Silver and Black Report

New Rules of Emphasis by NFL Officiating

The NFL referees met with the local media today to discuss the new rule changes and points of emphasis on existing rules.

One of the the new “tweaks” is the hitting the defenseless receiver rule. A 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty has already been assessed when a defender leads with his head and launches himself into the head of the receiver. Now, the rule has been expanded to cover hits to the receiver’s head AND neck by he defender’s helmet, shoulder, or arm. The 15-yard penalty is still enforced.

Also, the NFL Officiating Committee has expanded it’s protections of the long snapper on punts and kick-offs. Before, the nose tackle couldn’t line up directly in front of the snapper and had to have his helmet lined up outside the snapper’s shoulder pads. Now, because of continued injury or risk of injury to the long snapper, defender now must line up with their inside shoulder pad to the outside of the long snapper’s pads.

Two new rules have been introduced. The first one is the change in overtime possession. At the start of the overtime period, both teams will have an oportunity to possess the ball. The caveat being that if he team who gets the ball first scores a touchdown, they win the game. If the first team (Team A) who possess the ball scores field goal or doesn’t score at all, then the other team (Team B) gets possession. If Team B, while on the punt or kickoff, muffs the return and loses the ball (fumble) to Team A, then the game is over. A kickoff or punt return is considered a chance at possession. If both teams come away from their initial overtime tries with a 0-0 or 3-3 tie, then it goes BACK to sudden death rules. This new rule will only be applied to playoff games.

The other new rule is the ball is ruled dead if a ball carrier’s helmet comes off during live play regardless if he is tackled or not. The ball will be spotted at the spot when the helmet came off.

OAKLAND — An always smiling Jailen Cooper must have been in Seventh Heaven as Wednesday’s Oakland Raiders’ VIP guest along with his proud family from North Carolina. Jailen was chosen by the Make-A-Wish Foundation to participate in an Oakland Raiders practice session. He is also recovering from a tumor on his pituitary gland and the subsequent treatments, but you would never guess that in a million years judging by his exuberance.

Raiders’ CEO Amy Trask and the rest of the Oakland Raiders rolled out the red carpet for Jailen as they gave him his own locker complete with his own personalized jersey and cap. The Raiders also gave him Carte blanche of the practice field as he got a once in a lifetime opportunity to lead the team warmups alongside the team trainer, assist the assistant coaches during positional drills, and even watched the more intensive team drills alongside Raider Head Coach Tom Cable! Never once looking overwhelmed; Jailen looked curiously like a seasoned veteran as if her were made to do this. Jailen was totally in his element.

At the end of practice, the team typically comes together on the field for a group huddle before they hit the lockerrom. This time it was a little different. Jailen was in the center of the team huddle. All of a sudden a chant breaks out, “Jai-len…Jai-len…Jai-len!” from all the players. All of a sudden, the team splits off in two columns; making a gauntlet (it’s sort of like a Soul Train Dance line), but with football players and no music.

At one end of the gauntlet stood Darren McFadden, (Jailen’s favorite football player), with the ball in the ready position and at the other end stood Jailen in his best defensive lineman stance. Then all of a sudden Jailen runs full speed, hits, wraps up (proper technique too), and tackles McFadden to the ground. The team erupts in euphoria as they cheer on Jailen and briefly hoists him in the air in celebration.

Then for kicks and giggles, Jailen stole the show as he headed the coach’s pres conference by fielding questions from the media before coach Cable took over. The kid was AWESOME!!! Did I mention that he’s only 10 years old?!

*ESPN will be airing Jailen’s visit and other Make-A-Wish recipients July 18-27.

The Oakland Raiders, who love to boast about history and how they have etched their club’s priceless moments into the league’s annals, can now add another major event to the NFL’s timeline.

JaMarcus Russell is now the biggest bust in league history.

Ryan Leaf no longer has that dubious distinction. And it was a perfect storm for the Raiders and Russell to get to this point.

There is no denying the Silver & Black needed to draft a quarterback and were desperate to hit the draft lotto with a passer during this current seven-year stretch of ineptitude.

Many times they had picks atop the draft and were placed in positions where you can justify them taking a signal caller. When Russell was there and he was chosen first overall in 2007 – they had to pull the trigger.

Problem was, they swung and miss badly, further proving that drafting is not a science and taking a quarterback so high in the draft is no easy task.

You can make the case though that the signs were there forecasting the team and Russell’s impending doom.

When the LSU star announced he was going pro, Russell started hinting at his intentions in landing a big deal and milking the most out of his status stating, “As far as the swoosh, I was thinking it can be a little eye catcher to Nike,” during his press conference declaring for the draft.

When asked where he would like to land, he commented, “Whoever picks first, whoever pays the most.”

The groundwork was set…

And in year one, Russell stunted his own growth by holding out, not being in uniform the first few weeks of the season and finally reaching a six-year contract worth up to $68 million and $31.5 in guarantees.

Russell was sheltered by then head coach Lane Kiffin –who never felt at ease with the Raiders taking the bulky passer –finally getting his feet wet in a contest in December of 2007 against the Denver Broncos. In relief, Russell completed his first pass; a roll out to Jerry Porter and the Oakland Coliseum was rocking. One of the only moments that the fan-base was completely behind Russell and anticipating future good fortunes.

