Draft Timmy.

I saw this first at Jason Jones' blog this morning--should we make Chris Rock Hater of the Week?--and now Jerry has more of Tim Brown's interview on KTHK in Sacramento yesterday.

I'm glad Jerry brought up the Matt Millen debacle in Detroit. Timmy wisely says he doesn't need to be involved in contract negotiations or anything. He could be that Bridge we talked about a couple of weeks ago. Al needs a loyal Raider. Timmy is a loyal Raider. Couldn't he smooth things out between the coaching staff and Al, no matter if it's Cable next year of someone else? Who would make a better spokesperson for the Raiders?

I'm biased, because Tim Brown is my favorite Raider of all time. The first jersey I bought when they moved back to Oakland was a Tim Brown #81. It wore out, so bought another one in 2002. I still wear it sometimes. It's now a throwback. He always represented the Raiders with class and poise, including sticking up for Gene Upshaw when Irvin was running his crack-head mouth the week Gene passed. That, to me, is the real difference between someone like Warren Sapp, who collected a fat pay check that nobody else in the league was willing to pay him. Once a Raider, always a Raider. Even the way Timmy goes after Gannon a little bit shows his loyalty the Raiders.

I like this idea because it manages to honor Al Davis contribution and legacy and his ubiquitousness in the organizatioin, while at the same recognizing that a change needs to be made. I hope that this weekend, Timmy gets a chance to talk to Al, and they can work something out. Even it's to fill the role that will eventually be left by the indestructable Jim Otto, as a confidant to Al, and someone who can go out and represent the Raiders without embarrassing himself in front of the whole world.

Tim Brown vs. Michael Irvin

Jerry McDonald has some interesting quotes from Tim Brown in his blog today regarding Michael Irvin and trash he's been talking about Gene Upshaw:

...Brown seemed disgusted by former Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin.

“I’m sitting down here in Dallas and listening to Michael Irvin talk about the man like he was the worst man to ever walk on this earth, and it’s just incredible folks can be so ignorant about what Gene has done,” Brown said. “It’s sad that a guy like Michael Irvin, who was saved by Gene Upshaw, whether he wants to believe it or not, several times, in his career, for him to not be able to see the good that Gene did for him.”

Love it. While I always enjoyed Irvin's work on Sunday Countdown, his crackhead ass owes career to Gene Upshaw. If the Player's Union hadn't been as strong as it was, do in no small part to Upshaw's organizational prowess, Irvin would have spent the majority of his career suspended.

Timmy was always my favorite Raider. He played with class and pride, which he continues to exhibit in his post-football career. Michael Irvin is the opposite of that.