History: Huff, Ellis, Seymour Compared To Green, White, Holmes

A historical look at the Pittsburgh Steelers is good preparation for the Oakland Raiders in 2009. It will alert the Oakland Raiders to rise to the occasion and tackle an opponent who historically is credited with having a very good defensive squad.

 

The Historical Context

During the same years the Pittsburgh Steelers were building “The Steel Curtain,” America was building a defense for dropouts and push-outs in urban schools. Those years saw the high school dropout rate for African-American males climb to an alarming high.

There was a crisis because of a lack of presence of role models. Organizations like the National Urban League got involved in education, mainly to help reduce the dropout rate in urban communities.

Defenses needed to be built in American education. Young men needed to be herded off the streets and back into the classrooms. The legislation that would fund the dropout prevention programs, which was America’s defense for an emerging problem, was called the Emergency School Aid Act (ESAA). While all of this was happening on a national level, the Pittsburgh Steelers were building up a powerful defense, called “The Steel Curtain.”

 

The Connections

As the project director of a Houston Area Urban League ESAA project, I was told to hire four strong men who could help find the dropouts and encourage them to return to high school, and to identify those who were potential dropouts.

I found four good men to implement the project. One of them, I distinctly remember, was a relative of Dwight White, a defensive player with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The name of Dwight White’s relative was Bob White, and he had been a probation officer. He was perfectly suited for the job.

The other man I hired was an ex-U. S. Marine who wanted to help young people.

 

The Motivating Stories

Mr. White constantly talked about his relative Dwight. I was curious and Mr. White would share with us, the experiences of Dwight White, “Mean” Joe Greene, Ernie Holmes and L. C. Greenwood. He would brag about how tough, smart and determined those NFL players were. Somehow that motivated the ESAA counselors to go out there in those rough, urban communities and tackle those dropouts, and herd them back into the schools such as Jack Yates High School, in Third Ward.

Each NFL player stands out in my mind in 2009 for a different reason.

Dwight White stood out because he was the relative to a man who worked as a counselor in the program I directed.

“Mean” Joe Greene stood out because of his performance on the football field and his name.

Ernie Holmes stood out because he attended Texas Southern University, and he was known for his intensity on the playing field. His name stands out in my mind even more now because he fathered one of the promising young mathematicians in the United States, Dr. Rod Holmes.

There were really four outstanding defense players with the Pittsburgh Steelers at that time. I made no connection with the fourth player.

Here is what an interesting chapter in history looks like in 2009.

Ernie Holmes who passed away, at 59-years-old, in a car accident somewhere between Houston, Texas and Beaumont, Texas is the father of a young mathematician who has made history.

I work with Ernie Holmes’ son. Dr. Rod Holmes, the second African-American man to receive a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Houston, must have put up a powerful defense to negotiate his way to the end of a historical accomplishment.

He was mentored by Dr. Willie Taylor, the first African-American man to receive his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Houston. Is it possible that the wisdom of his father, the great defensive player with “The Steel Curtain” rubbed off on the son, Dr. Rob Holmes?

 

The Common Traits for Success

The determination, persistence, and passion you need for football is also needed in intellectual endeavors. Perhaps the powerful attributes of the father were passed on to the son, giving him the coping skills to wedge forth and get a Ph.D. in one of the most challenging areas in mathematics, functional analysis? I think so.

Does the tradition of building and having a powerful defensive team continue in the current Pittsburgh Steelers team? Probably so.

Traces of genius stood out in the career of Ernie Holmes.

In one quote we see:

“Holmes, drafted out of Texas Southern, was part of a defense that held Minnesota to 17 yards rushing and 119 total yards in the 1975 Super Bowl. The Steelers won their first title, 16-10. They were back a year later, beating Dallas 21-17 for the championship.

“The 1976 Steelers defense was one of the best in NFL history, shutting out five opponents—three in a row—during a nine-game, season-ending winning streak. The Steelers allowed only 28 points during those nine games, an average of slightly more than a field goal per game.

“He was devastating and would just destroy the opponent across from him,” Russell said. “Sometimes I had to remind him to tackle the guy with the pigskin. He was a brilliant player. He played all with his heart.”

“He used his head, too. Besides “Fats,” he was also known as “Arrowhead” because in 1974 he shaved his head, leaving only an arrow-shaped pattern of hair on his skull. “I asked him, ‘What the hell did you do that for?'” longtime Steelers director of communications Joe Gordon said.

