[Dewman]

Hard to believe.... 6' 3", 280 lb. rookie defensive end Mario Williams for the Oakland Raiders doing a standing back flip! Wow! That's astonishing for a man that big!


Have You Met Mario?

[lammie200]

What you haven't seen yet is the Raiders going 4-12 in the upcoming season.

[reeftool]

A guy that big and that flexible will be a valuable asset for any team. A good choice for the Raiders. If the game is going badly, they now have a defensive lineman who can join the cheerleaders and keep the fans entertained.

I don't really follow the Raiders but 4-12 is pretty pessimistic. That said, I'm not optimistic about either the Giants or Jets.

[lammie200]

Every year the sportscaster crowd in the SF Bay Area goes nuts in the off season about how great the Raiders are going to be - how they have made all the right moves in the off season - how they are just on the cusp of turning things around dramatically, etc. Every year they suck.

Fewer and fewer people seem to be sporting 49er gear around here. Big mistake to move to Santa Clara. Whole different football crowd that would rather socialize than watch games. I have definitely lost interest in pro football around here.

[monochrome]

Fewer and fewer people seem to be sporting 49er gear around here. Big mistake to move to Santa Clara. Whole different football crowd that would rather socialize than watch games. I have definitely lost interest in pro football around here.

Apparently we're going to be wearing black and silver jerseys in St. Louis for the 2017 season.

[lammie200]

Apparently we're going to be wearing black and silver jerseys in St. Louis for the 2017 season....

You can have the red and gold too if you want them AFAIAC.

[monochrome]

You can have the red and gold too if you want them AFAIAC.

AFAIC you can have Stan Kroenke.

[Dewman]

I've grown tied of defending the Raiders. I've been a true, loyal fan since the day they became a bona fide AFL team in 1960. I've stuck with them through thick and thin, through the days of Daryl Lamonica AKA "The Mad Bomber," to "The Snake," Kenny Stabler," and all the way to the disaster that was Jamarcus Russell. If I'm nothing else in this world, I'm loyal. Loyal to my team, my family, my friends.... hell, even loyal to my dog. However, I WILL say that if it weren't for the Oakland Raiders, the NFL would be a much more boring entity.


Having said that, for those who predict doom and gloom and "It's still the same old Raiders," you haven't spent much time watching what's REALLY been going on since Reggie Mackenzie took over the reigns. He inherited a nightmare of malcontents, salary cap madness and general organizational chaos. Slowly, he is turning things around. Going into this years draft, they had almost $60 million of cap room, second only to I believe it was Jacksonville. Immediately after taking control, he began to get rid of the deadwood.... the over-paid, under-performing locker room cancers and has replaced them, through free agency, with solid, standup men with experience and in the meantime, Mackenzie has had two consecutive successful drafts. Last year's class provided four immediate starters. Derek Carr, out of Fresno State, will be their franchise quarterback for years to come and Kahlil Mack will be a pro bowl LEO linebacker that will wreak havoc on opposing offenses. Last year, he was rated the #1 middle linebacker in the entire NFL.... not for rookies, but for ALL NFL players! And, it was his first year as a pro. This year's draft has yielded some amazing talent as well with Amari Cooper, WR out of the University of Alabama being the highest rated wide receiver in the entire draft. Their second round pick was Mario Edwards and although the fact that a 6' 3", 280 lb. man can do a standing back flip has been made light of, barring any injuries, you WILL be hearing from Mr. Edwards again. Write that down so you don't forget it.


I could go on and on about the Silver & Black. I've studied every single college draftee and their potential to help the Raiders in the future. I've keep abreast of all their free agency acquisitions and what they bring to the table. Now, I'm learning of all the undrafted free agents that are waiting in the wings, what they can or can't do to help my team excel. So, before you began making predictions of a loosing season and gloom and doom, I'd say..... Hide and Watch. Things HAVE changed.

[monochrome]

All I can say is, lose your football team TWICE, build a new stadium TWICE, endure an unresponsive, arrogant, billionaire owner TWICE in a quarter century and your loyalty to NFL football will change altogether.

[reeftool]

I stopped following football back in the mid 90's when I started working second shift on a Sunday - Thursday schedule. I would occasionally tune in on the radio at work on Sundays but in recent years, I only look at the standings and read the reports on Monday. I unplugged my cable about 5 years ago and my TV watching now consists of Netflix. Even though I'm retired, what the NFL (or any sports league) has to offer isn't worth the cable bill and when your team sucks (in my case, the Giants) there is even less incentive to interested.

[lammie200]

Dewman, I hope you are right. I was being facetious about them going 4-12 this upcoming year. But you have to admit we have heard good things about the Raiders since their last Super Bowl appearance and (even without considering Jamarcus) they have underachieved every time. However, though I live in SF, I would rather see the Raiders succeed versus seeing the 49ers succeed even if the Raiders move. Unfortunately both have rich spoiled kids as owners. Not really liking that.

Monochrome and reeftool, I feel your pain. There is something about watching an NFL game that makes me feel like I am wasting valuable time, so I don't do it anymore. That is unless I am at the in-laws over some holiday. Already time wasted.

[Rupert]

4-12....maybe? But...if you want to place a certain winning bet, bet the Cowboys will choke in the playoffs. It has become a team tradition.

Regards!

[monochrome]

Monochrome and reeftool, I feel your pain. There is something about watching an NFL game that makes me feel like I am wasting valuable time, so I don't do it anymore. That is unless I am at the in-laws over some holiday. Already time wasted.

Alas, the city fathers and state politicos will push through a new stadium for someone - even if they have to market it as a $980 million urban renewal project.

The 'old' Rams indoor stadium is on the upper right.

[Dewman]

Dewman, I hope you are right. I was being facetious about them going 4-12 this upcoming year. But you have to admit we have heard good things about the Raiders since their last Super Bowl appearance and (even without considering Jamarcus) they have underachieved every time.

I'm a realist in every sense of the word, and yep.... ever since the Rich Gannon days, it's been the SOS. Every year I say to myself, "This is THE year!" only to sit through another dismal year, muttering, "But they look SO good on paper!"


But, having said that, I really believe the corner has been turned. The hiring of Reggie Mackenzie was the best thing they've done in decades. He did a remarkable job in Green Bay and he's doing the same in Oakland. I think, after studying the team, the coaches, the strength and conditioning personnel, the draft picks of the past two years plus the excellent free agents they were able to pick up, that they might reach 50-50 this year. Of course, I always hope for more, but if they reach that point, it will signal that the drought is over. Just my .02 worth.

[monochrome]

I'm a realist in every sense of the word, and yep.... ever since the Rich Gannon days, it's been the SOS. Every year I say to myself, "This is THE year!" only to sit through another dismal year, muttering, "But they look SO good on paper!"

Rams. Blues. Mizzou basketball. Missou football finishing the deal.