Oh happy day.
I don't even care about the size of the damn thing, particularly since it smells like it was drawn up to be redone in two years anyway, but Nnamdi Asomugha, the best player in the game at his position and EASILY the best player in town chose to REMAIN IN OAKLAND rather than getting boucoup bucks elsewhere. Now, obviously, he raked in quite the windfall in Oakland, more than he could have expected to get elsewhere, but the point is that he chose to stay.
This has to be taken by all in the Nation that there IS a renewed optimism on the part of the players. It's also a good sign that some dead weight will be hitting the waves in a few days, to drift off to whichever shores they may find. I have a short list of players I'd like to see on the other side of the door, but let's see what happens.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Shane Lechler Signs Long-Term Deal:
A few weeks ago, I spent a few days detailing five objectives that I think have to be at the top of the Raiders' list of priorities if they want to have any chance at success in the coming season.
I'm happy to report that my number 2 suggestion -- locking down Asomugha long-term and backing an armored truck up to Shane Lechler's house -- may actually turn out to bear some resemblance to reality.
Bill Williamson is reporting that Lechler has signed a four-year deal that'll pay him around $3 million per. It's a hell of a lot of money for a punter, but we're talking about the best punter in the history of the game -- with only Sammy Baugh and Ray Guy really entering the conversation alongside Lechler -- who has been openly dissatisfied with the team's losing ways. That he signed may be written off as a case of a guy getting paid to go and punch a clock, but I think that Lechler is more competitive than that, and there may be some sort of optimistic vibe around 1220 Harbor Parkway.
Even better news: Note that Williamson is talking about Asomugha's people and the Raiders hunkering down for serious negotiations aimed at brokering a long-term deal. This is a guy who would command virtually any price he wants on the open market, who, despite belatedly having made his first Pro Bowl, is fairly openly discussed as the best cover corner in the game. Hell, even Mike Shanahan has reffered to him on numerous occasions as the most underrated player in the history of the game -- that sort of praise from a blood enemy doesn't come cheaply, so it's more meaningful when it does.
The cynic in me sees two players looking at an uncapped year potentially rendering any and all long-term deals moot. The optimist in me sees players signing long-term deals in Oakland, rather than elsewhere, even with that possibility. (Where would you rather play in the interim -- Pittsburgh, New England, or Oakland?)
This may be a sign of a positive change to come. If the best players in the team can buy into a positive future, they may bring some stragglers along.
I'm happy to report that my number 2 suggestion -- locking down Asomugha long-term and backing an armored truck up to Shane Lechler's house -- may actually turn out to bear some resemblance to reality.
Bill Williamson is reporting that Lechler has signed a four-year deal that'll pay him around $3 million per. It's a hell of a lot of money for a punter, but we're talking about the best punter in the history of the game -- with only Sammy Baugh and Ray Guy really entering the conversation alongside Lechler -- who has been openly dissatisfied with the team's losing ways. That he signed may be written off as a case of a guy getting paid to go and punch a clock, but I think that Lechler is more competitive than that, and there may be some sort of optimistic vibe around 1220 Harbor Parkway.
Even better news: Note that Williamson is talking about Asomugha's people and the Raiders hunkering down for serious negotiations aimed at brokering a long-term deal. This is a guy who would command virtually any price he wants on the open market, who, despite belatedly having made his first Pro Bowl, is fairly openly discussed as the best cover corner in the game. Hell, even Mike Shanahan has reffered to him on numerous occasions as the most underrated player in the history of the game -- that sort of praise from a blood enemy doesn't come cheaply, so it's more meaningful when it does.
The cynic in me sees two players looking at an uncapped year potentially rendering any and all long-term deals moot. The optimist in me sees players signing long-term deals in Oakland, rather than elsewhere, even with that possibility. (Where would you rather play in the interim -- Pittsburgh, New England, or Oakland?)
This may be a sign of a positive change to come. If the best players in the team can buy into a positive future, they may bring some stragglers along.
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Back in Germany, Back to Poker:
But with a question:
When your pocket is 10-2 off, and the flop is:
8-2-2
How do you bet? (Suits are irrelevant for this particular hand.)
What if the turn is a 2?
And the river another 8?
So you're left holding the second-best possible hand, staring at a full house (8-2-2-2-8) on the table, trying to figure out wtf to do.
Fortunately, nobody had pocket 8s, so after an eight-month layoff, I was back in Germany, playing some cards, and even coming out ahead. My best hand -- four deuces -- didn't win me much in the way of chips, but what the hell, that's the first four-of-a that I've ever been able to drop, so it was still pretty sweet.
