A conversation about the 2015-16 AFC West

Mike Langston and Bryan Harvey discuss the AFC West:

"So Peyton's looking a little slow, maybe a little fat, right guys?"

NFL Draft Recap: Our View From the Bay

Instead of rushing to conclusions, Russ and I decided to let the draft excitement dissipate before giving you our draft recap. After a couple days of thinking it over, we finally have it for you. Better late than never, right?

Fries and Ketchup: Dynamite, Chewbacca, and the Raiders

The weekly column where we and mention anything we missed in the last week (or longer). It's a lot like those moments when you're out of ketchup, at a fine fast food restaurant, but lack the energy to go and get more; so you scrape away at the dregs on your hamburger wrapper, until all you can see is silver aluminum foil. It's classy, yet unrefined.

Richard and the Raiders:
Earlier this week the Raiders traded a 2011 first round pick to the Patriots for defensive lineman Richard Seymour. Throughout the preseason and much of the previous six seasons, the Oakland Raiders were continually gutted by the run. This addition would instantly improve their chances at fixing the problem and, therefore, raises there chances at being competitive. I say would because Seymour still hasn't arrived at Raiders facilities to take part in a physical, and until he does, the trade is not complete. If the Raiders get tired of waiting for him to show, they could then move to void the trade.

Yesterday, ESPN reported that Seymour was sent a letter notifying him that he has five days to report or he risks losing his $3.6 million salary by being suspended for the year. The trouble of this report is that the Raiders say they haven't sent him a letter and it's all a misunderstanding. From my time spent on the intranets, I have found that the Raiders are trying to negotiate a long-term deal with the 5 time Pro-Bowler, whose current contract expires at the end of the season. So it looks like he will be in Oakland at some point, just don't expect him to play against San Diego on Monday.

As for my thoughts on the trade, I like it but don't love it. Why trade for him, unless you already have him signed? You are taking a huge risk, on the assumption that the guy would want to play in Oakland. If he doesn't sign or show and the NFL doesn't void the trade, you have wasted a first round pick on nothing while also making one of the richest franchises that much richer. However, if they ever manage to get him in uniform, he will be a definite upgrade to a talented yet undisciplined defense. At the same time, the Raiders are showing that they are actually dedicated to fixing their problems, instead of increasing them. And lastly, Seymour would be moving from a 3-4 to a 4-3. Giving him less gap responsibilities, which could mean less work for him to achieve the same production levels. So essentially a great player could get even better, but who am I kidding? This is the Raiders we're talking about. There is no way this works out in their favor.

Update: Seymour is coming to Oakland and will play on Monday night.

Required Reading:

• Teach and myself made our first ever guest appearance over at the indie rock and lit site, Deckfight, where we tried to envision what college football would be like with an Indie touch.
• KD of Ball Don't Lie has a breakdown on why David Robinson was so great, despite his teams' lack of style.
• Have you ever read an article on a topic you care nothing about, yet it still left you with a driving urge to force a spork into the nasal cavities of the columnist? You haven't? Well read this, and you will understand exactly what it feels like.
• So, Mr. Barkevious Mingo, you think you have an awesome name? Well think again, meet Mr. MacGyver Chewbacca Highlander.

I Can't Wait:
to see Black Dynamite. If you have watched the trailer before, you obviously understand. If you haven't, click play.

2009 AFC West Division Preview

In the past, we broke down every team in detail before the start of the season, but this year we decided to view each division as a dysfunctional American family and base our predictions off their family trees.

Family Portrait:

Place of Residence:

What bits of the family farm that didn't dry up and blow away in the last tornado are now the property of the bank, but that doesn't mean the family didn't leave the homestead without a fight. Al Davis holed up in the barn for five whole days with a shotgun, taking aim at the men from the bank and the local sheriffs. When the sheriff finally got up in the hay loft, Old Al was pulling out his own teeth and loading them, dripping with blood, into the chamber of his gun. The sheer agony of the scene caused the sheriff to pry the gun away from Al and carry him down the ladder like a newborn. Tom Cable thanked the sheriff for his services by landing a haymaker square on his jaw. Cable's now spending a few weeks in the county jail before he tries to meet up with the family on Route 66.

Vacation Spot:

Cousins Phillip Rivers and LaDainian Tomlinson own a place on the southern coast of California, ripe with sunshine, peaches, and grapes. They've got so much land next to the Pacific that they don't know what to do with it. The rest of the family drives down Route 66, powering their old pick up truck with dreams as much as gasoline, believing that tomorrow will be as bright as yesterday once was.

Favorite Pastime:

This family used to attend church regularly, but in such dire times as the present, leaps of faith are hard to come by. Sitting on the back porch, with a full stomach, surrounded by the family's music, long into the night is time now spent with hunger pangs and hunting birds and roadkill as sources of food. Babies suckle at mother's breast, but there's no milk.

