Enough is enough. How dare Jason Cole of Yahoo Sports say that the Oakland Raiders offensive line is the worst in the NFL. Has he looked at all of the videos and all of the data?
I don't think so.
Cole decided on ranks, yet his methodology for assigning a number to the O-line for the Raiders and other teams is not shown. Words, words, words, and few—if any—numbers that allow for comparisons and quantitative analysis.
When a writer compiles a lot of verbiage without some references to the measures that are so meticulously recorded in the NFL, it makes many of us wonder ...
Article inspired by BR member who cannot tolerate diversity and variety - Revisited
Foreword
Some folks want everybody to think like they think. Since many do not like details, then they should consider reading articles without too much detail. Our readership is diverse; the world is diverse. So, the articles can be like a buffet, where you pick what you want and also respect the choices of others.
Re-visited Article
There was a time the lyrics in popular music inspired us to "think" and to ask for "respect." That's what the Oakland Raiders want us to do: think and earn a little respect.
As always, I ...
Many Raider fans watched the 2011 Senior Bowl on Saturday to size up some of the prospects that will be in this year's draft. It's too bad that there isn't a collegiate all-star with underclassmen included so we can see the very best of the best.
With all of the talent and the speed of the skill position players on both sides of the ball, the Raiders are sure to focus on the trenches in this year's draft. The trenches were far and away the weakness of this Raider team as they were around the bottom of the league in run defense and sacks given up.
Underclassmen ...
With the plethora of talent available to general managers during the NFL draft, there are bound to be a throng of players who just can't cut it.Owners invest millions of dollars into a potential star and pray every night that he develops into a face of the franchise.Unfortunately, most of the time they won't prosper and those drafted highest are known in history as busts when they fail.Whether it be based on draft position or comparisons to those drafted after, players are labeled busts for varying reason. To properly grade the busts, we must take into account draft position, expectations ...
Nobody is talking about Billy Beane anymore. Moneyball hit its talking peak five years ago—the last time the Oakland Athletics managed to make the playoffs, in 2006, after winning the AL West with a 93-69 mark. Their record dropped to 76-86 in 2007 but held steady at 75-86 and 75-87 in the next two years. In 2010, the A's returned to .500 after finishing 81-81, nine games behind the eventual World Series runner-up Texas Rangers. Their consistency and moderate progression in wins masks Oakland's transition from a middling club filled with stopgap starters and power-hitting health risks on one-year deals ...
The first thing Oakland Raider owner Al Davis said upon trading for quarterback Jason Campbell was, "He's the next Jim Plunkett." Campbell hasn't lived up to it so far but Plunkett wasn't even the Plunkett Raider Nation grew to love in his first year.
I will wait until next year to pass judgement on that one because Campbell did start to come on this season.
Davis has desprately sought another Cliff Branch since he retired in 1985 as well. Willie Gault, Sam Grady, James Jett, Alexander Wright, and Alvis Witthed were track guys that Davis brought in to try to fill the void.
Willie Gault looked as if ...
Now that Hue Jackson is the head coach, Al Davis has hired Al Saunders to be the offensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders.Saunders brings 40 years of coaching experience, including many years as a wide receiver position coach.The wide outs coached by Sauders have had some the best seasons in history. The Super Bowl XXXIV champion St. Louis Rams crew of Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Az-Zahir Hakim and Ricky Proehl set records for team receiving that may never be topped.So, who will be the breakout players for the Raiders under Saunders?With Saunders' history, coaching background and offensive philosophy, it's likely ...
Last year, the Oakland Raiders took MLB Rolando McClain with their first-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. He wasn't an All-Pro in his first year, but he did make some memorable tackles last season and seems to have a long productive career ahead of him in the NFL. I'll never forget that power slam against the Rams and when he thumped Darren Sproles, knocking him out of the game.On Thursday evening, as McClain was driving in his hometown of Decatur, AL, he became the target of gunfire. He also had a few passengers with him at the time. Thank ...
Chone Figgins got it right—"I always said, it's a great thing to be wanted." Right about now, the man Figgins was supposed to replace, Kevin Kouzmanoff, has got to be wondering what he did to fall out of favor with the A's and become so UN-wanted. The Figgins-Kouzmanoff trade rumors are now dead. Turns out, they happened three weeks ago and never progressed, but it puts another nail in the coffin of Kouzmanoff's Oakland A's career. So far this offseason, the A's made multiple offers to Adrian Beltre, claimed Edwin Encarnacion off waivers from Toronto (but ...
My daily routine includes researching NFL data and writing an article if the inspiration hits me.
This morning I had to write because I realize that some of us are destined to reflect on what is and what can be in our lives and in the lives of the Oakland Raiders and Raider Nation.
As I witnessed the unrest in Cairo, Egypt, and remembered when I visited there a few years ago as part of President Bill Clinton's entourage in August 2000, I realize how our love for the NFL and sports help relieve the tension of the times we are living in.
We carry the name ...