Before I get into the body of this article I want to mention its purpose, which is to spark a discussion. To some that may be a cheap way to rack up comments. but at least I am being honest about it.
Almost immediately after the 2010 season, I wrote an article entitled, "Is It Really A Stretch To Say Jason Campbell Can Be Elite?" In that article I stated why, in my opinion, Jason Campbell could in fact be an elite quarterback. I received some quality comments in agreement and disagreement. What I didn't expect was the amount of negative comments.
Never ...
Since the A’s last made the playoffs they’ve had successive win totals of 76, 75, 75 and 81, and thus been stuck in mediocrity. But there is reason for optimism this year, thanks mostly to a young pitching staff that took a huge step forward last year. Billy Beane has a wonderful eye for pitching talent, unfortunately for A’s fans, his eye for positional talent is just as spectacularly bad. In 2010, the Oakland starters led the league in quality starts, ERA and finished second in Batting Average Against (BAA), but only 24th in strikeouts.
These overall stats reflect the nature of ...
Have you ever read the words in the contract of an Oakland Raiders coach? Probably not. Neither have I.
One thing that may be in the legal document could just be the basis of the reason the coaches get released or their contract expires. Might the concept "time is of the essence" be in those contracts?
When the phrase "time is of the essence" is used it means that no matter what outstanding accomplishments may be attained if, in fact, the main goals of the contract are not achieved, then the performance is still not good enough to maintain the coaching position.
This means, in my ...
Jason Campbell enters the 2011 season as the unquestioned starter for the Oakland Raiders, and he has persevered a lot in his football career after being a first-round pick in 2005. He's had to deal with a revolving door of head coaches and offensive coordinators. He played four years in college in the dominant SEC where he led the Auburn Tigers to a 13-0 record during his senior year.He was named the SEC offensive player of the year in 2004 and was ranked fourth in the nation in completion percentage.Campbell is a good quarterback who still has plenty of football left to ...
It has been reported that Hue Jackson came to Raider Nation to coordinate the offense under the pretext that he would become the head coach if he excelled. Excel he did as he took an offense with a porous offensive line into the top 10 as a unit from No. 31. But being Davis' head coach doesn't necessarily mean that he completely trusts you. Recent head coach Tom Cable apparently wasn't entrusted completely with his duties. The staff that coached under Cable was either inherited from Lane Kiffin's days or appointed by Davis. Cable even ended up breaking the jaw ...
Now it may not be the biggest coaching announcement made today, but the Raiders have filled one of the numerous coaching vacancies they have. It may not be the most important coaching position of this offseason, yet the hiring speaks volumes for both the type of football the Raiders want to play as well as their possible plans for this year’s draft and their first pick in the second round.
So who was the hiring?
Steve Wisniewski, the legendary Raiders offensive lineman, has come aboard the organization again as an assistant offensive line coach. Steve spent his entire career as a Raider ...
Oakland Athletics center fielder Coco Crisp has established himself as a top outfielder in the game of baseball. His tremendous speed and awareness makes him a perfect player to patrol the outfield.On top of his defense, Crisp has established himself as a top leadoff man in the big leagues. His quick hands help him get on base and quick feet make him a threat to steal every time he reaches base.When asked to name his top five favorite center fielders to watch, Crisp had a tough time coming up with a list."That’s kind of a loaded question," he said. "You ...
As the 2011 NFL Draft comes closer and closer, it's no secret that the Oakland Raiders' fans get excited. While we don't have a first round pick this year after trading it to New England, it's still an exciting process seeing as the Raiders make some of their best choices in the later round.In the past couple years, we've drafted Zach Miller, Michael Bush, Louis Murphy, Jacoby Ford, Tyvon Branch, and Jared Veldheer. All players who weren't selected in the first round, but in the second or later rounds.This upcoming off-season could possibly leave the Raiders without some of their ...
A vaunted homegrown pitching staff. A very strong bullpen led by an All-Star closer.A franchise player behind the plate. A balanced mix of young guys and veterans.Low expectations. A mild-mannered, baseball-minded manager in the dugout. A weak, very winnable division where the other teams made negligible offseason improvements.Last year was a good year for the Giants. And by good year, I mean they won the World Series. Yes, THAT good. And the above statements pretty accurately describe the team at the start of the 2010 season. And if that's the recipe for success, it looks like the Oakland Athletics are using the ...
2011 Pep Talk What's the plan for 2011? It's time to take a stand and to have a consistent plan. Right now is the time to make the plan, and to rehearse it, over and over to the point of perfect execution. As far as some of us are concerned, there is no so-called "offseason." Every day is a day of preparation at different levels and stages. The commitment to excellence for the Oakland Raiders is a year-around effort. Yes, there will be times that some rest and recuperation occur, but for the most part, the mentality is to be fully ...