Teach's Prediction:

San Diego's won this division four out of the last five years, and I don't see any reason why that won't happen again this year. LT may not be what he once was, but I feel that his complete and utter demise has been greatly exaggerated. The team still has Rivers, Antonio Gates, and Darren Sproles. Plus, Shawne Merriman returns to a defense that was still solid in his absence.

The rest of the division is in flux; they're neither here nor there. Oakland needs to find out if JaMarcus Russell and Darren McFadden are the future cornerstones of the franchise. Kansas City has a workhorse in Larry Johnson that is on the verge of being sent out to pasture and a largely untested quarterback in Matt Cassel, while the Denver Broncos' offseason has created one of the greatest "how might this play out in an alternate universe" scenarios the League has ever seen.

The Chargers' time on top of the division appeared to be setting, and the Broncos' time appeared to be rising. They had the arm in Jay Cutler, the hands in Brandon Marshall, and the legs in Knowshon Moreno to resurrect their former Super Bowl glory in the body of an offensive monster. Instead, they resemble roadkill, or Kyle Orton's neck beard, splattered along Route 66.

Langston's Prediction:
After years of struggling, the Kansas Chiefs fired Herm Edwards and GM Carl Peterson, replacing them with Todd Haley from Arizona and Scott Pioli from New England. The first move these two did was trade for Matt Cassel. Who had a great year, last season, filling in for the injured Tom Brady, but this training camp he's played bad enough for the team to consider Brodie Croyle as their starter. On offense, the Chiefs also have the talented Dwayne Bowe at WR, a decent line, Larry Johnson, and the emerging Brad Cottam. This team is young and improving.

The Broncos ended last season on a disappointing note, blowing a big division lead to miss the playoffs with a record of 8-8, which triggered the firing of Mike Shannahan and the hiring of Josh McDaniels. The situation with Cutler may indeed be calculated, but at this time, I think they need to redo the math.

As for my Oakland Raiders, they will be better in the passing game (it'd be almost impossible to be as bad as last year), McFadden and Bush should punish opposing run defenses, the offensive line will play better (while also breaking records for false starts), the pass defense will be good, and the run defense looks like a bunch of matadors. Until Al Davis dies and they get away from the man-to-man defense, they will continue to disappoint me and the Nation on a weekly basis. But they have on outside chance of being better this year. (More on this in a couple days.)

The Chargers have a lot of "bests" in this division: the best QB, the best receiving core, the best back, the best offensive line, and the best defense. However, this team won only 8 games last season, and they didn't do much aside from drafting Larry English and getting healthy to improve the team. I expect them to win the division, but Norv Turner coached teams with more talent than this one have found ways to blow it before; so don't be surprised if they find a way to lose the division.

Raiders resign Lechler and Asomugha

Before the season was over a lot of the Raider nation was under the assumption that both Nmamdi Asomugha and Shane Lechler would be calling somewhere else home in the fall. But thanks to a new direction that has the Raiders paying money to players that can actually play, the Raiders have brought both pro-bowlers back to Oakland. Nmamdi Asomugha signed a huge contract, but since the Raiders don't divulge contract information its hard to put an actual number on it. The contract is between $28.5 million and $29 million over two years with the third year being the Raiders option. Making Nmamdi the highest paid corner in the league. The other monster deal handed out was to the most consistent player on the roster, Shane Lechler. The deal is guessed to be for four years and worth $12 million, and is said to be the best ever given to a punter in the history of the National Football League. Not long after signing his new deal, Lechler was spotted in downtown Oakland celebrating his newly found wealth (photo above).

The two signings insure the Raiders will have atleast two good players on the opening day roster; it also shows that the new mindset brought to the Raider front office by Tom Cable and Gary Busey is to spend money to keep the best players in Oakland. It is yet to be seen what will happen to the players that have underachieved. But expect a lot to change in Oakland this offseason. Tom Cable is excited to have his top two talents back while Busey could be overheard saying "Do you know what CONTRACT means? It means Confounding Opposition and Neutralizing Tarantula Radioactive Alabaster Contagious Typhoid." Indeed Gary, indeed.

Breaking News: Raiders introduce their newest hires.

