Raiders Penalty-Filled OT Victory; Torture!

Oakland Raiders wide receiver #10 Seth Roberts runs 41-yards past the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense for a touchdown during overtime in an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016, in Tampa, Fla. The Raiders won the game 30-24. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

As a Raiders fan it was one for the ages. A game where the Raiders accrued more penalty yards (200) than the opposing quarterback did passing yards (168 ). A game where Raiders QB Derek Carr threw 40 passes for 539 yds and 4 touchdowns. No Interceptions! A game where tried and true veteran kicker Sebastian Janikowski missed two field goals that could have possibly ended the game; unheard of. It was a game of mistakes by Raiders coaching staff as offensive plays came in late and on-field personnel indecision added to the penalty bug.

The Raiders defense did an admirable job stopping the run and halting Buccaneer drives when we absolutely needed a stop, but the penalties at crucial times was painfully laughable. Khalil Mack did have one of his best games of the season with two sacks. But for the penalties, the defensive unit is improving.

It was a game where most Raiders fans watching the game thought there was no way they'd pull out the victory. And yet here I am, writing about one of the most improbable, unbelievable, zaniest road victories I've ever seen the silver and black pull off. If I was a betting man I'd had put the farm on the Buccaneers by half-time. The Raiders seemed to be moving the ball as many yards backwards as forwards thanks to all their penalties. And forget the referee conspiracies theories, these were legitimate, bug-eyed, caught-in-the-act-of-committing type charges that stuck.

Lucky for the Raiders they have a spectacular leader in Derek Carr who's definitely one of the top quarterbacks in the league. That many pass completions with zero interceptions? Unheard of in this day and age.  Amari Cooper, other than one out of character dropped pass, was money. Michael Crabtree gave the Buccaneers fits. Mychal Rivera and Donald Penn, yes offensive tackle Donald Penn, caught touchdown passes.  

And then there's #10 Seth; my boy Seth. Seth Roberts, who they say in the eight games he's caught a touchdown pass the Raiders have never lost. Who with 1:36 left in overtime caught a pass over the middle from Carr, took the sandwiching hit by two defenders, maintained his balance the way we know only Seth can do and dashed to the end zone for a 41 yard game clinching touchdown. Yes, that Seth Roberts. Pure Money!

Seth's touchdown was truly the climactic moment in a game full of thrills and agonies for us Raiders fans. You could say that seeing Seth cross the goal line was as emotionally draining as it was jubilant. Who watching could do anything more than give a hoarse battle cry growl, throw up their hands in triumph and then collapse exhausted on the spot. 

There are days when you watch your team play football and then there are days your football team plays you. Today my team played me like a drum for four-plus quarters and I loved every torturous second of it.

Just Win Baby!

Final Score/OT

Raiders 30

Buccaneers 24

"The fire that burns brightest in the Raider organization is the will to win" Al Davis

Cleveland Indians Take Charge In Chicago

No----Cubs----No

With great pitching and greater hitting the Cleveland Indians silenced Chicago and their fans with a dominating 7-2 game 4 win. The Cubs needed this game to even up the series, but instead find themselves in a 3-1 World Series hole. 

It's been proven over and over again in these situations; great pitching beats great hitting. Indians ace starting pitcher Corey Kluber gave up five hits for only one run through six innings. Then pitchers Andrew Miller and Dan Otero allowed only two hits for one run to close out the Cubs and the game. 

Again, the national media appear to be favoring a team in a major broadcasting market, that is the Chicago Cubs. The announcers seemed at times almost as speechless and subdued as the Wrigley Field fans. When Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning to squash all hope of a Cubs comeback, the ensuing silence was as spooky as a black cat crossing your path on Halloween; in Chicago.  

Today the Indians have a chance to sweep the Cubs in Chicago and earn their first World Series championship since 1948. If you ask me the curses of Goats, Black Cats and Bartman are alive and well in the Windy City. Go Tribe! Just put'em out of their misery.

Raiders Win In Jacksonville; Stay In Florida For Tampa Game

Raiders Punter Marquette King's Knockout Run

The Oakland Raiders have earned their best season starting record (5-1) since 2002, the season the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rained on their Super Bowl party.  After whipping up on the Jacksonville Jaguars with little effort, the team decided to stay over in Florida for the upcoming game against guess who? the Buccaneers of course. 

