On Friday night I was on the raider’s website looking for any mini camp pictures and articles. I came across the raideretts trailer in the video section and saw what I thought was a free app for everything raiders for your desktop computer. Since I’m not fortunate enough to own an ipad or iphone or anything that cool yet, having an access like this app on my computer desktop would be good. I didn't have time to download the app at the time because i was heading out the door for dinner. I went on the site this morning and I can’t find it anywhere. So, am I high? Did I see such an app on the raider website? If anyone know please let me know. Thanks and GO RAIDERS!!!!!!

So I came across this article last night, where Cantor Gaming has released preliminary betting lines for the entire NFL season, save Week 17 when playoff teams usually bench their starters.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/las-vegas-now-point-spreads-171400071--nfl.html

I haven't dissected the entire list yet; last night I mainly focused on the Raiders before I called it a day. I was anything but surprised that they only favored us in 3 games, and 1 split. You read that right; 1, 2, 3 games total. However, I can't say I wasn't a little insulted. For such a prominent gaming institution to make such a snap judgement on an up and coming team makes me laugh. I hope they lose more than a few bucks due to their ignorance. Take a jump to see the lines, and my picks.

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Raiders wide receiver, Darius Heyward-Bey, has been charged wit DUI stemming from an incident April 7,2012.

As reported in the San Francisco Chronicle:

According to CHP spokesman Tony Tam, the Raiders first-round draft pick of 2009 was driving his 2012 Range Rover on the lower deck about 2 a.m. April 7 when an officer spotted him speeding and weaving in his lane.

Heyward-Bey, 25, was pulled over and given a field sobriety test, which he failed, the CHP said. He was cited for alleged drunken driving and later released.

It's never a good idea to be the 1st player to test a new coach or general manager's resolve when it comes to off field shenanigans. This normally would not be a big deal with Al at the helm, but with Allen having the reputation of being a no nonsense type coach, and Reggie McKenzie being anything but shy when it comes to letting the world know it's a new day in Oakland, it will be interesting to see what happens now that there's a new sheriff in town.

Who will be this years Tommy Kelly, Marcel Reece, Sterling Moore?

Who do you guys think has a good chance to surprise in camp

via an undrafted Free Agent...

or even a minor signing or a player from the practice squad? How many undrafted Free agents do you see making the cut?

We have to areas where we have lack depth

WR 6th spot, TE, OL(bottom of the rotation), DL, LB, Secondary is up for grabs

Dominic Hamilton DT

Lonyae Miller RB- i think he emerges and really impresses in camp. Really liked him in college

Conroy Black- he's 6'1 and runs a 4.31.. We have to coach him up

Mario Kurn or OLB- was a beast at San Diego. At the worst could back up Curry and be a special teams demon maybe

Marquette King- IR looks like a great punter prospect

Lucas Nix- will battle it out with Hurd but could provide depth

Eddie McGee- He has potential and I see him making the team as 6th wideout

Anthony Henry- could push both our back up safeties

Underwood at safety- I have a feeling hes going to stick and provide solid depth

I think 6 undrafted free agents have a good chance of making the team

I know we are around the salary cap figure but we have only 71 guys on the roster. Th NFL allows 90 . Do you guys see any other potential gems that are undrafted free agents or in Canada that could be plucked up

I wouldn't mind taking a flier on Jeff Demps. I know he is doing the olympics but I wish we could sign him to a future contract

First point I want to make is that draft grades this early are absolutely absurd. Its about as accurate as Mock Drafts usually are. If you want to have a fun conversation about the relevance of mock drafts just get our own Mallard Davis going!

Now that I got that disclaimer out of the way I want to say that the draft grades I have been reading and hearing towards this year's draft (Realistically every year immediately after the draft) for the Raiders have really annoyed me. All these so called professionals are grading the Raiders like they had full drafts to work with. Its absurd to grade this year's Raiders draft as if they had first and second round picks when they did not.

The average grade that I have seen is a C grade or lower and I just find that so frustrating. I try to ignore anti-Raider bias and think of it as if it doesn't exist (TRY is the key word) but when things like this come up its really hard to come to a different conclusion.

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As you all know We have not had a #1 pic in 2 years now and just a 5th and a 6th this year.