A few weeks later, he tossed his first touchdown pass to his security blanket on the field throughout his short career, Zach Miller, and his first career start was as the season wound down against the San Diego Chargers.

The 2008 season was supposed to be a year where he could finally show growth and display some level of development after spending a full off-season honing his craft.

But a 41-14 trouncing to start the season, a coaching change mid-campaign and mixed efforts throughout 2008 did not give many the indication that he was ready to show the league why he was deserving of being the top overall pick when he was drafted.

In 2009, Russell dug his own grave.

Tom Cable benched him after lackluster efforts and no signs of improvements. His weight continued to be a major concern, along with his poor work habits, inability to lead and the team not showing any pulse whenever he was under center.

Russell was officially public enemy number one and a journeyman named Bruce Gradkowski was the apple of the fan-base’s eye.

Charlie Frye even passed him atop the depth chart, when Cable elected to go with the third stringer in a late season contest.

“I just think it’s a matter of him accepting and learning what it is he has to do to be great,” Cable stated at the time. “And I think when he does that then we’ll all enjoy it.”

Even after Russell entered a game in relief and got the win, Oakland was already soured on his outlook. Teammates were already being swayed, convinced that his lack of fire and poor football ability was not capable in leading the club.

“I always say everybody is going to have their opinion. As long as my teammates have faith, and I have faith in those guys,” Russell said after their 20-19 victory against Denver. `There’s always going to be tough times. It’s how you come up from behind and fight those tough times off.”

In early December, Russell said of his benching and whether it was deserving: “I wouldn’t say that. You know, any guy that’s competitive, which we want to be out there, and I’d say that about myself. But I guess coach wanted to go in a different direction.”

When asked what type of player will be on display when he gets back on the field, he answered, “A totally different JaMarcus. People going to have their opinion, and I really don’t pay too much attention to that. I worry about JaMarcus and JaMarcus only.”

Oakland only got to see one JaMarcus during his stay: a very bad quarterback with no ambition.

Even when it looked like Russell may have a shot to continue his career in Silver & Black, he failed to turn a nation of doubters around.

In March, former Raider coach Willie Brown said, “It’s quite a bit of weight that he’s lost … I don’t want to pin it down and say how much he lost but it will be a significant difference when you see him compared to last year.

“The most important thing is he’s getting in shape. Not only losing weight, but getting in shape. He’s watching his diet, he has special meals brought in that he’s eating, and we have one of the Raiders, a former player there with him to monitor him and make sure things are going fine. The weight thing, he’ll get it down. He’ll get it down.”

But sightings  in Las Vegas and as he drove out of the Raiders facility after that, he did not appear as slim as the Raider legend indicated.

All these happenings just featured how great of a bust he was. Not exactly what Mel Kiper pictured for Raider fans when he stated this upon his selection:

“Three years from now you could certainly be looking at a guy who is certainly one of the elite top five quarterbacks in this league . . . Nobody has an arm like JaMarcus Russell. . .

Obviously, he’ll need a little time. But you’re talking about a 2-3-year period. Once he’s under center, look out, because the skill level he has is certainly John Elway-like.”

So Russell beats Leaf in the battle of busts.

Russell was the first overall pick, Leaf was a second in the 1998 draft.

Russell’s contract was way more lucrative than the 4-year $31.25 million contract and  $11.25 million signing bonus San Diego forked over to Leaf.

Leaf started 18-games, winning four while missing the 1999 season with a shoulder injury. Russell was 7 and 18 as a starter, but he was never was as jubilant or as outwardly motivated as Leaf, especially considering that San Diego’s passer once said: “I’m looking forward to a 15 year career, a couple of trips to the Super Bowl, and a parade through downtown San Diego.”

Russell probably only worried about how much money he was making and put more effort into his wardrobe, rather than making any declarations in order to convince fans he wanted to be great.

But who is to blame?

Russell was lazy. He did not commit to excellence and was the farthest from showing pride & poise. His nonchalant disposition hurt him and the team. He was never overwhelmed with the enormity of being the top pick and getting a Brinks truck full of money because he did not grasp that concept. Russell did not embrace the burden he had nor did he realize that the organization depended on him to lead them back to prominence.

And Oakland failed by setting up an environment that breeds failure.

Instability on the sidelines, poor vision personnel wise, which never gave Russell a healthy complement of talents at the skill positions, experiments along the offensive line and horrific play calling doomed him as well.

It didn’t help that when the Raiders graded the offense down, Russell was still not able to absorb it.

But everyone is to fail. The team could not groom a passer, and the quarterback had very little motivation to be great or achieve greatness.

Russell will now move on…

And the Raiders will turn a new leaf in hopes of finally getting it right under center.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

In this second installment of SBReport’s exclusive interview with Oakland Raiders defensive end Jay Richardson, the 26-year old talks about his head coach coming back for one more campaign, the off-season and the Silver & Black’s fan-base among many other topics.

SBREPORT: You’ve been around a lot of solid veteran defensive linemen since you arrived: Warren Sapp, Derrick Burges, Greg Spires, Kalimba Edwards, Greg Ellis…what have you learned from those guys?