“We were getting ready to play the Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium. He said, ‘That’s to point me to the quarterback.'” What stands out is the comment “He used his head” and “he was a brilliant player.”

 

The Role Models were evident

So, the four men who often bragged about the brilliance of L. C. Greenwood, Joe Green, Dwight White and Ernie Holmes were good role models. Perhaps they saw the merit and power of a good defense.

And, the four men who took part in “The Steel Curtain” set a model in place for those times by being one of the best NFL defense squads in NFL history. Out of that pool of talent was birthed one of America’s promising mathematicians.

It looks like Dr. Rod Holmes inherited the brilliance and heart of his father. It is no small feat to be one of the few African-American men to get a Ph.D. in functional analysis.

Brilliance can be in the genes, however, it may manifest itself in different ways. Ernie Holmes showed his on the playing field while his son shows his in intellectual pursuits.

 

The Historical Encounter  

Now there is a story telling about what Ernie Holmes did, and how he approached Gene Upshaw of the Oakland Raiders. Holmes forewarned Upshaw that the Steelers defense was, let’s say, stronger and more fierce than the Raiders.

Well, a game is coming up on Dec. 6. Is there a “Ernie Holmes” making his way to a “Gene Upshaw”? Is the Oakland Raiders team being forewarned about the tactics and strength of the Pittsburgh Steelers?

A historical encounter is captured in this quote: “To motivate his teammates, Holmes purposefully strayed into the Raiders’ warm ups to tell star lineman Gene Upshaw before the January 1976 AFC Championship Game what the Steelers would do to him and Oakland.

“The Steelers went on to win 24-13. But at a team Christmas party, Holmes surprised everyone by dressing up like Santa Claus and handing out toys.”

It’s 33 years later. In 2009 is there a Steelers defensive player who will “stray into the Raiders’ warm ups” and tell the Raiders’ star lineman what the Steelers will do to him and Oakland on Dec. 6?

 

The Heritage

I conclude by saying that out of the personal heritage of Ernie Holmes has come an outstanding young mathematician, Rod Holmes.

More broadly, then, we can say that out of the franchise heritage of both the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Oakland Raiders should come forth with a “Ernie Holmes” and a “Gene Upshaw.”

An Oct. 2009 article, written by Saint , cites a progress report on the Oakland Raiders defensive players:

“1) Michael Huff —Huff is second in the NFL with three interceptions, and he has also gotten his hands on plenty more as he, playing a part time role, is tied for the NFL lead in passes defensed. He is definitely the surprise of the 2009 season, for the Raiders, to this point.

“2) Greg Ellis —Ellis is 7th in the NFL with four sacks, although he was not given credit for a half sack in the first game that was given to Seymour. He has been an outstanding pick-up from Dallas and I am sure that he has something special planned for Thanksgiving Day in the Big D!

“3) The Law Offices of Morrison, Howard and BRANCH?—Howard and Morrison are tied for 17th in tackles with 31 and Tyvon is fifth among all safeties with 29 of his own. Morrison and Howard have really stepped up their games and are each tracking 124 tackles while Tyvon is proving to be one heckuva Fourth Rounder and is tracking 116 in his first full season starting in the NFL.

“4) Richard Seymour —Seymour does have two sacks this season, but his leadership has been invaluable in galvanizing the front four.

“5) Nnamdi—The man with ZERO stats. As they once said, a long time ago, if your name is being called a lot and you are on the offensive line or the defensive backfield, it is NOT usually a good thing. So, Nnamdi is doing his “Nnamdiest” to stay out of the stat column but has made nearly every play that has come his way.

“This defense is young and getting better, what do you think Raider Nation?”

Who will win the game on Dec. 6, 2009? I will leave it up to you, the readers, to give predictions.

 

The Vision

One thing we can conjecture is that the Oakland Raiders has an emerging leader, Richard Seymour. Will the current Oakland Raiders defensive players reverse the results of the 2009 pattern, and overcome the Pittsburgh Steelers who have historically had players like Holmes who “bullied” and out-thought his opponents because not only was he tough, but he was smart, too.

So in 2009, the Oakland Raiders need to build up their “Brick Wall” or some wall made out of a viscoelastic material (polymer) so as to combat the forces they will likely encounter on Dec. 6, 2009.

Go Raiders! Build up a history of a powerful defense!

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Steelers Historical Strong Defense: White, Green, Holmes, Greenwood

During the same years the Pittsburgh Steelers were building “The Steel Curtain,” America was building a defense for dropouts and push-outs in urban schools.

