However, what happens to Tom at the end of this season? Here are some scenarios as to what could happen.
Here is scenario one. Let's say the Raiders make the Playoffs in 2010 with a 10-6 ...