Dear Raider Nation,
It has become apparent to me that I have been too harsh on JaMarcus Russell, I have erred in my judgment and become a hater. But I am here to pass my new found knowledge to my loyal reader:
I have learned over the last couple days that since JaMarcus came out as a Junior we should expect less progress than with other QB’s(- 1 year).
We all already knew, that even though he was on the team his rookie year didn't count thanks to the holdout (- 1 year).
Last season had the whole Kiffen fiasco until week 4, then he had to relearn everything with Cable so lets be fair to JR and call it half a season lost (- 1/2 year).
So if you do the math, JR isn't actually a 3rd year player with 2 seasons of experience, you have to subtract 2.5 years from his experience due to circumstances both in and out of his control.
So when you do the Math, Russell is now in week 7 of his senior season of college. You have to understand that there is a huge jump from college to the NFL. You wouldn't expect a College senior to jump right into the NFL and produce.
That is why he is making the same mistakes and problems we saw in his 1st games in the NFL, the same mistakes and problems some of us who watched more than the ND game pointed out prior to the draft.
Anyone who expects progress at this point is clearly just trying to spin this incredible story of a College senior competing (albeit poorly) at the NFL level in a negative light. Which makes them a hater.
Please don’t be a hater Raider Nation, remember this is only Russell’s 3rd rookie season, if he is still not showing progress after about half way through his sophomore season as an NFL QB, then it would be ok to be critical.
So if you do the math, criticism of Russell can fairly begin after at least 2 seasons following this one (~2012), because this year is obviously a wash due to having rookie WR’s starting (- 1 year).
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Brick's NFL Season Preview
Football is back, thank God. Tonight kicks off the NFL season with the Titans visiting Pittsburgh. I’ll be avoiding heading downtown despite the fact that Tim McGraw and the Black Eyed Peas (Isn’t that the punchline to “What happens in Tila Tequila’s bathroom?”) will be performing. I know, hard to resist shitty pop music.
So with the return of the NFL season, it is time for the 2nd annual Brickinthebox NFL season preview. Where I tell you next seasons draft order, because, how else would you want to look at the NFL season, then by who will suck the most to the least.
Enough preamble, on with the show.
#1 – Detroit Lions (2-14)
A huge step forward for Detroit, as I have them pegged for 2 wins this season, OK, not a huge step, but they have a killer schedule, tough luck Detroit, maybe next year you can pick a Franchise QB, instead of settling for the top rated one.
#2 – Denver Broncos (3-13)
You know, if you look back in the archives, I said that I didn’t think that losing Cutler and adding Orton would kill this team. Fortunately bad draft picks, free agent acquisitions and Brandon Marshall will. And hey, look at that, they have already traded out of the top 10.
#3 – New York Jets (3-13)
I honestly don’t think the Jets are that bad. I like their defense; I like their run game. But they have a brutal stretch to kick off the season, and I just don’t think a rookie QB is ready, and the bad early season momentum could kill this team.
#4 – St. Louis Rams (4-12)
Their left tackle of the future is playing right tackle, there are no weapons for Bulger to throw to, and I don’t think Bulger will be upright long. Hey, at least next year’s draft is deep in QB’s.
#5 – Kansas City Chiefs (4-12)
Matt Cassell is about to get a rude awakening. The offensive line is in shambles, Dwane Bowe isn’t bad, but isn’t Randy Moss, and there is no Wes Welker on the squad. The Defense won’t be horrid, but this team should have just finished the job and traded Larry Johnson, so they could complete the gutting.
#6 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12)
Thanks for being interm coach Mr. Morris, now the Glazers can continue their obsession with big name coaches and try to lure Shanahan and settle for Shotenheimer.
#7 – Cleveland Browns (5-11)
Brady Quinn is going to be the staring QB, I though new coaches and GM’s didn’t have to live with the previous regimes mistakes.
#8 – San Francisco 49’ers(6-10)
If the 49’ers had a QB I would be projecting them much higher, hell they would be a playoff contender. But Joe Montana is not walking through that door.
#9 – Buffalo Bills (6-10)
The recent firing of the offensive coordinator leaves me with no confidence in this team starting strong with some tough early games. Early losses should lead to the return of the T.O. show.
#10 – Chicago Bears (7-9)
The 1st big surprise on my list, I have huge questions about the defense. With Tommy Harris looking like he is done, the middle is open. And I other than at TE and RB, Cutler just doesn’t have the weapons, oh and he is very overrated.
#11 – Dallas Cowboys (7-9)
The Cowboys are going to get Wade fired this season, Jerry isn’t going to put up with empty seats in his shrine to his own ego.
#12 – Houston Texans (7-9)
I keep hearing how this will be the season that Houston gets their shit together and produces a winning season. To me this looks just like the 8-8 team from last season, with a worse back-up QB, which is important when the starter is made of glass.
#13 – New England Patriots (7-9)
Well Holy Shit, I shocked myself when I totaled up the wins and losses at the end of my predicting exercise. Here is what it came down to, I don’t have a lot of faith in the Pat’s offensive line, and the linebackers and secondary are extremely shaky. If a team can rush the passer and throw the rock, I kept finding myself giving them the edge over the Pats. I’m most likely wrong, but would love to be right.
#14 – Arizona Cardinals (7-9)
Face it, the Cardinals got hot at the right time last season, and had some great luck with injuries to get to the Super Bowl. I don’t see Warner staying healthy all season, and I don’t see a return trip to the playoffs for the Cardinals.
#15 – Jacksonville Jaguars (8-8)
The 1st of the two teams I completely whiffed on last season. Injuries were the excuse last season, but I think there was also a huge character void, as some key vets were jettisoned, and turds like Jerry Porter were brought in. They should return to respectability this season, but I don’t see playoffs.
#16 – Oakland Raiders (8-8)
Hey, it’s not a losing record. Raiders fan’s rejoice. There is some good young talent on this team, but the lines need major upgrades. This team is a year away and another reasonable off-season from contending for the division.
