Coach Kiffin on McFadden

Q: Was this just a matter of McFadden being too good to pass up?

Kiffin: That was definitely the case. I remember mentioning that running back wasn’t a need for us, and it wasn’t. We’re kind of piled there with a number of really good running backs and guys coming back, including Michael Bush, who we really don’t know enough about yet. It was not a need but it became a situation … speaking for myself, I knew months ago that this was the guy that we had to have and we had to figure out a way to get him. Hopefully, he was going to fall to us. We lost the coin toss and moved to four and that scared me a little bit there. Fortunately, he was still available and in the end we got everybody on the same page. We’re all really excited.

Ahhhh, how will the Haters spin this? Coach Kiffin get fired yet?

...F-ing Haters

What ever happens, Al will be meddling, Kiffin will be pissed...

So here we are... Kiffin's still coach, Raiders have made major moves this off-season through free agency (keeping their own and bringing others), through trade and even an upgrade to the coaching staff... lots of money, players are excited... and the media HATES it... the only thing I will say on this - the team finished 4-12, no kidding their was lots of stuff happening behind closed doors... no one was happy, battles took place... why is that such a surprise? why was this such a big deal? It would have worried me if Al Davis and Lane Kiffin and Rob Ryan got together and sang "kum-buy-yah", THATs what would have been disfunctional... that no one was happy, that lots of doors slammed, lots of arguing... THATs normal, THATs fully functional as opposed to disfunctional... that said, lets get ready for the media BS Anti-Raider spin... if its McFadden, Al is meddling, if its Christopher, Al is a dictator... if its Gholsten, Al is meddling, blah, blah, blah...

My thoughts on tomorrow - wow, who ever it is at 4 - Dorsey, Christopher, McFadden - my gosh we are getting a great player, who will help right away... Personally I have been mentally masturbating about Christopher since October - its just too good to be true, the pedigree, the motor, the production, the Raider family, filling a need... I really think that as much as the run D has stunk, it all starts on D with shut-down corners and a great pass rush... now with D Hall we have the corner tandem we need... now we need to scare QBs... Christopher is the player that will help the most, throw him down with Burgess - yes, thats what I want more than anything...

However, I just can't see Christopher falling to 4, it could happen but I don't think it will - maybe I'm doing reverse psych on myself, but I don't see the Rams not going with Christopher...

Dorsey would be a wonderful fit - a need, a great and dominating player, and in my mind most importantly, a Leader, I would be thrilled with Dorsey as well... but I think we would pass the LSU phenom up for McFadden... and without Christopher give me McFadden... sure we've got numbers at RB, but we don't have that player that really scares the D... JaMarcus needs a weapon like this to make him better... McFadden gives us another dimension... watching his clips, he is Marcus Allen and Eric Dickerson... If Bush is anywhere were he was,with Justin, wow what a backfield... if its McFadden I won't mourn over Christopher for Long... unless, God forbid Christopher becomes a Chief

To all my Greek Orthodox friends, Kristos Anestis, we will have the lamb on the spit on Sunday!!!!!!

Un-named sources: Kiffin and Schefter

Un-named sources from within the Raiders front-office confirmed today that Head Coach Lane Kiffin's future with the Raiders is very bright. Sources tell us that despite a 4-9 start, Kiffin has won respect and credibility in the locker-room and throughout the organization. Raiders owner Al Davis is said to be pleased with Kiffin, understanding that the job of turning the franchise into a perennial winner again would take more than one year.

In a slightly related story, inside sources have told us that the NFL Network's Adam Schefter is an a-hole. Apparently he enjoys rimming Bronco's owner, Pat Bowlen. More is sure to come from these revelations.

RIP The Great Evil Knievel

I usually keep my thoughts in the blog on the Raiders, but news of Evil's passing really bums me out... as a little kid in the 70's, I spent so much time playing with my Evil Knievel toys, "suping up" my bicycle, making ramps and performing my own jumps... Thanks Evil, you gave me alot of joy and fun...

Fuck, Fuck, Fuck

I am sorry, but I am so sick and fucking tired of investing more into my team than some of the players on the team do... up until now I would have NEVER said anything like that but, fuck, Barry Sims, get your fucking head out of your ass and into the fucking game... same goes to you Gallery... what gives with all the fucking false starts and holding? Its one thing to get beat from time to time or by a Probowler, but these fucking mental errors? Kiffin should cut your sorry asses now.

FUCK !

Josh, at the very fucking least, protect the fucking ball!

Newberry, you were a ProBowler, until you put on the Silver and Black...

Jerry Porter, where the fuck do you disappear to week in and fucking week out? Big fucking deal about your rock hard abs... you scare no one on the field.

Lamont Jordan? Give me a fucking break, you piss me off more than anyone.... All the talent in the world and you pussy foot your life on the field... your all fucking talk and no fucking action... when I watch you dance a damned fucking tango instead of hit the hole, all I can say is "FUCK !!!" ... when I remember your biggest bonehead play of all, last year in SanFran, quitting on that backward pass and watching the Niner pick it up and score a TD, all I can say is "FUCK YOU, YOU LOSER !!!" ... And now your pissed with Kiffin because Fargas won your job? Lamont you don't deserve the Silver and Black, and please, take off your army fatigues, you asshole.

How about our vaunted D? How many fucking games over the course of how many fucking years do we have to watch where the Raider D over-pursue and get caught out of position for lack of discipline on assignments? FUCK !

"The Turd" is playing like shit....

D. Burgess, where have you disappeared? Are you with Porter?

Before he got hurt, Tommy Kelly would make 2-3 plays per game...

Brayton? What a joke.

Mike Huff, your playing better, but you have to be that much better yet.

Stu, I was so happy when we drafted you... now its regrettable...