The Bucs are playing decent football, but might find the high scoring Raiders offense just too much magic to deal with.  The Raiders staying over in Florida for this game is a smart move that comes at just the right time.  That ugly home loss against Kansas City should be a distant memory when the Raiders return for their Sunday Night game against division rival Denver in Oakland on Nov. 6th. I expect to see a more mature and cohesive silver and black squad when they return home; a better team.

I keep hearing the players and coaches saying they just wanna keep getting better each week. I see that as the team not reaching their full potential yet. That can be a good thing or not so good. Can this coaching staff bring out the best in these players? Can the players play the schemes they're being coached to play? Can the team play a full game of dominant football that leaves no doubt in our minds that they've gotten better?  I'd really like to see some consistency from them in all aspects of the game. The defense has clearly gotten better, but against tougher opponents I don't know if their good enough yet.

One Raiders fan pointed out to me this weekend that what's missing is a big, fat nose tackle to give the Raiders defensive line more push and power, which will also help free up Khalil Mack. He said it's not happening this year and the Raiders will have to just outscore opponents in order to win. Sounds about right based on what we've seen this season so far.  

But you gotta give this Oakland Raiders team credit for they're consistency in winning. They're 5-2 with a chance to come home 6-2 and possibly play for sole possession of first place in the division. They didn't get it done for first place against Kansas City in that last stinking home game. Let's see if they can put together a nice two-game winning streak that'll prove the "keep getting better" motto isn't just media fluff. 

After seeing what the Broncos did to the Houston Texans this past Monday Night, I'm convinced that the Raiders must get better before they go up against the Broncos. If not, it can be another divisional disappointment and possibly lead to doubts in the minds of our young players. Winning sacks all doubts; Just Win Baby! Just Win.

Final Score
Raiders 33
Jaguars 16

Cubs Trying To Breach Contract With The Devil

Don't Get It Twisted Chicago; I Said 2 Every Other Century!

Just Who Da Hell Do You Think You Are, Cleveland?

Indians In 1901 Signed Deal For 2 Championships Per Century

Cubs Baseball vs College Football

1945 World Series Baseball

How the heck do people not into sports get their weekend high? I hope it's legal. As for me, wow what a thrilling Saturday night of sports. 

The frick'in Chicago Cubs are in the World Series, after dominating Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers in a decisive game 6 that wasn't even close. It's only been 71 years since they went to the Big Shew! I know (2)Ohio State and Penn State are playing a competitive football game, but it's been the (16)Oklahoma vs Texas Tech. game that's had me locked in most of the evening. 

When I first tuned in and saw the Texas Tech. quarterback #5, eluding rushers and slinging the football for miraculous completions, I thought Golden State Warriors MVP point guard Stephen Curry had returned to college and suited up in pads, helmet and cleats. 

Who is this kid? As of the end of the third quarter he's approaching 600 yards passing. 600 frick'in yards! He and his good-hands receivers have kept the underdog Texas Tech squad in the game. Every time the Oklahoma Sooners score against the porous Texas Tech. defense, the #5 curry look-alike returns and just finds a way to match touchdown for touchdown. His last was an end around option he smartly kept and ran in for a 20 or so yard touchdown. The kid is definitely a gamer with lots of heart and a never-say-die attitude. 

Oklahoma just scored again to make it 55-45 Sooners with 9:00 minutes left in the game. Just got the word, Penn State BEAT Ohio State 24-21. That is a shocker! 

Congratulations Chicago Cubs on your historic National League Pennant win. Good luck against the American League champion Cleveland Indians. 

Passing Stats:  52 completions on 88 attempts for 734 yards, 5TD

Texas Tech. quarterback and baseball season pitcher, #5 Patrick Mahomes II, baby face assassin junior, has just thrown another long touchdown pass for the Red Raiders to make the score closer; 59-52. He now has 655 yards passing with 4 touchdowns. And get this; opposing quarterback #6 Baker Mayfield has passed for 524 yards with 7 touchdowns. Just so happens that Mayfield quarterbacked the Texas Tech. team in 2013 before transferring to Oklahoma for the following season. 

