New Mexico Football Report

NMSU 49  Sacramento St. Univ. 19


At every level of competitive football from Pee Wees to High School, College & Pro, a 49-19 win is what you would call a blowout. Yet, after the game Aggie head coach DeWayne Walker and Qb. Andrew Manley were almost apologetic about the Aggie's weak running game. ""We can't throw the ball every down, so we have to open up that run," said Manley. ""It's a win. I'm not going to sit here and say I'm unhappy" added Coach Walker.

Perhaps keeping it all in perspective (The Sac St. Hornets are an FCS club that plays in The Big Sky) Coach Walker continued, "Forty-nine to 19, anytime you score 49 points and give up 19 to anybody, you're supposed to be happy, but I agree with you .... We gotta get our run game going. Defensively, we played in spurts .... At the end of the day, it's 49-19"  The Aggies rushed for 101 yds. on 40 carries, last year that was an average game for Kenny Turner.

The brilliant emergence of Kenny Turner (a converted wide receiver) pulled the NMSU running game out of the doldrums in 2011. Turner, a Junior at the age of 27, had an odd back story.   Whenever you see someone that old on a FBS roster, you assume they're Mormons back from a two year mission or armed forces veterans. Neither was the case for Turner, he had to come back after serving a five year prison sentence.

 At age 16, Turner was charged with second degree aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and sentenced to prison as an adult. Upon his release he enrolled at Fullerton College in California and then signed with NMSU. During 2011 he rushed for 1,074 (4.9 avg. per carry) and 10 td's, 46 receptions for 514 yards. He decided to forgo his Senior year to enter the NFL draft,  unfortunately Turner went undrafted.

What the Aggies need is another Kenny Turner, or for that matter another WR like Taveon Rogers ( he's in camp with the Bengals who have converted him to cornerback) Austin Franklin who emerged late in the 2011 season, is ready to step into Taveon's shoes, he had 8 receptions for 236 yards and two td's (both for long yardage, 53 & 84 yds.) Qb. Andrew Manley picked up where he left off last season (he was injured during the UTEP game) 

Manley led NMSU's pass happy attack that accumulated 367 yards. Though, Andrew was quick to say, "We just have to keep working on it .... We do want to run the ball more and have more rushing yards to help us out." What Manley really meant is, take away the big plays and this game would have been a whole lot tighter. When they weren't striking deep, the Aggie offense did struggle to sustain drives and that is bothersome.  

Perhaps what kept the Aggies from fully enjoying their big win, was the miserable third quarter suffered by their defense. The Sac St. Hornets bullied the Aggie defense for 400 yards total offense to close the gap to 28-19. That would be as close as the Hornets would get, Garrett Safron, the Sac St. Qb. fumbled near his own 40 yd. line, the Aggies recovered and scored during the ensuing possession. NMSU then ran off 21 unanswered points. 

Sac St. head coach Marshall Sperbeck said the Hornets gave the game away "I felt like we missed some chances – let's put it that way"  Sorry coach! what really happened was that Sac St. got knocked the fuck out!  The final was  49-19, the only real chance they had was when the score was still 0-0.  Sac State trailed early because of NMSU's explosive passing game. Each of the Aggies' four first-half td drives had a pass of at least 50 yards.

The Aggies exploited an unprepared Hornet secondary. Sac State LB Todd Davis was surprised by the Aggies' big passing plays. "I wasn't expecting them to go so deep," said Davis, who noted that he hadn't seen film of Manley. Hey!,  maybe the Hornets were expecting to see Travaughn Colwell.  Could it be that Sperbeck and his staff have never heard of YouTube, Yahoo Sports or the internet?

Once the smoke cleared and the dust settled, it was a good season opener for NMSU. Next  on the schedule is a murderous road game to take on the Ohio University Bobcats of the MAC. That's the hard hitting Ohio Univ. Bobcats, coached by Frank Solich who beat Utah St. in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in 2011 (they pounded the Aggies 44-24 in Las Cruces) "There's some things we've got to get fixed," Walker said without a hint of sarcasm "before we play a very good Ohio team."

I take my leave with a poem that appeared in The Athens (Oh.) Messenger and Herald newspaper in 1897 to celebrate an Ohio University win over West Virginia Univ.

And they came and they were conquer'd 

With swift dispatch and ease,

And they felt that twinging sorrow which

In vain they could appease

Thought not that woe awaited them

Across Ohio's stream.

And like the poet found that things

Aren't ever what they seem.

Proud and boasting came they hither

To wrestle for the goals

Which they found almost as quickly

As disembodied souls.

Badly battered left they homeward

In vain could they conceal

The awful havoc of their bucks

'Gainst O.U.'s pointed steel:

No respect, I tells ya'.... no respect at all!

Left Nut's Raider Report

The deadline to cut the roster down to a maximum of 53 players on active/inactive list is August 31st. at  6 p.m. (PDT) Clubs may dress a minimum of 43 players and maximum of 46 players for each regular-season and postseason game. The Raiders reduced the team’s active roster to the maximum of 75 players in advance of the NFL's Monday  deadline of (Aug 27th)

The Raiders on Monday waived LB Korey Bosworth (who had signed just before the Detroit game), DE Mason Brodine, DE Wayne Dorsey, S Aaron Henry, CB Terrail Lambert, WR Thomas Mayo, WR DeAundre Muhammad, QB Kyle Newhall-Caballero (who's fate was sealed by T. Pryor's big game against the Lions) , S Chaz Powell and FB Manase Tonga.

The Raiders also moved OL Zach Hurd (head), FB Rashawn Jackson (hip), and OL Ed Wang (shoulder) from waived/injured to injured reserve. The resulting roster spot was filled when Oakland signed veteran wide receiver Roscoe Parrish on Tuesday (Aug. 28th.) A  return specialist, Parrish was released by the San Diego Chargers on Monday.

Parrish spent seven seasons (2005-11) with the Buffalo Bills, he was a second round pick for the Bill's in the 2005 draft out of the University of Miami. The Raiders claimed defensive back Coye Francies via waivers from the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday. Francies had three kickoff returns for 66 yards with Seattle this preseason.