JAY RICHARDSON: “That’s a good point you make, I’ve had the privilege to be around a lot of good defensive ends, just good leaders, good players and all very different. All guys you can learn from.  When it comes to leadership, Greg Ellis was just one of those guys that is going to take charge, he’s just a perfect model for what a pro is supposed to be. But when I first go there, Derrick Burgess was here, and he was kind of like the man at the time, and who you wanted to look at, to see how to do things and the way he rushed the quarterback…he was just a real special athlete. I had the privilege of watching him rush every day, just trying to take what I could, such a tough player, just started to rub off on me. Obviously, we have [Richard] Seymour now, and he’s like a champion. A guy who has three rings, he’s been to the big show and I think it just helps a lot. It valuable to have someone like that on your team.”

SBREPORT: Not to many people know about your defensive coordinator. What’s John Marshall like during game days, the week leading to the game and now, in the off-season during camp and OTAs?

RICHARDSON: “It’s fun. He plays an attacking style defense. John Marshall is a fundamentally sound coordinator. He wants everything done right all the time and he has a lot of personality. He does the best he can to try to get us going throughout the week, even though it gets tough sometimes, he sticks with it and he’s just one of those guys that is relentless. He has fun with it. We have a good time with coach Marshall.”

After a six-year stint with the New York Giants, Oakland brought back defensive line coach Mike Waufle this off-season. He was on staff when the Raiders and Giants were in the Super Bowl and has been credited for helping the careers of many successful defensive linemen. Tom Cable also has a connection with the tough coach, spending six years with Waufle at the University of California. Richardson talked about Waufle and answered a question regarding Cable’s return after speculation of his demise after the 2009 season.

SBREPORT: Mike Waufle is your new position coach. He was with the New York Giants when they won the Super Bowl recently and worked with many good linemen. Have you talked to him during the off-season and what do you expect out of Waufle?

RICHARDSON: “’Waf’ is real military man. He’s a serious guy, but he knows his stuff. He’s one of those guys that knows how to play defense. He’s been doing it for so long, he’s so technical about it and he has the formula down for everything. He knows exactly how he wants things done. It’s good to play for a coach like that because; you know when you are making a mistake, you know there is no gray area. As long as you do things the right way, you’ll be fine. He’s a very smart coach.”

SBREPORT: How does it feel knowing that Tom Cable will be back another season?

RICHARDSON: “Its good for us. You want some consistency. There can’t be a new coach every year; it makes it hard on a team trying to hold on to its identity. Under Cable, we’ve kind of grown as a team and we are still trying to polish it up. But he’s helped a lot in trying to get this team to, rallying the troops if you will and getting us all on the same page. Getting us all to understand what it’s going to take for us to win in this league and be successful as a team and not a group of individuals. So I think he’s very important to our team success.”

SBREPORT: When Jay Richardson is not playing football or training, what’s your day like during the off-season?

RICHARDSON: “Not nearly as exciting as you think. I do some grocery shopping, I play some video games. I relax, I try to do as little as possible. I’m out there paying bills, making sure my family is ok and just do the day-to-day normal stuff.”

SBREPORT: How do you approach the off-season; in terms of balancing your time off and recovering from the season, and working-out and trying to get better as a player?

RICHARDSON: “It’s been fun. I took it a little different this particular year. I took it a little bit more serious. Obviously a contract year and all of that. I just, I felt like this year, I had to be in the best shape of my life and you know, I didn’t do as much hanging out as I probably have done in the past years because this is a big year, not just for myself, but for this team, this organization and I think this is going to be a pivotal year in Oakland Raiders history. This is going to be a big one for us. So I just wanted to be ready for it. As far as my preparation goes, its at an all-time high when it comes to focus and trying to make it happen this year.”

During the draft weekend, Oakland parted ways with veteran linebacker Kirk Morrison. A teammate of Richardson since 2007, the defensive end gave his thoughts on his former teammate and what he meant to the squad.

“Captain Kirk man, I know…that’s the man. We are all going to miss Kirk. Kirk is just a good stand up guy. A good linebacker. A good player. A good smart guy. Any team that gets him, obviously, it was Jacksonville. They are fortunate to have him. He’s a real good guy in the locker room. Kirk is going to do his job and he’s a real classy guy. So, he’ll definitely be missed out here in the Bay Area.”

SBREPORT: The team is taking on a new look: Jason Campbell was acquired, the new draft picks, and JaMarcus Russell looks to be on the way out. What are your thoughts on that?

RICHARDSON: “Yeah, its crazy man. You just don’t know and as they say: you don’t know what you don’t know. All you can do is just worry about yourself. But at the same time, Jason Campbell, from what I have seen of him the last few years, it’s a pretty solid guy, a solid quarterback who knows what he’s doing. He needed a fresh start it seems, this was the best place for it to try to re-establish his identity at quarterback in this league and jump-start his career. I think there is a lot of potential in him, he’s a smart guy. You know, we have a good stable of quarterbacks. Charlie Frye can play. Bruce Gradkowski, we all saw last year, can go out there and hold his own and win games for us. It’s just going to be an interesting dynamic for us this year, going into camp with a lot of talent out here.”