Those years saw the high school dropout rate for African-American males climb to an alarming high. There was a crisis because of a lack of presence of role models. Organizations like the National Urban League got involved in education, mainly to help reduce the dropout rate in urban communities.

Defenses needed to be built in American education. Young men needed to be herded off the streets and back into the classrooms. The legislation that would fund the dropout prevention programs, which was America’s defense for an emerging problem, was called the Emergency School Aid Act (ESAA).

As the project director of a Houston Area Urban League ESAA project, I was told to hire four strong men who could help find the dropouts and encourage them to return to high school, and to identify those who were potential dropouts.

I found four good men to implement the project. One of them, I distinctly remember, was a relative of Dwight White, a defensive player with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The name of Dwight White’s relative was Bob White, and he had been a probation officer. He was perfectly suited for the job.

The other man I hired was an ex-U. S. Marine who wanted to help young people.

Mr. White constantly talked about his relative Dwight. I was curious and Mr. White would share with us, the experiences of Dwight White, “Mean” Joe Greene, Ernie Holmes and L. C. Greenwood.

Each NFL player stands out in my mind for a different reason.

Dwight White stood out because he was the relative to a man who worked as a counselor in the program I directed.

“Mean” Joe Greene stood out because of his performance on the football field and his name.

Ernie Holmes stood out because he attended Texas Southern University, and he was known for his intensity on the playing field. His name stands out in my mind even more now because he fathered one of the promising young mathematicians in the United States, Dr. Rod Holmes.

There were really four outstanding defense players with the Pittsburgh Steelers at that time. I made no connection with the fourth player.

Here is what an interesting chapter in history looks like in 2009. Ernie Holmes who passed away, at 59 years old, in a car accident somewhere between Houston, Texas and Beaumont, Texas is the father of a young mathematician who has made history.

I work with Ernie Holmes’ son.

Dr. Rod Holmes, the second African-American man to receive a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Houston, must have put up a powerful defense to negotiate his way to the end of a historical accomplishment.

He was mentored by Dr. Willie Taylor, the first African-American man to receive his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Houston.

Is it possible that the wisdom of his father, the great defensive player with “The Steel Curtain” rubbed off on the son, Dr. Rob Holmes?

The determination, persistence, and passion you need for football is also needed in intellectual endeavors. Perhaps the powerful attributes of the father were passed on to the son, giving him the coping skills to wedge forth and get a Ph.D. in one of the most challenging areas in mathematics, functional analysis? I think so.

Does the tradition of building and having a powerful defensive team continue in the current Pittsburgh Steelers team?  Probably so.

Traces of genius stood out in the career of Ernie Holmes. In one quote we see:

“Holmes, drafted out of Texas Southern, was part of a defense that held Minnesota to 17 yards rushing and 119 total yards in the 1975 Super Bowl. The Steelers won their first title, 16-10. They were back a year later, beating Dallas 21-17 for the championship.

“The 1976 Steelers defense was one of the best in NFL history, shutting out five opponents — three in a row — during a nine-game, season-ending winning streak. The Steelers allowed only 28 points during those nine games, an average of slightly more than a field goal per game.

“He was devastating and would just destroy the opponent across from him,” Russell said. “Sometimes I had to remind him to tackle the guy with the pigskin. He was a brilliant player. He played all with his heart.”

“He used his head, too. Besides “Fats,” he was also known as “Arrowhead” because in 1974 he shaved his head, leaving only an arrow-shaped pattern of hair on his skull.

“I asked him, ‘What the hell did you do that for?'” longtime Steelers director of communications Joe Gordon said. “We were getting ready to play the Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium. He said, ‘That’s to point me to the quarterback.'”

What stands out is the comment “He used his head” and “he was a brilliant player.”

So, the four men who often bragged about the brilliance of L. C. Greenwood, Joe Green, Dwight White and Ernie Holmes were good role models. Perhaps they saw the merit and power of a good defense.

And, the four men who took part in “The Steel Curtain” set a model in place for those times by being one of the best NFL defense squads in NFL history.

Out of that pool of talent was birthed one of America’s promising mathematicians. It looks like Dr. Rod Holmes inherited the brilliance and heart of his father. It is no small feat to be one of the few African-American men to get a Ph.D. in functional analysis.

Brilliance can be in the genes, however, it may manifest itself in different ways. Ernie Holmes showed his on the playing field while his son shows his in intellectual pursuits.

