Michael Vick Leads Lions to First Super Bowl Victory (Satire)

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Michael Vick, who at this time last year was trying to avoid dropping the soap, has now led the Motor City to its first NFL championship in over 50 years.  Vick, the game’s MVP, threw the game-winning touchdown pass to receiver Plaxico Burress with only 17 seconds left in the game to defeat the AFC Champion Denver Broncos.

The Lions achieved their first playoff victories since 1991 first by defeating San Francisco, causing their coach Mike Singletary to moon the entire team on the sideline. 

Then, in the NFC championship game, they defeated division rival Minnesota and Comeback Player of the Year, Tarvaris Jackson.  Even though Jackson led his team to victory this season, his three interceptions in the game prompted Vikings ownership to make their annual phone call to Brett Favre to come out of retirement.  Favre answered that he was staying retired but would continue to throw as well as put on pads and a helmet and even simulate throwing interceptions and falling on the ground.

The Broncos, with league MVP Kyle Orton, now have become the first team in the NFL to lose five Super Bowls, but that does not take away all they accomplished this season.  Criticized for his handling of former quarterback Jay Cutler, coach of the year Josh McDaniels led his team to a surprising conference title.

In other news, the annulment of Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady’s marriage was finalized the Friday before the Super Bowl.  Bundchen cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split, and specified it was due to Brady wearing all of her makeup, cosmetics, gels, and hogging the mirror.

After another disappointing season, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has now asked owner Jerry Jones to bring back Terrell Owens now that his one year contract with the Bills is up.  Romo also demanded that in order to help with his development that Jones fire the water boy, tee boy, hot dog vendor, and finally, re-signed placekicker Mike Vanderjagt, who called Romo out on the show “Rome Is Burning” by questioning his lack of leadership.

Finally, it was confirmed this week by Commissioner Roger Goodell that in addition to the annual European regular season game, more would be played at other foreign places including Sydney, Australia; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Bangkok, Thailand; and finally the Congo. 

Meanwhile, Los Angeles has been granted the right to host a Pop-Warner scrimmage of the first place winners of the Punt, Pass, and Kick Competition.  Goodell also announced that since more homes get transmission of the Versus Channel and Soap Opera Network than NFL Network, that the weekly Thursday games will now be Pay-Per-View.

Chicago Bears: Brian Urlacher, Jay Cutler Deny Rift

• Michael Vick is not someone the Bears are interested in even though their own backup QB, Caleb Hanie, hasn’t played in a regular-season game.
• Danieal Manning will be with starters at free safety in the first practice while Kevin Payne and Craig Steltz will battle for the starting strong safety spot. 
• Zack Bowman will be with starters at cornerback while Charles Tillman recovers from back surgery. 
• Bears receivers have come under criticism, but Smith likes his inexperienced group and sees no need to pursue a free agent like Plaxico Burress. “We have some guys who are eager to kind of squash some of this talk that has been going on about the receivers. We have confidence in them. I think after 10 days you’re going to like them a lot more than you do now.”

49ers’ Defense Plans On Tackling This Year

On the afternoon the veterans of the San Francisco 49ers reported to camp, the overriding theme was the practice schedule that Head Coach Mike Singletary greeted them with.

The most common adjectives those speaking to us ink-stained wretches used to describe it were “rough,” “brutal,” and “intense.”

The adjectives they were thinking, however, would probably not be suitable for a family web site.

The most telling example I can provide that this won’t be Club Med comes from ILB Takeo Spikes. He went on and on (albeit, with our gentle prodding) about the grueling training regimen he put himself through the past five weeks in Atlanta along with teammate Parys Haralson and other noted NFLers such as Osi Umeniyora and Hines Ward.

Spikes explained that he and the others worked out twice a day for all five weeks, and that the training involved open-hand boxing incorporated with specific football drills.

He said that this is the most prepared he’s been for a training camp his whole career.

Yet when I told him that Singletary said in his press conference the day before that he plans on the team putting on pads and hitting for both morning and afternoon practices the first two weeks, you should have seen how this proud rough-and-tumble NFL gladiator’s face dropped.

“That’s tough,” Spikes began, before cautioning that, “all that impact opens you up to injuries.”

Perhaps realizing how that sounded, Spikes backtracked a bit saying, “Don’t get me wrong, we need the work, but…”

But what?

“But you’ve got to be smart about it.”

Most of the vets expressed similar concerns, but for now, since the hitting hasn’t actually begun yet, they’re trying to have a positive attitude about it.

