I haven't been to Carson but nearby Long Beach lacks charm and its on the wrong wind side from Orange Free Smog County. Oakland may be gritty but its got more going for it than LA.
Teams Las Vegas Raiders - The Black Hole
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ESPN released Power Rankings of the NFL’s best uniforms Thursday, and the Silver and Black nearly topped the list, checking in at No. 2.
No surprise there.
Since 1963 when Mr. Davis bought the team, the Raiders have become synonymous with the Silver and Black, not straying from the color scheme in over 40 years.
While other teams have tweaked their game day apparel, the Raiders have remained consistent, not adding alternative jerseys or making subtle changes to their look.
Few things in the sports world are timeless, but the Raiders Silver and Black uniforms are.
Here are the Top 10 uniforms according to ESPN:
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
2. Oakland Raiders
It really takes something to choose black for a sports team.
No surprise there.
Since 1963 when Mr. Davis bought the team, the Raiders have become synonymous with the Silver and Black, not straying from the color scheme in over 40 years.
While other teams have tweaked their game day apparel, the Raiders have remained consistent, not adding alternative jerseys or making subtle changes to their look.
Few things in the sports world are timeless, but the Raiders Silver and Black uniforms are.
Here are the Top 10 uniforms according to ESPN:
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
2. Oakland Raiders
It really takes something to choose black for a sports team.
Chewy316
Norm Smith Medallist
- Jul 1, 2014
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- Other Teams
- Lakers, Ducks, Yankees
Los Angeles is not the nicest of cities, but if you're in the right areas it's a great place. As for Oakland, where the current Coliseum stands right now is a very industrial, low socio-economic area. For better or worse terms, the area is terrible.
By moving to Carson, they'd be moving to the second largest market in America. I couldn't give two shits about the quality of the city of LA. All I look at is the increased revenue stream that can come from this, which will allow the Raiders to compete on a level playing field with other teams in the league, as opposed to being stuck in Oakland, a place that has a terrible name for itself and draws players away from playing there.
If/when (when) one or more NFL teams relocate to Los Angeles, the owners will be required to fork over a significant transfer fee.
Per NIck Canepa of U-T San Diego, that amount could be up to $500 million per team.
The league’s relocation policy expressly states that a relocating team “will ordinarily be expected to pay a transfer fee to the League,” aimed at compensating other teams for the loss of the opportunity to move to the new market themselves and/or accounting for the enhanced value of the franchise arising from the move
Per NIck Canepa of U-T San Diego, that amount could be up to $500 million per team.
The league’s relocation policy expressly states that a relocating team “will ordinarily be expected to pay a transfer fee to the League,” aimed at compensating other teams for the loss of the opportunity to move to the new market themselves and/or accounting for the enhanced value of the franchise arising from the move
This would be why they cancelled the idea
The proposed NFL stadium in Carson, Calif., which could be shared by the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers, was originally going to include an eternal flame honoring late Raiders owner Al Davis.
But according to Sports Business Journal, current Raiders owner (and Al's son) Mark Davis agreed to remove the tribute idea as, reported by SBJ, "many in the league ... were not pleased" by the decision.
There is a neighborhood in Carson of roughly 1,500 homes called the Carousel. It has been the subject of controversy and litigation for years. In some homes, oil actually seeped up onto the patio. Barbara Post, president of the Carousel Homeowners Assn., has been quoted in the Daily Breeze as saying, "People are contracting cancer and other debilitating diseases at an alarming rate."
At one corner entry to the Carousel tract, there is a sign with an unusual addition. It says: "Got Benzine? Got Methane? We do, under our houses."
The Los Angeles law firm of Girardi Keese recently won a settlement with original owner Shell Oil, which includes payments for homeowners and a $146-million commitment to a cleanup. There remains ongoing litigation with Dole Food Co., which bought the site from Shell and developed it into homes.
The Carousel tract is about 4.5 miles from the proposed NFL stadium.
The proposed NFL stadium in Carson, Calif., which could be shared by the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers, was originally going to include an eternal flame honoring late Raiders owner Al Davis.
But according to Sports Business Journal, current Raiders owner (and Al's son) Mark Davis agreed to remove the tribute idea as, reported by SBJ, "many in the league ... were not pleased" by the decision.
There is a neighborhood in Carson of roughly 1,500 homes called the Carousel. It has been the subject of controversy and litigation for years. In some homes, oil actually seeped up onto the patio. Barbara Post, president of the Carousel Homeowners Assn., has been quoted in the Daily Breeze as saying, "People are contracting cancer and other debilitating diseases at an alarming rate."
At one corner entry to the Carousel tract, there is a sign with an unusual addition. It says: "Got Benzine? Got Methane? We do, under our houses."
The Los Angeles law firm of Girardi Keese recently won a settlement with original owner Shell Oil, which includes payments for homeowners and a $146-million commitment to a cleanup. There remains ongoing litigation with Dole Food Co., which bought the site from Shell and developed it into homes.
The Carousel tract is about 4.5 miles from the proposed NFL stadium.
- Sep 6, 2005
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- AFL Club
- Fremantle
NFL owners change rules, make it easier for Davis to keep Raiders
By James Arcellana
May 26, 2015 6:56 am PDT
When Al Davis died, there was a lot of talk about how the Oakland Raiders might need to be sold if his son Mark Davis could not afford the estate taxes that would come along with it. What most people missed at that time was the fact that Al’s wife, Carol would take ownership of the team thus negating many of the tax impacts.
Now that Carol is getting older, the same conversation continues to creep up. Will Mark Davis be able to afford the taxes that will come when she passes? Well, not it looks like he may no longer have to.
This is a very big deal for the Davis family and the Oakland Raiders. Though the details have not been revealed, being able to put the team in an irrevocable trust will take it out of the estate tax realm. This is how many families deal with estate taxes. Basically, the owner of property or money takes that property and places it into a trust while they are still alive. The property then belongs to the trust with the person (in this case Carol Davis) remaining in control by being named the trustee of the trust with Mark Davis being named the successor. When Carol passes, Mark becomes the trustee, thus becoming what is basically the owner of the Raiders without needing to pay taxes on them.
=======================
This is huge for Mark Davis. If the tweet above is accurate, this may make it possible for Mark Davis to sell a significant portion of the Raiders franchise, in order to secure the revenue necessary to get a new stadium built in Oakland, as reported by Fox Sports' Peter Schrager:
By James Arcellana
May 26, 2015 6:56 am PDT
When Al Davis died, there was a lot of talk about how the Oakland Raiders might need to be sold if his son Mark Davis could not afford the estate taxes that would come along with it. What most people missed at that time was the fact that Al’s wife, Carol would take ownership of the team thus negating many of the tax impacts.
Now that Carol is getting older, the same conversation continues to creep up. Will Mark Davis be able to afford the taxes that will come when she passes? Well, not it looks like he may no longer have to.