This is a long post, take a Random Hottie break
#17 – Carolina Panthers (8-8)
Those who don’t improve themselves will watch everyone else pass them by. That will be the story of the 2009 Carolina Panthers, as they have watched Atlanta and New Orleans improve while they have stood pat.
#18 – Washington Redskins (9-7)
The 1st of the 9-7 teams, and the 1st of those to miss the playoffs on a tie-breaker. I like the D with the exception of (D)aGello Hall and I think Campbell takes the next step, but they will still come up just short.
#19 – Atlanta Falcons (9-7)
If this prediction is right, I may have to admit that I was wrong about Matt Ryan. So pretty much I can’t win here. At least I can break even.
#20 – Minnesota Vikings (9-7)
But Lord Favre is in Minnesota; they have to be better than last year. Sorry, but Favre is just as likely to cost a team a game in the crunch at this point in his career, and the temptation will be too great to put things into his hands when things get tough early, instead of sticking to the run game as in the past two seasons. Still I have them sneaking into the playoffs.
#21 – Philadelphia Eagles (9-7)
The injury bug is already biting this team, and the loss of Jim Johnson will be felt all season long. Playoffs – yes, Vick in a Super Bowl – NO.
#22 – Miami Dolphins (9-7)
The last of the 9-7 teams, and the only Division Winner, Last season wasn’t a fluke, the Dolphins have put together a slightly better than .500 team. Which, in a down year for the AFC East, is enough to get into the playoffs.
#23 – Tennessee Titans (10-6)
You know, I look at this record, and wonder what I was thinking making the picks. The loss of Haynesworth means nobody to dictate protections for the opponent, and that there will be more blitzing from the Titans, which to me will be too much for this team to overcome. So no playoffs this season, but still a damn good team.
#24 – Cincinnati Bengals (10-6)
Hold on, hear me out. The Defense is much improved, and could be middle of the pack, and I like what I am seeing from Coles and Henry meaning if Palmer is healthy, I see playoff for the Bengals.
#25 – Seattle Seahawks (10-6)
The other team to really screw me last season, the Seahawks were also decimated by injuries. I think this is a bounce back year, with a weak NFC West helping the cause, the lack of a real running game kills them in the playoffs.
#26 – Indianapolis Colts (11-5)
Eleven wins, that sounds about right for the Colts. Moore and Mudd are still with the team as consultants, so the offense should continue to click under Payton. The Defense will have some growing pains as they transition to a more traditional 4-3, but it will be the health of the team that determines how far they go.
#27 – New York Giants (12-4)
This team is built the way that I would build a team, from the front lines out, with a power running component. So it is no wonder I like them to do well. But the lack of a #1 WR leaves them a game short of home field advantage.
#28 – San Diego Chargers (12-4)
This is perhaps the most talented team in the NFL, but they do have a hole on the offensive line, and at the helm. San Diego fans will be treated to yet another season of winning, followed by a post season of disappointment.
#29 – New Orleans Saints (12-4)
If Greg Williams has the right pieces to run his defense (which I think he does) this team will be tough to compete with. Drew Brees and his WR’s are just on another level right now. This will be a fun team to watch, unless your team is playing them.
#30 – Green Bay Packers (12-4)
They were close last season, but a few key loses both of players and games kept them from being a great team. This squad takes the next step this season, and with the right personnel to run the 3-4 they are switching to, they will be a force in the NFC.
#31 – Baltimore Ravens (13-3)
I actually got phone calls last season when I predicted that the Ravens would make the playoffs. But great defenses, good running games, and managing the game passing is a winning formula. As long as the defense stays great, I see this team being dangerous, and I like what I am hearing about Flacco’s development.
#32 – Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3)
No, I haven’t gone soft on the Steelers since moving to the Burgh. But when you play the AFC West and get your toughest non-division games at home (Tennessee, Green Bay, Minnesota, San Diego) you get a leg up. Throw in that the Steelers are built right, and you are looking at another Division Crown for the Steelers.
Quick and Dirty Playoffs
In the AFC, Baltimore and Pittsburgh advance to the Championship, with Baltimore winning the rubber match.
In the NFC, The Giants travel to Green Bay in a rematch of two seasons ago. This time Aaron Rodgers leads the Pack to a win.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Playing Chicken with Richard
Richard Seymour is a Raider…or he could be soon…or he might not be. Depending on which side of the debate of the merits of this trade you stand on, you are either elated, or disappointed at this point, and your feelings have most likely changed 10 times in the last three days.
IMO, if the Raiders can sign Seymour to a long-term deal, it is a fair trade for both sides. And most would agree, if they can get by the intellectual dishonesty being spewed by the Boys at Bristol, more on that another time, if the trade goes through.
The thing is, I no longer believe that this is a high stakes game of chicken between Seymour and the Raiders. I think this is a game between the Patriots and Seymour, with the Raiders just willingly going along with the charade, with the hopes that they can reap the rewards should the trains collide.
The leaks of strange information the past few days are what have lead me to this conclusion. Cable’s slip that there are financial issues to deal with in New England, the reports today that Seymour though he was close to signing an extension to stay in New England. Then you take into account that Seymour is the one player who, along with his agent, Eugene Parker, has actually won a stare down with Belichick in the past, and you have the ingredients for something different.
My theory is that Seymour and the Patriots were in discussions on an extension, and things were not going as well as Seymour thought. The Pats, tired of dealing with the unreasonable demands of Parker issued a take it or leave it deal, and Parker thought they were bluffing.
The Patriots then put together a deal with Oakland to send Seymour there for the 1st round pick in 2011, they also gave the Raiders the parameters of the deal that Parker and Seymour were looking for, and the Raiders found it acceptable.
The Patriots have flipped the table and called Parker and Seymour’s bluff.
“You say if you can’t get this deal here, you’ll take it somewhere else, well take it in Oakland”.