After another grueling season, the Raider Nation is still left clamoring for change. Owner and current G.M. Al Davis, has been apart of the once proud organization for decades. Fully knowing his health is not getting any better, Al Davis has finally decided to replace Bruce Allen with someone other than himself. With the coaching and GM search continuing for almost a month the Raiders are finally ready to announce their hires. At head coach, will be Tom Cable. Cable took the interim job after Lane Kiffin was fired for insubordination and a lack of improvement on the field. Cable led the team to a 4-8 record, helping them to a 5-11 overall record for the year. Although his record isn't anything to celebrate, the way the Raiders ended the season gives enough reason for Raider nation to be optimistic for 2009. A two-game winning streak that turned out to be the final nail in the coffin for former Raider head coach John Gruden's tenure in Tampa Bay. Add onto that a huge win over the division rival Broncos, which helped keep them out of the playoffs and may have helped end former Raider head coach and Al Davis adversary Mike Shannahan's long reign as HC in Denver. While Tom Cable's hiring is no surprise, the pick for G.M. came out of nowhere. Not because Al finally wants to give up the keys to his run-down sports car, but for who he is trusting to take the keys.

The Raiders have shocked the world by hiring an outsider to come in as their general manager. The man hired to succeed Al Davis by Al Davis is none other than world renowned actor Gary Busey. The star of Succubus: Hell Bent attended Pittsburgh State University and then Oklahoma State University, he is not only an accomplished actor but a musician and artist as well. Other than his artistic abilities Busey is well-known for his help as a mentor on Celebrity Rehab. Being a former addict himself, he uses his down-time to help others get control of their lives. He doesn't use traditional or oft-used methods, but he does get results.

During the press conference Al Davis stated "We are really excited about the additions of Tom and Gary to the Silver and Black, Tom did a great job for us and we are confident in his abilities to continue the teams late season success. While Gary will really help get us back to where we belong." Gary added to that statement saying "Do you know what failing stands for? Finding An Important Lesson, Inviting Needed Growth. Do you know what fear stands for? It stands for 'False Evidence Appearing Real.' It's the darkroom where Satan develops his negatives. Do you know what success stands for? Its stands for Succeeding Under Critical Circumstances, Excelling in Sharting Straight. I want to end the era of the cloudy murkiness of negative hypocrisy rain clouds and bring in sunshine and beautiful Hershey covered mountain top elephant kisses."

Here are some other highlights from the press conference:

Jerry McDonald: "How will your work as an actor help you in the daily running of a professional football organization?"

Gary Busey: "It truly is an honor to join Al in his efforts, great things like this only happen for the first time once."

Tim Kawakami: "The draft is quickly approaching, what positions would you like to focus on?"

Gary Busey: "I believe in myself, as I have no doubt. Because the negative energy of doubt is something that will keep the happy moon rain away from my time on this water covered cave glasses. As a wise man once said, doubt stands for debate on understanding bewildersome thoughts"

Tim Kawakami: "Who was the wise man that said that"

Gary Busey: "ME, were you not listening? I just said it ten seconds ago. (Busey than threw a bag of oranges, dog toys, and gum at Kawakami while he juggled his two pet baby squirrels.)

Jerry McDonald: "Whats your outlook on the future of this organization?"

Gary Busey: "Outlooks are for those without a look from the inside of the scope of organizing their minds thoughts to a freedom of negativity. In other words 16-0!"

Busey and Cable also announced the changing of the teams most well-known mantra Commitment to Excellence to Commitment to be free from negative thinking of the minds eye and looking deeper into a world without wins or losses and finding positive growth of the inner core of shampoo bottle socks or CTBFFNTOTMEALDIAWWWOLAFPGOTICOSBS. Fans seem to be really taking a liking to the newest mantra, with t-shirts being printed and about 10 blogs already dedicated to the new phrase. My favorite, Commitment to Positive Growth Shampoo Bottle Socks.

Quick Thought

Warren Sapp is still an idiot. Tom Cable, interim and expected next head coach for the Oakland Raiders was miked up against the Houston Texans for a short feature for Showtime’s Inside the NFL. After the clip aired, Warren Sapp gave Cable a thumbs down in terms of being hired as the next coach, saying, “I’ve seen the man work. He doesn’t even know the protection schemes.” His thought process that led him to this conclusion? Who knows but he may want to talk to his Dr about memory loss that is going on, considering Tom Cable has made his career as an offensive line coach and all they do is protection schemes.

The Raiders Dysfunctional Companion: The OKC Thunder

Throughout the 2008 football season and much of the 2000's, the Oakland Raiders have taken their spot as America's most dysfunctional professional sports franchise. To be frank, there isn't a team that can even hold a candle to the malfunctional practices that are occuring in Alameda. But if we had to name the most dysfunctional team for the NBA, what team would it be?

It would be real easy to say the Knicks, but since Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni took control of the franchise everything seems to working in their favor. Walsh got rid of Isaiah and a big chunk of terrible contracts. The last piece to be let go of is Starbury, which seems to be right around the corner. So most of the reprehensible figures have already left the Big Apple for new cities or are on the verge of leaving the city. D'Antoni is doing his part by getting the team to play as one, which is also the reason Stephon is looking for a buyout and referring to himself as a victim of war.