If you love offensive football, and who doesn't, this is the game of the day. There go the offensive sparks flying again. another Sooners big play touchdown. Damn there's nothing like football; nothing like it!

Lest we forget to acknowledge Oklahoma Sooners running back Joe Mixon with 251 rushing yards for 2 touchdowns and a highlight reel one-handed catch and run for a touchdown. There's those sparks again, touchdown Texas Tech., 66-59. College Football..........Crazy!

Final Score
Oklahoma 66
Texas Tech 59

SIFU

Raiders Regress In Rainy Loss

A proverb about a battle during which the loss of a nail in a horseshoe leads to the loss of a horse, which leads to the loss of the rider, which leads to the loss of the battle, which in turn leads to the loss of a whole kingdom.

The Kansas City Chiefs out-played, out-coached and out-pointed the Oakland Raiders at the Coliseum today. And all for the want of a horseshoe nail. Other than an impressive opening drive for a touchdown, setup by a kickoff returned to the 50 yd-line, the the Raiders looked as dreary and miserable as the wet weather that soaked everything in sight.

It was an ugly loss for the now 4-2 Raiders, who blew a huge opportunity to take over first place in the AFC West and at the same time distance themselves from the Chiefs. Instead, they're back to being tied for division lead with the Denver Broncos and have made the now 3-2 Chiefs appear to be the team with the most upside in the division.

It was obvious to everyone watching that not only was Raiders QB Derek Carr having a bad day, but the coaches were stuck in the mud with their play-calling and non-adjustments. After the Raiders opening drive score the Chiefs defense made adjustments and just like that they were forcing the Raiders out of their rhythm. 

The Raiders offense would not put together another dominant drive for the rest of the day. Instead, it was the Chiefs offense that kicked in and executed a short pass/running game that had the Raiders off balance and on their heels throughout the game. Credit Chiefs coach Andy Reid & Co. for studying their opponent well and exploiting a predictable Raiders game plan. Plenty of Chiefs redirection on offense and planned positioning on defense. For a team suffering from injuries they were productive.

"A man's got to know his limitations" Clint Eastwood as Harry Callahan

This was week 6 of the NFL and by now teams cannot use the "getting comfortable with one another" excuse. Today the Raiders defense struggled as bad as they did earlier in the season, maybe even more. Add to that the offensive struggles and you start thinking that maybe we've seen the best that this Raiders squad has to offer in 2016. If saying goodbye to those warm, sunny, summer day games means goodbye to that once powerhouse Raiders offense that's carried them to 4-2, then what we're saying hello to is another very embarrassing and disappointing season.

But I ain't saying goodbye to greatness just yet. I believe our offensive and defensive coordinators need to admit they're at a loss for how to position our players in a way they can execute plays with consistency. Today it seemed like they came armed with knives to a gun fight. That tells me there's a problem with planning and preparation. I can't blame the players, they're all looking game and showing that they have NFL caliber skills as they try desperately to carry out the coaches' game plan. But if that game plan appears inflexible and predictable to the opponent, guess what? time for a change in game plans and/or coaches.

You're 4-2 right now going into week seven Raiders. Your early season success, partly due to your never quit fighting spirit, has positioned you nicely in the division and conference. There's 10 games left in the regular season. Play like you've played to this point and perhaps with a lot of luck you'll end at 9-7 or 10-6. Fix what's not working, improve your plan and play and there's a good chance 12-4 is your reward. 

12-4 all but guarantees playoffs. But more importantly, 12-4 guarantees no more games like today. It guarantees you've overcome what ailed you today, rising above such illness to become deserving of AFC elite team status. It's gonna take reminding yourselves, your teammates and your coaches what works best for you to be great as a team. Then all the parts need to execute consistently without fear of fault or failure. 

Champions play with a cocky, confident character about them. Their championship pedigree is forged in the struggle with self to be great. Knowledge of their "greatness of self" gives them that cocky, confident character that champions come to play with. Look no further than the character of great Raiders teams past; Snake, Alzado, Ghost, Assassin, Marcus, Lester, Guy. All legendary players who individually were very very good, but together forged seasons of greatness.

So do what you gotta do Raiders to capture that Swagger of greatness; then trust each other to get this pirate ship streamlined and on to the promised land.  I see the greatness in you all just wanting to surface and shine. I need you to see it and believe that you can bring that greatness from the depths of your beings and have it demonstrated in your planning, preparation and play for game days to come. 

