01-31-12 2:38 am pac

                         
                                                                                                                                                   Greg Knapp

Reaction to last nights late breaking report Oakland had extended an offer to former Raider Grep Knapp to re-join the team as OC varied from tepid to terse.

Fan response baffled some Bay area reporters who scoffed at Raider fans displeasure.

The esteemed Jerry McDonald stated shortly after reports surfaced:

"Look, it would make sense to me if Saunders was back. But how can you not be on board with HC selecting his staff? That's how it should work."

Maybe some are not on board with a rookie HC 6 months older than the youngest HC to ever hold the position selecting his own staff because he doesn't have the experience and or connections.

Maybe its because the reported selection of Knapp suggests a complete rebuild of a team that, despite losing its speed weapons to injury replaced its QB midway through the season and still fell one game shy of winning its weak Division and showed real promise.

Raider fans, in case writers hadn't noticed, are sick to death of losing.

To many it seems like just when the Raiders had something promising Mark Davis is going to sh*t can the whole thing just to get back at Daddy. At least thats one angle writer Mike Silver might take a shine to.

Knapp is a disciple of the West Coast offense, leading some to believe as we reported from the start that new GM Reggie McKenzie was going to make Oakland "Packers West" but McDonald also astutely pointed out that the Green Bay "West Coast" teams McKenzie was a part of with Favre and Aaron Rogers threw the ball deep ALOT.

Knapp has experience, working various jobs for the 49ers from 1995 to 1997 and graduating to OC there in 2001 to 2003. He also had stints with Jim L. Mora with the Falcons and later the Seahawks but spent last year as QB Coach for the Texans.

Oh, and as we aluded to, a stint with the Raiders from 2007 to 2008 with Coaches Lane Kiffin and Tom Cable presiding over poor rosters hamstrung with a handful of wash outs and a narcoleptic cough medicine drinking loser playing Quarterback.

It might be interesting to see what Knapp can do with the talented roster Davis built. Thats of course assuming most of them don't get traded or cut.

Raider writer Tim Kawakami has never been a favorite at Raider HQ and his comments not about Knapp coming but current OC Al Saunders leaving are interesting:

 "I don't get the Raiders-fan angst over Al Saunders. Umm, Hue Jackson ran the offense. You went 8-8. Saunders gets your devotion for that?

Fans saw what a serious ground attack and a game manager at QB could do. With Campbell not turning it over and DMC on fresh legs the League took notice of an explosive Raider O that led the League in big plays.

Kawakami may not have noticed but the Raiders were very explosive.

We're willing to wager if not for the injuries Oakland might've posted some gaudy stats themselves. It certainly looked like they were on to something good after years of offensive drought.

Even without Campbell in 2012 but with Palmer and DMC, some writers just can't see how having the continuity of Saunders returning to a burgeoning offense dangled in front of them and then snatched away to be replaced by a mid level retread might have them questioning the logic and hubris of their rookie GM and his brand new rookie HC.

Whether Knapp even ends up OC remains to be seen but fans being frustrated by seemingly moving backwards when Oakland had struggled so hard to get ahead seems pretty understandable to us.

01-19-12 2:16 pm pac

Photo Lee Kirby / US Presswire                                                                                                 Big Mac                             

Former Denver Bronco Mike McCoy officially begged off a scheduled interview with new Raider GM Reggie McKenzie who was said to be less than pleased.

McCoy could probably care less.

He is in line for his second interview to become the HC of the Miami Dolphins. Its thought this second meeting is to iron out the specifics. All but a formality.

Irked or not, no matter. McKenzie has many, many more names on that notoriously long "short" list of people to interview for Oaklands vacant Head Coaching position.

The caliber and the qualifications of those Mr. McKenzie is interviewing for the position is questionable at best but the truth is Reggie could be playing hard and fast with the rules and interviewing as many of the potential OCs and DCs before whoever he hires as eventual Head Coach will have to choose from.

That way Big Mac will have a clue as to whether his "gut" tells him his Head Coaches selections are the right ones.

