QB Controversy

Prince - Controversy
Uploaded by Master_System. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

Per Jerry Mac, Tom Cable has declared Alameda a "Controversy-free zone." A lot of it is typical Raiders weirdness, but my feeling is that what is going on is Cable trying to convince Al to let him start Gradkowski.

And if "Just Win, Baby" is anything more than an empty slogan, Gradkowski will start until he gets hurt or stops winning. Nothing against Campbell, but the turnaround was too stark on Sunday.

This Doesn't Help

So I've been watching with terror the developing Quarterback controversy.

You know the one, between Jeff Garcia and JaMarcus Russell. Sure, Jeff was brought in to "mentor" JaMarcus. To teach him how to be a leader, how to prepare himself to be an NFL Quarterback, etc.

So now we get this little dispatch from yesterday's OTA, courtesy of David White, in which JaMarcus finally speaks to the media, but about Michael Vick, causing White to mock him, writing, "For clarity's sake, Vick didn't just check out of a Napa Valley spa or healing center. He served 19 months for a dogfighting conviction that included his financing a ring and taking part in the execution of dogs."

There's also a video of Garcia, apparently now openly campaigning to be the starting Quarterback. Can't really argue with what he's saying, about nobody on this team being good enough based on the record.

So is this good? I'm not sure. Look at the video posted at the ESPN.com Raiders clubhouse. It shows Jeff Garcia talking about Darrius Heyward-Bey. You know, the backup quarterback. JaMarcus is nowhere to be found. But over at NFL.com, they have a video of JaMarcus discussing the draft pick.

I was all ready to say that JaMarcus needs to step up and be the vocal leader of this offense. Now I'm thinking that maybe he's trying to, except that people are ignoring him in favor of talking to Garcia.

At least Kenny Stabler's got his back.