Open Thread Day!!! NFL Playoffs, Draft, State of the Raider Nation, Music +++

I like him as a slot receiver down the road in the NFL, but I would be pissed if we drafted a wide receiver. We have so many other needs that wide receiver can definitely wait.

As vowed earlier, if a skill player is taken in the 1st two rounds, when we desperately need help against the run in the form of McClain and a massive DT, I will mourn with sack cloth and ashes, renounce this world, and embark on a life of asceticism and meditation.

the absolute most insane drumming you’ve ever heard. this is a MUST LISTEN

Blood on the Swans by Kataklysm

That shit is intense..I always listen to some Lamb Of God before a fight or a big game..Gets me pumped up!!

Todat is my birthday..Finally turning 16!!

BTW, someone named “Saint” was brought up on Gary Radnich this morning. You are famous bro! LOL

This is what I think is a key issue that we need to address this off-season. We need a legit Fullback. Almost all our big runs this year were out of the single back formation.

Our fullback sucks balls. Drops balls, misses blocks, and just sucks ass.

That denver game, where we had a very effective run game, was out of the single back formation. Everytime Luke came in, he would miss a block and just fuck our run game up.

So, this off-season, we need to either draft a good fullback, or look at free agency, or even trade (unlikely). I don’t know much about what happened to Oren O’ Neal. I don’t know how he got hurt.

The Seattle Seahawks have fired head coach Jim Mora after just one season in which the team finished 5-11.

Since-fired GM Tim Ruskell’s out-of-whack priorities, especially in the draft, doomed him from the start, but Mora’s game-day decisions and player usage were plenty suspect. He still won’t struggle to resurface as a DBs coach or defensive coordinator.

USC running back Joe McKnight has declared himself eligible for the 2010 NFL draft this April.

McKnight, listed pretty generously at 6’0/190, wrapped up his true junior year with 1,014 yards rushing on 164 carries (6.2 YPC), and eight rushing touchdowns. His calling cards are his explosiveness and versatility. McKnight never caught fewer than 21 passes in a college season. The 21-year-old also offers upside as a return specialist and could flirt with first-round draft status if he runs 4.4 or better in February, which is likely.

Hm, I wonder how much McKnight was paid while at USC. I bet he made less than Reggie Bush, though, and probably O.J. Mayo as well. I hate that entire cheating university.

The Indianapolis Colts’ 115 wins from 2000-2009 were the most wins in any single decade by any single team, surpassing the San Francisco 49ers of the 1990s.

The Pete Carrol might go to Seattle and replace Mora

I think the last thing we need to look at is a RB or WR or even TE. We need big bangers on the front end both OL and DL. We have an over abundance at RB as usual a running game by committee as it always has been. The WR situation is ridiculous. How many more do we really need we have 2 or 3 solid guys that are very good and have potential. In the end its because of the co-ordination and play calling (if U can call it that) and of course the QB situation is extremely ready for an overhaul or atleast Gradkowski to be given the chance.

that Al wont bring back Bruce??? i started thinking after this gannon deal, that with all us fans and media folk writing about how bruce could be our “next gannon” and even gannon getting intouch with bruce after the pitt. game is gonna make Al’s crazy thought process want bruce either out or not starting. only al would take away something good from this team because of comparisons to an ex raider that he doesnt like.

tim bown is one of the 17 finalists for the hall of fame!!
i thought it was a big deal lol.
to bad lester hayes, cliff branch, and ray guy didnt make the cut.

After firing Jim Mora, they appear to have indeed hired Pete Carroll as their next head coach according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen and ESPN’s J.A. Adande.

To be honest with you, I’m a little surprised. Life is pretty much all good for Pete Carroll at USC besides the, you know, cheating. I wonder if they’ll draft Taylor Mays sixth overall. Hm, the Seahawks don’t even have a general manager.

wouild be the G M too can u say over his head

I say absolutely no to skills positions with any early picks. We need to many other holes to be filled with immediate impact guys. I like Shipley, and believe he is an Edelman type guy.

Oh, and for those of you who don’t know who that is, he’s the guy that will look exactly like Wes Welker this week, against the Ravens.

This guy Fitzy, on this Pat’s website my fiancee frequents, believes he should don the Welker jersey this week, and begs the question, “who would know the difference?”

As much as I hate the Pats, I have a tremendous respect for them, and this guy Fitzy splits my sides with his “videos and shit.”

Check it out. www.townienews.com . oh, and don’t forget to click on the link, “my videos and shit.” One of us needs to do this about the Raiders! God knows we have the cannon fodder for much better material!