Now there is a story telling about what Ernie Holmes did, and how he approached Gene Upshaw of the Oakland Raiders. Holmes forewarned Upshaw that the Steelers defense was, let’s say, stronger and more fierce than the Raiders.

Well, a game is coming up on Dec. 6. Is there a “Ernie Holmes” making his way to a “Gene Upshaw”? Is the Oakland Raiders team being forewarned about the tactics and strength of the Pittsburgh Steelers?

A historical encounter is captured in this quote:

“To motivate his teammates, Holmes purposefully strayed into the Raiders’ warm ups to tell star lineman Gene Upshaw before the January 1976 AFC Championship Game what the Steelers would do to him and Oakland.

“The Steelers went on to win 24-13. But at a team Christmas party, Holmes surprised everyone by dressing up like Santa Claus and handing out toys.”

It’s 33 years later. In 2009 is there a Steelers defensive player who will “stray into the Raiders’ warm ups” and tell the Raiders’ star lineman what the Steelers will do to him and Oakland on December 6?

I conclude by saying that out of the personal heritage of Ernie Holmes has come an outstanding young mathematician, Rod Holmes.

More broadly, then, we can say that out of the franchise heritage of both the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Oakland Raiders should come forth with a “Ernie Holmes” and a “Gene Upshaw.”

Who will win the game on Dec. 6, 2009? I will leave it up to you, the readers, to give predictions.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

The Oakland Raiders Need to Do a Self-Study to Get Out of a Rut

Whatever I ask of you, I must ask of myself. If the Oakland Raiders are perceived as having fallen into a rut, then it is likely the Raider Nation is in a rut.

So, I initiated a self-study on Nov. 27. The self-study is only done to serve as a model for each and every member of the Oakland Raiders franchise.

Now, here is my humble submission of a self-study since I started writing for the Bleacher Report.

My first article was published in May 2009, which means I have been an active writer for about six months. I estimated the number of days I have been active, and it added up to 189 days.

This is the 200th article that I have published. Some may say this is cause to celebrate, but when I look at the study, I see where there is room for improvement.

I hope it does not surprise you that I admit that there is room for improvement, but the only way to reach a very high level of excellence is to be honest with yourself when you judge your own performance.

Is this type of self-study being conducted on a daily or weekly basis for the Oakland Raiders? I hope so. It would be an eye-opener.

Here are some statistics:

Am I pleased with this report of my Bleacher Report activities? Yes and No.

The daily discipline of reading and writing about sports is a positive activity. However, when I see that I have not written many comments when compared to the number of comments I have received, I am not happy.

What will I do? I will try to respond to more comments from my colleagues. If support is what I want, then I must give support to others.

Here is more data:

-58,800 article reads
Rank: 363 of 18,247
-199 articles written
Rank: 165 of 18,307
-449 article likes
Rank: 20 of 6,846
-2,324 comments received
Rank: 68 of 11,736
-1,502 comments written
Rank: 130 of 83,844
-85 comment likes
Rank: 211 of 13,064
-133 fans
Rank: 90 of 17,254

Based on this self-study, I have been either selfish or too busy to respond to other writers’ articles and comments. I have got to do better.

Now, let’s focus on my favorite team, the Oakland Raiders. Are you willing to be honest to assess your performance as of Nov. 27?

Please do so. It is your professional responsibility to look at your performance and design a strategy for improvement.

I was so dismayed at the loss on Nov. 26 that the numbers were scrambled in my brain. A 4-7 record is what I deeply desired, but instead we are 3-8.

Since I have written 200 articles in about 189 days, it means I am writing articles more than once per day. This means that the Oakland Raiders have been on my mind, not once, but sometimes twice per day. That should tell you something about the commitment many of us on the Bleacher Report have for our favorite teams.

Now, what is good for the fans is certainly good for the Oakland Raiders. A daily dose of discipline and attentiveness to the training and learning associated with transforming into a winning team is all that we, who are committed to writing about the Oakland Raider experience, expect of the team we so dearly love.

A few months ago, someone said that my growth in sports writing has advanced at an above average rate. If the growth of the writers is greater than the growth of the team, then how do you think the writers (and fans) feel?

Things will get out of sync. So, do your job and we must do our job. Together, we can learn from a regular self-study of our team and of ourselves.

Oakland Raiders, do your self-study and get yourself on a plan for improvement.

That’s the lesson for Black Friday! Let’s get out of the losing “rut” and get on a “yellow brick road” to success.