When your pocket is 10-2 off, and the flop is:
8-2-2
How do you bet? (Suits are irrelevant for this particular hand.)
What if the turn is a 2?
And the river another 8?
So you're left holding the second-best possible hand, staring at a full house (8-2-2-2-8) on the table, trying to figure out wtf to do.
Fortunately, nobody had pocket 8s, so after an eight-month layoff, I was back in Germany, playing some cards, and even coming out ahead. My best hand -- four deuces -- didn't win me much in the way of chips, but what the hell, that's the first four-of-a that I've ever been able to drop, so it was still pretty sweet.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Reading the Davis Tea Leaves:
This is never an easy task, but I'm wondering if the Raiders are looking defense @ #7 come draft day.
The reason this is on my mind is the press conference announcing what everyone has kind of figured for a while anyway, that Cable was going to remain in Oakland as the head coach. No big surprise.
What WAS a surprise was Davis using WR and LT as positions of 'strength' for the Raiders, using them as platforms to launch further attacks at Kiffin. In essence, "we had this talent, but Lance wouldn't play them, wouldn't try to bring them along at a reasonable speed, rather than the speed at which I drive in the left-hand lane with my blinker constantly on."
It's always dangerous to try to guess the thoughts of a man like Davis, who is as erratic as he once was brilliant, but it seems to me that his hatred of Kiffin caused him to drop his guard a wee bit and hint at what he is looking at for the draft.
It makes no sense to take a RT at 7, unless it's Jordan Gross, and I don't think he went that high (would have to look). Levi Brown made sense where he went becuase while he's a RT, he's also a blind-side tackle, or was intended to be, at any rate, what with the "quarterback of the future" in Arizona being a lefty and all. The Raiders, if they're happy with Henderson, need a RT -- but Davis seems to be, or at least claims to be happy with Henderson. This may mean that my calling for Eugene Monroe all season may yet be in vain, as shocking as that eventuality would be.
Nor does Al seem terribly interested in WR, praising the development of Higgins and Schilens in a sort of "see what happened when we took the training wheels off?" moment oddly similar to crowing about how Henderson "dominated Mario Williams, dominated Gaines Adams" (the latter, I would caution, is something of a stretch -- Adams officially sacked Russell once, and really did so twice, with the second coming off the record because Adams was offsides on the play). The suspicion I'm left with here is that Al is happy enough with WR to try and fill a bigger need with the #7.
This leaves defense, really -- but which position makes the most sense? CB, Al's favorite "buy in bulk" position? He loves Asomugha and is quite fond of Chris Johnson, to all appearances, but it remains to be seen whether either of those share his fondness enough to stick around long-term. CB is a definite possibility.
Safety? To be bluntly honest, Michael Huff is a total bust at this point, leaving safety a major area of need. Hey, they went for safety once @ 7 . . .
My bet, though, is on either LB or DE. Both are major areas of need, but both, fortunately, are moderately deep in this year's draft.
So could we be talking about Brian Orapko at DE, or Rey Maualuga at ILB, kicking Morrison out to the Sam?
Maybe Aaron Maybin at DE? Maybe even B.J. Raji inside at DT, moving Kelly back out to end.
In any event, right now I'm looking at the Raiders thinking defense, not offense, with their first pick.
The reason this is on my mind is the press conference announcing what everyone has kind of figured for a while anyway, that Cable was going to remain in Oakland as the head coach. No big surprise.
What WAS a surprise was Davis using WR and LT as positions of 'strength' for the Raiders, using them as platforms to launch further attacks at Kiffin. In essence, "we had this talent, but Lance wouldn't play them, wouldn't try to bring them along at a reasonable speed, rather than the speed at which I drive in the left-hand lane with my blinker constantly on."
It's always dangerous to try to guess the thoughts of a man like Davis, who is as erratic as he once was brilliant, but it seems to me that his hatred of Kiffin caused him to drop his guard a wee bit and hint at what he is looking at for the draft.
It makes no sense to take a RT at 7, unless it's Jordan Gross, and I don't think he went that high (would have to look). Levi Brown made sense where he went becuase while he's a RT, he's also a blind-side tackle, or was intended to be, at any rate, what with the "quarterback of the future" in Arizona being a lefty and all. The Raiders, if they're happy with Henderson, need a RT -- but Davis seems to be, or at least claims to be happy with Henderson. This may mean that my calling for Eugene Monroe all season may yet be in vain, as shocking as that eventuality would be.
Nor does Al seem terribly interested in WR, praising the development of Higgins and Schilens in a sort of "see what happened when we took the training wheels off?" moment oddly similar to crowing about how Henderson "dominated Mario Williams, dominated Gaines Adams" (the latter, I would caution, is something of a stretch -- Adams officially sacked Russell once, and really did so twice, with the second coming off the record because Adams was offsides on the play). The suspicion I'm left with here is that Al is happy enough with WR to try and fill a bigger need with the #7.
