To Ferguson, Mizzou

Keep Your Head Up!

Raiders Got That New Carr Smell

my Oakland Raiders.  The team made me a proud silver & black fan last night as they attacked the super bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in a preseason final at the Oakland Coliseum.  I'm still asking to be pinched out of a dream that saw my Raiders score, score and score some more in a dominant 41-31 victory.

Rookie quarterback Derek Carr (Fresno State Bulldogs) could do no wrong as he was given the keys to the starting offense and simply put the peddle to the metal.  Carr performed in the QB spot brilliantly and the entire Raiders team, coaching staff and fan base responded with glee.

Right now in the minds and hearts of all who saw last night's test drive, D. Carr is the Oakland Raiders starter at quarterback come the first game of the regular season.  I know it, Raider Nation knows it and you reading this should know it.  

The Raiders 2014 are riding a new Carr in this seasons' race to the championship.  So if  you feel a strong autumn wind rattle you senseless while looking in your rear-view mirror one NFL Sunday, its not a dream or illusion, its the Oakland Raiders blowing past you with a fearless new driver behind the wheel.

Just Win Baby!

The Story Just Keeps Getting Better And Better

I've been watching and blogging about the Little League World Series competition for years.  Its just one of those events that gets the attention of us parents who are into sports. This year's LLWS competition features a phenom who I was waiting to actually see before posting anything about her.  As fate would have it, Sports Illustrated magazine has beaten me to the punch.

Mo'ne Davis, a starting pitcher for the Taney little league team out of Philadelphia, PA., will be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. There's never been a little league player featured on the iconic cover of SI.  

"She is only the 18th girl to have played in 68 years of the Little League World Series and the first female pitcher to have thrown a shutout."

Mo'ne, though she may not realize it yet, has picked up a torch from past female sports pioneers.  That torch continues to light the way and show us all that games such as America's Pastime need begin planning for America's Futuretime.  Because the past was an exclusionary era that could never have entertained the idea of a girl highly competing against boys in baseball.  Get ready, the future is here. And get accustomed to hearing Mo'ne's name followed by "The First," as she continues wowing us with her incredible character and calm competitiveness.

That's right, she throws like a Girl! Strike Three!

Aug. 20, 7:30 pm

Game 24: Nevada vs. Pennsylvania

ESPN

The Fix Is In - Stock Market Manipulation

Rigged Stock Market


The unmasking of high-frequency computerized stock trading and the method by which a few are robbing the many on wall street.

I haven't read the new book "Flash Boys" by Michael Lewis, but seeing him featured on 60 Minutes talking about the book's subject matter added to my feelings of an unfairly fixed global economy.  And the scary thing about this financial fix is it took a small fish (Brad Katsuyama) to recognize the pattern and bring it to the attention of the big fishes.

It shouldn't surprise us that computers can be manipulated to cheat any system of transaction, but it ain't the computers shouldering the blame, its the crooked human element; the wolves of wall street.

In one part of the show they discuss the trickery of making things so complex that nobody would attempt to look deep into the mathematical algorithm routing the financial transactions.  So what's a few seconds here and a few pennies on the dollar there? By slowing down the high-speed transaction Brad was able to fix the Fix, or so it seems.

Watch 60 Minutes "Rigged" for a good dose of ol'skool scamming using modern technology.  I believe its just the tip of the iceberg of financial market manipulation.  Its what we little fishes don't know that sneaks up and bites us on the butt. Think Housing Market Crash.

McGloin Makes Case For Vigorous Look/See At QB

I can only assume after seeing the performance of all three Raiders quarterbacks last night, that Matt McGloin just hasn't shown in summer camp what he always shows in live game action; leardership and the will to just win baby! Plus he puts a good touch on his throws.

Projected starting quarterback Matt Schaub looked good for all of a handful of plays before throwing a bullet pass that looked uncatchable as it deflected off the receivers hands and into the opposition's for an interception.  That was how the night started for him. It would only get a fraction better as the passing game just seemed to struggle under his leadership.

Rookie Derek Carr, currently slotted at backup quarterback, looked okay but the offense stuttered and sputtered as it eked out points thanks in part to Detroit Lions penalties. I believe Carr was slated to play the entire second half if not for suffering a rib injury and concussion.  

