Some Stuff 04.01.06...

[Angry Pope]

Here is some history on our beloved Raiders including the ownership history...find your own interest in it.....

The Oakland Raiders became a charter member of the American Football League after the city of Oakland was awarded a franchise on January 30, 1960. The Raiders were the new league's eighth franchise, replacing the Minnesota representatives, who forfeited their AFL franchise upon receiving an expansion franchise (which was then named the Minnesota Vikings) in the established National Football League.At the time, Oakland seemed an unlikely venue for a professional football franchise. The city had not asked for a team, there was no ownership group formed, there was no stadium in Oakland suitable for pro football (the closest stadiums were in Berkeley and San Francisco) and there was already a successful NFL franchise across San Francisco Bay in the San Francisco 49ers. However, the AFL owners selected Oakland after Los Angeles Chargers owner Barron Hilton threatened to forfeit his franchise unless a second team were placed on the West Coast. Hilton also refused to endorse a bid from the city of Atlanta.Upon receiving the franchise, Oakland civic leaders found a number of businesspeople willing to invest in the new team.

A limited partnership was formed to own the team, which included general partners Harvey Binns, Don Blessing, Charles Harney, Ed McGah, Robert Osborne, and Wayne Valley, headed by managing general partner Chet Soda, a local real estate devloper, as well as numerous limited partners. A "name the team" contest was held by a local newspaper, and the winner was the Oakland Señors (After a few weeks of being the butt of local jokes, the owners changed the team's name to "Raiders," which had finished third in the contest). The original team colors were black, gold and white. The now-familar team emblem of a pirate (or "raider") wearing a football hemet was created, reportedly a rendition of actor Randolph Scott. When the University of California refused to let the Raiders play home games at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, they chose Kezar Stadium in San Francisco as their home field.

The team's first regular season home game was played on September 11, 1960, a 37-22 loss to the Houston Oilers. The Raiders finished their first campaign with a 6-8 record, and lost $500,000. Soda dropped out as a partner of the franchiseOn January 17, 1961, Ed McGah, Wayne Valley and Robert Osborne bought out their partners in the ownership of the Raiders. That year the Raiders moved to Candlestick Park and finished 2-12. Total attendance for the season was about 50,000. Valley threatened to move the Raiders elsewhere unless a stadium was built in Oakland. In 1962 the Raiders moved into 18,000-seat Frank Youell Field (later expanded to 22,000 seats), their first home in Oakland. It was a temporary home for the team while the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum was being built. The Raiders finished 1-13 in 1962, losing their first 13 games before winning the season finale, and attendance remained low. After the 1962 season, Valley hired Al Davis, a former assistant coach for the San Diego Chargers, as head coach and general manager.

At 33, Davis was the youngest person in professional football history to hold the positions. Davis changed the team colors to silver and black, primarily because those colors stood out in an era when most people watched football games on black-and-white television sets. Under Davis the Raiders improved to 10-4, and he was named the AFL's Coach of the Year.

In 1966, Davis left the Raiders and became Commissioner of the AFL. Four years later, the club captured the 1967 AFL Championship. With John Rauch as head coach, the Raiders won the 1967 AFL Championship, defeating the Houston Oilers 40-7. The win earned the team a trip to Super Bowl II, where they were beaten 33-14 by Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers.In 1969, John Madden became the team's sixth head coach, and during the 1970s his Raiders' became one of the most successful franchises in the NFL.

In 1970, the AFL-NFL merger took place and the Raiders joined the West Division of the American Football Conference in the newly merged National Football League. The merger left Davis embittered. He envisioned a professional football landscape not unlike that of Major League Baseball, with two independent leagues sharing a common draft and playing a championship game at the end of the season. He felt betrayed by the AFL owners, who jumped at the chance to extinguish the newer league so they could receive NFL franchises. He resented the fact that a "football man," like himself, was subject to the whim of owners whose expertise was far outside the realm of the game. Davis' goal, therefore, was to become an owner himself.

With the merger, the position of AFL Commissioner was no longer needed, and Davis entered into discussions with Valley about returning to the Raiders. Davis returned as part owner of the team, and as the team's third general partner; the partner in charge of football operations.In 1972, with Valley out of the country for several weeks attending the Olympic Games in Munich, Davis' attorneys drafted a revised partnership agreement that gave Davis total control over all of the Raiders' operations. McGah signed the agreement. Under partnership law, by a 2-1 vote of the general partners, the new agreement was thus ratified. Valley was furious when he discovered this, and immediately filed suit to have the new agreement overturned. The courts sided with Davis and McGah. As a result, Valley sold his interest in the team, and Davis---though owning but a small portion of the team---was firmly in charge.

Madden left the Raiders (and coaching) in 1979 to pursue a career as a television football commentator. Madden's replacement, former Raiders quarterback Tom Flores, guided the team to a win in Super Bowl XV.In 1982, the Raiders moved to Los Angeles, California to play their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Los Angeles Raiders won Super Bowl XVIII the following year. In 1987, the Raiders drafted dual-sport athlete Bo Jackson after he originally decided to not play professional football in 1986 (when drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round). Davis's perceived infatuation with Jackson caused a major rift between Davis and star running back Marcus Allen, who eventually left to play for the Kansas City Chiefs.

cont'd....

[Angry Pope]

cont'd....

During the 1989 season, Davis fired head coach Mike Shanahan and replaced him with former Raider lineman Art Shell. Shell was the first African-American head coach of the modern NFL era. Shell led the Raiders to the AFC Championship game in the 1990 season, where they lost a lopsided affair to the Buffalo Bills, 51-3.The team's fortunes faded after the loss. They made two other playoff appearances during the 1990s, and finished higher than 3rd place only three times. This period was marked by the career-ending injury of Bo Jackson in 1990, the failure of troubled quarterback Todd Marinovich, the departure of Marcus Allen in 1993 and the retirement of Hall of Fame defender Howie Long after the 1993 season.

On June 23, 1995, Al Davis signed a letter of intent to move the Raiders back to Oakland. The move was greeted with much public fanfare, and the 1995 season started off well for the team. They started 8-2, but injuries to starting quarterback Jeff Hostetler contributed to a six-game losing streak to end the season, and the Raiders failed to qualify for the playoffs.In 1998, Al Davis strayed away from his habit of hiring a head coach from the team's ranks for only the second time in franchise history when he hired Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Jon Gruden, a young assistant who first worked for the 49ers under head coach Bill Walsh. Under Gruden, the Raiders started to play with a sense of discipline that had been lacking in previous years.The 2000 season, the team's 3rd under Gruden, was the team's most successful in a decade.

Led by veteran quarterback Rich Gannon, the team finished 12-4 and advanced to the AFC Championship, losing 16-3 to the eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens.The Raiders acquired all-time leading receiver Jerry Rice prior to the 2001 season. They finished 10-6, but lost their divisional playoff game to the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots in the controversial "Tuck Game." The game was played in a heavy snow storm, in which an apparent fumble by Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was recovered Charles Woodson. The play was reviewed and determined to be an incomplete pass.Shortly after the 2001 season, The Raiders made an unusual move that involved trading Jon Gruden to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for cash and future draft picks.

Bill Callahan, former offensive coordinator and offensive line coach of the Raiders during Gruden's tenure, was named head coach. The sudden move came after months of speculation in the media that Al Davis and Gruden had fallen out with each other both personally and on a business level. The Raiders finished the 2002 season with an 11-5 record and clinched the top seed in the playoffs. Gannon was named MVP of the NFL, and the Raiders made their fifth Super Bowl appearance following the season. They lost Super Bowl XXXVII to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, now coached by Gruden.

The Raiders finished the 2003 season, their second year under Callahan, with a record of 4-12 (tied with three other teams for the worst record in the NFL). It was the worst record ever for a team that had played in the Super Bowl the previous season. At a post-game press conference during the season, Callahan berated both his players and the media for the team's poor performance http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/recap/NFL_20031130_DEN@OAK. At the end of the 2003 regular season Callahan was fired and replaced by Norv Turner.

The nickname Raider Nation refers to the die hard fans of the team. Members of the Raider Nation are known for arriving to the stadium early, tailgating, dressing up in face masks, and black outfits. The Raider Nation is also known for the its "blackhole", a specific section of the McAfee Coliseum (Sections 103, 104, and 105) frequented by the rowdiest and most fervent fans. The teams's fortunes did not improve in Turner's first year. They finished the 2004-2005 season with a 5-11 record, the team's second consecutive losing campaign. In early 2005 the Raiders acquired Pro Bowl wide receiver Randy Moss via a trade with the Minnesota Vikings http://www.nfl.com/teams/story/OAK/8245462.

The team will begin the 2005 season without longtime starting quarterback Gannon, who retired due to a neck injury suffered during the 2004 season http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/football/nfl/08/06/bc.fbn.raiders.gannonre.ap/index.html.

[Angry Pope]

Here is a highlight video of the 2002 AFC Championship Game against the Tennessee Titans. Rich Gannon passed for 286 yards and three touchdowns, and rushed for another score in leading us past Tennessee 41-24 in that game.




Hit it here.... (http://ww1.nfl.com/mediacenter/mp-sb37.cgi?file=real/sportsline_nfl/nflfilmstv/g2demand/s2002/nflcom/w20/titans_raiders_highlight_56k.ram&mp=ram&brnd=rca_playoffs&band=56k&av=v&team=WEEK18)

[Angry Pope]

Here is a highlight video of our 2002 Divisional Playoffs Game win where we forced four turnovers and beat the Jets 30-10.



Press to play..... (http://ww1.nfl.com/mediacenter/mp-sb37.cgi?file=real/sportsline_nfl/nflfilmstv/g2demand/s2002/nflcom/w19/jets_raiders_highlight_56k.ram&mp=ram&brnd=rca_playoffs&band=56k&av=v&team=WEEK18)

[CrossBones]

Angry Pope... You're tugging at my heart strings. That was a great recap of the Raiders history and deserves some serious REP!!!!!

I loved my Raiders in those days beyond belief. Still do today but we've fallen on hard times. Never give up though -- the Raiders will be back and we'll pillage the National Football League --- as it should be! :D

[Rupert]

I attended both 2002 playoff games with many thanks to Kevin Granberry for the access his PSL afforded. Great stuff.

[Rupert]

Bones: There are no 4-time Buffalo Bills looming on Art's horizon this time. The Bowl is within reach.

[CrossBones]

Bones: There are no 4-time Buffalo Bills looming on Art's horizon this time. The Bowl is within reach.Don't remind me about that game. It was over almost before it started. Art could have easily gone to the Super Bowl had Bo not gone down in thre Cincinnati game. Waaaaaaaaaaaah. :o

[Raiders_Rock]

good stuff

I can't believe that was only a few years ago... :(

[Angry Pope]

Here is an article about Ted Hendricks.....

Posted on Sun, Apr. 02, 2006

AIN'T IT A KICK IN THE HEAD?

By Mark Emmons
Mercury News

Ted Hendricks is 58 now, living the quiet life of a young retiree in Chicago, mostly spending his time traveling and hitting the celebrity golf circuit.