This will give Oakland another return specialist, besides Roscoe Parrish, both will fill in for Jacoby Ford, who has been unable to avoid the injury bug. To make room for Francies, the Raiders waived defensive back Conroy Black. Francies was a sixth round draft pick for the Cleveland Browns (2009) played in the UFL (2010) and joined the Seahawks in 2011.

Roger "the Velvet Hammer" Goodell and the NFL are seemingly awaiting  the appeals process before determining whether to punish Raiders middle linebacker Rolando McClain. He was convicted of misdemeanor counts of illegally discharging a firearm, menacing, reckless endangerment and third-degree assault on May 18 by a judge in Decatur, Alabama.

The Raiders have weighed their options as Coach Allen explains:  "We can't sit around and say, 'What if, what if, what if,' " Allen said. "We've got plans in place and when that situation arises, we'll act on it." A jury trial would take place approximately sixth months after McClain's arraignment (which means his chances of playing the entire season are good)

For the seventh straight year, The Raiders close out the preseason schedule with a  game against their former AFC West rivals, The Seattle Seahawks.  They will be looking to post the team’s first-ever preseason victory in Seattle. The Raiders and Seahawks are familiar foes, as Seattle was a member of the AFC West from 1977-2002.

Raider Notes: 

Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart, the Raiders’ two Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks, will play against Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll, who coached both of them at USC. In total, six USC alums that now play for the Raiders will be going up against their former college coach on Thursday night. (besides Palmer & Leinart,  TE David Ausbery, WR Brandon Carswell, and OLs Nick Howell and Alex Parsons are former Trojans)

This will mark the first time that Carroll has faced Matt Leinart in the NFL, and the second time he has faced Carson Palmer in a preseason contest. This game will also mark a rare occasion in which a coach (Pete Carroll) will face two Heisman Trophy winners that he also coached in college. Oakland QBs Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart won college football’s top honor while under Carroll at USC in 2002 and 2004, respectively. 

Transactions Recap:

08/29/2012 Placed OL Zach Hurd, FB Rashawn Jackson, and OL Ed Wang on Injured Reserve

08/29/2012 Waived DB Conroy Black

08/29/2012 DB Coye Francies claimed off waivers

08/28/2012 Waived/Injured OL Zach Hurd

08/28/2012 Signed WR Roscoe Parrish

08/27/2012 Waived/Injured RB Rashawn Jackson and T Ed Wang

08/27/2012 Waived LB Korey Bosworth, DE Mason Brodine, DE Wayne Dorsey, DB Aaron Henry, DB Terrail Lambert, WR Thomas Mayo, WR Dre Muhammad, QB Kyle Newhall-Caballero, DB Chaz Powell, FB Manase Tonga

Fear of a Black Hat

Raider Nation is known to  suffer from jingoistic spasms of misguided xenophobia. Most Raider fans take any form of criticism as an insult and respond with the lowest form of low brow vulgarities. To critique the team in any manner is to open the door to all forms of abuse. The same holds true for Al Davis, a fact I discovered after posting several comments on Raider forums calling for Al Davis to step aside, in order for the team to move forward. The immediate reaction was brutal. 

The truth is, that the team has been in a perpetual funk and downward spiral since losing the Super Bowl in 2002 a year after the departure of John Gruden. Anyone who believes that Al Davis was still fully lucid, need only look at the Lane Kiffin/Jamarcus Russell era to know that the man was coming undone.  Actually the dementia started setting in when he "traded" Jon Gruden to Tampa Bay. This unprecedented move scored four draft picks for the Raiders, but left most NFL observers wondering about Al's mental health.

No matter how loyal you are to your favorite sports team, you have to be capable of taking a cold, hard look at both the good and bad. For every well informed, realistic and cynical Raider fan, who has suffered through the travails and pitfalls of  a succession of seasons that did not meet expectations, there are 10 Raider fans who can't name the offensive or defensive coordinators.  Many couldn't tell you who the head coach is, yet on the forums they're probably the ones posting "Raida Nation 4 Life" or "All U hatas can suck a dick"  

Deadspin and Drew Magary have a unique take on the sports world. There are no sacred cows, every pro team or athlete is a target for a  full broadside from the Deadspin staff.  Deadspin is affiliated with Gawker and shares the same editorial tone, which is to say that they are sarcastic, humorous and often critical of the pro sports mainstream. Drew Magary is my favorite sports writer, (that is, when he gets around to writing about sports and not about being a daddy and baby names)  To hear people talk you would think that Drew Magary works with profanity the way Gallagher works with watermelons. 

Sure, he drops a few f-bombs, but they're smart bombs... don't be fooled. Magary's dumbing down can't always hide the fact that he knows his subjects well.  At the present time, he's finishing up his "Why Your Team Sucks, 2012" series. Magary as usual, is brilliant as he takes a hammer to every team in the league with equal  aplomb and enthusiasm. This fact went over the heads of not just Raider fans but pretty much all fans of every team in the NFL. Like South Park, it's funny until Drew puts the blowtorch to your team.

He got to The Raiders early and weathered the resulting shit storm of bodily threats and insults with ease.  Magary as he often tends to be, was right on the money... whether we as Raiders fans like it or not.  Most fans responding to Drew ask why there's so much hate directed at their teams. To them I say "Welcome to Deadspin and to the art of satire" There's a major difference between hate and satirical lambasting, if you don't get it, then what the fuck are you doing reading Drew Magary or Deadspin? 

Here's a sample  of his post, followed by the rebuttals sent in by a handful of Raider fans. I reprint this without any authorization or permission.

"Why Your Team Sucks, 2012, Oakland Raiders"

1. Al Davis died six months too late. Actually, probably six years too late. No wait, make that 10 years too late. Frankly, we could just keep going back in time and continue improving the world the earlier Al Davis is done away with. But for the sake of THIS season, let's consider what would have happened if the old man had died in early 2011. Hue Jackson would have been replaced immediately, or his front office power would have been severely limited in his first season.

But instead, the old man hung around picking at his forehead scabs until October, which left Jackson in charge to make horrible trades as he pleased, right before being replaced with a potentially functional GM/head coach combination in Reggie McKenzie and Dennis Allen. Jackson's giveaway for Palmer leaves McKenzie and Allen in a hole that will take them at least another year to dig out of. They're stuck with a starting QB (Palmer) they don't want and a project QB (Pryor) they don't want.

