Caveat Raiders: Why Drafting Deep South Players Fails
by Sons-of-Blanda on Feb 8, 2010 4:41 PM PST
242 comments
Though the cause remains uncertain, the effects of acquiring players from the Deep South are typically disastrous for the Oakland Raiders. A brief review of the current Raider roster and player salaries reveals two significant facts: first, most of our weakest starters are the highest (>$1M/yr) paid and, second, those same players (without exception) came out of the Deep South.
2009 Oakland Raiders Salaries
|
Player |
Position |
Total Salary |
Cap # |
College |
|
Nnamdi Asomugha |
CB |
$12,001,560 |
$6,001,560 |
California |
|
JaMarcus Russell |
QB |
$11,255,440 |
$13,618,215 |
LSU |
|
Tommy Kelly |
DT |
$7,001,560 |
$6,337,826 |
Mississippi |
|
Shane Lechler |
P/K |
$6,401,560 |
$3,101,560 |
Texas A&M |
|
Gerard Warren |
DT |
$6,130,000 |
$2,422,000 |
Florida |
|
Chris Johnson |
CB |
$6,006,760 |
$3,006,760 |
Louisville (from East Texas) |
|
Robert Gallery |
OL |
$5,999,260 |
$5,263,928 |
Iowa |
|
Darren McFadden |
RB |
$5,391,760 |
$4,664,760 |
Arkansas |
|
Richard Seymour |
DE |
$3,787,860 |
$3,685,000 |
Georgia |
|
Cooper Carlisle |
OL |
$3,506,760 |
$2,306,760 |
Florida |
|
Justin Fargas |
RB |
$3,506,760 |
$3,185,093 |
USC |
|
Greg Ellis |
LB |
$3,000,000 |
$2,499,999 |
North Carolina |
|
Isaiah Ekejiuba |
LB |
$2,456,760 |
$1,623,426 |
Virginia |
|
Darrius Heyward-Bey |
WR |
$2,420,000 |
$2,420,000 |
Maryland |
|
Kirk Morrison |
LB |
$2,301,760 |
$2,479,360 |
San Diego State |
|
Cornell Green |
OL |
$2,006,760 |
$3,016,760 |
Central Florida |
|
Javon Walker |
WR |
$2,002,600 |
$3,835,933 |
Florida State |
|
Sebastian Janikowski |
P/K |
$2,001,560 |
$2,636,560 |
Florida State (He's from Poland) |
|
Mike Mitchell |
S |
$1,910,000 |
$710,000 |
Ohio State |
|
Ricky Brown |
LB |
$1,551,760 |
$1,551,760 |
Boston College |
|
Erik Pears |
OL |
$1,506,760 |
$1,276,760 |
Colorado State |
|
Khalif Barnes |
OL |
$1,200,000 |
$1,200,000 |
Washington |
|
Matt Shaughnessy |
DE |
$1,162,250 |
$523,062 |
Wisconsin |
|
Jon Alston |
LB |
$1,016,760 |
$1,016,760 |
Stanford |
|
Tony Stewart |
TE |
$1,000,000 |
$1,000,000 |
Penn State |
|
Michael Huff |
S |
$951,760 |
$3,091,760 |
Texas |
|
Langston Walker |
OL |
$900,000 |
$339,706 |
California |
|
Louis Murphy |
WR |
$760,000 |
$422,500 |
Florida |
|
William Joseph |
DT |
$630,000 |
$470,000 |
Miami |
|
Sam Williams |
LB |
$625,200 |
$465,200 |
Fresno |
|
Stanford Routt |
CB |
$621,560 |
$1,103,210 |
Houston |
|
Charlie Frye |
QB |
$620,000 |
$460,000 |
Akron |
|
Jon Condo |
LB |
$541,760 |
$541,760 |
Maryland |
|
Bruce Gradkowski |
QB |
$541,760 |
$541,760 |
Toledo |
|
Thomas Howard |
LB |
$541,760 |
$1,091,760 |
Texas El Paso |
|
Luke Lawton |
RB |
$541,760 |
$541,760 |
McNeese |
|
Chris Morris |
OL |
$541,760 |
$541,760 |
Michigan State |
|
Michael Bush |
RB |
$466,760 |
$591,735 |
Louisville |
|
Hiram Eugene |
CB |
$466,760 |
$466,760 |
Louisiana Tech |
|
Mario Henderson |
OL |
$466,760 |
$625,260 |
Florida State |
|
Johnnie Lee Higgins |
WR |
$466,760 |
$611,760 |
Texas El Paso |
|
Zach Miller |
TE |
$466,760 |