It starts with head coach Jack Del Rio. Coach, you've got some skilled war horses in that Oakland organization. Men who'll fight on as strong, for as long as you'll lead them. Their team greatness begins with you coach. And all for the want of a horseshoe nail properly placed. Guide them with the calculations of a Copernicus, knowing that the universe is ever shifting, ever changing, ever expanding. Be the change that you wish to see in them. Be great!
.

10/16/2016  Oakland Coliseum                                                             Photo By Raiderlegend

It's Oaktown Raiders Baby!

The Thrill of Victory, The Agony of Defeat

courtesy of Bryan College Athletics

After watching the San Francisco Giants blow yet another save, and blow a chance to meet the Cubs in a deciding game 5 NLDS match-up, I'm more humbled than angry.  I never expected the Giants to make it to the playoffs after their historic collapse in the second half of the season. Once they miraculously made it in, I along with the rest of the orange and black clad fans, threw caution to the wind and jumped on board the Giants gravy train to the championship.

It was so easy to forget the Giants weaknesses that attributed to their losing a record number of games after the all-star break and barely making the playoffs. No weakness was more apparent in game 4 than the lack of a quality closing pitcher. The name Santiago Casilla has become like a bad omen around the Giants and no mention of him has been made during these playoffs. 

We should have known from game 3, after Sergio Romo blew the save and the game was rescued by a kid named JOE (Panik) in the bottom of the 13th inning, that our closing pitching couldn't hold up to playoff hitters. Talk about the "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" syndrome. We fans had simply let the playoff moment and wild card game magic impair our knowledge of this Giants teams' biggest weakness; closeout pitching

No need to go into game 4 closing pitcher analysis here. Suffice it to say that the Chicago Cubs simply took full advantage of a Giants weakness (closeout pitching) that reared its ugly head in the playoffs and begged to be whacked. Bruce Bochy must've known that the Cubs had seen behind the orange curtain and were licking their chops at every strike zone pitch thrown them in the 9th inning. By the time the fifth Giants pitcher of the inning was brought in (Hunter Strickland) the Cubs had tied the game 5-5.  

We and the Cubs all knew what to expect from Strickland; a hard fastball pitch with little movement.  Wham! a single up the middle. Another Cubs run on the board and a 6-5 lead that would stand. The Giants would see their even-numbered years of winning championships come to an abrupt end as it will be the Chicago Cubs moving on to the NLCS.

It's a hard pill to swallow as a Giants fan. Especially after pulling victory out of the jaws of defeat so many times these past playoff years. But, agony is what makes victory so darn sweet. I believe it's not the end of an era for the SF Giants but a new beginning. With all the young players that proved their mettle this season, the older veterans and fans can rest assured that the club is in good hands. Whether or not Bruce Bochy is considering relinquishing his command is something to keep an eye on.  It's been a magical six year ride and we Giants fans are thankful for all the memories.

Congrats Chicago Cubs! Now go make some Cubbie history and win it all. Tinker to Evers to Chance

SF Giants Unbelievable BELIEVEN

#12 Joe Panik

Down 2-0 in the NLDS against the Chicago Cubs, the Giants tortured their home fans through 13 innings (5hrs) before #12 Joe Panik sent everyone home with a smashing hit off the wall that brought in the run for a walk-off win.

Trailing the Cubs 3-0 from a rare Madison Bumgarner homer given up to starting pitcher Jake Arrieta in the second inning, the Giants refused to concede the series to the Cubs so easily. Bumgarner settled in for five innings and the Giants battled back to finally take the lead in the bottom of the eigth with a Conor Gillaspie three run triple.  Gillaspie's hit off the impenetrable Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman was simply gargantuan. Chapman threw a 102mph fastball that Conor blasted into "triples alley" just over the outreached glove of the Cubs center fielder. It has already become one of those Giants baseball lore moments of October that seem to come every even year in the MLB playoffs.

But Sergio Romo had trouble closing out the in the top of the ninth, giving up a two run homer to tie the game 5-5. The two teams fought like heavy weight boxers in the late rounds landing jabs, hooks and uppercuts to their opponents chin but seeing their bloody and bruised opponent still standing at the end of the round. 