Now it is a full-fledged game of chicken between the Patriots and Seymour. Will Seymour blink 1st and accept the deal the Pats have on the table? Will Seymour take the offer in Oakland and report?
One of these sides is going to lose; if Seymour goes to Oakland the Patriots loose a key clog in their attempt to get another ring, a 2011 pick is no help to the team this year, and the window of opportunity in the NFL is too short to count on anything that far down the line.
If Seymour returns to New England at the reduced rate, yet another player will have lost the stare down with Belichick. His last chance at a big payday will be gone, sure he will be well paid, but he could have had more.
And where does this leave Oakland, if Seymour doesn’t come, well the fans will be let down, but the team will be about where it was before, a 6 to 8 win team needing line help. If he does come, the Raiders will be a 7 to 9 win team, needing a little less line help, but with less amo down the line
IMO, if the Raiders can sign Seymour to a long-term deal, it is a fair trade for both sides. And most would agree, if they can get by the intellectual dishonesty being spewed by the Boys at Bristol, more on that another time, if the trade goes through.
The thing is, I no longer believe that this is a high stakes game of chicken between Seymour and the Raiders. I think this is a game between the Patriots and Seymour, with the Raiders just willingly going along with the charade, with the hopes that they can reap the rewards should the trains collide.
The leaks of strange information the past few days are what have lead me to this conclusion. Cable’s slip that there are financial issues to deal with in New England, the reports today that Seymour though he was close to signing an extension to stay in New England. Then you take into account that Seymour is the one player who, along with his agent, Eugene Parker, has actually won a stare down with Belichick in the past, and you have the ingredients for something different.
My theory is that Seymour and the Patriots were in discussions on an extension, and things were not going as well as Seymour thought. The Pats, tired of dealing with the unreasonable demands of Parker issued a take it or leave it deal, and Parker thought they were bluffing.
The Patriots then put together a deal with Oakland to send Seymour there for the 1st round pick in 2011, they also gave the Raiders the parameters of the deal that Parker and Seymour were looking for, and the Raiders found it acceptable.
The Patriots have flipped the table and called Parker and Seymour’s bluff.
“You say if you can’t get this deal here, you’ll take it somewhere else, well take it in Oakland”.
Now it is a full-fledged game of chicken between the Patriots and Seymour. Will Seymour blink 1st and accept the deal the Pats have on the table? Will Seymour take the offer in Oakland and report?
One of these sides is going to lose; if Seymour goes to Oakland the Patriots loose a key clog in their attempt to get another ring, a 2011 pick is no help to the team this year, and the window of opportunity in the NFL is too short to count on anything that far down the line.
If Seymour returns to New England at the reduced rate, yet another player will have lost the stare down with Belichick. His last chance at a big payday will be gone, sure he will be well paid, but he could have had more.
And where does this leave Oakland, if Seymour doesn’t come, well the fans will be let down, but the team will be about where it was before, a 6 to 8 win team needing line help. If he does come, the Raiders will be a 7 to 9 win team, needing a little less line help, but with less amo down the line
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Cable Makes A Rookie Mistake
I’d say it was his 1st big mistake as a rookie head coach, but I’m sure some one will bring up breaking jaws, or sticking to long with Kwame, or taking a job in Oakland. But the move that Cable made last week shows that he is new at this whole scheduling thing.
There is a reason that the vast majority of teams broke camp about a week prior to the Raiders leaving Napa. Most teams want to simulate a game week in the days leading up to their 3rd preseason game. Installation, game planning and walkthroughs, all done in the same manner as what will happen in the regular season.
Cable may have run practices, and installed a game plan the same way that he will during the season, but there was one major difference. The players didn’t go home to their wives, kids, girlfriend and strippers each night. Instead they were sequestered in Napa at the Marriott.
Then, following the final walkthrough, Cable released the inmates from the asylum. If you have ever gone through a football camp, you know the feeling of freedom you have after being under lock and key for weeks. Sure you have a couple hours a day to yourself each day, but for the most part you are little more than a prisoner, one who has to work out until you puke.
So it was not the least bit surprising Saturday that the Raiders looked and played like they had hangovers. Chances are many of them did. As noted by recent Raider addition Greg Ellis, who chastised his teammates for being unprofessional.
True it was unprofessional, and lead to being embarrassed on televisions all across the county, but it should have been far from unexpected. This is one of the youngest teams in the NFL, and has little on field leadership. Cable’s scheduling of camp set them up to fail, and fail they did, in a most embarrassing fashion.
One can only hope that Cable knew exactly what he was doing; after all he has been around football his entire adult life, as both a player and coach. Maybe, just Maybe, having the players embarrass themselves was the point. It’s better that they do so in the 3rd preseason game, than in week 1 on national TV, as they have in 3 of the last 4 years.
There is a reason that the vast majority of teams broke camp about a week prior to the Raiders leaving Napa. Most teams want to simulate a game week in the days leading up to their 3rd preseason game. Installation, game planning and walkthroughs, all done in the same manner as what will happen in the regular season.
Cable may have run practices, and installed a game plan the same way that he will during the season, but there was one major difference. The players didn’t go home to their wives, kids, girlfriend and strippers each night. Instead they were sequestered in Napa at the Marriott.
Then, following the final walkthrough, Cable released the inmates from the asylum. If you have ever gone through a football camp, you know the feeling of freedom you have after being under lock and key for weeks. Sure you have a couple hours a day to yourself each day, but for the most part you are little more than a prisoner, one who has to work out until you puke.
So it was not the least bit surprising Saturday that the Raiders looked and played like they had hangovers. Chances are many of them did. As noted by recent Raider addition Greg Ellis, who chastised his teammates for being unprofessional.
True it was unprofessional, and lead to being embarrassed on televisions all across the county, but it should have been far from unexpected. This is one of the youngest teams in the NFL, and has little on field leadership. Cable’s scheduling of camp set them up to fail, and fail they did, in a most embarrassing fashion.
