vs. Denver Broncos Commentary Chad Slaughter

On Sunday night, the ran 23 first-down plays.With three minutes remaining in the third quarter, offensive coordinator Tom Walsh decided to open up the playbook and stretch the field on one of these first downs.He passed the ball.To open the game, Walsh called 15 consecutive first-down rushingSteelers 43 Polamalu jersey
plays -- a stretch that spanned for the opening 43 minutes of the team's 13-3 loss against the Denver Broncos. Six of the designed running plays gained none or lost yardage, while the longest of the opening carries went for just six yards.In all, of the 23 first-down scenarios in Sunday's game, 20 were (poorly) planned rushing plays.As elementary as the offensive game plan was, though, Chad Slaughter couldn't grasp the elementary procedures of football -- waiting for your quarterback to snap the ball before moving, for example. In replace of injured tackle Langston Walker, Slaughter committed four false start penalties, a large fraction of the 13 total committed by Oakland on the night. All together, the Raiders surrendered 95 penalty yards -- 10 more than they earned for themselves on the ground. On 30 rushes, Oakland gained 85 yards, an average of just 2.8 per carry. Individually, LaMont Jordan again struggled, gaining just 2.6 yards per rush on 23 attempts. With just over four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Jordan would cap a dismal evening off with a game-clinching fumble. Following the play, Jordan wasn't shy in hiding his disgust, letting the frustration flow as his team moved to 0-5 on the season.With victories from Tennessee, Detroit and Tampa Bay this weekend, Oakland stands as the lone winless franchise in the NFL, now having lost 11 in a row dating back to 2005."This is the first game where I felt that we lost our composure," head coach Art Shell said after the game. "We lost our focus."Shell's uninspiring comments come just three days after a team practice was described by one Raiders player as, "the worst practice we've had all season."Another member of the team agreed on the matter, adding, Steelers 43 Polamalu jersey
"People wonder why we're 0-4. That's why. It was a joke out there. Guys were pissed off."The voice behind the above quotes, however, remains an undisclosed matter.Chad Slaughter, is that you?Want to be in an upcoming article? Visit RaidersLive.com to submit your questions and comments for the Oct. 20 mailbag. (32)

Lost in Translation

Every sports fan takes for granted their bilingualism, that knowledge and overuse of that vast bank of clichés, misnomers and misusage known as Jockspeak. And while it's fun to confuse the uninitiated by speaking of a basketball player's "length" or a pitcher's "muscle memory," sometimes a little translation would be nice.And sometimes it's necessary. For example, when called upon to write something coherent about this year's hapless .The silver-and-black may be dead last in most statistical categories, but they've got to be No. 1 in Jets 6 Sanchez AFL50th jersey
understatement. Plus, in an attempt to save whatever face may remain, the Raiders are currently applying more spin than any team this side of Mark Foley. Below run examples of recent Jockspeak in the Oakland dialect following the dismal 24-21 choke job at the hands of the limpid Cleveland Browns, together with translations courtesy of the crack RealFootball365 multicultural team.Head coach Art Shell: "We just didn't play well on a consistent basis. We played well in spurts. You can't play in spurts. You have to be consistent."RF365 translation: "This being my 100th game as Raider head coach, I figured I'd do a little reading up, and you know what I found out? There are four quarters in football."AP Headline: "Raiders struggle to find positives after yet another loss."RF365 translation: "Raiders lose again and I have to fill the rest of this space."Stuart Schweigert, safety: "I can't stand it looking in the paper and seeing us ranked as the last team in the NFL."RF365 translation: "I've cancelled my newspaper subscription."Shell: "Just like you finish plays, you've got to finish the game, and we didn't do that. When we had to stop them we didn't do it. When we had to make plays on the offensive side, we didn't do it. And on special teams, when we kicked off and punted, there were times we didn't stop them. So we just had breakdowns and inconsistent play."RF365 translation: [sound of test pattern]Randy Moss, wide receiver: "I don't see anybody else having a concern, so why should I? I'm not the only one unhappy."RF365 translation: "Do I really have to spell this one out?"My friend Jeff, a Raider fan of 30 years, when asked if this was the worst Oakland team he'd ever seen: "No. Last year was."RF365 translation: "No, but it's close."Shell, on the challenge he didn't call in the fourth: "After I saw it, I was miffed, because we should have challenged it."RF365 translation: "Did you know that coaches can challenge plays now? Go figure."LaMont Jordan, running back: "I still have faith in the team. I still have faith in my teammates. I still have faith in the coaches. We're 0-3. It's not the end of the world. What happens is, everyone has to start thinking about all this. If we don't get things turned around pretty soon, it's going to start bringing some rain. Then, the next thing you know, it's going to be a little thunder and lightning..."RF365 translation: "I'm just going to keep piling up all-star stats, say nice things and go free agent ASAP."Tyrone Poole, defensive back: "Once 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
you start to win, that brings on respect."RF365 translation: "...or so I've heard."All kidding aside, the Raiders have a shot this week, drawing the 1-3 San Francisco 49ers in the "Battle of the Bay." Now, pull yourselves up by the bootstraps, take it one play at a time, go out there and give 110 percent, guys! (RF365 translation: Take the 49ers at home, minus six.)Senior writer Anthony Carroll returns tomorrow with more original commentary. (25)