Then came the bottom of the 13th inning where a Brandon Crawford double acted as a body blow that brought down the guard of the stalking Chicago Cubs ever so slightly. Up comes Giants second baseman Joe Panik to the plate. Smokin' Joe, who'd go 3 for 4 on the night, saw an openning and landed a whopping shot that smacked the center-right field wall dropping the Cubs and sending home Crawford for the Giants winning run. It was a beautiful thing. 

Kind of reminds me of those old Don Cheadle commercials about all that can happen in 5 seconds of sports and the phrase "Average Joe"; "they took the name joe, and made it 'JOE'"

Today brings another round of history making moments as the two teams meet again in San Francisco, less than 24hrs after JOE dropped the Cubs. I'm sure both ball clubs are dog tired and feeling the bruises of last night's brawl, but their hearts ache for the future prize of a league championship. And so they must keep fighting, because that's what champions do; fight until there's only one man standing.   

Go Giants!

Final Score
Cubs 5
Giants 6

Raiders Earn Share of AFC West Lead

It was another Raiders game for the ages as the team battled gallantly for their first home win of the season. The Raiders beat division rival San Diego Chargers 34-31, and Raider Nation celebrated like kids at a circus.

It was a game full of exciting plays for both teams. The game also had its share of miscues, none bigger than the Chargers FG holder mishandling the snap in the final minutes of the game that would of tied it up and most likely sent the game to overtime.

These Oakland Raiders no doubt know how to finish a game. With the win they're now 4-1 and share the division lead with the defending Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos.

Despite the at times struggling defense and running game (minus Latavius Murray), I saw individual Raiders step up and make plays throughout the day. Carr Crabtree Cooper & Company, Richard, Washington & Olawale, McGee Riley & Joseph, Janikowski & King. 

The O-Line and D-Line had their hands full as they plugged in and adjusted for injured players. When the Raiders D-line begins to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks, that's when the rest of the defense will become shutdown. Coaching/Play calling was decent. Utilizing the short pass to running backs out of the backfield was huge early in the game.But I still see too much conservative play calling at crucial times.

Another NFL gameday, another opponent bringing their 'A' game, and another electrifying Raiders win.  Again, not all of it was pretty, but we're in it for the wins and not the compliments. Next up another division rival comes to the Coliseum to test the will & endurance of the Raiders.

News Flash Kansas City Chiefs; the autumn wind is once again a swaggering Raider, pillaging just for fun. Come and get some!

Final Score
Chargers 31
Raiders 34

Giants Win; Mets Play Violin

And this is how I knew the San Francisco Giants were gonna beat the New York Mets. For as beautiful sounding the instrument that is the violin can be, its sound can give something of a defeated, crying surrender to certain sporting events. Kind of like a pleading to the sports gods for mercy.

The New York Mets, hosting the NL Wild Card Game, gave world renown violinist/conductor Itzhak Perlman the honor of performing the national anthem for the start of the game. Obviously, Itzhak is a Mets fan, though born in Palestine/Israel. Dressed in full Mets gear, the violinist began a solo rendition of the battle field anthem and immediately it seemed to me that the Giants would break the hearts of every Mets player and fan on this night.  Itzhak was merely "playing out the string"to delay what the baseball gods had already proclaimed inevitable; a SF Giants victory.

Come'on Mets, you put a musician out there from the tribe of one of the most suffering peoples of all times to play an instrument that is associated with foretelling the coming of doom & disaster, and you're shocked you lost?  Sorry Mets, but you sealed your wild card fate the moment Itzhak put chin to instrument and began stroking on the heartstrings of the baseball gods until they wept with guilt. For they already knew what had been prophesied for this sports event.

Final Score
Giants 3
Mets 0



note: Fri. Oct. 7, 2016  NLDS Game 1 -  Giants vs Cubs  6:00PM PST

Win A Date With Da Cubs

Wed.   Oct. 5, 2016   Citi Field    Queens, NY    8:00PM EST

The stakes are mighty high. Only one team will advance to face the Cubs in Chicago on Friday. In a one game playoff anything can happen. A game can turn on one play or misplay. It truly becomes a game of inches and milliseconds. Usually, its the team exhibiting the most patience and poise who comes out victorious. But there's more unusual than usual in this here match-up. 