Or as right end Justin Smith put it, “If it won’t kill you, it’ll make you stronger…I guess.”

Of course every team has that one guy who simply won’t ever tone down the bravado, lest anyone perceive them as “soft,” and on the 49ers that guy is tight end Vernon Davis.

“In my mind I don’t think anything is rough,” Davis said of Camp Singletary.

Speaking of the mercurial Davis, he gave us a typically enigmatic answer when asked if this will be the season when he finally quits getting into training camp fights—something he’s notorious for.

“It’s behind me,” Davis assured, before quickly adding, “But I can’t stop being competitive. If my teammate across from me doesn’t like it, he’s going to have to deal with it.”

So apparently as long as whoever’s guarding Davis lets himself get pancaked on all running plays, and lets Vernon get wide open on all passing plays, there won’t be any problems.

Unless Davis drops the ball, of course.

We’ll have a chance to watch Davis and the rest of the 49ers practice for real starting this Saturday, and one treat the media will have (besides the free food) is that Singletary will have the defense go through tackling drills, which is surprisingly uncommon in the NFL.

Smith, for one, confessed that in all his years in the league he’s never done a tackling drill.

When asked what constitutes said drill, Smith replied, without missing a beat, “You tackle each other, I guess.”

Finally, from the Tell Us How You Really Feel About Us Department: Singletary was spotted walking out of the locker room on to the field and was asked if he wanted to talk to us.

“No,” he laughed and breezed right on by.

 

Media Love/Hate? Sick of Edwards Having to Talk About T.O

At the plate, I love what Terrell Owens brings to the football field.  I like how over his career he has done so many incredible and questionable things. From running over Ray Lewis, to the star crucifixion, and the gutsy performance in Super Bowl XXXIX, T.O has had one wild ride in the N.F.L.

And it’s not over.  Not yet, anyway.  For all that Owens has brought to the game of football he hasn’t achieved the ultimate goal, a Super Bowl title.  So why hasn’t there been any talk of this?  Buffalo hasn’t been to the playoffs in a decade

Why must fans hear the same questions directed to Trent Edwards over and over again?  Are you worried about how Terrell Owens will affect your football team?  Have you spoken to quarterbacks that Owens has worked with in the past? 

We all understand that T.O is the biggest thing to happen to Buffalo since, well Drew Bledsoe.  Getting the key to the city before ever playing a down in a Bills’ uniform is certainly making Byron Brown look like a sycophant, as does mobs of people at airports and the neighborhood grocery market.

Now if I feel this, won’t the players feel the same way?  Who is the true leader of this locker-room now?  I have a feeling it isn’t Trent Edwards. When does there come a point where we sit down and say enough is enough? 

I say this because I genuinely feel that there is enough hype surrounding Buffalo now.  Or at least there has been enough media coverage of Owens and maybe fans would like to hear from somebody else for a change.

I know, I know, there isn’t another superstar to talk about.  Well that could change this season.  If all else, stop handing the microphone to Edwards to talk about Owens and hand it to somebody else to talk about him.

How about getting Marshawn Lynch for an interview?  Fred Jackson?  An offensive lineman?  Turk Schonert?  I know all the big media sources just want the big names, but it would really help if they would diversify. 

I guess the only thing I can say is the local media are the only ones who get it right.  Maybe I should stop watching ESPN, reiterating information is getting bland.

Here’s another good question:  How are the other receivers taking all the T.O chatter?  I know they haven’t proven half of what T.O has, but come on now every other Bills receiver has been here their entire professional career.  Don’t they get a little love?

If the larger media outlets would focus on smaller issues it would make for a better presentation.  Of course the flip side would be we could hear hours and hours of information about the Pittsburgh Pirates on ESPN, and I’m sure nobody outside of Pittsburgh wants to hear that.

So in retrospect we can thank the big media guys, because as big as they are, they are usually the slowest to the hot story and usually never have the best information.

Here’s to the rest of the Buffalo Bills roster, keep flying under the radar.

Kenechi Udeze: Saying Goodbye Is Never Easy.

The Minnesota Vikings have announced the retirement of defensive end Kenechi Udeze, ending his bid for a comeback this year with the club.

In February of 2008, Udeze was diagnosed with leukemia. And despite receiving a bone marrow transplant and being able, initially, to participate in OTAs, Udeze’s decision was mainly due to side effects associated with the treatment which hindered his progress.