One can only hope that Cable knew exactly what he was doing; after all he has been around football his entire adult life, as both a player and coach. Maybe, just Maybe, having the players embarrass themselves was the point. It’s better that they do so in the 3rd preseason game, than in week 1 on national TV, as they have in 3 of the last 4 years.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Is JR Busting out, or just Busting
I should be the last person to criticize someone for being a little out of shape, I’m not obese, but I sure could stand some time in the gym. But what I should do, and what I will do are two different things. So why not blast JaMarcus Russell for being a fat ass.
Yeah, that was the aptly nicknamed JaDummy telling reporters after the 1st day of practice “I am a little heavy, but I am not 300 pounds like you all said the last time.” Well congratulations JaMarcus, you aren’t pushing for the starting LT spot this season; that is quite an accomplishment.
I know what the Russell apologists will say, this is only the 1st day of camp, there is plenty of time to get into shape. Problem is, this was the same thing they said when those party pictures showed up a couple months back, same thing they said last season, same thing they said when he was drafted.
It is becoming increasingly clear that JR just doesn’t get it. His coach, Tom Cable, publicly called him out a couple times during the off-season, and he missed the 1st week and a half of OTA’s. Now I know his mother had surgery, but how many of you would miss a week and a half of work due to a preplanned surgery for a relative.
He made the gesture of inviting his WR’s to come down to Louisiana to work with him for a week, a move that was generally praised throughout the Raider Nation as a sign that he was turning the corner. But whatever credit he would have gained with this writer was more than negated by the reports that after doing so, Russell cut out of OTA’s a day early.
Not that that should have come as a surprise to those who follow the Raiders closely. Thomas Howard was interviewed in the middle of OTA’s by Sirius NFL radio and refused to comment on how often JaMarcus was attending. Not something you do if your team leader is there every day.
Sure there have been some positive quotes as well, as Michael Bush has stated that JR has much better control of the huddle, and Lewis Murphy has compared Russell’s on field demeanor in practice to Tim Tebow. But unfortunately the news coming out of Russell’s passing camp send a different message.
At this time, it appears that only 4 WR’s attended Russell’s camp, of them, only Murphy appears to have a chance to make the team. Now Walker and DHB had health issues, but of the remaining players projected to make the roster (Higgens, Schilens, Miller etc…) no one seemed to be able to make the time to work with their anointed leader. Hell, Schilens was able to make the time to go play catch with Jeff Garcia, but not Russell.
Now this could say something about the dedication of those players, and how serious they are about winning as Raiders, but I think it says more about how Russell is seen by his teammates. To me it says that Russell has lost the respect of a good portion of this team, if he ever had it to begin with.
Look around the league, the premier quarterbacks all seem to get in extra work with their receivers, be it McNabb bringing everyone down to Arizona, or the Mannings spending extra time in their respective cities. What is the difference between these guys and JR? When they say lets get together, their teammates jump. When JaMarcus says it, they are free to ask, why weren’t the OTA’s a good time to get this work done?
That to me is the worst news to come out of this off-season for the Raiders, if JaMarcus has lost the attention of this team, it will take a hell of a lot of effort and dedication for him to get it back. Problem is, JaMarcus has always seemed content to get by on his incredible physical ability going back to college. Dedication and effort seem to be a foreign concept to him.
A man once said “Fat, Drunk and Stupid is no way to go through life”, and while I may try to prove this wrong, it is not the moto that I want to see the starting quarterback of the team I live and die with in the Fall try to prove wrong.
Other Stuff
OH NO, DHB dropped the 1st ball thrown to him in camp, THE SKY IS FALLING.
Damn, some people are so eager to label this guy a bust, lets let this guy get his feet wet before we crucify him. Take a look back at some of the great receivers (Rice and Brown would be a good start) few light up the league from day 1. I’m not saying that DHB is hall of fame bound, but it is a little early for the Troy Williamson comparisons.
Cutting a 6th round pick
Sure cutting Stryker Sulak before camp even opened was a little strange. And wasting any pick pisses me off a bit. But I have a feeling that more draft picks than normal will not make their team’s final 53, the Raiders just started the process earlier than most.
The thing is, most teams have plenty of Cap room this offseason. Where in past years a vet would get the ax before a rookie for financial reasons, team will be able to have more experienced players make up the back end of their roster now. It should make for better special teams play across the league, which is a good thing for football fans.
Goodbye Andrew Walter
I’ve always felt a little bad about the way Walter’s career with the Raiders has gone down. From being thrown out to the wolves under Shell, to being relegated to back-up behind Culpepper and McCown, even if he looked better to me on the field. It seems like he just never got a fair shake.
Well, with DHB signing, the Raiders made the long awaited roster move of cutting Walter. Why this couldn’t have been done months ago, when he could have gotten a full off-season in with his new team, is beyond me, and a black mark on the Raiders. I hope he catches on somewhere else and does well, at least when he isn’t facing the Raiders.
My guess is that he hooks back up with his old College coach, Dirk Cutter, in Jacksonville, and puts some real pressure on David Garrard.
HOF here I come
I’m sure it will be a couple years until I am inducted into the media wing for my outstanding writing, but I will be making my 1st visit to the Hall of Fame this weekend. That’s what the lovely Mrs. Brick gets for leaving the planning of our weekend up to me.
Yeah, that was the aptly nicknamed JaDummy telling reporters after the 1st day of practice “I am a little heavy, but I am not 300 pounds like you all said the last time.” Well congratulations JaMarcus, you aren’t pushing for the starting LT spot this season; that is quite an accomplishment.
I know what the Russell apologists will say, this is only the 1st day of camp, there is plenty of time to get into shape. Problem is, this was the same thing they said when those party pictures showed up a couple months back, same thing they said last season, same thing they said when he was drafted.