$708,010 |
Arizona State |
|
Oren O'Neal |
RB |
$466,760 |
$495,760 |
Arkansas State |
|
Jay Richardson |
DE |
$466,760 |
$515,260 |
Ohio State |
|
Samson Satele |
OL |
$465,720 |
$465,720 |
Hawaii |
|
Gary Russell |
RB |
$462,600 |
$462,600 |
Minnesota |
|
Brandon Myers |
TE |
$401,000 |
$332,750 |
Iowa |
|
Tyvon Branch |
CB |
$391,760 |
$520,716 |
Connecticut |
|
Chaz Schilens |
WR |
$391,760 |
$404,596 |
San Diego State |
|
Trevor Scott |
DE |
$391,760 |
$420,510 |
Buffalo |
|
Todd Watkins |
WR |
$391,760 |
$391,760 |
BYU |
|
Jonathan Holland |
WR |
$385,000 |
$339,706 |
Louisiana Tech |
|
Desmond Bryant |
DT |
$320,000 |
$315,000 |
Harvard |
|
Nick Miller |
WR |
$315,000 |
$312,500 |
Southern Utah |
|
Total |
$111,527,250 |
$96,975,421 |
|
The Deep South is comprised of 5 states [Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina] - they are marked in deep red on the map below. Northern Florida (the panhandle across) and Eastern Texas are also considered to be in the Deep South because those regions share the same cultural characteristics. 
A tree is known by its fruits and a cause can be known by its effects. What is certain is this, most players the Raiders have from the Deep South are not playing well enough to take us much beyond 5-6 games - their play is rotten fruit and good trees don't produce rotten fruit so they are not good trees, i.e. players.
The Deep South produces players who often do well in college football and often get drafted into the NFL. Once the Raiders pay these players a lot of money their play drops off, their motivation to play remotely close to their potential evaporates. I believe the culture of the Deep South is responsible for producing so many players whose performance is is not driven by the right motive. The Great Raiders were always motivated by a desire to be great and to distinguish himself and the Raiders of which he was a part. Whoever does not already have "commitment to excellence" as their primary motive for playing football - they will never to anything significant here. We know that when money is the motivation and football is merely the means to it, once money is gotten (and Al is rarely stingy) a comfort-zone of complacency sets in and these players immediately decline and sadly never reach anywhere near their potential. JaMarcus Russell is a paradigm example of someone playing the game for the wrong reason, pragmatic, crass - money .
By its many effects, I believe the Deep South's sickness is a perversion of motivation. The pure desire to be a great player for its own sake just isn't there.
Finally, I realize there are exceptions, such as HOF CB Willie Brown who grew up in Mississippi and played for Grambling. But if you look at all the data, specifically Raider who went to Pro Bowls, you'll discover that most did not grow up in the Deep South or go to college there; and those who were drafted from the Deep South and amounted to something were usually from somewhere else and were recruited to come and play.
NB. This investigation is based on the Raiders' rosters going back to the beginning and no other NFL teams.