And to hear him tell it, most of the eccentric stories about him in those hell-raising, carousing, kicking-butt-and-taking-names days of the 1970s and '80s Raiders are just that: stories. Not that there's not an element of truth to some, Hendricks conceded. But they just seem to grow with time.

``They always get exaggerated,'' said Hendricks, who will be inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame on Tuesday night. ``It's like some big fish story.''

But then you start asking around, and friends confirm one tale after another. Such as how he:

• Rode a horse onto the field at training camp -- in full uniform and helmet, carrying an orange traffic cone as if it were a lance. ``Teddy looked like he was ready for a joust,'' former teammate Phil Villapiano said.

• Showed up at practice one Halloween wearing a pumpkin carved into the shape of a helmet, and once stood on the sideline at a Monday night game wearing a grinning Harlequin mask.

• Wasn't keen on his nickname, the Mad Stork, and preferred to be called Kick-'Em-In-The-Head Ted, after an incident in practice when he . . . well, more on that later.

``Not all those stories were exaggerated,'' said former Raiders coach John Madden. ``He did so many goofy things that it's hard to keep them straight.''

Hendricks earned his place in Canton by revolutionizing the linebacker position with his 6-foot-7 size and knack for being in the right place at the right time. But he also struggled with life after football. Cliche or not, friends say Hendricks' wilder side was tamed with the help of a woman.

Maybe that explains why Hendricks seems inclined to put at least a little distance between the man he is now and the character he was. Asked if he really was that crazy, Hendricks responded with a vague ``Oh, I don't know about that.''

So who exactly was Ted Hendricks?

``Ted,'' Madden said, ``was out there.''

Playing days
• On field or off, it was all a game

Hendricks picked up the Stork moniker at the University of Miami. The middle guard was nicknamed Mad Dog and soon everybody was getting labeled mad-something. Hendricks, with his lanky frame, got saddled with Stork.

``That's the perfect name for him,'' Villapiano said. ``If you look at a stork in a pond, it's got those long, skinny legs and that beak to catch fish. That's what Teddy could do. He would reach over people. He was pretty much unblockable.''

And he was unconventional. Born in Guatemala (his father worked for Pan Am), he graduated 72nd out of 1,400 students from his South Florida high school. He majored in physics at Miami and probably was too smart to be hitting people for a living.

Hendricks also seemed too thin, at 220 pounds, to play in the NFL. But after stints with the Colts and the Packers, Hendricks -- with his devilish, gap-toothed grin -- found his calling in silver and black. It was the era of the Snake (Kenny Stabler), the Assassin (Jack Tatum), the Tooz (John Matuszak) as well as Lyle Alzado and others who studied their playbooks by the jukebox light.

``It is amazing the way people have latched on to our generation of players,'' Hendricks said. ``We certainly were different from the players of this day and age. It seems more like a job for them.''

For Hendricks, football was mostly about fun. Madden called him perhaps the brightest guy ever to play in the NFL, someone who understood the game plan even before it was out of the coaches' mouths.

``But that's also why he'd get bored,'' Madden added. ``So he had to do things to take care of that boredom. I was always big on just being ready to play on Sunday, and then play like hell. He was the epitome of that. He may do something goofy on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. But there was no one more ready to play when the game began.''

He was the perfect Raider -- playing hard on the field and harder off it.

Hendricks once arranged to have the wedding of a favorite barmaid officiated by Raiders defensive tackle Art Thoms.

``It was a beautiful thing and Teddy was the best man,'' Villapiano said. ``Of course Art wasn't ordained, so little do those people know that they're not married -- courtesy of Ted Hendricks.''

He earned his preferred nickname -- which teammates shortened to Kick-'Em -- when he accidentally booted fullback Marv Hubbard in the noggin during practice, knocking him out cold. There were no hard feelings. Later, Madden was about to fine Hendricks for missing a bed check before learning the reason: the linebacker had been on the town consoling Hubbard, who had just been cut.

Villapiano remembered how he, Matuszak, Hendricks and Otis Sistrunk would go to a nearby Hilton after practice. Villapiano and Matuszak, who played on the left side, would order a ``left side'' drink -- a quadruple Chivas on the rocks. Hendricks and Sistrunk would order a ``right side'' drink -- a quadruple Crown Royal on the rocks.

``And then we'd go out from there,'' Villapiano said. ``It was nuts.''

By the time he was done after the 1983 season, Hendricks had played in 215 consecutive games, blocked 25 kicks, recovered 16 fumbles, intercepted 26 passes and played on four Super Bowl winners.

But football was easy compared to life afterward.

Calming down
• Good relationship gets him `in tune'

Hendricks got divorced. There were business failures. He made a living mostly by being Ted Hendricks.

When he went into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in 1990, a newspaper article depicted him as a sad figure, someone who was drinking too much and needed to enter rehab. About that time, it was reported later in ESPN The Magazine, Hendricks awoke one night on a Lake Tahoe ski slope, naked except for one of his Super Bowl rings.

``Thank God,'' Villapiano said, ``he found Linda.''

In a phone interview, Hendricks was reticent to say much about life after football other than that he disagreed with the characterization of him as a lost soul. ``I didn't end up that way,'' he said.

But he credits Linda Babl, a longtime friend who became his girlfriend, for being a positive influence. In the mid-1990s he moved to Chicago, where she was a high school administrator.

``Being isolated up here was a good thing,'' he said. ``I guess it got me more in tune with what was really important in life.''

That's about as introspective as Hendricks will get. But Villapiano said Babl ``reeled in Teddy'' at the right time.

``The Ted Hendricks who would show up for a golf tournament tomorrow is not the Ted Hendricks who would show up 10 years ago,'' Villapiano said. ``He's just as much fun. But he got to a point in life where he decided to refine things a little bit.

``Look, John Matuszak is not with us anymore. Lyle Alzado is not with us anymore. We're glad Ted Hendricks is still with us. We all have a streak in us. You didn't play for the Oakland Raiders unless there was a streak in you. But Teddy controlled his.''

It wasn't always that way. Hendricks recalled the day he took that horse right up to Madden and the rest of the team on the practice field.

``I rode up and said, `OK, Coach, I'm ready,' '' Hendricks said. ``But Madden and the players had no reaction. They already had seen everything.''

[Angry Pope]

From Czarnecki....

The Saints are definitely trading out of the second spot in the draft, and they are looking for a defensive player. ...

[CrossBones]

From Czarnecki....

Quote:
The Saints are definitely trading out of the second spot in the draft, and they are looking for a defensive player...Al Davis is listening....everyday I fell more and more like Al is targeting somebody at number two and he's gonna make it happen...

What/who will it be? I'll tell you on the 29th! ;)

[Rupert]

Give the Saints Sappington. He's perfect for them. Perfect I tell you.

[Angry Pope]

From PFW...take it for what it is worth....

Ohio State LB A.J. Hawk’s versatility would fit Oakland’s defense well, and there is a very good chance he’ll be a Raider if he’s available with the seventh overall pick. But we’re hearing that with the quality overall depth at the position in the draft this year, the Raiders would not be upset if they had to wait until the second or middle rounds to address their LB corps.

[Angry Pope]

Lamont a big supporter of women's basketball....

It's a special thing when you find that mixture of youthful exuberance and talent. LaMont Jordan has been around sports his entire life. The former Maryland football player now lines up for the Oakland Raiders, and he's been following Maryland's run closely. He attended the ACC tournament, then cheered on the Terps in Albuquerque and now here in Boston.

"They got this far because of how young they are, how passionate they are, how hard they're willing to work," Jordan said last night, wearing the No. 22 jersey of Doron. "They might be young in age, but those girls play big basketball."

[Angry Pope]

Here are all the HOF'ers and their birthplace. The closest to me are Fouts, Simpson, and St. Clair.....

Hall of Fame Members' Birthplace by State

Alabama (4)

Junious (Buck) Buchanan - Gainesville
Ozzie Newsome - Muscle Shoals
John Stallworth - Tuscaloosa
Bart Starr - Montgomery

Arkansas (4)

Lamar Hunt - El Dorado
Don Hutson - Pine Bluff
Bobby Mitchell - Hot Springs
Joe Perry - Stevens

California (15)

Troy Aikman - West Covina
Marcus Allen - San Diego
Dan Fouts - San Francisco
Frank Gifford - Santa Monica
Mel Hein - Redding
James Lofton - Fort Ord
Hugh McElhenny - Los Angeles
Ron Mix - Los Angeles
Warren Moon - Los Angeles
Anthony Muñoz - Ontario
Pete Rozelle - South Gate
Tex Schramm - San Gabriel
O.J. Simpson - San Francisco
Bob St. Clair - San Francisco
Bill Walsh - Los Angeles

Colorado (1)

Earl (Dutch) Clark - Fowler

Connecticut (2)

Andy Robustelli - Stamford
Ken Strong - West Haven

District of Columbia (2)

Len Ford - Washington, D.C.
Willie Wood - Washington, D.C.

Florida (3)

David (Deacon) Jones - Eatonville
Pete Pihos - Orlando
Jack Youngblood - Jacksonville

Georgia (7)

Mel Blount - Vidalia
Jim Brown - St. Simons
John Hannah - Canton
Larry Little - Groveland
Marion Motley - Leesburg
Jim Parker - Macon
Rayfield Wright - Griffin

Idaho (1)

Larry Wilson - Rigby

Illinois (16)

Charles W. Bidwill, Sr. - Chicago
Dick Butkus - Chicago
Tony Canadeo - Chicago
George Connor - Chicago
John (Paddy) Driscoll - Evanston
Otto Graham - Waukegan
George Halas - Chicago
Marv Levy - Chicago
Mike McCormack - Chicago
George Musso - Collinsville
Ray Nitschke - Elmwood Park
Fritz Pollard - Chicago
Hugh (Shorty) Ray - Highland Park
Hank Stram - Chicago
George Trafton - Chicago
Ron Yary - Chicago

Indiana (2)

Weeb Ewbank - Richmond
Bob Griese - Evansville

Kansas (4)

Jack Christiansen - Sublette
John Riggins - Seneca
Barry Sanders - Wichita
Gale Sayers - Wichita

Kentucky (2)

Paul Hornung - Louisville
George McAfee - Corbin

Louisiana (5)

Terry Bradshaw - Shreveport
Willie Davis - Lisbon
John Henry Johnson - Waterproof
Charlie Joiner - Many
Jim Taylor - Baton Rouge

Massachusetts (5)

Nick Buoniconti - Springfield
Al Davis - Brockton
Ed Healey - Indian Orchard
Howie Long - Somerville
Wayne Millner - Roxbury

Michigan (4)

George Allen - Detroit
Joe DeLamielleure - Detroit
Bill Hewitt - Bay City
Paul Krause - Flint

Minnesota (7)

Dave Casper - Bemidji
Sid Gillman - Minneapolis
Joe Guyon - White Earth Ind Res
Walt Kiesling - St. Paul
Jim Langer - Little Falls
John Madden - Austin
Ernie Nevers - Willow River

Mississippi (7)

Lem Barney - Gulfport
Willie Brown - Yazoo City
Frank (Bruiser) Kinard - Pelahatchie
Walter Payton - Columbia
Billy Shaw - Natchez
Jackie Slater - Jackson
Jackie Smith - Columbia

Missouri (4)

Jimmy Conzelman - St. Louis
Jim Finks - St. Louis
Robert (Cal) Hubbard - Keytesville
Kellen Winslow - St. Louis

Nebraska (2)

Guy Chamberlin - Blue Springs
William Roy (Link) Lyman - Table Rock

New Jersey (5)

Elvin Bethea - Trenton
Lou Creekmur - Hopelawn
Franco Harris - Fort Dix
Jim Ringo - Orange
Alex Wojciechowicz - South River

New Mexico (2)

Ronnie Lott - Albuquerque
Tommy McDonald - Roy

New York (9)

Art Donovan - Bronx
Dan Fortmann - Pearl River
Vince Lombardi - Brooklyn
Sid Luckman - Brooklyn
John Mackey - New York
Tim Mara - New York
Wellington Mara - New York
Dan Reeves - New York
Bob Waterfield - Elmira

North Carolina (5)

Bobby Bell - Shelby
Carl Eller - Winston-Salem
Joe Gibbs - Mocksville
Sonny Jurgensen - Wilmington
Dwight Stephenson - Murfreesboro

cont'd...