SBREPORT: You’ve gone through tough seasons, but in all, what are your impressions of the fan-base and your start of your career?

RICHARDSON: “They are unbelievable. I remember when I got drafted, I never knew how many Raiders’ fans are nationwide, globally, they are really. I never watched a tons of Raider football in the Midwest, you just didn’t see too much of those games.”

“For a team that has had the lack of success, I guess I have to say, over the last half decade, no fans cheer harder, no fans travel better than our people out here and that’s a testament to the fans, that they believe in us no matter what’s going on, no matter what the situation is. I think that is just awesome. That kind of stuff gives us the energy, especially on game day, like those tough games, the Philly game. We went out, at home, against a playoff team that we beat, most of that you tribute to the fans just being there for us and giving us energy.”

He continued to talk about the direction of the club, stating, “Things are about to turn around. This team is so close to turning the corner and becoming a potential playoff contender year in and year out. We are a few pieces away, I think we have to gain our identity as a team this year and do it early on in the year and establish ourselves our first eight games and I know for a fact that we can do that. I believe it is going to happen this year. I think it’s going to be a huge year for us.”

SBREPORT: What are the next few weeks looking like in terms of mini camps etc.?

RICHARDSON: “We got mini-camp this weekend, we finally get to have the whole team together. This whole new team we have here. Have good practices: we have two on Friday, two on Saturday, one on Sunday and kind of see where we are at. Get everyone up to speed and then the next few weeks, we’ll be polishing that up, working out and building some sort of chemistry and get guys going. It should be fun.”

SBREPORT: You are also a spokesperson for “The Right to Read Foundation,” can you talk about your contributions there and your countless hours of work with The United Way and the local Boy Scouts.

RICHARDSON: “For me its fun. This was all stuff I was involved in, in my life growing up, so it only made sense that once I had a chance to help give back, to help kids that may have been in similar situations that I was in growing up –  it just made sense. As soon as I got out west, out here, my rookie year, there was an opportunity to, on Saturday mornings, to go to children’s hospitals. It was always voluntary. But I signed up. At least every other week, just because I can relate to a lot of the stuff kids are going through. Plus, it’s always just nice to go in there and cheer the kids up, especially in the hospitals. There are a lot of kids in a lot tougher situations than we are. And I think sometimes, our lives get stressful and we focus so much on ourselves and wondering how we are getting out of the situations we put ourselves into and we never stop to look back at the situations other people are in. Especially kids. Doing stuff like that keeps things in perspective.”

RICHARDSON NOTES:

• Participated in 48-league games; tallying 109 combined tackles and 7.0 sacks.
• While at Ohio State, the collegiate majored in African-American studies.
• Selected in the 5^th round (138^th overall) in the 2007 draft.
• His mother, Deborah Johnson, attended Ohio State, where she played rugby and graduated in 1979.

Here is a link to Jay’s Official Web Site & info about his foundation:

JayRichardson98.com

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Oakland Raiders defensive end Jay Richardson has been a solid contributor to the squad since his arrival in 2007. The former Ohio State Buckeye is not only a hard worker on the field, but a charismatic provider off the field with his charitable ways and work with various foundations. SBReport.net was able to talk to the classy athlete and get recollections of his childhood, insight on his time as a Raider, on goings in the Bay Area and other topics in this exclusive two-part interview.

Richardson’s mother, Deborah Johnson, was born in Cleveland and was a Buckeye fan growing up. She attended Ohio State and eventually became a presidential intern in Washington, which gave Jay a diverse upbringing.

SBREPORT: You lived in many places as a youth. How did that influence your childhood years?

JAY RICHARDSON: “You know what, at the time, it didn’t seem as stressful as I guess it could looking back at it now. It was actually all I knew at that time. It was really a good time because I got to see a lot. Live in different parts of the world: Korea, Japan and Tokyo, lived in Guam for a few years and we were on base in Virginia. Bouncing around a lot, I guess it was hard because you never had a consistent group of friends and I was always going from place-to-place. But at the time, I didn’t look at it like that. I was just having fun, so it was good.”

SBREPORT: What about going to Ohio State; where your mother went and becoming a Buckeye?

RICHARDSON: “I really didn’t have much of a choice. When I came out of high school, that’s where I was going to go. In the back of my head, I pretty much knew I was going to go to Ohio State.”

Oakland used their 5^th round pick (138^th overall) in 2007 to bring in the Dublin, Ohio native. When asked about his recollections of that day, Richardson responded: “You know, the draft for me was like up in the air. I was one of those players; you know it was hard to predict where I would fall. Some people had me going as early, late in the 2^nd round. Some people had me going un-drafted. So it was like, no one really knew and I had talked to some teams as the draft began; Jacksonville called me at the end of the first round saying they were going to get me, trying to get me early in the third, and I had spoken with Miami. It was funny because, I hadn’t even really watched the draft on T.V. I went to church Sunday morning, went to eat with the family, went home was changing clothes then I got a phone call. I got the phone call from the front office in Oakland and I remember thinking to myself, when I got the call, ‘the Oakland Raiders, who is this….’ And it was the young lady on the front desk said, ‘I have the head coach on the phone, he has something he wants to say to you…,,’ and I was like, ‘Ok….’ And he was like, yeah, we just drafted you.”