This is a very big deal for the Davis family and the Oakland Raiders. Though the details have not been revealed, being able to put the team in an irrevocable trust will take it out of the estate tax realm. This is how many families deal with estate taxes. Basically, the owner of property or money takes that property and places it into a trust while they are still alive. The property then belongs to the trust with the person (in this case Carol Davis) remaining in control by being named the trustee of the trust with Mark Davis being named the successor. When Carol passes, Mark becomes the trustee, thus becoming what is basically the owner of the Raiders without needing to pay taxes on them.
=======================
This is huge for Mark Davis. If the tweet above is accurate, this may make it possible for Mark Davis to sell a significant portion of the Raiders franchise, in order to secure the revenue necessary to get a new stadium built in Oakland, as reported by Fox Sports' Peter Schrager:
- Sep 6, 2005
- 144,893
- 94,761
- AFL Club
- Fremantle
Amari Cooper better not get used to the refs giving him the spot like he did in Alabama, he's a Raider now.
- Sep 6, 2005
- 144,893
- 94,761
- AFL Club
- Fremantle
Owner Mark Davis Talks Stadium with ESPN
Posted 2 hours ago
Owner Mark Davis talks Raiders stadium progress with ESPN's John Clayton.
Raiders Owner Mark Davis talks Raiders stadium progress with ESPN's John Clayton on Inside the Huddle.
Q: First, for all the Raiders fans who were down there at the hotel at the Owner’s meeting trying to show support… you’re trying to keep the team in Oakland, aren't you?
Davis: “Correct.”
Q: How difficult is it?
Davis: “It’s not an easy task, John. We’ve been working on a stadium in Oakland for the past at least six years, on a very strong basis. We definitely want to keep the Raiders in Oakland, if possible, and have made as much as we can trying with the city, the county and the Oakland A’s and the Raiders, trying to work something out, to figure it out, how we can get it done.”
Q: I thought you were very succinct at the owner’s meeting in trying to spell out the difference. First, you’re trying to get a $900 million stadium, which, in this day and age, is not the most expensive. It’s pretty reasonable. But as you emphasized, there’s about a $400 million gap that has to be filled if this thing is going to work in Oakland.
Davis: “The Raiders, along with the NFL with the G4 money, which is a $200 million loan to the Raiders, would be able to come up with $500 million. We’ve put $500 million on the table and we believe that we could build the stadium in Oakland that would be suitable for the Raiders and our fans for about $900 million. We would need the land and the infrastructure to be taken care of somehow.”
Q: How difficult is it to keep a stadium like that under $1 billion? All these new stadiums seem to be coming in at $1 billion-plus.
Davis: “If we were to be in Oakland, we don’t really need to have all the bells and whistles on the stadium. What we want is a football stadium. We don’t need massive clubs and things of that nature. The three things that are most important to me in a stadium up here would be ingress, egress and parking. The reason I bring those things up is that it makes it easy for people to get in and out and the parking. Tailgating is such a major part of the Raiders game day experience for our fans, that it’s something that I’m not willing to give up. Parking is such an important thing. If we have those things and were able to build a football stadium, similar to Seattle or something of that nature, we’d be more than happy.”
Q: Where would the location be? Would it be around the current complex or would it be in some other part of Oakland?
Davis: “We would like to have it exactly in the same place that it is right now. The reason for that is the current stadium connects to BART, which is the Bay Area Rapid Transit. I’d say 30 percent of our fans utilize that on game day. The train comes right in to the stadium, they get off, they walk the ramp and they’re into the stadium. What we’d like to do is build it right on that same footprint. The reason for that is what we would like to do is immediately, once we’ve got the designs and everything done, demolish the existing stadium, create a very flat footprint and palette, put in all the infrastructure and build a brand new stadium right there, with the parking and everything. One of the challenges we have with that is that we share the stadium with the Oakland A’s. The Oakland A’s have a 10-year lease to remain in the Coliseum. One of the plans that they’re talking about is, is us building the stadium in the corner of a parking lot and then once our new stadium is built, then they would rip down the stadium and build the new one for the A’s and build housing and all of that stuff. That just isn’t a situation that I want to get us into. I would like for, if possible, the Raiders and the A’s to stay on that site and that the Raiders and A’s vacate the Coliseum for the next two or three years. We build a brand new football stadium and a brand new baseball stadium on the site and then we’d come back and begin playing in two brand new stadiums without construction going on around us, in brand new stadiums.”
Q: I think that you had mentioned that June 21 you’re expecting to hear something from the area. Is that the target date to try to at least get something?
Davis: “What the city and county have done is they’ve given an exclusive negotiating agreement to a company run by a guy by the name of Floyd Kephart. They are attempting to come up with that $400 million gap through some type of a real estate development deal. By June 21, they’re supposed to come with a financing plan to the city and the county and then to us. We’ll see if it’s a doable deal or not. We’re hoping that it is.”
Q: I know that would be your hope. There are options and what I didn’t realize at the owner’s meeting, there is a lot of momentum building on the Carson project. A project where you’d be sharing a stadium with the Chargers. How viable can that be?
Davis: “The fact that there are two teams doing this project and the fact that we’ve got 170 acres right now, it gives us the ability to finance the stadium without relying on ancillary development. We don’t have to fill the parking lot or extra acreage with buildings and hotels and things of that nature. We’re able to just build a football stadium, which would have the ingress because of the freeways and where Carson is located. It would have the ingress and egress that I require and, as well, have the parking that would give us the best game day experience possible.”
Q: I’ve learned how close you and Dean Spanos have been, even though you compete in the same division. You guys seem to be really working well together.
Davis: “It’s funny because our fathers were close for a long, long time. My dad helped bring Mr. Spanos into the league, something maybe he regrets these days (laughing), I don’t know. Dean and I have always seen each other but we’ve rarely talked, and I think it was a competitive type thing. He’s a Charger, he's a Raider. We did have a vicious and we still do have a very vicious rivalry going on the football field. But, once Dean and I got together about three or four months ago to talk about this project, we really got along. We have similar business principles and things are working out pretty good in that respect.”
Q: Dean would still love to be able to keep his team in San Diego, just like you’d like to be able to keep your team in Oakland.
Davis: “Exactly. That’s why I call it a parallel path. Up until, I’d say, early last year, even the parallel paths were just in talking stages. Then, when things got to where they’ve gotten in our situation in Oakland, we took it to the next step and started really putting a project together. That’s when Dean and I got together and were serious about doing something and this amazing project that could be great for the NFL, the Raiders and the Chargers and the fans.”
Q: San Jose is not an option, from what you’ve said, and maybe not St. Louis.
Davis: “That’s correct. I believe that the Raider brand is a very unique brand. It’s something that, whatever stadium that we’re able to build, wherever we’re able to put the team, is going to be the last place the Raiders are going to play in my lifetime. I want to make sure that it’s a Raider-type of situation. I just don’t feel that those two venues or geographical areas fit the Raider brand.”
Q: One interesting part of this, too, is that one team would have to leave the conference and get out of the division.
Davis: “That hasn’t been brought up to me yet. That hasn’t even been one of the discussion points. I know it’s been brought up by other people in the media and things of that nature, but that issue hasn’t been brought up. I think that’s something that the League will deal with when the time comes.”
Q: Let’s talk some Raider football. How do you feel about the team right now?
