Volunteering to Be Raider Nation Chaplain For a Day

It’s a few minutes before the game between the Oakland Raiders and the New York Giants.

I Googled the NFL chaplains. I admit that I am hurrying.

It occurred to me that we need a chaplain to do an intercession on behalf of our Oakland Raiders team.

Since I could not find any information on Adam Ybarra this morning, I am going to volunteer to be the chaplain. I have adapted this poem, written in 1988.

It is called, “Intercession.”

 

INTERCESSION

The struggle has lasted six years.

So many hurts, pains and tears.

Dear Lord, please guide us in Thy will,

to reach our goals, without our fears.

 

The prayers of the Raider Nation, we lift up,

to Him who shelters and build our trust,

Jesus, in Your Name, we pray,

teach us how to live, Thy Way.

 

When we look back, we tend to cry

When we look up, our hope is nigh.

Dear Lord, You are the One we trust,

to strengthen us and build our thrust,

toward all that we desire to gain,

to edify Your Holy Name.

 

You shed your precious blood for us,

Diviine things now, we can forsee.

Thy intercession is supreme,

for all mankind can be redeemed,

if only we accept Thy Word,

and live each day to just be heard,

as Intercessors in God’s Word.

 

So on this day, we offer prayer,

and ask that you keep our team,

in Your care, and if it is in Your divine will,

We pray for restoration and that you heal

Our scoring record, as we kneel.

 

We ask for improvement, today, if it is Your Will.

Amen

You are invited to send your message in your own way, and with the content and style of your choice.

Thank you.

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Oakland Raiders Are Gonna Mess With the Houston Texans, Then Party

For years, the state of Texas had a motto: “Don’t mess with Texas.”

On Sunday, we are expecting just the opposite. We will negate the motto: The Oakland Raiders are going to mess with the Houston Texans.

Before, during and after the game, Raider Nation will be having their tailgate parties, and we will have our cyber-party.

So, it’s that time again. It’s time to cheer our team to victory, and to have some good food and fun while doing so.

This is our featured menu for the Raider Tailgate Cyber-Party on Oct. 4.

We invite you to add to the menu and please post your delicious recipe in the comment section. 

 

Blaine Spence’s Simple and Wonderful Nacho dip:

One pound of hamburger 
One box of Velveeta cheese 
One 16 oz jar La Victoria (medium) salsa

Cook hamburger and season to taste

Combine cooked hamburger, salsa, and Velveeta in a crock pot. Stir occasionally as the cheese melts.

Season with Chili, or Cayenne pepper.

Dip nachos and enjoy!

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Bret Armstrong’s recipe

Blueberry Raider Roll-Ups

1 pkg. Betty Crocker wild blueberry muffin mix 
1/4 c. all-purpose flour 
2 eggs 
1 1/4 c. milk 
Cream Cheese Filling (below) 
Blueberry Sauce (below)

Drain blueberries, reserving liquid; rinse blueberries. Beat muffin mix, flour, eggs and milk with hand beater until smooth. Fold in blueberries. Grease heated griddle if necessary. (To test griddle, sprinkle with few drops water.

If bubbles skitter around, heat is just right.) Pour scant 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle. Cook until golden brown. Spread about 2 teaspoons Cream Cheese Filling over each pancake; roll up. Top with Blueberry Sauce. 6 to 8 servings.

CREAM CHEESE FILLING: Mix 2 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar.

BLUEBERRY SAUCE: Mix 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in 1 quart saucepan. Add enough orange juice to reserved blueberry liquid to measure 3/4 cup; stir gradually into sugar mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. 

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F. Dellomes II Filipine Pork Barbeque

Estimated preparation: 20 minutes; Marinating: 30 minutes to 3 hours; Barbecue: 10 to 15 minutes each

Pork Barbeque Ingredients:

1 kg. pork

20 bamboo skewers

1 cup soy sauce

1 head garlic, minced

1 onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup of calamansi juice or lemon juice

1/2 cup of 7up, sprite or beer (optional)

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 tablespoons of brown or white sugar

1/2 cup of banana or tomato caup

Barbeque Cooking Instructions:

Cut pork meat into thin and long slices – 1/4 inches thick and less than 2 inches wide.

In a mixing bowl, marinate the cut pork with the soy sauce, minced garlic, chopped onions, calamansi juice, ground pepper, sugar, banana catsup and the soda or beer (this tenderizes and adds flavour to the pork barbeque)

Mix well and keep in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (turning occasionally).