It is becoming increasingly clear that JR just doesn’t get it. His coach, Tom Cable, publicly called him out a couple times during the off-season, and he missed the 1st week and a half of OTA’s. Now I know his mother had surgery, but how many of you would miss a week and a half of work due to a preplanned surgery for a relative.
He made the gesture of inviting his WR’s to come down to Louisiana to work with him for a week, a move that was generally praised throughout the Raider Nation as a sign that he was turning the corner. But whatever credit he would have gained with this writer was more than negated by the reports that after doing so, Russell cut out of OTA’s a day early.
Not that that should have come as a surprise to those who follow the Raiders closely. Thomas Howard was interviewed in the middle of OTA’s by Sirius NFL radio and refused to comment on how often JaMarcus was attending. Not something you do if your team leader is there every day.
Sure there have been some positive quotes as well, as Michael Bush has stated that JR has much better control of the huddle, and Lewis Murphy has compared Russell’s on field demeanor in practice to Tim Tebow. But unfortunately the news coming out of Russell’s passing camp send a different message.
At this time, it appears that only 4 WR’s attended Russell’s camp, of them, only Murphy appears to have a chance to make the team. Now Walker and DHB had health issues, but of the remaining players projected to make the roster (Higgens, Schilens, Miller etc…) no one seemed to be able to make the time to work with their anointed leader. Hell, Schilens was able to make the time to go play catch with Jeff Garcia, but not Russell.
Now this could say something about the dedication of those players, and how serious they are about winning as Raiders, but I think it says more about how Russell is seen by his teammates. To me it says that Russell has lost the respect of a good portion of this team, if he ever had it to begin with.
Look around the league, the premier quarterbacks all seem to get in extra work with their receivers, be it McNabb bringing everyone down to Arizona, or the Mannings spending extra time in their respective cities. What is the difference between these guys and JR? When they say lets get together, their teammates jump. When JaMarcus says it, they are free to ask, why weren’t the OTA’s a good time to get this work done?
That to me is the worst news to come out of this off-season for the Raiders, if JaMarcus has lost the attention of this team, it will take a hell of a lot of effort and dedication for him to get it back. Problem is, JaMarcus has always seemed content to get by on his incredible physical ability going back to college. Dedication and effort seem to be a foreign concept to him.
A man once said “Fat, Drunk and Stupid is no way to go through life”, and while I may try to prove this wrong, it is not the moto that I want to see the starting quarterback of the team I live and die with in the Fall try to prove wrong.
Other Stuff
OH NO, DHB dropped the 1st ball thrown to him in camp, THE SKY IS FALLING.
Damn, some people are so eager to label this guy a bust, lets let this guy get his feet wet before we crucify him. Take a look back at some of the great receivers (Rice and Brown would be a good start) few light up the league from day 1. I’m not saying that DHB is hall of fame bound, but it is a little early for the Troy Williamson comparisons.
Cutting a 6th round pick
Sure cutting Stryker Sulak before camp even opened was a little strange. And wasting any pick pisses me off a bit. But I have a feeling that more draft picks than normal will not make their team’s final 53, the Raiders just started the process earlier than most.
The thing is, most teams have plenty of Cap room this offseason. Where in past years a vet would get the ax before a rookie for financial reasons, team will be able to have more experienced players make up the back end of their roster now. It should make for better special teams play across the league, which is a good thing for football fans.
Goodbye Andrew Walter
I’ve always felt a little bad about the way Walter’s career with the Raiders has gone down. From being thrown out to the wolves under Shell, to being relegated to back-up behind Culpepper and McCown, even if he looked better to me on the field. It seems like he just never got a fair shake.
Well, with DHB signing, the Raiders made the long awaited roster move of cutting Walter. Why this couldn’t have been done months ago, when he could have gotten a full off-season in with his new team, is beyond me, and a black mark on the Raiders. I hope he catches on somewhere else and does well, at least when he isn’t facing the Raiders.
My guess is that he hooks back up with his old College coach, Dirk Cutter, in Jacksonville, and puts some real pressure on David Garrard.
HOF here I come
I’m sure it will be a couple years until I am inducted into the media wing for my outstanding writing, but I will be making my 1st visit to the Hall of Fame this weekend. That’s what the lovely Mrs. Brick gets for leaving the planning of our weekend up to me.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Facebook kinda Sucks
I’m not real big on the newfangled communication tools out there, and by new fangled I mean anything developed in the last 15 years. I carry a cell phone only because it is required by my job, and they provide it. You won’t find me on any instant messenger, I have sent one text message in my life, and I had to borrow some one else’s phone to do so. To me the internet is for reading about football, fantasy sports and porn, maybe not in that order.
So it was a big surprise to not only myself, but my close friends when I signed up for a Facebook account the other day. I blame my brother, who is the complete opposite of me when it comes to being social. It turned out he knew an old friend of mine who I hadn’t talked to in years was sick thanks to Facebook. So I decided to sign up just to get an update, turned out it was nothing serious.
Much to my surprise, I didn’t stop there. I looked up the names of a couple of other friends and sent out friend requests. Even if a “friend request” sounds like the most pathetic thing a grown person can do to me. “Will you be my friend, I need some sort of public affirmation to make myself complete”. You are probably figuring out real quick why I can count my close friends on one hand, I’m just a little cynical, as if you hadn’t already gathered that from this blog.
So with my 5 or 6 friend requests sent out, what did I do? Well other than putting a picture of myself up, nothing. Chances are with the information that my old friend was cool in my pocket I would never have looked at Facebook again. But then my inbox started getting hit, and my interest grew in this Facebook thing.
See I wasn’t just getting Friend Requests from… well… friends. I was getting them from people I had quite honestly forgotten about. Not sure what that says about me as a person. Most of them I was pretty cool about getting in touch with, however superficial, but some of them left me scratching my head.
I was getting requests from names I didn’t recognize, I had to go to their page and look at the pictures to get some sort of idea if I even knew this person (I drank a lot in college and we referred to everyone by nicknames, so I do have some excuse). Once I figured out who they were, I gladly accepted.
