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

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).

Thus, in the interests of showing Mr. Mortensen the fairness he is clearly, in my opinion, not showing the Raiders, I will make my remarks right here up front. Mr. Mortensen or Ms. Schreiber, if you read these, I can be contacted via the information I sent you, or through Raiderfans.net or SBReport.net.

My now-open letter to ESPN:

Ms. Schreiber, I am writing regarding a recent article involving Chris Mortensen reporting on the Oakland Raiders.

To quote from an AP story:

—–
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.”
—–

For the record, I am both a Raiders fan and a freelance writer for a website covering the Raiders.

I understand the Raiders have often had a contentious rapport with the media, and are known for this difficulty in dealing with both the press and the public.

Nonetheless, as a former full-time professional journalist for more than a dozen years, including time on both a sports desk and at a major metro newspaper, I find Chris Mortensen’s remarks on the “privilege” of contacting the team before publishing his reports to be appalling.

This is not – I repeat NOT – how any respectable journalist should behave. I can understand the frustration of dealing with a source who misleads or ignores a member of the media. I’ve been in that situation more than once. Nonetheless, even a high school freshman journalism student knows that the only way to be considered anything resembling an unbiased reporter is to give every possible side of the story the opportunity to comment.

I cannot emphasize enough how disgusting I find these remarks by Mr. Mortensen – not because of their reflection on the team I cheer for, but because of the blatant lack of professionalism shown. Bad enough he does not give the team the courtesy of a call for comment. (If they deny the report, and are proven wrong, this merely reflects poorly on them, not him.) But to gloat over his lordly “privilege” of DOING HIS JOB is a disgrace to the profession.

Mr. Mortensen has clearly forgotten two of the first rules any journalist learns: 1. Be fair. 2. Report news, don’t make it.

I have written in the past questioning the bias of some of ESPN’s writers and reporters for or against various teams. But this is the first incident I can recall where a so-called journalist has gone beyond such a bias, however justified, and crossed into the realm of thorough unprofessionalism.

I sincerely hope ESPN does not condone its journalists treating a basic tenet of fairness as a “privilege” to be given or taken away at their whim. It dishonors any of us who call ourselves members of the profession.

I sincerely hope the readers of S&B Report can see this stance in all of my coverage, and the coverage by the rest of our team. I feel very, very comfortable saying that although our site has its roots in our love for the Oakland Raiders, as a media organization, we strive to be fair to the organization we cover, and the fans who are our audience.

I hope you all agree. Stay with us, and we’ll continue to strive to prove ourselves to you with every keystroke and every story.

Contact the author: Eric Strauss, S&B Report Staff Columnist

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.

FOUR THINGS I’M THANKFUL FOR THIS THANKSGIVING:

1. The end of the Lane Kiffin saga.
I liked Lane Kiffin. I thought he was a bright offensive mind who brought a winning background and oodles of potential to the job as Raiders head coach. But his ongoing feud with Al Davis revealed a fatal flaw: Call it immaturity, or inexperience, but the youngest head coach in NFL history simply wasn’t prepared to deal with the stubborn determination of an aging owner in a professional fashion. And after things didn’t go his way, let’s face it, Kiffin basically did the coaching equivalent of tanking it — spouting off to the media in a blatant bid to get fired. No matter whose side you are on, no matter who was right, or wrong, no matter who winds up the head coach in 2009, we can all be glad this miserable experience, once so promising, is over.

2. Rob Ryan coaching the defense.
His unit’s only consistency is its inconsistency, but Buddy Ryan’s son brings something to the table I’ve always appreciated: Enthusiasm. Maybe he comes off as a bit of a Davis yes-man. Maybe his fourth-quarter prevent-defense scheme is pretty lousy. Maybe, in some ways, he’s no better than the man he replaced, the much-maligned Chuck Bresnahan. But Ryan’s desire to win shows in his every manic gesture from the sidelines — or even a few yards onto the field — and his players love him. And let’s face it, after the past six years, there’s something to be said for someone who’s out there blatantly trying his hardest and getting his players to play their hardest.

3. Johnnie Lee Higgins.
We all loved Chris Carr, the undersized, undrafted underdog defensive back. But facts are facts: In three years returning kicks and punts, Carr brought back exactly zero for touchdowns. This year, Higgins has busted loose for two of the three longest punt-return touchdowns in team history — in back-to-back weeks. We all remember Carr’s 100-yard pickoff return beating the Steelers in the dreadful 2006 year. Well, Higgins is making the same impact returning punts — putting potentially game-changing points on the board when the offense is struggling. Yes, the former third-round pick has been a disappointment as a kick returner and unimpressive as a receiver, but he’s proved a weapon on a team sorely lacking them.