[Angry Pope]

cont'd...

Ohio (21)

Cliff Battles - Akron
Bob (Boomer) Brown - Cleveland
Paul Brown - Norwalk
Joe Carr - Columbus
Larry Csonka - Stow
Len Dawson - Alliance
Dan Dierdorf - Canton
Benny Friedman - Cleveland
Lou Groza - Martins Ferry
Wilbur (Pete) Henry - Mansfield
Clarke Hinkle - Toronto
Jack Lambert - Mantua
Dante Lavelli - Hudson
Tom Mack - Cleveland
Mike Michalske - Cleveland
Chuck Noll - Cleveland
Alan Page - Canton
Don Shula - Grand River
Roger Staubach - Cincinnati
Paul Warfield - Warren
Bill Willis - Columbus

Oklahoma (5)

Dan Hampton - Oklahoma City
Steve Largent - Tulsa
Steve Owen - Cleo Springs
Lee Roy Selmon - Eufaula
Jim Thorpe - Prague

Oregon (1)

Dave Wilcox - Ontario

Pennsylvania (26)

Herb Adderley - Philadelphia
Chuck Bednarik - Bethlehem
Bert Bell - Philadelphia
Fred Biletnikoff - Erie
George Blanda - Youngwood
Mike Ditka - Carnegie
Tony Dorsett - Rochester
Bill George - Waynesburg
Harold (Red) Grange - Forksville
Jack Ham - Johnstown
Stan Jones - Altoona
Jim Kelly - Pittsburgh
Leroy Kelly - Philadelphia
Dan Marino - Pittsburgh
Joe Montana - New Eagle
Lenny Moore - Reading
Mike Munchak - Scranton
Joe Namath - Beaver Falls
Art Rooney - Coulterville
Dan Rooney - Pittsburgh
Joe Schmidt - Pittsburgh
Joe Stydahar - Kaylor
Charley Trippi - Pittston
Emlen Tunnell - Bryn Mawr
Johnny Unitas - Pittsburgh
Randy White - Pittsburgh

South Carolina (2)

Harry Carson - Florence
Art Shell - Charleston

South Dakota (1)

Norm Van Brocklin - Eagle Butte

Tennessee (3)

Doug Atkins - Humboldt
Lynn Swann - Alcoa
Reggie White - Chattanooga

Texas (24)

Lance Alworth - Houston
Sammy Baugh - Temple
Raymond Berry - Corpus Christi
Earl Campbell - Tyler
Eric Dickerson - Sealy
Joe Greene - Temple
Forrest Gregg - Birthright
Mike Haynes - Denison
Ken Houston - Lufkin
Jimmy Johnson - Dallas
Tom Landry - Mission
Dick (Night Train) Lane - Austin
Yale Lary - Ft. Worth
Bobby Layne - Santa Anna
Bob Lilly - Olney
Ollie Matson - Trinity
Don Maynard - Crosbyton
Mel Renfro - Houston
Mike Singletary - Houston
Charley Taylor - Grand Prairie
Y.A. Tittle - Marshall
Clyde (Bulldog) Turner - Plains
Gene Upshaw - Robstown
Doak Walker - Dallas

Utah (2)

Merlin Olsen - Logan
Steve Young - Salt Lake City

Virginia (7)

Roosevelt Brown - Charlottesville
Bill Dudley - Bluefield
Henry Jordan - Emporia
Willie Lanier - Clover
Clarence (Ace) Parker - Portsmouth
Fran Tarkenton - Richmond
Lawrence Taylor - Williamsburg

Washington (4)

Morris (Red) Badgro - Orillia
Albert Glen (Turk) Edwards - Mold
John Elway - Port Angeles
Ray Flaherty - Spokane

West Virginia (5)

Frank Gatski - Farmington
Sam Huff - Morgantown
Gino Marchetti - Smithers
George Preston Marshall - Grafton
Earle (Greasy) Neale - Parkersburg

Wisconsin (8)

Bud Grant - Superior
Arnie Herber - Green Bay
Elroy (Crazylegs) Hirsch - Wausau
Earl (Curly) Lambeau - Green Bay
Alphonse (Tuffy) Leemans - Superior
John (Blood) McNally - New Richmond
Jim Otto - Wausau
Mike Webster - Tomahawk


Other Countries

Bavaria (1)

Ernie Stautner - Prinzing-by-Cham

Canada (2)

Bronko Nagurski - Rainy River, Ontario
Arnie Weinmeister - Rhein, Saskatchewan

Guatemala (1)

Ted Hendricks - Guatemala City

Honduras (1)

Steve Van Buren - La Ceiba

Italy (1)

Leo Nomellini - Lucca

Mexico (1)

Tom Fears - Guadelajara

Norway (1)

Jan Stenerud - Fetsund

[Angry Pope]

Collins may retire...take it for what it is worth..from Schefter...

A QB READY TO RETIRE

While attention is focused on Favre, the quarterback most likely to retire is former Oakland Raiders signal caller Kerry Collins.

Those who know Collins say he is seriously considering retirement, and it would not be surprising if he never played another down in the NFL.

Having made the money he has over 12 seasons in Carolina, New Orleans, New York and Oakland, Collins doesn't have the burning desire to play football the way he once might have.

The only team that has spoken with him about the possibility of playing for it this season is the Baltimore Ravens. But the Ravens aren't offering Collins, 33, Collins enough money right now to make it worth his while.

If a more lucrative offer doesn't materialize -- and it doesn't look like it will -- Collins is finished with football.

[CrossBones]

AP...did I ever tell you I went to school with O.J. Simpson when he was at San Francisco City College?

This was before he went to USC. He was in my gym class although he rarely showed up. Seemed like a nice enough guy in those days. He would run for like 250 yards with 5 TD's for SFCC and then he transferred to USC. Just thought you migt find that interesting.

And BTW, I used to buy 49er tickets in the old days from Bob St. Clair. He ran a liquor store at the time and used to get some tickets.

[CrossBones]

Collins may retire...take it for what it is worth..from Schefter...That's interesting.

But it seems to me that he might not have a choice. Nobody seems very interested. Trying to save face Kerry? :p

[Angry Pope]

AP...did I ever tell you I went to school with O.J. Simpson when he was at San Francisco City College?

This was before he went to USC. He was in my gym class although he rarely showed up. Seemed like a nice enough guy in those days. He would run for like 250 yards with 5 TD's for SFCC and then he transferred to USC. Just thought you migt find that interesting.

And BTW, I used to buy 49er tickets in the old days from Bob St. Clair. He ran a liquor store at the time and used to get some tickets.

Wow, that is very interesting. I kind of wondered what type of guy O.J. was in school...if he was anything like now. Did you ever see him at your reunions?

You had some nice connections, CB.

[CrossBones]

Wow, that is very interesting. I kind of wondered what type of guy O.J. was in school...if he was anything like now. Did you ever see him at your reunions?

You had some nice connections, CB.No reunions I'm afraid. And even if there were I doubt O.J. would be attending. Somewhere the guy turned bad and it's really a shame I guess. Very tough deal.

Connections? Nah. Just like most things in life, timing is everything! :D

[Angry Pope]

It appears that the schedule is coming out this week...

Schedule Soon

After announcing the season openers and Thanksgiving Day game for the Cowboys last week, the NFL is expected to release the full regular-season schedule this week.

The Cowboys learned they will open the 2006 season in Jacksonville, marking their third consecutive road opener and second straight against an AFC team. The Cowboys will also host Tampa Bay on Thanksgiving. While they will play in their regular 3:15 p.m. (CDT) time slot, it will be the second game on an NFL tripleheader now that the league has added a third Turkey Day game for 2006.

The Cowboys also finalized all four preseason opponents, starting in Seattle, followed by a game in Shreveport against the Saints on Aug. 21. The Cowboys will then wrap up the preseason with home games against the Vikings and 49ers, who have recently acquired former Cowboys Larry Allen and Antonio Bryant.

[Angry Pope]

Here is something on Justice....

"The news was better for offensive tackle Winston Justice, and as one coach in attendance said, "he made a lot of money today." Justice was on pace to run a 4.85-to-4.90 40-yard dash but felt a tweak in his hamstring at about 30 yards and pulled up, finishing in a time of 5.18.

Justice, a 320-pounder, wanted to finish the rest of the workout and thought it best to pull up in the 40, and it paid off. He turned in a 39-inch vertical leap and looked outstanding in position drills. Don't be surprised to see Justice climb toward the top 10. The Raiders' Mike Lombardi, whose team owns the No. 7 overall pick, spent nearly the entire day following Justice around, and the Cardinals also are interested at No. 10. "

[Angry Pope]

Here is some information on Freddy B....

Frederick S. Biletnikoff (born February 23, 1943 in Erie, Pennsylvania) is a retired American football player. His position was wide receiver.

Biletnikoff was the first consensus All-American football player at Florida State University. After college, he was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the 2nd round of the 1965 American Football League draft. He spent his entire professional playing career in Oakland, and retired after the 1978 season.

Biletnikoff was known as a wily, sure-handed receiver who made clutch catches to keep crucial drives alive. He had an uncanny ability to get open, even when everyone in the stadium knew that the ball was coming his way. He played in both Super Bowls II and XI, in which he was named MVP. He also played in five AFC Championships, three American Football League title games, four Pro Bowls and two American Football League All-Star games.

Biletnikoff's career total of 589 receptions is relatively unimpressive by today's standards, but it was a remarkable achievement in the more run-oriented 60s and 70s, when the regular season was only 14 games long. The same can be said of his record of 10 straight seasons with 40 or more receptions.

Biletnikoff began his career in coaching soon after his retirement. He served on the coaching staff of the Montreal Alouettes (1980), Orange Glen High School (1982), Palomar Junior College (1983), Diablo Valley Junior College (1984), Oakland Invaders (1985), Arizona Wranglers (1986) and Calgary Stampeders (1987-88). He is currently wide receivers coach for the Raiders.

In 1991, Biletnikoff was voted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The Fred Biletnikoff Award, awarded annually to the best wide receiver in college football since 1994, was named in his honor.

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on July 30, 1988.