Davis: “Fantastic. We’re undefeated.”
Q: That’s a good start. You’ll be that way for a few months.”
Davis: “We’re un-scored on. I’m really excited. I think over this last offseason we’ve put a lot of stability into the football side of the building. I think Reggie has been doing a great job. He’s had a lot of patience with building the roster and what we called the deconstruction phase for the first two years he was here and now we’re in the reconstruction phase. I think bringing in Jack Del Rio was just a really, really solid move for this organization. The coaching staff that he’s put together is just a great staff. I think all of them have played football at one time or another, so they all understand the game, understand the players and I think the players can relate to them because of that. We’re really excited.”
Posted 2 hours ago
Owner Mark Davis talks Raiders stadium progress with ESPN's John Clayton.
Raiders Owner Mark Davis talks Raiders stadium progress with ESPN's John Clayton on Inside the Huddle.
Q: First, for all the Raiders fans who were down there at the hotel at the Owner’s meeting trying to show support… you’re trying to keep the team in Oakland, aren't you?
Davis: “Correct.”
Q: How difficult is it?
Davis: “It’s not an easy task, John. We’ve been working on a stadium in Oakland for the past at least six years, on a very strong basis. We definitely want to keep the Raiders in Oakland, if possible, and have made as much as we can trying with the city, the county and the Oakland A’s and the Raiders, trying to work something out, to figure it out, how we can get it done.”
Q: I thought you were very succinct at the owner’s meeting in trying to spell out the difference. First, you’re trying to get a $900 million stadium, which, in this day and age, is not the most expensive. It’s pretty reasonable. But as you emphasized, there’s about a $400 million gap that has to be filled if this thing is going to work in Oakland.
Davis: “The Raiders, along with the NFL with the G4 money, which is a $200 million loan to the Raiders, would be able to come up with $500 million. We’ve put $500 million on the table and we believe that we could build the stadium in Oakland that would be suitable for the Raiders and our fans for about $900 million. We would need the land and the infrastructure to be taken care of somehow.”
Q: How difficult is it to keep a stadium like that under $1 billion? All these new stadiums seem to be coming in at $1 billion-plus.
Davis: “If we were to be in Oakland, we don’t really need to have all the bells and whistles on the stadium. What we want is a football stadium. We don’t need massive clubs and things of that nature. The three things that are most important to me in a stadium up here would be ingress, egress and parking. The reason I bring those things up is that it makes it easy for people to get in and out and the parking. Tailgating is such a major part of the Raiders game day experience for our fans, that it’s something that I’m not willing to give up. Parking is such an important thing. If we have those things and were able to build a football stadium, similar to Seattle or something of that nature, we’d be more than happy.”
Q: Where would the location be? Would it be around the current complex or would it be in some other part of Oakland?
Davis: “We would like to have it exactly in the same place that it is right now. The reason for that is the current stadium connects to BART, which is the Bay Area Rapid Transit. I’d say 30 percent of our fans utilize that on game day. The train comes right in to the stadium, they get off, they walk the ramp and they’re into the stadium. What we’d like to do is build it right on that same footprint. The reason for that is what we would like to do is immediately, once we’ve got the designs and everything done, demolish the existing stadium, create a very flat footprint and palette, put in all the infrastructure and build a brand new stadium right there, with the parking and everything. One of the challenges we have with that is that we share the stadium with the Oakland A’s. The Oakland A’s have a 10-year lease to remain in the Coliseum. One of the plans that they’re talking about is, is us building the stadium in the corner of a parking lot and then once our new stadium is built, then they would rip down the stadium and build the new one for the A’s and build housing and all of that stuff. That just isn’t a situation that I want to get us into. I would like for, if possible, the Raiders and the A’s to stay on that site and that the Raiders and A’s vacate the Coliseum for the next two or three years. We build a brand new football stadium and a brand new baseball stadium on the site and then we’d come back and begin playing in two brand new stadiums without construction going on around us, in brand new stadiums.”
Q: I think that you had mentioned that June 21 you’re expecting to hear something from the area. Is that the target date to try to at least get something?
Davis: “What the city and county have done is they’ve given an exclusive negotiating agreement to a company run by a guy by the name of Floyd Kephart. They are attempting to come up with that $400 million gap through some type of a real estate development deal. By June 21, they’re supposed to come with a financing plan to the city and the county and then to us. We’ll see if it’s a doable deal or not. We’re hoping that it is.”
Q: I know that would be your hope. There are options and what I didn’t realize at the owner’s meeting, there is a lot of momentum building on the Carson project. A project where you’d be sharing a stadium with the Chargers. How viable can that be?
Davis: “The fact that there are two teams doing this project and the fact that we’ve got 170 acres right now, it gives us the ability to finance the stadium without relying on ancillary development. We don’t have to fill the parking lot or extra acreage with buildings and hotels and things of that nature. We’re able to just build a football stadium, which would have the ingress because of the freeways and where Carson is located. It would have the ingress and egress that I require and, as well, have the parking that would give us the best game day experience possible.”
Q: I’ve learned how close you and Dean Spanos have been, even though you compete in the same division. You guys seem to be really working well together.
Davis: “It’s funny because our fathers were close for a long, long time. My dad helped bring Mr. Spanos into the league, something maybe he regrets these days (laughing), I don’t know. Dean and I have always seen each other but we’ve rarely talked, and I think it was a competitive type thing. He’s a Charger, he's a Raider. We did have a vicious and we still do have a very vicious rivalry going on the football field. But, once Dean and I got together about three or four months ago to talk about this project, we really got along. We have similar business principles and things are working out pretty good in that respect.”
Q: Dean would still love to be able to keep his team in San Diego, just like you’d like to be able to keep your team in Oakland.
Davis: “Exactly. That’s why I call it a parallel path. Up until, I’d say, early last year, even the parallel paths were just in talking stages. Then, when things got to where they’ve gotten in our situation in Oakland, we took it to the next step and started really putting a project together. That’s when Dean and I got together and were serious about doing something and this amazing project that could be great for the NFL, the Raiders and the Chargers and the fans.”
Q: San Jose is not an option, from what you’ve said, and maybe not St. Louis.
Davis: “That’s correct. I believe that the Raider brand is a very unique brand. It’s something that, whatever stadium that we’re able to build, wherever we’re able to put the team, is going to be the last place the Raiders are going to play in my lifetime. I want to make sure that it’s a Raider-type of situation. I just don’t feel that those two venues or geographical areas fit the Raider brand.”
Q: One interesting part of this, too, is that one team would have to leave the conference and get out of the division.
Davis: “That hasn’t been brought up to me yet. That hasn’t even been one of the discussion points. I know it’s been brought up by other people in the media and things of that nature, but that issue hasn’t been brought up. I think that’s something that the League will deal with when the time comes.”
Q: Let’s talk some Raider football. How do you feel about the team right now?
Davis: “Fantastic. We’re undefeated.”
Q: That’s a good start. You’ll be that way for a few months.”