"Heyward-Bey and Mitchell deserve a chance in Oakland"

The continued to make surprising decisions in last weekend's NFL draft, selecting Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey with the seventh overall pick and safety Michael Mitchell in Round 2. However, regardless of what took place on Saturday, both players still deserve a fair shot from Raider Nation. Steelers 43 Polamalu jersey
Although there were more highly regarded prospects available, the Oakland front office decided on Heyward-Bey, who benefited from an excellent combine workout; at the combine, his quickness and athleticism caught the eye of the Raider brass. Owner Al Davis was left drooling after Heyward-Bey blazed the track for a 4.3-second 40-yard dash time. Davis has historically been enamored by speed and this year was no different. While Oakland has been criticized for the selections of both Heyward-Bey and Mitchell, it;s hard to blame the Raiders for grabbing players they felt can best help them. The draft has become a huge attraction and has brought several so-called expert opinions with it. Nearly every media outlet has multiple draft analysts, but right or wrong, the Raiders continue to lean on their own ratings. With the arm strength of quarterback JaMarcus Russell and the versatility Oakland currently possesses at the running back position, the Raiders desperately needed a wideout who can get up the field and stretch opposing defenses. Heyward-Bey is arguably more effective in this area than any other prospect available. Sure, the logical thought is that Oakland should have traded down, but maybe that wasn;t a viable option. The Cleveland Browns had just traded the fifth overall pick to the New York Jets, eliminating that possibility. If the Raiders had an opportunity to move down, Heyward-Bey could have been gone at that point. Bottom line: The Raiders got the player they wanted and should be commended for that to some extent. The choice of Mitchell was precarious, but the safety from Ohio deserves a chance to prove his worth. He had an outstanding private workout for the Raiders and at least a few other teams graded him relatively high. Just because the likes of Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay weren;t touting him doesn;t mean it;s a worthless pick. No, Mitchell wasn;t on the second-round radar, but Oakland fans owe him a chance to Steelers 43 Polamalu jersey
succeed. If Heyward-Bey and Mitchell don;t pan out, there will be outrage regarding this year;s draft. In addition, the remainder of the Raiders; draft class has been subject to heavy criticism already. However, that outrage and criticism should be put on hold, at least for now. Like it or not, each player was selected and will now wear the silver and black in Oakland. All the Raiders (and their fans) can do is hope things go well.

