Silver and Black Report

or, some subtle causes for optimism in Oakland

The Raiders have made a lot of news for the wrong reasons recently, but as they prepare for their Opening Night battle against the San Diego Chargers, the situation is starting to look brighter.

In the headlines, All-Pro defensive lineman Richard Seymour is finally headed to Oakland after a brief delay, but there are several other reasons the Silver & Black could have the last laugh on critics who have mocked them for:

• Drafting wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey ahead of fellow wideout Michael Crabtree

• Signing, then releasing, former Pro Bowl quarterback Jeff Garcia

• The release of sixth-round draft pick Stryker Sulak before he even signed

• And the situation involving head coach Tom Cable and assistant Randy Hanson

Rookie receivers:

Let’s start with the Raiders’ pair of rookie receivers, top pick Heyward-Bey and fourth-round pick Louis Murphy.

I mean “start” literally. With training camp up-and-comer Chaz Schilens injured, the duo will be in the opening lineup Monday night. Meanwhile, Crabtree will be watching on television, the San Francisco 49ers’ top pick still unsigned and with his people threatening to have him hold out all season.

With big-play punt returner Johnnie Lee Higgins in the slot and tight end Zach Miller remaining JaMarcus Russell’s favorite target, the Raider passing attack might be able to keep up with what Cable hopes is an overpowering ground game.

Still sorry the Raiders “reached” for an Opening Night starter, rather than an egotist who didn’t want to come to the Bay Area?

Backup quarterbacks:

At one point, pundits suggested the Raiders might have the NFL’s best No. 2 quarterback in Garcia, who appeared in four Pro Bowls, one as recently as 2007.

Instead, Garcia found himself unemployed, while Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye earned both backup jobs instead of one beating the other out for clipboard duty. Frankly, I’m quite pleased — Garcia had served his purpose. The popular belief was that his presence would push second-year starter Russell, the No.1 overall pick in 2007.

But let’s face facts: If there are doubts about Russell, they are about things like conditioning and preparation — and Garcia was around during the offseason and training camp (albeit with a calf injury) to press him when he would need it most.

Now that the season is starting, the Raiders need Russell to be confident, not looking over his shoulder.

They also need a capable backup in the event of an injury. And even without Garcia, they still have two. Neither Gradkowski nor Frye may seem like a traditional starting quarterback, but both have been just that. Gradkowski has a dozen career starts, including 11 for Tampa Bay in 2006. Frye, once the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback of the future, has 20, including a pair of Opening Day starts, in 2006 and 2007.

The best-case scenario is that neither takes a snap in anything but garbage time, but frankly, the Raiders have a pair of young, but flawed “tarnished prospects” who are willing to bide their time — instead of an old, unhappy, flawed journeyman who thought he should be starting instead of sitting.

Rookie free agents:

The Raiders’ personnel department has long been a target of abuse, thanks to such first-round disappointments as Derrick Gibson, Phillip Buchanon, Napoleon Harris, and more.

The failure of a late-round pick such as Sulak only adds fuel to the fire, erasing memories of such second-day successes as Ronald Curry and Trevor Scott.

But what the members of the team’s War Room don’t get enough credit for is the work they do when draft weekend is over: Uncovering and signing undrafted rookies.

This year, a pair of those “diamonds in the rough” will be dressed on Monday night: kick returner Nick Miller and defensive tackle Desmond Bryant. Both are small-school prospects, Miller from Southern Utah and Bryant at Harvard.

They join some others who any team could have had, but the Raiders got: Starting defensive tackle Tommy Kelly, starting strongside linebacker Ricky Brown and kick returner Louis Rankin.

Practice squad:

Speaking of Rankin, the preseason star of 2008 and 2009 is part of a trio of undrafted University of Washington ’08 alumni who have been a part of the Oakland roster for two years running.

Rankin is the only one who made the 53-man roster out of camp, but fullback Marcel Reese and defensive end Greyson Gunheim are on the practice squad — where all three spent most of 2008, before getting cups of coffee on the main roster late in the season.

By waiving Gunheim and fourth-round pick Slade Norris in the 53-man cutdown, plus the earlier release of Sulak, the Raiders ruined any chance at crafting an “all-name defense.”

Ah, what might have been.

Nonetheless, it’s what could yet be that is filling Raider fans’ heads as the Monday night doubleheader draws near. What could yet be: Positive headlines that could erase six years of negative ones. Ah, Opening Night. When every team is undefeated, and hope springs eternal… or at least until kickoff.

