2010 Preview Oakland Raiders

Commitment to Excellence... The Silver and Black Attack... The Black Hole... My Raiders Ehh... The Oakland / Los Angeles / Oakland Raiders... The Diabolical Al Davis...

These are all terms that describe a team, an owner, dammit a way of life when you are an Oakland Raiders fan. The Raiders have one of the most storied franchises in sports history. I think they are the epitome of what a fan looks for when choosing a team to support. You have an owner that runs the team his way, either you love what he does or you want to kick him in his throat until he decides to step down. You get players, for the most part, that play hard and leave everything they have on the field (with notable exceptions...). The team has transcended into pop culture with the fad of starter jackets and the era of real gangster rap. Their fans or ride or die, literally. You bet not say nothing bad about the Raiders in Oakland or in certain parts of LA, it could get ugly real quick (I know you 49er supporters, losmarcus, don't want to hear that). So what's in store this season for a franchise that is trying to get back to the glory days, hell, or at least the playoffs...

Offense
Now that one of the biggest draft busts in history is gone in JaMarcus Russell, the Raiders look to veteran Jason Campbell to lead the way at QB. This is a good move, as Campbell is a leader who can potentially give you fantasy owners a minimum 3,000 yard season and hover around the 20 TD mark. The addition of Campbell improves the team by 3 wins alone, and he has a good supporting cast on paper.

At running back there is the dual threat of Darren McFadden and Michael Bush. Both are underrated backs, but they haven't exactly lived up to their full potential due to the injury bug. McFadden has the versatility and the 4.33 speed to be a game breaker whenever he touches the ball. Bush, on the other hand, has the power to go along with elusive speed to give the Raiders a RB they need to keep defenses honest. I look for one of them, more than likely Bush, to have a breakout season.

Speed is the theme at WR, especially with almost draft bust Darius Heyward-Bay. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say Heyward-Bay will improve on the 9 rec, 124 yrds and 1 TD performance from last year. Louis Murphy emerged late in the season as a WR who can make tough catches and run well after. I noticed a trend last season of when Murphy scores no one else can; hopefully that changes this season. At tight end, Zack Miller is one of the leagues best. Fantasy owners should definitely pay attention to him, I think he will get a lot of red zone looks.

Defense
On paper the Raiders have a solid defense, but somehow it didn't translate to the field last season. My thoughts are fatigue played a big factor, since Mr Russell would habitually get the offense off the field. This season hopes to be different as one of the best (top 3) cover corners, and Skip Bayless debater extraordinaire, Nnamdi Asomugha leads this group into battle. Asomugha had an outstanding campaign last season with 34 tackles and 1 INT. Numbers consistent of opposing offenses not wanting to throw to that right side of the field. Buzz out of camp says Asomugha will stay with the opposing teams best WR, even if they try and move him around. At tackle, notable veteran Richard Seymour will look to lead and teach his group on how to play the position effectively. Hopefully that will translate to better QB pressure and effective run stopping for this group. The linebacker core will feature rookie Rolando McClain. He is looking a little confused in pre-season so far, but I'm sure the natural talent and instinct will take over. All in all, the goal for this group would be to translate how good they look on to the field.

Special Teams
Normally I would not comment on ST play, but Sebastian Janikowski has a boot. A fantasy pick because it doesn't take much to get into his range. I believe Jason Campbell can lead the offense into Janikowski range.

Prediction
The Oakland Raiders will improve on a 5-11 record from last season. I am going to stick with my comment from earlier and give them a +3 in the win column just due to Jason Campell being better than JaMarcus Russell.

- @lostherod

Los That Links 8-13-10

Los That Links on a Friday should mean Los That Ladies, and it will. In just a second.

Now you can call me crazy, but I think someone should, and will, give ex-Raider QB/Purple Drank-dranker Jamarcus Russell a second chance. Russell made news recently thanks to this interview where he confessed, among other things, his drug use and mediocre work ethic while with Oakland. This coming after his release from the team, and his arrest for possession of a controlled substance. Los That Sports Blog, other media, and every social network user have been giving him the Red Foxx treatment ever since, indicating they'd like him to sit down, shut up, and pray for the best.