Prepare the bamboo skewers by removing splinters and soaking in water to reduce burning during barbeque.

String the pork on the skewers.

Over live charcoals, barbeque the pork on skewers until each barbeque is cooked – turning every few minutes on each side and basting the leftover marinate on the barbeque.

Enjoy!

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Some Oakland Raiders Core Practices for Consideration

What are the core practices for the Oakland Raiders on-field performance?

Next week, hundreds of educators and others will convene in Reston, Virginia to discuss, refine and design a list of core practices to improve the United States educational system.

A reasonable expectation is to raise similar issues in the performance standards of the Oakland Raiders.

For example, the educators will be looking at practices such as:

1. Attend to precision

2. Construct viable arguments

3. Make sense of complex situations and persevere in solving them.

4. Look for and make sense of situations. Identify patterns.

5. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

Similarly, as assessments and core practices are discussed in the Oakland Raider franchise, we need to take a good look at:

1. Precision in executing plays. How can the rate of completed passes be increased?

2. Viable arguments to explain and substantiate why players did what they did, and how they performed on a game by game basis.

3. The situation on the playing field is complex. It is the collective interaction of not just one man, but of many. Are the players making sense of the complex situations and are they persevering in solving them?

4. Are the players identifying patterns? Are the Oakland Raiders improving or breaking bad patterns?

5. Are the Oakland Raiders looking for and expressing (performing) regularity in repeated reasoning? In other words, if they confront similar situations are they using similar patterns to overcome those challenges?

All or some of these practices of assessing the situation on the playing field may be applicable. If so, let’s make use of these core practices to prescribe new and improved practices to assure more victories.

Sports is an integral part of education in America. Since there is a mandate to improve education in America, there is, therefore, a mandate to improve everything that is a derivative of American education.

I believe professional football is an outgrowth of what was done in little league, high school, and college. What the Oakland Raiders are and how they perform may be a symptom of how we are performing in other areas.

If so, and if there is a connection, then the Oakland Raiders need to look at their core practices to attain their goal of excellence.

America, too, must continue to look at improving educational practices so that more people are beneficiaries of a effective and efficient system, designed to move more people toward victorious lives in America.

Can JaMarcus Russell iterate toward excellence on a game-by-game basis?

Can Tom Cable and others improve in prescribing winning strategies?

Can the publicly perceived style and leadership skills of Al Davis improve so that the franchise is free to move to a higher level of excellence?

Can the Oakland Raiders do it? Can America do it?

Time will tell.

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Oakland Raiders Need an Algorithm for Success

I know this is not a math problem, but Raider Nation, indeed we have a problem.

The Oakalnd Raiders have not constructed an algorithm for consistent success. At least, not yet.

Here is a definition of the term, algorithm:

A step-by-step problem-solving procedure, especially an established, recursive computational procedure for solving a problem in a finite number of steps.

It seems the Oakland Raiders are still searching for the right combination of plays and strategies to secure more victories. The Raiders are still searching for the right structure and process that will guarantee more success.

Most fans say or write that the Oakland Raiders have been oscillating, diverging, or just simply struggling for about six years.

It just seems like the system has not been working properly. Nevertheless, there are many of us who continue to be optimistic.

We have got to put our heads together and solve this problem. Enough is enough.

We can’t just keep filling our historical journal with zig-zag, yo-yo, and flip-flop events or games of losing and barely winning on the football field.

It’s clear that the team is talented. The problem seems to be that they are not in “sync.”

Are they tuned it to each other? Do they have the same vibes? Where is the synergy?

There is a need for more rigorous preparation and practice.

Win the game. Beat the Texans.

Once more, figure out the step by step procedure for getting the Oakland Raiders back on track, converging toward more victories, championships, and even Super Bowls.

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Within Your Means: Mothers of NFL Players

A lesson can be learned from the story about Sean Taylor’s mother. Bruce Watson’s article about Donna Junor caught my eye.

The story saddened me. I thought, “Shouldn’t we live within our means, no matter what our children offer us?”

When your son gets a big contract with the NFL, I am sure, if life was a struggle before that great moment, mothers and even fathers are tempted to uproot their lives, move near their wealthy son, and start a new lifestyle.

You have got to think it through. Either get all of your gifts paid for in full, or take out life insurance just in case the fate of your child is not favorable, as in the case of Sean Taylor.