 

 

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Oakland Raiders Need Black Roses on Black Friday: Courage and Strength

Thanksgiving is a family day. It is a day when we are thankful for all of the wonderful things we have experienced, or that we possess.

Good health, sound mind, healthy children, a job, and friends and family are just a few of the things for which we express appreciation.

When the family is large and competitive, they have a great time “kidding” each other about their favorite football team.

Well, I am in Texas, so most of my family was pulling for the Dallas Cowboys. In college football, we were split between the Texas Longhorns and the Texas A&M Aggies.

There was a moment when folks got a little loud. Here is the reason: One of my nieces got her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas, and her Ph.D. from Texas A&M.

Her husband got his bachelor’s in engineering from the University of Texas, and his M.B.A. from Texas A&M. So, who did they pull for? It was confusing.

Finally, they stuck with the University of Texas.

When the dust from that decision settled it was time for a new target. Me. I became the one picked on and questioned about being a die-hard Oakland Raiders fan. They wondered why, and they were bold enough to ask.

I gave them my short version of why I am a consistent and dedicated supporter of the  Raiders. Yes, I debated their current standing in the NFL, but I insisted that Oakland has the potential of rising up in rank, no matter what the situation may be.

So, we looked at the game. There was a point when most of the family decided that Oakland had lost any hope of winning, and the group, using a majority vote, changed the channel during the last few minutes of the game.

I shouted out, “Don’t do that, because Oakland may win it in the last few seconds.”

The matriarch in my family looked at me with a gaze that said, “Are you serious?”

Well, you know what happened. So, Nov. 27 is Black Friday for more than one reason.

Black communicates mourning. Yes, Raiders fans should be saddened because things are not looking good right now. The team is up one day, and down another.

Our record for 2009 is 3-8, and “The Terrible Towel” just may bring more tears to our eyes next week. I hope not, but I must deal with reality at this point.

Now, tell me, what do we do in times like these? Well, we redefine the meaning of some of these experiences. Here I go, trying to squeeze some positives out of a dim and dark situation in 2009.

Here is what I want to say, using two quotes:

“It is true that black is the color of death. But death does not always cause mourning.

“It can also be the beginning of new things, a journey into unexplored territory. The black rose, because it symbolizes death and passing away, also indicates a major change or upheaval in the future.

“In that sense, the black rose also means the death of old habits and the old order. It inspires confidence and enthusiasm by signaling the birth of a new era of hope and joy.”

Another quote reassures us:

“The black rose, tragic in its dark beauty, is not always symbolic of unhappiness. The Irish have used the lyrics of ‘the Little Black rose’ during their ongoing battle with the British. Similarly, many anarchist and anti-authoritarian groups have also adopted the black rose as a symbol of mutiny and strength.

“Therefore, the meaning of the black rose also includes courage and resistance.”

In conclusion, I hereby present the Oakland Raiders and the Raider Nation with a black rose. Courage, and resistance to failure, strength and mutiny against those who believe we can never rise above the challenges are what should be proclaimed.

We are going to redefine what most people tag as “loss” and call the “lesson.”

We are in a stage of preparation, and because there are many covert and overt issues that must be dealt with, we know that we need time to diagnose, and prescribe remedies to reverse the trend we are currently experiencing.

Accept your black rose, and clasp the courage and strength to continue believing in the Oakland Raiders. 

Source of Photos: Photobucket

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Do Oakland Raiders And The Raider Nation Think and Have Priorities?

Are there connections between faith and sports? Have you heard this saying, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”?

Now for a response to a comment that was made public a few days ago.

One thing that impressed some people when they heard about Richard Seymour’s first press conference is he prioritizes and focuses on his faith, his family, and football.

If indeed Richard Seymour, an Oakland Raider, focuses on his faith, then Seymour has a belief system. Belief systems usually have books of wisdom defining and outlining acceptable behavior or game plans for the game of life.

Some folks use the Tanach, Torah, Bible, and other books of wisdom.

From my research, it is discovered that Bruce Gradkowski uses the Bible as his source of inspiration, knowledge, and game plan for life. Since sports is a subset of life, then whatever governs life also governs sports.

I often tell people that if the mind can think of the finite and infinite, in a classroom, for example, then it has the ability to think about time and eternity. Time is finite; eternity is infinite.

If the mind can think about the fine-tuned universe and the fact that galaxies are still forming, then it has the ability to realize the expansiveness of all of this in which we dwell.

If, in fact, you have been a student of the Hebrew language, then you realize that the word “sin” in Hebrew is “chatar,” which is an athletic term meaning “to miss the mark.”