With a healthy Darren McFadden carrying the ball alongside Michael Bush and Justin Fargas, and veteran star defensive linemen Seymour and Greg Ellis on board to help stop other teams’ rushers for new coordinator John Marshall, this could be the year dreams of playoffs, or even a .500 season, are more than just wishful thinking.

By tomorrow night, we’ll know.

Contact Eric Strauss — S&B Report Staff Columnist

Why character has been a position of need — even 7th overall

When Tom Cable took over as interim head coach of the Raiders four games into the 2008 season, he was a breath of fresh air after the disastrous Lane Kiffin/Al Davis feud.

The former offensive line coach managed to bring a positive, blue-collar attitude to the job, in stark contrast to his young, ambitious, often-tactless predecessor. And, although he built what appears to be a strong working relationship with the Oakland owner, he managed to avoid becoming a Joe Bugel-esque “yes man.”

Cable got the permanent job this offseason. And if the 2009 NFL Draft is any indication, he has set about addressing one of the team’s most pressing needs.

No, I’m not talking about wide receiver, although that unit was certainly bolstered with Top-10 pick Darrius Heyward-Bey and fourth-round pick Louis Murphy.

I’m talking about attitude. Character has often meant something else entirely in Oakland, but the “Bad Boys” of the 1970s were football players first, and party animals second. In the “me-first” 21st century of professional sports, that football-first type of character has often fallen by the wayside.

Never was that more evident in Oakland than in 2008, when the Raiders gambled on talented players with dubious attitudes. Corner DeAngelo Hall didn’t last the season, safety Gibril Wilson won’t see a second season and wideout Javon Walker is only back because he’s too expensive to cut. On the upside, rookie running back Darren McFadden was a model citizen, belying questions about some college off-field troubles.

Meanwhile, of course, Kiffin sabotaged his NFL career before fleeing to the University of Tennessee, where he is already winning friends and influencing people around the Southeastern Conference.

Young players, young coaches … that’s not always a mix that works. Just ask Josh McDaniels, Jay Cutler and the fans up in Denver.

The Cable Guy is doing something different entirely.

First, the team added some old hands to its coaching staff: Noted quarterback gurus Ted Tollner and Paul Hackett to work with the offense, replacing among others John DiFilippo, who had promise, but was one of the youngest assistants in the NFL. If popular defensive coordinator Rob Ryan had to be replaced, at least it was with a man who can bring many years of experience and wisdom to the job in John Marshall.

Then, the team made it a point to re-sign a pair of highly-regarded leaders in Pro Bowl cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and Pro Bowl punter Shane Lechler.

Most recently, Oakland brought in self-made veteran Jeff Garcia to push, and set an example for, young quarterback JaMarcus Russell.

Finally, the team put an emphasis on a characteristic of need as much — if not more — than a position of need.

Say what you want about the Raiders’ draft picks in terms of talent versus where they were chosen. The fact is, if scouting reports are to be believed, all seven of the newest Raiders come in with scintillating attitudes and work ethics.

Face it, with the Raiders trying to return to respectability, losing with malcontents such as Jerry Porter on board just adds insult to injury.

No matter what the 2009 team does, if Cable has his way, it will play hard and do the best it possibly can. After six years of double-digit losses, that’s a big step forward, whether or not the team reaches the magic .500 mark — or even the playoffs.

Anyone who has witnessed the loner Randy Moss, or the flamboyant Porter, or even the (rightfully) downtrodden Andrew Walter, should be able to see that attitude is as important as the interior defensive line when it comes to turning things around.

Even a Charles Woodson, who played hard every Sunday, but practiced lazily Monday through Saturday, is the wrong kind of player for a young team desperate to improve.

Give me more Kirk Morrisons, more Asomughas, more Robert Gallerys — yes, he’s taken more than his fair share of grief, but he works hard and desperately wants to succeed.

Positive attitudes are contagious. They can make a bad team decent, and a decent team good. Strong leaders help bring out the best in their teammates, and strong workers push their teammates to match their effort.

And if that is the reason the Raiders overdrafted Heyward-Bey with the 7th overall pick instead of the ego that is Michael Crabtree, you know what? I’m at least somewhat okay with that.

Because the Raiders need more than a guy who can catch passes. They need a guy who wants to be there catching them.