I disagree though. Look at it like this: he's young, he's admitted a problem, and he's indicated that it's a problem he's had for a while and never received help for. The people at the Lightman Group would probably find substantial micro-expressions within his response to the question about the Raider organization offering help to know that it never happened. (I know, the Raiders not able to help a player with a drug addiction, what a shock!)

At the end of the day, he's a 24 year old athlete who has an drug problem to kick, and something to prove. Believe it or not, it can be done. Exhibit A: Chris Carter with the Eagles, Carter with the Vikings, and Carter now. Exhibit B: Michael Irvin throughout his entire career. Exhibit C: That Brett Favre guy was known to have a bit a drug problem as well.

It can be done. Russell isn't a complete lost cause.

On to the Los That Links: Los That Ladies.

- Stacey Bernice Saunders (err, Chambers). This woman is an inspiration to crazy home-wreckers everywhere.

- A crazy home-wrecker is nothing without a simp. Allow me to introduce Natasha Mckenzie, side piece of Reggie Wayne. She doesn't have sex for free (her words, not mine).

- Gratuitous Kim Kardashian mention, since her old boo fell on his sword, and her new boo is doing nothing interesting.

- This girl gets hit with a line drive at an Astros game, after the boyfriend scurries away. That's Los That Bull----, baby. Ditch that zero, and get with a Los That Hero.

- Rob Dibble wishes these two broads would just STFU and watch the game.

Blame It On The 'Lane'

This guy is definitely in a 'Lane' all his own.

All-American demeanor. Smoking hot wife. Says all the right things in the beginning. What's not to like about Lane Kiffin? (besides the fact that he hasn't won squat)

To own such a crappy winning record, this guy has mastered the art of landing high-profile head coaching positions that he is vastly underqualified for. Went from backup QB for Fresno State to USC's coaching staff during their dominant run in the early 2000's (eventually climbing to offensive coordinator for one of the best teams in CFB history). Then BAM; with no prior head coaching experience he's the youngest head coach in the modern NFL era (at the ripe young age of 31) and for one of the most storied franchises in the league, the Oakland Raiders. Al Davis even referred to him as "Lance".

Of course, the rebuilding 2007 Raiders (beginning of the JaMarcus Russell era, and we all know how that turned out) stumbled their way to a 4-12 record. To start the 2008 season, the Raiders again fall to a 1-3 record. Not happy, Al "Darth Vador" Davis (I'm half-convinced he isn't even alive. Have you seen this guy lately?) draws up a resignation letter for Kiffin to sign, which of course he refuses to. Then it's gets interesting, and borderline comical. Davis holds a press conference calling Lane Kiffin a "flat-out liar". Kiffin retaliates by saying "he's embarrased to be associated with Al Davis." I don't know about you, but I find public disputes in the media between two adults quite hilarious.

Fast forward 2 months later, and Kiffin (he of the 5-15 NFL coaching record) somehow lands the job to coach the prestigious Tennessee Volunteers, replacing the ousted Phil Fulmer (who in 20 seasons with the Vols amassed a 152-52 record and a Championship in 1998). In my opinion, the hiring was of Kiffin was made due to Tennessee needing a fresh young face to impress boosters, but that's just me. Kiffin begins his tenure at Tennessee by publicly challeging rivals as even goes as far to publicly accusing Florida's head coach Urban Meyer of tampering with a Volunteer recruit. All this before even winning a game! ESPN's Chris Low even reported that Kiffin once told a recruit that "if he chose the Gamecocks, he would end up pumping gas for the rest of his life like all the other players from that state who had gone to South Carolina.” Reporters live for guys like this.

On the field, the Vols have an up & down season and finish with a subpar 7-6 record. A couple big wins with some head scratching losses thrown in the mix. After Pete Carroll jumps off the USC train before it crashes, Lane Kiffin all of a sudden leaves Tennessee in the middle of the night (literally) to become the head coach of the Trojans. But how?? The guy looks like a below average coach on paper and in the huddle! Maybe inheriting all of USC recruiting woes and NCAA violations will finally reveal if he can actually coach a football team to a winning record.

Until Sept. 2nd on ESPN, please keep the sound bites and appearances by your wife coming, 'Fast' Lane! We'll be watching...

-ALR