It's not really odd when former players are asked for their opinions when it comes to their old team, but when a former player (who is also a current analyst) offers it up himself and is turned down, it's news. It's especially news if the team that turned it down was the Raiders. Via USA Today....

Rich Gannon, the 2002 league MVP for the Oakland Raiders, is offering his help to his former team.

Gannon said on Sirius NFL Radio on Wednesday that he called Raiders owner Al Davis the previous day to offer whatever help he can to the organization.

"I did something yesterday that I can't believe even I did," Gannon said. "I picked up the phone and I reached out to Al Davis. So I called Mr. Davis, I have not spoken with him yet, but I'm happy to help out in any way I can. I'd love to help JaMarcus Russell (FSY) if he wants help. I'd love to help Tom Cable and that organization. It's important. Listen, seven straight seasons where they've lost 11 or more games? Something's not right."

Raiders senior executive John Herrera said Davis would not be accepting the offer and questioned why Gannon made it public.

"Maybe it's Rich that needs the help," Herrera said.

Ah yes. It's items like this that make it easier to be a Redskins fan. I mean they haven't had a winning season since Rich Gannon left, so you think someone may want to listen to him. But that would be too easy, wouldn't it?

Ex-MVP Rich Gannon offers aid to Raiders; team says he needs 'help' (USA Today)

At one point in time, The Oakland Raiders were an awfully good Football team. Current CBS analyst Rich Gannon was the team's quarterback then, and they even made it to a Super Bowl. I know it's hard to believe. Well, fast forward to today. The Raiders are dreadful, and Rich Gannon hasn't held back his feelings when it comes to his former team. Which is why....they've banned him. Via the San Francisco Gate....

"Rich Gannon is not welcome here," Raiders executive John Herrera said Friday when asked about the ban. "We told CBS we did not want him in our building, we did not want him to be part of our production meeting, and that's where it sits."

The Raiders also asked CBS to remove Gannon from Sunday's broadcast crew but the network declined. The team had previously asked CBS to remove Gannon from working their Nov. 30 game against the Chiefs last season to no avail.

"He's attacked us on a regular basis since becoming a member of the media," Herrera said. "After affording him the opportunity to establish a career here, he has since gone on to attack us in a way that's totally unacceptable."

Herrera quoted Gannon as saying in several interviews they should just "blow up the building and start over" in Oakland. Team officials took that as literally as they did figuratively, and told Gannon as much before last season's home game against the Chiefs.

"We think in a post 9/11 world, that's not a very proper thing to say," Herrera said. "It's uncalled for. He seems to be a guy who can't get over the fact that he played the worst Super Bowl game in the history of the game and he wants to blame everybody but himself.

"I guess it's our fault he threw five interceptions."

Good lord this team is petty. How team's think they can operate like this, and succeed, is completely beyond me. Kudos for Gannon to speak the truth, and that he's not letting this nonsense affect his work.

Gannon not welcome in Alameda (SF Gate)

It's not unusual for reporters at any level to get into tiffs with certain teams, but it's rare that it happens with the same team multiple times in a season. The Raiders gotten into it with Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News, and ESPN a few times, during the 2008 season, but their latest feud with Chris Mortensen is getting really interesting.

Recently, Mort reported that the the Oakland Raiders were negotiating with a controversial investor, and the Raiders issued a statement that the story was completely false. Mortensen then decided to naturally do what any good reporter would do. He said that taking to him is a "privilege" and that the Raiders have lost said "privilege". Via the Associated Press....

"The Raiders have lost the privilege with me of running stories past them for comment," the e-mail [from Mortensen] stated. "This stems from their history of denials to most stories I have reported -- as well as others in the media -- when those stories have eventually proven to be true. The latest example is I reported that Al Davis planned to interview Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride and, of course, the story was trashed by a team spokesman."

Mortensen has since clarified that privilege was the wrong word to use, but also added that the team, "repeatedly diminished and discouraged efforts to reach out for an official comment based on the repeated denials of prior stories."

While I also agree that the word privilege was the wrong word to use, his statement about the team is certainly true. Certain teams will never regain prominence, or attain it for the first time, until their Owners are ousted. Al Davis is unfortunately one of those at the top of the list.