Date of birth February 23, 1943

Place of birth Erie, Pennsylvania

Date of death {{{DateOfDeath}}}

Position(s) Wide Receiver

College Florida State

Draft 1965 / Round 1

Pro Bowls 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971,
1973, 1974

[Angry Pope]

Willie Brown....

William Ferdie Brown (Born December 2, 1940, in Yazoo City, Mississippi) is a retired American Football cornerback and is currently on the staff of the Oakland Raiders.


Playing career

Willie Brown played collegiate football at Grambling University and was not drafted by any professional team after leaving school in 1963. He was signed by the Houston Oilers of the AFL but was cut from the team during training camp. He was then signed by the Denver Broncos and became a starter by the middle of his rookie season. He won All-AFL honors in his second season and played in the AFL All-Star Game, recording 9 interceptions for 144 yards.

In 1967 Brown was traded to the Oakland Raiders and would spend the remainder of his career there. He served as defensive captain for 10 of his 12 years with the team. Starting in 1967, he was also named to seven straight Pro Bowl squads (AFL & NFL). Perhaps Brown's most memorable moment as a Raider came during Super Bowl XI, when he intercepted a Fran Tarkenton pass and returned it a Super Bowl-record 75 yards for a touchdown. His record would stand for 29 years until it was broken by Kelly Herndon's 76-yard interception return in Super Bowl XL.

Willie Brown retired after the 1978 season, and finished his Raiders career with 39 interceptions, tied for first all-time on the team. Overall, he finished his 16 AFL/NFL seasons with 54 interceptions, which he returned for 472 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also recovered 3 fumbles.

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on July 28, 1984, his first year of eligibility.


Coaching career

Brown served as a defensive backfield coach for the Raiders from 1979-88. He also had stints as the head at Long Beach State in 1991 and L.A. Jordan High School in 1994. In 1995 he returned to the Raiders as the Director of Staff Development.


Awards

All-AFL Team (1964)
Five AFL All-Star Games (1964-65, 1967-69)
Named to the All-Time AFL Team in 1969
Four NFL Pro Bowls (1970-73)
Named to the AFL-NFL 25-year All-Star team
Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1984
Inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 1992
Inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1994


Records

Previously held Super Bowl record for longest interception (75 yards, Super Bowl XI), now held by Seattle Seahawks Cornerback Kelly Herndon (76 yards, Super Bowl XL)
Oakland Raiders franchise leader for interceptions (39, t-1st)

Date of birth December 2, 1940

Place of birth Yazoo City, Mississippi

Date of death {{{DateOfDeath}}}

Position(s) Cornerback

College Grambling

Draft Undrafted / Round

Pro Bowls 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968,
1969, 1970, 1971, 1972,
1973

[Angry Pope]

This is how we acquired Old Man Willie....one of the top trades in NFL history...

1967 - Raiders acquire CB Willie Brown and QB Mickey Slaughter from the Broncos for DT Rex Mirich and a third-round draft pick, which was dealt to Buffalo. Brown, who would help Oakland to two Super Bowl titles, spent 11 seasons with the Raiders and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984. He's one of two players to intercept at least one pass in 16 consecutive seasons.


This is Willie's website.....

Hit it here.... (http://www.cmgworldwide.com/football/brown/)

[Angry Pope]

Gene Upshaw....

Eugene Thurman Upshaw Jr. (born August 15, 1945 in Robstown, Texas) is a former football offensive guard who played for the Oakland Raiders for sixteen years after graduating from Texas A&I University. He played in three Super Bowls in the 1967, 1976 and 1980 seasons; he also played in ten title games in the American Football League and the American Football Conference and seven Pro Bowls. Upshaw is currently the only player in NFL history to play in 3 Super Bowls with the same team in 3 different decades.

He was an active member of the bargaining committee for the National Football League Players' Association (NFLPA) throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s. He led the NFLPA in its unsuccessful strike in 1987 and through years of anti-trust litigation against the league, including a brief period in which the NFLPA became a professional association rather than a union, that ended with the union's acceptance of a salary cap in return for free agency and an enhanced share of league revenues for the union's members.

Upshaw is a prominent member of Alpha Phi Alpha the oldest intercollegiate fraternity established for African Americans. He has a awsome son named Daniel Upshaw! Who is very cool!

Date of birth August 15, 1945

Place of birth Robstown, TX

Date of death

Position(s) Offensive Guard

College Texas A&M

Draft 1967 / Round 1/ Pick 17

Pro Bowls 7

Awards

Honors NFL 75th Anniversary
All-Time Team,
NFL 1970s All-Decade Team

[Angry Pope]

Art Shell....

Arthur "Art" Shell (born November 26, 1946 in Charleston, South Carolina, USA) is a former American football player in the National Football League (NFL) and current head coach of the Oakland Raiders, this being the second time he has coached the NFL franchise. He also holds the distinction of having been only the second African American head coach (after Fritz Pollard) in the history of the NFL, and the first in the league's modern era. Shell was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989.

Shell was drafted by the Oakland Raiders from University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Playing offensive tackle, Shell participated in 24 playoff contests, including Super Bowls XI and XV, and was named to eight Pro Bowls.

As coach of the Raiders (at the time known as the "Los Angeles Raiders"), Shell compiled a record of 56 wins, 41 losses, and was named AFC Coach of the Year in 1990, when the Raiders won the AFC West division with a 12-4 record, and advanced to the AFC championship game in the playoffs. Al Davis, owner of the Raiders, fired Shell after a 9-7 season in 1994, a move Davis said he later regretted.

After leaving the Raiders, Shell went on to coaching positions with the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons, before serving as a senior vice president for the NFL, in charge of football operations and development.

Shell was officially re-hired by the Raiders as head coach on February 11, 2006. [1]

Shell is a prominent member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the oldest intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African Americans.

Date of birth November 26, 1946

Place of birth Charleston, SC

Date of death

Position(s) OT

Head Coach

College Maryland Eastern Shore

Record 54-38

Draft [[ NFL Draft#Round_|]] / Round 3, #25

Pro Bowls 8

Super Bowls {{{SuperBowls}}}

Championships {{{Championships}}}

Awards 1990 Pro Football Weekly COY

1990 Maxwell Football Club COY
1990 UPI COY
Honors NFL 1970s All-Decade Team

[Angry Pope]

Youngest head coaches....we had four of them....

Youngest NFL Coaches (Modern Era)



Harland Svare (left) was the youngest coach in the National Football League history. At just 31 years of age he took over the Rams when Bob Waterfield resigned after eight games in 1962. In 3 1/2 seasons with L.A., Svare compiled a 14-31-3 record.

His second and last NFL coaching stint came when he stepped in as head coach of the San Diego Chargers when Sid Gillman resigned in 1971. After building a 7-17-2 record with the Chargers, Svare relinquished his coaching duties midway through the 1973 season.

Name, Team Date of Birth Age at Signing Date

Harland Svare, Los Angeles Rams November 25, 1930 31 years, 11 months

John Michelosen, Pittsburgh Steelers February 13, 1916 32 years, 2 months

David Shula, Cincinnati Bengals May 28, 1959 32 years, 7 months

John Madden, Oakland Raiders April 10, 1936 32 years, 10 months

Don Shula, Baltimore Colts January 4, 1930 33 years, 4 days

Al Davis, Oakland Raiders July 4, 1929 33 years, 6 months

Joe Collier, Buffalo Bills June 7, 1932 33 years, 7 months

Bob Snyder, Los Angeles Rams February 6, 1913 33 years, 11 month

Jim Trimble, Philadelphia Eagles May 29, 1918 34 years, 3 months

Jon Gruden, Oakland Raiders August 17, 1963 34 years, 5 months

Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh Steelers May 8, 1957 34 years, 8 months, 13 days

Joe Kuharich, Chicago Cardinals April 14, 1917 34 years, 8 months, 25 days

Norm Van Brocklin, Minnesota Vikings March 15, 1926 34 years, 10 months

Joe Schmidt, Detroit Lions January 18, 1932 34 years, 11 months

Eric Mangini, New York Jets January 19, 1971 34 years, 11 months

Mike Shanahan, Los Angeles Raiders August 24, 1952 35 years, 6 months

Dick Nolan, San Francisco 49ers March 26, 1932 35 years, 10 months

[CrossBones]

Nice stuff AP.

Gotta say though that these former players have the ugliest websites on earth. Are they broke? Can't they afford to have something nice created? :mad:

Still I love reading about all the great Raiders and their backgrounds and accomplishments! Thanks.

[Angry Pope]

I am pulling for this kid....

Breaking America

By Sharif Omar


At 6ft 3ins and 25 stone, Lorn Mayers certainly catches the eye. And soon he could have a reputation to match his massive stature.

The 20-year-old defensive tackle is bidding to become the first British non-kicker to play in the NFL.

Last year he almost made it when he was picked up by the Oakland Raiders, becoming the youngest player ever signed by an NFL team.

But he missed out on a permanent position in the side and was released just before the start of the season.

Now the defensive tackle is preparing for the start of the NFL Europe season with the Berlin Thunder and plotting how to make it in America.

"It would be a dream come true if I could make it in the NFL one day," he told BBC Sport.

"I loved my time with the Raiders. It was a shock walking into a stadium full of screaming fans during the pre-season games - it was out of this world."


The playbooks were very complicated at Oakland and I didn't understand everything that was going on

Lorn Mayers

Remarkably, Mayers' gridiron career began only two years ago when he joined the London Blitz.
"A friend of mine was going to play cllege football in the States and told me I should try American football because of my size," he says

"So I looked for teams on the internet and found the Blitz."

He was an instant hit with the club, playing starring roles in both their junior and senior teams, and was selected for the British youth team in his first season.

Then he was invited for trials by NFL Europe, and after three stages of intense trials against experienced players from all over the world, earned a place on the Berlin Thunder roster.

In just one year he had gone from a complete novice to a squad member of an NFL Europe franchise.

Yet his phenomenal progress did not stop there. Soon he was catching the eye of the big boys in the NFL and one day the Oakland Raiders phoned out of the blue to invite him to one of their training camps.

"At first I thought it was a friend playing a practical joke on me," he admits.

"They had been watching training highlights of another player they had sent to play in Europe and I just happened to be in the same footage.

"When I arrived in Oakland it still didn't sink in that I would be playing in the NFL. None of it seemed real."

The standards at the franchise were far in excess of anything he had encountered before.


I'm focused on returning to full fitness and reaching my full potential

Lorn Mayers

"The playbooks were very complicated and I didn't always understand everything that was going on," he admits.

"Some of the experienced players would go through the plays with me again once meetings were over and help me out."

And he did not manage to escape the traditional NFL "initiation".

"I had to stand up and sing the national anthem in a defensive meeting in front of all my team mates while they all laughed and cheered me on," he says.

Now he is focusing on excelling for Berlin and hopefully getting another shot at the NFL.

"I am just focused on overcoming my knee injury suffered at training camp and returning to full fitness and reaching my full potential," he says.

Another good season at full fitness with Berlin should certainly bring Mayers within touching distance of fulfilling his dream of playing in the NFL.

[Angry Pope]

Ted Hendricks.....we gave up two first round draft choices to acquire him....