2. Puffy Vest 4 Life. Matt Leinart is the kind of player who signs with the Raiders and causes people to be like, "Whoa hey, maybe he'll go to Oakland and suddenly be good JIM PLUNKETT JIM PLUNKETT RABBLE RABBLE." Shut up. Go away. The idea of any player being magically rejuvenated because he came to Oakland is an old and tired myth. It's one of the many things about the Raiders that are old and tired—from the stadium to the Black Hole to the slogans. Also, Matt Leinart is fucking horrid.

3. Darren McFadden only likes the beginnings of things. God, he looks so good at the beginning of a season, doesn't he? Running for big yardage and turning little swing passes into long touchdowns and looking like a legitimately healthy player. Then Week 6 arrives and it all goes to SHIT. Darren McFadden has never played a full season in his four seasons as a pro, and the worst part is that the Raiders let Michael Bush walk after the season. Bush ran for more yards in the second half of last season than McFadden did in the first, and somehow the Raiders were still stupid enough not to re-sign him. 

4. The defense is somehow even shittier. This was the 29th-ranked defense in football last season, and now they've lost pass rusher Kamerion Wimbley and CB Stanford Routt. Linebacker Rolando McClain, one of the few decent draft choices in Davis's twilight years, will begin the season in jail.  Peyton Manning could have a tumor with eyes growing out of his neck and throw for 400 on this outfit.

5. You Raider fans aren't as tough as you think you are. Despite my admiration for Raider Milt's commitment to skullfucking bitches, there's nothing worse than Oakland fans who somehow think their team's history and choice of black apparel makes them magically more intimidating than any other NFL team. Even after a decade of almost impossible dysfunction, many Oakland fans somehow believe that their team ... their LIFE ... is somehow significantly more hardcore than fans of another team. And the worst part is that handfuckers like Berman go on the air and continue to perpetuate this bullshit mythology, specifically so that moron Raider fans will gobble it up like the steakheads that they are. You're nothing special, Oakland fans. You never have been, and now that Al is finally dead and buried, you've lost your one lame excuse to pretend you are.

 Drew Magary writes for Deadspin and Gawker. He's also a correspondent for GQ. Follow him on Twitter @drewmagary and email him at drew@deadspin.com. Drew has also authored two books, Men With Balls and The Postmortal.

That article elicited some rather interesting comments: 

Yes, Raiders fans are as tough as we are portrayed on TV, and other media outlets. Have you actually even attended an Oakland game and tailgated? If you have not, then keep it down before we eat you alive and sell your remains to someone in the parking lot. Tony Noriega

Yes, the game had clearly passed Al by. He should have retired about 20 years ago and let either Ron Wolf or Ken Herock take over; both men went to other franchises and built Super Bowl teams. As for Palmer: Hue panicked at the thought of Kyle Boller being our starting QB and overpaid for CP. The Real Raider Duck

lol noriega tony....i go to niners games man, iv even been to raiders games. niners games are actually just as rowdy as raider games...exact same shit but with a sprinkle of class. Hooplah

Actually Drew, Raiders fans ourselves have been insisting for years that the tough guy hype is a joke. That shit has been dead for at least fifteen years. It's now just a lazy stereotype employed by bad sportswriters, racist dipshits, and middle-aged dudes who have never come to grips with how scared they got every time they encountered somebody wearing a Raiders hat in high school.  Taint Nuttin

I know you'll find this typical, but I mean this with all sincerity: come see a game in Oakland, and tell me that the fan base is no different than any other in the league. The only instances in which that many convicts congregate in one place is behind bars, seriously. Calamander 22

The coolest thing about Raider fans is that we actually don't give a sh!t what people think and love being one of the most hated fans in sports so fire away haters your comments will only amuse me!!    BroncoFan (ed. note... Wha?.... Bronco Fan?)

Raiders fans (also known as "recent parolees", or "the gardeners") are predicting another scintillating 8-8 season this year. That kind of naïveté could make them Cubs fans. (this comment was pulled by Deadspin)

Another feature at Deadspin is Dead Letters, where readers can send in their scathing retorts and comments. A few Raider fans did just that. At least ric mag77 didn't call Drew Magary a "scared coward" JJ Melo is a Raider fan who claims he subscribed to GQ for many years, but he will not be renewing this year thanks to Drew. (If he's been reading GQ for many years, then he would know all about Drew Magary by now... or maybe he just gets GQ for the pictures?)  Spencer Goin went too long, he started out calmly stating his case and wound up bug eyed and spraying the walls with spittle.

From: ricmag77

To: Drew Magary

Check this out drew, i know that everyone is entitled to there own opinion and the whole freedom of speech thing, but sometimes you just need to keep that trap closed and go about your own business, atleast thats how i was tought. Who are you? Seriously, who the fu@* are you?  You got some balls talking about a deceased person, when you mention Al Davis or the Raiders make sure to wipe your mouth dick, as a matter of fact i dont think your even worthy enough..go to oakland mf and talk all that mess, dont hide beind a computer and talk shit you fucken coward.....RAIDER NATION TILL I DIE MF!!

From: JJ Melo

To: Drew Magary

So can you do a better job running a NFL football team? I am extremely disgusted about what you wrote and are writing about the Oakland Raiders. How can you judge Oakland Raider fans and the organization that you know nothing about except from what you hear from the media. So what do you know about me? Wait, let me answer that for you.... I'm a "parolee" or maybe a "lowlife" or even better I just go to the games so I can tailgate, get wasted and start a fight.  I have been reading GQ for many years and was going to resubscribe, but now I will be boycotting the company that you write/work for. Tomorrow when I start my work shift at the hospital I will be sharing my discuss with my fellow coworkers. Its a shame, because I enjoyed the magazine and I know most of my coworkers will miss reading it as well. I will also spread the word to the Doctors that I assist.

From: Spencer Goin

To: Drew Magary

There is one correct statement in this article and its that al davis died to soon. He was a genius earlier on and it all went down hill after 2001, the year he traded john gruden. up until that point the large majority of his decisions were good ones. At that point at the end of the 2001 season the raiders had the best winning percentage of any professional sports franchise.