Davis: “We’re un-scored on. I’m really excited. I think over this last offseason we’ve put a lot of stability into the football side of the building. I think Reggie has been doing a great job. He’s had a lot of patience with building the roster and what we called the deconstruction phase for the first two years he was here and now we’re in the reconstruction phase. I think bringing in Jack Del Rio was just a really, really solid move for this organization. The coaching staff that he’s put together is just a great staff. I think all of them have played football at one time or another, so they all understand the game, understand the players and I think the players can relate to them because of that. We’re really excited.”
- Sep 6, 2005
- 144,893
- 94,761
- AFL Club
- Fremantle
Oakland Raiders Have A Clear Path To An AFC West Title In 2015
by Kevin Saito
8h ago
Chances are, if you’re not part of the Oakland Raiders’ rabid and loyal fan base, you likely think their chances of winning the AFC West title and advancing to the playoffs for the first time since the 2002 season fluctuate between slim and none.
And you wouldn’t be alone in that belief.
Media talking head types, journalists, Vegas sports books, and football fans everywhere have chimed in with their opinion that the Raiders’ chances of posting a winning season and getting to the playoffs in 2015 are about as good as the proverbial snowball in Hell.
But those odds of the Raiders claiming the AFC West title may not be as farfetched as some people continue to believe. Despite what some folks obviously think, and continue to reinforce in the media, there is actually a very clear path the the division crown for the Raiders.
This is not to suggest that it would be simple. Nor is this to suggest that it is absolutely, positively, without a doubt, going to happen. This is simply to suggest that there is a path. And that if the Raiders can play up to their own expectations, and have a few things break right for them, they conceivably could scratch and claw their way to the top of the AFC West dogpile in 2015.
Undoubtedly, there are many out there scoffing at the mere suggestion that after more than a decade of losing, the Raiders could suddenly somehow put it all together and climb out of the AFC West cellar. But look back through the history of the NFL – stranger things have happened.
The idea that Oakland can win the AFC West in 2015 is predicated on two things – the team’s performance, and what is going on with the other teams in division.
When it comes to the team’s performance, the 2015 version of the Raiders is going to look vastly different than any team over the last twelve years. With second year QB Derek Carr under center, a tremendously improved – and highly explosive – receiving corps led by first round draft pick Amari Cooper along veterans Rod Streater and Michael Crabtree, and a tight end group that includes talented pass catcher Mychal Rivera and newcomer Clive Walford – who will add a whole different dimension as well as present nightmare matchups for defenses around the league – the Raiders are going to have a dynamic offense that can and will put some points on the board.
The Raiders’ running game in 2015 will be head and shoulders better than last year’s version – though we realize that’s a pretty low bar to clear. But a running attack — spearheaded by Latavius Murray, a potentially rejuvenated Trent Richardson, and ever versatile and dangerous backs like Roy Helu and Marcel Reece — is going to chew up some yards and prevent defenses from sitting back and teeing off on Carr and the receivers. Simply put, the Raiders are going to have a ground game that will be an asset, will be productive, and will make Oakland’s offense multidimensional – something it was not in 2014.
On the defensive side of the ball, newcomers Curtis Lofton, Malcolm Smith, and Dan Williams, will help correct one of Oakland’s biggest deficiencies last season – shutting down the opposing offense’s ground game. A front seven of Lofton, Smith, Williams, Sio Moore, Khalil Mack, Justin Ellis, and Justin Tuck is a very formidable unit that will be incredibly tough against the run.
The one area of concern obviously, is the defensive secondary. With young corners like D.J. Hayden, Travis Carrie, and Keith McGill expected to step up and prove that they can play the position, Reggie McKenzie and Jack Del Rio are putting a lot of faith – and expectation – on players who still have a lot to learn.
That being said, solid and aggressive play from a front seven as stout as Oakland’s can help take the pressure off of a young secondary. If that defensive front can wreak havoc on the opposing offense, it will make life a lot easier for Oakland’s young corners.
Del Rio and his coaching staff are going to make sure that the Raiders are handling their business. But to win the division title, all roads lead through Denver. Peyton Manning may be a year older, and starting to look his age, but until somebody knocks them off, they are still the kings of the AFC West.
So if the Raiders want to win the division title, they are going to have to beat the division champs.
What about the Chargers and Chiefs you might ask? Neither team has done a whole lot to upgrade themselves this offseason. San Diego has a number of new parts along the offensive line and it’s going to take some time to gel. And of course, they can’t ever hope to replace the heart and soul of that offense, losing center Nick Hardwick to retirement.
They’ve replaced Ryan Matthews with Melvin Gordon, and Eddie Royal with Stevie Johnson. But one of the biggest offensive keys for San Diego, Antonio Gates, is another year older, and is asking – but not asking – to have his number of snaps limited. Which brings us to the engine of the Chargers offense – QB Philip Rivers. At 33 years old, Rivers isn’t getting any younger. Add to that, the back injury he suffered last year, and it can be argued that his best days may be behind him. We certainly won’t know what shape that back is going to be in, or how it will affect him, until he’s in live game situations.
The Chargers, for a long number of years now, have managed to dig themselves big holes early in the season, only to use a furious rally down the stretch to find a way to eke into the playoffs. Or at least get really close. This unit won’t have that ability. Whey they dig themselves a hole early on in the season – and they will – the Bolts won’t be able to rally out of it this year.
Which brings us to the Chiefs. Unless they find a way to get Alex Smith to stop being Alex Smith – the same Alex Smith who did not complete a touchdown pass to a wide receiver in 2014 – Kansas City is already sunk. While they have some terrific pieces on the defensive side of the ball – and will be able to stay alive in some games based on that – they simply do not have an offense built to be successful. Questionable quarterback play and a mess of an offensive line. Jamaal Charles is going to have a miserable 2015 campaign simply because his line will not be able to blow open holes for him.
And not even the addition of Jeremy Maclin is going to be able to save the Kansas City offense. As talented as he is, the Chiefs will not be able to fully exploit his considerable skills – because Alex Smith is their quarterback. Unfortunately for Chiefs fans, Maclin is not going to be able to tip the scales in their favor.
And that leaves us with the Broncos. Peyton Manning turned 39 years old in March. And last season, he really started showing his age. Manning had a very un-Manning like campaign in 2014, especially down the stretch. And after another poor showing in the playoffs, may questioned whether or not Manning would even be back in 2015.
Well, he is back, he is still 39 years old, is not getting any younger, and shouldn’t be expected to look like vintage Manning. However, he has a new head coach in Gary Kubiak, who is going to alleviate a lot of the offensive burden on Manning. Rather than a Manning-led all out aerial assault – like the type former head coach John Fox unleashed upon the league – Kubiak is going a more conservative route, and basing his offensive system around the run.
Broncos receiver Emmanuel Sanders, Manning’s second favorite target last season to the tune of 101 catches for 1,404 yards, recently spoke about the new offensive system, and sounded less than thrilled about it.
“Of course obviously it’s not going to be one of those offenses, well I’m praying that it is, but obviously it’s not going to be one of those offenses where you catch it and you’re going to have two receivers catching over 100 passes… It’s definitely different. You talk about going from a no-huddle offense to an offense that’s huddling up, to an offense that is predicated off running a football and then throwing it. It’s different.”