Theodore (Ted) Paul Hendricks (Born: November 1, 1947 in Guatemala City, Guatemala) was an American football linebacker for the 1969 to 1973 Baltimore Colts (now Indianapolis Colts), 1974 Green Bay Packers and the 1975 to 1983 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders.

Hendricks played his college football at the University of Miami. He played defensive end for Miami during the 1966 through 1968 seasons. The 6’7”, 220 pound (100 kg) Hendricks was one of the greatest defensive players in the history of college football. Hendricks was a three time All-American and he finished fifth in the 1968 Heisman Trophy voting.

While playing for UM, Hendricks made 327 total tackles (#1 among all UM defensive linemen.) He also led UM with the most solo tackles by a defensive lineman with 139. Hendricks also recovered 12 fumbles.

Eccentric as they come: Born in Guatemala, where his father was employed at the time, Hendricks was a physics major at UM and was well-known for relaxing by doing math problems. He took the hardest classes off the field and took on the hardest assignments on it.

It was at UM that the tall, thin Hendricks gained the nickname “The Mad Stork.” It was a nickname that would follow him through his professional career. Hendricks UM jersey was retired in 1997. Ted Hendricks was also elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

Ted Hendricks began his 15-season pro football career as the second-round pick of the Baltimore Colts in the 1969 AFL-NFL Draft. He was initially listed as a defensive end, which is why he had the unusual number (for a linebacker) of 83. After coach Don Shula converted him to linebacker, he entered the starting lineup halfway through his rookie 1969-70 season. He played a key role in the Colt's 1970-71 Super Bowl winning season, and was chosen to his first of four All-Pro selections in 1971. Surprisingly, after five seasons the Colts traded Ted to the Green Bay Packers.

After Hendricks was traded to the Packers, he signed a 'future contract' with the naescent World Football League. Hendricks was then in the option year of his NFL contract, and had one of his greatest seasons-five interceptions, seven blocked kicks and a safety, again earning All-Pro honors. With the WFL bankrupt, owner Al Davis of the Raiders sent two first round draft choices to the Packers for the rights to Hendricks, signing him as a limited free agent. He went on to play nine seasons with the Raiders before retiring after the 1983 season.

In his first year on the Raider team, coach John Madden used him sparingly-partially as a result of a feud he had with Al Davis; however he eventually had him starting by the end of the 1975-6 season. The next year, with Hendricks as a full time player, he helped the Raiders win Super Bowl XI, the first in franchise history.

By the end of the 1979 season, it appeared that "Kick 'em in the Head Ted"'s (his Raider nickname) career was over- a vote among Raider coaches showed that all of them had voted to release Hendricks at season's end. However, Al Davis insisted on keeping Hendricks..and it turns out he was right! Hendricks responded with three straight Pro Bowl appearances, including All-Pro honors in 1980-81,and 1981-82 as helped the Raiders to their Cinderella win in Super Bowl XV.

Some critics said he was too tall. Others said he was too light. Everybody agreed that the 6-7, 220 pound (100 kg) body Ted Hendricks brought to the field was a little unorthodox for pro football. However, the Mad Stork spent 15 seasons making big plays and defying critics as one of the top outside linebackers in the game's history.

Although he looked skinny, he was really a well-muscled physical specimen who combined surprising speed with agility. He used his long arms to keep blockers off of his body. His height was a major passing-lane obstacle for quarterbacks and his long arms pulled down errant passes (26 career interceptions as a pro) with amazing grace and also made him the most feared kick-blocker of his era -25 blocked field goals or PATs, the unofficial NFL record.

Hendricks also recovered 16 opponent's fumbles and registered four safeties. Hendricks also scored touchdowns on an interception, a fumble return, and a blocked punt.

Hendricks was a member of four Super Bowl winners (three with the Raiders, one with the Colts) and was a Pro Bowl selection eight times, at least once with each of his teams.

The seemingly indestructible Hendricks played in 215 straight regular-season games. He also participated in eight Pro Bowl games, seven AFC championships and four Super Bowls (V with the Colts, XI, XV and XVIII with the Raiders). Ted was named All-Pro as a Colt in 1971, as a Packer in 1974, and as a Raider in 1980 and 1982. He also earned second-team All-Pro accolades five other times.

Hendricks was at his best over nine seasons with the Raiders. The Raiders gave him the freedom to roam the line, blitz on impulse, read the play and react. Nobody could key on him. Hendricks could disrupt the other team's offense like few others.

Hendricks last game was the Raiders' win in Super Bowl XVIII. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990, his second year of eligibility. He currently works on behalf of ex-players as part of the Hall of Fame Player's Association. He also was named as one of the members of the NFL's all time 75th anniversary team in 1994.

Date of birth November 1, 1947

Place of birth Guatemala City, Guatemala

Date of death {{{DateOfDeath}}}

Position(s) Linebacker

College Miami

Draft 1969 / Round 1

Pro Bowls 8

[Angry Pope]

There is a Ted Hendricks stadium...

Ted Hendricks Stadium

4700 Palm Avenue
Hialeah, Florida 33012

Ted Hendricks Stadium, located in the heart of Hialeah, plays host to over 20 high school Football games, the Copa Latina Soccer Tournament, as well as, numerous special events throughout the year.

Rental Fee: $1,000.00 or 10% of gross ticket sales, whichever is greater

Rental Fee Includes:

Stadium Manager
2 Concession stands
Scoreboard Operator
2 locker rooms
Lights
Capacity: 5,221

Insurance Requirement: $100,000.00 / $200,000.00 coverage naming the City of Hialeah as additionally insured.

For additional information or to reserve Ted Hendricks Stadium, call George Lazo at 305-687-2650.

[CrossBones]

Ted Hendricks.....we gave up two first round draft choices to acquire him....And he was worth every penny! :)

[Angry Pope]

And he was worth every penny! :)

One of my all time favorites too.

[Rupert]

Ted Hendricks.....we gave up two first round draft choices to acquire him....
We got him cheap didn't we?

[Rupert]

Awww, now I read your guys' follow-ups.

[Angry Pope]

Hall of Famers by Draft Round


Pro Football Hall of Famers by Draft Round

1936 to 1989*

Those enshrinees who were drafted more than once are listed with the team that signed them. Additional notes immediately follow that draft information. n/a - information on position overall not available · * No player who started his career after 1989 has been inducted into the Hall of Fame.


Bonus Round(From 1947 through 1958, the first selection of the draft was a Bonus pick, awarded to the winner of a random draw. That club, in turn, forfeited its last-round draft choice. The winner of the Bonus pick was eliminated from future draws. The system was abolished after 1958, by which time all clubs had received a Bonus pick.)

Year Player Overall Pos. Team

1949 Chuck Bednarik 1 C/LB Philadelphia Eagles (Also drafted in 1st round of 1949 AAFC secret draft by the Brooklyn Dodgers.)
1957 Paul Hornung 1 QB/HB Green Bay Packers

First Round

Year Player Overall Pos. Team

1936 Joe Stydahar 6 T Chicago Bears
1937 Sammy Baugh 6 QB Washington Redskins
1938 Alex Wojciechowicz 6 C Detroit Lions
1939 Sid Luckman 2 QB Chicago Bears
1940 George McAfee 2 HB Philadelphia Eagles (Immediately traded to Chicago Bears, with whom he signed.)

1940 Clyde "Bulldog" Turner 7 C Chicago Bears
1942 Bill Dudley 1 HB Pittsburgh Steelers
1944 Otto Graham 4 QB Detroit Lions (Drafted by Lions but signed with Cleveland Browns of AAFC in 1946.)

1944 Steve Van Buren 5 HB Philadelphia Eagles
1945 Charley Trippi 1 HB Chicago Cardinals (Drafted as a future selection. Also drafted as special selection in 1947 AAFC draft by New York Yankees.)

1945 Elroy Hirsch 5 HB-E Cleveland Rams (Drafted as a future selection. Started career in AAFC but switched to NFL and Rams in 1949.)

1946 George Connor 5 T New York Giants (Drafted as a future selection. Traded to the Boston Yanks who then traded him to the Chicago Bears. Also selected in 15th round - 145th overall - of 1945 draft by Pittsburgh Steelers. The NFL ruled the pick to be ineligible and thus voided the selection.)

1948 Bobby Layne 3 QB Chicago Bears (Also selected in 1st round - 2nd overall - of 1948 AAFC draft by Baltimore Colts.)

1948 Y.A. Tittle 6 QB Detroit Lions (Drafted by Lions, but started career with the Baltimore Colts in AAFC. When Colts disbanded after 1950 season, the players were made eligible for draft along with college seniors. Tittle was the No. 1 choice - 3rd overall - of 49ers in 1951.)

1949 Doak Walker 3 HB Boston Yanks (Walker was drafted as a future selection. His negotiation rights traded to Detroit Lions before 1950 season. Also drafted in 9th round - 69th overall - of 1949 AAFC draft by the Cleveland Browns.)

1950 Leo Nomellini 11 DT San Francisco 49ers
1952 Ollie Matson 3 HB Chicago Cardinals
1952 Hugh McElhenny 9 HB San Francisco 49ers
1952 Frank Gifford 11 HB-FL New York Giants
1953 Doug Atkins 11 DE Cleveland Browns
1956 Lenny Moore 9 FL-HB Baltimore Colts
1957 Len Dawson 5 QB Pittsburgh Steelers
1957 Jim Brown 6 FB Cleveland Browns
1957 Jim Parker 8 T-G Baltimore Colts
1960 AFL Ron Mix n/a T Boston Patriots (Traded to Los Angeles Chargers. Also drafted in 1st round of 1960 NFL Draft - 10th overall - by the Baltimore Colts.)

1961 Mike Ditka 5 TE Chicago Bears (Also drafted in 1st round of 1961 AFL draft by the Houston Oilers.)
1961 Jimmy Johnson 6 CB San Francisco 49ers (Also drafted in 4th round of 1961 AFL draft by the Los Angeles Chargers.)
1961 Herb Adderley 12 HB Green Bay Packers (Also drafted in 2nd round of 1961 AFL draft by the New York Titans.)
1961 Bob Lilly 13 DT Dallas Cowboys (Also drafted in 2nd round of 1961 AFL draft by the Dallas Texans.)
1962 Merlin Olsen 3 DT Los Angeles Rams (Also drafted in 1st round - 2nd overall - of 1962 AFL Draft by the Denver Broncos.)

1963 AFL Buck Buchanan 1 DE-T Dallas Texans (Also drafted in 19th round - 265th overall - of 1963 NFL Draft by the New York Giants.)

1964 Bob Brown 2 T Philadelphia Eagles (Also drafted in 1st round - 1st overall - of 1964 AFL Draft by Denver Broncos.)

1964 Charley Taylor 3 HB-SE Washington Redskins (Also drafted in 2nd round - 9th overall - of 1964 AFL Draft by the Houston Oilers.)
1964 Carl Eller 6 DE Minnesota Vikings (Also drafted in 1st round - 5th overall - of 1964 AFL Draft by Buffalo Bills.)

1964 Paul Warfield 11 WR Cleveland Browns(Also drafted in 4th round - 28th overall - of 1964 AFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills.)