He continued: “First it was, ‘Congratulations,’ and I was like, ‘Thanks. For what?’

“’We just drafted you, your not watching the draft?’ And I ran upstairs to turn the T.V on and I was like, O.K cool…thanks.”

SBREPORT: You’ve had opportunities to start, be a part of a rotation along the defensive line: how’s that been, being in and out of the line-up and trying to get as many reps as possible?

RICHARDSON: “Without a doubt, that is actually one of the things; if you’re a back up, you are a back up. If you are a starter, you are a starter. And if you either one consistently then you are fine, because you know what to expect every game and you know how to prepare. For me its been different. Some weeks I was a starter; some weeks I was a back up. Some weeks I played 80% of the snaps, some other weeks I only played 20%. So you never know what you are going to get from week to week. So you just have to stay ready at all times and just be ready to go in there and be productive.”

SBREPORT: Your first career sack came against the Broncos in 2007 – rookie season – do you remember that and what’s it like when you finally get to the quarterback?

RICHARDSON: “I’ll never forget. That was my first sack in the NFL against Jay Cutler. It was on 3^rd down, I remember because right before that play, they didn’t let me get on the field on 3^rd downs. We had our own 3^rd down package and I was not a part of it and I remember the d-line coach [Keith Millard], ‘Coach, just let me get one third down, I promise you I wont disappoint you. Give me one third down. And then, you know, first down, second down went by, third down came and I looked over at the sidelines and he kind of gave me the hand, to stay out there. I’ll give you this one shot, and I just then took off, tried to run over the tackle and wound up getting the sack. That was a big moment for me; I kind of had to get that monkey off my back.”

SBREPORT: You have new teammates now; Rolando McClain, the 1^st round selection, Lamarr Houston, a defensive end was added in the 2^nd round. What do you expect from those new guys?

RICHARDSON: “I don’t know to much about Houston, but I know he’s a pretty big guy, he’s going to be playing anywhere along the defensive line, so we’ll be happy to help plug him and get him going and get him up to speed on what we are doing. I know he’s a talented guy. McClain, I know he’s a big physical middle linebacker from down there in Alabama, I know that particular conference, they breed tough players and that’s what we are going to need at the middle linebacker spot. I just hope he comes in and learns everything as fast as he can and get going.”

SBREPORT: Do you take it personally that the Raiders are bringing in guys to compete along the defensive line?

RICHARDSON: “My mentality has not changed in the last three years. All it is, is competition. When I got drafted, there was a third round defensive end ahead of me that I had to beat out. Every year there is going to be new competition. And every year there is going to be a new guy. That’s the nature of the beast. This is a business. I never take that personally, that is what they are supposed to do. As an organization, they are supposed to get the best number of guys they can and the best players they can, which will breed competition, which at the end of the day, the best players are going to come to the top as always. And every year, I’ve always been right there playing and you know, productive. That’s the beauty of playing in the NFL, you always get to go against the best players in the world, so that is what is fun about it.”

SBREPORT: Would you give us some insight about ‘The Jay Richardson Foundation?”

RICHARDSON: “It’s a foundation geared towards helping, obviously kids, but in particularly young men, young inner city kids who need assistance with life skills. I’m not just talking about football, a lot of other guys put on football camps, and I think that’s awesome. But I think more realistically, not every kid is going to grow up and play in the NFL. My camp is more geared towards helping kids with every day life skills. You know, there so many kids that come from broken homes that don’t get a chance to learn just your basic skills; how to tie a tie, how to iron a shirt, how to wash clothes, how to just do every day stuff. My mother mostly raised me as a single mother, there were certain things you just don’t learn until there is a male figure in your life, to heal, teach you and to help guide you. That’s what my camp is more geared towards. Guys being role models for these kids more off the field than on the field.”

• Come back to SBReport.net to read part two of the exclusive interview with Jay Richardson. In the next installment, the defensive end talks about: the veterans that influenced him during his career, defensive coordinator John Marshall and new position coach Mike Waufle, Tom Cable coming back for another season, the departure of Kirk Morrison, the Raiders acquisition of Jason Campbell and what does it mean for the team, his off-season, Raider fans and what the team’s schedule looks like in the coming weeks.

Here is a link to Jay’s Official Web Site:

JayRichardson98.com

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

In this second installment of SBReport’s exclusive interview with Oakland Raiders strong safety Tyvon Branch, the 23-year old talks about his head coach coming back for one more campaign, the off-season and the Silver & Black’s fan-base.

SBREPORT: How does it feel knowing that Tom Cable will be back another season?

TYVON BRANCH: It is great. He is an awesome motivator. If you cannot get motivated playing for him you are in the wrong sport.

As the 2009 season wound down, Branch demonstrated that he could become one of the better young safeties in the conference with continued development. I asked him how important it was to get that recognition, especially at such an early stage in his career.

“I want to win. The recognition will come. Obviously getting voted to the Pro Bowl is a goal every NFL player has, and I feel those recognitions will come as we continue to improve.”

SB: How do you approach the off-season; in terms of balancing your time off and recovering from the season, and working-out and trying to get better as a player?