Raiders talk with Gilbride about coaching opening (AP)

I love when graphics go bad, which is why this screenshot sent in from RG makes me laugh so much. As the Raiders and Jamarcus Russell, were picking apart the Texans, CBS put up a graphic for the QB which contained a very interesting photo. Take a look....


I poke fun, but Jamarcus Janikowski would be a badass name, and they're basically the same build so it's understandable how CBS would mix them up. Wait, no it's not.

I mentioned the other day that the NFL is showing tonight's Thursday Night Football game in fabulous 3-D at a few movie theaters around the Country. More specifically at establishments in Los Angeles, New York and Boston. Well today, Pro Football Talk is saying that sources within the Raiders' organization are a little bit perturbed that the NFL didn't give the team the opportunity to promote a Bay Area screening....

The selected locales made sense; the company that created the technology is located in L.A., the league office is located in New York, and the game is being played in San Diego.

As we hear it, however, the Raiders felt a bit left out, since a screening of the game in the Bay Area would have been a great way for the organization to engender goodwill with current local sponsors, potential local sponsors, and folks who plunk down big money each year for luxury suites at home games.

Actually, it would have made even more sense for the 3D version of the game to be shown in Oakland instead of San Diego, since the actual version of the game will be played in San Diego, and the folks whom the Chargers could be schmoozing at the theater will be at, you know, the football stadium.

If you delve even deeper into the most recent AP story on the subject, they note that a handful of other owners will attend the screenings. Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf, New York Giants co-owner John Mara, New York Jets owner Woody Johnson and Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, will be in NYC. Robert Kraft will be in Boston for the game tonight.

While I, like many, am not a fan of the Raiders organization, I have to agree with them on this one. Not only is it unfair to have other owners at the events, and not anyone from the teams involved, I think the NFL is missing a great opportunity to promote one of the league's lesser teams at the moment.

With the Raiders alienating their fans on almost a daily basis, this would have been the perfect time to hype a floundering team that currently sits at 3-9. Oh well.

Raiders Fume About 3-D Diss (PFT)
The NFL To Experiment With 3-D Technology During NFL Network's Thursday Night Football Game (Awful Announcing)

One of the things I always looking forward to when new ex-players and coaches become a member of the media, is whether they give easy/cupcake answers to questions, or if they actually give honest and sometimes difficult responses. Most people won't say anything about former teams and teammates, but with Warren Sapp we knew it was just a matter of time, and Lane Kiffin's firing gave him the perfect opportunity.

Sapp just laid into the Raiders' entire organization this past Wednesday on Inside the NFL, and the comments were so strong that ESPN even picked up the story....

"[Davis] is the common equation," Sapp said on "Inside the NFL." "You take him out, put him at home watching film or whatever he is doing -- you have a functioning football organization. But once he comes over the top, he goes and starts moving it around.

"Al Davis knows football -- it's just '60s and '70s football. That's what it is. He's thinking that Cliff Branch is outside and [Jim] Plunkett is dropping back and you can throw it 80 yards down the field -- deep ball, deep ball, deep ball."

Sapp even said that Davis would call in plays when Sapp was playing for the Raiders.

"I remember the first two weeks I was there, we played a preseason game. Somebody came up one time and said, 'We're going deep right here, dog.' I said, how do you know? He said, 'The phone just rang.'

"All the preparation that goes into a week of work is there, the practicing that you have to put in order to do these things, sometimes [Al Davis] messed with that part of it and that's what kills you," Sapp said on "Inside the NFL."

I thought I had the video, but for some reason it didn't save (I'll keep trying to look for it though). Either way, you get the idea. It was a pretty eye-opening segment and a refreshing change from the usual run-of-the-mill responses you get from ex-players. Warren Sapp still has some work to do on the show, but as long as he keeps up this level of honesty, I think more and more people will start to tune in.

Update: And here's your video....

Sapp says Kiffin treated unfairly, blames Davis for Raiders' mess (ESPN)

I guess if we're talking crazy it's good that it's from one crazy person to another. John Madden was on Adam Schein's, Sirius radio show, and the former Raiders' Coach had this to say about his former employer. Via PFT....

“People say, ‘Why did he have that press conference and why did he go through everything?’ I think that he just heard so many things that he wanted to just straighten them out. And it was one of things, he was going to be damned if he did and damned if he didn’t. If he didn’t have a press conference they were going to say, ‘Why didn’t you come out? Why didn’t you talk to the media? Why didn’t you show yourself?’ And then if he does [have a press conference], ‘Why do you have to air all of your laundry in public?’ In that situation there was probably no right way to do it and if you want to criticize him and the Raiders, then either way that he chose he’s going to be criticized anyway.”