"Will Raiders; new addition Frye see the field in 2009?" -

The went into last season with major question marks under center, but this year is shaping up differently. The Raiders have an adequate mix of experience and youth on the roster that will compete for playing time. Charlie Frye is Oakland;s latest addition at quarterback and could end up seeing the Jets 6 Sanchez AFL50th jersey
field more than anticipated.Not only does Frye bridge the gap between third-year quarterback JaMarcus Russell and veteran Jeff Garcia but he;s a former starter who has displayed some ability on the field. Frye has started 18 games during his four years in the NFL, including stops with the Cleveland Browns and Seattle Seahawks along the way.Frye, a former third-round draft pick, was once the heir apparent at quarterback in Cleveland. However, those plans came to a halt after the emergence of Derek Anderson and the acquisition of Brady Quinn. Frye found himself on the outside looking in and was traded to the Seahawks early in the 2007 season.In Cleveland, Frye was the starter for five games in his rookie season and started 13 contests during his sophomore campaign. While he didn;t exactly light it up, Frye;s performance was respectable for a young signal-caller. In his first 20 outings as a professional, Frye threw for nearly 3,500 yards and 14 touchdowns while completing 63 percent of his passes.Prior to his demise, Frye was quite a hit with the Browns. Cleveland went as far as declaring a ;Frye-day; across the city and the former Akron star was even described as a young Brett Favre by former Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan. If Frye can recapture that magic in the Bay Area, he could prove to be the long-term answer the Raiders have been searching for under center.The majority of Raider Nation is optimistic that Russell ; the first overall pick of the 2007 draft ; will seize the starting job while others envision Garcia taking over. However, Frye could be the ultimate wild card heading into this year. With Garcia;s playing career winding down and Russell;s future still unknown, Frye might be the most stable 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
quarterback residing in Oakland. If Frye receives expanded playing time during the upcoming season, Russell;s future with the organization will be in serious jeopardy. That may leave Raider fans dreading the day Frye takes the reins of the Oakland offense. Nevertheless, Frye;s presence on the field could become a reality if Russell;s development doesn;t pan out

Kerry Collins

They do it every year. Somehow, the highly-indebted Raiders find a way to dig themselves out of a deep hole. This year, the majority of fans were almost certainly glad to see the $23.6 million hole that Oakland had dug themselves into for 2006. This meant that Oakland would have to toss more players into the cap hole and climb upon their backs to get themselves out of it. With this in mind, Al Davis and the have officially parted ways with quarterback Kerry Collins.In a move that the Raider Nation had anticipated for weeks now, the Raiders cut Collins hours before the NFL's Saturday free agency deadline commenced. With the new collective bargaining agreement intact, the salary cap for the 2006 season will be at $102 million.With all numbers crunched, the Raiders will save $9,197,000 with the release of 33-year old Collins. The news came just over a week after Ted Washington, Ron Stone, and Denard Walker were shown the door. Prior to this, the Raiders had also turned down a $10 million option for unproductive safety Derrick Gibson and declined to use a $10.5 million franchise tag on cornerback Charles Woodson.In two seasons with the Raiders, Collins completed 591 of 1078 passes for 7,254 yards, 41 touchdowns, and 32 interceptions. These numbers equated to a 76.05 quarterback average under center in Oakland. In his 11-year career, Collins holds a quarterback rating of 73.8.Despite the additions of wide receiver Randy Moss and running back LaMont Jordan, Oakland's offense ranked 21st in the NFL last season, registering just 309.4 yards per game. In his first season wearing the number 18, Moss had an underachieving year with Collins throwing him the ball-catching just 60 passes for 1,005 yards. Jerry Porter also struggled in 2005, falling just short of the 1,000-yard mark for the second straight season.Strong-armed Viking Daunte Culpepper and the NFL's 2004 Comeback Player of the Year, Drew Brees, are expected to receive a great amount of consideration from the Raiders front office. However, many Raiders fans want to see what the draft has in store as well.For the time being, second-year man Andrew Walter seems to be the most viable quarterback under contract.