In comes Miracle McGloin with the unenviable task of delivering the Raiders their first victory of the year. He came close in game one against the Minnesota vikings, where his lone 10-yd scrambling touchdown wasn't enough.

Last night against Detroit, McGloin came through with a 19-yd touchdown pass to receiver Brice Butler with six ticks left on the clock.  Granted, it was against backup backups, but everyone on that field is playing their hearts out trying to secure a roster spot.  The Detroit defense wanted to stop the Raiders just as much as the Silver & Black offense wanted to punch it in.  On this pre-season night in Oaktown, the home team offense won the battle and the war, capping it off with a Janikowski extra point that gave the Raiders a 27-26 lead.  The lead would stand and the Raider Nation would celebrate like it was Christmas in August.

The Raiders still have much work to to do, especially in the defensive secondary where I saw too many breakdowns in coverage. Better player to player and player to coach communication is needed.  Overall the defense did okay, holding the Detroit running game to 52-yds and shutting down the passing game when it mattered most, down the stretch.

Just Win Baby!


game notes from Raiders.com

Individual Notes: Offense

• QB Matt Schaub began the game efficiently, completing his first three pass attempts to three different receivers for 37 yards and two first downs. Schaub continued to move the ball efficiently and finished eight-of-13 passing (61.5 percent) with 87 yards and one INT. Schaub has a career completion percentage of 64.0 percent.

• WR James Jones earned his first start and hauled in his first reception as a Raider, gaining 13 yards and a first down via a back-shoulder throw from Matt Schaub on the game’s first drive. He finished the game with two catches for 29 yards. James had a career-high 817 yards on 59 receptions (13.8 avg.) and three TDs with the Green Bay Packers in 2013.

• RB Darren McFadden broke into the end zone on a 1-yard TD run to cap off an 11-play, 60-yard drive to record the Raiders’ first points in the opening half this season. McFadden now has two preseason TDs in his career to add to his 23 rushing TDs and five receiving TDs in the regular season.

• FB Marcel Reece got involved in the passing attack early, picking up a first down on a 10-yard reception from Schaub. This season, Reece is looking to join Marcus Allen as only the second running back or fullback in NFL history to record at least 300 yards receiving in at least five consecutive seasons, joining Marcus Allen.

• WR Brice Butler led the Raiders in receiving for the second time this preseason, posting 74 yards on four receptions (18.5 avg.) with the game-winning TD. Butler now leads the Raiders through the first two games with eight catches for 118 yards (14.8).

• Rookie QB Derek Carr led three scoring drives after relieving Schaub in the second quarter, posting his first NFL TD pass on a 3-yard strike to TE Jake Murphy in the third quarter. The 80-yard scoring drive included Carr’s two longest passes to date: A 29-yard strike to WR Brice Butler and a 38-yard completion to WR Greg Little, which brought the team down to the 3-yard line. Carr’s first drive of the game, coming in the second quarter, led to points as KSebastian Janikowski booted a 28-yd FG, his first of the 2014 campaign.

• QB Matt McGloin entered the game in the fourth quarter and orchestrated a 13-play, 68-yard (2:26), game-winning drive that culminated in a 19-yard TD pass to WR Brice Butler with six seconds remaining. His first pass was a 29-yard strike to a leaping WR Andre Holmes, and his last a bullet to Butler in the back of the end zone for the game-clinching TD. He finished seven-of-15 passing (46.7 percent) with 114 yards and one TD. 

Individual Notes: Defense

• Rookie LB Khalil Mack recorded his first NFL sack in the third quarter, dropping Lions QB Kellen Moore for a 1-yard loss on the way to the third three-and-out stand recorded by the Raiders.

• LB Nick Roach recorded his first sack of 2014 when he dropped Lions QB Dan Orlovsky for an 11-yard loss, tying his longest career sack, which was also his first career sack, coming on Dec. 20, 2009. If Roach records 5.5 sacks this season, he’ll be the 10th Raider and the first undrafted Raider to do so in each of his first two seasons with the franchise.

• DE Justin Tuck broke through the line of scrimmage and brought down Lions RB Reggie Bush for a 6-yard loss on the first play of the second quarter. Tuck has been credited with 71 regular-season tackles for loss since 2008.

• Fourth-round draft pick (116th overall) CB Keith McGill made his NFL debut in the third quarter. McGill was the last of the Raiders’ eight draft picks to appear in this preseason.