The first-round draft pick by the Vikings was enjoying what was building up to be a rather impressive campaign with the club. Udeze recorded 117 tackles and 11 sacks in 47 starts as a Viking.

His current bout with leukemia, which is in remission, was not the first time in his career he has faced adversity—nor was it ever a reason to quit.

Udeze battled weight problems before entering USC’s program coming out of high school—a challenge he overcame.

In 2003, Udeze returned to action for the Trojans after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his knee only to be a part of the 2004 Rose Bowl team.

Udeze will never be known as a quitter—that much is for certain.

While playing for USC in 2001, the redshirt freshman garnered 35 tackles (nine for loss) and four sacks in only 10 games started. Udeze earned a spot on The Sporting News Freshman All-American Second Team and The Sporting News All-Pac 10 First Team, as well as USC’s Co-Lifter Award.

Udeze enjoyed a very successful 2002 campaign as well.

He was named Defensive Lineman of the Year, was an All-Pac 10 Second Team selection, and shared the Pac-10 lead with six forced fumbles, which was a USC record.

In total, Udeze boasted 135 tackles (51 for a loss) and 28 sacks—a school record as well—in addition to 14 forced fumbles as a Trojan.

As with any severe illness, people and players often find themselves having to make difficult decisions that are often never truly understood by others.

In Udeze’s case, his penchant for never quitting anything only amplifies the obvious disheartening nature this had to yield.

In football, the opportunity to come out of retirement is always a reality, and there is never a true way of knowing what the future holds for Udeze going forward—a notion that holds a bit of optimism in the football realm for himself, for his fans, and the Minnesota Vikings.

The most positive aspect of all of this is that Udeze feels healthy, his leukemia is in remission, and the road to recovery, albeit daunting, is ready for the taking.

And you can surely bet Udeze, and the spirit that has become synonymous with him and his endeavors, will be ready for the challenge with his best foot forward at all times.

Here’s to a speedy recovery and a positive outcome to an otherwise unfortunate turn of events for Udeze and his family.

Farewell Kenechi Udeze, You Will Always Be In Our Hearts

Here’s an article that I dedicate to the 26-year-old Kenechi Udeze. Kenechi fought to make his journy back to the NFL, but the battle against leukemia kept it short.

He’s a tough man that deserves everyone’s love and prayers.

I’ll start off with his career:

Udeze attended the University of Southern California, and was a three-year starter and helped his team to a 2004 Rose Bowl victory as a junior. He finished his college career with 135 tackles; 51 of them for a loss, 28 sacks; which was a school record, 14 forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, one interception, five pass deflections, and two blocked kicks.

Then came the NFL 2004 Draft where Udeze was drafted by the Vikings out of USC in the first round with the 20th overall selection.

During his rookie season with the Vikings, he started 15 games and recorded 36 tackles, five sacks, one forced fumble, and one pass deflected.

In 2005 Udeze was injured in the Vikings third game of the season with cartilage damage in his left knee, which kept him out the rest of the year. Udeze finished the season with three games started, five tackles, and one sack.

In 2006 he was once again the starter at left defensive end, playing 16 games, starting 15 and recorded 29 tackles and no sacks.

In 2007, again he played in all 16 games, with 15 starts, and had 47 tackles and five sacks.

On February 11, 2008, it was announced that Udeze was diagnosed by doctors with a form of lukemia. Udeze revealed that his leukemia was in a state of remission. Udeze would get a bone marrow transplant from his brother. He said at the time that he plans to play football again someday, but says health is his No. 1 priority for now.

Udeze returned to the Metrodome as an honorary captain for a game against the Green Bay Packers on November 9, 2008, again stating he would return. 

Then yesterday, Kenechi announced his retirement to a short and difficult career.

That was all the time young Kenechi Udeze had to his short career. It was sad to hear the news that he would have to retire.

Kenechi didn’t deserve this and hopefully won’t have a difficult life because of this. If there’s any way that he could receive help, it would be from us.

Always keep him in mind and in prayers. He needs all the help from everyone and I wish the best of luck to him.

I will always keep Kenechi in my heart and in my prayers everyday. I hope everyone will to.

Good luck and God bless you Kenechi. Enjoy life and always remember that your fans are here for you.

Facing Mental Illness: My Hero, Terry Bradshaw

For NFL fans, Terry Bradshaw is a household name.