1965 Dick Butkus 3 LB Chicago Bears(Also drafted in 2nd round of 1965 AFL Draft by the Denver Broncos.)

1965 Gale Sayers 4 HB Chicago Bears (Also drafted in 1st round of 1965 AFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.)

1965 AFL Joe Namath n/a QB New York Jets (Also selected in 1st round - 12th overall - of 1965 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals.)

1966 Tom Mack 2 G Los Angeles Rams
1967 Bob Griese 4 QB Miami Dolphins
1967 Alan Page 15 DT Minnesota Vikings
1967 Gene Upshaw 17 G Oakland Raiders
1968 Ron Yary 1 T Minnesota Vikings
1968 Larry Csonka 8 FB Miami Dolphins
1969 O.J. Simpson 1 RB Buffalo Bills
1969 Joe Greene 4 DT Pittsburgh Steelers
1970 Terry Bradshaw 1 QB Pittsburgh Steelers
1971 John Riggins 6 RB New York Jets
1971 Jack Youngblood 20 DE Los Angeles Rams
1972 Franco Harris 13 HB Pittsburgh Steelers
1973 John Hannah 4 G New England Patriots
1973 Joe DeLamielleure 26 G Buffalo Bills
1974 Lynn Swann 21 WR Pittsburgh Steelers
1975 Randy White 2 DL-LB Dallas Cowboys
1975 Walter Payton 4 RB Chicago Bears
1976 Lee Roy Selmon 1 DT Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1976 Mike Haynes 5 CB New England Patriots
1977 Tony Dorsett 2 RB Dallas Cowboys
1978 Earl Campbell 1 FB Houston Oilers
1978 James Lofton 6 WR Green Bay Packers
1978 Ozzie Newsome 23 TE Cleveland Browns
1979 Dan Hampton 4 DL Chicago Bears
1979 Kellen Winslow 13 TE San Diego Chargers
1980 Anthony Muñoz 3 T Cincinnati Bengals
1981 Lawrence Taylor 2 LB New York Giants
1981 Ronnie Lott 8 DB San Francisco 49ers
1982 Mike Munchak 8 G Houston Oilers
1982 Marcus Allen 10 RB Oakland Raiders (Team relocated to Los Angeles following the draft.)

1983 John Elway 1 QB Baltimore Colts
1983 Eric Dickerson 2 RB Los Angeles Rams
1983 Jim Kelly 14 QB Buffalo Bills
1983 Dan Marino 27 QB Miami Dolphins
1984 Reggie White 4 DE/DT Philadelphia Eagles
1984 Steve Young 1* QB Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1989 Troy Aikman 1 QB Dallas Cowboys
1989 Barry Sanders 3 RB Detroit Lions

* Special Supplemental Draft



Second Round

Year Player Overall Pos. Team

1936 "Tuffy" Leemans 18 FB-HB New York Giants
1937 Clarence "Ace" Parker 13 QB Brooklyn Dodgers
1950 Ernie Stautner 22 DT Pittsburgh Steelers (Also selected in 1st round of 1949 secret two-round AAFC draft by the San Francisco 49ers.)
1951 Bill George 23 LB Chicago Bears(Drafted as future selection.)
1952 Gino Marchetti 14 DE New York Yanks (Two days after the draft, the Yanks franchise was sold back to the NFL. All assets and players were granted to the new Dallas Texans.)

1953 John Henry Johnson 18 FB Pittsburgh Steelers (Played in the Canadian Football League in 1953. Negotiating rights were traded to San Francisco 49ers before the 1954 season.)

1956 Forrest Gregg 20 T Green Bay Packers
1958 Jim Taylor 15 FB Green Bay Packers
1961 AFL Billy Shaw n/a G Buffalo Bills (Also selected in the 14th round - 184th overall - of 1961 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys.)
1962 AFL Lance Alworth 9 FL Oakland Raiders (Also drafted in 1st round - 8th overall - of 1962 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers.)

1963 John Mackey 19 TE Baltimore Colts (Also drafted in 5th round - 35th overall -of 1963 AFL Draft by the New York Titans.)

1964 Mel Renfro 17 DB Dallas Cowboys (Also drafted in 10th round -79th overall- of 1964 AFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders.)

1964 Paul Krause 18 S Washington Redskins (Also drafted in 12th round -89th overall- of 1964 AFL Draft by the Denver Broncos.)

1965 AFL Fred Biletnikoff n/a WR Oakland Raiders (Also drafted in 3rd round -39th overall- of 1965 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.)

1967 Lem Barney 34 CB Detroit Lions
1967 Willie Lanier 50 LB Kansas City Chiefs
1969 Ted Hendricks 33 LB Baltimore Colts
1971 Jack Ham 34 LB Pittsburgh Steelers
1971 Dan Dierdorf 43 T St. Louis Cardinals
1974 Dave Casper 45 TE Oakland Raiders
1974 Jack Lambert 46 LB Pittsburgh Steelers
1980 Dwight Stephenson 48 C Miami Dolphins
1981 Mike Singletary 38 LB Chicago Bears
1981 Howie Long 48 DE Oakland Raiders


cont'd...

[Angry Pope]

cont'd....

Third Round

Year Player Overall Pos. Team

1938 Frank "Bruiser" Kinard 18 T Brooklyn Dodgers
1948 AAFC Len Ford 14 E Los Angeles Dons
1951 Mike McCormack 34 T New York Yanks
1952 Yale Lary 34 DB Detroit Lions
1953 Bob St. Clair 32 T San Francisco 49ers
1956 Sam Huff 30 LB New York Giants
1957 Tommy McDonald 31 WR Philadelphia Eagles
1958 Ray Nitschke 36 LB Green Bay Packers
1961 Fran Tarkenton 29 QB Minnesota Vikings (Also drafted in 5th round of 1961 AFL Draft by the Boston Patriots.)
1964 Dave Wilcox 29 LB San Francisco 49ers(Also drafted in 6th round -46th overall- of 1964 AFL Draft by Houston Oilers.)

1966 AFL Jan Stenerud n/a K Kansas City Chiefs (AFL "Red Shirt" draft.)
1968 Elvin Bethea 77 DE Houston Oilers
1968 Art Shell 80 T Oakland Raiders
1970 Mel Blount 53 CB Pittsburgh Steelers
1973 Dan Fouts 84 QB San Diego Chargers
1976 Jackie Slater 86 T Los Angeles Rams
1979 Joe Montana 82 QB San Francisco 49ers


Fourth Round

Year Player Overall Pos. Team

1949 Norm Van Brocklin 37 QB Los Angeles Rams (Also drafted in 11th round -78th overall- in 1949 AAFC draft by the Chicago Hornets.)

1957 Sonny Jurgensen 43 QB Philadelphia Eagles
1967 Rayfield Wright 182 T Dallas Cowboys
1969 Charlie Joiner 93 WR Houston Oilers
1974 John Stallworth 82 WR Pittsburgh Steelers
1976 Harry Carson 105 LB New York Giants
1976 Steve Largent 117 WR Houston Oilers



Fifth Round

Year Player Overall Pos. Team
1944 Bob Waterfield 42 QB Cleveland Rams (Drafted as a future selection.)
1945 Pete Pihos 41 E Philadelphia Eagles (Drafted as a future selection.)
1953 Stan Jones 54 G-DT Chicago Bears (Drafted as a future selection.)
1957 Henry Jordan 52 DT Cleveland Browns
1974 Mike Webster 125 C Pittsburgh Steelers


Sixth Round

Year Player Overall Pos. Team

1951 Jack Christiansen 69 DB Detroit Lions


Seventh Round

Year Player Overall Pos. Team

1953 Jim Ringo 79 C Green Bay Packers
1953 Joe Schmidt 85 LB Detroit Lions
1958 Bobby Mitchell 84 HB Cleveland Browns
1960 Larry Wilson 74 DB St. Louis Cardinals (Also drafted in 1960 AFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills.)

1963 AFL Bobby Bell 56 LB Dallas Texans (Also drafted in 2nd round -16th overall- of 1963 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings.)


Eighth Round

Year Player Overall Pos. Team

1936 Wayne Millner 65 E Boston Redskins
1964 Leroy Kelly 110 RB Cleveland Browns


Ninth Round

Year Player Overall Pos. Team

1936 Dan Fortmann 78 G Chicago Bears
1941 Tony Canadeo 77 HB Green Bay Packers
1955 Johnny Unitas 102 QB Pittsburgh Steelers (Cut before start of 1955 and then signed as free agent with Baltimore Colts in 1956.)

1957 Don Maynard 109 WR-HB New York Giants
1967 Ken Houston 214 S Houston Oilers


Tenth Round

Year Player Overall Pos. Team

1963 Jackie Smith 129 TE St. Louis Cardinals
1964 Roger Staubach 129 QB Dallas Cowboys (Drafted as a future selection. Also drafted as a future selection in 16th round -122nd overall- of 1964 AFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.)


Eleventh Round

Year Player Overall Pos. Team

1945 Tom Fears 103 E Cleveland Rams (Drafted as a future selection.)


Twelfth Round

Year Player Overall Pos. Team

1947 Dante Lavelli 103 E Los Angeles Rams
1949 George Blanda 119 QB Chicago Bears (Also drafted in 2nd round - 9th overall- of 1949 AAFC Draft by the Chicago Hornets.)


Thirteenth Round

Year Player Overall Pos. Team

1962 AFL Nick Buoniconti 102 LB Boston Patriots


Fourteenth Round

Year Player Overall Pos. Team

1961 David "Deacon" Jones 186 DE Los Angeles Rams


Fifteenth Round

Year Player Overall Pos. Team


1956 Willie Davis 181 DE Cleveland Browns


Seventeeth Round

Year Player Overall Pos. Team

1945 Arnie Weinmeister 166 E Brooklyn Tigers
1956 Bart Starr 200 QB Green Bay Packers


Nineteeth Round

Year Player Overall Pos. Team

1951 Andy Robustelli 228 DE Los Angeles Rams


Twentieth Round

Year Player Overall Pos. Team

1954 Raymond Berry 232 E Baltimore Colts (Drafted as a future selection.)



Twenty-First Round

Year Player Overall Pos. Team

1958 John Madden 244 T Philadelphia Eagles


Twenty-Seventh Round

Year Player Overall Pos. Team

1953 Roosevelt Brown 321 T New York Giants



Special NFL Selections, 1950

Year Player Pos. Team

1950 Lou Creekmur T Detroit Lions (Selected by the Lions in the second round of a special draft in 1950. Originally drafted in 1948 by the Philadelphia Eagles in 26th round - 243rd overall - and the AAFC's Los Angeles Dons in 28th round - 197th overall. He opted to complete his college eligibility.

1950 Art Donovan DT Baltimore Colts (Selected by Baltimore Colts in 3rd round of special selection draft in 1950. A year later, after Colts disbanded, he was selected by Cleveland Browns in 4th round - 50th overall - but was traded to New York Yanks before the 1951 season began. Also selected in 22nd round - 204th overall- of 1947 NFL Draft by the New York Giants and in the 17th round - 131st overall - in the 1949 AAFC Draft by the Buffalo Bills.)