The Pacers also come to mind when thinking of dysfunctional franchises, but they too have bid adieu to their list of drama starters. Stephen Jackson, and the rest of the Club Rio Trio has been disbanded. Jermaine O'Neal and Ron Artest, of the Palace melee are balling elsewhere. So it seems as anyone on the team that was fond of guns, or would throw down at the drop of a cup are long gone from Indy. Well all but one of those guys is long gone, but Jamaal Tinsley is less of a risk when apart from his former teammates.

Since the Pacers and Knicks have both rited their ships for greener and drama-free pastures, what team could it be? How about the Oklahoma City Thunder? They certainly fit the bill. Evil owner. Check. City left in the dust. Check. Shady backroom dealings. Check. Good coaches fired for no reason. Check. Seriously John Wooden couldn't win with that team. Clay Bennett weasled his way out of a city that loved the Sonics for a city that loved the Hornets. Figuring OKC residents would fill the seats to watch anything with an NBA logo attached to it.

For the meantime they are correct in their assumptions, the Thunder are selling about 94% of their tickets. Which is a big boost when considering they only averaged 13,500 last season in Seattle and are selling about 19,000 this season. Also pretty good when considering the economic crisis. However the Thunder are currently 2-16, second to last in the league in scoring (They can thank Charlotte for not being last), and allow the fifth highest PPG average to its opposition. So I ask how long can you expect fans to keep up their excitement over a last place team that routinely gets blown out? Unlike the fans in Seatlle they have no attachment to this team.They have no reason to keep coming back.

So for the terrible way they left Seattle and the despicable product they are putting on the floor, I hereby name the Oklahoma City Thunder as the NBA's most dysfunctional franchise. Congratulations Al, you now have some company.

What are your thoughts? Do you think there is a more dysfunctional organization in the NBA? Let us know in the comment section.

Lane Kiffin; the next OBC?

Thanksgiving was a busy week for me and the LCG, consisting of 4 different family dinners. This mini-tour of Virginia put a halt on updating the blog for the last couple of days. I am still trying to recover from the outrageous amount of Thanksgiving food I ingested. Although I knew I wouldn't be able to update the blog I figured we wouldn't miss much. Considering once you take out the NFL games and the various college tournaments Thanksgiving is typically a slow sports related weekend. But I couldn't have been more wrong. Plaxico pulled a Cheddar then calls himself Harris Smith and subsequently gets criminal charges, the Nittany Lion mascot got a DUI, the BCS shafted Texas, the Redskins inducted Sean Taylor into their ring of honor, Jay Cutler says he is better than Favre and then plays like it, and Starbury unleashed his fury through the press.

But for myself there was only one story that had me searching for information any chance I got. The story that had me intrigued and inquisitve was the news of Lane Kiffin becoming the next head football coach at the University of Tennessee. While watching the UGA-Bama game with Teach and the LCG, I was actually contemplating this aloud.I continued pondering this possibility throughout his own firing and the forcing out of Phil. I heard rumors of his hiring starting early last week and than ESPN got on board late in the week. All that was left was the announcement from AD Mike Hamilton and the press conference introducing the 33 year-old also-ran of Oakland. That press conference happened today at 2:00 pm EST.

So as one of maybe 500 people in the World who roots for both UT and the Raiders, I find myself being both excited and fearful of the future of the University of Tennessee. I am excited as he brings a new youthful exuberance to the University and its athletes. He has proven the type of talent he can recruit to play in his time at USC. With Tennessee's facilities, history, and fanbase it should make his job that much easier. However Kiffin has already let go of the four main assistants. Most notably DC John Chavis, who was in charge of a top flight defense leading them to being among the best in the country despite the team having a bad junior varsity offense. I am fearful that letting go of Chavis, who is one of the best defensive coaches in the land and one of the few brightspots of the team over the past couple of years, could be a major mistake.

This past season the offense was the perfect example of the word inept, but most of that can be attributed to the team not being able to execute the intricate Clawfense in such a short time perood. It worries me most that the team won't be dealing with just a new defense but their third new offense in just as many years.

Kiffin has promised to bring an amazing staff with him to Knoxville. A great staff will help sell prospects on the recruiting trail and should help to implement the new systems at a quicker rate. Kiffin's staff is said to include his father Monte Kiffin; who is the architect of the tampa 2 defense, the NFL's highest paid assistant and current defensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Also from the Kiffin family tree is David Reaves(Lane's brother-in-law) who is the only confirmed coach aside from Lane. Reaves, is in his seventh year on the Gamecocks staff. He was a graduate assistant the first two seasons and he's been a full-time member the past five. Reaves is slated to take over as the recruiting coordinator. Former Ole Miss head coach and current Saints D-Line coach Ed Orgeron is also rumored to be joining the staff. Orgeron and Kiffin worked together at USC. This would give UT two former head coaches on its staff.

