MOST GLORIOUS GLORY!!!!!!

OK, I’m back! It’s a great week in Raiderland. The Raiders defeated the hated Denver Broncos to win their second consecutive game in a row over a divisional rival. What 17-game losing streak?

I noticed a slowly increasing roar from the home crowd as Denver was setting up to punt during the second quarter. I knew that could only mean one thing. It gave me chills to see JaMarcus Russell run onto the field for the first time as a Raider. After the long draft evaluation process, mini-camp, a training camp holdout, and 12 and one quarter weeks of the NFL season; the FUTURE of the franchise finally got his first action.

He hit Jerry Porter with a laser on his first play from scrimmage. It’s difficult to even put the difference in velocity between Josh McCown and Russell into words. Have you ever tried to throw a ball with your left hand? That’s what McCown looks like out there. However, Russell may have the strongest arm in the history of the league. He finished 4 for 7 with 56 yards before being lifted (as planned). The mistakes Russell made were really rookie mistakes. He botched a handoff to LaMont Jordan and caused Ronald Curry to jump early because of a delayed cadence. Those things should be expected, but there was a lot to be excited about.

The win may have cost us Darren McFadden in next season’s draft, but Justin Fargas has come out of nowhere and been VERY effective. I have some interesting facts about him that are going to shock you. That’ll be the focus of my podcast which will be debuting this weekend (now that I finally figured it out).

The Raiders travel to Green Bay this week to take on the 10-2 Packers. I’m going to actually have a full review this week because there is a scenario that Oakland could still win their division! Wait until you hear what it is before you get too excited.

On a personal note, I’m on cloud nine right now because I completed a 15-page paper, 20 minute presentation, 15 minute presentation, and 6 hours of Old English work this week! That makes the rest of this semester a cake-walk! What does that mean anyway? I can’t imagine what a cake walk would actually look like. Anyway, come back for more later in the week.

Sean Taylor

By now, you’ve probably heard about the fatal shooting of Redskins’ safety, Sean Taylor. It’s obviously very tragic when someone dies in the prime of their life. Taylor was only 24, and he leaves behind his fiancé and an 18- month-old child.

Taylor was one of the premier safeties in the NFL and appeared headed towards a Hall of Fame-caliber career.

The angle I’d like to focus on is the coverage of this story by the mainstream media.

Taylor had a history of off the field trouble. He narrowly avoided the potential of over 40 years in prison after allegedly pulling a gun on a group of people a couple years back.

His trouble even spilt over onto the field. While nobody can debate his ability as a football player, his character was called into question when he spat in the face of Tampa Bay’s Michael Pittman during a playoff game. This gave a nationally televised crowd an opportunity to cast their own aspersions.

Friends and family claim that Taylor cleaned up his act when he became a father. I’m not here to say that those reports are erroneous, but it made the coverage of his passing an interesting topic to follow.

It’s certainly horrific if a random intruder broke into a house and shot a successful young man. However, doesn’t the perception of this crime change a bit if Taylor did something to bring this on?

It’s still terrible and wrong on the part of the killer, but it changes how we remember Sean Taylor. He didn’t deserve to die, but who knows what circumstance may have lead to that.
I don’t mean to speculate, but its human nature in this case. If you picked up the paper tomorrow morning and read that Brittany Spears was found dead, your first reaction might be that she had something to do with her own demise. At the same time, the possibility is open that it was a random event.

I could tell that ESPN had a difficult time figuring out how to handle this. They tried to walk that tight-rope between informing and speculating. I heard his past troubles mentioned, but not until a day or so into the coverage. Still, it was just that. It was “mentioned.” No speculation whatsoever took place (that I heard or saw at least).

I think it was handled well, but I’d like to hear what others have to say. So, if anyone is actually reading this, please take this opportunity to chime in.

Thank you, and hopefully the seriousness of this post won’t be needed again for a while.

What a Week

Wow. I have to start by apologizing for not posting a preview on the Chiefs game. It was a crazy week and by the time I remembered it was halfway through the second quarter on Sunday.

For the first time since this blog’s inception, the Raiders won! Sure, it may have cost them Darren McFadden in the draft, but it was nice to finally end that NFL record 17 game divisional loss record.

I have a lot I want to say this week and I’m even working out the kinks on adding a podcast to the site.

However, I’m feeling the 18 credit grind right now at school, so I won’t be able to get to it until later in the week.