How can an athlete hit the mark, if he can not see the mark?

Now research is a powerful tool. Research helps us see and discern. There is an article titled, Religion: Sports and the Bible . It was inspired by a question from a journalist. The full response is found on this link. 

Definitions and quotes are always good when you start a discussion:

“He that doth not know those things which are of use for him to know, is but an ignorant man, whatever he may know besides.” –Tillotson. [1913 Webster] …
www.dictionary.net/ignorant

Another historical quote:

“Did I for this take pains to teach Our zealous ignorants to preach?” –Denham.

I will answer Denham, and I will “preach” or teach in order to shed light on those areas where darkness seems to limit the insight and vision of some people. Also, my definition for “preach” in this particular forum is:

To inculcate in public discourse; to urge with earnestness by public teaching. “I have preached righteousness in the great congregation.” –Ps. xl. 9. [1913 Webster]

In a reference article by Bob Armbruster, dated April 3, 2009, the following examples of sports in the Bible are given:

1. Sailing and rowing — Acts 27

2. Swimming –Acts 27

3. Horseback riding– 1 Kings

4. Archery

5. Mountain climbing

6. Wrestling — Genesis

7. Boxing and Track– 1 Timothy

8. Fishing

9. Hiking

10. Javelin throwing

The author of my reference article wrote:

 

“Was shooting a rock from a slingshot, the method of warfare in which David killed Goliath, somewhat similar to discus throwing?

“Perhaps you can find other references to sports, or what are now sports, in the Sacred Scriptures.

 

“I was discussing this matter with a rabbi who said baseball is ref erred to the Bible. I looked surprised, and he chuckled, In the big inning .”

Now back to an issue that needs a forum. Fans and bloggers are encouraged to research and identify how many of the Oakland Raiders have a belief system, or have some type of faith?

How many of the Oakland Raiders and members of the Raider nation believe that all that we do in life and in time, somehow connects and gets transformed into infinity or eternity?

If, then, you realize that there is a connection between time and eternity and you know that you are now dwelling in “time” how then might you be transformed to dwell in “eternity”?

These are questions for you to think about when you have “time.”

Now an argument built on “transitivity.”

If the Oakland Raiders are a subset of mankind; and if mankind is governed by some books of wisdom, say, for example, the Torah, Bible, Tanach, or other; then, the Oakland Raiders, by the law of transitivity, are governed by those books of wisdom.

In a symbolic argument, it goes like this:

a –> b, b–> c, therefore a–> c

Or in words, if a is related to b, and b is related to c, then a is related to c.

So if the sports franchise, Oakland Raiders is related to mankind and if mankind is related to books of wisdom, then the Oakland Raiders are related to (taught and governed by) the books of wisdom.

Now, the conclusion to this forum is found in Romans 12:21, which is numbered by a palindrome 1221, when read backwards is still 1221. It simply says, in summary, “to overcome evil with good.” I will define ignorance, in this forum, as “evil” and, knowledge as “good.”

Got it! Now, smile because either way you look at it, it just makes sense to think before you write or speak in a public forum.

Now use your fine mind and answer the thesis question: Do Oakland Raiders and the Raider Nation think and have priorities somewhat like Seymour and Gradkowski?

What do you think?

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Can Anything Good Come Out of the Oakland Raiders? Madden’s Turducken

Now, let me stretch your imagination. Think about big John Madden. He tells you that if you, Oakland Raiders, win the game today, he will give you a turducken. A Cajun fried turkey would be a good gift, too, if you pull it off today, and win the game.

Now since you are probably the generation of young people who were given incentives for your good behavior and good grades in elementary and middle school, I can see you right now, getting excited to show your best performance against the Cincinnati Bengals.

After all, you need to present something nice to your loved ones and friends for Thanksgiving, and this is the time to get your prize, a turducken or fried turkey.

Here is what one article from Wikipedia says:

“John Madden , noted NFL analyst, popularized the turducken on air during his announcing for CBS and later Fox by awarding a turducken to players on the winning team for the Thanksgiving Bowl .

“On the November 9, 2008 broadcast of NBC Sunday Night Football , Madden responded to a fan’s sign reading “JOHN MADDEN, BRING BACK TURDUCKEN” by calling his fixation with turducken “a thing of the past,” stating that he would return to a traditional turkey for successive Thanksgivings.”