If this is the case, its very clever. On the surface Reggie's method looks scattered but it is likely quite calculated and either way it helps gather valubale data on potential hires and if not, Coaches who will most likely be potential opponents.

Interviewing rules:

Promotions

The NFL does not differentiate between levels of assistant coaches in its rules regarding their availability to interview with other teams. Whether the coach is a defensive line coach or an offensive coordinator, the rules are the same. If a team wishes to interview an assistant coach who is still under contract with another team for its HEAD COACHING position, the current team is required to give permission for the interview as long as it happens between the end of the team’s season and March 1. After March 1, teams can still ask, but the current team is not obligated to give permission.

Lateral Move

An NFL team cannot interview an assistant coach who is under contract as an assistant with another team for the following season without the permission of his current organization. Teams will usually give permission upon request, particularly if a lower level coach is set to take an offensive or defensive coordinator position elsewhere, but the current team is not required to give permission.

Again, to some, it may look like bargain shopping and it is but with a purpose. To the casual observer Reggie looks like hes just being thorough but there may be more method to his madness than the average fan sees.

01-11-12 6:10 pm pac

Brand new General Manager Reggie McKenzie has set to work setting up his first Coaching interview.

Came as a bit of a shock as much how soon the appointment and with whom it was set.

Many felt and still feel the front runner for Oaklands surprisingly vacant Head Coaching position is Winston Moss. but Moss works for McKenzie's former team, the Green Bay Packers.

Green Bay is still the in the play off hunt so talking to Moss is verboten until his teams season is done.

Which is why todays news of a meeting with Todd Bowles came as a bolt from the blue.

So, who is Todd Bowles?

- Bowles has already interviewed for three NFL head coaching jobs in Detroit, Kansas City and Denver. And, according to one NFL source, Bowles came very, very close to getting the Detroit job that eventually went to Jim Schwartz.

Detroit General Manager Martin Mayhew loves and believes in Bowles. The two played for the Washington Redskins together in the 1980s and early 90s.

Bowles is also a guy that former Dolphins football czar Bill Parcells believes will eventually make a good football coach.

A more in-depth look at his career:

- Bowles has experience in both 4-3 and 3-4 base defenses, and has learned under some notable coaches such as Mike Nolan, Bill Parcells, and Wade Phillips.

Bowles is intriguing because of his underrated track record. If you look into his resume, you will find that Bowles was a key factor in sculpting some of the NFL’s best secondaries in the past decade.

He began his coaching career as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach for Morehouse College in 1997. Bowles later went on to be the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for Grambling State from 1998-1999 where he served under former Bucs quarterback and director of pro personnel Doug Williams.

He then made the leap into pro football.

Bowles’ first coaching position in the NFL came as a defensive backs coach for the New York Jets in 2000, which was a unit that only allowed 183.3 passing yards per game and ranked sixth in the NFL in pass defense.

Bowles was a part of the Cleveland Browns organization for four years (2001-04).

During his first three years with the Browns, he was a defensive
nickel package coach. In 2001, the Browns led the league in interceptions with a total of 33, which was also a franchise record. In his final season with the Browns, Bowles acted as the secondary coach. The Browns ranked fifth in interceptions with Bowles as the secondary coach in 2004.

The New Jersey native was hired by the Dallas Cowboys in 2005.

Bowles coached the Cowboys secondary for three years (2005-08).
During that time, Bowles coached three Dallas defensive backs to Pro Bowls. Safeties Ken Hamlin and Roy Williams combined for four trips to Honolulu, and cornerback Terrance Newman contributed with another invitation. Bowles did a phenomenal job getting the most out of these players, and clearly guided them in the right direction during his tenure as a part of the Cowboys’ organization.

Bowles also had an exceptional pro career as a defensive back. He played eight years in the NFL, including seasons with the Washington Redskins and San Francisco 49ers.

The Redskins captured the Super Bowl championship in 1987 with Bowles starting at free safety.

He’s someone that players can relate to today’s NFL players because he’s already “been there and done that” as a player.