 Your a fucking idiot if you think anyone that is a part of raider nation thinks matt leinert is going to become the next jim plunkett or even ever become a starter again in the nfl. The raiders simply brought him in as a back up and to help the rest of the quarterback learn gregg knapps offense. 

Now the final issue your a fucking dumb ass if you think the raiders fans aren't the most intense mean intimidating fans in the league if you dont believe me i dare you to walk your stupid ass into the black hole and make the statement about raider nation that you just did. i promise you you'd be put in the hospital for the disrespect you showed at our home we dont need to have the nicest most up to date stadium you i and the rest of the football world know if you come in to our sanctuary and show that kind of disrespect you'll get fucked up. 

So in closing dont talk about shit you dont know about and please please please try to come to a raiders game and talk shit like you just did so you can see what the raider nation is all about. Now go fuck yourself

"Sweatshirt, khakis and crokersacs, Stop givin juice to the Raiders, Cause Al Davis never paid us....  I hope he wear a vest"  Ice Cube, a Raider fan had beef with Davis, or so it seemed. I always took that line from "The Wrong Nigga to Fuck With" to mean that bangers (and other fans) shouldn't blindly serve as walking billboards by sporting Raider gear. (A message that fell on deaf ears)Though, in the case of the Raiders the free advertisement delivered the wrong message. 

For years, old school Raider fans had to answer the stupid question of "Are you in a gang or are you a football fan?" Over the years, what it means to be a Raider fan has changed. In the early days of the AFL and on through to the mid 1970s, the Oakland fan base consisted of blue collar, hard drinking, no nonsense guys who didn't have to act tough.  That changed once the team moved to Los Angeles, upon returning to the Bay Area, Chuckymania took hold and now every home game is Halloween.

Are Raider fans the toughest in the NFL? Only some kind of reality show contest where fans from every team and city would square off in battle can decide that (wink, wink NFL Network)  Are Raiders fans  more prone to violence before, during or after the game, than other NFL fans? The answer to that, Mr. Magary is yes, more so while the Raiders were in Los Angeles, where you kept your head on a swivel while tailgating.  Wearing a rival jersey was an invitation to an assault,  as one sad sack Steeler fan found out the hard way. 

Raiders- Lions

Victory continues to be the best remedy of all.  After a getting off to a dismal start in the 2012 pre-season (six consecutive exhibition losses, going back to 2011) The Raiders righted the ship and sailed away with an easy victory over the rough and tough Detroit Lions.  Oakland got the ball first and wasted little time marching down the field, DMC rambled on three carries, Carson connected with his receivers and a touchdown seemed like a sure thing. Even when the drive stalled out, it still left  them with an easy Sea Bass 30yd. field goal attempt.

Janikowski pulled it wide left, the look of bewilderment on his face as he trotted off the field said it all. Detroit got the ball and promptly drove into Raider territory, a drive they capped off with a Jason Hanson field goal.  Then, something strange happened.... the Raiders responded with a strong drive capped off by Darren McFadden's 1yd. touchdown dash. Detroit got another field goal from Hanson to cut the Raider lead to 1 point. Oakland however, answered with a 56 yard field goal from  Sea...., whoa! that wasn't no sea creature that was Eddy Carmona.   

Lion back-up Qb. Shaun Hill tossed a short touchdown  pass to Brandon Pettigrew, and just like that the Lions seemed in command 13-10.  Then something even stranger than Raider plays in the clutch or Carmona field goals took place... Carson Palmer went to the bench and Terrelle Pryor took over and led the Raiders to three unanswered touchdowns.  Terrelle rushed 17 yards for the first one,  (Carmona kicked the PAT, after Janikowski suffered a groin injury while trying to make a tackle) Pryor then connected with Juron Criner for a 39 yd. td. pass and followed that up with a 76 yard strike to Criner for another touchdown.

Detroit third string Qb. Kellen Moore (Boise St.) passed to Alex Gottlieb for a 10 yard touchdown against the Raider defensive scrubs for a final score of 31-20 Raiders... and yes! it does feel good to say that.  Dave Tollefson's helmet collided with Matthew Stafford's left hand, forcing him from the game.  Shaun Hill took over on Detroit's next possession, x-rays taken after the game on Stafford's non-throwing hand showed no breaks or fractures.  Carson Palmer got the offense into the end zone, finally!, but he's yet to throw a touchdown pass and he threw two more interceptions. (in all fairness, the pass to McGee was bobbled) 

Raider Notes:

After hyping Calvin "Megatron" Johnson all week, he was conspicuous by his near absence.   Johnson, who burned the Raiders for 214 yards and two touchdowns (nine receptions) on Dec. 18, had just one catch for seven yards.  He was never a factor in the game and this was by design. "It really only takes one shot for him so you'd better be on your toes as long as he's in there," Coach Allen said. "I thought our guys understood the game plan and we were able to take Calvin Johnson away."

Rod Streater continues to impress (preseason total, 18 catches for 156 yards with his five catches for 56 yards against the Lions) Rb. Taiwan Jones saw his first action of the preseason, carrying the ball 10 times for 50 yards.  But, the biggest breakout of all was QB Terrelle Pryor who completed three passes, two for touchdowns, and a total of 137 yards. He also rushed for 90 yards with a long of 59 as well as a 17-yard touchdown.

 Wide Receiver, Juron Criner caught two passes, both for touchdowns, one for 76 yards, for a total of 115 yards. RB Darren McFadden rushed nine times for 27 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown, and added two catches for 11 yards. The Raiders avoided the injury bug for the most part (with the notable exception of Sebastian Janikowski) In retrospect, having the Monterrey flash, Eddy Carmona stick around training camp was a pretty good move. Seattle will be the game four opponent, remember Raider fan...  if wishes were ponies, we would all be knee deep in horseshit!  Go Raiders!