I once noticed it in one of Tyvon’s responses, and you can tell he proofreads his shit, and is a very educated, young, badassmofo.

Me, on the other hand, well. I never was much the proofreader, but I always notice my mistakes when I’m moving about responses.

Full story here

Pete Carroll has reached agreement with the Seahawks on a deal to be their next head coach, multiple NFL sources confirmed early Saturday morning.

Carroll was fully expected to be introduced by the Seahawks as early as Monday, assuming they comply with the Rooney Rule this weekend.

The hangup could be locating a candidate to interview that would put the Seahawks in compliance with the rule, which requires teams to interview a minority candidate for head-coaching hires.

in the 7th.

Speed, hands, and special teams.

And has seen service as a rusher.

Our main hunt for recievers should be next year in the second and third round.

There’s gonna be some good ones.

First off let me say that I am an avid Raiders fan,and I watch every game that I can. That being said, my knowledge of this season is shaky at best due to the fact that I am in the ARMY and I am currently serving a tour in Iraq. It was quit the inconvenience to have to miss the season, but I do have hope for next year.
What I did see of this season yielded mixed feelings. The Raiders are seemingly a pretty solid team in most aspects of the game. They severely lack discipline in some areas though and that leads to more problems. The defense is a huge glaring hole. I dont believe it is the coaching. (The season opener against the Chargers is the exception, Cable backed off way too much and started dropping his LB’s into a soft zone coverage which led to an offensive explosion by Sproles. That one is on the coach). Players are being put in the right spots, they are just not managing the duties that they are tasked with. Gap discipline, and I think several positions need some added talent and depth. I think that a new defensive tackle is the top priority, they need someone needs to occupy these gaps that are beign wedged open, The DT’s the Raiders have just aren’t getting the Job done.
The next position I see as a weakness is the linebacker spot. this one is tough for me because i love Thomas Howard and Kirk Morrison, and i think what Scott has done as a LB is good, but it hasnt solved any problems. I think they need something to happen to upgrade the run defense on that squad. With that talent at LB they might even consider switching to a 3-4, which i would love to see. I know it didnt work last time they tried it, but Rob Ryan was just a horrible coach.
The next thing they need is to upgrade the CB position. I just dont think Chris Johnson is the answer, and Rout is straight terrible. Beyond Asomugha there are no quality corners on the team. I am not sure of the safetry position as Tyvon Branch had a solid season, and I remember Huff started out well. The missed tackle on McGahee was awful and with the angle of pursuit and his footwork prior to the tackle, Eugene was doomed from the start. If Huff isnt the answer, leave the BUST sticker on him, send them both packing and look into the draft for something good.
The next positions are the right side of the offensive line. RT and RG. I think they need an upgrade at this point. I say leave Gallery,as he has proven to be a solid LG and Henderson did fairly well in his first full year of starting.
I think that they need to cut Russel. He is a cancer to the team and has no desire to win or make the team better. I was enthralled in the games reading about the energy that Gradkowski brought to the team. He has already said he plans on an open competition next season so it sounds like he plans on resigning, and while they are at it sign Frye back also, he seems to be a capable back-up. I would take a qb in the later rds of the draft just incase, its always good to have a 3rd option.
There are some serious changes I would like to see. MORE BUSH, as dirty as that sounds, I am serious. Running straight into the beak of the Ravens defense…..not a great idea. But he is a very solid RB and should be at a 40/60 ratio with McFadden. Also MORE McFadden. when Bush is on the field, move him to a receiver slot, put them both in the backfield, through him out there in the wild cat. Make teams respect this guy. He’s had an injury plagues career and defenses are forgetting about why he is so dangerous. they need to get this guy into the open field soon. I hate to see Fargas go, but its time to start finding out if the young talented RB’s can actually play, and they need someone who can stay uninjured.
Miller is a great TE, I think he could hit 80 catches with more solid QB play. Murphy is the best pick in the draft. He didnt have as impressive numbers as other rookies, but what he did with what he had, shows alot. That being said, he needs to work on his hands. He dropped a few balls early on, and some of them hurt alot. I think he should have a great sophomore season. I would go with Chaz and Murphy as starters, and work in DHB and JLH as slot receivers.
This is just my take on the season, and somem things I would like to see next year. Like I said, i am shaky on a lot of the event that happened this year, the ESPN in Iraq just sucks….LOL. I am optomistic about next season. Feel free to rip and tear throug my opinions and thoughts, I will just have more to put back out there. Plus it’s nice to actually interact with Raiders fans who know what they are talking about.

And they start out the game like this? I can only imagine the pain patriotguy is feeling right now.