I got friend requests from people I not only had forgotten about, but people that I never would have considered myself friends with in the 1st place. What do I do about these people? Do I accept their request, it’s not like having them in my friend list is going to hurt me in any way. Would it hurt their feelings if I reject them? Do I care since I didn’t consider them friends in the 1st place?
And how did an ESPN writer get a hold of my name? Has my constant bashing of the four-letter network earned me the attention of some one there? Don’t bother checking my friend list for who it was, I haven’t accepted them. Now if they can get me a copy of that Erin Andrews video, they would get instant acceptance.
Now I am putting way too much time and thought into this stupid Facebook thing. It is taking away from important Internet porn time as I read through the newsfeed on my homepage, looking to see if one of the people I am close with has posted something, or if it is just drunken notes and quiz scores. Too much time is being spent looking up who the hell this person requesting to be my friend is, and I don’t even think I have passed the 30 friend threshold, what the fuck are people with hundreds of friends doing? Do they even know or care about half the people on their list?
I knew I never should have signed up for this thing, I was much happier walking around with my Zach Morris phone and having no contact with anyone that isn’t family or living within walking distance. Fuck you bro, I should never have sat around that fire drinking with you, now the Internet time I use looking for celebrity up-skirt shots has been severely compromised.
So it was a big surprise to not only myself, but my close friends when I signed up for a Facebook account the other day. I blame my brother, who is the complete opposite of me when it comes to being social. It turned out he knew an old friend of mine who I hadn’t talked to in years was sick thanks to Facebook. So I decided to sign up just to get an update, turned out it was nothing serious.
Much to my surprise, I didn’t stop there. I looked up the names of a couple of other friends and sent out friend requests. Even if a “friend request” sounds like the most pathetic thing a grown person can do to me. “Will you be my friend, I need some sort of public affirmation to make myself complete”. You are probably figuring out real quick why I can count my close friends on one hand, I’m just a little cynical, as if you hadn’t already gathered that from this blog.
So with my 5 or 6 friend requests sent out, what did I do? Well other than putting a picture of myself up, nothing. Chances are with the information that my old friend was cool in my pocket I would never have looked at Facebook again. But then my inbox started getting hit, and my interest grew in this Facebook thing.
See I wasn’t just getting Friend Requests from… well… friends. I was getting them from people I had quite honestly forgotten about. Not sure what that says about me as a person. Most of them I was pretty cool about getting in touch with, however superficial, but some of them left me scratching my head.
I was getting requests from names I didn’t recognize, I had to go to their page and look at the pictures to get some sort of idea if I even knew this person (I drank a lot in college and we referred to everyone by nicknames, so I do have some excuse). Once I figured out who they were, I gladly accepted.
I got friend requests from people I not only had forgotten about, but people that I never would have considered myself friends with in the 1st place. What do I do about these people? Do I accept their request, it’s not like having them in my friend list is going to hurt me in any way. Would it hurt their feelings if I reject them? Do I care since I didn’t consider them friends in the 1st place?
And how did an ESPN writer get a hold of my name? Has my constant bashing of the four-letter network earned me the attention of some one there? Don’t bother checking my friend list for who it was, I haven’t accepted them. Now if they can get me a copy of that Erin Andrews video, they would get instant acceptance.
Now I am putting way too much time and thought into this stupid Facebook thing. It is taking away from important Internet porn time as I read through the newsfeed on my homepage, looking to see if one of the people I am close with has posted something, or if it is just drunken notes and quiz scores. Too much time is being spent looking up who the hell this person requesting to be my friend is, and I don’t even think I have passed the 30 friend threshold, what the fuck are people with hundreds of friends doing? Do they even know or care about half the people on their list?
I knew I never should have signed up for this thing, I was much happier walking around with my Zach Morris phone and having no contact with anyone that isn’t family or living within walking distance. Fuck you bro, I should never have sat around that fire drinking with you, now the Internet time I use looking for celebrity up-skirt shots has been severely compromised.
Vick in Silver and Black?
et’s start this posting off right, with a hearty Fuck You to Rodger Goodell. See I was putting the finishing touches on a piece about Mike Vick yesterday when the news broke that Goodell had conditionally reinstated the quasi-QB. So that piece just gets scrapped, no reason to belabor that point anymore.
Instead, lets look at what Vick could do for the Raiders. I know, as a Raider fan I am tired of the team being linked to every malcontent and diva that hits the market, but while the press focuses on Washington, Miami and New England as potential destinations for Vick, why not examine the Pro’s and Con(Vicks) of Mike in Silver and Black.
Pro’s
The Raiders have been without a True Playmaker for Years
This has been a constant theme in my writing. The Raiders have lacked anyone who forces Defenses to alter their game plan since Moss gave up on the team. Sure Nnamdi takes away one WR, but the reads remain the same for the QB. No one on either side of the ball affects coverage or protections. McFadden has the potential to, but has yet to show it consistently.
If he can come back at anywhere near his previous form, Vick would force a LB to spy him at minimum. That takes one defender out of the equation, which is all you need. If the WR’s or McFadden can develop, this will create openings across the field.
Now, I recognize that there is a huge question mark when it comes to his current skill level, but the possible reward here is huge.
Russell has yet to Prove himself to be anything but Vick without the wheels
I’m in danger of being labeled a hater when it comes to Russell, but I take the hater label as a badge of honor, it means the other person can’t refute anything you have to say, so they use the hater crutch.
Face it; even with the progress Russell showed at the end of last season, he has yet to prove himself as anything other than a cannon armed, inaccurate, and slow to read defenses QB. Which is pretty much how you would sum up Vick prior to his suspension, with the added factor of Vick’s scrambling ability.
I’m not advocating giving up on Russell for Vick, but Vick would be an excellent compliment to Russell on the depth chart, as you could prepare virtually the same game plan for both. Where as with the current back-ups (Garcia and Gradkowski) you have to adjust to their weaker arms.