Raider Trash Talk:  

*all comments direct from The Raider's FB page in all their misspelled glory

(On T. Pryor's big Day)

Dontg put palmer in no more....Tp all the way

 U guys are funny and very ignorant Palmer is the man Palmer is the futuer

Palmer is old and trash aka Interception King.. Stats dont lie and he cant even get our team in endzone.

 you cant never be happy for once!  " DUHH LES LOOK AT THE STATS!!1 DURRR DURR DURR " you FKS arent Raiders fans. you guys are bandwagon

 pryor man of the game :) i hope he stay with us i would to see him as starting qb then palmer trow to much interceptions

 I can't wait for every1 to jump on the Palmer bandwagon you guys are fools Pryor is a nobody

 If al was alive he neve would have gave up so much four carson Palmer ,and he would make terrelle the starter.....

 Idk but starting guy but at leasr we can say he is approving each time he out there

Ok let's talk about palmer he's pocket presence is horrable he tries to force the ball in double coverage deep down the field 

 Dam thats whata qb should be doing not throwing it to the other team dam idiot palmer hella Garbage

More Raider Trash Talk: 

( on Coach Allen's first win)

When did they change coaches?

 It's better after a win, but you know, Yeaaaaaaaaaasaaa Baby !!!

Good job coach.....it may take a few but ull get us to the promise land

 初勝利おめでとう！   Happy first victory!

Where did this coach come from ?

Thats right,they old skool going to new skool

Raider Natioon! I bleed that black and silver!!

Hue Jacksons not the coach no more?

Go RAIDERS FROM BELL GARDENS CALIFAS..

(And this one directed at yours truly)

 BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.......... Raiders...... they suck...

my left nut.......49ers.. nation b****** audrey Vega

Raiders- Cardinals

I'm beginning to see a pattern develop, Carson Palmer is good for at least one interception in every single game. That really brings back memories of some past Raider "greats" Todd Marinovich, Jay Schroeder, Marc Wilson and  nobody killed drives with untimely interceptions like Kerry Collins. Here's hoping Carson gets them out of his system by the season opener. Reserve running back Mike Goodson fumbled the ball away twice and then left with a chest injury,(inflicted upon him by his own team mates, no doubt) This further depletes a depleted stable of running backs (Taiwan Jones is out with an injury and Mike Bush is gone)

Kevin Kolb started for the Cardinals and was so ineffective that Raider defensive end Tommy Kelly ripped him to the press "He is skittish, he is scared back there" Tommy was just getting started, "Anytime anybody gets close to him he starts looking at the refs" Kelly: "As a defensive lineman you love a quarterback like that, he ain't even trying to look at the routes no more. He is paying attention to us and you ain't going to get nothing done like that!" John  Skelton the pride of El Paso, Tx. came in and threw just five passes, one for a touchdown.

Ken Whisenhunt, quickly pulled Skelton out of the game before he could mess the bed,  thus setting up a Qb. controversy in Arizona "Not with only five plays for John, I think I'll have to get him some extended time this next week" said Whisenhunt when asked if Skelton now had the edge. (Kevin Kolb say hello to Mister Clipboard) Ryan Williams playing for the first time since tearing his right patella tendon, ran through the Raider defense like a healthy Darren McFadden, who ran through the Cardinals defense like a gimpy Ryan Williams.

Twelve of the Raider's points came from their placekickers, three field goals from Sebastian Janikowski and one from Eddie Carmona (who missed a PAT)  I'm not sure how much longer the Carmona experiment will continue, maybe The Raiders know something about Sea bass that they're not telling us. Add Hall Davis' fumble return for a Raider touchdown to the mix and The Raider offense only scored once (Lonyae Miller on a 1 yarder) Tommy Kelly added two points by dropping Kolb in the endzone for a safety.

Raider Recap:  Raiders receiver Jacoby Ford left with an ankle injury, Darrius Heyward-Bey dropped a sure touchdown pass, Rod Streater played like a Pro Bowler, Matt Leinart went down with an injury, a laceration of the index finger of his non-throwing hand (he's now been injured in two of the last three games he's played in) and a man was shot outside in the stadium's parking lot after a fight broke out during the third quarter of Arizona's 31-27 win.The man was reported to be in stable condition, no report on if he was a Raider or Cardinals fan for those who keep track of that stuff.  

For more information on the shooting let's go to the comments page of The Arizona Republic. Jesse Nance, Mesa,Az.: "I was at the Cardinals game and it was a Raiders fan who shot a Cardinals fan. It's because Raiders fans are a bunch of gang banging thugs" Duke Milagro, LaGuardia College: "you can't handle the Silver and Black son!" Jesse Nance: Mesa Az.: "The people wearing Silver and Black were punching cops and shooting people in the face, it's just a football game not the streets of Oakland"  

Pedro Plascencia, San Jose,Ca.: I like how everyone is jumping to a conclusion that it was a Raider fan, please don't categorize Raider fans with stereotypical bullshit!"  I can tell Pedro is a true Raider fan, because he can actually spell and put together a sentence that doesn't sound like some whining mid-schooler with a high pitched voice.  I'm not condoning violence by any means, but I thought Joe Arpaio had that place locked down tight? 

The comments go on to suggest that since there have been shootings at two separate Raider pre-season games in the last two years (i.e. the 49'er game) that maybe Roger Goodell and the NFL should step in and bring down the velvet hammer. Fuck that!, The Raiders are no more responsible for Raider fans than say the Baltimore Ravens (who fancy themselves The Raiders of the east coast) are responsible for their gun toting legion of crab patty munching fans.

The Raiders on Facebook are really quite entertaining and it gives you real time insight into the mindset of true Raider fans. Noe Rios, "Same story different year!" Sandra Hanneman, "Crap!" John Oglesby "I really,really,really like Rod Streater" so do I John, so do I. John Hart, "you guys suck big time, you guys are gone to lass all of your game" Frank Tinklepaugh, "Crap!" Mack Feez, "the Raiders really suck on the field, off the field just all the way around" Shawn Core, (bless his heart) reminds us that "It's just preseason people!, it's all about evaluating players." Mac Luv "Crap!"

Keep in mind it's only the second game of the pre-season, a fact lost on Eddie Ray Castillo a Raider fan on FB, who crowed "1 and 2 in pre-season not to shabby, not great but better" Joshua MIra added " win some loose some but live to be a rader anotha day" so much for Raider fans knowing how to spell. Chresean Williams "WTF?" John Lopez keeps it real: "Yea I can see another 1000 yard penalty season coming" Frank Chaudoin, "Don't mess with Raider kickers!"  Rock Reyes, "Crap!" Lupe Sotelo-Key, "What's with the Haters?!!!"  