242 comments | 1 recs |
Open Thread: Super Bowl Weekend
by Rated-R Superstar on Feb 7, 2010 2:59 PM PST
in Events
218 comments
Originally Posted: Feb 5, 2010 9:23 PM PST in Events
Quick, locate the teams that are participating! [via iphone-jungle.com]
After all of the games played by the 32 teams in the NFL, it comes down to just a pair with the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints. The Colts, champions of the AFC for the second time in four years, previously won their second Super Bowl as a franchise in Miami. You may realize that this years Super Bowl, the 44th edition, is also in Miami. As for the Saints, they're playing in their first Super Bowl in franchise history. The last team to win the title in their Super Bowl debut were the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I don't remember who they beat, though. Anyway, the Buccaneers are tied into this more than you'd realize. The Saints, for example, are the first team in NFL history to get defeated by the Buccaneers and still able to make it to the big one in the same season.
Hit the jump for some more interesting stuff and take a gander at the predictable poll.
218 comments | 0 recs |
Official Announcement: Sons of Blanda Has Agreed To Be An Author on Silver and Black Pride:
by saint on Feb 7, 2010 1:53 PM PST
64 comments
For those of you that have enjoyed his discourse and especially those of us who have enjoyed his company, in person, I am sure that you will agree that he is as passionate about the Oakland Raiders as anyone you have met.
It is with great honor and pride that I welcome him into the fold and I am sure that I am with all of you in waiting, with near baited breath, to see how he develops as a writer and contributor in our Community.
I know that anything in life that he chooses to embrace, he envelopes himself in, and we are quite fortunate to have that passion on board as we grow as a Community throughout the years.
Welcome Sons of Blanda, now get to work and write something!!! ;)
64 comments | 0 recs
The Power Of Sports Blog Nation at the Super Bowl:
by saint on Feb 7, 2010 9:37 AM PST
25 comments
Sports Blog Nation, the Mothership of Silver and Black Pride, has made incredible strides with the NFL and has gained acceptance from the top as being an actual news outlet, from a fan's perspective.
In an effort to get our communities more interlinked we are trying a blogging experiment. SBN has created a site for sports in general and has an open Super Bowl Thread for fans of any team to come together and share their ideas. This is a SBN First and I encourage all of you to check it out.
Of Course we also have Rated R's outstanding write-up for our own Open Thread, so do not ignore that!!! Good job rated R, it is a great read!
Here is a break-down of what happened over Super Bowl Week: There is NO coverage like this anywhere on the web.
25 comments | 0 recs |
Raiders hire Clancy Pendergast as defensive backs coach
Clancy Pendergast, the former defensive coordinator of the Chiefs, has been hired as the defensive backs coach of the Raiders.
Jerry Rice Is A 2010 Hall Of Famer: He Has Also Not Mentioned One Raider:
by saint on Feb 6, 2010 3:04 PM PST
36 comments
In a tearful moment of humility and humanity Jerry Rice took his place among the legends of the NFL as he reacted to the news that he would be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame.. He spoke of the many men who helped him get there with one glaring omission. He did not mention one Raider player, coach, organizational member or the Raider Nation.
Jerry Rice was a Hall of Famer with the 49ers long before he came to Oakland, but he was supported by our fanbase and was a large part of our teams that went to two AFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl, yet he did not mention Rich Gannon when he spoke of the great quarterbacks that he played with, nor did he mention Al Davis when he spoke of the great owners he played for, then to top it all off he left Gruden out of his Best Coaches statement.
I will never expect Jerry to speak of the Raiders as ofetn or AS glowingly as he does the Niners, BUT, I have a JR #80 Silver and Black jersey that I bought in 2001 and I would like him to at least mention us because his time with the Oakland Raiders did matter.
What do you all think?
36 comments | 0 recs |
Former Oakland Raider Tim Brown Is Denied First Ballot Hall of Fame Status:
by saint on Feb 6, 2010 2:41 PM PST
15 comments
Wow!!! No Tim Brown...No Shannon Sharpe...No Chris Carter...No Richard Dent...No Charles Hailey!!!
John Randle, Ricky Jackson, Russ Grimm, Emmit Smith and Jerry Rice are the 2010 Hall of Fame Class.