On November 22, 2009, at 9:10 am, Houston, Texas time, I am holding up a banner saying, “JOHN MADDEN, BRING BACK THE WINS FOR OAKLAND.”

There are so many neat stories out there about John Madden. One story we know is fact. John Madden was the winningest coach in the history of the Oakland Raiders.

He needs to spread some of his gold dust on the players and coaches this season. We need to hear the word “win” resound throughout the atmosphere. It sure would make us feel good, wouldn’t it?

Another way to feel good is to have a fine meal for the week of Thanksgiving. Here are a few recipes. A picture of the supplies is shown:

Today, I am going to do my homework and learn how to fry a turkey. I will also learn how to prepare turducken. 

I hope my guests will enjoy everything and I hope they have a big John Madden smile after they experience my cooking.

Most of all, I hope I can truly enjoy my Tailgate meal today, as we celebrate a win over the Bengals.

Dedication: To Felix, Brent, Bret, Raider Card Addict, Justin, Leroy and Mary Jo, and so many others.

Instructions for Fried Turkey

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Can Anything Good Come Out of the Oakland Raiders? Yes, Rod Woodson

It was not that long ago when Rod Woodson, a 6’0″, 200-pound corner back/safety played with the Oakland Raiders. He was a member of the team in 2002-2003, for two seasons.

My Saturday research to report some positives is what motivated me to write this article.

A recent Bleacher Report article mentioned that many Oakland Raiders have been overlooked by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That may be true, but a few good men have been recognized and enshrined, too.

In 2009, Rod Woodson was enshrined in the Hall of Fame. On page 17, in the Insider magazine, published by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Woodson is pictured and a biographical sketch is given.

As a member of the Oakland Raiders and other NFL teams, Woodson managed to accomplish the following statistics:

71 interceptions

1,483 interception return yards

2,362 punt return yards

17 touchdowns

The article tells us,

“The Fort Wayne, Indiana native also reached the end zone on an NFL record 12 interception returns, 1 fumble return, 2 punt returns and 2 kickoff returns.

“His interception return yards are also an NFL record and his 71 interceptions rank third all time.”

So, I ask you, “Can anything good come out of the Oakland Raiders?”

The answer is, “Yes.”

Now the context in which Woodson played while with the Oakland Raiders is partially characterized by the data in the chart.

The data indicates there was one good year, and the following year, a bit of a struggle with a .25 win-loss ratio. The 2002 season with a 11-5 record was followed by a 4-12 season.

Nevertheless, a man whose career ended with the Oakland Raiders was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2009. That is recent enough to believe that some good can still come out of the 2009 season.

Let’s look at the bright side and cheer the team to victory on Nov. 22.

The article in the Insider helps us connect with an expectation for Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009:

“Rod Woodson’s first career interception, which he returned 45 yards for a touchdown, came against the Cincinnati Bengals’ Boomer Esiason on November 22, 1987.”

Without this research I would never have seen a connection. It goes like this:

Who are we playing tomorrow? The Bengals. 

What day did Rod Woodson make history? Nov. 22, 1987.

What team was Woodson’s team playing when Woodson made history? The Bengals.

What is tomorrow’s date? Nov. 22.

How many years ago did Woodson’s historical moment happen? 22 years ago.

Well, some say that history repeats itself. Let’s hope there is another “Rod Woodson” type on the field tomorrow, making history for the Oakland Raiders, and getting a touchdown!

Go Raiders!

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Are The Oakland Raiders Getting Comfortable With Losing?

Am I lucky or what? One of my calculus students surprised me with his comments on Wednesday night before class.

He said, “Guess what, Professor? I flew to Oakland and attended the game on Sunday.”

I was surprised. I had just read a comment from a neuromuscular dentist and I was surprised at the student’s comment about the Oakland Raiders.

He continued by telling me that he and his guest sat in the best seats at the stadium. After the game, he said they went to a fine restaurant.  Yes, they had a party and had a great time.

I asked, “Were any of the team members at that particular party.” He said, “No, only some of the coaches.”

I then asked him, with an attitude, “Do you mean they were able to party, hard, let us say, after losing that game?”

He quipped, “Maybe they are getting used to losing.”

Well, let’s “nip that in the bud,” right now.

We don’t want anyone to get too comfortable with this losing streak. In fact, I am glad I am so lucky to have had an associate to have firsthand observations of some of the leadership of the Oakland Raiders.

Of course, the young engineer could be misunderstanding what’s going on. But, I don’t think so. Or maybe they were “self-medicating” because of their pain and disappointment after the loss to Kansas City. Hmm, I wonder.

