Why Tom Brady Is Begging For a Bone Crunching Sack

Is Tom Brady begging for a bone crunching hit?

The New England Patriots today defeated the Tennessee Titans by a score of 59-0.

This type of game reminds me as to why the Patriots and Brady have no class.  Running up the score is a mockery to the traditions of football, admired only by loser fans that dote over stats.

Teddy Roosevelt would be spinning in his grave.

Running up the score in the NFL is asking for it. Unless it is a postseason game, you better watch your back in the NFL after a performance like this; and Brady has just put a target on his.

Stats don’t indicate dominance. The ability to show restraint and still win, is a true sign of dominance.  Rubbing someone’s face in your pile of feces is not dominance, just the act of a dirt-bag.

People who follow my articles will probably think, “Oh, he’s at it again.” 

Funny thing is, that Brady gives so much material that I don’t have to concoct anything. He is a classless shrew and should be shown no mercy on a sack. 

He doesn’t show mercy, so why should you? 

Eye for an eye, man.

Brady will even laugh in your face because he knows that NFL rules unfairly favor a dirt-bag like him. 

Just ask Ray Lewis.

Brady dishonors the game, he dishonored a great player, and even dishonored the mother of his son.  Why?  Because Brady is a dishonorable shrew.

I think Brady is begging for a bone crunching hit. Take the penalty or even the suspension because Brady makes a mockery of a great game.

If anything, the NFL should fine Brady for unsportsmanlike conduct.

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Why Richard Seymour Is the AFC Defensive Player of the Week

It has finally happened.  The Raiders defense performed the way that Raider fans know it can.

Despite some great plays on offense by the Raiders against the Eagles, including an 86 yard catch-and-run by Zach Miller and supported with blocks by Louis Murphy in the Raiders 13-9 upset win over the Eagles.

The real story of the Raiders upset win over the Eagles was the defense. 

After getting destroyed in the previous three weeks, the Raider defense showed what it can be when it doesn’t use a playbook dated in the 1970s.

The Raider defense harassed Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb all day with blitzes, and came up with six sacks: 2 by Trevor Scott, 1 by Jay Richardson, 1 by Thomas Howard, and 2 by Richard Seymour.

That’s right.  Richard Seymour…let the sports media shudder to think that Al Davis can still do somethings right (which don’t include play-calling or writing the playbook).

The Eagles weren’t offensive chumps going to Oakland.  The Eagles had the second best scoring offense in the NFL and were smacked by the suddenly ebullient defense that had made a national impression on opening week against the Chargers.

In all, Seymour had four tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble, and led the charge of a new blitz-happy defense in Oakland.

For the Raiders defense to step up in a convincing fashion against a high-powered offense after looking like slop the last three weeks, is all I need to know to say that Richard Seymour in the AFC Defensive Player of the Week.

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Zach Miller Time: Getting the Ball to Tight End a Key to Success for Oakland

Offensively this season, the Raiders have struggled, with occasional flashes of brilliance.

In the games against San Diego and Philadelphia, most of those flashes came from tight end Zach Miller.

The problem has been that defenses key-in on Miller and negate his presence, partially from a lack of support from the rest of the offense.

It might not sound glamorous, but the Raiders need to respond by getting the ball to Miller by any means necessary.  Case in point would be today’s 86-yard TD by Miller, which resulted from two punishing blocks by rookie receiver Louis Murphy.

The best way to build confidence is to master the simple things with intensity and allow the rest to evolve organically.

Murphy and Darrius Heyward-Bey are still developing as receivers but can do things like block and run the reverse.  And with the ball in Miller’s hands, the Raiders have a chance.

That, though, would give all the glamour to Miller, so I suggest to Miller (if reading) that every time an offensive player provides a key block or other play when you have the ball, that you should buy him a case of Miller beer.

And the Raiders could have a chance.

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WHAT? How the Oakland Raiders Upset the Philadelphia Eagles

When I woke up this morning, I wasn’t looking forward to the Raiders-Eagles game.