Matt Leinart, a former Cardinal first round draft pick, was heavily booed by the crowd when he entered the game. As I previously mentioned, he left the game with a cut on his right index finger. X-rays on the hand were negative and he received stitches to close the wound. Leinart should be ready for the regular season opener against the San Diego Chargers. He is competing with Terrelle Pryor for the No. 2 spot behind Carson Palmer but it hasn't been much of a competition. Pryor to put it kindly is awful!

Back to Tommy Kelly's smackdown of Kevin Kolb, this is a story that's really grown legs on the internet. Kevin did not have a good game, on second down from his own 11, he was called for intentional grounding, placing the ball at the 1 yard line. On the next play, he scrambled around in the end zone long enough for a lumbering Tommy Kelly to nail him for a safety. When asked about Kelly's comments after the game, Kolb responded "Scared? Scared of what?" he went on "Taking a hit?, I have never been afraid of anyone on the field and that will never change"

As if trying to convince himself, Kolb continued with his tirade "That includes Number 93 [Kelly]. There's a fine line between holding in the pocket and trying to escape to make a play. Tommy Kelly is too clueless to know the difference. I don't mind people criticizing my play. Don't ever question my toughness." Naturally his lame response to Kelly's trash talk makes us question his toughness even more.  Big contract, big talk... little results, the time for Kevin Kolb to put up or shut up is right now. 

The Oakland Raiders have signed Korey Bosworth, a linebacker out of UCLA. Bosworth initially signed as a non-drafted free agent with the Denver Broncos in 2010, He was in training camp with Detroit and played in the Lions’ preseason opener last week vs. Cleveland. Bosworth's twin brother, Kyle, plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars. If that name rings a bell it's because Brian "Boz" Bosworth is their uncle. Boz the former Seattle Seahawks and University of Oklahoma linebacker is best remembered for getting pancaked by Bo Jackson. (and for that stupid haircut)

No other major transactions to speak of, Oakland will play host to Korey Bosworth's former team, the Detroit Lions in their next game. The Lions manhandled the Baltimore Ravens in their second pre-season game after losing to Cleveland in their first. My advise for the Raider secondary: beware of Megatron, Calvin Johnson is playing like a man amongst boys. The Raider offense is a long way from getting right, Carson Palmer has yet to throw a touchdown pass and McFadden has yet to rush for one. 

Raiders- Cowboys

To say that the Raiders-Cowboys exhibition game was ugly would be an understatement. Abomination would better describe the proceedings.... but! it was after all nothing more than a glorified scrimmage. At no point in the game were The Raiders ever in danger of forcing their will or dominating. The only reason The Raiders were even in the game is because Dallas did little to redeem themselves. On a night when Kyle Orton (the new Dallas backup Qb) was the best quarter back on the field, The Cowboys prevailed 3-0, for those who keep track of such things.

As Raider fans we can come away from this less than spectacular showing, armed with the knowledge that we know who The Raiders are, they are not the Forty Niners or The Giants. I would say let's just put all talk of a playoff spot or a divisional title aside right now, but it's still too early to write off the entire season. I will say this, if Peyton Manning stays healthy, Denver will run away with the division. This isn't Hue Jackson's AFC West anymore and if the Raiders plan to stick around towards the end, some radical improvements will have to take place.

We finally got to see Terrelle Pryor in action,  he went 8-15 passing (he misread routes and over threw his receivers more times than I care to think about) he rushed 6 times for 21 yards (he showed flashes of post-prison Michael Vick type talent) He did manage (in spite of his own misfires) to get the Raiders within field goal range to tie the game, but hapless rookie place kicker, Eddie Carmona missed from 36 yards (Sebastian Janikowski, was wide right on a 47 yd. attempt) Matt Leinart completed six passes to the same receiver (undrafted free agent Rod Streater) but failed to get The Raiders into the endzone.

Actually, I'm just thankful Leinart saw some playing time that didn't end with him being placed on the disabled list. Darren McFadden returned to action and appears to be healthy (he always appears healthy during the first half of the season) McFadden started out hot, running the ball for a 4 yard gain, pulling in an 18 yard reception and then reeling off an 18 run, only to see his efforts go for naught when Carson Palmer threw an interception to Gerald Sensabaugh.

 

Kyle Orton on the other hand looked good, taking Dallas 61 yards down the field to set up the only score of the game. Tony Romo played sparingly, but was no more effective than Carson Palmer.

It is what it is, pre-season exhibition football. This however was a game that they shouldn't have charged admission to attend, or at the very least given Oakland fans their money back. This  was a sloppy contest, even the replacement refs stunk up the place.

In fact the only ones in the stadium that seemed to be in mid-season form were The Raider fans. (they booed Pryor a couple of times when he missed wide open receivers by a country mile) I'll say it now, Terrelle Pryor might be better suited at another position, to quote Brian Urlacher (sort of) as a Qb. "he's a good running back" The former Buckeye was known for tucking it in and running the ball in college, but this ain't college. 

The defense actually held up throughout the entire game and avoided the classic and obvious "dumb penalties" for the most part. But, of course The Cowboys' lack of offensive momentum and silly mistakes made the Raider defense look somewhat competent. I did like what I saw from the defense, Jason Tarver looks to have them on the right track. Although to be honest, anything is an improvement over last season's matador defensive schemes.

Raider Notes: There was a moment of silence observed before the game for former Raider Ben Davidson. The linebacker great passed away last month. The Los Angeles Times titled its report on his passing "Ben Davidson dies at 72, Oakland Raider, fixture in beer commercials" Ben was larger than life and nobody epitomized the Raider spirit like Ben with his throwback handlebar mustache and take no prisoners approach.