As to the press conference, Madden had two observations. “One, he was making a coaching change and that announcement and that was one part of it,” Madden said. “And then I think all the things that he’s been living with the last maybe six months and hearing and not reacting to, he reacted to. That’s what I think. So I think it was a double agenda. One, a coaching change and, one, let’s get some things straight that have been said the last six months that I’ve been completely quiet about.”

Finally, Madden addressed whether the situation in Oakland can be repaired. “I think it is fixable,” Madden said. “Anytime you have an organization and an owner that wants to win as badly as Al Davis wants to win, and will spend the money to win, I don’t think you have as many barriers as you think. Those are easy. The ones that would be tough is where you didn’t have any good players and you had an owner or an organization that didn’t want to spend any money to get good players.”

Do you think that the Raiders may have had a mind erasing machine back in the day? I know Madden loves Al Davis, and that he owes his career to him, but that was a pretty egregious step around there. Oh and no....the Raiders situation is not fixable. Sorry Raider fans....just jump ship now.

John Madden On Al Davis (Pro Football Talk)

There were a lot of crazy and inane things about Al Davis' press conference after his firing of Lane Kiffin, but none moreso than his rant on the Raiders beat writers and their relationship with one Christopher Mortensen. Davis went on a bit of a tirade about how quickly the ESPN reporter got access to the firing, and here's the hilarious, yet very very awkward, video....

I don't even know where to begin with this. I've obviously been very critical of Mortensen in the past, but I think the clip above finally proves that he actually tries to be accurate at his job from time to time (I kid, I kid). I think that video just really solidifies how crazy the Raiders organization is. A beat reporter actually does his job, and then a national reporter actually does his job....and they're the ones doing things wrong. So very dysfunctional.

I'm sure Raiders fans don't even care about this media war bullshit. All the want is a team that won't lose and make them look like idiots when they break out the silver spray paint and the "Road Warriors" outfits.

I've seen some crazy coaching moves over my years, but this one takes the cake. Shutdown Corner wrote yesterday about how the Raiders called timeout with one second left in the first half to attempt a 76-yard?!?! field goal and we now have the video evidence. Lane Kiffin actually had timeouts left in the first half of yesterday's game against the Chargers. With :20 seconds left in the stanza, Jamarcus Russell hit Michael Bush over the middle to get to the Oakland 42. Much to Jim Nantz and Phil Simms surprise, Kiffin decides against a spike, or calling a timeout right away, just to then decide to use a timeout with :01 left so Janikowski could attempt this ridiculous kick....

"The wind is in his face."- Phil Simms
"Unimaginable."- Jim Nantz

I still can't stop laughing. After adding seven yards for the snap, the ball was spotted just shy of Oakland's 35-yard line! That's further than an f'ing kickoff!!! Either Lane Kiffin absolutely had no idea where they were on the field, or he was just completely trying to piss off Al Davis. Either way, the result was awesome. Janikowski didn't even get it to the goalline and with Cromartie back there, that just heightened the idiocy of the decision. Unbelievable.

When Norv Turner is out-coaching you on the other sideline.....it's time to just quit.

So the background on this is still a bit convoluted, but apparently Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News asked Lane Kiffin a question during a press conference about an article that was distributed to the media by Raiders' brass, one that was critical of the Coach. A little tiff ensued, but in the end the Coach still has a job....

So, for the time being, we're all stuck with each other, until the moment Davis pulls the trigger on the longest-rumored firing in the history of history.

That's fine and dandy — Herrera angrily confronted me right after Kiffin's news conference Monday, as Kiffin merrily strode by, but I'll take that sort of thing as long as it illustrates the larger issue.

Namely: the Raiders' burbling lunacy, which doesn't always manifest itself so vividly in public.

Also, Kiffin accepted the general point of my Herrera-enraging question — a question that referenced at least one attempt by at least one Raiders official to goose the argument in an anti-Kiffin direction.

Herrera didn't like that question and said my assumption that a senior executive printed out and distributed an article critical of Kiffin was a lie. It wasn't, by the way. Much frenzy accompanied our not-so-brilliant discussion.