I figured that the Raiders had no chance, since the Eagles needed a win, they have the highest scoring offense in the NFL, and the Raiders had been destroyed in the previous three weeks.

I even joined the choir against the Raiders and Al Davis.  The underlying theme of my opinions has always been: Win, or I will tell you that you suck.  No excuses.

With that said, I had made an exception to my rule and have long believed that the Raiders woes have been more complex than just Al Davis, but after three miserable losses, I had had enough.

Apparently, something clicked in their brains down in Oakland that they play in the NFL for loyal fans who want to see their team win, not just get paid.

And the Raiders have turned in an astonishing victory over the Philadelphia Eagles by a score of 13-9.

Regardless of the fact that the Raiders benefited from missed opportunities (two missed FGs) by the Eagles, the Raiders created a number of opportunities for themselves with six sacks and clutch plays on offense.

Much maligned JaMarcus Russell went 17 of 28, 224 yards, a TD, and 2 INTs.

Justin “Rocksteady” Fargas came in with another solid performance on the ground with 87 yards and a long of 20. 

Zach Miller proved once again why he is currently the best receiver on the team with 6 catches for 139 yards and an 86-yard TD.  I should add that rookie receiver Louis Murphy had two critical blocks on that TD reception by Miller.

Fullback Gary Russell also provided clutch catches that totaled 55 yards in his first start.  His final catch resulted in the first down that iced the game.

Keep in mind, that the Philly offense came to town as the highest scoring in the NFL.  I don’t believe that this was an ordinary choke.  The Raiders won this game.

The questions are: Where has this team been the last three weeks?  Why can’t the Raiders play like this on a consistent basis?  Do Raider fans need to threaten to boycott every week to get their attention?

This is the performance that Raider Nation knows that the Raiders are capable of, which is why we won’t tolerate less than mediocre, as the Raiders had been in the previous three weeks.

All I can say is, the Raiders must stay focused and treat every game as equal: go out there to win.  A momentary after-party for an upset win is nothing like playing in the postseason.  Tomorrow is another day. 

Next Sunday is another chance to get humiliated, so the best thing to do, is stay focused and make sure you win the next one, and the next one….

And the next one…

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CT 101: Edwards Trade Shows Eric Mangini Not Acting in Best Interest of Browns

It is my belief that the New York Jets fired Eric Mangini more for the pick of Vernon Gholston in 2008 than for the failed experiment with Brett Favre.

As a rookie, Gholston was a disaster and the Jets missed the playoffs, when the Jets could have selected QB Joe Flacco.  Perhaps Gholston will eventually emerge, as Bryan Thomas has, but as of now, Gholston is in the “flop” category.

Fortunately for the Jets, they were able to trade up in the 2009 Draft with none other than Mangini’s Browns and select QB Mark Sanchez, at a bargain rate.  Now the Browns have sent receiver Braylon Edwards to the Jets, as well.

Sounds to me that Mangini has been trying to *atone* for his sins with the Jets and ensure that when and if the Browns terminate Mangini once again, that Mangini will be able to find another home in the NFL, in some capacity, because Mangini has now shown himself as nothing more than a thug who will raid a lousy team in favor of the top teams.

One thing I have surmised about sports teams in Cleveland is that Cleveland is treated the way a Third World country is treated by capitalistic countries, in that, the top teams raid the Browns for the resources needed to be successful and strong.

Mangini gave the Jets a quarterback, and now Mangini has given them a receiver.

At the rate that the Browns are going, Mangini will likely be unemployed at the end of 2009, especially if names like Bill Cowher and Mike Shanahan are available. 

But Mangini will get another chance, possibly as a defensive coordinator, because the rest of the NFL knows that he’s willing to follow the interest of the NFL by raiding a bad team to support the creation of a top team.

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On Second Thought: Should the Oakland Raiders “Bench” Tom Cable?

Right now, any honest Raider fan knows that they have at best no momentum, and more precisely, negative momentum.

This article is more of a lament on the status of the Raiders, after what had been a promising off-season.