Sean Taylor did no wrong; rather, someone invaded his home and shot him. As I read this story about Sean Taylor, I realized that many of these young millionaires must think they are going to live forever.

As far as I am concerned, every NFL player ought to have a will. Anything can happen on the field, in a plane, a train, a car, a truck, or simply in your home.

Over the years I have heard people say that tomorrow is not promised. But, do we live as though we believe these words? I think not.

So here is a word of advice. NFL players, since you have a life, now get a will. Get a will, not for yourself, but for those you love.

On the other end of the spectrum, the mothers of NFL players must wake up and only accept a gift that they can maintain, in case something happens to your son or to his resources.

I really believe some people think that getting a will is like planning your death. It’s not. Rather, getting a will is making provisions for those you love, in case of death, either natural,  accidental or otherwise.

One other matter caused me to think about Taylor’s mother. The article mentioned that those around her inherited assets. Why haven’t those relatives thought of sharing with the mother of the man who left them money?

What does family mean to some people? It should be bonding, pulling together, and helping each other through hard times.

I hope for the best for Taylor’s mother. I also wonder, “Shouldn’t we live within our means?”

I think we should. Clearly, tomorrow is not promised to an NFL player, to his mother, or even to us.

Plan and be responsible, in case a storm rages through your life.

Storms can come in your life, literally, like Hurricane Ike, hit last year. Storms can come through criminal activity like home invasions which are on the rise in some towns. Storms can come through natural occurrences.

So, get a will, NFL players and others, so that your loved ones can weather the storm!

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A Tribute To Bob Carroll, a Superb NFL Historian

A few days later I received the newsletters.

I only knew Bob Carroll through the Internet and email communications. However when I visited Canton, Ohio I told Jerry Csaki, the HOF education director, how Bob helped me write my first historical article, entitled,  “A Gleam of Dawn.”

The experience of writing an article for The Coffin Corner was a treasured one. When I saw the beautiful, original artwork in the publication, I knew that I was positioned near a great man as I struggled to get my article up to his standards.

I so clearly remember writing about six versions of my article. I still have each and every email from Bob Carroll. I was astonished today after reading my old mail. I noticed that Bob Carroll passed away in his sleep on August 25, 2009.

I was so busy starting my new semester in college teaching that I simply never opened all of my newsletters and publications.

Bob, in my opinion, was a perfectionist when it came to recording NFL history. He asked me to add so many details. He reminded me, time and time again, that it was my article but that it would be better if I adhered to his advice.

I listened. I learned. And, my territory of readership increased in the world of professional football and sports writing.

Before I published my article, I sent in a two year membership. I knew that an affiliation with the organization that Bob Carroll so dearly loved would add dimension to my interest in sports writing.

I visited the Pro Football Hall of Fame in June, 2009. While I sat in Jerry Csaki’s office, I told him about my article and that Bob was so helpful in determining the style, scope and content of the article.

Csaki said to me, “Do you know him?” I answered, “Only through emails.” Csaki  then showed me a documentary that Bob had contributed to and he showed me his picture. I smiled. He looked so peaceful and fatherly.

Csaki let me know that Bob often conducted workshops at the Hall of Fame. I told Csaki, I would be interested in attending some time in the future.

Although I am headed to Cleveland and to the Hall of Fame, again, in a few days, the visit will take on another character this time.

I know that I must complete the book that I told Bob I wanted to write. I know that I can not delay the project any longer.

Bob actually gave me an assignment and I told him I would start it this Fall semester. I was gearing up to start it, and then, on Sept. 27, I learned that he left us, in a peaceful way, by transitioning during his sleep.

I am writing this tribute to a man whose family has requested that we make contributions to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in Bob Carroll’s memory.

As for me, I am so grateful to have met Bob Carroll through my writing experiences. I was told by my father that “a person’s gift will make room for him and bring him before great men.”

I have experienced mentoring and sharing with a great man, Bob Carroll. His illustrious contributions and beautiful artwork will forever grace the halls of history.

Finally, I think back to the time I started preparing to write about sports.

I can truly say that something helped me increase my territory, and have my voice heard in another domain, because of the kindness and eloquent gifts of Mr. Bob Carroll.

Indeed, I have had my Jabez experience, and my experiences in sports writing have been greatly enriched.

Thank you, sir.

Robert (Bob) N. Carroll Jr. (July 10, 1936 – Aug. 25, 2009)

 

 

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Oakland Raiders: Watch, Fight and Prey

I like to read the articles the day before the game. It let’s me know how folks are thinking.