4. Beating the Chiefs and the Broncos.
Because, let’s face it, it really doesn’t get any better than stomping all over Herm Edwards’ guys in Week Two. Oh, wait, it does: Stomping all over Mike “Shanarat” Shanahan’s guys in Week 12.

SOMETHING I’D LIKE TO BE THANKFUL FOR NEXT THANKSGIVING:
Michael Bush accepting, enjoying and thriving as a fullback.
Yes, being a lead blocker stinks. But so does standing on the sidelines, in uniform, and not getting to play. I love Bush as a prospect, and I’m sure it hurts the former star college running back to find himself third on the depth chart and faced with a move to a position better known for no-carry road-graders like Jon Ritchie. But Michael, I’ve got two words for you: Zack, and Crockett. You get your touches at fullback, catches and carries, you get to play tailback when injuries hit … and you get to be the short-yardage monster, where the game and the glory is on the line. Thirty-five touchdown dances in eight years is nothing to sneeze at. I know you’re a great kid, Michael, and I know it’s tough to swallow your pride, and tough to struggle at something where success has always come easy. But I’m telling you, there’s a great place in this offense for you. It’s called the end zone, and it’s yours for the taking.

SOMETHING I’M ALWAYS THANKFUL FOR:
Silver & Black Report, Raiderfans.net and all the friends I’ve made through those sites over the past five-plus years.
Because, no matter how much the Raiders’ struggles have hurt, it’s always nice to have a place where I can get the latest Raiders news, and talk Raiders football with the best fans in the world.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

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.

That’s what a 5-14 record will do, and despite clear strides from the dark 2006 season of Art Shell 2.0, Kiffin faces a near-daily deathwatch of media and fans waiting to see if he’ll get the chance to become a Jon Gruden, or a Mike Shanahan.

Gruden, like Kiffin, doubled the team’s win total in his first year, only to fall short of expectations in Year Two before taking the Raiders to the playoffs in years Three and Four. Shanahan, on the other hand, increased the team’s win total his first year, but never saw the end of Year Two, his first head coaching job ending with him becoming the first — and thus far, only — head coach fired by Davis in mid-season.

It would be easy to blame Kiffin’s struggles — which mostly center on his too-brutal honesty with the media — on immaturity or lack of experience, but the son of Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin is hardly the first youthful chief the Raiders have employed.

Start with Davis himself, a head coach at age 34 in 1963. Then move on to John Rauch, a 37-year-old when he took over from Davis in 1966. John Madden, who succeeded Rauch, was 33 in his first year, 1969. Later in franchise history, Shanahan was 35 when he took over in 1988, and Gruden was 34 when he got the job in 1998.

And Kiffin’s blunt style, which could easily be described as aloof or abrasive by detractors, is hardly unique to the NFL. Such martinets and egotists as Bill Parcells, Jimmy Johnson and, most recently, Tom Coughlin have won Super Bowls.

In the end, if Kiffin indeed loses his job this season, it will be his inability to coexist with Davis — who reportedly said of Kiffin, “He’s not the guy I hired” — even more than his team’s inability to win games, that is to blame.

That may distinguish defensive coordinator Rob Ryan — who S&B Report sources say will become head coach if and when Kiffin gets the ax — from his boss.

For one thing, Ryan — whose profanity-laced tirade after Kiffin said Buddy’s son and Davis design the defensive game plan endeared him to fans and players alike — obviously is a Davis favorite. The owner interviewed Ryan for the head job before hiring Kiffin, and according to rumor repeated so often it is taken as fact, prevented Kiffin from dumping him after last season.

Second of all, Ryan is unquestionably loved by his players, despite the fact that the defensive unit he has run since 2004 has been consistent only in its lack of consistency.

A pessimist might recall Joe Bugel, who the players lobbied for before the 1997 season, only to write off as a puppet of the owner when he infamously brown-nosed the owner at his introductory news conference.

But an optimist might point out that, while Davis has hired only one defensive coach as head man in the 45 years he has run the team, that man, Madden, ended up in the Hall of Fame after a decade that included 112 wins and a Super Bowl ring.

Conventional wisdom also suggests bringing in a “players’ coach” after one not so beloved also gives a team the incentive to play harder and better — witness the tough, but popular, Shell’s taking over for Shanahan and leading a 1-3 team to a 7-5 record over the remainder of the season.

On the downside, the Raiders have tried to follow conventional wisdom since they’ve come back to Oakland — following the intellectual Mike White with the boisterous Bugel, then following him with the hard-charging Gruden and Bill Callahan, then trying the easygoing Norv Turner, followed by Shell, who had become “old school” with age, then the young and ambitious Kiffin — and that hasn’t worked out so well.

Plus, if running a defense is in the Ryan genes — witness Rob’s twin Rex in Baltimore — dad Buddy’s stint as a head man in Philadelphia doesn’t exactly suggest head coaching is a genetic strong suit, either.