Drafted as the first pick in the 1970 NFL Draft out of Louisiana Tech, Bradshaw played quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1970-1983. In a span of six years, he won four Super Bowl titles.

Bradshaw also led his team to eight AFC Central championships. He’s a two-time Super bowl MVP, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, and in his first eligible year in 1989, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Terry Bradshaw also has clinical depression. He was diagnosed in 1999.

He takes medication to properly balance the serotonin in his brain.

“When you’re clinically depressed the serotonin in your brain is out of balance and probably always will be out of balance. So I take medication to get that proper balance back. I’ll probably have to be on it the rest of my life.”

He’s not alone.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, in any given year, over 20 million American adults suffer from depressive disorders, with women suffering almost at twice the rate as men.

These illnesses include major depressive disorder—often called clinical depression—dysthymic disorder and bipolar disorder. Major depressive disorder is the leading cause of disability in the United States.

“Depression is a physical illness,” states Bradshaw. “The beauty of it is that there are medications that work. Look at me. I’m always happy-go-lucky, and people look at me and find it shocking that I could be depressed.”

After his NFL career ended, Bradshaw was finally able to escape the stigma of mental illness in the league (and that’s for another article), and communicate about his clinical depression. He disclosed that he frequently experienced anxiety attacks after games.

The problem worsened when Terry went through his third divorce in 1999. He could no longer bounce back from his depression like he did with his previous two divorces, or a bad game.

This realization of no control, as I call it, can happen to sufferers of mental illness at any time. For me, I lost control during my freshman year of high school. Even though Bradshaw suffered it much later than me, it is no less raw.

When Bradshaw broke down, his symptoms included weight loss, frequent crying, and sleeplessness. Since he started taking the anti-depressant Paxil, his symptoms have become much more manageable.

Symptoms of Clinical Depression include:

• Persistent sadness and/or anxiety

• Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness and helplessness

• Anhedonia—loss of interest or pleasure in enjoyable activities, including sex

• Decreased energy or fatigue

• Concentration and/or memory problems and difficulty making decisions

• Insomnia or oversleeping

• Appetite changes, weight loss or weight gain

• Suicidal thoughts; suicide attempts

“It’s hard for me to put into words the horrific feeling of being depressed,” the Hall of Famer has said. “It is the most sickening feeling in the world when you believe you are miserable and you’re all alone.”

Like many people struggling with depression, before being diagnosed, Bradshaw drank to self-medicate.

“I was drinking a lot, and I didn’t like the path I was on,” Bradshaw admits. “I was frightened by what might happen. I wasn’t sure if I was going to drink myself to death.”

Bradshaw confided in a preacher, who was able to give him his first guidance. He began the process of finding professionals (therapist, psychologists) to help him.

Readers should know that medication alone cannot be the “magic bullet” for the mentally ill. Talk therapy is another invaluable tool that helps those with depression cope with their feelings and find constructive ways to deal with them.

Despite depression being the second-most disabling illness in the world, far too few people seek and find help for it. As a sufferer of bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder, I have taken Terry’s example and become proactive in my quest to get better. It’s not easy for Bradshaw, me, or anyone with mental illness, but it has to be done.

Taking charge of your mental illness can be very empowering.

If you are suffering from depression, and it has lasted for more than two weeks, and includes many of the symptoms above, you should probably see your family doctor. Your doctor can then refer you to a therapist, or psychiatrist, or both. If you do not have a family doctor, please seek help at NAMI.org.

If you ever feel like you might hurt yourself or others, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK.

My hope is that those with mental illness can find strength in Terry Bradshaw’s story. He has not only become an NFL legend while living with his depression, but has become a successful broadcaster and a great father.

Letting go of the fear of being judged can be tough. Be a friend to someone with mental illness, and see what a difference a friend makes.

Thank you Terry, for everything.

 

For more mental illness and sports articles, please stay tuned.

NY Giants Sign Second Rounders Clint Sintim and William Beatty

According to the New York Giants’ official Web site , the Giants have signed both of their second round picks: outside linebacker Clint Sintim and offensive tackle William Beatty.

Clint Sintim, the OLB out of Virginia, was drafted 45th overall with the second-round pick the Giants received from the New Orleans Saints in exchange for tight end Jeremy Shockey (the Giants also received a fifth-round pick, with which they selected quarterback Rhett Bomar of Sam Houston State).

William Beatty, OT from University of Connecticut, was selected with the Giants’ late second round pick, 60th overall.