Bowles also had a short stint in the talent evaluation department. After his playing career ended, Bowles took a job in the player personnel department for the Green Bay Packers in 1995.

Bowles, 48, has spent the last four seasons with the Miami Dolphins as the defensive backs coach and the assistant head coach.

He is being credited for the successful development of Miami’s impressive young secondary. Bowles helped cornerbacks Vontae Davis and Sean Smith adjust to the NFL after being drafted in the first and second round in 2009.

They have proven to be one of the best and most underrated young cornerback tandems in the league. He also assisted safety Yeremiah Bell during his Pro Bowl season in 2010. 

Bowles was named the interim head coach after Miami fired Sparano with just three games left to play in the 2011 season.

He led the Dolphins to a 2-1 record, which included wins over the New York Jets and the Buffalo Bills. The Dolphins also played a good game against the New England Patriots with Bowles at the helm. The Fins almost came away with the win, but in the end lost the game by a final score of 27-24.

When Bowles gives a post-game press conference, he is soft-spoken, humble, and gives credit where credit is due.

But according to Dolphins safety Yeremiah Bell, Bowles is a no-nonsense coach on the football field.

“He’s soft-spoken, but if he needs to get in your face, believe me, he’ll get in your face,” Bell said. “There is another side. He’s not that quiet guy people make him out to be.”

Veteran defensive back Will Allen had similar things to say about the Dolphins interim head coach.

“He’s not afraid to call you out,” Allen said. “If you’re doing something wrong you’ll hear about it first hand. He’s not going to pull you to the side. Everyone in the room is going to hear him do it.”

Tim Tebow IS the Raiders. Hes unconventional, maddeningly inconsistent and erratic but talented enough to make you wonder.

01-11-12 6:39 am pac                   

Photo Joe Mahoney / AP                                                                                          Former HC Hue Jackson

So its McKenzie take over day +1 and what have we learned?

We learned Davis era football is dead.

Instead of finding someone to run the show in the manner Davis had built over the last 50 years his son Mark decided to drop everything his father had done and bring Oakland into the modern era.

The why is not necessarily because it was long over due but more that Davis Jr. never had a taste for the football side of things.

The elder Davis once mentioned Mark's distaste for the personnel side and firing people.

He just didn't have the stomach for it.

Instead Mark will return to the media / internet sales side of things and continue his work to get the Raiders a new stadium.

Thats right a new stadium.

We'll talk more about that in a minute.

Another reason why Mark decided to do a 180 away from the way the team his father spent his life building operated is that no one else could run it the way Al Davis had.

It was his baby, his life, his dream and after his passing there really was no way anyone else could step in and master the controls of the machine Al built, so a complete revamp seems almost necessary if not sad.

It signals the final chapter in old school maverick run organizations that ceesed off the establishment and endeared the rebel in all of us. Like most good things, most didn't even realize the significance of such a massive loss.

But they will.

Media types sensing a new era and desperate to lick the boot heaped praise upon Davis Jr. with such embarrassing platitudes as claiming the younger Davis exuded a "zen like" attitude at yesterdays meeting.

Its easy to see they would like nothing more than a cease fire and to be treated like the rest of their collegues who cover other teams and not assaulted by staff members whether the richly deserve it or not.

They pulled in their fangs yesterday and gave both Davis and McKenzie a pass on some eye rollingly ridiculous bumbling and back tracking on the ugly mis-handled Hue Jackson firing and the fact Davis and McKenzie clearly played fast and loose with rules of contact before the hire.

Jackson himself seemed to confirm this by stating yesterday he'd spoken with Mark Davis before the San Diego game and asked to get involved in the new GM search.

Davis Jr. blew him off and wouldn't acknowledge the request.

Because he already had his new GM.

Taking a page from the Al Davis play book the Raiders used liasons familiar with but no longer officially tied to the club to access McKenzie's people and to work a deal behind the scenes. That much seems almost guaranteed.

The two danced around it and the media let them rather than stir the pot at the innagural presser.