Now that we know what the Vols are losing and gaining, what the positives for both sides?
Well the reasons for Lane to take the job are endless; he finally gets to show off his abilities, UT is one of the best football schools in the country, job security(he will be the 3rd coach in the past 33 years), a second chance, biggest recruiting budget in the SEC, etc, etc. But what are the fans getting from Kiffin, apart from a man with a hot wife, a talent for recruiting, and a good staff.? We have absolutely no idea. UT AD Mike Hamilton is essentially replacing a national championship winning coach who played for his university and led his alma-mater to a 152-52 record with a totally unproven commodity who has a record of 5-15. And if we are to believe Kiffin's side of the story in Oakland, he can't even take credit for the 5 total wins on his record.

All of the information coupled with today's press conference has led me to believe that this can only end in one of two ways: as a monster success or an epic failure. When Fulmer was fired, the middle ground was erased. If he is just an average coach its a failure, as you let go of a Tennessee legend for a coach with no connection to the school or state for an extended period of mediocrity. Kiffin has the genes, connections, and now the resources to become a great head coach. Now its up to him to do his part. There will be no Rob Ryan or Al Davis to point the finger at, it is finally his show. He gets to pick the staff, the players, and call the shots. If he fails or succeeds, the fingers will all be pointing in his direction. He could be either the next Mike Shula or Pete Carroll, but who knows? I just hope it works out better than it did for the last fired Raider coach to head to the college game.

The oddity that is the Oakland Raiders

When people ask me "What is it like to be a Raider fan?" or "How can you like a team with such a badly run front office?'" I explain to them the how and why I became a Raider fan and then tell them what its like now. Which usually sounds something like this "Its quite simple in fact, I was born in L.A. and hated the Rams. I could best compare being in the Raider Nation to being a citizen of Fantastica (or Fantasia) as the force of Nothing is busy destroying our once proud and wonderful little World. "

This has been by far the worst year to be a citizen of the Nation, as every week seems to have brought on a weirder event. There was the beatdown Javon Walker received in Vegas. the fight between John Herrera and Tim Kawakami , the firing of Kiffin, the Al Davis press conference , and finally the release of DeAngelo Hall,.Quite a strange and tough year indeed, and thats not including all the losses.

The Raiders run of bizarre events have slowed for the mean time, but I think we all know its just a matter of time before they resurface. However the most curious thing is that the Raiders still have a shot at the division crown. Sure the chances are low, but the thought that this team could be in the playoffs is priceless.

At this point your probably saying to yourself "how could a team like this possibly make the playoffs", well let me map out the Raiders long road to the playoffs:

• First of all with the win against Denver and San Diego's loss to Indy it put them a game behind the Chargers. If the Chargers were to lose to Atlanta this weekend and the Raiders beat the Chiefs, the Raiders and Chargers would head into their week 14 match-up with matching records of 4-8. If the Raiders found a way to win that game they would be at 5-8.

• Now the Broncos at 6-5, have games against the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs. With losses against both clubs (they already gave KC, their lone victory this year) the Broncos would be only one game ahead of the Raiders at 6-7.
  
  
• The Broncos last three weeks include games at the Panthers, home against the Bills, and at the Chargers. While the Raiders have games against the Patriots, Texans, and at Tampa Bay. If somehow the Raiders have a better record then the Broncos through the last 5 games, they could force a tiebreaker or win the division outright.

In a nutshell, all the Raiders need to do is start winning all their games and for the Broncos to fold like a deck of cards. Its possible but not probable. I think its funny that there is even a remote possibility that a 3-8 team could have a shot at the playoffs.

As I stated on Monday I have no idea whats in store for the future, but I would like to add that D-Mac is our bastion of hope and I expect him to be our Moon Child .

Raiders- Broncos Recap

My sense of timing has been off lately and that can be evidenced by a post I did in week 1. In my preview of the Raiders opening game against the Broncos, I listed 5 reasons why the Raiders would win. They were demolished in that game, but the Raiders rebounded by returning the favor in a 31-10 slaughtering of their hated rival. Which happened to help keep their chances at a .500 record alive, even if only for a week or two.

With out a doubt the Raiders played there best all-around game of the season. I believe it gave Raider Nation a glimpse of what the team could be capable of, if just a a few things were different. I.E,.the offensive line protects the QB on the regular, the running backs are healthy on a weekly basis, and Jamarcus plays with confidence and consistency (10-11 for 151 yards and a touchdown).