I am going to counter an argument, right now. One article was on the front page of B/R for a hot minute. By the time I finished this opposite opinion, it was not there. It predicted a loss, 20-6. I have an opposing opinion.

We are going to watch, fight and prey, and I do mean “prey.”

There will not be a margin of defeat. There will be victories.

Why?

It’s simple.

We are going to watch, fight and prey on the Broncos. We are going to be victorious in transforming our state of mind. We are going to think “victory” and we are going to have “victories.”

Are you telling me you believe that the Broncos are going to come to Oakland and kick our butts? I don’t think so.

The Oakland Raiders are the aggressors. They are going to “prey on” the Broncos and bring them down, to defeat them.

I know there is fierce rivalry between Oakland and the Broncos. But, where are we playing this week? In our house.

Are you telling me you are going to let some jokers kick down our door, and plunder our house? No, I don’t think so, not at this time, nor at this place!

In another article I talked about a battle or, let us say, competition between a historical Gideon and his opponents.

Gideon used the element of surprise, induced confusion, and there was a powerful synergy.

Whatever Gideon directed his team to do, they did it, and they did it exactly as he commanded.

So, the lesson for the day, the day before our football battle:

Surprise the opponent with an accurate, precise quarterback

Confuse the opponent with a powerful spirit and determination to win

Watch the opponent and have a level of attentiveness that defies any attempt of the opponent to get the ball through to the goal

Fight and maintain a powerful and forceful defense that puts fear in the opponent

Prey (fight hard and plunder their strategies), pray, and press toward the mark of victory.

Now, my powerful proclamation on Sept. 26:

The horse (Broncos) will NOT ride the Pirate (Raiders); rather, the Pirate will ride the horse.

In other words. we’re gonna watch, fight, prey and ride those Broncos and break their spirit, tame them, and send them home.

Got it!

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Oakland Raiders: No Pain, No Gain

One of the articles I posted showed Oakland ranking above the Broncos in three categories. Notice, however, that the ranks are very close.

My intuition tells me that the Sunday, Sept. 27 game is going to be challenging.

We can meet the challenge if we do not take anything for granted.

Also, according to my analysis, we should NOT have loss the game with San Diego.

I was shocked during the game with San Diego. While I listened to the game in my car, I noticed we had a touchdown. By the time I got in my house and settled down to continue watching the game, the decision was reversed.

I am not going to argue why or why not that happened. Rather, I am making a strong appeal to the team that they play so well, so powerfully, that even the inconsistencies in the decisions of a referee will not neutralize the expected outcome of the game.

In other words, play hard, and win the game. There is a song, “No pain, no gain.” So, from that song we learn that sometimes we have to muster up both the spirit and will to succeed.

The spirit in which we do our job often transcends what is predicted by the numbers.

We work so hard until it hurts, but overall we gain that for which we aim.

Too many times in history, the spirit of the people overcame the odds for victory.

For example, there was a man named Gideon. He was confronted with a tough situation. He needed to use an element of surprise, and he needed men to demonstrate the right behaviors to execute his strategic plan.

As the story goes, those men would be cautious at all times. I repeat, the men would be cautious at all times. They would never take anything for granted.

To be in a state of alert may be painful, but it is worth it so that your opponents have no opportunity to overtake you.

A question is posed: In a tough situation, what do you need?

One answer would be that we need Oakland Raiders who are steadfast and unmovable in their readiness to play. The men of integrity who demonstrate that steadfast and unmovable behavior are the ones who must be given opportunity to play.

Now as I think ahead, I realize that there are going to be some challenges before us.

Other writers have cited the difficulty we had winning the earlier games. I conjecture that much more skill and energy will be needed to win the game between the Broncos and a couple of other teams in the schedule.

For example, here is a list and rank in the win category of some of our future opponents:

Rank         Wins

1              424   Dallas Cowboys

2              406   Oakland

3              378   New England

4              363   Titans

5              349   Buffalo

6              333   NY Jets

Each of the teams in this list were started in 1960.

We can learn from the story about Gideon. These are the questions which are important to consider:

What to do?

How many?

What type of men?

A battle, in the historical story, that had a high probability of loss or failure, was won because of

an element of surprise

powerful synergy

extreme attentiveness in executing the plan.