Since 2003, the Raiders been mired in drama, starting most significantly with the Dumbest Coach in America, Bill Callahan, and his diatribe against a team that had struggled after losing the Super Bowl and their lost MVP quarterback, Rich Gannon, to a season-ending injury.

Some would say that the juicer Bill Romanowski and his training-camp fight was more emblematic, but when a coach goes and undermines the team in public, I would say that takes the cake.

After that season, the team was incrementally dismantled.  Most notably, the Raiders eventually let CB Charles Woodson walk and traded CB Phillip Buchanon, whom they selected with a pick received in the Jon Gruden trade.

Of course, the cackling vultures in the media have swarmed and scavenged around ever since, gloating with glee with every misfortune.  One of whom had even referred to Buchanon as a, “first-round punt returner.”

Then people wonder why Raider players get ticked off in Oakland.  The media eggs them on to recalcitrance and distrust for their organization (*hint, hint*). 

While know-nothing fans have tried to lecture Raider fans as if they think they’re GMs and must be wiser than that “crazy” Al Davis.  These “lecturers” are the types that are middle-aged men with Fat Heads on their walls. 

Yet, they have advice for a man who built an organization from literally nothing and that wasn’t supposed to exist into a three-time Super Bowl winner with the highest-winning percentage in the NFL for over 30 years?

Frankly, I don’t believe I know more about the inner workings of the NFL franchise than the next fan, but I’m good at identifying underrated and overrated teams or teams in the right direction, even if they had a losing season.

Right now, the Raiders aren’t moving forward.  They have plenty of raw talent, but a lack of leadership.  Starting QB JaMarcus Russell has struggled with routine plays, while head coach Tom Cable is likely more distracted by the possible criminal charges against him.

Of course, I’m then stuck with the feeling that, “Do I pick my team, or does my team pick me?”  They say you can pick your friends, but not your family.  And I wonder, if you can’t pick your loyalties.

At post-season, I have had to root for the Colts, but it never feels right.

The point of this all being the question as to whether Al Davis needs to “bench” Tom Cable as head coach for an interim coach, until Cable’s legal mess is sorted out. 

I previously wrote an article stating that JaMarcus Russell should be benched as a reality check, but you know what, that’s not the big problem.

I know, I know.  The writers with a god-complex like Jay Mariotti will tell you that it is all Al Davis, and some twisted game he’s playing. 

The Raiders though have plenty of good players that I think any coach would love to work with.  The problem is that, our coach is likely distracted by his legal mess.

Don’t bother with comments that this following statements are nuts, because I don’t care.  Your opinion is as good as mine. 

I’ve spent my time in the catharsis of blogging for the past year or so, playing with thought experiments and arguing for unpopular opinions just because I fear consensus without debate. 

I’ve come under the impression that my blogs have become a guilty pleasure amongst the sports media, in that they read them only to try and disprove what I have to say.  I have considered abusing that by using reverse psychology, but alas, I cannot tell a lie.

So let’s make a deal.

If the Raiders start winning, I’ll shut up with competitive banter against the, “popular opinion.”  I cannot tell a lie, as many of you are aware, and would not break that agreement. 

And I’ll stick to the box.

So will someone out there in the sports media, with the Raiders, or elsewhere try to convince Bill Cowher that he’d have a lot to work with in Oakland, even if he has to deal with the Hand of Al?

Anyway, that’s my two cents.

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Patience Lost: Why JaMarcus Russell Needs a Reality Check by Getting Benched

Okay, so I have done my share of apologetics for JaMarcus Russell.

When I see a rookie quarterback like Matthew Stafford succeed in Detroit, DETROIT, I can no longer bare the apologetics.

All indications have been, that the Raiders do not fully believe in Russell yet, which could be affecting their will to play.

Russell couldn’t the broad side of barn right now and needs a reality check.

To many Raider fans, and even outside critics, the Raiders appeared to have a chance to compete this season, but instead we’re seeing the same old, same old.

Three and outs, field goals, more field goals, and allowed touchdowns by the defense.