This leaves defense, really -- but which position makes the most sense? CB, Al's favorite "buy in bulk" position? He loves Asomugha and is quite fond of Chris Johnson, to all appearances, but it remains to be seen whether either of those share his fondness enough to stick around long-term. CB is a definite possibility.
Safety? To be bluntly honest, Michael Huff is a total bust at this point, leaving safety a major area of need. Hey, they went for safety once @ 7 . . .
My bet, though, is on either LB or DE. Both are major areas of need, but both, fortunately, are moderately deep in this year's draft.
So could we be talking about Brian Orapko at DE, or Rey Maualuga at ILB, kicking Morrison out to the Sam?
Maybe Aaron Maybin at DE? Maybe even B.J. Raji inside at DT, moving Kelly back out to end.
In any event, right now I'm looking at the Raiders thinking defense, not offense, with their first pick.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
First Thoughts After the Game:
Man, what a game.
Still, what struck me most about those brief post-game interviews is that not one of the interviewees had enough class to say a single kind word about an opponent that pushed them all the way to the end of the game. Arizona gave Pittsburgh all they could handle for all 60 minutes -- and not one Steeler player or coach would acknowledge it, even when Dan Patrick tried twice to prompt them.
What class.
Still, what struck me most about those brief post-game interviews is that not one of the interviewees had enough class to say a single kind word about an opponent that pushed them all the way to the end of the game. Arizona gave Pittsburgh all they could handle for all 60 minutes -- and not one Steeler player or coach would acknowledge it, even when Dan Patrick tried twice to prompt them.
What class.
A Moment of Mourning:
"With the second selection in the 2004 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders select . . . Wide receiver, Pittsburgh, Larry Fitzgerald."
If only.
If only.
Halftime Update:
- The Boss looks great. I don't know wtf this song is, but The Boss looks great.
- I MUST get the coat that the sax player has. I'm not tall enough to pull it off, but I must have it at some point.
- There was a Silvio Dante sighting in the first song. I know that Stevie Van Zandt is a member of the E Street band, so it's not terribly unexpected, but it's still cool.
- This is by far one of the best halftime shows I've ever seen. In fact, it's the only show I've ever seen and enjoyed, despite not particularly caring about Bruce Springsteen.
- The gospel choir is an awesome touch.
- The Cardinals have one full series, maybe a series and a half. They must do something offensively before Pittsburgh scores again. The Cardinals had taken the momentum completely away from the Steelers, but they let Pittsburgh totally off the hook with that idiotic play right at the end of the half. If the Cards can go down the field with the ball first and get a score, of either variety, they're in good shape. They know that they can play with the Steelers now, they know that they can beat them -- but how tense are they going to be about making a mistake now that it's happened?
- Go Cards. Come on, guys, rally your heads back into the game, and let's keep it going.
- I MUST get the coat that the sax player has. I'm not tall enough to pull it off, but I must have it at some point.
- There was a Silvio Dante sighting in the first song. I know that Stevie Van Zandt is a member of the E Street band, so it's not terribly unexpected, but it's still cool.
- This is by far one of the best halftime shows I've ever seen. In fact, it's the only show I've ever seen and enjoyed, despite not particularly caring about Bruce Springsteen.
- The gospel choir is an awesome touch.
- The Cardinals have one full series, maybe a series and a half. They must do something offensively before Pittsburgh scores again. The Cardinals had taken the momentum completely away from the Steelers, but they let Pittsburgh totally off the hook with that idiotic play right at the end of the half. If the Cards can go down the field with the ball first and get a score, of either variety, they're in good shape. They know that they can play with the Steelers now, they know that they can beat them -- but how tense are they going to be about making a mistake now that it's happened?
- Go Cards. Come on, guys, rally your heads back into the game, and let's keep it going.
Super Bowl 43:
This is a difficult call, because I'm going to pick against my common sense.
I can't root for Mike Tomlin, not after the epic tantrum he threw after being heckled by Santa Claus.
I can't root for Pittsburgh to get that sixth ring, not before they get that second loss.
I can, however, root for Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald.
My brain says Pittsburgh wins.
I'm picking Arizona anyway, just because I want to.
I can't root for Mike Tomlin, not after the epic tantrum he threw after being heckled by Santa Claus.
I can't root for Pittsburgh to get that sixth ring, not before they get that second loss.
I can, however, root for Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald.
My brain says Pittsburgh wins.
I'm picking Arizona anyway, just because I want to.
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