He will come cheap
Just look at the Franchise numbers to see what the current going rate is on game changing players. It is a steep price to pay; especially when there is no way of knowing if the guy will produce for your franchise.
Vick won’t get anywhere near franchise money, but he will get much more than the NFL minimum that most columnists seem to be projecting. Why, because the potential to be a game breaker is still there. Now potential gets coaches fired, but when have the Raiders been averse to firing coaches.
Wildcat
Damn, I hate writing that word. The media has blown the whole wildcat thing so far out of proportion. Oh yeah, the Dolphins were the 1st team to have a running option get a direct snap. Tell that to Kordell Stewart, or Randel-El, or Cunningham, hell Darren McFadden lined up at QB in the preseason last year reviving his WildHog roots. But no, the Dolphins unleashed this previously unknown formation on the NFL.
But it brings me to what I see as the best reason to bring in Vick; The versatility that it would afford the offense. With Vick on the field, he, McFadden and Bush would all be threats to run or throw on any play (remember Bush played QB in HS).
This is the kind of thing I want to see in an offense, the ability to put a defense on its heels. The Raiders have been trying to do this with guys who stretch the field for years, and I’m not advocating going away from that, but just adding another element, remember Vick can get the ball down the field, the vertical game won’t go anywhere, it will just have more going on underneath. The more options you have, the more the defense has to account for, and the more likely they are to fuck up.
Con’s
He may well be done
One of my points in the aborted posting from yesterday was that quite simply, I think that Vick will be out of the NFL in three years. He has already missed two seasons in what should have been the prime of his career; the uncertainty regarding the length of his suspension will prevent teams from putting too much time into him this season. He will be nothing more than a limited package player this season. Meaning it will be three full seasons of Vick not being a NFL QB before he competes for a starting job next season.
Chances are, this means his career is as good as over. He was already limited when it comes to QB skills, now he has missed two years of training, Mike being anything more than a gimmick player is a long shot.
PETA
Oh they will protest, they will be at the training camp of whatever team signs him, and they will be at the games; Anything to get themselves on TV. The Raider’s previously relatively calm off season will suddenly revert to the circus tents of the last few years.
Personally, I could give a fuck about PETA, they serve no real purpose, and there are few groups I look on with more disgust. And I have donated to my local animal shelters, love my dog, and think what Vick did was inhuman. But kowtowing to these nut jobs in any way pisses me off. The fact that Goodell even met with these assholes to discuss Vick has made me lose some respect for him.
As far as the Raiders, they are used to distractions, I may not wish another one for them, but this could serve to take some of the heat off of Russell and the much-maligned draft picks of this year.
Where does he fit / Who do you cut
This is a tough one, who do you cut to make room for a part time player? The Raiders just don’t have the depth anywhere to take a chance on Vick. They need three RB’s due to the inability of any of them to stay healthy. The WR’s are young and need time to develop. The Defense needs all the help it can get.
You can say that you would make him the 3rd QB, but that would make him ineligible on game day. It may be the 3rd QB who gets the pink slip, but someone else would have to be inactive on Sunday.
IMO, it would be a WR getting the pink slip. For the simple reason that the team could get by with 4 on the active roster thanks to the versatility of McFadden and Miller. Both of them could split out as a WR when needed. But who do you cut? You can cross Bey, Schillens, Higgens and hopefully Murphy right off the list. Can you afford the cap hit to cut Walker?
Vick will miss the start of the Season
The Raiders start the season with three straight against divisional foes. Having a winning record in division has to be this teams primary goal, as they are still a year or two away from competing against the premier teams in the league.
Signing Vick, when he will miss these games, will do nothing towards achieving that goal. He could provide a nice mid-season boost, but if the Raiders once again fail to come out of the gates hot, it may well be too little too late.
When I add it all up in my mind, I am advocating something I never thought I would. I would like to see the Raiders be the team that gives Vick his 2nd chance. I have written before that I think he should be able to earn a 2nd chance (he deserves nothing) but just not with the Raiders. Well I am officially softening my stance.
IMO, the Pro’s to signing Vick slightly outweigh the Con’s. Due to the potential more than anything else. But there is one other factor that does weigh in this equation for me. The NFL players who have spoken up, have come out strongly supporting Vick’s right to play again. While the media would crucify Al for the move, it would be huge for winning the hearts and minds of the NFL’s players. And with the backlash the organization has experience from former players such as Worthless Sapp, the team could use the positive vibes among the players. I know it is a weak stance, but it may be just enough to sway some potential free agents.
So how would I go about this? Three year, incentive laden deal, if he can push JR to the bench, he would have earned a starters salary, and the contract should reflect this. It would have to be made clear that he is being signed as a limited package player in year 1, the #2 for year two, with the potential to fight for that starting spot.
He would have to be on board for learning the receiver tree, as the best fit for him at this time is being on the field with JR at the same time. Along with McFadden and Bush at other times. He has to be more than a decoy for the defense to respect him when he is on the field.
Can he do all of this, I have no idea, but if he can, I would like to see him do it in Silver and Black.
Instead, lets look at what Vick could do for the Raiders. I know, as a Raider fan I am tired of the team being linked to every malcontent and diva that hits the market, but while the press focuses on Washington, Miami and New England as potential destinations for Vick, why not examine the Pro’s and Con(Vicks) of Mike in Silver and Black.
Pro’s
The Raiders have been without a True Playmaker for Years
This has been a constant theme in my writing. The Raiders have lacked anyone who forces Defenses to alter their game plan since Moss gave up on the team. Sure Nnamdi takes away one WR, but the reads remain the same for the QB. No one on either side of the ball affects coverage or protections. McFadden has the potential to, but has yet to show it consistently.
If he can come back at anywhere near his previous form, Vick would force a LB to spy him at minimum. That takes one defender out of the equation, which is all you need. If the WR’s or McFadden can develop, this will create openings across the field.