These performances by Russell are what I feared would happen, though I wasn’t going to openly predict it, because that type of thing can pollute the confidence of players.

I figured that Jeff Garcia had been signed in case of an emergency, but that Russell was still expected to be the future. Instead the Raiders cut Garcia, who signed with Philadelphia as insurance behind Michael Vick, and has since been cut again.

The only prudent thing for the Raiders to do is sign Garcia (other another option) and find-out if the root of their struggles is the erratic play of JaMarcus Russell.

Down the road, I still think Russell can be the future, but he’s still learning, while the team could turn-around with a veteran quarterback. 

The fans believed that the Raiders had a chance to win this year, so for the Raiders to throw an inexperienced quarterback on the field, has led fans to lose patience.

Including me.  The games have been unwatchable.  I have preferred to read my Bible these past few Sundays, instead of bare this slop.

We know Al Davis well enough to know that he doesn’t base decisions on outcries from the fans, but I do believe that if Al truly wants Russell to succeed that the Raiders need to bench Russell and sign Garcia (or other option) to allow Russell more time.

And a reality check.

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What The Raiders Must Do To Defeat The Kansas City Chiefs

After the Monday Night game between the Raiders and Chargers, it is easy for us in Raider Nation to see some light at the end of the tunnel.

With that said, the Raiders still have much work to do in order to contend, which I think they can do this year, as Minnesota did in 2008, by starting slow and ending hot.

All the focus has been on JaMarcus Russell and his accuracy issue with receivers going down the sidelines.

I however, see the real problem the Raiders have had: Coverage on special teams.

That’s right.

It seems like every time the Raiders have scored go-ahead points in the past several years, they allow a big return on the ensuing kickoff. If the Raiders want to win, that cannot continue to happen.

It happened against the Chargers to, in which the Raiders allowed points after big returns by Darren Sproles. Allowing the opponent to score from a short field is unacceptable.

The Raiders also cannot take the Chiefs for granted. A divisional game is always tough, even if the other team is having a down season.

 

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Are Recent Cases Good Examples For Regulation of Supplement Industry?

As Peter Griffin would say, “What grinds my gears,” today is an industry of supplements and steroids (not the same, but similar) that has run wild with ridiculous promises.

This article is by no means a true essay, because I won’t use standard reference notation. Instead, I will simply say that I have gathered my information from a variety of news articles, John Basedow, and Vince DelMonte.

One example has been the ever annoying and incessant ads on MySpace, “I Got Ripped in 4 Weeks.”  These ads, like cigarette ads, target kids, teens, and adults to believe that you can look like some idiot that probably downed a dangerous cocktail of steroids and fat burners with no exercise involved.

The reality about many fitness magazines is this: Most fitness magazines are published by the same companies that sell supplements and other phony diets that are often only dangerous to your health and hard on your wallet. The publishers don’t profit from the magazines, they profit from the supplements and diets they sell by lying to you with ridiculous ads.

At one time, Hollywood made movies to make smoking look cool. Nowadays, many Hollywood movies do the same thing with steroids to make actors and actresses look, well, unnaturally better than they normally would.

The only difference is, they don’t commonly admit to using dangerous drugs like steroids. Surely, they do so under professional guidance, while audiences are led to strive for something that they really don’t have the means to achieve.

Technically, if you have enough money to buy prescriptions from an unscrupulous medical practitioner, then technically, you haven’t violated the law.

Take a look at Carrot Top and I will need not say more. He gives Insane Clown Posse a whole new meaning.

With that said, it didn’t violate the law to smoke in movies either, but it was still wrong because it promoted a dangerous substance.

However, shelves of many stores are now stocked with products that promise great results for people eager to believe that the product will work.  In fact, many so-called supplements are mixed with ground-up rocks.

In the NFL, players such as Kevin Williams and Pat Williams (no relation) have gone to court after they were suspended by the NFL for using an over the counter supplement, StarCaps, because it contained a substance banned by the NFL.