Which of course, plays right into Oakland’s hands. Not only does Del Rio have an intimate knowledge of the Broncos, the Raiders of course, have loaded up against the run this offseason.
The Broncos still have some weapons, there is no doubt. But the offensive system Kubiak will be running does not exploit those weapons the way Fox’s system did. And key losses like Julius Thomas, Terrance Knighton, Orlando Franklin, Rahim Moore, and the recently injured Ryan Clady – expected to be out for the year with a torn ACL, dealing a bigger blow to both Manning’s protection and the running game – are going to hurt the Broncos in 2015 much more than they’re letting on.
With the way things have set up in the AFC West – and given that the Raiders improved themselves more than any other team in the division this offseason – Oakland has a very clear path to the division crown.
Of course, that path is predicated all upon potential at this point. The Raiders, given their offensive weaponry, have the potential to be a top ten offense in the NFL. And with a mixture of youth and veteran leadership, Oakland has the potential to have a top fifteen defense in the league. But players on both sides of the ball are going to have to step up and perform big.
Naysayers and doubters will undoubtedly scoff at the idea that an AFC West title could be in the cards for the Raiders this season. Most people still have them as being a couple, if not a few, seasons away from relevance.
But with explosive playmakers on both sides of the ball, a roster loaded with talent, and most importantly, a very solid, very experience coaching staff with a reputation for getting the most and best out of their players, the Raiders have a recipe for success in the palm of their hands. Right now.
Better days are indeed ahead for the Silver and Black. They have the talent, and with the expectations of so many, as low as they are, they have nothing to lose. So why couldn’t those better days start now?
The future is now for the Raiders. All they need to do is step up and seize it.
by Kevin Saito
8h ago
Chances are, if you’re not part of the Oakland Raiders’ rabid and loyal fan base, you likely think their chances of winning the AFC West title and advancing to the playoffs for the first time since the 2002 season fluctuate between slim and none.
And you wouldn’t be alone in that belief.
Media talking head types, journalists, Vegas sports books, and football fans everywhere have chimed in with their opinion that the Raiders’ chances of posting a winning season and getting to the playoffs in 2015 are about as good as the proverbial snowball in Hell.
But those odds of the Raiders claiming the AFC West title may not be as farfetched as some people continue to believe. Despite what some folks obviously think, and continue to reinforce in the media, there is actually a very clear path the the division crown for the Raiders.
This is not to suggest that it would be simple. Nor is this to suggest that it is absolutely, positively, without a doubt, going to happen. This is simply to suggest that there is a path. And that if the Raiders can play up to their own expectations, and have a few things break right for them, they conceivably could scratch and claw their way to the top of the AFC West dogpile in 2015.
Undoubtedly, there are many out there scoffing at the mere suggestion that after more than a decade of losing, the Raiders could suddenly somehow put it all together and climb out of the AFC West cellar. But look back through the history of the NFL – stranger things have happened.
The idea that Oakland can win the AFC West in 2015 is predicated on two things – the team’s performance, and what is going on with the other teams in division.
When it comes to the team’s performance, the 2015 version of the Raiders is going to look vastly different than any team over the last twelve years. With second year QB Derek Carr under center, a tremendously improved – and highly explosive – receiving corps led by first round draft pick Amari Cooper along veterans Rod Streater and Michael Crabtree, and a tight end group that includes talented pass catcher Mychal Rivera and newcomer Clive Walford – who will add a whole different dimension as well as present nightmare matchups for defenses around the league – the Raiders are going to have a dynamic offense that can and will put some points on the board.
The Raiders’ running game in 2015 will be head and shoulders better than last year’s version – though we realize that’s a pretty low bar to clear. But a running attack — spearheaded by Latavius Murray, a potentially rejuvenated Trent Richardson, and ever versatile and dangerous backs like Roy Helu and Marcel Reece — is going to chew up some yards and prevent defenses from sitting back and teeing off on Carr and the receivers. Simply put, the Raiders are going to have a ground game that will be an asset, will be productive, and will make Oakland’s offense multidimensional – something it was not in 2014.
On the defensive side of the ball, newcomers Curtis Lofton, Malcolm Smith, and Dan Williams, will help correct one of Oakland’s biggest deficiencies last season – shutting down the opposing offense’s ground game. A front seven of Lofton, Smith, Williams, Sio Moore, Khalil Mack, Justin Ellis, and Justin Tuck is a very formidable unit that will be incredibly tough against the run.
The one area of concern obviously, is the defensive secondary. With young corners like D.J. Hayden, Travis Carrie, and Keith McGill expected to step up and prove that they can play the position, Reggie McKenzie and Jack Del Rio are putting a lot of faith – and expectation – on players who still have a lot to learn.
That being said, solid and aggressive play from a front seven as stout as Oakland’s can help take the pressure off of a young secondary. If that defensive front can wreak havoc on the opposing offense, it will make life a lot easier for Oakland’s young corners.
Del Rio and his coaching staff are going to make sure that the Raiders are handling their business. But to win the division title, all roads lead through Denver. Peyton Manning may be a year older, and starting to look his age, but until somebody knocks them off, they are still the kings of the AFC West.
So if the Raiders want to win the division title, they are going to have to beat the division champs.
What about the Chargers and Chiefs you might ask? Neither team has done a whole lot to upgrade themselves this offseason. San Diego has a number of new parts along the offensive line and it’s going to take some time to gel. And of course, they can’t ever hope to replace the heart and soul of that offense, losing center Nick Hardwick to retirement.
They’ve replaced Ryan Matthews with Melvin Gordon, and Eddie Royal with Stevie Johnson. But one of the biggest offensive keys for San Diego, Antonio Gates, is another year older, and is asking – but not asking – to have his number of snaps limited. Which brings us to the engine of the Chargers offense – QB Philip Rivers. At 33 years old, Rivers isn’t getting any younger. Add to that, the back injury he suffered last year, and it can be argued that his best days may be behind him. We certainly won’t know what shape that back is going to be in, or how it will affect him, until he’s in live game situations.
The Chargers, for a long number of years now, have managed to dig themselves big holes early in the season, only to use a furious rally down the stretch to find a way to eke into the playoffs. Or at least get really close. This unit won’t have that ability. Whey they dig themselves a hole early on in the season – and they will – the Bolts won’t be able to rally out of it this year.
Which brings us to the Chiefs. Unless they find a way to get Alex Smith to stop being Alex Smith – the same Alex Smith who did not complete a touchdown pass to a wide receiver in 2014 – Kansas City is already sunk. While they have some terrific pieces on the defensive side of the ball – and will be able to stay alive in some games based on that – they simply do not have an offense built to be successful. Questionable quarterback play and a mess of an offensive line. Jamaal Charles is going to have a miserable 2015 campaign simply because his line will not be able to blow open holes for him.
And not even the addition of Jeremy Maclin is going to be able to save the Kansas City offense. As talented as he is, the Chiefs will not be able to fully exploit his considerable skills – because Alex Smith is their quarterback. Unfortunately for Chiefs fans, Maclin is not going to be able to tip the scales in their favor.