Man, that is seriously confusing. Oh well....let's just watch a grown man yell at a reporter while people just stand around ignoring the situation! Via the Mercury-News....



Good times!

Another crazy day in Raiders Nation (Mercury News)
Herrera-Kawakami Nearly Rumble (PFT)

So I decided to go with the 2008 Raiderettes for the second half photo mainly because they're just about the only good thing this team is going for it at the moment. I guess it isn't over yet, but...what am I saying? It's over. If you bail on the live-blog, I don't blame you and a special thanks to those staying with me for the long haul. We'll have some fun this half.

I liked how espn's ticker was still saying Brady out for the season is "breaking news" yeah, like 8 hours ago it was breaking news. (Via Lammy)

I cracked up when they head a Brady "Breaking News" fantasy update. And now Ditka is smacking his gums on mic. Dear god.

"He asked me if I HAVE any answers."- Suzy Kolber on Lane Kiffin

Now that's funny. McFadden for a first down. A swing pass to Griffin and that's another first. Don't look now! The Raiders are looking good to start the half. Turnover in 3,2,1....

"You got to sue the offensive line for non-support"- Mike Ditka (Via K Bell)

Or another awesome comment from Ditka. 3rd down and long and the Mikes all say they should go for it on 4th down. Incomplete and the Raiders punt.

12:10- Michael Pittman is now getting the bulk of the carries and Mike Shanahan ruins yet another owner's fantasy team. Cutler to Eddie Royal again and he's wide open just about every play now.

"He's not going to stay with a guy that fast."- Mike Golic
"He looked like a traffic cop there."- Mike Ditka

Hahahaha what? In the meantime....

Cutler to Darrell Jackson....48 yards....Touchdown. 24-0

"Great play calling, I can't tell you anything else. Very hard."- Mike Ditka

Okay...I give up.

Dave, Dave & Dave >>> Mike, Mike & Mike (Via Anon)

Very much so. I'm giving up on the time stamps because I'm just too lazy at this point. Russell fumbles but recovers and somehow the Raiders still manage to get a personal foul penalty. I think it's safe to say that the Raiders' offense is much worse than the Skins. I'm not proud of that, but it's the little things, you know?

Ditka has to be drunk at this point right? I guess I would be too if I was calling this game.

"You try to say the glass is half full, but it's fallen off the counter and shattered."- Mike Golic

Clever. 6:30 left in the third.

" . . . have him deliver your wife a baby" was the comment coming back from the ad break around 12:18 ET with the video showing a scary guy with prongs on his shoulders and crazy face paint. Think it was Golic, but I'm not sure. Funny when they come back early from the break. The production on this late MNF game always is shoddy. (Via Hopped Up)

Damn I missed it. Ditka with more "Oh Boy"s during an eight yard Cutler run and this one is just a laugher on all ends at this point.

"It's not over but she's sure looking up her lungs."- Mike Ditka

What in the hell?

Broncos get a Field Goal somewhere along the way and it's now 27-0.

Nice shot of the Crypt Keeper hanging out in his luxury box. Now the conversation turns to the Raiders drafting abilities and while it's a boring discussion...anything is better than Favre talk at this point. Yes, even from this crew.

That's the end of the third....finally. One more to go....27-0 Denver.

"Can't make chicken salad out of chicken noodle" - Mike Ditka (Via JFein)

"That's a great run right there. That's a great two yard run. That's (amazingly bad stutter) a great run because there was nowhere to run."- Mike Ditka (Via NHZ)

I don't even think he got two yards on that play either. Jamarcus Russell puts a few throws together and don't look now....the Raiders are in the redzone! 4th down....

WHOOOOOOOOO! Touchdown Raiders!!! Russell to Lelie....27-7 Broncos and Mike Ditka starts humming some random song.

Who gave the Stooges the idea that psycho-analyzing every play makes for good television PBP? When Oakland makes a 4 yard completion with 2nd and Goal, you don't say "that's actually a good pass right there." Just say nothing. Talk about anything other than a meaningless 4 yard completion. (Via Kleinias)

Three "agains" from Golic is less than sixty seconds. The guy is priceless. (Via Anon)

"The kid Chris Johnson was drafted in the fourth round."- Mike Ditka

Or 24th overall and in the first round, but whatever. Right coach?