The Mets are the orange haired stepchild of a Giants team who bolted from New York in 1958 for the golden gate of the west. Their blue and orange uniform colors are a combination of the two teams that left NY for the West that year; the Giants and Dodgers. The Mets are still looked down on by many as the little brother to the mighty New York Yankees organization. Regardless, they've managed to build a winning history of their own with some great players since entering the league in 1962. Who can forget the Amazin' Mets of 1969? 

This Mets team also just happen to be the 2015 defending National League champions, and as the saying goes; "if you wanna be the champ you have to beat the champ." The Giants are the NL Champs from the previous 2014 season, and may I add the last NL World Champion.

Other than just going out and playing their butts off like there's no tomorrow, because really if you lose there is "No Tomorrow," no special formula exists for winning a one game playoff. It's just two teams stepping up to the plate and giving everything they've got.

Its East Coast versus West Coast. Tony Bennett versus Frank Sinatra. Sourdough versus Nathans Hotdog. Golden Gate versus Brooklyn Bridge. Fog versus Smog. It's the Giants versus the Mets in the 2016 National League Wild Card Game. Where else would you wanna be other than watching this one.

SF Giants Sweep Dodgers To Secure Wild Card

Congratulations Giants! I Was Wrong. 

The San Francisco Giants somehow eked their way into an MLB playoff round. Granted, it's a short round of one wild card game that could turn their Orange October into a deflated Halloween pumpkin quicker than you can sing take-me-out-to-the ball-game. But with this being an even year they have a shot.

That shot came courtesy of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who came into the Giants ballpark this weekend and got out-dueled 19 runs to 4 in a three game sweep. Giants pitchers Bumgarner, Blach and Moore held the bums in check with 7, 8 & 8 innings of playoff ready pitching to go along with 5 hits among the three.

The Giants look to be ready to take on the Mets in New York on Wednesday. They've earned a shot at another championship parade down Market street, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. One game at a time. New York, get ready; here come Bochy and the boys from the Bay with one heck of an October pedigree. And they're hungering for a huge bite out of the Big Apple.  

In the infamous words of that hilarious presidential nominee who promises to give us everything except his tax returns; It's Gonna Be Great!

Raiders Go To 3-1 With Win In Baltimore

Yes they did! The Oakland Raiders went into Baltimore and got it done against a tough Ravens  Defense and an inspired Joe Flacco led offense.  Oakland is now 3-1 as they come back to Kalifornia for two games against division rivals.

This week's win was impressive on many levels. The defense seems to have learned how to play together, finding their strengths, and the offense, led by a poised quarterback in Derek Carr, continues to put on a show. Carr to Crabtree led to three electrifying touchdowns. Michael Crabtree is a frick'in Beast!

My Oakland Raiders have found the formula that not only keeps them in tough games, but puts them in position to finish off formidable opponents. The Ravens were game, but the Raiders were committed to finding a way to win.

It's a beautiful thing to see, watching your team continue taking steps each week toward improving and competing.  The Oakland Raiders have begun living up to all the off-season expectations that pinned them playoff contenders.  There's still three-quarters of the regular season left to play. I expect to see more improvement and greatness out of this Raiders squad; they've definitely got the winning formula tucked away in their pocket.

Just Win Baby!

Final Score
Raiders 28
Ravens 27 

Moment of Tears For Fallen Teammate Jose Fernandez

Dee Gordon, teammate of fatal boating accident victim Jose Fernandez, honored him the only way a baseball player could; at the plate he mimicked the hitting stance of the fallen Fernandez then proceeded to hit one out of the ballpark, his first home run of the season.

There were cheers and tears as Gordon rounded the bases then gave a heartfelt chest pump while looking to the heavens teary-eyed, before falling into the arms of teammates, emotionally drained yet spiritually blessed. 

It was a moment right out of an award winning baseball movie script, only there were no producers, directors or actors on an artificially lighted stage. There was only the ballpark, the moment and Dee Gordon. And that, for us fans who love the game and the ball players who play it, was more than enough. Actually, it was legendary!

The Florida Marlins players were all wearing #16 Jerseys in honor of Jose Fernandez. It will be the first Marlins jersey ever to be retired. 

May the family of Jose Fernandez find some comfort in knowing that the world of baseball is mourning and sending out prayers for them.