It was a virtual love fest by Raider standards.

They even let Mark's Cap'n Kangaroo hairdo slide by with little mention.

We give it about 2 losses before the fangs come back out.

So Al is gone, his son has given complete control to McKenzie who seems far more power mad than Hue but also far more capable.

Hue genuinely seemed to want to be actively involved in carrying on the tradition of Al Davis and Raider football.

Unfortunately, Mark wasn't.

The wisdom of perhaps gutting a team 1 game away from a Divisional Championship will come into question when / if Oakland faces growing pains but the reality is the rebuild was long over due and neither Mark, nor Hue could've attempted it.

So, the only thing to do was turn over the farm and the check book to someone else and pray for the best.

Speaking of praying...

We took a ration of crap from frenzied fans for mentioning Los Angeles as a potential landing spot for the Raiders because it was mentioned after the press conference but it has been well documented now that Davis Jr. did indeed speak about negotiating with L.A. over moving the Raiders back to the city of Angels.

The city of Oaklands lease ends in 2013 and frankly, even if Mayor Quan's plan to raise money by selling U.S. citizenship to Chinese billionaires does raise money to build a new stadium the Silver and Black is likely leaving Oakland sooner rather than later.

Like Davis' passing, it was only a matter of time.

After yesterdays press conference one thing is certain, the Oakland Raiders will never be the same.

Whether thats ulitmately a good or bad thing only time will tell.

01-10-12 9:29 am pac                      
                                            

Today marks an historic moment in Oakland Raider history with the annointing of the first Oakland Raider General Manager in the post Al Davis era.

Former Green Bay Packers Director of Football Operations Reggie McKenzie comes on board today at 2pm pacific, lauded and launched with a press conference shown live on Raiders.com.

To claim McKenzie has a lot of work in front of him is an under statement.

He's got a boat load of Free Agent contracts to consider, staff and personnel decisions, the upcoming NFL combine and the draft along with countless other details and minutia.

Its a very good thing McKenzie has been allowed to leave the Packers early.

Speculation will continue to run rampant until a decision is officiallly announced but we'll tell you right now, if current HC Hue Jackson is replaced it will come as a major shock.

Other news outlets speculate Jackson's demise but the 8-8 rookie Coach's first year may be a mulligan thanks to the unusual circumstance and massive casualty list compiled over the season.

By all accounts, by people in the know, Jackson is still in the good graces of Oaklands power brokers Mark Davis and Amy Trask but it has to be assumed McKenzie has the power to fire and hire whomever he would like, where ever he would like.

Having said that, again, we'd be shocked if Hue wasn't at the helm in 2012.

Its going to be a long, busy off season. That means a busy off season for us and no rest for the wicked.

BREAKING: Moments after we published Adam Schefter, ESPN and Sports Illustrated have reported Head Coach Hue Jackson has been FIRED.

Wouldn't be a Raider off season without it we guess...

Reports and rumors say there may have been an incident at their meeting this morning. Who knows?

What we're getting from players is shock and anger over the decision.

Same from the vast majority of Oakland players and fans.
One things for sure, Davis would've been raked over the coals by media types for the timing of this firing. he was strafed for talking about why Cable was fired at Jackson's intro presser.

Names in the hopper to replace Jackson include Winston Moss and of course Jon Gruden.

Henry Wofford of CSN says he spoke with Jackson and said the former Raider HC was shocked his friend fired him. Said McKenzie told him "I want to bring my own guys in here."

12-13-11 10:11 am pac

Photo Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP                                                                                   DE Matt Shaughnessy

Injuries are playing a part in Oaklands diminishing productivity along the D line as much as over exposure due to an anemic Offense.

Seymour has a bum knee and is finally showing his age. He failed to even register a tackle on Sunday and got bullied around the field by double teams and a rookie 2nd stringer.

DT Tommy Kelly has a bad toe and while it doesn't sound like much, it is. Launching, running and cutting become more difficult not to mention leverage.