Sintim is expected to make an immediate impact, although it is still unknown exactly how he will be used.  Heading into the draft, some were concerned that he struggled in coverage.

But the Giants believe he is athletic enough to be competent in coverage, while also bringing many other positives.  He is a great blitzer off the edge, and he should help the Giants’ already dynamic pass rush.  The playmaking Sintim compiled at least 70 tackles and a combined 20 sacks in his final two collegiate seasons.

At 6-6, 305 lbs., William Beatty is already a mountain of a man, and he could still tack on some extra weight.  He is athletic for his size and should turn into a gifted pass blocker.

The Giants hope that he will not be forced into action this season, but the reality is that right tackle Kareem McKenzie has had his share of injury problems over the past couple of seasons.  Beatty is not ready yet, but he should be an upgrade as a backup offensive lineman.

The Giants waived wide receiver Micah Rucker and linebacker Kelvin Smith in order to add the two rookies to the depth chart.

With Giants players reporting to training camp on Sunday, only their first round pick, wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, remains unsigned.

Look to the Past: The Cowboys’ Focus Should Be on the Ground

Back in the early 1990s, when the Cowboys were the most dominating team in the NFL, the offense was led by the "triplets"—Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, and Emmitt Smith.

While all three contributed much to the success the Cowboys enjoyed, the driving factor behind the team’s three Super Bowl victories was the running attack led by Smith—if the Cowboys are going to make a run this season at getting back to the Super Bowl, then they are going to have to return to the philosophy of running the football.

As hard as it is to believe with Tony Romo and Jason Witten on the offensive side of the ball, the strength of the Cowboys’ offensive unit is at the running back position.

The Cowboys have a new set of "triplets"—three running backs 26 years old or younger Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice.

Last season this trio combined for over 1,600 yards and a 4.5 yard per carry average while scoring 12 touchdowns.  Yet they only carried the ball 360 times compared to 578 passing attempts.

Doesn’t one of the deepest and most talented groups of running backs in the game deserve more than 37 percent of the offensive snaps?

In 2008, the Cowboys ranked 21st in the NFL in rushing offense.  Their 401 rushing attempts ranked 25th in the league and last in the NFC East.

Last year, seven teams rushed the ball more than 500 times, led by the Baltimore Ravens with 592 attempts.  These seven teams had a combined won-lost record of 80-32; that’s a .714 winning percentage.

Of the 12 teams that made the playoffs, only Indianapolis with Peyton Manning and Arizona with Kurt Warner, ran the ball fewer times than the Cowboys.  In addition, the Cowboys only rushed for 12 touchdowns last season, ranking 22nd in the league.

But there are signs of promise in the Cowboys’ ground game.

Last year, they had 12 runs of 20 yards or more, which ranked 10th in the league, demonstrating the team has playmakers at the position.  Over 25 percent of their rushing attempts—102 of the 401—resulted in first downs.

The Cowboys can run the ball, they just choose not to.

The Cowboys must change their offensive mindset and make a concerted effort to balance the offense and make the running attack a more important focus of their game plans.

The talent is there starting with Marion Barber III; Barber, entering his fifth season, is coming off a dislocated toe on his right foot that he hobbled on during the last four games of the season.

Prior to his injury, Barber had three 100 yard games including a season high 142-yard performance in week three against Green Bay.  He then finished the year with 885 yards on 238 carries and rushed for seven touchdowns.

 

 

After Barber got hurt, Tashard Choice stepped in to more than adequately fill his shoes.  Choice, who will be in his second season out of Georgia Tech, rushed for 472 yards on just 92 carries.

To put in perspective just how effective Choice was, in four games against teams with outstanding run defenses—Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and the New York Giants—he ran for 325 yards averaging 5.2 yards a carry.

Also early in the season, before the wheels started to fall off of the Cowboys offense, the third cog in the running machine, Felix Jones, was showing why he was the team’s No. 1 draft choice in 2008.

Jones played in only five games before tearing his hamstring, but in those games he ran for 266 yards while averaging a remarkable 8.9 yards per carry and scoring three rushing touchdowns.

So how does Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett find a way to get all three of these weapons involved in the ground game?

Increase the number of rushing attempts in the game plan for one and be creative for another.

The Cowboys should look to run a minimum of 30 times a game.  That would amount to 480 attempts over the 16-week season, an increase of almost 80 attempts over last year.

Get creative and come out with formations that have Choice and Barber on the field at the same time.  Or put Jones in the slot and run some misdirection plays with him.