BRANCH: Well January and the first week or so of February was a mixture of relaxation and cardio type work. Basically trying to rejuvenate my muscles and get them ready to go. Come mid February and March I am back at it 100 percent. That includes team activities, film study, and workouts.

SB: When Tyvon Branch is not playing football or training, what’s your day like during the off-season?

BRANCH: I like to play paintball when I get the time and I love video games. I also try and keep my fans updated on Facebook…

SB: If you were not playing football, what career path would you have chosen?

BRANCH: I would be a chef – I make a mean hot pocket! HA. But in reality, I would love to coach. I love the game of football and love being around kids.

In five victories in 2009, the Raiders tallied 15 of the team’s 37 total sacks. Oakland was far more aggressive in those contests and the team appeared to have an emphasis on generating a rush. I asked Branch if he felt that the defense is at its best when they are attacking; blitzing and bringing the heat as oppose to sitting back and being passive with just a 4-man rush?

He said, “Certain times call for different schemes, but personally, I love to attack and go after the offense.”

SB: Do you think Richard Seymour will stick around to help this team turn around its fortunes in the coming years?

BRANCH: He is an amazing player. I have never seen someone manhandle offensive lineman like he can. Playing behind him has been an awesome experience. I would love to do it for years to come.

SB: How hard is it for the defense to sit on the sideline and see the offense struggle at times?

BRANCH: We all want to win, so watching any part of the game plan not go as planned can be tough. This is a team game and we all have to do better.

SB: Who is the toughest guy you have faced?

BRANCH: [New Orleans Saints’ QB] Drew Brees is a tough player to read.

SB: What road stadium has been the most fun to play in?

BRANCH: I like a lot of the stadiums. I really like our in conference away games because the crowd always seems to be a bit more intense.

SB: What’s it like playing in front of ‘the Black Hole?’

BRANCH: The black hole is great. They are the loudest and best fans in football as far as I am concerned. Very loyal and proud. I love being a Raider!

BRANCH NOTES

• He was rewarded the Ed Block Courage Award in 2009, commemorating his dedication and determination. “It’s a great honor. I feel privileged. I work hard every day and I’m glad to see that it pays off,” Branch said on Raiders.com. Per the Ed Block Courage Award’s official web site, “Each year, the Ed Block Courage Awards honor those National Football League players who exemplify commitments to the principles of sportsmanship and courage. Recipients are selected by their teammates for team effort, as well as individual performance.”
• In two seasons, Branch has tallied 134 combined tackles, 1 sack, 9 passes defended, 1 interception and two forced fumbles.
• Was All-Big East second team in 2007.

You can follow him at: twitter.com/tyvonbranch or become a part of his crew at:www.facebook.com/tyvonbranch.

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

With the 100^th selection in the 2008 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders selected Tyvon Branch. The Connecticut Huskie has since become the starting strong safety, an up-and-coming defender in the AFC and one of the more reliable talents on the Silver & Black’s youthful secondary.

SBReport.net was able to chat with Branch, get a look into his career, especially the start of it; when he was a draft prospect that made headlines with his impressive 40-time and athleticism.

SBREPORT: Thinking back when you were a prospect entering the draft, what were your thoughts about what round you would be selected in, and what teams showed the most interest in you?

TYVON BRANCH: Wow, making me go way back it seems. There were a lot of teams that I was able to speak with. My agent – Buddy Baker and all of the Excusive Sports Group team – put me in front of most of the teams. The interest really started rising after the combine when I ran what I did. My dream was never to play for a certain team, but to play in the NFL. Now that I am here, I am trying to make the most of it.

The speedy safety sprinted upward on draft boards after he posted a 4.31-second time in the 40-yard dash, best of all the defensive backs at the combine in 2008.

And as a rookie, the Raiders looked at him as a diverse asset to the football club.

SB: Oakland had plans for you to play on special teams in your first season, maybe handle some returns: why has that not panned out?

BRANCH: I did do a lot of that my rookie year, but as my playing time has increased on defense we decided to scale back some of the special teams duties. Plus, we have some great guys out there now.

SB: Back when you were a rookie, your former defensive coordinator Rob Ryan stated, “We think he’s going to be a safety for us. He’s going to be a good, solid player. [Branch] is a hard-hitting young man. He’s really fun to watch.” What does that do for a young player when you project well onto coaches and they praise you like that?

BRANCH: It is great that others can see the hard work that you put in getting to this level. The key is to live up to those expectations and continue to impress.

Branch impressed, especially after playing through a hand injury early in his rookie year. Unfortunately, that season was cut short when the physical safety injured his shoulder and was placed on the reserve list.

SB: In 2008, you recorded your first career interception during a 23-8 victory at Kansas City. The 36-yard return set up a Raider score. What are your recollections of that day and the play?

BRANCH: That is a great memory. My first NFL interception is something I will always think back on. I feel like we were in the right defense and things just happen to fall into place. Let’s hope we can increase the turnover numbers this year.