His helmet spike on a prone Len Dawson, led to an all out brawl between the Raiders & Chiefs and to an NFL rule change regarding personal fouls, making a distinction between fouls called during the play and fouls called after the play (with KC up 17-14, Davidson's hit and the resulting melee led to offsetting fouls that nullified a Chief's first down, The Raiders got the ball back and tied the game on a George Blanda field goal) 

Davidson a native of Los Angeles was attending East Los Angeles Community College on a basketball scholarship (he stood 6' 8" tall) when the football staff convinced him to give the gridiron a shot. He went on to star at The University of Washington and played for The Packers and Redskins before landing in Oakland. He finished his career with The Portland Storm of the World Football League.

John Gruden called the game for ESPN and bored us all night long with his "Raider memories" Here's a memory for you Gruden, you cocksucka!, remember the time you bolted for Tampa Bay and then beat us in the Super Bowl because we were stuck with your dull witted offensive coordinator Bill Callahan?  Callahan was such a clueless asshole that he failed to change the offensive signals and The Tampa Bay defense (led by Warren Sapp) picked us apart. 

Let's not forget that Barrett Robbins fucking flaked out and pulled a drug fueled vanishing act a few days before the Super Bowl. (Robbins was recently added to the roster of former Raiders doing prison time, when he was sentenced to five years in prison for violating his probation in Miami-Dade county) So fuck you very much John Gruden, it's because of you that every Raider game now takes on the appearance of a tawdry Halloween haunted house and invariably leads to a photo op for some meat head dressed up in a Darth Raider costume.

Join us next week as I break down the road game against The Arizona Cardinals. It should be a doozy, the Arizona crackers are salty, coming off  a loss to Kansas City. This will be Arizona's third exhibition game, they've lost the first two and head coach Ken Whisenhunt is threatening to leave his starters in for the entire game if necessary. "When they get it right, maybe they'll come out" Whisenhunt has always been a bit of a red ass, which makes him a hero in this sun baked myopia.

I now take my leave with a song,  ♪ "Oh Arizona... accordions playing through the broken glass, ♫ swing low Arizona, you got the weight on your shoulders, that's breaking your back. ♫  I'm from a new land, I come to you and see all the ruin, what are you doing.... Arizona?  Remember Raider fans, Arizona is the new Alabama, shame on any Raider fan that makes that road trip and spends his hard earned money to finance the machinery of hate.

Here's the depth chart for The Raider's offense, cuts are coming so this is subject to change in a hurry. 

Quarterback Carson Palmer      Matt Leinart    Terrelle Pryor Kyle Newhall-Caballero

Wide Receiver 1 Darrius Heyward-Bey Jacoby Ford Duke Calhoun Eddie McGee

Wide Receiver 2 Denarius Moore  Juron Criner Rod Streater Derek Carrier

Running Back Darren McFadden Mike Goodson Taiwan Jones Lonyae Miller

Fullback  Marcel Reece           Owen Schmitt  Manase Tonga   Rashawn Jackson

Tight End  Brandon Myers            David Ausberry Richard Gordon Tory Humphrey

Left Offensive Tackle Jared Veldheer Zach Hurd Kevin Haslam Dan Knapp

Left Offensive Guard  Cooper Carlisle Tony Bergstrom

Center            Stefen Wisniewski  Colin Miller Nick Howell

Right Offensive Guard Mike Brisiel Alex Parsons Lucas Nix

Right Offensive Tackle Khalif Barnes Joseph Barksdale Ed Wang

Left Nut's Raider Report

It's the same bad dream that I've had every day of every NFL season since 1969. It's third and long... although, long doesn't even describe it, it's third and twenty or thirty, maybe even forty. The Raiders are holding on by the skin of their teeth leading 9-7. The playoffs are in the balance, all we need is one last stop.... just one!  I'll spare you the gory details, if you're any kind of Raider fan, you already know what happens next.

Relax, it's only a dream, Raider fans. The 2011 season however, was only a fucking nightmare.  I'm a Raider fan, but I don't fall for the okee doh, last season once Jason Campbell and McFadden went down, we didn't have a chance. Once the defense (which was suspect from the get-go) started playing like the South Central Louisiana State University Mud Dogs (before  Bobby Boo-Shay shored up their defense)  all was lost.

Thanks to Hue "Spin Doctor" Jackson, we will feel the effects of the 2011 season for at least two more years to come.  Hue gave away the store in return for Carson Palmer, now let's make one thing perfectly clear.... I believe in Carson Palmer. A half season of hard knocks and some time spent in training camp will work wonders for the man. Carson Palmer, whether knuckleheaded Raider diehards want to believe it or not, is an improvement over Jason Campbell.

I'm also a lifelong USC Trojan fanatic, so the signing of Matt Leinart as Palmer's backup brought nothing but joy to my heart. I'm not going to dwell on the passing of Al Davis or the sacking of Hue Jackson and his entire staff (rightfully so, I might add) This is a reboot, a new season and hope springs eternal in Mudville.  The Rotters are no longer rotting, Reggie McKenzie brings a new sense of commitment and drive that was clearly missing.

Dennis Allen is the 18th head coach for the Oakland Raiders.  Allen has previously coached for the Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, University of Tulsa and his alma mater, Texas A&M.  Something tells me that Allen is the real deal, even if he seems like a strange cross between a young Mike Shanahan and Lane Kiffin. When Allen became head coach he promised to field a tough, smart, disciplined and committed football team. He also  noted that organizations win games in the National Football League by more than talent alone.  

I hope that holds true, because while The Raiders have offensive talent that stacks up with the best in the NFL, the same can't be said about the defense.  A quick glance at the Raider's defensive depth chart is enough to instill doubt in the most myopic of fans. The subtractions may outweigh the additions, or so it would seem on paper. Significant departures on the defensive side include: Kamerion Wimbley, Lito Sheppard, Stanford Routt, Jarvis Moss, Quentin Groves and Darryl Blackstock.

Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain was sentenced to 180 days in jail for assault and other charges stemming from a fight in his hometown when he allegedly threatened to kill a man and fired a gun next to his head. There’s no word yet on when McClain, who was released on bond, will have to serve the sentence.  If he’s not able to delay it until after the season, the Raiders will have to make plans to proceed without one of their starting linebackers. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league will review McClain's case to determine if further punishment is warranted. 