Even if slowed only a fraction of a second makes all the difference between a tackle and long run or succesful passing play.

DE/DT Lamarr Houston has been stymied most of his 2nd season as a Pro.

We're at a loss.

DE/DT Desmond Bryant is quietly doing an excellent job filling for possibly Oaklands best Defensive lineman DE Matt Shaughnessy who was placed on IR Oct 11th after it was decided he would need surgery on his injured shoulder.

Bryant was mis-cast too often last year as an under sized DT. The 6-6, 290 lb Harvard grad is much better suited setting the edge against the run and defeating TE blocks.

Big John Henderson is playing hurt because hes a warrior but the aging veteran lane clogger is slowing and much less effective when hobbling on one knee.

The Raider Dogs of War could use some R&R, but this is war and duty calls.

Their best and brightest hope is a re-loaded, turbo charged Offense that can open the passing lanes, free up the run game and allow those pass rushing Dogs of War rest in reserve for later in the game.

12-08-11 11:28 am pac

Photo / Jose Marcio Sanchez AP                                                                                      WR Denarius Moore

With lingering injuries sidelining far too many Raiders, Oaklands WR corps is looking dangerously thin as the team heads for the artic tundra of Green Bay and Lambeau field.

WR Chaz Schilens has drawn ire for never being healthy and the fact he injured his foot against Miami last Sunday has detractors point fingers.

Schilens is a solid contributor and may be the most complete receiver Oakland has, when he is healthy. He was cleared to practice today but if he gets dinged again the Raiders WR corps is pretty depleted.

Fellow Wides Jacoby Ford and Denarius Moore are in all likelihood out against Green Bay. That leaves Schilens, veteran TJ Houshmandzadeh, Darrius Heyward Bey and Louis Murphy.

If one of them should go down Oakland could opt to field FB Manase Tonga more and split former WR turned FB Marcel Reece out in the pattern.

Rookie TE David Ausberry also was a WR in College and says he knows around 80% of the WR package.

Look for Oakland to use more 2 TE sets but Brandon Myer has yet to take over a game and Kevin Boss has been a major dissapointment trying to fill the shoes of departed Pro Bowler Zach Miller.

Last week Boss was finally utilized in the passing game and failed miserably. Unable to gain seperation or hang on to passes that did come his way makes him an unreliable target and an all too often injured blocker.

With Moore, Ford and DMC out of the line up teams have begun loading the box against Oaklands ground game and Michael Bush because Oakland hasn't shown a consistent deep strike threat without them.

Green Bay is not tremendously stout against the run but unless Oakland can make them respect the pass, they'll simply load the box and crowd the line.

Oakland can keep itself in the play off hunt with an upset victory over the undefeated Packers but if they lose and the streaking Broncos win again the Raiders topsy turvy season and play off hopes could be in serious jeopardy.

11-19-11 12:23 am pac     
Photo / AP                                                                                                                       WRs Bey and Ford

Injuries and circumstance could force the hand of HC Hue Jackson when it comes to the curious case of Darrius Heyward Bey.

In his 3rd season the 6-2, 210 lb former 7th overall selection looked like he was beginning to come on as a viable receiving option.

Brought on as a deep strike threat Bey struggled to track balls in flight, running crisp routes and even catching though he began, oddly enough, to make noise as a possession Receiver.

Through Oaklands first 7 games Bey tallied 27 catches for 434 yds a TD and a seemingly burgeoning talent for picking up yards after the catch.

But as suddenly as Bey seemed to be coming on, he was gone.

Some say it was due in part to some of those injured returning to the line up like fellow WRs Jacoby Ford and Louis Murphy which might've made more sense if Bey had been struggling again.

Head Coach Hue Jackson had this to say about Bey just before benching him.

“The light’s on,” Jackson said. “It’s been on. Darrius has always been a hard worker. Just more opportunities coming his way. He’s making more plays, his confidence is up and he’s doing well.”

The very next week Bey was dropped to 6th on the WR depth chart even after new Raider QB Carson Palmer praised the former Terp.