The tragic Darrell Russell put up his best seasons when he worked alongside veteran Russell Maryland and not underachieving Chester McGlockton. Russell followed the example of the man next to him — with McGlockton at his side, he underachieved; with Russell there, he was an All-Pro.

When young running backs like McFadden and Michael Bush see Justin Fargas giving his all on every play, how can they help but try to do the same if they want to take his job, and carries, away?

The party line is that the Raiders never rebuild. But this year, it seems like they are rebuilding something: The atmosphere in the locker room.

I, for one, am grateful. If nice guys really do finish last, at least the 2009 Raiders should be a losing team with players I care about, players I want to see do their best. There’s plenty of evidence out of Oakland in recent years that jerks finish last, too.

After all, the surest way to alienate even the most loyal fans — the Raider Nation — is not just to lose. It’s to lose without giving a damn. And there has been too much of that in the Bay Area lately.

Tom Cable is sending a message, and I can read it loud and clear. I hope the players and the rest of the organization do the same.

The Class of 2009:
1. Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland: “Elevated his draft stock at the Combine with a superb workout and even better interviews.” — Pro Football Weekly
2. Michael Mitchell, S, Ohio: “Michael is one of the most impressive guys that we’ve had here in our program. When he comes in to work, his demeanor is all business. He attacks all his workouts and drills.” — Cliff Marshall, Ignition Athletics Performance Group, as quoted in the Dayton Daily News
3. Matt Shaughnessy, DE, Wisconsin: “Productive high-motor player that gives it up from snap to whistle.” — Ourlads’ Scouting Services
4a. Louis Murphy, WR, Florida: “Coach Urban Meyer has said Murphy improved as a player and a person as much as anyone he has coached.” — Lindy’s
4b. Slade Norris, LB, Oregon State: “He’s been here long enough, and I think guys look up to him. He’s contributed enough that guys can look to him as a leader and a mentor. The young guys lean heavy on him.” — Joe Seumalo, Oregon State defensive line coach, as quoted in the Gazette-Times
6a. Stryker Sulak, DE, Missouri: “High-motor overachiever.” — Pro Football Weekly
6b. Brandon Myers, TE, Iowa: Myers may be the exception to the rule, with an arrest and conviction in his background. But his biography on Raiders.com indicates he won the Coaches’ Appreciation Award on offense, and that’s something.

Trevor Scott is the winner of the third "First-Year Star" award.

One was a rookie end who was catching passes, not sacking quarterbacks, just three years earlier. The other two were sophomores who never got off the bench in 2007.

In the end, by the closest vote in its three-year history, the “After Further Review First-Year Star” award went to defensive end Trevor Scott, the pass rusher out of Buffalo who tied for the team lead with five sacks.

As the 2009 NFL Draft gets under way, “After Further Review” is pleased to announce the winner of its third annual award honoring the Raiders’ best young player. Perhaps the next winner’s big first year in Silver & Black begins this weekend.

Scott, a sixth-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, received 30 out of 93 votes cast by the members of Raiderfans.net, edging out offensive tackle Mario Henderson, who finally blossomed late in 2008; and running back Michael Bush, who recovered from a broken leg suffered in college to shine as part of a three-headed rushing attack.

Henderson, a third-round pick in 2007, received 24 votes after replacing Kwame Harris at left tackle. Bush, a fourth-round pick the same year, received 17. Raiders first-round pick Darren McFadden, another running back, finished with 10 votes.

Scott, who began his career at Buffalo as a tight end, was considered a project when he was chosen late in the draft. But thanks to injuries along the front four, he was inserted into the lineup early as a nickel pass rusher. He racked up two sacks in then-interim head coach Tom Cable’s first win, over the New York Jets, and got two more against the New England Patriots late in the year.

He got Raiderfans.net owner Bob “BK” Carr’s vote: “I had to go with Trevor Scott. He led the league in sacks (for rookies) and didn’t get much playing time. He was also a stout special-teamer.”

That was the theme for Scott’s supporters, as he finished the season with 24 tackles in 16 games, registering tackles in 12 of them, including six against the Jets and five against the Patriots.

“He did a lot of damage when he played, and was solid on special teams,” member “FloridaRaydah” said.

“Dude came out of nowhere and did much more than any of us expected,” member “OaklandHeat” agreed.

