"Shaky start"

The offense didn't look great at first glance. So let's see how the defense does.

Tyvon Branch is my pick for breakout player, good to see he made the play on special teams.

"Michael Huff was out of position." First play is an option and Vince Young almost broke it. Not a great start.

Dan Roundup

My lazy summertime blogging frequency continues. I would blame it on the severe foot injury I suffered at Johnny's birthday barbecue, but if anything, that has kept me off my feet and even more apt to sit in front of a computer. At least I'm using my crutches less, but I still have a blister the size of a golf ball on the bottom of my foot. Kristy says no to pictures on the CLOAK. Too disgusting.

Just watched the few minutes of Greg Papa's interview with Al Davis that were shown on tonight's Chronicle Live. Al is looking more and more like the emperor from Star Wars, but his memory remains solid, telling stories about Brooklyn and how Mike Tyson called him one tough SOB for having grown up playing in Lincoln Terrace Park. No real football content, though.

The other day it was AFC West day on NFL Live on ESPN, and when they went to Bronco Bill for some insight via his lousy telephone, he actually declared Zach Miller his breakout player for the upcoming season. I can get behind that one, although it also says a little something about expectations for the vertical game.

One thing I never got around to doing was following up on my three points from minicamp.

1. So far Huff's only chance appears to be getting the Derrick Gibson treatment from on high. Given that Al called him Art Shell's pick, I don't see it happening. I sure do miss Eddie Anderson.
2. DHB was so-so. I didn't notice any gasps from the media as he ran down the field, but most focus was on his hands or his hamstring. He's a rookie WR, so doubtful he'll do a lot anyway. But Schilens seems to be on track to continue emerging, much to Unk's delight. And speaking of McFadden...that's my breakout pick for 2009.
3. The accuracy of JaMarcus. Not so good. At least he showed improvement. But what's with this story that he skipped the last OTA after showing such "leadership" calling for extra practice with his receivers? Did he disappear into the Twilight Zone with all the regular Raider bloggers? (See #2 under Things I Heard...)

No wonder I never followed up.

Finally, I could not help but notice that Ron Artest is heading to the Lakers. I haven't watched a full NBA game since November 19, 2004, when Ron and his buddies climbed into the stands and started beating up fans. Truth be told, it hasn't been that difficult given that I find the NBA game to be reasonably boring and I've drifted from the Lakers to the Rockets to nobody with the Hornets (Charlotte) thrown in there at some point as favorite teams. Sure, I bet a lot of those fans were assholes, but the sight of these guys climbing up there and pounding on people who paid to come to the game was just too much.

Mini Post

As Raider minicamp kicks off, just a quick post on what interests me. Later I'll have overcome my Kool-Aid hangover and will be able to discuss the draft again.

Both Jerry and David White have compiled thoughts on what to watch for during minicamp. While I'm very interested to see what changes an almost entirely new coaching staff will bring, the three first impressions I'll look for today are as follows:

1. Michael Huff's role - the one good thing I can say about drafting Huff is it has helped me come to terms with this year's draft. After all, Huff was a can't-miss prospect and a no brainer at #7. But will Lionel Washington work some magic or will Huff be as good as out the door? The Raiders' struggles at safety have held them back.
   
2. DHB and the WR corps - will he impress the way DMC did in practice last year? If he's as athletic as the Raiders say, he should stand out next to the rest of the WRs. And will anyone else emerge from this relatively deep group of #2 / #3 WRs that the Raiders have assembled?
3. The accuracy of JaMarcus - obviously, hopes begin with JaMarcus stepping up in a big way this year. Minicamp should provide an indication of whether he's sharp and ready for bigger things.

And I see that David White is now Tweeting. Can a Twitter CLOAK be far behind?

Baiting Dan

This little nugget at the end of David White's article in the Chronicle about the safety position:

BRIEFLY: The Raiders have drafted a safety in eight of the past nine years. Huff and Branch are the only ones still here.

I did not know that. I mean, I knew that Huff and Branch are the only safeties on the team that were originally drafted by the Raiders, but I had no idea the incompetence in the draft went that deep.

Also, because Dan didn't want to look it up, I felt it was my solemn duty, I present to you Andre Smith running the forty at his Pro Day:



Yes, he has titties like a woman.

Safety Matters

During the parts of the conference championship games I was able to watch last weekend, it struck me that the four teams involved had something in common: veteran leadership at the Safety position.

Troy Polamalu, Ed Reed, Brian Dawkins, and Adrian Wilson. Each has been to multiple Pro Bowls, and three of the four are starters in this year's Pro Bowl, Dawkins being the lone exception. Perhaps his previous seven trips to Hawaii were enough. And the most memorable moment of the weekend came when Polamalu turned a 2-point game into a 2-score game with a stunning fourth quarter INT return for a touchdown.

If we think back to the last time the Raiders played in a conference championship, Hall of Fame finalist Rod Woodson provided that crucial leadership as the Raiders' Free Safety. Many credit him with making the play that halted a Raider losing streak and launched them towards the Super Bowl.

This is why Derrick Gibson was such a tragedy, and why Michael Huff is becoming one. Huff was widely regarded as a can't miss prospect and a playmaker coming out of Texas. Is he a bust, or can he be saved? Why has he failed? Body type? Scheme? Coaching?

If it's coaching, Darren Perry - credited with helping Polamalu kick off his career at the SS position - couldn't do it, and Huff was moved to FS to make room for Gibril Wilson. Now Lionel Washington, former Raider and part of a Packer defensive staff purge after a disappointing 2008 season, will give it a try. In Green Bay, Washington worked with 2009 Pro Bowler Charles Woodson, along with the only 2009 Pro Bowl selection at Safety not involved in last weekend's games: FS Nick Collins.

Early Pre-game

The coffee is on for today's home tailgate. A slightly different scene from last week's attendance at the NFL's ninth-ranked tailgate. And for some reason I'm watching one of those newfangled pop stars sing "God Save the Queen" instead of SeaBass warm up with 76-yard FGs. Thankfully they've cut over from Wembley just in time to see a pretty lame JLH opening return. And here comes JaMarcus.

Regarding that tailgate ranking, why in the world is the Green Bay tailgate ranked behind Buffalo's? Green Bay's is ahead at every level of ranking. Clearly, there is some algorithm by which length of tailgate factors into these rankings. Why would you want to attend an inferior tailgate longer? Dobolina, can you explain?

So far it's Ryan-1 Ryan-1 in Baltimore. Kwame looking Kwamish being blown by early for a sack. And Michael Huff is back in center field making a nice play to help Hall break up a deep throw.

Oh no...why did JaMarcus concede that safety? With these Tackles, he has to learn to get rid of the ball faster.

Huffing Paint is Almost as Bad as Missing Tackles.

I'm sure Dan will comment on this at some point, the Safety position has been the bane of his existence since the Derrick Gibson days. Anyway, Michael Huff, the #7 draft pick a couple of years ago, is being demoted and replaced by Hiram Eugene, who took over last year for Stuart Schweigert, which solved nothing because the defense still sucked.

Huff, remember, was "Art Shell's Pick."