The Raiders are just 3-8, a dismal record by anyones standards. Although the season has been a rough one to watch, some good does come with the win. 1) It makes the season seem a little better than it has. 2) It will hopefully boost moral on the team. 3) It puts the organization a step or two away from the number one pick, therefore lowering the risk of a iffy or overpriced pick. 4) It finally gives us fans a reason to smile when thinking of the Raiders, at least for a week. Its always a good day when the Raiders win, but can we learn anything from a November win that means almost nothing aside from the joy we get from Denvers misery and the already stated reasons? I think we can, because it proved a couple things for the Raiders organization and team as a whole.

First of all, every facet of Al Davis' strategy factored into the win over the Donkeys yesterday. Proving that his wheeling and dealing (even if the returns have diminished greatly over the years), do in fact still work. Johnny Lee Higgins returned a punt for 89 yard touchdown, making it his second time in two weeks that he took one to the house. Proving that drafting really really fast guys can work out in your favor. Darren McFadden and his two touchdowns, showed the promise and talent he has to become a scoring machine. Proving that ignoring your needs in the draft and picking a cant-miss talent sometimes works out in your favor.

Justin Fargas ran for 107 yards on 24 carries, making him the first Raider back to break the 100 yard mark since the week two win over Kansas City. Proving that by drafting Run DMC, it wasn't the beginning of the end for Fargas' reign over the Oakland backfield but maybe the start of a fantastic running-back combo in Oakland. Cornerback Chris Johnson played great as a replacement for the recently jettisoned DeAngelo Hall, providing two pass deflections and great coverage throughout the game. Proving that the DeAngelo release could end in big dividends for the Nation apart from monetary gains. Lastly, Ashley Lelie was the biggest stud of the game nabbing four balls for 92 yards and a touchdown. Proving that even the most disenchanted player can make big contributions, it also doesn't hurt when playing the team that discarded said player.

In summation, the Raiders really shouldn't be a 3-8 team. They have the talent and ability to regain there form as one of the best teams in the AFC and the NFL. For that to happen, the organization needs to bring the players consistency, strong leadership, and a new GM. With the probability of those things actually happening in the foreseeable future being quite bleak, the Raider Nation must enjoy the wins when they do occur. Sure the losses make us wonder where that commitment to excellence has gone, but remember its games like this that made us Raider fans in the first place.

Redskins sign Hall

The NFL Network is reporting the Washington Redskins have reached agreement on a one-year contract with cornerback DeAngelo Hall.

In under a week, Hall has gone from a celler dweller of the AFC West to a contender in the NFC East. According to ProFootballTalk.com the contract is said to be the same prorated $1 million salary he would have received if he had stayed in Oakland. It also contains a commitment that the Redskins won’t use the franchise tag on Hall in 2009.

The Skins should welcome Hall with open arms as Shawn Springs has struggled with injuries this season, and has managed to only play in four games. The Redskins have a bye this week and will host the Cowboys on Nov. 16.

Other NFL news:

• Brady Quinn looked spectacular in his debut, throwing for 239 yards and 2 touchdowns. However his effort wasn't enough as Cutler tore apart the Cleveland secondary by throwing for 447 yards and 3 touchdowns. Cutler did most of his damage in the fourth quarter, which included a 92 yard TD pass to Eddie Royal and a 11 yard TD pass to Brandon Marshall with 1:14 remaining. The Broncos won the shoot-out 34-30.
  


• Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, the Cardinals’ first-round draft pick out of Tennessee State, is slated to start this weekends game at corner. Rodgers-Cromartie has started three games this season when the Cardinals used their nickel package to start the game, but now Rodgers-Cromartie will be a fixture in the base defense.
  


• Steelers running back Willie Parker, who returned to action on Monday night after missing several games with a knee injury, won’t play on Sunday against the Colts, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The injury is to his should which Parker sustained in the game against Washington.

Link Scrap

One of the many poor souls who had their cars recklessly flipped after the World Series started a blog. He is trying to recoup his losses from the city of Philadelphia and the Phillies. You can help his cause by visiting his blog and donating.

The Oakland Raiders cut their losses by releasing two-time Pro Bowler DeAngelo Hall, meaning Hall made $8 million for eight games.

Knoxville CBS affiliate WVLT catches up with Johnny Majors to ask him his thoughts on the ousting of his successor.

San Diego Charger left-tackle Marcus McNeill sing some Jonas Brothers. Finally giving Charger fans someone to blame for their terrible record other than Norv Turner and the decline of LT.

