What's up weekend warriors? Hopefully y'all are kicking back as much as the NFL negotiators are because they are taking the weekend off. It's okay. Just go ahead and relax. It's not like there are $100's of millions of dollars that are about to start disappearing by the week.
Jump over for the booty....
Hue Jackson is just getting plain reckless now. He needs to be careful with that weapon of a mouth during the lockout. He is getting Raider fans all fired up with no place to go.
Raiders coach optimistic about team, season - Sports - fresnobee.com
Jackson showed he could make an impact last season, his first as a member of the Raiders' staff. Oakland scored twice as many points as it did in 2009, ranking sixth in the NFL. The Raiders finished 8-8 to snap an eight-year stretch of losing seasons.
Check out Dear Hue's weekly e-mail answer session:
The following Hue Jackson quote comes from one of his e-mail answers:
Hue Jackson: "We will stop the run" " Just Blog Baby | An Oakland Raiders Blog
But Jackson’s words and Shaughnessy’s ability alone won’t be able to stop the run. Something fundamental has to change in Oakland. No matter the scheme, stopping the run is about two things. The first is responsibility. Each player must maintain their responsibilities at all times. The second is all about effort. Stopping the run is a mind state. It takes a determined attitude and an aggressive approach.
I agree that responsibility and effort are key factors in stopping the run, but talent and intelligence has a lot to do with it as well. Players have to be able to read the run and then avoid or fight of blockers to get to the running back.
Around the AFC West
San Diego Chargers
Could Nick Barnett end up a Charger? - AFC West Blog - ESPN
If the San Diego Chargers search for a staring inside linebacker this summer, keep this name in mind: Nick Barnett. I think the Chargers could show interest in the Green Bay linebacker if he becomes available. There has been chatter around the league that the Packers could either trade or release Barnett. He went on the injured reserve last season with a wrist injury after four games.
Denver Broncos
John Fox spoke to the press, and he had some comments that sure made it sound like Tim Tebow was going to be his starting QB. But this actually caught my eye more. I'd be just fine with them de-prioritizing defensive tackle in free agency.
John Fox expects a lot out of running game - AFC West Blog - ESPN
However, buried in the piece was an interesting nugget from Fox that shows exactly what his mindset is. He said running back will be the team’s "No. 1 priority" in free agency. For a team that that was No. 32 in defense last year and that is in dire need of defensive tackle help, that is quite a statement.
Kansas City Chiefs
This has little to do with the Chiefs, but Matt Cassel is in it, and that is all the excuse I need to get a Kenny Powers video up here. So if you don't like it: Shut up!
(via kswissinc)
Around the Lockout
So the 8th district court of appeals finally issued a rulling:
Federal appeals court rules NFL lockout can continue | Seattle Times Newspaper
The ruling was made by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit. It reverses a late-April decision by a federal judge to grant the players' request for an injunction that would have ended the lockout. The ruling by the appellate court upheld the league's contention federal law, specifically the Norris-LaGuardia Act, prohibits a judge from issuing an injunction in a labor dispute.
The only thing surprising about the ruling was the timing. The two sides have been widely reported as being close to reaching an agreement. There is worry that the ruling could upset the balance of power, and therefor set the negotiations back. In a joint statement the two sides said that would not happen:
NFL Lockout: The Lockout is Court Allowed and Talks Fizzle - Silver And Black Pride
"While we respect the court's decision, today's ruling does not change our mutual recognition that this matter must be resolved through negotiation," the league and NFLPA said in a joint statement. "We are committed to our current discussions and reaching a fair agreement that will benefit all parties for years to come, and allow for a full 2011 season."
Whatever happens in the negotiations—it won't be happening until Monday.
Face-to-face labor talks off until Monday at the earliest | ProFootballTalk
We heard earlier this week that labor negotiations may continue into the weekend depending on how they go. It turns out this weekend will be like every weekend since February: No face-to-face talks will take place.