As much as we all love to watch the draft and add players to our wish list, the odds might surprise you on getting a quality starter much less a pro bowler. Will start with CP. How many of you would trade CP for RG3 ?? Here are some stats that would say it would be very unwise.

In the last 40+ years QBs drafted 1 and 2 has only happened 5 times 4 out of the 5 times 1 has been a bust. You have to go back to 1971 to Plunkett and Archie Manning to be the only successful duo. Now top that off with a 1st round QB having a 52% bust ratio

Now if we had not traded our #1 pick and drafted the best player available we still only have a 55% chance of landing a quality starter and if we draft a junior coming out early the odds drop to around 30%...The big exception here is Guard or Center 1st rounders have a 80% chance of being a starter with WR being the worst at 38%

So when we Traded for guys like CP, Seymour, and Curry we have helped our team more than having the pics we gave up. There is always a risk in trades and FAs as well like a Moss or a Hall. It hasnt made for a exciting draft day, But after all draft pics are used to better you team and we did so with ours.

Remember percentages are subjective on what is or is not a bust ...but i got them from Vegas number crunchers

It’s no surprise the San Diego Chargers released linebacker Travis LaBoy.

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I am sure many of you here on S&BP like me scan and devour as much Raiders news as possible. But I just read this article and decided I wanted to share it.

Monte Poole: Thirty years after the move, Oakland Raiders' bond with fans still in need of repair

http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/localnews/ci_20562534/monte-poole-thirty-years-after-move-oakland-raiders?source=rss

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Anybody remember when Donovan McNabb was the hottest thing available via trade? The Raiders were the rumored landing spot until Mr. McNabb shot that idea down by saying he would rather retire than play for us. That eliminated us as a potential suitor, and also sent Donovan on his ill advised trip to the Shanahans facility where he had less than minimal success. He was a colossal failure, never being embraced nor showing any type of talent being left in his very badly beaten body.

I really wanted us to make that trade. Obviously that was before his audacious remarks. I laugh now at the thought of his rebuttal costing him the chance to be loved in a way he has not felt since his time in Syracuse. He was never truly embraced by the whole of the Eagles fanbase and he certainly was never embraced by the Redskins fanbase.

He shot us down without ever giving the idea a chance. We have had two 8-8 seasons in a row since then that were ever so close to making it into the playoffs while he is now without a job. Perhaps he should have thought about his decision to insult us a little bit before thumbing his nose at the one true Nation. Just maybe his last two years might have been more enjoyable in the California Sun, instead of flaming out in DC.

Honestly his abilities at the time would have translated well to our team. We got Jason Campbell instead and he turned out to be the far better performer over McNabb but I don't think that would have been the case had Donovan chose us. I believe we had the more talented team, and the hungrier team. If he had come here I really believe he would still be our starting QB going into this year. I would rather have Palmer anyway.

McNabb made a huge tactical error made on assumptions on how our organization was run. He did not consider the love that is shown to each and every Raider until proven otherwise. He would have been embraced in a way that he hasn't been in the NFL. He also would have had the fastest WRs in the game to throw to, which would have been much more similar to his Philly team than Washington was.

Last but certainly not least in this equation is that he never would have had to play for Mike "The Rat" Shanahan. Those two were never going to be able to work together, which is exactly why the Eagles were willing to trade him to a division rival. He was doomed to fail in Washington the moment he put on that uniform. He looked out of place and uncomfortable his entire tenure there. Also I feel he was never given the control nor respect that a QB of his caliber (at the time) should have been given due to the overbearing size of "The Rat's" Ego.

Now McNabb is coming off as a crotchety, bitter man who is throwing hellfire on anything he can while simultaneously claiming to be a Hall of Famer. For the record I think he probably should be a Hall of Famer eventually, and he was certainly on his way to being one before he was shipped to Washington. He might not be anymore but he certainly has the numbers on his side minus the number one factor for a QB (THE RING).

The fact of the matter is he turned down a team that would have embraced him for a team that never was going to embrace him. It has tarnished his legacy and put major question marks on a stellar career. Lets face it, Hall of Famers do not blow up so stupendously at the end of their careers. Perhaps that wouldn't have been the case had he not spurned the Silver and Black.

It's one week after the draft and I've put together my first week's worth of cutups for the Raiders class of 2012. I won't have time to do my full study and write up for a while yet, but for now, here's the list of vids that I have posted so far.

Enjoy!

-Ninja Goro-

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