 “Good timing. He’s been working really hard,” Palmer said. I’ve only been around him during practice. He works really hard. He’s obviously fast. He can be a complete receiver. He just needs to continue to work and his confidence needs to continue to grow. The only way your confidence grows is by doing things on game day and making plays, and he’ll do that for us.”

Not if he doesn't see the field.

Oddly Bey's development into a possession receiver did nothing to dissuade Jackson from signing veteran WR TJ Houshmandzadeh a scant 3 days after these comments to be a possession recevier because, as Houshmandzadeh put it:

“With the guys they have, they’re all fast but they don’t really have a guy who can work the middle of the field and can run routes. So I can bring that to the table."

Coach Jackson went out of his way to state that Houshmandzadeh's signing had nothing to do with the injury to starting QB Jason Campbell and the sudden block buster signing of Palmer even though the two played for the Bengals and worked out together after.

So if it TJ wasn't a crutch and nothing was physically wrong with Bey, his disappearance from the depth chart the very next week and since remains a mystery.

Ford is injured and out again, Murphy still seems shell shocked, RB Darren McFadden is out and the Vikings Secondary is decimated so all signs point to an ariel attack from Oakland against Minnesota so if we don't hear much from Darrius Heyward Bey the writing may be on the wall and the former Davis prefer project may have fallen from favor and be a ghost before next season.

Of course Jackson could still stay away from Bey and unleash another inexplicably absent mid range and seam recevier TE Kevin Boss.

11-14-11 7:31 am pac

Photo Stephen Dunn / Getty Images                                                                                       S Matt Giordano

In a lot of ways S Matt Giordano represents this years Raider team. He was brought on board late, performed well, was cut, after an injury to Safety Hiram Eugene re-signed and has quietly done a surprisingly good job in the Raiders beyond banged up Secondary.

He was originally drafted by Indianapolis in the 4th round (134th overall) in 2005 where he earned a Super Bowl ring for the Colts victory in Super Bowl XLI.

Giordano was a staple on Colt Special Team units and one of the fastest players on the team.

The wayward Safety has bounced from team to team after the Colts released him in 2009 making appearances with the Packers, Falcons and Saints before lighting with the Raiders.

Like we mentioned, Girodano was a roster casualty after a solid pre season but when Eugene went down, Giordano was given new life.

Further injuries forced Giordano into action and the 5-11, 200 lb former High School track star began to take advantage.

Giordano made a pick on Philip Rivers late in the 4th quarter to help seal the Raiders win over the Bolts. 

He has 32 tackles 2 sacks and 2 interceptions so far and his gutsy, under dog performance reminds us of Bruce Willis' palooka Joe boxing character Butch Coolidge from the movie "Pulp Fiction".

Giordano's Great Grandfather Ralph was a world welter weight boxing Champion in 1933 and aside from the clean shaven dome's both sport Giordano is the epitome of a guy who beats the odds and just keeps comin'.

In the hours before last Thursdays Divisional match up with San Diego we noted that all but one of NFL Networks broadcasters and analysts had chosen the Chargers to win.

We posted on Facebook the famous Butch Coolidge quote:

"That's how you're gonna beat them, Butch. They keep underestimating ya …"

Not only did Oakland win, but it won in part thanks to an interception by Girodano, an unlikely hero and a perfect metaphor for the Oakland Raiders this season.

All odds were against Giordano's surprising re-addition, play making and surprising production just like all odds have been against Oakland this season like the loss of Pro Bowl CB Nnamdi Asomugha to Free Agency, a rookie Head Coach, the death of icon Al Davis, the loss of QB Jason Campbell, the injury to RB Darren McFadden, the addition of LB Aaron Curry, the massive bounty and addition of Carson Palmer, injuries, rookies forced into action and a slew of other obstacles thrown in the way of the Raiders.

All valid reasons why they should NOT be leading the AFC West just past the mid way point in the season.

But like Giordano, like Butch Coolidge, like the 2011 Oakland Raiders they continue to be underestimated and they continue to defy the odds.