And that leaves us with the Broncos. Peyton Manning turned 39 years old in March. And last season, he really started showing his age. Manning had a very un-Manning like campaign in 2014, especially down the stretch. And after another poor showing in the playoffs, may questioned whether or not Manning would even be back in 2015.
Well, he is back, he is still 39 years old, is not getting any younger, and shouldn’t be expected to look like vintage Manning. However, he has a new head coach in Gary Kubiak, who is going to alleviate a lot of the offensive burden on Manning. Rather than a Manning-led all out aerial assault – like the type former head coach John Fox unleashed upon the league – Kubiak is going a more conservative route, and basing his offensive system around the run.
Broncos receiver Emmanuel Sanders, Manning’s second favorite target last season to the tune of 101 catches for 1,404 yards, recently spoke about the new offensive system, and sounded less than thrilled about it.
“Of course obviously it’s not going to be one of those offenses, well I’m praying that it is, but obviously it’s not going to be one of those offenses where you catch it and you’re going to have two receivers catching over 100 passes… It’s definitely different. You talk about going from a no-huddle offense to an offense that’s huddling up, to an offense that is predicated off running a football and then throwing it. It’s different.”
Which of course, plays right into Oakland’s hands. Not only does Del Rio have an intimate knowledge of the Broncos, the Raiders of course, have loaded up against the run this offseason.
The Broncos still have some weapons, there is no doubt. But the offensive system Kubiak will be running does not exploit those weapons the way Fox’s system did. And key losses like Julius Thomas, Terrance Knighton, Orlando Franklin, Rahim Moore, and the recently injured Ryan Clady – expected to be out for the year with a torn ACL, dealing a bigger blow to both Manning’s protection and the running game – are going to hurt the Broncos in 2015 much more than they’re letting on.
With the way things have set up in the AFC West – and given that the Raiders improved themselves more than any other team in the division this offseason – Oakland has a very clear path to the division crown.
Of course, that path is predicated all upon potential at this point. The Raiders, given their offensive weaponry, have the potential to be a top ten offense in the NFL. And with a mixture of youth and veteran leadership, Oakland has the potential to have a top fifteen defense in the league. But players on both sides of the ball are going to have to step up and perform big.
Naysayers and doubters will undoubtedly scoff at the idea that an AFC West title could be in the cards for the Raiders this season. Most people still have them as being a couple, if not a few, seasons away from relevance.
But with explosive playmakers on both sides of the ball, a roster loaded with talent, and most importantly, a very solid, very experience coaching staff with a reputation for getting the most and best out of their players, the Raiders have a recipe for success in the palm of their hands. Right now.
Better days are indeed ahead for the Silver and Black. They have the talent, and with the expectations of so many, as low as they are, they have nothing to lose. So why couldn’t those better days start now?
The future is now for the Raiders. All they need to do is step up and seize it.
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Alameda County Supervisor Wants Raiders To Renovate Coliseum Rather Than Build New Stadium
March 11, 2015 1:36 PM
Oakland Raiders fans at the Coliseum. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
OAKLAND (KCBS) – Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley is calling for the Oakland Raiders to make the Coliseum a football-only stadium, and renovate it rather than building a brand new facility.
Miley said there are growing concerns that taxpayers would have to foot a huge bill, possibly $300 million, if a new stadium is built, while renovating the Coliseum would cost significantly less. It would also allow the Oakland A’s to build a new baseball-only stadium next door at the Coliseum complex as part of a ‘Coliseum City’ complex.
The problem? KCBS, KPIX-5 and Chronicle Insider Phil Matier said Miley has already proposed the plan to the National Football League and it was quickly rejected and the idea doesn’t have support from the Raiders either.
“They’ve been going at these negotiations for 18 months and gotten nowhere,” Matier told KCBS Anchors Stan Bunger and Susan Leigh Taylor. “The bottom line is Mark Davis and the Raiders don’t have the money to do this deal. The NFL and Mark Davis say it’s a non-starter. But Miley says, you might not like it, but it’s possibly an alternative.”
The Raiders have presented their own alternative, threatening to move to Southern California if a new stadium deal isn’t in place in Oakland.
Oakland just signed a one-year Coliseum lease extension for $400,000.
March 11, 2015 1:36 PM
Oakland Raiders fans at the Coliseum. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
OAKLAND (KCBS) – Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley is calling for the Oakland Raiders to make the Coliseum a football-only stadium, and renovate it rather than building a brand new facility.
Miley said there are growing concerns that taxpayers would have to foot a huge bill, possibly $300 million, if a new stadium is built, while renovating the Coliseum would cost significantly less. It would also allow the Oakland A’s to build a new baseball-only stadium next door at the Coliseum complex as part of a ‘Coliseum City’ complex.
The problem? KCBS, KPIX-5 and Chronicle Insider Phil Matier said Miley has already proposed the plan to the National Football League and it was quickly rejected and the idea doesn’t have support from the Raiders either.
“They’ve been going at these negotiations for 18 months and gotten nowhere,” Matier told KCBS Anchors Stan Bunger and Susan Leigh Taylor. “The bottom line is Mark Davis and the Raiders don’t have the money to do this deal. The NFL and Mark Davis say it’s a non-starter. But Miley says, you might not like it, but it’s possibly an alternative.”
The Raiders have presented their own alternative, threatening to move to Southern California if a new stadium deal isn’t in place in Oakland.
Oakland just signed a one-year Coliseum lease extension for $400,000.
^^ The donkeys Oline is not what it was. No reason we can't beat them.
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As reported last week, per the team's official website, linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong has grabbed offseason headlines with an impressive showing within the first two weeks of OTAs.
Armstrong has even caught the eye and garnered respect from veteran defensive end Justin Tuck.
Ray Ray Armstrong https://t.co/nwU6WK2Cnv— Justin Tuck (@JustinTuck) May 31, 2015
Armstrong played his rookie season with the St. Louis Rams and is now well on his way to making a household name for himself in Oakland. He’ll have the opportunity to solidify himself as a solid plug-in player with linebacker Sio Moore out at least for the entirety of OTAs.
General manager Reggie McKenzie described Moore’s hip surgery as “major,” per Silver and Black Pride's Damien, and it shouldn’t be a surprise if the injury holds him out for a portion of training camp. Those reps for Armstrong will be critical in helping him claim a starting spot on the field if strong-side linebacker Khalil Mack gets a spike in snaps at defensive end.
Armstrong has even caught the eye and garnered respect from veteran defensive end Justin Tuck.
Ray Ray Armstrong https://t.co/nwU6WK2Cnv— Justin Tuck (@JustinTuck) May 31, 2015
Armstrong played his rookie season with the St. Louis Rams and is now well on his way to making a household name for himself in Oakland. He’ll have the opportunity to solidify himself as a solid plug-in player with linebacker Sio Moore out at least for the entirety of OTAs.