So, I am making these comments public.

Here is what I have to say. Discipline starts at the top.

If JaMarcus Russell is overweight or too heavy, then is the head coach too heavy, too?

If the folks think that JaMarcus Russell is too laid back, then are the coaches a little too relaxed after a string of losses and a 2-7 record this season, even after bye week?

What’s good for the gander, is good for the goose, so the country folks say.

Let’s get it straight: the whole organization needs a reality check and something, like a bolt of lightning, needs to shock and jolt them out of their fogged vision of what it means to be a team who aspires to win.

When we were children, there would always be one child who would be the “tattle-tale.”

Well, don’t tag the young engineer in that way. Rather, let’s just say that he let us peep in on the real deal, behind closed doors in the culture of our team, this season.

My response to this is: Shake it up. Get it straight. And, please tell us, how can you celebrate after the Nov. 15 game, and what in Hades were you celebrating?

My opinion is you should have been drowning in your own tears, like some of the fans are doing.

Let’s play it again, Sam. Give us a victory on Nov 22. Got it? I hope so!

 

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Oakland Raiders: The Beat Goes on, Get Ready for the Cincinnati Bengals

The “boos” ought to be hushed. The “cheers” ought to be loud. We expect an improved performance since a few changes have been made in the lineup of the Oakland Raiders.

The global comparison of the Oakland Raiders and the Cincinnati Bengals shows the performance of each team in several categories.

So much is involved in the prediction of the outcome for Sunday. Nevertheless, we can be encouraged to know that, overall, the Oakland Raiders do have some positive attributes when you look at the historical data.

The chart shows the strengths and weaknesses, from a global standpoint.

The outcome of a football game depends on more than deterministic data. There are all types of probabilities involved. There are coaching decisions, too.

Would you be disappointed if the change in quarterback did not dramatically change the outcome of the game on Sunday, Nov. 22?

Yes, we expect victory. Some analysts see it differently.

Jimmy Boyd had this to say:

“Last week, Russell was pulled in the third quarter after completing just 8 of 23 passes for 64 yards.

“It’s hard to say his replacement, Gradkowski, was better as he was picked off twice. He strained his hamstring in last week’s game with the Chiefs and that could keep him out of the starting discussion this week.

“Whoever Cable ultimately decides on will lead an offense that ranks 31st in the league with a 9.8 points per game scoring average..”

Now add this comment Boyd made and, perhaps, get a little encouragement:

“A win Sunday would give the Bengals a fifth straight road victory, which is something the team has never done before. While they are nearly a double-digit favorite, pulling off the feat figures to be no easy task as they are 0-8 all-time on the road against the Raiders.

“The Raiders already showed they can hang with the big dogs on any given Sunday with a win over the Eagles earlier this season so the Bengals will have to avoid any letdowns after an emotional win last week.”

Sometimes you have to dig deep to get a little encouragement, but what the heck, we will do what it takes.

We will never give up hope for a renewed commitment to excellence and to winning, again. Go Raiders!

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Oakland Raiders: Are Performance-Enhancing Mouthguards The Answer?

Did you say that the performance of the Oakland Raiders needs to be enhanced? Are other teams competing against the Raiders already using those high-tech mouthguards?

An article in USA Today claims that performance can be enhanced by having a dentist design a mouthguard that improves an athlete’s bite. The articles states:

“A neuromuscular dentist tries to find the optimal bite based on where the muscles are most relaxed. If the bite is out of alignment, a neuromuscular dentist can run test and design a mouthguard to protect and correct the bite.”

Now just suppose our opponents already have made use of the scientific and technological development for optimizing bite alignment.

With these developments, is it possible that the playing field is not level after all? Does the team with the best dentist win?

One NFL lineman, Derrick Dockery, is on record as claiming that his performance was better with his mouthpiece.

The Raiders should recommend that all of their guys get that technologically designed mouth guard so their performance might be enhanced.

I am a firm believer that a team should do whatever it takes to get on a winning streak. So when it comes to a new-fangled mouthpiece, I say try it!

JaMarcus Russell seems like he has lost his stamina. Is it possible that his jaw is not aligned properly?

I know you think I am being funny, but I am serious. He needs a high-tech check up because his performance is not optimal.

In fact, the whole Oakland Raiders team needs to go see a neuromuscular dentist, this week, before more fans loose hope.

Something is wrong with this team, and the problem needs to be diagnosed as soon as possible.

 

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