The idea is to get as many of these playmakers on the field as possible.  The Cowboys should roll out their version of the "wildcat" formation and make it a part of their regular offensive game plans.

Do not forget this package first became popular a couple seasons ago at the University of Arkansas when they used it in order to get both their top running backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones on the field at the same time—yes, the same Felix Jones now residing in the Cowboys backfield.

The Cowboys also have two wide receivers on their roster that saw significant amount of time at the quarterback position in college: Both Patrick Crayton and Isaiah Stanback would be natural fits for the wildcat package.

As a 10-year Cowboys season ticket-holder, I have sat and endured far too many games that look the same.  Try to run once, maybe twice and when that doesn’t work have Romo drop back to pass.

The Cowboys cannot abandon the ground game so quickly.  They have the offensive weapons to be one of the most dangerous running teams to match up against in the league.

Oh and in case you have not heard, the new "triplets" have rolled out a nickname of their own—Tash, Dash, and Smash.

With Darrius Heyward-Bey Signed, the Oakland Raiders Have All Hands on Deck

The signing of first-round draft pick Darrius Heyward-Bey today to a reported five-year deal means that the Oakland Raiders now have all members of their draft class signed and ready to begin practicing.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network (soon to be ESPN) tweeted it roughly seven hours ago, and fellow Nationophile Andrew Linton reported it <a href=”http://bleacherreport.com/articles/227259-darrius-heyward-bey-inks-4-year-deal”> here</a> on Bleacher Report.

Heyward-Bey signed sometime early this morning—or late last night, depending on your time zone—and with his close proximity to Napa, he should be ready for practice as early as this afternoon.

Coach Tom Cable stated yesterday that the first two-a-day practices would not be in pads, and that they would be teaching and having walk-through practices. Cable stressed the importance of players knowing their roles and their positioning well before beginning full-speed workouts.

Since the Raiders’ veteran presence at wideout is the enigmatic and thus far ineffective Javon Walker, it was of the greatest importance that Heyward-Bey  sign as quickly as possible. It is also imperative for the rookie to develop a quick and lasting chemistry with JaMarcus Russell, as the two could provide sparks for years to come. 

The Raiders’ receiving corps is raw. They have Walker, Heyward-Bey, fellow rookies Louis Murphy and Shawn Bayes, tight end Zach Miller, and young receivers Chaz Schilens, Jonnie Lee Higgins and Todd Watkins.

There is not a lot of experience there, save Walker, and not a lot of production there, save Miller.

Improvement is needed in both areas, and signing Heyward-Bey in time for camp is a huge step in the right direction.

The only Raider rookie not to make it camp is sixth-round pick Stryker Sulak, who was released from the squad last week. Although rumours flew that Sulak was holding out for more money and had insulted Al Davis at the negotiating table, Cable stated in his press conference that there were no off-field issues, and Sulak simply wasn’t a fit for the team. Cable also praised Sulak for being a great kid and hard worker.

This marks the second time in three seasons the Raiders have released a draft pick before camp began. Two years ago it was Quentin Moses, also a defensive end. Moses was a little tougher to swallow, as he was a third-round pick. But when he didn’t catch on with other teams, it seemed the Raiders made the right decision.

Still, two essentially wasted picks in the last three seasons is a little annoying.

With all rookies ready to practice and learn, the Raiders are ahead of the curve compared to the last couple of years. They typically do a great job locking down their draft choices, but with the Moses situation, Russell’s holdout, and now Sulak, the Raiders have had some difficulties with their rookies on the business side.

It should be interesting now to see what the receiver from across the Bay, Michael Crabtree, gets in way of payment based on what DHB got paid. Their careers will be inextricably linked, but the fact that Heyward-Bey is signed and ready to go while Crabtree is holding out and still rehabbing his foot has DHB one step ahead at this point.

It may mean nothing in the grand scheme of their careers, but the fact that Heyward-Bey was drafted higher and settled for less money than the seventh pick in last year’s draft, while Crabtree was drafted 10 and is insisting on top-three money tells me that the Raiders made the right choice based on potential, attitude, and team-first mentality.

None of that matters today, though. Darrius Heyward-Bey is officially a Raider, and all reports indicate that his hamstring is 100 percent and he’s ready to go.

I’m really excited to see what this kid can do. His measurables are incredible, and his demeanour and attitude are refreshing, especially as a wide receiver.

Welcome to the Silver and Black, lad. We’re glad to have you.

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