Sign here, please

The controversy in Oakland continues. According to 's extensive network of insiders extending to the highest reaches of the Raider front office, the following was found by owner Al Davis this week, freshly printed and awaiting signature.Dear Raider Nation,I am writing you to officially tender my resignation from Football, Inc., effective immediately. My entire active share in the company will be given over to Pretty Boy, my sweet 36 Bettis White Jersey
little budgie; who's a good birdie? Who's a good birdie?Working for Football, Inc., taking part in the day-to-day operations of an NFL franchise, doing my best to provide quality product for you, one of the oddest - I mean, greatest - fan bases in the universe ... it's been a wonderful experience. Through my hazy memory, I can almost even just about remember a Super Bowl trophy or two.I will always treasure the opportunities provided in possessing enough power to manipulate the very business infrastructure - not to mention roster and tradition - of one of America's seminal sports teams. Along these lines, I wish to apologize to the faithful of Oakland and environs, from whom I temporarily snatched the team in a one-sided snit with the league. I want you to know you were just as much a part of that one Super Bowl win as the couple hundred Los Angelinos who supported us for that long 12 years.And I apologize further to the great city of Oakland and the Raider Nation for the high level of untold mediocrity visited upon by Football, Inc. "thanks" to my Steinbrenner-like interference. There is little excuse for this great franchise to have run up a cumulative record of 87-121 (an average record of less than 7-9) since returning to the city in 1995. In fact, we've lost an average of two games out of three in that span not including the four seasons Jon Gruden coached here.That's it. That was the gist of this resignation: coaching. I will miss my friends here at Football, Inc. and appreciate the complicit agreement to media silence in overt criticizing my increasingly unthinkable machinations. The last straw in my tenure as owner was the threatening position I took with regard Lane Kiffin, a potentially darn good NFL coach.Going so far as to consider Denny Green - whoa, flashback - showed me that I have gone figuratively and perhaps literally off the rocker. No matter how good a coach Green may be, does this still-unformed proto-roster really need its fourth head coach in four seasons and its fifth since I shipped Gruden out?Additionally, I hereby unequivocally admit that I am close to the last person within the Raider Nation qualified to make the next coaching hire. (Seriously, Joe Bugel?) The fact that Kiffin appears to be our best top dog since the Super Bowl and I was willing to show him the door, leaving him free to take a job elsewhere, maybe making some chief (so to speak) competitor a playoff contender a couple of years from now.Please do not hesitate to call me if you have any questions or comments; I request only that the expletives be kept to a minimum because Pretty Boy has become a bit sensitive lately. My experience with 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
, Inc. has been very rewarding and gratifying, particularly recently for me at the expense of many others. I appreciate having had the opportunity to work for such a fine franchise. I wish you all, the organization and the team continued success.Which is to say, success.Humbly Yours,Al Davis

Try to set the date and time when it happened

The people in the city it is difficult to an apartment that pets live with you to find acceptable. Some are lucky enough to have one. We all know the benefits of living with animals, but there are problems when they arise can be neglected. Can cause problems, especially at night. You can use the root of the lack of sleep, because they bark and howl to tilt the whole night. Here are some things that bother us and us all night. So what can you do to prevent it? Your only option is to talk to the owner of the animal. It may be a possibility that the barking of 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey black jersey
his neighbor's dog in the night due to separation anxiety, in part, your pet. If so, make sure your neighbor through the basic obedience training the dog can be solved. If behind the sharp bark in the night, then you have solved your problem. Try your neighbor in a friendly atmosphere and everything is fine. But sometimes we can not control our emotions and tend to curse our neighbors and received the same treatment to us. And if so, can you try, the building manager approach and see if he or she do something. If it is strong dog barks, then there may be a way for them to control the dog. You can even submit evidence to your manager about the dog. Try to set the date and time when it happened. If the strengths of barking the result of separation anxiety and long-term neglect, call the Animal Control and let them do the work. Sometimes you can avoid all this with just approach your neighbor with a smile on his face. Even if there are things that the two are not in a position when it comes to their general living conditions, try to include all types of options before you go and select the hard disk. For those who are employed full time, but still wondering how to earn more money part-time jobs are not very difficult, an option. If your working day is a regular schedule, the remaining hours you can dedicate to use to make money when you an organized, disciplined, and if you have the skills required. Internet is full of ideas and answers to the question - how to earn more money. Here is a list of tips and strategies that you could get started.
1. Make a list of all your skills, so good. Spend some time alone for this purpose. Even if you are anything like the good race, it remains important. This is the first step in arming for the future.
2. Have or develop a positive attitude. If you have the right skills, but a bad attitude, then unknown to you, your attitude, a constant obstacle which would not allow their abilities to express themselves. You can close your opinion about entrepreneurship and creativity.
3. Take a deep interest in his spare time. If not create it. Sooner or later it will become a part-time business entrepreneur, and finally a full-time employment. If you at all companies which are multiplying around the world, you find that way, they all started as a hobby or part-time interest.
4. A simple tip: moving to your town to talk with people to understand their needs and what they expect someone to do for them. Without doubt one of the most common need is for anything that might fit your driveway. For example, people need someone to lead them into financial planning.
If you know the ropes or even interest in learning these skills you can come and meet their needs, the answer to their search, how to get more money. 5. First network in your circle of friends and colleagues. The knowledge of the skills and capabilities to the formation of a group of 36 Bettis White Jersey
niche that complement each other a long way in the manner as to contribute more money to go to earn on the side.
If you have any idea how to earn more money, have to promote their skills through word of mouth. Tell your friends and colleagues, according to his abilities in the ads and send people to their availability as a freelancer.