General manager Reggie McKenzie described Moore’s hip surgery as “major,” per Silver and Black Pride's Damien, and it shouldn’t be a surprise if the injury holds him out for a portion of training camp. Those reps for Armstrong will be critical in helping him claim a starting spot on the field if strong-side linebacker Khalil Mack gets a spike in snaps at defensive end.
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Seventh-round pick Andre Debose is already placing claims on the kick and punt returns job.
In 2014, Travis Carrie and Latavius Murray were the primary returners on special teams. Both players are expecting larger roles for the upcoming season and Debose is taking advantage of the opportunity, albeit a limited role.
Debose wasn’t known for exceptional wide receiver skills at Florida. In his most productive season as a WR, he recorded 16 catches for 432 yards and four touchdowns. Although, no one can deny his blazing speed, which caught the eyes of many during OTAs per JustBlogBaby.com’s Chase Ruttig:
Working with no pads and the full opportunity to show off his speed, Debose has drawn the attention of the media members on hand as the Raiders look for a consistent kick return specialist to add to their roster. The team employing a list of mediocre return weapons in recent years, unable to find the right man for the job of trying to hit the occasional home run play from the back of the endzone.
Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle makes a very early prediction in favor of Debose returning kicks for the upcoming season via Twitter:
Here's way-too early observation from no-pads OTA in May: Rookie WR Andre Debose is making #Raiders as a kick returner. Burst with capital B— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) May 26, 2015
The talk of Debose’s speed is something to lookout for going forward. The return game isn’t what it used to be, but football is still a game of inches. The only remedy for a good punt is an even better punt return. Good field positioning will help this revamped Raiders offense tremendously.
If Debose provides a lift in the return game, the offense would keep opposing defenses reeling with all of Carr's options on a short field
In 2014, Travis Carrie and Latavius Murray were the primary returners on special teams. Both players are expecting larger roles for the upcoming season and Debose is taking advantage of the opportunity, albeit a limited role.
Debose wasn’t known for exceptional wide receiver skills at Florida. In his most productive season as a WR, he recorded 16 catches for 432 yards and four touchdowns. Although, no one can deny his blazing speed, which caught the eyes of many during OTAs per JustBlogBaby.com’s Chase Ruttig:
Working with no pads and the full opportunity to show off his speed, Debose has drawn the attention of the media members on hand as the Raiders look for a consistent kick return specialist to add to their roster. The team employing a list of mediocre return weapons in recent years, unable to find the right man for the job of trying to hit the occasional home run play from the back of the endzone.
Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle makes a very early prediction in favor of Debose returning kicks for the upcoming season via Twitter:
Here's way-too early observation from no-pads OTA in May: Rookie WR Andre Debose is making #Raiders as a kick returner. Burst with capital B— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) May 26, 2015
The talk of Debose’s speed is something to lookout for going forward. The return game isn’t what it used to be, but football is still a game of inches. The only remedy for a good punt is an even better punt return. Good field positioning will help this revamped Raiders offense tremendously.
If Debose provides a lift in the return game, the offense would keep opposing defenses reeling with all of Carr's options on a short field
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Tight end Clive Walford is the only other player as impressive as Cooper on the offensive side of the ball during OTAs. Teammates, coaches and writers have been awestruck by his skill set and size. Twitter was buzzing with good things to say about the Raider's third-round pick:
Raiders "Hidden Gem" Clive Walford
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One takeaway after the second OTA session open to the media: Clive Walford may have a very big rookie season.— Jason Leskiw (@LeskiwSFBay) May 26, 2015
It’s clear from listening to Del Rio over the last few weeks and Ponder today that TE Clive Walford is making a solid first impression.— Scott Bair (@BairCSN) May 26, 2015
Ponder said rookie tight end Clive Walford “has really stood out. Big guy, catches ball well and is faster than I thought he would be.”— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) May 26, 2015
As much as I love Amari Cooper. Clive Walford is potentially the key to the Raiders offensive revival.— Christopher Hansen (@ChrisHansenNFL) May 15, 2015
Bleacher Report’s Matt Bowen describes Walford as a hidden gem that caught his eye early this offseason.
Walford has the potential to become the most influential factor on offense. The former Miami tight end can significantly effect the blocking schemes and cause matchups issues for linebackers and safeties in the passing attack.
He instantly becomes a safety blanket for Carr when under pressure and a huge red-zone threat because of his catching ability at his size.
Raiders "Hidden Gem" Clive Walford
******************************************
One takeaway after the second OTA session open to the media: Clive Walford may have a very big rookie season.— Jason Leskiw (@LeskiwSFBay) May 26, 2015
It’s clear from listening to Del Rio over the last few weeks and Ponder today that TE Clive Walford is making a solid first impression.— Scott Bair (@BairCSN) May 26, 2015
Ponder said rookie tight end Clive Walford “has really stood out. Big guy, catches ball well and is faster than I thought he would be.”— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) May 26, 2015
As much as I love Amari Cooper. Clive Walford is potentially the key to the Raiders offensive revival.— Christopher Hansen (@ChrisHansenNFL) May 15, 2015
Bleacher Report’s Matt Bowen describes Walford as a hidden gem that caught his eye early this offseason.
Walford has the potential to become the most influential factor on offense. The former Miami tight end can significantly effect the blocking schemes and cause matchups issues for linebackers and safeties in the passing attack.
He instantly becomes a safety blanket for Carr when under pressure and a huge red-zone threat because of his catching ability at his size.
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Who mentors Amari Cooper?
**********************************
There were questions about who would mentor Cooper within a young Raiders WR corps. Why not wide receiver Rod Streater? He’s the longest-tenured WR on the roster and essentially made something out of nothing.
According to Raiders.com writer Rebecca Corman, Streater has been more than willing to mentor less experienced players at the position. He also takes pride in helping develop the guys around him:
So I just try to mentor them. Being an undrafted guy making the team, I try just to guide them like, ‘You’ve got to work hard. You’ve got to do this. You’ve got to do that.’ I just want to be like the guy that helped them anytime they need any advice.... I want the whole group to do good. Whatever I can do to help, whatever problems I went through and I can give advice to the young guy, I try to be there for him. That’s going to help us grow as a team and grow as a unit.
There’s no word of wide receiver Michael Crabtree taking any of the receivers under his wing, but that isn’t a detriment to Crabtree. Some players are more comfortable being vocal leaders in the locker room, and Streater appears to have embraced it so far in OTAs. Entering his fourth year in the league, the 27-year-old WR is progressing into a solid locker room leader.
No surprise Crab-diva won't take on a leadership role.
**********************************
There were questions about who would mentor Cooper within a young Raiders WR corps. Why not wide receiver Rod Streater? He’s the longest-tenured WR on the roster and essentially made something out of nothing.
According to Raiders.com writer Rebecca Corman, Streater has been more than willing to mentor less experienced players at the position. He also takes pride in helping develop the guys around him:
So I just try to mentor them. Being an undrafted guy making the team, I try just to guide them like, ‘You’ve got to work hard. You’ve got to do this. You’ve got to do that.’ I just want to be like the guy that helped them anytime they need any advice.... I want the whole group to do good. Whatever I can do to help, whatever problems I went through and I can give advice to the young guy, I try to be there for him. That’s going to help us grow as a team and grow as a unit.