Somehow, this lesson must translate to the football field. The spirit of the Oakland Raiders, the determination, the perseverance, all must be so potent that the opponent is surprised and confused.

The Oakland Raiders and the Raider Nation must be so attentive to every detail, that the collective force of our commitment and determination to win will gush through the plays on the field, and carry us to victory.

The strain of the plan for total and unequivocal commitment to excellence in the execution of the plan to win may cause some pain.

Without that level of commitment to excellence, we would forfeit the gain that we so earnestly desire.

Finally, Betty Wright’s song says:

In order to get something
You got to give something
In order to be something
You got to go through something

Click here to hear: No pain, No Gain 

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Comparisons Of Oakland, KC, SD, and The Broncos: A Global View

When you study mathematical objects, you can view them locally on intervals, or globally on their entire domain of existence.

With this in mind, I decided to look at four NFL teams over the 50-year period of their existence.

Each of the teams have played a total of 742 games. Here are a few observations.

Oakland has the maximum win-loss percentage of the four teams; the minimum is San Diego. If we rank the four teams, we discover:

Rank       Team

1            Oakland

2            Broncos

3            Kansas City

4            San Diego

In terms of the number of championships, here is the list

Rank       Team

1            Oakland (3)

2            Broncos (2)

2            Kansas City (2)

3            San Diego   (1)

Now, let’s look at the total number of Super Bowls each team has won and rank

Rank        Team

1             Oakland (3)

2             Broncos (2)

3             Kansas City (1)

4             San Diego (0)

The data for conferences is

Rank         Team

1              Broncos (6)

2              Oakland

3              Kansas City

4              San Diego

On this article, I have provided some data and charts.

You do the analysis!

Note: This article is dedicated to Jeffrey and Salman, two of my calculus students.

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Oakland Raiders and Raider Nation: We Prepare, We Get Better

It’s time to start looking at profiles of strengths and weaknesses. It is time to get ready for next week.

Wake up, clear your head and start preparing, early.

Parallel to what you must do to prepare, some of us in the Raider Nation are already getting ready for victory, again, and again, and again.

Our way of demonstrating that we are in a state of expectation is the building of our Raider Tailgate Cyber-Party.

YOU MUST ADD TO THE MENU. WE LIKE DIVERSITY AND VARIETY.

Here is our menu, in part, for Sept. 27.  Again, we invite you to add to it. Write your menu in the comment section.

Go Raiders!

Raider Tailgate Cyber-Party for Game Three, Oakland vs. Broncos, Sept 27

1. Bret’s FRENCH FRIED ONION RING CASSEROLE

FRENCH FRIED ONION RING CASSEROLE

1 lb. ground beef
1 can French fried onions
1 (1 oz.) pkg. onion gravy mix
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1 1/2 c. water
1/3 c. uncooked rice
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen peas
1 can water chestnuts (optional)

Brown ground beef and pour off drippings. Blend in gravy mix, garlic salt, water and rice. Bring to boil. Then reduce heat and cover and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in thawed peas and water chestnuts. Continue to simmer until rice is tender. Stir in onions. Serve with soy sauce.

2. Leroy’s Veggies

I like a pepper medley: two large green bell peppers, two large red bell peppers, one large yellow bell pepper. Maybe a large poblano and a couple of cubenellos. Just core them, slice them and grill them in a large aluminum pan, coated with oil (I prefer olive oil). Make sure you grill them till those lovely black blisters begin to appear!

I also like to slice a fresh pineapple and about a pound of fresh strawberries and put them on a platter for game day. ALWAYS a big hit; who said we have to grill everything?!?! 🙂

3. Raider Card Addict’s Crab Pasta

Might toss out a small recipe, simple to make but you can tweak it as needed.
Crab Pasta
2 packages of crab or imitation crab
2 packages of pasta, your choice
1 jar of Heliman’s Mayo
seasoning
Cook pasta, until soft, drain and put in separate bowl
Crab flakes work best, add to bowl with mayo, mix
Some people recommend lemon for seasoning, or pepper, again it’s up to the cook.
Serves out well

4. Raider Smoked Nachos

Cooked ground beef in pan on outdoor pit.
cut green, red, and yellow peppers
seasoned to taste
arranged in a pan with lime flavored nacho chips.
layered with meat, peppers, three cheeses of your choice
Closed the pit and let it smoke until the chips are light brown.
picante sauce, sour cream, and guacamole as you desire.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADD TO THE MENU. ADD YOUR RECIPE

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