An added bonus, on the other hand, might be that Ryan’s elevation could help Oakland retain highly regarded offensive coordinator Greg Knapp — who would finally get to call the plays — and even more highly regarded offensive line coach Tom Cable, plus popular running backs coach Tom Rathman, all of whom intend to join Seattle Seahawks heir apparent Jim Mora Jr.’s staff next year, according to S&B Report sources.

For now, however, fresh off a devastating last-second loss to the Buffalo Bills, Turner’s explosive San Diego Chargers coming to town next week, and the bye week following, Raiders fans apparently will have to continue playing “As the Team Turns” and reading headlines that basically offer no news:

“Lane Kiffin is still Raiders coach.”

There is certainly potential in that statement, even if Kiffin doesn’t really want to coach for Davis and Davis doesn’t really want Kiffin coaching for him.

But right now, the one-time boy wonder looks more like a Raiders head coach who never was — “Bernard” Petrino, who fled the NFL for the NCAA after less than a year in Atlanta — than a head coach who will equal even Gruden’s short four-year stint in charge.

Never mind Gruden’s results.

Raiders head coaches since the return to Oakland:
Mike White: 8-8 in 1995 and 7-9 in 1996
Joe Bugel: 4-12 in 1997
Jon Gruden: 8-8 in 1998, 8-8 in 1999, 12-4 in 2000 and 10-6 in 2001
Bill Callahan: 11-5 in 2002 and 4-12 in 2003
Norv Turner: 5-11 in 2004 and 4-12 in 2005
Art Shell: 2-14 in 2006
Lane Kiffin: 4-12 in 2007 and 1-2 thus far in 2008

Raiders 30-something coaches in their first two years:
Al Davis: 10-4 in 1963 and 5-7-2 in 1964
John Rauch: 8-5-1 in 1966 and 13-1 in 1967
John Madden: 12-1-1 in 1969 and 8-4-2 in 1970
Mike Shanahan: 7-9 in 1988 and 1-3 at time of dismissal in 1989
Jon Gruden: 8-8 in 1998 and 8-8 in 1999
Lane Kiffin: 4-12 in 2007 and 1-2 thus far in 2008

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.

Did you guess before you clicked?

If you said “Greg Robinson,” you are correct!

If you read that, and said, “Who?,” then let me elaborate:

Greg Robinson was an eighth-round draft pick in 1993, chosen just after the Raiders picked future middle linebacker mainstay Greg Biekert in the seventh round.

The former star at Northeast Louisiana (now Louisiana-Monroe) arrived at an opportune time. Allen had left the Raiders as a free agent after years of feuding with Al Davis, and Bo Jackson had retired due to his hip injury suffered in the 1990-91 AFC playoffs. Eric Dickerson, who led the team in rushing in 1992, had also departed.

The favorite for the job, Nick Bell, was injury prone, and when he went down in training camp, the Raiders turned to Robinson over veteran fullback Napoleon McCallum, second-year man Tyrone Montgomery and fellow rookie Randy Jordan. That made him the first rookie to start at running back on Opening Day since Allen.

And Robinson, who wore No. 28, looked like the man for the long term through 12 games, as the Raiders were 7-5 en route to a 10-6 season and the team’s last playoff appearance until 2000.

He had gained 591 yards on 156 carries, the third-leading rookie rushing total in Raiders history, and the top rushing mark among AFC running backs at that point. He also had 15 receptions and four kick returns.

But in that 12th start, against the Buffalo Bills, Robinson tore up a knee, ending his season.

And, as it turned out, his Raiders career.

(Bell got starts in three games, and Jordan one, at the end of 1993; McCallum and Montgomery were the top playoff rushers.)

Robinson spent the 1994 season on injured reserve, still trying to rehabilitate the knee,
but was released in 1995 when he couldn’t regain his previous form – after a trade to the Green Bay Packers was voided when Robinson failed the Packers’ physical.

He eventually made his comeback with the St. Louis Rams, playing in five games, with one start, in 1995 and 11 in 1996. He gained 165 yards on 40 carries, plus two catches, in 2005, and 134 yards on 32 carries, with one catch, in 1996.

Robinson remains a part of the Louisiana-Monroe record books, with his 1992 totals of 1,011 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns, plus his 250-yard game in 1992 and 1991 total of nine touchdowns, still in the all-time Top 10. His 22 career touchdowns remain a school record.

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.

The Raiders had losing years during the first three seasons of their existence — pre-Davis, as we all know:

• 6-8 in 1960;
• 2-12 in 1961;
• and bottoming out at 1-13 in 1962.