There’s no word of wide receiver Michael Crabtree taking any of the receivers under his wing, but that isn’t a detriment to Crabtree. Some players are more comfortable being vocal leaders in the locker room, and Streater appears to have embraced it so far in OTAs. Entering his fourth year in the league, the 27-year-old WR is progressing into a solid locker room leader.
No surprise Crab-diva won't take on a leadership role.
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http://trove.com/a/Photo-gallery-Ra...aign=hosted&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=sns
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#Raiders WR Amari Cooper at NFLPA Rookie Premiere photo gallery
Jump ball at #NFLPARookiePremiere.
Who wins, @Jaboowins or @AmariCooper9? pic.twitter.com/Lr1aKjmz8s
Look at Breshard Perriman in the distance #18 in the Ravens jersey. He's like....DAMN!
**********
#Raiders WR Amari Cooper at NFLPA Rookie Premiere photo gallery
Jump ball at #NFLPARookiePremiere.
Who wins, @Jaboowins or @AmariCooper9? pic.twitter.com/Lr1aKjmz8s
Look at Breshard Perriman in the distance #18 in the Ravens jersey. He's like....DAMN!
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Tom Pelissero @TomPelissero May 29
#Raiders' Donald Penn on Derek Carr: "He gets there at 5 o'clock every morning. Nobody knows that. He's there before coaches."
@SiriusXMNFL SiriusXM NFL Radio @SiriusXMNFL May 29
#Raiders OT Donald Penn: Derek Carr came in last year and didn't miss a beat. His leadership was like a veteran.
#Raiders' Donald Penn on Derek Carr: "He gets there at 5 o'clock every morning. Nobody knows that. He's there before coaches."
@SiriusXMNFL SiriusXM NFL Radio @SiriusXMNFL May 29
#Raiders OT Donald Penn: Derek Carr came in last year and didn't miss a beat. His leadership was like a veteran.
I didn't think we would be getting a TE so didn't look over them much pre draft. Walford looks good and not just because he was a big guy at uni.
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Oakland has fallback plans for keeping Raiders
Posted by Mike Florio on June 2, 2015, 12:01 AM EDT
Getty Images
June 21 remains a key date for the effort to keep the Raiders in Oakland. Unless it isn’t.
Only days after Raiders owner Mark Davis made it clear that Floyd Kephart is expected to come up with a financing plan to bridge a $400 million gap in funding for a new Oakland stadium by June 21, the executive director of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority said that other avenues exist to keeping the Raiders from securing a one-way ticket out of town.
“If a deal with Floyd Kephart doesn’t happen, we are open to other options,” Scott McKibben said, via Bill Williamson of ESPN.com. “And we are prepared to do quickly if that occurs.”
McKibben wouldn’t discuss any potential fallback plans or identify the available options. But McKibben realizes that time is of the essence.
“We need to get something done sooner than later,” McKibben said.
Yes they do. Because if they don’t Davis and the Raiders may get something done in L.A.
Posted by Mike Florio on June 2, 2015, 12:01 AM EDT
June 21 remains a key date for the effort to keep the Raiders in Oakland. Unless it isn’t.
Only days after Raiders owner Mark Davis made it clear that Floyd Kephart is expected to come up with a financing plan to bridge a $400 million gap in funding for a new Oakland stadium by June 21, the executive director of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority said that other avenues exist to keeping the Raiders from securing a one-way ticket out of town.
“If a deal with Floyd Kephart doesn’t happen, we are open to other options,” Scott McKibben said, via Bill Williamson of ESPN.com. “And we are prepared to do quickly if that occurs.”
McKibben wouldn’t discuss any potential fallback plans or identify the available options. But McKibben realizes that time is of the essence.
“We need to get something done sooner than later,” McKibben said.
Yes they do. Because if they don’t Davis and the Raiders may get something done in L.A.
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Oakland does have a fallback: it doesn't include the Raiders though. Once it comes out that Kephart can't get this deal done, it's going to be back to square one (not that they're far off square 1 right now anyway), and will not have near enough time to put any kind of proposal together to be a sound alternative to the Carson project.
Coliseum City has been a farce from the get go. A city who wants to put next to nothing in terms of finances into the project, trying to make a multi-billion dollar development with multiple new state of the art stadia to keep their sports teams. They are so in denial that the Warriors are out the door to SF already and Oakland is still saying they're trying to keep them.
The Carson project over the last month or so has gained a lot of support within NFL circles. It takes 9 "no" votes to bring down Kroenke's proposal on a ballot (if it gets that far). You know that Spanos and Davis will vote no, likewise Bob McNair and Jerry Jones. You'd also think those guys have enough clout to sway a few owners to the no side as well.
As for OTAs this week, the team is looking much better than previous years.
Coliseum City has been a farce from the get go. A city who wants to put next to nothing in terms of finances into the project, trying to make a multi-billion dollar development with multiple new state of the art stadia to keep their sports teams. They are so in denial that the Warriors are out the door to SF already and Oakland is still saying they're trying to keep them.
The Carson project over the last month or so has gained a lot of support within NFL circles. It takes 9 "no" votes to bring down Kroenke's proposal on a ballot (if it gets that far). You know that Spanos and Davis will vote no, likewise Bob McNair and Jerry Jones. You'd also think those guys have enough clout to sway a few owners to the no side as well.
As for OTAs this week, the team is looking much better than previous years.
Raiders defensive lineman Justin Tuck and his wife Lauran are donating $250,000 to provide books and support for literacy-enhancing programs for low-income Bay Area children.
Why isn't Marcel Reece getting more carries? It’s the most frequently asked question when surveying the comment section of any Oakland Raiders article pertaining to optimizing the offense
The Raiders will use a faster, no-huddle approach often. ESPN's Adam Caplan reported recently that the Raiders are not going to use a fullback this season. They were one of the few teams that had a lot of fullback looks last year. What sees that mean for Pro Bowl fullback Marcel Reece?
Caplan reported that Reece will be on the move a lot and will be used more as an H-back or F-back. Is this change good for Reece? Yes, says ESPN scout Matt Williamson. He loves it for Reece.
"Reece is perfect for such a role," Williamson said. "I think he hasn't been utilized nearly enough as a move player/pass catcher of late and I have no doubt he can do it. He has great hands and is an accomplished route runner. I could see him developing into a similar player in this offense as Charles Clayin Miami."
The Raiders will use a faster, no-huddle approach often. ESPN's Adam Caplan reported recently that the Raiders are not going to use a fullback this season. They were one of the few teams that had a lot of fullback looks last year. What sees that mean for Pro Bowl fullback Marcel Reece?
Caplan reported that Reece will be on the move a lot and will be used more as an H-back or F-back. Is this change good for Reece? Yes, says ESPN scout Matt Williamson. He loves it for Reece.
"Reece is perfect for such a role," Williamson said. "I think he hasn't been utilized nearly enough as a move player/pass catcher of late and I have no doubt he can do it. He has great hands and is an accomplished route runner. I could see him developing into a similar player in this offense as Charles Clayin Miami."
