BallHype - Latest Al Davis News Articles

Jerry Jones and Al Davis: Shriveled Peas In a Thanksgiving Pod

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:00:33 +0000

One is eighty and the other pushing seventy. One looks like the skeletal remains of an aged 1930s Chicago-land gangster and the other like a Michael Jackson starter kit with his recent face work and new teeth. One built the Raiduhhhhs into one of the NFL's elite franchises and then systematically shredded it, piece by piece. The other resurrected America's Team from its late '80s shallow grave, restored it to its glorious place among the champions, and then, for the sake of his own fragile ego, ran the architect of the Cowboys' resurgence out of town and started looking for hand puppets so he could coach the team without anyone really knowing it (though most everyone suspects it). Between them, Al Davis and Jerry Jones have the ownership of eight Lombardi trophies, though Jones only actually participated in winning three of his franchise's five. The Raiders have been to five Super Bowls under Davis, winning three of them. When he was sane (or at least crazy like a fox rather than just plain ...

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Deep thoughts, cheap shots and bon mots ...

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Even though Stephen Jackson got traded away, I say the local pro basketball team should change its name from Warriors to something more symbolic of the club in the Don Nelson era: the Disgruntled Swingmen. Al Davis gave Tom Cable the green light to bench...

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Knucklehead(s) of the Week: Tom Cable & Al Davis

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Cable should not have demoted JaMarcus Russell this week. Cable should have done that the first day of training camp, when Russell weighed in above his mandated reporting poundage. Months earlier Russell had been officially anointed the starting quarterback,...

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What Can Oakland Bring To The Game Sunday?

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:45:00 +0000

Tom, this is your show. You've made some choices, which are either going to help the team or create questions on your sanity. First of all, swapping out JaMarcus Russell was long overdue. It's good that he is on the bench, maybe he can stop using the playbook as a footrest. It's a question on if Bruce Gradkowski will do any better with the same group of players, but there are some ideas that might actually help the Raiders win on Sunday. First of all, plant Darrius Heyward-Bey on the bench next to Russell. Sure, he's a rookie. Sure, he's fast. Sure, he's green. All the more reason for him to learn from others on how to catch the ball, get separation, and get into the end zone. Secondly, Zach Miller is going to be Bruce Gradkowski's best friend. As a Tight End, he is the perfect relief valve for blitz packages, and if Tom wants to make the Bengals defense sweat, set up some double tight end packages—or pull out the stops, and send four players on first down. Hey, we caught the Chiefs last ...

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Knucklehead(s) of the Week: Tom Cable & Al Davis

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000

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Al Davis Is 80, But Has Time Finally Caught Up With The Raiders?

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:22:41 +0000

[The policemen and newspaper reporters and photographers have jumped out of the cars and are running up to the pool, in which a body is seen floating. Photographers' bulbs flash in rapid succession. FLASH OF THE BODY Angle up through the water from the bottom of the pool, as the body floats face downward. It is a well-dressed young man.] That is the opening scene of Sunset Boulevard, the story of former silent movie star Norma Desmond who has lost her once great stature. It is famous for its legendary quotations and as one of the first movies to explore the darker side of Hollywood. [Norma Desmond] " I am big. It's the pictures that got small." *** It is frightening to think just how eerily similar the life of Al Davis is becoming to the story of the fallen silent movie star, felled by the advent of the "talkie," who recessed into seclusion and created a ...

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Oakland Raiders Get Good News Twice: Will it Help?

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:34:43 +0000

Today, two little pieces of news came out of Oakland. Both of them should bring a smile to the face of the fans both near and afar, but belong to the Raider Nation. For one, JaMarcus Russell is now on the sidelines. Yes, this is right, Russell's actions have planted him there. For anyone's guess, it is similar to the same reason why the Titans benched Vince Young early in his career....too much, to soon, with too many chances to fail. And for JaMarcus Russell, he did just about everything wrong, with a few exceptions. As for the Bruce Gradkowski experiment, does anything think JaMarcus will remain on the sidelines for any length of time? It will depend on if Bruce comes out and wins a game or two right away, or if he actually looks worse than JaMarcus. If he performs as he did last year, in a single start having a rating of one...we can only hope that with his mobility, he can use the speed this team has, and turn on the switches as needed. What does come as a bit of surprise, is that Al ...

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Gradkowski might start for Raiders

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:34:24 +0000

Raiders coach Tom Cable said he'll have the final say on who will start at quarterback. It's just that he hasn't finalized his say yet. Cable spoke with Raiders owner Al Davis after Sunday's 16-10 loss to the Chiefs, and said he has been given the latitude to...

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Oakland Raiders: And The Beat Goes On

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:48:14 +0000

JaMarcus gets benched again. Our coach has an anger issue. And the stadium resembled a rain forest with all the green seats yesterday... We lost to a team that's clueless, but at least made the effort. The torture that was yesterday, which is just a spitting image of what we Raider faithful have gotten used to, is sad. I've seen teams struggle like us over the past seven years. The thing that stands out the most to me is our bewilderment and lack of effort. I, like many, was a high school jock. I played basketball, AAU, baseball (rode the bench), and ran track. I was so "great" that I even took the track part of that to college at a Division II school. I won't say that I understand what it takes to make it to any professional level sport in this world, but I always did my best to prepare. However, watching these Raiders, like the Raiders of the past years, we just seem confused. I often think what the team's practices are like. I drift off wondering if they really care about ...

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Oakland Raiders Are Soft

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:56:45 +0000

The Oakland Raiders could not beat a team in which every QB to face them over the past four or five games burned them in the passing game. The Oakland Raiders WRs are a joke, causing a couple picks because they do not know how to catch. In the few times that they managed to hold onto the ball, the O Line with the penalties blew the drives. The Raiders have three No. 1 picks in J-Russ, D-Mac and DHB that look like total busts. I am so tired of listening to Cable every week after being crushed talk about how close they are. This team is not only not close but as sad as it is to say, the Oakland Raiders over the past seven years, that's right seven years have played some of the worst football that I have ever witnessed. They make me as a Fan physically ill to watch, as they have become the laughing stock of the NFL. I feel bad for my children that when walking through a Supermarket have to watch and listen to other shoppers rolling around on the floor in laughter as they see the Raiders shirt ...

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Home Loss to Chiefs Realistically Ends Oakland Raiders' Season

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:55:56 +0000

Oakland blew it hard today. There game against the Chiefs continued a trend that was hard to watch for Raider fans. Any hope the Raiders had of turning it around in the second half of the season slowly and dreadfully faded into oblivion at home against lowly Kansas City. Now we can officially declare over any false playoff hopes for Oakland. Their seventh-straight 10-loss season might as well be in the bag now, as well. In a game that Oakland should've won by at least 14 points, the Raiders failed to score for three straight quarters after starting the game on a roll with a 70-plus-yard touchdown drive set up by a Michael Bush 60-yard ramble that put the Raiders inside the Chiefs 5-yard line. JaMarcus Russell ended up getting pulled for the second time in the last four games and returning wide receiver Chaz Schilens was very much a non-factor in the loss. The Raiders put themselves in too many bad situations with penalties. They faltered big time on third-down conversions. They looked ...

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