Give me a roster full of Currys, Fargas', Morrisons, Howards, Awesomeones and Lechlers and let JaMarcus Russell start soon...


I wrote this after the game on Sunday and waited 2 days to see if I still felt the same way... and I do... We as fans deserve better and Coach Kiffin deserves better from these overpaid Fake Raiders... most of all though, Al Davis deserves better... Clean House Lane

Rushing to Judgement

What can I write that has not already been written regarding the work of Lane Kiffin and Tom Cable and the reworked Raider Offensive Line?

Nothing, except that perhaps our FB Justin Griffith and rookie TE Zach Miller are getting over-looked. Griffith has been pounding, absolutely pounding, enemy LBs, leading the way for Jordan and Fargas. On the outside, Miller has completely sealed off the backside pursuit. Miller has dominated the likes of Pro-Bowlers Jason Taylor and Joey Porter. The running game relies heavily on Griffith and Miller - they are difference makers in our run game.

Being a huge Raider fan, I over-state things from time-to-time and try to put a Raider spin on everything (thats why this blog is here!), but I’ve hesitated to write about Coach Kiffin because I don’t want to hyperbolize (my new word)...

..well, F-it, Kiffin must be the leader for Coach of the Year honours, and at the top of the Coaching Rookie class as well (even with Phillips and the Cowboys at 4-0 and Tomlin and the Steelers at 3-1).

Oline Coach Tom Cable is worthy of awards as well. Cable’s impact on our Oline cannot be overstated. I feel great for Grove, Sims and especially Gallery … after what they went through last year, they would run through brick walls for Cable this year.

The Raiders have equalled last year’s win total and almost equalled last years TD total after only 4 games, and are inches from 3-1, alone at the top of the AFC West, and lead the league in rushing, and have cut QB sacks in half, and have had a dramatic drop in penalties, and are learning a killer instinct, and so on and so on – Kiffin dismisses it all – Kiffin says he’s not happy at 2-2, the Raiders should be 4-0 and he and his coaches have to figure out what has gone wrong… This sounds like what Turner should be saying in San Diego...

Watch how the offense approaches the line of scrimmage, un-hurried, with lots of time on the play clock... watch how, even with the passing game not clicking yet, Kiffin calls plays that attack the enemy, tricking them with their own tendencies... watch how the Oakland Raiders are prepared to play… the change in only 8 months is worthy of Ripley’s…

Kiffin gets grief in the press at times because of his “I’ll tell you when I’m ready to tell you” approach, but he is also getting tons of good press – and how can he not?

Kiffin's press conferences are a glimpse into the man’s incredible intelligence, football knowledge, saavy and communication skills. If you have not watched the Kiffin pressers on raiders.com, you really need to. He is an incredibly intelligent, driven and focussed man. Monte must be the proudest Dad in the NFL.

And hey, if your Canadian, have a great Thanksgiving Weekend, eh...

McCown vs Culpepper

I have never wished an injury on an NFL player other than John Elway, Neil Smith, Derrick Thomas (RIP), KC Marcus Allen, Dan Fouts, Chuck Muncie, Marc Gastineau, Tom Jackson, Michael Irvin, Emmit Smith, Jim Kelly, Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, Terry Bradshaw, Tom Brady... I forget my point.... oh yeah.... I have never wished an injury on an NFL player - especially a Raider, thats just mental - but I will say this: I think the injury to Josh McCown is timely.

I'M IN with Coach Kiffin, absolutely in love with the guy, Al Davis was right, Kiffin is more prepared/ready than Gruden was, by a mile... but this decision to start Josh over Duante bugs me... I understand Kiffin's reasons, that Daunte just didn't have enough time, that Josh was ahead system-wise... but in McCown, I don't see a Rich Gannon as much as a Donald Hollas...

I'm big on body language. I may have to take this back down the road, but Josh McCown does not inspire me and I can't see him inspiring his team. I don't see him taking control of a game, putting the team in his back. He is a solid "play it safe" kind of guy, but thats it. To me he looks a little intimidated, tentative out there on the field, a little unsure of himself. Good decisions yes, but a little slow in executing... He looks like he is learning - and hey if thats the case, then lets get JaMarcus coached up and in there after the bye - and at least use this time for JRock to learn and develop.

Duante Culpepper on the other hand is a stud, he walks on the field and looks like he belongs, like he can just take the game over and dominate, like he has been there and done that. I admit, Culpepper looked horrible in Miami, but we could see in the pre-season that this year - he was back... The swagger was there... I want him under center in Denver. Of course, he has to produce, but I want him under center.

Josh did a great job during the three consecutive TD scoring drives, but when we took the lead I didn't like the fired-up routine... I want my QB to have fire, but that was a bit much... I want my QB to act like he has been there... Maybe as a team they let off too much steam, maybe McCown let off too much steam... we all know what happened
after we went up 21-20...

Either way in terms of QB for Sunday, it means little if the D doesn't show... I love Rob Ryan, but when his dad was describing his sons, which one was Rob? The Ugly one or the Dumb one? Come on! Blitz Dammit!!

Can I make a comment that may piss-off some of you? Whats with the boo-ing at home? WTF?! Boo-ing at the old Oakland Alameda County Coliseum ?! I have never been to a home game in Oakland but have been to plenty of games in Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Washington, Detroit and New York and whenever a Bill's fan or Jet's fan or Steeler's fan would boo their own team I would laugh at them... many times I have said "what are you doing boo-ing your own team at home? Nice Fans you are..." and nearly always everyone would agree with me that its just not right. Now, I understand a fan buys a ticket and has a right to say what he/she wants, but boo the Raiders?, your own Silver and Black?, even last year... Just Wrong Baby... I think silence sends a stronger message if/when needed...