 Individual Notes: Special Teams

• Following the Raiders’ second-quarter TD, K Sebastian Janikowski converted his first ever extra-point attempt snapped from the 15-yard line, part of a rule-change experiment instituted by the NFL for the first two preseason games of 2014. Janikowski finished 3-of-3 on PATs and 2-of-2 on FGs (28, 36).

• CB TJ Carrie broke off an electrifying 50-yard punt return late in the third quarter to set up a Sebastian Janikowski FG from 38 yards out. Carrie added another return for 13 yards later in the game.

Raiders & Cowboys: PRACTICE

Raider Nation in Full Effect

The two teams Tune-up their gameplans with two days of scrimmages in Oxnard, Ca. in front of football starved fans.  On tape it looks awesome.  

Tonight is the Raiders 2014 home debut as they take on the Detroit Lions in their second pre-season.   The  barbarians (fans) were gathering at the coliseum gates before daybreak.  Tis the season mate!

Oh Captain, My Captain

Robin Williams, actor/comedian, has left us. He was so much more than just another celebrity. In San Francisco, he will be remembered as one of the misfit residents that once made up the 'city of misfits' who could find no other home so welcoming.

Though today's San Francisco, through gentrification, resembles little of what once was an accumulation of eccentric, adventurous and artistic souls touching the lives of one another, the city can proudly lay claim to budding young talents the likes of Robin Williams.

Appearing strange and unusual to those outside San Francisco's borders, the man was and always will be a San Francisco treat to us 'Abbey Normals' who shared the city with him.

"Words and ideas can change the world"

Oh Captain, My Captain

Sail On

Robin Williams
1951-2014

The Power of Obedience

Obediance

The worse crimes in history would not have been possible without mass obedience and conformity to the demands of power.



Subordination of Professionals

An education that omits what's needed to understand power, thereby protects it.

To take our freedom for granted is to extinguish the possibility of attaining it.

The choice is not whether we obey and disobey, but what we obey and disobey.

Competing forces are battling for our minds

Limited experiences may have limited your knowledge
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Documentary title:  The Lottery of Birth - Creating Freedom

Documentary title: Generation Like - PBX Frontline

Stockholm experiment - Stanley Milgram

Serena Williams, Tennis' Top Cat

Without question I can honestly say that #1 ranked tennis champion Serena Williams is my athletic prototype of a perfect woman.  Her recent Bank of the West victory over #8 Angelique Kerber has proven yet again just how strong and resilient Serena is at 32 years old.

As a fan of competitive sports I give honor and recognition to this phenomenal tennis champion who continues to grace us with her unmatched athleticism.  It could be some time before we see a female athlete dominate with such beauty, grace and power as Serena has.  You Go Girl!

Top Cat! 

The most effectual Top Cat! 

Who's intellectual close friends get to call her T.C. 

Providing it's with dignity. 

Top Cat! 

The indisputable leader of the gang. 

She's the boss, She's a pip, She's the championship. 

She's the most tip top, 

Top Cat. 

Yes She's a chief, She's a king, 

But above everything, 

She's the most tip top, 

Top Cat. 

Williams holds the most Major singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles combined amongst active players, male or female. Her record of 32 Major titles puts her seventh on the all-time list: 17 in singles, 13 in women's doubles, and 2 in mixed doubles. She is the most recent player, male or female, to have held all four Grand Slam singles titles simultaneously ('02–'03), and only the fifth woman ever to do so. She is also the most recent player together with her sister Venus to have held all four Grand Slam women's doubles titles simultaneously ('09–'10). Her total of 17 Grand Slam singles titles is sixth on the all-time list,^[6] and fourth in the Open Era, behind Steffi Graf (22 titles) and Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova (18 titles each).^[6] She has won 13 Grand Slam doubles titles with her sister Venus Williams and the pair are unbeaten in Grand Slam finals.^[7]Serena Williams is also a four-time winner of the WTA Tour Championships.^[8]Williams is only one of five tennis players all-time to win a multiple slam set in two disciplines, matching Margaret Court, Roy Emerson, Martina Navratilova andFrank Sedgman. The arrival of Venus and Serena Williams has been credited with launching a new era of power and athleticism in women's tennis.^{[9][10][11][12]}

Williams has won four Olympic gold medals, one in women's singles and three in women's doubles, an all-time record shared with her sister Venus.^[13][14]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serena_Williams