Now, I recognize that there is a huge question mark when it comes to his current skill level, but the possible reward here is huge.
Russell has yet to Prove himself to be anything but Vick without the wheels
I’m in danger of being labeled a hater when it comes to Russell, but I take the hater label as a badge of honor, it means the other person can’t refute anything you have to say, so they use the hater crutch.
Face it; even with the progress Russell showed at the end of last season, he has yet to prove himself as anything other than a cannon armed, inaccurate, and slow to read defenses QB. Which is pretty much how you would sum up Vick prior to his suspension, with the added factor of Vick’s scrambling ability.
I’m not advocating giving up on Russell for Vick, but Vick would be an excellent compliment to Russell on the depth chart, as you could prepare virtually the same game plan for both. Where as with the current back-ups (Garcia and Gradkowski) you have to adjust to their weaker arms.
He will come cheap
Just look at the Franchise numbers to see what the current going rate is on game changing players. It is a steep price to pay; especially when there is no way of knowing if the guy will produce for your franchise.
Vick won’t get anywhere near franchise money, but he will get much more than the NFL minimum that most columnists seem to be projecting. Why, because the potential to be a game breaker is still there. Now potential gets coaches fired, but when have the Raiders been averse to firing coaches.
Wildcat
Damn, I hate writing that word. The media has blown the whole wildcat thing so far out of proportion. Oh yeah, the Dolphins were the 1st team to have a running option get a direct snap. Tell that to Kordell Stewart, or Randel-El, or Cunningham, hell Darren McFadden lined up at QB in the preseason last year reviving his WildHog roots. But no, the Dolphins unleashed this previously unknown formation on the NFL.
But it brings me to what I see as the best reason to bring in Vick; The versatility that it would afford the offense. With Vick on the field, he, McFadden and Bush would all be threats to run or throw on any play (remember Bush played QB in HS).
This is the kind of thing I want to see in an offense, the ability to put a defense on its heels. The Raiders have been trying to do this with guys who stretch the field for years, and I’m not advocating going away from that, but just adding another element, remember Vick can get the ball down the field, the vertical game won’t go anywhere, it will just have more going on underneath. The more options you have, the more the defense has to account for, and the more likely they are to fuck up.
Con’s
He may well be done
One of my points in the aborted posting from yesterday was that quite simply, I think that Vick will be out of the NFL in three years. He has already missed two seasons in what should have been the prime of his career; the uncertainty regarding the length of his suspension will prevent teams from putting too much time into him this season. He will be nothing more than a limited package player this season. Meaning it will be three full seasons of Vick not being a NFL QB before he competes for a starting job next season.
Chances are, this means his career is as good as over. He was already limited when it comes to QB skills, now he has missed two years of training, Mike being anything more than a gimmick player is a long shot.
PETA
Oh they will protest, they will be at the training camp of whatever team signs him, and they will be at the games; Anything to get themselves on TV. The Raider’s previously relatively calm off season will suddenly revert to the circus tents of the last few years.
Personally, I could give a fuck about PETA, they serve no real purpose, and there are few groups I look on with more disgust. And I have donated to my local animal shelters, love my dog, and think what Vick did was inhuman. But kowtowing to these nut jobs in any way pisses me off. The fact that Goodell even met with these assholes to discuss Vick has made me lose some respect for him.
As far as the Raiders, they are used to distractions, I may not wish another one for them, but this could serve to take some of the heat off of Russell and the much-maligned draft picks of this year.
Where does he fit / Who do you cut
This is a tough one, who do you cut to make room for a part time player? The Raiders just don’t have the depth anywhere to take a chance on Vick. They need three RB’s due to the inability of any of them to stay healthy. The WR’s are young and need time to develop. The Defense needs all the help it can get.
You can say that you would make him the 3rd QB, but that would make him ineligible on game day. It may be the 3rd QB who gets the pink slip, but someone else would have to be inactive on Sunday.
IMO, it would be a WR getting the pink slip. For the simple reason that the team could get by with 4 on the active roster thanks to the versatility of McFadden and Miller. Both of them could split out as a WR when needed. But who do you cut? You can cross Bey, Schillens, Higgens and hopefully Murphy right off the list. Can you afford the cap hit to cut Walker?
Vick will miss the start of the Season
The Raiders start the season with three straight against divisional foes. Having a winning record in division has to be this teams primary goal, as they are still a year or two away from competing against the premier teams in the league.
Signing Vick, when he will miss these games, will do nothing towards achieving that goal. He could provide a nice mid-season boost, but if the Raiders once again fail to come out of the gates hot, it may well be too little too late.
When I add it all up in my mind, I am advocating something I never thought I would. I would like to see the Raiders be the team that gives Vick his 2nd chance. I have written before that I think he should be able to earn a 2nd chance (he deserves nothing) but just not with the Raiders. Well I am officially softening my stance.
IMO, the Pro’s to signing Vick slightly outweigh the Con’s. Due to the potential more than anything else. But there is one other factor that does weigh in this equation for me. The NFL players who have spoken up, have come out strongly supporting Vick’s right to play again. While the media would crucify Al for the move, it would be huge for winning the hearts and minds of the NFL’s players. And with the backlash the organization has experience from former players such as Worthless Sapp, the team could use the positive vibes among the players. I know it is a weak stance, but it may be just enough to sway some potential free agents.
So how would I go about this? Three year, incentive laden deal, if he can push JR to the bench, he would have earned a starters salary, and the contract should reflect this. It would have to be made clear that he is being signed as a limited package player in year 1, the #2 for year two, with the potential to fight for that starting spot.
He would have to be on board for learning the receiver tree, as the best fit for him at this time is being on the field with JR at the same time. Along with McFadden and Bush at other times. He has to be more than a decoy for the defense to respect him when he is on the field.
Can he do all of this, I have no idea, but if he can, I would like to see him do it in Silver and Black.
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