The Raiders have a lot of youth in the defensive backfield. And Branch is just one of the many talents that will be looked upon to make this defense one of the better ones in the AFC West. Last season, he tallied 124 tackles (10^th most in the NFL), 1 sack and 2 forced fumbles. When asked about the raw skill in the secondary and his outlook for the unit in 2010, Branch stated, “We will be a much more cohesive unit. As you said, we are still young but we are starting to really play as a team and learning to play off of each other.”

SB: How would you describe your style of play?

BRANCH: Tough. I love to go in there and knock heads off!

• Come back to SBReport.net to read part two of the exclusive interview with Tyvon Branch. In the next installment, the safety talks about playing for Tom Cable, his front row view of Richard Seymour in action, the off-season and more.

You can follow him at: twitter.com/tyvonbranch or become a part of his crew at: www.facebook.com/tyvonbranch.

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Oakland Raiders running back Michael Bush was able to give SBReport.net a question and answer session, where he talked about Tom Cable, his new offensive coordinator, the off-season and his daily life. In his career, Bush has rushed for 1,010 yards, with 6 touchdowns at an average of 4.6 yards per carry.

SBReport: You led the Raiders last year with 589-yards rushing, but it felt like you didn’t get enough carries at times. What’s it like not knowing how many reps your going to get and being in a three-running back system?

Michael Bush: Its tough not knowing, but that’s how the cookie crumbles when your the third back on the depth chart and but I just have to stay ready and when my number is called make the best of my opportunity. It kind of leaves me on edge, anxious and ready to play to help the team the best I can.

SBReport: Do you expect to get more carries next season and do you feel like you should be the primary ball carrier?

Michael Bush:  Well growing up I was told by my family not to expect anything from anyone because nothing in life is free so with that being said, I must work hard in off-season workouts, OTAs (Organized Team Activities), mini camps and training camp if I want to get more carries and as far as being the primary back we have other talented guys and we let the coaches have certain packages and plays that should let us all use our talents to the best of our abilities.

SBReport: How do you approach the off-season; in terms of balancing your time off and recovering from the season, and working-out and trying to get better as a player?

Michael Bush: It’s hard balancing your time because there is so much you want to do. Spend time with family travel see different place things like that. But for the most part I get bored when I’m not doing something sports related whether is playing basketball or doing cardio something active its very hard being a couch potato after about a week.

SBReport: Do you have any knowledge of Hue Jackson (new offensive coordinator) and how he will approach the handling of the offense?

Michael Bush: I know a little bit about Coach Jackson about how he has helped the [Baltimore] Ravens offense as a whole. But I will reach out to Ray Rice and ask him a couple questions when I get the chance.

SBReport: How do you feel personally about Tom Cable coming back for at least one more season as the head coach?

Michael Bush: It feels good knowing that we the players don’t have to get use to another coach, different system and another personality so bringing coach cable back is a positive for us. He’s a great motivator.

SBReport: When Michael Bush is not playing football or training, what’s his day like during the off-season?

Michael Bush:  Wake up watch some TV, browse Raiderfans.net to see what the fans are talking about. Skype and check on my lil’ brother make sure he is taking care of is schoolwork while he is in college. Play a little Xbox Live to catch up with some teammates. Call and mess with friends and family and when it starts to get dark, you can catch me in someone’s bowling alley. I love bowling. Something I want to do after football. My career high is 289 and I would say for the most part I average around the 205 area.

SBReport: What are your recollections of the 27 carry, 177-yard performance you had against Tampa Bay at the end of 2008?

Michael Bush: I think that was an awesome game as a whole team. The line did a great job of getting me some lanes to run in and JaMarcus [Russell] did great job of getting the ball to open wide receivers. The [defense] did a great job as well.

NOTES

• Bush was the only Raiders running back to top 100-yards in a game last season. He did it twice: 119-yards against Kansas City and 133-yards versus Denver in the Silver & Black’s 20-19 victory on the road.
• The former Louisville Cardinal was drafted in the 4^th round (100^th overall) of the 2007 draft.

Derrick Burgess, DE

The Oakland Raiders got great value out of the speedy defensive end in his first three-campaigns after signing a five-year, $18 million contract. The then 26-year old had only played in 29 regular season contests with 15-starts for the Philadelphia Eagles. “I’m ecstatic and proud to have the opportunity to wear the Silver and Black,” Burgess said. “I’m joining a quality organization in the Raiders with a great tradition and history.” Burgess started his career in Oakland as a back-up, but midway through the 2005 campaign, the sacks began to pile up and at seasons end, he had the team record for sacks (16), while leading the league in that category in landing his first Pro Bowl bid. He followed that up with 11-sacks in 2006 and another Pro Bowl selection while fighting through injuries. His numbers dipped in his last full season with the Raiders and frustration regarding the losing and the desire for a new deal eventually soured Burgess. “He’s been frustrated,’’ said then position coach Keith Millard. “We’ve had four head coaches in four years and we struggled on defense.’’

Verdict: Oakland had a very productive pass rusher for three-seasons, priced way below the going rate for players of Burgess’ caliber when he arrived. When he became disgruntled, the Raiders traded him to the Patriots and instead of bucking in to his demands, they parted ways with a player who has not been able to regain his form.