Raider Defensive  three deep depth chart prior to Aug. 13th. game vs. Cowboys

RDE Matt Shaughnessy        David Tollefson                 Mason Brodine

DT Richard Seymour        Desmond Bryant          Christo Bilukidi

NT Tommy Kelly                Jamie Cumbie                 Dominique Hamilton

LDE Lamarr Houston        Jack Crawford                 Hall Davis

WLB Miles Burris        Chad Kilgore                  Mario Kurn

MLB Rolando McClain           Travis Goethel                 Nathan Stupar

SLB Philip Wheeler                Carl Ihenacho                 Kaelin Burnett

RCB Shawntae Spencer        DeMarcus Van Dyke          Bryan McCann

LCB Ron Bartell                Chimdi Chekwa                  Pat Lee

FS Michael Huff                Matt Giordano                 Brandon Underwood

SS Tyvon Branch                Mike Mitchell                 Curtis Taylor

Beside McClain most likely cooling his heels in prison for a good part of the season, the other factors that deserve attention include: the addition of Ron Bartell, a healthy Travis Goethel (if McClain is gone, Travis will fill in nicely) and of course, new defensive coordinator Jason Tarver who comes over from Stanford Univ. Tarver also spent 10 years with the Forty Niners working in various coaching capacities. 

The Oakland Raiders open the 2012 exhibition season against the Dallas Cowboys, Monday night Aug. 13th (6:00 pm MDT) at O.co Coliseum.  Watch for the next installment of Left Nut's Raider Report on Sunday. When we shall explore the enigma that is the Raider offense. Until then... Go Raiders!

The Oaktown Rotters

The Oaktown Rotters

The Vertical Game

It's the same dream that has startled Mark Davis from his sleep for  years. Mark is nine years old, he's in his room playing with G.I. Joes when his father Al Davis storms in. Al grabs Mark by the cuff of the neck and backhands him "Dolls!.... you're playing with dolls!" Mark starts to protest "They're action figures, Dad!" 

Mr. Davis won't hear it, "They Are Dolls! Mark, fucking girly dress-up dolls and you boy are a sissy." Mark collapses on the floor sobbing, his father looms over him. Then Al regains his composure, combs his greasy black hair back with his hands and squats down next to Mark. 

"Quick boy! If Plunkett takes the snap and it's third and long, the pocket is collapsing around him and his receivers are covered... what does he do?"  Mark looks up at his father's ruddy face, he can almost detect a fleeting sign of acceptance "A shovel pass?" Mark sheepishly answers. 

Al's rage erupts like a Pacific rim volcano, "A Motherfucking shovel Pass!" spittle sprays across the room. "A Shovel Pass!! Mark? NO!! he goes VERTICAL!,  it's a vertical game, we always go DEEP!" the boy cowers next to his bed. "Get the Fuck out off my face!" Al bellows "Get the fuck out! I swear Hendricks got to your mother before I did, you are not my seed.... you shit eating pipsqueak" 

At that point Mark wakes up, across from him at the board room table sits Hue Jackson. The Coach gives Mark that look, the one that says "I know you pissed the bed until you were fifteen" Mark braces himself for something to come flying through the air and strike him on the head, it doesn't happen. The Captain is dead and the cabin boy has assumed command.

Amy Trask is still droning on about trademarks and market share. "Yeah! we nailed Nation Burger's balls to the wall, that will teach them to fuck with us...." Mark starts to slip into his happy place when he catches Hue staring at him, only now his look says "I know you ain't had pussy since pussy had you" Mark looks away and then looks back, Hue's eyes are still locked onto him. 

"Anyhoo... let's move on to bigger and better things" Ms. Trask  flashes a shit eating grin "I would like to introduce our new general manager" she pauses for full effect  "Reggie McKenzie!" a rhythmic applause builds around the table, Reggie is an imposing figure, he ambles in with the deliberate gait of a big man. He raises his right arm to call for silence 

"I'm proud to be back home, once a Raider always a Raider!" he roars, the room fills with excitement and applause. He then sits down next to Mark Davis and pats him on the back. Mark's frown turns upside down. A look of consternation crosses Hue's face, his eyebrows pull together, he thinks to himself "What the fuck is going on here?" 

Reggie clears his throat "This is the dawn of a new era, the mistakes of the past will not be repeated" Hue feels his pulse start to quicken "We move forward, with new ideas and a better way of doing things" looking straight at Hue Jackson, McKenzie declares "Raider Nation will rise again!" a raucous round of applause follows "Anything you want to add, Boss?" McKenzie tells Mark Davis.

Mark beams with purpose "Yes, can we have a horse gallop up and down the sidelines like the Texas Tech Red Raiders?" Suddenly Hue explodes out of his seat, he brings both of his fist down on the tabletop "A Horse?... A Motherfucking Horse!" the veins surrounding his forehead bulge out "I see what's going on, even a blind horse can smell water.... you.... you motherfuckers!" 

Reggie clears his throat again, "In answer to Mr. Davis... no horses on the sideline" he then motions to a pair of burly security guards who have slipped in unnoticed "Please escort Mr. Jackson from the room" Hue shakes with rage, "You high yella motherfucker, I brought you in and you're putting me out?" Reggie looks up from his computer screen and in a calm voice explains "Hue, you are dismissed as head coach of the Raiders" 

The guards grab hold of Jackson and quickly usher him out the door. "Muthafuckas!!" he yells "Muthafuckas!!" the sound of his voice echoes down the hallway. The heavy silence around the board room table is broken by Reggie McKenzie "I have a PowerPoint presentation, I want all of you to watch" 

Amy Trask looks at him quizzically "Our computers don't have Windows Office" Without missing a beat  Reggie continues "Do we have Open Source Office?" John Herrera, Al's old crony pipes in "I'll look into that immediately, Mr.McKenzie" Reggie closes his laptop and motions for Amy to continue.

Amy stands up, fixes her lapels and then gushes with excitement "Gentlemen, can you say Santa Clara Raiders?" Reggie flashes a huge smile "Come on now!" Amy coaxes them on "Santa Clara Raiders.... Santa Clara Raiders.... Santa Clara Raiders"  Reggie turns to Mark and gives him a thunderous high five  "God Damn it feels good to be a Raider again!" he yells as he takes in the scene.