1 9 9 2  -  2 0 1 6

Florida Marlins 
#16 Jose Fernandez

Arnold Palmer Passes

The World of Golf Weeps

Defense Responds In Ugly Raiders Win

Raiders didn't visit Tennessee this weekend to be in a beauty contest

It wasn't pretty, but the Oakland Raiders squeaked out a road win in hot and humid Tennessee over the weekend. This time it was the offense that looked less than stellar as they put up 17pts in the first half, but were shut out in the second.  Penalties cost them a sweet touchdown pass down the middle to one of the tight ends.  On the plus side, on a day the offense struggled they were still able to move the ball and put points on the board. Carr & Co. kept the pressure on the Titans defense and if not for a few dropped passes and penalties, the game could have been a blow-out.

As for the previously under-performing Defense, How Bout Dem Raiders!  

#29 David Amerson snatches away Titans pass for an interception

The defense, especially the linebackers and D'backs, played the way we expected them to play; tough and tight. They knocked down passes, had two interceptions and a fumble recovery while showing trust and confidence in one another.  Head Coach Jack Del Rio deserves credit for pressuring the defensive coaching staff into making on field personnel changes, as well as better scheming. The blitz is back in Oaktown.

One noticeable trait about yesterday's Raiders defense is that they weren't getting fooled or pulled out of position by offensive schemes. They played like they knew what was coming and had prepared to the fullest.  

Guys were hustling around out there in the heat with enthusiasm and confidence. You could see that the defense wanted to make a rebuttal statement after being tagged the worse defensive unit in the league; their rebuttal statement came across loud and clear as the Raiders defense buckled down and stopped the Titans in the final minute of the game to secure the win.

Again, it wasn't pretty, but it shows the fight and commitment of this Raiders team.  The silver and black are a team that the other 31 NFL teams have taken notice of. They're earning respect for their ability to play anybody, anywhere, for a full four quarters and overtime periods if needed. One tag that'll never stick to this Oakland Raiders team is quit; Coach Jack just won't allow it and neither will the players. This is not one of those Raiders teams that's playing for a paycheck. There's much more at stake than dollars. There's the pride that comes with putting in the work to do something great.  The reward is in not only winning, but the respect all that hard work earns you. We're about to see something great come out of these Raiders. Don't sleep on them and miss out.

Congrats #11 Sebastian Janikowski on kicking himself into the record books yesterday with his 53rd career field goal of 50 or more yards. He's the longest tenured player on the team and hopefully will stay productive enough to be a part of the glory we expect from this Raiders team.  How about winning a title for old man Sea Bass fellas.  

Final Score
Raiders 17
Titans 10

Ball Bounces Falcons Way In Raiders Loss

On the first true day of Indian Summer in the Bay, the Oakland Raiders defense wilted away as the Atlanta Falcons passed at will against them.  It's official, the Raiders pass defense just simply can't get off the field when it matters most or least. CB David Amerson, with a game changing endzone interception, can't do it all.

QB Matt Ryan drove his team up and down the coliseum grass, through baseball dirt and all, with receivers creating space and catching everything.  Two batted passes by the Raiders defense had Falcons luck written all over them. One deflection was caught and run in for a Falcons touchdown, while the other was deflected and caught to convert a crucial Falcons first down.

Today the Raiders simply had what old timers call Buzzard's Luck; "can't kill nothing and nothing's dying." 

On 3rd and 2yds with 7:18 left in the game, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr scrambled and found Amari Cooper for a nice sideline catch and 50+ yard run for a touchdown that, with the point after attempt, would tie the game. Then the Buzzard's Luck kicked in as the referees circled the yellow flag and gathered for the pickings. The Raiders receiver had gone out of bounds and was the first one to touch the ball. Granted he was probably pushed out by the Falcons defender, but the rule doesn't address the how or why, only the who and where. The play ends up being a loss of down penalty and the touchdown erased. 

I question the calling of the next play. On 4th and 2yds the Raiders ran undersized rookie running back Jalen Richard up the middle. That short yardage play calls for a big experienced back like Latavius or Osawale, veterans. Of course they didn't get the first down and the Falcons took over on downs where they'd march right down the field and score; 35-21, Ballgame!