Woman collapses and dies at Blackhawks game, just as her mother did 22 years ago

NFL Mock Draft:picks 1-5

What is a football fan to do when both teams that he/she follows with fervent passion can't seem to show up to play on Saturday and Sunday? I am currently dealing with this dismal condition of the Vols in the atypical toilet and the Raiders in an extensive state of horrendousness. The Raiders are on the verge of letting go of Tom Cable at the end of the season, eventually leading them to 3 coaches in one year. Just one more coach than current wins. While the Vols and Philip Fulmer will go their separate ways at the end of the season. With that I figured it would be a perfect time to do a mock draft, so I can better avoid the depressing condition of my football teams and pay attention to who is drafting who.

The teams are drafting in the order of their current record after week 9.

1. Detroit Lions (0-8): After going 0-16 do they start the rebuilding from the inside out and draft a lineman or do they start be getting a franchise quarterback? Due to their recent failures in the draft, I don't see them taking any risks. So with the first pick in the 2009 draft the Detroit Lions select Michael Oher, offensive tackle from Ole Miss. The 6'6 tackle will upgrade their poor offensive line with his supreme talent. Oher has all the tools to be a pro bowl tackle for years to come.

2. Cincinnati Bengals (1-8): The Bengals have been hurting without Carson Palmer, so they do the obvious and draft someone to keep him from being injured. Andre Smith, offensive tackle from Alabama. The 6' 4" 330 pound tackle, slides his thick legs very well and plays with great balance and power. The Bengals will probably move him to tackle though.

3. Kansas City Chiefs (1-7): The Chiefs need a QB bad, Croyle and Thigpen are not the answer. So with their pick the Kansas City Chiefs make Matt Stafford, quarterback from UGA the third overall selection. The Chiefs would finally have a QB to build around. If the strong armed Stafford comes out early he will likely be the first QB taken.

4. Oakland Raiders (2-6): Jamarcus Russell needs someone to throw to, and the obvious choice here would be man crush of the moment Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech. But Al Davis loves combine all-stars, and Maryland's Darrius Heyward-Bey will be this years stud of the NFL combine. Heyward-Bey will put on a show and Al Davis will not be able to pass him up, making him the next Raider and the next mistake Al Davis makes.

5. St. Louis Rams (2-6): The Rams need help on the offensive line, Bulger needs more time to find his receivers and Steven Jackson needs some holes to run through. Eugene Monroe, an offensive tackle from UVA, can supply both. They could also go DB here and pick up Ohio State's Malcom Jenkins, but good lineman are much harder to find than a suitable corner.

Picks 6-10 to come shortly

The number of the day is:

144.4, that number was Drew Brees' impressive passer rating for yesterdays game against the Raiders. Brees completely picked apart the Raider defense, throwing 26-30 for 320 yards and three touchdowns. Of his four incompletions, two were throwaways. He also kept everyone involved, completing passes to nine different players. Brees succeeded in ruining Tom Cables first game as head coach of the Oakland Raiders by leading the Saints to a 34-3 win.

Happy Festivus from the Raiders!!?!?!

I made this picture in honor of Al Davis. I think it shows how he has been the center of the NFL this week and for much of the NFL's existence.

Now for those of you who haven't been paying attention, I will list what you have missed so far in this season of Festivus:

• Feats of Strength: John Herrera challenges Tim Kawakami to a fight. Tim, much like George backs down. John is declared the winner.
• The airing of grievances: Lane Kiffin and Rob Ryan kicked it off after the Bronco game, but two days ago Al Davis fought back. He came out with all of his grievances and had proof to back him up. Davis is clearly the winner.
• Festivus Miracles: Al Davis admitted he had made some mistakes. Whats the first step towards recovery? Admitting you have a problem, his is hiring the wrong men to run his team. Lane Kiffin turned out to be the much like Jerrys date. He looked good at points, but under the right light he was as ugly as ever. He turned out to be a two-faced manipulator and the person handing the reporters all of their inside information.
• The pole: Costanzas pole was an actual metal pole, the Raiders is Sebastian Janikowski. Kiffin trotted Janikowski out for a 76 yard field goal. Seriously he deserved to get fired for that alone. Let me clarify,it was not as good as a punt. Yes it worked out to be like a punt. But considering they have the most consistent punter in the NFL in Shane Lechler and the Chargers have one of the most dangerous kick returners, it was one of the most perplexing things I have ever seen. That includes the season of Shell. Kiffin loses yet again, and shows why he deserved to get canned this holiday season.
  

The biggest plus-side to this holiday season is a capable assistant will now be leading the Raiders. Tom Cable grew up a fan of the silver and black. He understands Al's place in history and how much he has meant to the game of football. He understands being a Raider is something special. He understands that Al Davis is the Raiders. All traits that Lane Kiffin never possessed. He has the ability to bring back "pride and poise" to the Raiders. He has his goal and the strength to see it through. I doubt the offensive scheme will change much, but the play-calling will. He also has an idea about what it takes to win, and is committed to seeing this team return to the past greatness. This is good for the team, and provided that he doesn't let the O-Line slip any because of his promotion, this should be good. Time will tell if Al Davis has picked the right man to run the ship.