Tory James, CB

Oakland signed James away from the Denver Broncos with a 5-year, $18 million contract. In his three campaigns with the Silver & Black, the cornerback tallied 11 interceptions during the regular season. In his most memorable moment with the Raiders, James returned an interception 90-yards in Oakland’s 27-0 romp of the Miami Dolphins, propelling them into the AFC Championship game in January of 2001. “Before I go to sleep, I always visualize making plays,” James stated after the game. “It seems like today my dreams came true.”

Verdict: James was a solid member of the Raiders defensive backfield. He was released in 2003 due to a high cap number ($5.7 million), as Oakland scrambled to get under the cap after their Super Bowl appearance.

Zack Crockett. RB/FB

From 1999-to-2006, Crockett was a fiery leader for the Silver & Black. He compiled 35 touchdowns in his Raider career as a short yardage and goal line specialist. In 2003, Oakland retained his services with a seven-year, $12 million contract when he was 30-years old. Crockett bowled over Kansas City defenders in the 2002 regular season finale – in a muddy field – tallying 72-yards on 11 carries with one score. A few weeks later in the AFC Championship Game, his 7-yard scoring run was the last nail in the Titans coffin.

Verdict:  In September of 2007, Oakland released the aging leader. He was a hard runner for the Raiders, a solid blocker and a stout presence in the locker room and on the practice field.

Here are past installments of this Free-Agent series:

Part 1:

15-years of Free Agency for the Raiders – Part 1

Part 2:

15-years of Free Agency for the Raiders – Part 2

Part 3:

15-years of Free Agency for the Raiders – Part 3

Part 4:

15-years of Free Agency for the Raiders – Part 4

Part 5:

15-years of Free Agency for the Raiders – Part 5

Stay tuned for upcoming installments, looking back at the Raiders history during the free-agency period. Part-seven is coming soon…

Aaron Brooks, QB

After the Oakland Raiders parted ways with Kerry Collins, they signed Brooks to a 2-year deal worth $8 million. “Aaron gives us great depth at the quarterback position and provides us with a veteran presence,” then Raiders head coach Art Shell stated. Brooks was the starter at the beginning of the 2006 campaign, as his only competition was Marques Tuiasosopo and Andrew Walter. Brooks was sacked seven times in the opener against San Diego and battered week-two versus Baltimore, fumbling two snaps from center before straining his pectoral muscle. Eventually he started eight games for the Raiders, losing all of them and was cut after his lone season in Silver & Black, as the team wanted to avoid a $5 million roster bonus he was due the next off-season.

Verdict: Brooks was a stopgap quarterback during an agonizing season for the Raiders. His final stats: a 57.3 completion percentage, eight interceptions and three touchdown passes while being sacked 26 times in eight games.

Eric Turner, S

Prior to the 1997 season, the Raiders were on a shopping spree, and one of their prized signings was the Pro Bowl safety. Turner was reeled in with a 4-year $6 million deal. ”We’re delighted that we can add another impact player to the organization,” said Joe Bugel. He played 32-contest with the Silver & Black before dying of intestinal cancer at age 31. “I realize people are concerned, but I have chosen to keep this issue within my family,” Turner said in a statement prior to his death.

Verdict: The former 2^nd overall pick of the 1991 draft arrived in Oakland after being selected to two Pro Bowls. Turner has always been remembered fondly by teammates and the organization on and off the field.

Andre Rison, WR

A week after being released by the Kansas City Chiefs in August of 2000, Oakland picked up the 33-year old target with a one-year contract worth $450,000 and a $100,000 signing bonus. “The day I was released I already knew where I was going,” Rison commented when he landed with the Chiefs rival. The mercurial wide receiver played 16-games, compiling 41-receptions for 606-yards and 6 touchdowns. The prior season, he tallied career lows in catches and yards with no scores. Rison had 3 receptions for 44-yards in the playoffs, but had a score nullified due to pass interference flag with 4-minutes remaining in the AFC Championship game loss to the Ravens.

Verdict: Rison added attitude to the offense and solid production at wide-receiver behind Tim Brown as the Raiders marched to a 12-4 finish in the regular season in Jon Gruden’s third season.

LaMont Jordan, RB

After the 2004 season, Oakland looked to boost their putrid ground game with the signing of LaMont Jordan. After the former NewYork Jet landed in the Bay Area with a five-year, $27.5 million contract, he stated, “I’ve played out here in Oakland a couple of times and it’s actually my favorite stadium to play in, so I’m really looking forward to getting this ball rolling and hopefully being a big piece to us accomplishing our goals.” Jordan led all NFL rushers with 70 catches his first season and tallied 1,588 total yards from scrimmage and 11 scores. But it went down hill from there, as he tore his MCL in November of 2006 and missed the remainder of the season. After starting the 2007 campaign with 350-yards rushing and two touchdowns in the team’s first three-games, he sustained a back injury in Miami.

Verdict: Jordan was phased out due to his ineffective running and Justin Fargas’ emergence in his last months in Oakland. He never lived up to his contract or the expectations he had to become a productive rusher in the NFL. “After three games [in 2007], LaMont Jordan led the NFL in rushing,” teammate Warren Sapp said. “But…he was out of shape and couldn’t keep it going.”

Stay tuned for upcoming installments, looking back at the Raiders history during the free-agency period. Part-six is coming soon…