Touchdown Selvin Young and the Broncos.....34-7.

Stop sucking at your teeth Mike Ditka! I'm going to throw up all over these computer screen if you keep it up.

Make that 41-7 after another turnover on downs and a Pittman one-yard run. I think Mike Shanahan might be running up the score a tad.

What the hell is Ditka talking about with this pathetic broken record of "you never see it coming" when it comes to blow outs? (Via Anon)

I have no idea and I don't think anyone else does either. Russell again with an overthrow of a deep ball to a wide open receiver. Now this trio is talking about Brett Favre....kill me. 4 minutes to go. Fargas breaks one and he's just about the only Raider who's still trying.

2 Minute Warning....Thank God. Touchdown Raiders as Ronald Curry grabs one and Ditka proceeds to freak out.

"Touchdown Raiders!!!!!!! Raider Nation goes wild."- Mike Ditka

47-14 with 1:34 left. Broncos get the kickoff and start taking some knees. That'll do it for this travesty of a game and a trainwreck of an announcing team. If anything it was so bad that it was actually entertaining. So we have that going for us....which is nice.

47-14 Broncos is your final score and thank you very much for staying with me through this whole thing. See everyone tomorrow with reactions and videos.

As we gear up for the annual NFL draft, everyone's watching Oakland, where the Raiders have the first pick. Will Al and Lane address their horrific QB situation by taking JaMarcus Russel of LSU or Brady Quinn of Notre Dame? Or will they give up on Randy Moss and take Calvin Johnson with the top pick? Of course, they could always trade down and fill multiple holes instead.

In this situation, perhaps Lane Kiffin will ask himself WWDSD? What Would Dan Shanoff Do? We know what Dan Shanoff would do - he picked Georgia Tech's Johnson in the AA Sports Bloggers' Draft. After the jump, we'll find out what the Bay Area newspapers are saying about the Raiders and their upcoming day in the spotlight.



Carl Steward of the Oakland Tribune thinks the Raiders should draft Johnson or trade down because neither Quinn or Russell is worth a 29M gamble. Quote: When you're putting $29 million on the come line — and that's essentially what the Oakland Raiders will be doing if they wind up using the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft on Saturday — you want the best possible odds for success.

Dave Del Grande disagrees. He thinks the Raiders are playing head games, and really want JaMarcus Russell. Quote: Meet with Russell, reach a contractual agreement and announce to the world he's their man. Convince the LSU quarterback and Raiders fans there was never any doubt what they were going to do with the pick, and give Moss a reason to be excited about playing in Oakland again. He also tells the Lions what to do with the second pick. Look out Matt Millen, he’s making a lot of sense.

Rookie coach Lane Kiffin is looking for leadership This article is written in "wire story" fashion, but the intent is clear. The first clip mentions that Kiffin wants more natural leaders on the team, the second clip points out that Randy Moss has not showed up for mandatory minicamps. The implication (in my eyes) is that he could be part of a trade that would help the Raiders fill some holes, allowing them to take Calvin Johnson. by Steve Corkran of Medianews

*************************************************

Other Bay Area writers look into the Raiders' star-crossed recent history with QBs:

San Francisco Chronicle writer Nancy Gay suggests that Aaron Brooks not let the door hit him in the ass on the way out: Bottom line: Brooks never won a single game in a Raiders uniform.

Monte Poole wishes the Raiders had at least offered Marques Tuiasosopo some lube during his five-year screwing. (F)ive years? That's how long it took before Tui could escape imprisonment for an assortment of "crimes," including 1) being a "Gruden guy," 2) not being Kerry Collins, 3) not being outstanding in his two chances and, 4) not being a favorite of The Boss, Al Davis.

And, before we get too excited about the first pick of the Silver & Black, remember that Lane Kiffin has the deck stacked against him in every way possible, says Ray Ratto. Put another way, if he wins five games in 2007 with the burdens placed before him, he should be the NFL coach of the year. If he gets a winning record within three years, he should be the highest paid coach in the game. If he gets to a conference title before 2009, he can change his name to Wile E. Coyote, Super Genius.

Finally, the San Jose Mercury-News obviously felt caught in the middle, so they just polled the fans: JaMarcus wins in a landslide.

Thanks for reading! I'm your Press Buffet correspondent, Extra P.