While realistic, Kawakami's triangle is irrelevant. JaMarcus is awful, but he has nothing to do with the fact that this defense cannot stop the run unless specifically stacked for it. Any draw, any sweep, any screen goes for huge yards. I mean 20 yards-per-carry sort of stuff. That defense, as we all know, is dictated by Al Davis. The singular point that matters in this debacle of debacles.
We hoped that the Art Shell Experiment proved something to Al: that innovation matters. Nope. And now the CLOAK OF IMMORTALITY feels like a wet blanket of futility from which we will never, ever escape. And that single point is the proverbial black hole with an infinite capacity to suck.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Pregame Highlights
Yeah, I'm watching. So far. Having just flipped from Fox to CBS in order to avoid two of the dumbest analysts in football - Shannon Sharpe and Dan Marino - I'm met with this gem:
"Home Depot Tools to Victory: Oakland Raiders - A touchdown would be nice."
At least I was able to stay with Fox long enough to catch good old Howie Long going off on his monologue about the "Brady Stare." He pointed out the terrible inconsistency in official's calls last week when they flagged Baltimore for 15 yards after Brady stared down the official based on Terrell Suggs avoiding hitting Brady in the legs. Then they swallowed their whistles when Flacco was drilled two steps after throwing the ball, leading to a concussion for the offensive lineman who was behind Flacco.
It's bad enough to have to suffer through Raider hopelessness, we also have to deal with games that are, in effect, rigged. At least the Patriots are playing Denver today. Somebody has to lose, right?
"Home Depot Tools to Victory: Oakland Raiders - A touchdown would be nice."
At least I was able to stay with Fox long enough to catch good old Howie Long going off on his monologue about the "Brady Stare." He pointed out the terrible inconsistency in official's calls last week when they flagged Baltimore for 15 yards after Brady stared down the official based on Terrell Suggs avoiding hitting Brady in the legs. Then they swallowed their whistles when Flacco was drilled two steps after throwing the ball, leading to a concussion for the offensive lineman who was behind Flacco.
It's bad enough to have to suffer through Raider hopelessness, we also have to deal with games that are, in effect, rigged. At least the Patriots are playing Denver today. Somebody has to lose, right?
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Hopelessness
Sorry, Dan.
I feel it, too. And not even a little bit of hope for a Denver-style miracle.
This team is horrible. Kawakami's post about the Russell-Davis-Cable triangle sounds about right on the money to me. This sounds like a horrible mix, one that's even worse than the Art Shell year, somehow.
All we need is for DHB to come out and say how "fishy" things are. I'm not sure I'd even throw up in my mouth.
Maybe something's wrong with me that this stuff doesn't even piss me off now? Anyway, the over/under for tomorrow's game is 35.
35%, that is, of JaMarcus's passes completed.
I feel it, too. And not even a little bit of hope for a Denver-style miracle.
This team is horrible. Kawakami's post about the Russell-Davis-Cable triangle sounds about right on the money to me. This sounds like a horrible mix, one that's even worse than the Art Shell year, somehow.
All we need is for DHB to come out and say how "fishy" things are. I'm not sure I'd even throw up in my mouth.
Maybe something's wrong with me that this stuff doesn't even piss me off now? Anyway, the over/under for tomorrow's game is 35.
35%, that is, of JaMarcus's passes completed.
Misery
It's become a tough season. At the moment it feels as difficult as the Art Shell year, and perhaps worse because I never thought that could happen again. After traveling to Houston for last week's debacle, I decided that I should start putting my time to better use than watching this utter garbage week after week and year after year. Walk the dog. Go to the beach. Read a book. Sleep. Anything.
Due to the early game and the fact that I'm having a buddy over to hang out during the day, I'll probably watch at least the first half. Is it worth hoping that a miracle similar to last year's at-Broncos game will occur? That I'll likely tune in at 10 am with that hope somewhere deep in my mind is proof of my illness.
Due to the early game and the fact that I'm having a buddy over to hang out during the day, I'll probably watch at least the first half. Is it worth hoping that a miracle similar to last year's at-Broncos game will occur? That I'll likely tune in at 10 am with that hope somewhere deep in my mind is proof of my illness.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Why the blog is quiet
Because you can read shit like this elsewhere. Watching that game the other day was awful. I had a pretty rough weekend, dealing with some personal, family stuff. Before driving home, I thought I'd watch the Raiders play the Texans, and while I didn't have any hope of them winning the game, I thought maybe at least it would take my mind off of the other things that were bothering me.
Instead, I felt like Al Swearengen (language NSFW and this is a different scene, but the characters are the same), who was trying to get a blowjob from Dolly when Seth Bullock and Calamity Jane show up outside his window, screaming at him, asking for his badge and gun back. "Even this now gives me no pleasure," says Al, with a sigh.