Special AFL Selections, 1960

Year Player Overall Pos. Team

1960 AFL Jim Otto n/a C Oakland Raiders (Drafted among 33 players selected by the Raiders in the first round of the player pool selection process before the AFL's first season.)


Free Agents

Year Player Pos. Team

1946 Frank Gatski G Cleveland Browns (AAFC)
1946 Lou Groza T-K Cleveland Browns (AAFC)
1946 Marion Motley FB Cleveland Browns (AAFC)
1946 Bill Willis MG Cleveland Browns (AAFC)
1948 Joe Perry FB San Francisco 49ers (AAFC)
1948 Emlen Tunnell DB New York Giants
1952 Dick "Night Train" Lane DB Los Angeles Rams
1960 Willie Wood DB Green Bay Packers
1963 Willie Brown DB Houston Oilers (Cut during training camp by Oilers and then signed by Denver Broncos.)
1967 Larry Little G San Diego Chargers
1970 Jim Langer C Cleveland Browns (Cut by Browns during training camp and then signed by Miami Dolphins.)

1984 Warren Moon QB Houston Oilers

[Angry Pope]

Number seven overall selection in the draft....


2005 1 7 7 Troy Williamson* WR South Carolina

(Vikings acquired pick and 7th-round pick in 2005 draft from Raiders for WR Randy Moss, 03/03/05)

2004 1 7 7 Roy Williams WR Texas
2003 1 7 7 Byron Leftwich QB Marshall
2002 1 7 7 Bryant McKinnie OT Miami (FL)
2001 1 7 7 Andre Carter DE California
2000 1 7 7 Thomas Jones RB Virginia
1999 1 7 7 Champ Bailey DB Georgia
1998 1 7 7 Kyle Turley OT San Diego State
1997 1 7 7 Ike Hilliard WR Florida
1996 1 7 7 Terry Glenn WR Ohio State
1995 1 7 7 Mike Mamula DE Boston College
1994 1 7 7 Bryant Young DT Notre Dame
1993 1 7 7 Curtis Conway WR Southern Cal
1992 1 7 7 Troy Vincent DB Wisconsin
1991 1 7 7 Charles McRae OT Tennessee
1990 1 7 7 Andre Ware QB Houston
1989 1 7 7 Tim Worley RB Georgia
1988 1 7 7 Sterling Sharpe WR South Carolina
1987 1 7 7 Reggie Rogers DE Washington
1986 1 7 7 Brian Jozwiak OT West Virginia
1985 1 7 7 Ken Ruettgers OT Southern Cal
1984 1 7 7 Ricky Hunley LB Arizona
1983 1 7 7 Todd Blackledge QB Penn State
1982 1 7 7 Darrin Nelson RB Stanford
1981 1 7 7 Hugh Green LB Pittsburgh
1980 1 7 7 Junior Miller TE Nebraska
1979 1 7 7 Phil Simms QB Morehead State
1978 1 7 7 Ken MacAfee TE Notre Dame
1977 1 7 7 Joe Campbell DE Maryland
1976 1 7 7 Mike Pruitt RB Purdue
1975 1 7 7 Larry Burton WR Purdue
1974 1 7 7 J.V. Cain TE Colorado
1973 1 7 7 Paul Seymour TE Michigan
1972 1 7 7 Willie Buchanon DB San Diego State
1971 1 7 7 Joe Profit RB NE Louisiana
1970 1 7 7 Mike Reid DT Penn State
1969 1 7 7 Ted Kwalick TE Penn State
1968 1 7 7 Kevin Hardy DE Notre Dame
1967 1 7 7 Mel Farr RB UCLA

[Angry Pope]

How the games will be shown...

Process of game-time decisions will eliminate TV duds, create chaos

Updated 4/5/2006



By Michael Hiestand

The NFL this season will debut what look to be the biggest changes the league has ever made in how it presents itself to TV viewers.

In prime time, Monday games will move to ESPN, Sunday games will migrate to NBC and eight late-season games on Thursday or Saturday will pop up on the league's NFL Network — allowing viewers to see three new production styles. But the fundamental change will come in so-called flexible scheduling, meant to let hot teams play themselves into better TV time slots.

"We're not sure we nailed everything," says Howard Katz, an NFL senior vice president overseeing league media operations and a former president of ABC Sports. "This will evolve. But it's a terribly complicated process, and we hope to avoid unintended consequences."

The details of the flexible-scheduling process, which will be formally announced Wednesday:

•Always on a Sunday. Flex-scheduling applies only to Sunday games and, normally, to games only in the season's last seven weeks. This season it occurs in seven of the last eight weeks. The reason for the anomaly: Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday, and the NFL doesn't play Christmas Eve night games. So NBC — whose Sunday games are at the heart of flexing — gets a Christmas Day game instead, followed by ESPN's regular Monday night game.

•TBD The NFL's regular-season schedule, to be unveiled on the NFL Network on Thursday (2 p.m. ET), will list all Sunday games in flex-scheduling weeks, except those played in the Pacific or Mountain time zones, as having 1 p.m. ET kickoffs. The NFL will have a tentative slate in mind for NBC's games during the flex-scheduling weeks. But those matchups will be listed as to-be-determined, meaning no teams will be publicly humiliated by being dumped from prime time.

•12-day deadline. The fun comes 12 days before flex Sundays, since that's the league's deadline for moving a game to NBC's prime-time slot or to 4 p.m. slots, which generally draw more viewers than the earlier games. (If teams have no hope of moving, the league will let them know earlier.)

That means the NFL this season likely will move start times for two dozen games, including moving some to prime time. That's up from moving just eight start times last year, when none moved to prime time.

•Who gets what. CBS and Fox each get to reserve five games — but no more than one per Sunday — over the seven flex-scheduling weeks. That, like coaches handling timeouts, should produce gamesmanship.

Katz says the NFL still gets to make the selection of NBC's games. The idea will be to dump dud matchups, as well as to give teams that aren't on the NFL's radar now a chance to play themselves into primetime. Katz says last season's Cincinnati Bengals, who did surprisingly well but weren't scheduled in prime time, "are the poster child for flexible scheduling."

But don't expect NBC to get automatic upgrades. Games between two 8-6 teams would probably stay on Sunday nights, says Katz, and even a game between two 4-5 teams might stay in prime time if one team "was on a streak."

•Prime-time limits. Last season teams could play in prime time four times — and no more than three games on any one network. This year three teams could appear in prime time as many as six times.

Teams are still limited to four games total on Sunday or Monday nights but could play a fifth game on the NFL Network. Three teams would be eligible to play a sixth prime-time game, but only if it was on NBC. Says Katz: "We'd never hear the end of it if there was a terrific game out there and we couldn't move it to NBC because one of the teams was out of appearances."

•Six-day scramble. The season's last Sunday could be scheduled six days in advance, says Katz, to give each network a game with playoff implications.

Katz suggests ESPN, paying an average of $1.1 billion annually for Monday night games while NBC pays just $600 million for Sunday, shouldn't feel bad about being left out of flex scheduling. "It might end up with good Monday night games where they're thankful they're not part of the flex pool," Katz says.

And don't assume, says Katz, the NFL Network will get any special favors: "The (game) package will be consistent with what we wanted to do before we knew it would go to the NFL Network."

Ultimately, he says, the league's self-interest is what keeps it from playing favorites with networks: "Our job is to generate the most eyeballs without advantaging or disadvantaging anybody."

[Angry Pope]

More Lamont...

After the horn sounded, and the team converged on the floor, a wild celebration began, one so raucous that former Maryland running back LaMont Jordan, a major financial supporter of the Terps women's team, hugged athletic director Debbie Yow with an intensity that might only have been surpassed if Jordan, a member of the Oakland Raiders, had won the Super Bowl.

[Angry Pope]

Here is the latest power poll...we moved up....take it for what it is worth

Power Rankings: Addition of Daunte vaults Dolphins

Pete Prisco


Updated April 4

By now, if you are an avid reader of this site, you know how much I love quarterbacks. Good ones cure ills, making life a lot easier for a coach. Bad ones end coaching careers.

Miami Dolphins coach Nick Saban is about to find out the good side. The acquisition of Daunte Culpepper makes his Dolphins a Super Bowl contender, which is why they are now in the top five of the CBS SportsLine.com Power Rankings.

In this batch -- the second of 2006 and one that takes into account the free-agency moves -- the Dolphins have made a strong move toward the top, going from No. 8 in our last Power Rankings to the fifth spot.

With Saban as coach, and a team coming off a 9-7 season, the thinking was the Dolphins would push for a playoff spot even if Gus Frerotte was back chucking passes all over the place, but a Super Bowl was too far-fetched.


That changed when they made the deal to acquire Culpepper, a strong-armed pocket passer who is two years removed from a 39-touchdown pass season. They're now as good as any team in their division, the New England Patriots included.

Culpepper comes with baggage. For starters, he had the off-field issues in Minnesota -- the much-publicized Love Boat incident tops among them. If you can get in trouble in Minneapolis, can you imagine what can happen in South Beach?

Culpepper also walked to his own beat in Minnesota, according to Vikings sources. There were the Culpepper Rules, which allowed him perks other players didn't get. That won't happen with Saban, which is why this will work.

Skeptics will also say Culpepper is a player who put up big numbers because of Randy Moss. Once Moss left last year, Culpepper struggled before tearing three ligaments in his right knee, throwing six touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He certainly didn't look like the player who put up MVP-type numbers the year before the injury.

Then there are questions as to when he can play. He has said he plans to be ready for the open of the season, but there are some who doubt that. Culpepper did some straight-line running last week, but Saban said last week at the NFL meetings that he wasn't sure if Culpepper would be ready for the opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 7.

The Dolphins must be somewhat concerned since they are talking with the Lions about a potential trade for Joey Harrington.

The fact that Saban willed the Dolphins to nine wins last year says a lot about him. There weren't many, if any, who thought that young team with Frerotte playing quarterback could finish over .500.

Coach-quarterback combinations usually win in this league.

The Pittsburgh Steelers used a Bill Cowher-Ben Roethlisberger ticket to win it last year. Before that, it was the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady duo. Saban-Culpepper can be that special.

Running back Ronnie Brown is a year older, and he will be better. The line has added a quality left tackle in L.J. Shelton and a good fullback in Fred Beasley to help him run. The defense has a nice mix of young talent and good veterans.

With the Steelers the opponent on the road for the first game, it won't take long to see if the Dolphins really are ready to take the next step.

The Steelers stay in the top spot of these rankings. They lost receiver Antwaan Randle El (Washington) and safety Chris Hope (Tennessee) in free agency. But those losses are by no means crippling.

The Steelers made a nice signing in Ryan Clark to replace Hope and Randle El only caught 35 passes last year, so the Steelers are confident they can replace him.

Carolina moves up into the fourth spot from the seventh spot based on their free-agency moves, including getting receiver Keyshawn Johnson. The Panthers are the highest-rated NFC team, with the defending NFC-champion Seattle Seahawks next in the eighth spot.

Dallas cracks the top 10 after signing receiver Terrell Owens and kicker Mike Vanderjagt and upgrading the offensive line. Dallas moves from No. 17 to the 10th spot.