Henderson got into only one game as a rookie after the Raiders traded up in the third round to choose him, and failed to beat out veteran Cornell Green for the starting right tackle job in training camp. But when big-money free agent Harris imploded, it was Henderson who started the final three games of the season, including Oakland’s big back-to-back wins to end the year.

“Had to go with Mario Henderson,” said one supporter, member “RaiderArt.” “He stabilized the left side, pretty much eliminated the drive-killing penalties and sacks, which allowed the passing game to thrive. … Wish he would’ve got into the lineup sooner, but better late than never, I suppose.”

Bush finished third on the team in rushing with 421 yards, but also finished the season with a bang, racking up 177 yards and two touchdowns to help the Raiders knock the Tampa Bay Buccaneers out of the playoffs in the season’s final game.

“I went with Mike for a couple of reasons,” said member “LouisvilleR8R.” “Bush and (McFadden) were great against K.C., but Bush’s performance against the Bucs put him over the top for me.”

He did, however, admit a bit of hometown bias: “Got to go with the kid from Louisville!”

Linebacker Thomas Howard was the first winner of the “First-Year Star” award, with 80 out of 115 votes (69.6 percent); and tight end Zach Miller was the second, with 71 of 75 votes cast (94.7 percent). Both dominated elections in years when the Raiders did not have as many young players making an impact as they did in 2008.

Oakland Raiders Owner Al Davis

Earlier today, I sent a letter to ESPN.com’s ombudsman, Le Anne Schreiber.

I would like to claim columnist’s privilege and reprint it here.

It is regarding this article, and more directly, this quote from analyst Chris Mortensen:

In an e-mail to The Associated Press, ESPN stood by the report.

“The Raiders have lost the privilege with me [Mortensen] of running stories past them for comment,” the e-mail stated. “This stems from their history of denials to most stories I have reported — as well as others in the media — when those stories have eventually proven to be true. The latest example is I reported that Al Davis planned to interview Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride and, of course, the story was trashed by a team spokesman.”

As a veteran professional journalist, not just for Silver & Black report, but for several daily newspapers, I felt compelled to speak (as, apparently, did Inside Bay Area’s Jerry McDonald).

Read more…

We all have many things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Of course, with the Raiders sitting at 3-8 in Year Six of their ongoing slump, the Silver & Black may not be one of them.

But even in Oakland, there are things we can all be glad are taking place, and things we can look forward to enjoying in the near future.

So as we all prepare to sit down with our friends and family over turkey and stuffing and share love and laughter, let me share some of the things in Raiderland that will make me smile when I think of them.
Read more…

Let’s see if this sounds familiar: Youthful outsider with reputation as offensive whiz takes over as head coach of struggling franchise amid grand pronouncements and great expectations, only to find himself at odds with owner and facing an employment equivalent of the Sword of Damocles hanging over him before his second year is out.

When Lane Kiffin became the youngest head coach in the history of the NFL at age 31, he may well not have been Raiders owner Al Davis’ first choice — that was rumored to be Southern Cal peer Steve Sarkisian. But, despite the owner infamously dubbing him “Lance” at the introductory news conference, many people had visions of Kiffin becoming Gruden 2.0.

A year and a half later, however, he’s starting to look more like Gruden Vista.

Or, dare I say it, Shanahan 2.0.
Read more…

By Eric Strauss, S&B Report Staff Columnist

As the Raiders’ latest minicamp gets under way, most eyes are on 2008 No. 1 draft pick Darren McFadden.

This, despite the fact that Justin Fargas returns as the starting running back after a 1,000-yard season.

With dreams of McFadden teaming with 2007’s No. 1 overall pick, quarterback JaMarcus Russell, in a dream backfield, it’s worth noting that, in the 47 seasons the Raiders have played football, only two running backs have led the team in rushing.

The first, of course, was Hall of Famer Marcus Allen, who gained 697 yards during the strike-shortened 1982 season, when he was the Raiders’ first-round draft pick.

But do you know the other Raider rookie rushing leader?

One hint: It’s not Napoleon Kaufman, the last running back – and, before McFadden, the only one since Allen – chosen by Oakland in the first round.

Read more…

Oakland Raiders Head Coach Lane Kiffin

By Eric Strauss, S&B Report Staff Columnist

As Lane Kiffin embarks on his second season as Raiders head coach — with the dubious distinction of being the first coach to survive a 12-loss year under owner Al Davis — he is not only trying to save his job, he is trying to avoid moving one step closer to some ignoble history. Read more…