The Raiders offense again would show they're poise and commitment by marching quickly down field and scoring, but this shootout did not find time on the Raiders side. With 1:49 left on the game clock, the silver helmeted defensive unit couldn't stop a 3rd and 3yds Matt Ryan short pass conversion that all but ended the game. Raiders got the ball back with 0:02 seconds left. Buzzard's Luck, where nothing was dying but the Raiders chances for victory.

It all adds up to a home opener defeat for the Raiders. But for a few timely penalties against the Falcons, this game might of been much uglier for the Raiders.  The offense showed some fight down the stretch and the run defense was mostly stout, but that pass defense can't cover a college team much less put continuous pressure on a quarterback.

Is it coaching? game planning? Do they need more time to jell? Or was everyone, including myself, just flat out fooled by how dominating the defense looked on paper before the start of the season.  As it stands, the Raiders are still a couple years from being great.

The Falcons are a good team with a good, experienced quarterback, but I wouldn't crown them great. I wouldn't be surprised to see a shakeup in the Raiders defensive coaching staff before the bye week if opponents keep slinging the ball over and through Raiders defenders like the men wearing silver helmets are zombies in a mall. Dammit, learn how to close on a receiver and or just knock his frickin block off after the catch. Intimidate! Make them afraid to catch a pass when silver helmets are lurking about. Be a Raider for chrissakes.

Final Score
Falcons 35
Raiders 28

Raiders Win Shootout In New Orleans

#30 Jalen Richard runs 75 yards up the middle to pay dirt!

The Oakland Raiders went to New Orleans in NFL week 1 and came away with a win. Drew Brees and the Saints made it as difficult a win as ever as they put up points almost at will. But the Silver & Black also have offensive weapons in QB Derek Carr and company. They also have a young un-drafted gem in #30, running back Jalen Richard, who's 75-yard rushing touchdown with 8:26 left in the game tied it up 27-27. To me that was the spark that re-ignited the Raiders confidence in themselves and their game plan. 


There were so many big plays throughout the afternoon for both teams; a 98-yard passing touchdown by the Saints, a Seth Roberts twisting touchdown for the Raiders, a Derek Carr first down flying act. 


But no play was as big as the one called by Raiders coach Jack Del Rio for the go ahead score. 

After the Seth Roberts touchdown catch, coach Del Rio opted to go for two points and the lead instead of tie it with a field goal. A fade pass from Derek Carr to Michael Crabtree was the call. Another fade pass in New Orleans haunted Crabtree. As a 49er, he couldn't get to a fade pass from QB Kaepernick in the waning minutes of Super Bowl XLII. The Baltimore Ravens took home the Lombardi Trophy and Crabtree the nightmares. Not today. Though Crabtree's winning fade catch in this game only gave the Raiders a win in week 1 of the regular season, it was as huge for him as it was for the Raiders organization. The Raiders hadn't won a week 1 game since 2011. The bar has now been set for the rest of the season; No Quit!

I agree with those that believe it was the right call; gutsy as heck, but the right call. Because you don't play for overtime with a hot, gun slinging quarterback like Drew Brews who spent all day slicing up your secondary. Brees threw for over 400-yards with 4 touchdowns and was, in the infamous words of the late, great sportscaster Stuart Scott, "as cool as the other side of the pillow" in the pocket. He made doubters of the experts who predicted a dominating Raiders defense this season. 

The Raiders will definitely need to clean up their act on defense if they want to contend for a championship. The pass defense was very shaky and having to replace cornerback Sean Smith, your $40 million dollar free agent acquisition, because he just couldn't hang with receivers was a telling sign. It says as much about the skills of Smith though as it does about the Raiders coaches and their will to win; Gutsy!

We Raider fans will chew hardy on this hard fought win. "We Believe" is back in the bay and this time they're dressing in Silver & Black.

Thanks to Ricky's Sports Bar in San Leandro, I was able to enjoy this win swarmed with love and brotherhood from Raider Nation. My voice is as hoarse as if I'd attended a Raiders game at the coliseum. But I'll take it as long as the Raiders just win baby!

Win, Lose or Tie

Final Score
Raiders 35
Saints 34

Quote of the Day:
Coach Del Rio on going for 2 pts.; "good thing espn isn't coaching the Raiders!"