Lane Kiffin Fired

The Oakland Raiders issued the following press release Tuesday:

Lane Kiffin has been released as head coach of The Oakland Raiders for cause. The Raiders will address the media a 2 p.m. pacific this afternoon at the team’s permanent facility in Alameda.

According to Adam Schefter of NFLN, offensive line coach Tom Cable will take over the reins. Cable, 43, is responsible for reenergizing the running game by institutiing the zone blocking scheme. He previously served as offensive line coach in Atlanta, head coach at Idaho from 2000 through 2003, and offensive coordinator at UCLA from 2004 to 2005. I will have more after the press conference.

Al Davis press conference confirmed

According to Profootballtalk, Al Davis will meet with the media at 5:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, most are expecting him to announce the firing of Lane Kiffin.

But Adam Schefter of NFL Network threw out another possibility: Maybe Davis will use the press conference to criticize the media for “rumor mongering.”

Schefter reports that some Raiders employees believe that Davis won’t fire Kiffin today, or any time soon, and that instead, Davis will use his public forum to reprimand the media. Schefter adds that a smaller number of Raiders employees think Kiffin will be fired and Paul Hackett will be named head coach.

With the possibilites of a strong lecture from Al Davis on rumor mongering. I figured we would find the perfect song to go along with his lecture for tonight, maybe he could play it as he walks out of the room.

It was either that or Stereophonics' "thousand trees". Keep tuned for the outcome of the Al Davis press conference.

Circus in Oakland; still open for business

ESPN’s John Clayton is reporting owner Al Davis has begun the process of naming a successor to coach Lane Kiffin and will speak to line coach Tom Cable, offensive coordinator Greg Knapp and advance scout Paul Hackett Monday night. Davis has already had interviews in past years regarding the position with James Lofton and Rob Ryan. There is no confirmation that Kiffin has been fired.

I don't really know what to think of all this, as Kiffin was said to be fired weeks ago. So lets go over a couple of scenarios:

• Davis wants to give the head coaching gig to the best coach, so he doesn't have to do this again in the off-season.
• He just wanted to meet with the coaching staff, to get more insight on the team.
• He was lonely and wanted to have dinner with someone, so he invited three people in case one or more turned him down.
• Maybe it was just time for their job evaluations: Al Davis- "Could you go through your typical day here at Alameda?" Tom Cable- Well, I generally come in at least fifteen minutes late, ah, I use the side door--that way Kiffin can't see me, heh--after that I sorta space out for an hour. I just stare at my desk, but it looks like I'm working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch too, I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.

I will keep you updated as information comes down the pipe. But one question for you before I go. Who do you think would win in a fight, Al Davis or John Clayton? I'm taking Al.

Sean Linehan Fired

The Rams Sean Linehan is the first to get the axe. The expected replacement is former Saints coach Jim Haslett. He probably should have been fired after a horrendous 3-13 season in 2007. He was saved in part by an unsettled ownership situation and the belief that injuries contributed to the poor record. This year, the injuries weren’t there. But their losing ways continued, mostly in blowout fashion. The Rams fell to 0-4 on Sunday, squandering a lead over the Bills before losing by 17 points.

Other news: No news yet on Lane Kiffin, but Al Davis is slated to have a press conference soon. The press conference will focus on the situation with defensive backs coach Randy Hanson, who was quietly suspended for a game after making critical comments in the wake of the team’s Week One 27-point loss to Denver. I expect a myriad of questions regarding Lane Kiffins future with the team from the press. Maybe we will finally get some insight on the future of Lane.

The Raiders have squandered two back-to-back games, one against the 4-0 Bills and yesterdays game against the Chargers. In both games the Raiders dominated the opposing team in the first three quarters but could not manage to put either team away. Allowing both teams to have monster fourth quarters and eventually losing. In my opinion the blame cannot be placed squarely on Kiffin, injuries on the defensive side of the ball have given the defense little opportunity for rest. The defense has played well in the beginning of games when they are fresh, and in the 4th quarter seem to break down or wilt. Yesterday that was definitely the case as they held LT to 36 yards in the first three quarters, but had him run all over them in the 4th. If they can find a way to play 4 quarters this team can be dangerous. LT was also the first running back to gain 100+ yards on the Raiders this season.

The team is much more watchable and I believe is on the verge of breaking thru. Hopefully Al will realize the teams improvement and give Lane until the end of the season. More on the Raiders coming soon.