But during the 40 years Davis has been involved in the organization, from his head coaching debut in 1963 until the Super Bowl XXXVII loss in January 2003, the Raiders had only seven more losing seasons, including a string that saw the team go 23 years with only one in the minus column:

• 5-7-2 in 1964 under Davis;
• 7-9 in the “lame-duck” Oakland season of 1981 under Tom Flores;
• 5-10 in 1987, Flores’ final season as head coach;
• 7-9 in 1988, Mike Shanahan’s only full season;
• 7-9 in 1992 the only losing season of the Art Shell I era;
• 7-9 in 1996, which cost Mike White his job;
• and 4-12 in 1997, the only year of the Joe Bugel “error.”

In that same time, the Raiders nearly matched the seven losing seasons with Super Bowl appearances, playing in the Big Game on five occasions — and winning three world championships:

• Super Bowl II in January 1968 (Green Bay 33, Oakland 14);
• Super Bowl XI in January 1977 (Oakland 32, Minnesota 14);
• Super Bowl XV in January 1981 (Oakland 27, Philadelphia 10);
• Super Bowl XVIII in January 1984 (Los Angeles 38, Washington 9);
• and Super Bowl XXXVIII in January 2003 (Tampa Bay 48, Oakland 21).

That’s not even mentioning nine other appearances in an AFL or AFC championship game during that stretch.

However, if Kiffin can’t double the team’s win total in 2008 — mind you, he accomplished the feat in 2007 — the Raiders will have suffered their sixth straight losing year, following a five-year string of 19-61:

• 4-12 in 2003, which cost Bill Callahan his job a short year after the Super Bowl;
• 5-11 in 2004, when Norv Turner became the first coach to survive a double-digit losing season;
• 4-12 in 2005, which ended Turner’s reign;
• 2-14 in 2006, the only year of Art Shell II, which sadly damaged his reputation;
• 4-12 in 2007 in Kiffin’s debut season.

If, as many “Raider haters” and fans alike are predicting, the Raiders post another record on the downside of the ledger, it could be the end of Kiffin’s tenure as head coach. Even if the Raiders go a competitive 6-10 or 7-9, which might well save Kiffin’s job, it would mean the 2009 team would be trying to avoid a seventh consecutive losing year.

Those seven losing seasons in a row — nothing atypical for some traditionally futile organizations such as the Arizona Cardinals, who have posted one winning season in the past 23, or the Cincinnati Bengals, who have four in the past 25 — would match the 40-year total of Davis’ “Team of the Decades.”

Pretty amazing, considering how much the team and its fans have suffered in recent years.

In a year in which baseball’s Chicago Cubs are “celebrating” 100 years since their last world championship, it’s a reminder that, no matter how black the mood around the Silver & Black lately, this string is, in many ways, a blip on the radar. A big, ugly blip, but a blip nonetheless

Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders head coaches:
• Eddie Erdelatz, 1960-61 (1 1/2 seasons: 0 winning seasons, 1 1/2 losing seasons)
• Marty Feldman, 1961-62 (two 1/2 seasons: 0 winning seasons, two losing 1/2 seasons)
• Red Conkwright, 1962 (1/2 season: 0 winning seasons, 1/2 losing season)
• Al Davis, 1963-65 (three seasons: 2 winning seasons, 1 losing season, 1 Coach of the Year award; member of Pro Football Hall of Fame as all-around contributor)
• John Rauch, 1966-68 (three seasons: 3 winning seasons, 0 losing seasons, 1 Super Bowl appearance, 1 Coach of the Year award)
• John Madden, 1969-1978 (10 seasons: 10 winning seasons, 0 losing seasons, 1 Super Bowl win, 1 Coach of the Year award; member of Pro Football Hall of Fame as coach)
• Tom Flores, 1979-1987 (nine seasons: 6 winning seasons, 2 losing seasons, 1 .500 season, 2 Super Bowl wins, 1 Coach of the Year award)
• Mike Shanahan, 1988-89 (1 1/2 seasons: 0 winning seasons, 1 1/2 losing seasons)
• Art Shell, 1989-1994, 2006 (6 1/2 seasons: 4 1/2 winning seasons, 2 losing seasons, 1 Coach of the Year award; member of Pro Football Hall of Fame as player)
• Mike White, 1995-96 (two seasons: 0 winning seasons, 1 losing season, 1 .500 season)
• Joe Bugel, 1997 (one season: 0 winning seasons, 1 losing season)
• Jon Gruden, 1998-2001 (four seasons: 2 winning seasons, 0 losing seasons, 2 .500 seasons)
• Bill Callahan, 2002-03 (two seasons: 1 winning season, 1 losing season, 1 Super Bowl appearance)
• Norv Turner, 2004-05 (two seasons: 0 winning seasons, 2 losing seasons)
• Lane Kiffin, 2007-present (one season: 0 winning seasons, 1 losing season)