The Williams’ have argued that as members of the Minnesota Vikings that they are subject to the workplace laws of Minnesota, not the national office of the NFL.

This case then brings about interesting questions on the topic of not only state’s rights vs. the rights of a corporation, but also the issue that the supplement industry is widely unregulated and engages in what is tantamount to false advertising, not free speech.

Recently, Roger Goodell decided to not suspend Will Smith and Charles Grant of the Saints, along with former teammate Deuce McAlister for using an over the counter supplement that contained a banned substance.

I certainly appreciated Goodell’s statement that he was not prepared to suspend players for conduct similar to that of the Williamses, because of their legal case.

It is one thing for a company like the NFL to impose standards on what players can and cannot ingest, but the underlying problem is the lack of regulation in the supplement industry.

I or you probably cannot stop that industry, though I believe that a US government that has taken up the issue of health-care, should be more concerned with the issue of charlatan practitioners that are just legal drug-dealers that help enable a culture that creates a false image, leading people to take dangerous substances.

With that said, if there ever were an industry to tax for the purposes of a health-care program, it would be the supplement industry.

I generally dislike discussing my medical history because it sounds like complaining, but I think the experience I have had is an important one.

As someone who has suffered from breathing problems for most of his life, I led myself to try over the counter supplements and even protein shakes in order to assist with my metabolism. 

On top of it, after I had initially lost 40 lbs. between March of 2002 and November of 2003, I started experiencing night sweats that likely resulted from infections due to breathing problems.

After all, steroids were meant for people with breathing problems, and I was only taking an over the counter supplement.  What could go wrong?

I didn’t take anything illegal, yet the result was likely negative. I would eventually develop cataracts. The exact cause of which is uncertain, but I do believe that was the cause.

I’d rather not turn this into some long story, but frankly, I would like to see changes in the supplement industry and the culture created by it.

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Is JaMarcus Russell Inaccurate or Are the Oakland Receivers Too Fast?

Here is a question that has made me wonder.

Obviously, I cannot speculate from first-hand experience, but it seems to me that Oakland quarterback JaMarcus Russell has accuracy problems when he throws at faster receivers.

When he throws at tight-end Zach Miller, he seems to catch everything.  Miller fell to the second round of the 2007 Draft because of a slow time in the 40 at only 4.72.

Meanwhile, Russell would connect with Dwayne Bowe at LSU, who ran a 4.49 at the Combine.

Compare that to the 40s for Johnnie Lee Higgins, Louis Murphy, and Darrius Heyward-Bey, and you’ll see that Russell appears to be more comfortable with slower receivers.  Heyward-Bey clocked-in around a 4.28, Higgins at around 4.35, and Murphy at about 4.3.

Chaz Schilens, considered Russell’s go-to receiver of the future, clocked-in around 4.4.

Does the speed of a receiver necessarily have an effect on the quarterback’s accuracy?

If so, would that mean that the receivers should slow down, or does Russell just need to compensate for it?

I would much rather hear answers to those questions than the speculation that Russell won’t succeed, or speculation about what the Raiders could have been with Jeff Garcia.

JaMarcus Russell is the quarterback for the Oakland Raiders, so rather than sabotage his confidence with asinine speculation, I think we need to develop real questions that can dig to the bottom of his accuracy problem.

Rather than declare, “He’s inaccurate,” ask “Why has Russell been inaccurate?”

Had the Raiders merely sustained a few drives against San Diego, surely they would have had more points, but instead the Raiders had several three and outs in the third quarter due to incomplete passes.

On the positive side, Russell appeared more poised in the pocket and rarely ran. Russell was sacked only once against San Diego, and that came near the end of the game.

The unspoken stereotype has been that black quarterbacks are “running quarterbacks” or “run-around” quarterbacks as some writers have said, and that poise in the pocket is a sign of, ‘maturity.’

I think we have seen that maturity from Russell, but when he throws at the speedy receivers, he has trouble.

Perhaps then, the receivers can take a word of advice, as the song once said, “Slow down, you move too fast.”

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