As a Raider fan, I am most saddened by the omission of Tim Brown. "Touch Down Timmy" was one of the best football players of All-Time!!! He was not only one of the best receivers, but one of the best punt returners as well. Can you imagine what his numbers would have been if he had Montana and Steve Young throwing him the ball instead of Hilger, Hostetler and Marinovich?
I have NOTHING against Randle, Grimm or Jackson, BUT, how is it that Tim Brown did not even crack the Top 10?
I applaud Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith, as well as the rest of the class, but Tim Brown deserved recognition for his A-Mazing career and he deserved to be the 3rd best entry, in my opinion.
Actually, Shannon Sharpe deserved it as well. Oh well, next year we will need to make a BIG push for Tim Brown.
The conspiracy theorist in me says that the selection committee (whoever they are) wanted the focus to be on Jerry Rice "The Niner" and NOT Jerry Rice the Raider. Had Timmy made it in, then there would have been some Rice on the Raiders talk.
15 comments | 0 recs |
Silver and Black Pride: 2010 NFL Draft Day Party: Ideas
by saint on Feb 6, 2010 11:54 AM PST
11 comments
With the NFL Draft right around the corner, I figure that this year I will get together a definite plan. As some of you will recall, last year I assumed that we would just all go to Ricky's, only to find out that they get rented out for a private event every year, so at the last minute I called the Warehouse and he moved it there.
I had a great time with those of you who made it and will never forget the feeling of tequila warming my body while my heart was sinking as the name, Darius Heyward Bey, was read aloud. I will also never forget you guys for trying to comfort me.
According to wikipedia, the NFL Draft wil have a new format this year:
On July 23, 2009, the NFL announced that the 2010 Draft would adopt a three-day format, with the first three rounds held during prime time. The first round will be held on Thursday, April 22; the second and third rounds will take place on Friday, April 23; and the last four rounds are scheduled for Saturday, April 24
So, here are some ideas, off of the top of my head:
I think that it should be a 3 day affair.
Thursday Night: 1st Round Cocktail Party in San Francisco at The AT&T Park Sports Bar with Fooch and Niners Nation.
Friday: La Estrellita/Warehouse/Pacific Coast Brewery
Saturday: BBQ @ my house/local park, Pacific Coast Brewery or Luka's in Oakland.
SBN is setting up a T-Shirt store where we can design our own shirts, buy and sell them. I want to take advantage of this for the Draft.
We can make shirts for each person we want to draft in the first round. Plug the Middle DRAFT McClainl!!! Dam the Line DRAFT Campbell!!! Stuff like that.
I also want to see if we can get any former or current players/members of the organization to attend. I like the idea of moving it around so that we can experience different places and also develop relations for future events.
Next year I want to get a traveling road circus together for away games. Thoughts?
11 comments | 0 recs |
Secondary Sidebar
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recent FanShots
Raiders Schedule
San Diego
|
Mon 09/14 | L 20 - 24 |
|
@
Kansas City
|
Sun 09/20 | W 13 - 10 |
|
Denver
|
Sun 09/27 | L 3 - 23 |
|
@
Houston
|
Sun 10/04 | L 6 - 29 |
|
@
New York Giants
|
Sun 10/11 | L 7 - 44 |
|
Philadelphia
|
Sun 10/18 | W 13 - 9 |
|
New York Jets
|
Sun 10/25 | L 0 - 38 |
|
@
San Diego
|
Sun 11/01 | L 16 - 24 |
|
Kansas City
|
Sun 11/15 | L 10 - 16 |
|
Cincinnati
|
Sun 11/22 | W 20 - 17 |
|
@
Dallas
|
Thu 11/26 | L 7 - 24 |
|
@
Pittsburgh
|
Sun 12/06 | W 27 - 24 |
|
Washington
|
Sun 12/13 | L 13 - 34 |
|
@
Denver
|
Sun 12/20 | W 20 - 19 |
|
@
Cleveland
|
Sun 12/27 | L 9 - 23 |
|
Baltimore
|
Sun 01/03 | L 13 - 21 |
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