I'm not comparing watching football to getting a blow job. But the sentiment is the same, in that something that was once pleasurable, a pleasant diversion to get one through his day, is now overwhelmed by external events. Would Dolly have overcome Al's problems with better technique? Perhaps. Would the Raiders playing better football have brightened my day? Almost certainly.
Instead, I just had to go outside and see who the fuck was yelling at me, and why.
Instead, I felt like Al Swearengen (language NSFW and this is a different scene, but the characters are the same), who was trying to get a blowjob from Dolly when Seth Bullock and Calamity Jane show up outside his window, screaming at him, asking for his badge and gun back. "Even this now gives me no pleasure," says Al, with a sigh.
I'm not comparing watching football to getting a blow job. But the sentiment is the same, in that something that was once pleasurable, a pleasant diversion to get one through his day, is now overwhelmed by external events. Would Dolly have overcome Al's problems with better technique? Perhaps. Would the Raiders playing better football have brightened my day? Almost certainly.
Instead, I just had to go outside and see who the fuck was yelling at me, and why.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
On the Road, Taking Names
Having bought tickets just before last week's debacle, this week I find myself in Austin, TX putting down some coffee before starting the 3+ hour drive to Houston's Reliant Stadium for today's noon CT kickoff. Unk, Kristy, Mikey, and Kate -or- Dad will make the road trip, and we'll be meeting up with college roommate and good friend Billy Forney in Houston. We'll be driving Fred's white Ford van and Kristy has equipped us with Raider flag and magnetic shield to advertise our allegiance. Sweet.
What has me fired up this morning is Goldmember late this week joining a long list of former players who level a very specific criticism against the Raiders: that too many players are just "there to collect a check and not really interested in putting everything that they had within themselves on to the football field."
Ok, so who are these guys? Last year I noted the names that Nnamdi specified as guys who care after the locker room laughter incident (Burgess, Wilson, Kelly). Interestingly, two of those three are no longer with the team. On this year's defense, which guys are just collecting a check? It isn't the DEs. Per Nnamdi it isn't Tommy Kelly. Chris Johnson? Not how he's turned around his career. Michael Huff? He's our MVP through 3 games. Tyvon Branch? I don't think so.
Gerard Warren is believable, but that's one guy. And that leaves the linebacking corps, which I just can't believe are a bunch of slackers. Maybe they joke around a lot, but I just can't believe they don't care.
So maybe it's that the offense doesn't care?
If the reason the Raiders collapse 3 games into every year is that guys don't care, why doesn't someone call out the individuals stealing my money? I want to know. Name names. Or perhaps in this case it's a bitter Goldmember making a claim that no longer applies. The Chargers remarked after the first game that it was surprising to see so many Raiders trying so hard to win. That the team looked different. I hope so, but it leaves me wondering what happened last week.
So will this week's game be like the Atlanta game last year (reaching previously unexplored depths) or the at Denver game last year (a pleasant shocker)? Either way, we'll find out in person.
What has me fired up this morning is Goldmember late this week joining a long list of former players who level a very specific criticism against the Raiders: that too many players are just "there to collect a check and not really interested in putting everything that they had within themselves on to the football field."
Ok, so who are these guys? Last year I noted the names that Nnamdi specified as guys who care after the locker room laughter incident (Burgess, Wilson, Kelly). Interestingly, two of those three are no longer with the team. On this year's defense, which guys are just collecting a check? It isn't the DEs. Per Nnamdi it isn't Tommy Kelly. Chris Johnson? Not how he's turned around his career. Michael Huff? He's our MVP through 3 games. Tyvon Branch? I don't think so.
Gerard Warren is believable, but that's one guy. And that leaves the linebacking corps, which I just can't believe are a bunch of slackers. Maybe they joke around a lot, but I just can't believe they don't care.
So maybe it's that the offense doesn't care?
If the reason the Raiders collapse 3 games into every year is that guys don't care, why doesn't someone call out the individuals stealing my money? I want to know. Name names. Or perhaps in this case it's a bitter Goldmember making a claim that no longer applies. The Chargers remarked after the first game that it was surprising to see so many Raiders trying so hard to win. That the team looked different. I hope so, but it leaves me wondering what happened last week.
So will this week's game be like the Atlanta game last year (reaching previously unexplored depths) or the at Denver game last year (a pleasant shocker)? Either way, we'll find out in person.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Hope in the midst of an already-debacled season.
Houston Texans tight end Anthony Hill is the first NFL player to contract swine flu. Add that to the fact that the Texans are 32nd in total defense this season, and the Raiders could be players this week.
Except that Cable will still have JaMarcus throw the ball 30 times, instead of handing the ball off to our trio of running backs and getting his big ass out of the way.
Except that Cable will still have JaMarcus throw the ball 30 times, instead of handing the ball off to our trio of running backs and getting his big ass out of the way.
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