The Cowboys are one behind the Giants in the rankings, one ahead of the Eagles in the 11th spot and three ahead of the Redskins in the 14th spot. There is no doubt the NFC East is going to be brutal, which might make it tough for any of those teams to get to a Super Bowl.

Three of the four teams have veteran quarterbacks in Mark Brunell (Redskins), Drew Bledsoe (Cowboys) and Donovan McNabb (Eagles). Only the Giants Eli Manning, now in his third year, is a younger quarterback, and the Giants expect a breakout year from him.

The teams who were at the bottom in our first rankings pretty much stayed there.

San Francisco stays at the bottom, and the Jets fall to 31st, a drop of four spots. They have issues, particularly at the quarterback spot. With Chad Pennington's shoulder still questionable, they will use their top pick in the April draft on a quarterback, which will help down the road, but will take time. So for now, with Pennington the likely starter, the thinking is they are a bottom feeder.

What they need is a quality quarterback who can cure their ills.

POWER RANKINGS

Current Team Previous

1 Pittsburgh Steelers 1

They are still the class of the league. Ben Roethlisberger will continue to get better, which is why they might be even better next season

2 Indianapolis Colts 2
How do they fill Edgerrin James' shoes? They take a young back early in the draft, plug him into the offense, and move on. It won't be as big a loss as one might think. This is a pass-first team.

3 New England Patriots 3

They're up in arms in New England because the Patriots haven't spent any money and they have so much cap room. Guess what? The Patriots are being smart as hell again. Don't worry about this group, they'll be just fine.

4 Carolina Panthers 7

They had as good an offseason as any team. Adding Johnson and defensive tackle Maake Kemoeatu were great moves. They don't have a lot of holes, and the ones they have are not prime positions.

5 Miami Dolphins 8

Even with Culpepper, this team needs to get better line play. If they do, watch out. Ronnie Brown could be ready for a 1,500-yard season.

6 Jacksonville Jaguars 5

They entered the offseason worried about their offense, but did little other than sign two former first-round offensive tackles who have struggled for most of their career. They must be assuming a lot of growth by some young offensive players.

7 Denver Broncos 4

They did a good job re-signing their own in Matt Lepsis and Gerard Warren, but they lost some good ones in Trevor Pryce and Mike Anderson. There hasn't been a lot added, either. But this remains a quality team.

cont'd...

[Angry Pope]

cont'd...

8 Seattle Seahawks 6

Losing Steve Hutchinson at guard will hurt, but they did the right thing not matching the offer sheet. Julian Peterson will help the defense, but have they really improved?

9 New York Giants 9

Their success will hinge on how much Eli Manning grows. The feeling here is that he improves a bunch. This team also has to play better against the pass, which means a lot of pressure on free-agent corner Sam Madison.

10 Dallas Cowboys 17

This will likely be Bill Parcells' last year, and this team is ready to make a strong Super push. They've had a nice offseason. T.O. is a great addition.

11 Philadelphia Eagles 10

With Donovan McNabb back, they are a strong contender. But somebody has to emerge outside as a weapon, and I don't think that's Jabar Gaffney.

12 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 11

They were a playoff team a year ago with bad offensive line play. If that improves, it will help Chris Simms a bunch. Then who knows? But the line is a big issue now.

13 Chicago Bears 13

Somebody, whether it's Brian Griese, Rex Grossman or Kyle Orton (not likely), has to step up and become a factor at the quarterback position. They have to throw it better.

14 Washington Redskins 16

They spent and spent and spent some more. What else is new? So what did they get? A receiver (Randle-El) who had 35 catches last year, a tight end (Christian Fauria) who won't scare people down the field, a safety (Adam Archuleta) who is a liability in coverage, another receiver (Brandon Lloyd) from a team in need of them yet was willing to trade him and a defensive end (Andre Carter) who has yet to live up to the hype.

15 Cincinnati Bengals 12

If Carson Palmer can make it back in September, they will be higher. If not, they could be lower. That's how important he is to this team.

15 Kansas City Chiefs 15

New coach Herman Edwards has Larry Johnson to build around on offense, but it's the defense that will decide how far this team goes. At some point, don't they have to move closer to the level of play of the offense?

16 San Diego Chargers 14

I like the idea of Philip Rivers starting. But it might take one year to get him acclimated to being a starter. Then they'll take off next season.

18 Minnesota Vikings 18

The Vikings say they are happy to be rid of Culpepper. We'll see. Can they really count on Brad Johnson to lead them to the playoffs? Didn't he once wear a leather helmet?

19 St. Louis Rams 19

They feel they've improved the defense with Corey Chavous, La'Roi Glover and Fakhir Brown coming on board. It has to play better than it did last year. We know Scott Linehan will have the offense cranked up.

20 Baltimore Ravens 20

For now, it looks like Kyle Boller is still the man at quarterback. He showed better at the end of 2005, but that's risky for Brian Billick, who is on shaky ground.

21 Arizona Cardinals 21

James has to liven up the running game, which was last in the league. But it all depends on how well the offensive line improves. They have to be more dominant. This team has talent to move up.

22 Atlanta Falcons 22

The addition of John Abraham helps the defense. But this team's fate will be decided by the growth of Michael Vick. He has to throw it better.

23 Tennessee Titans 26

They've added some nice players to this young group. If Steve McNair can be effective for another year, they have a chance to get to .500 or maybe better.

24 Green Bay Packers 24

They're waiting to hear from Brett Favre. If he plays, they could go higher. If he doesn't, they fall. Will you please make a decision, Brett?

25 New Orleans Saints 31

The issue here is how Drew Brees' shoulder responds. If it does well, this team will take a step forward. If it doesn't, it will be a long season.

26 Oakland Raiders 30

New coach Art Shell is hoping to bring back the Raider mystique. Getting Aaron Brooks is risky, but it's certainly worth a look. He might flourish outside of New Orleans.

27 Cleveland Browns 27

They spent a lot of money in free agency, and some of the moves (LeCharles Bentley) were really good ones. But all they can really hope for is a .500 season. The 2007 season is when they will make a move.

28 Buffalo Bills 23

Do they really think Craig Nall is the future of this franchise? They must see things others don't. New coach Dick Jauron has to hope there's something special there that we don't see.

29 Detroit Lions 29

Rod Marinelli inherits a team with talent. Adding veteran quarterbacks Jon Kitna and Luke McCown will be an upgrade from Joey Harrington. But how much an upgrade is to be determined.

30 Houston Texans 25

With the first pick, they will add a heck of a player in Reggie Bush. But there are still a lot of holes and there is some uncertainty about David Carr, although the talent is there.

31 New York Jets 28

This is a team that might have to go back a few steps before being competitive again. Eric Mangini has his hands full.

32 San Francisco 49ers 32

This is a work in progress. With a second-year quarterback and coach, it's going to be tough going again. At least they play hard under Mike Nolan.

[Angry Pope]

It appears that the Chiefs will get their Super Bowl....the measure passed...

Kansas City voters OK stadium renovations

DOUG TUCKER
Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Voters on Tuesday split on a pair of measures to pay for upgrades to Kansas City's sports stadiums, approving a sales tax for renovations but rejecting a plan for a rolling roof to make both facilities climate-controlled.

The measures in Jackson County were designed to raise more than $500 million to renovate Kauffman Stadium, where baseball's Kansas City Royals play, and Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.

Voters supporting the tax increases feared the teams might leave without the improvements. Opponents decried giving aid to millionaire team owners.

A three-eighth-cent sales tax will raise $425 million over 25 years to renovate the stadiums and add such amenities as a pavilion behind the baseball stadium. A separate user tax would have generated about $200 million for the rolling roof.

The sales tax passed with 53 percent of the vote, while the roof plan failed with about 48 percent.

The teams' owners have pledged, together, more than $125 million toward the renovations. But arguments have raged for weeks over whether the Royals' David Glass and the Chiefs' Lamar Hunt were putting up enough of their own money.

During the run-up to the vote, the owners did not threaten to leave town if the measures failed, but they refused to promise they would stay.

"I voted against," said Joyce Merrill of Kansas City. "I think athletics makes higher profits than almost any other industry. We don't subsidize anybody else to help them build facilities to help them make more money."

A no vote would mean the Jackson County Sports Authority, the body that governs operations of the stadiums, would be in violation of a requirement in its lease that it maintain the facilities in "state of the art" condition. After Jan. 1, 2007, the Royals and Chiefs would both be free to leave.

Supporters of the tax increases pointed to other cities that have lost franchises beloved by their communities - Cleveland's Browns and Baltimore's Colts, for example - over largely the same issue, inadequate stadiums.

The NFL pledged to award Kansas City a Super Bowl in 2015 if the measures passed, and Major League Baseball said it would give the city an All-Star Game sometime after 2010.

[Angry Pope]

Al is on the committee to select the new comissioner...

Rooney, Richardson head NFL commissioner search committee


New York — Owners Dan Rooney of Pittsburgh and Jerry Richardson of Carolina were appointed Wednesday to head the eight-member committee that will search for the successor to commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

The group was put together by Tagliabue to ensure that it includes diverse views among the owners. Rooney and Richardson are two of the owners Tagliabue trusts most. Others on the committee include Dallas' Jerry Jones and Oakland's Al Davis, both of whom have often clashed with the commissioner.

Robert Kraft of New England, Lamar Hunt of Kansas City, Mike McCaskey of Chicago and Woody Johnson of the New York Jets round out the group.

Tagliabue, who two weeks ago announced his intention to retire, reiterated last week that he thinks a successor can be in place by July. But he has said he would stay on as long as he has to. In any event, he will remain through 2008 as a consultant.

The committee's makeup is designed to avoid the kind of deadlock that occurred in 1989, when the original search committee was composed entirely of "old-guard" owners, including Rooney and Hunt. They recommended Jim Finks, then the New Orleans general manager, but were blocked by a group that included Jones, who had just purchased the Cowboys.

That led to a long deadlock that finally ended in Tagliabue's election when several owners, including Rooney, switched to Tagliabue. They subsequently became among his staunchest supporters while Jones and others often clashed with him.

This committee represents a broader spectrum than the last one, including insiders (Rooney, Richardson, Kraft and Hunt) and outsiders (Davis and Jones).

It also includes different perspectives on the revenue-sharing debate that delayed approval of the extension to the labour contract, finally approved at the last possible minute last month.

Jones and Kraft, for example, were leaders of the high-revenue faction opposing revenue sharing; Richardson and Rooney were in the middle and the Jets and Chiefs in the bottom third although both could move up with a new stadium (New York) and improvements to the current one (Kansas City) now in the works.

Tagliabue said last week that the first task of the committee would be to hire a search firm that would interview all 32 owners to identify what they want in a new commissioner.

[Angry Pope]

Our draft needs according to ESPN....take it for what it is worth....


Oakland Raiders

Offensive guard: Ron Stone turns 35 this year and has clearly lost a step with age, so it came as no surprise when Oakland made him a cap casualty. Brad Badger is a technician who doesn't make a lot of mental mistakes but he isn't explosive and the 31-year old is coming off a disappointing season. The situation here is further complicated by Langston Walker's season-ending abdomen injury. Walker is expected to start on the left side, but now there are obvious concerns about his ability to bounce back from the injury and stay healthy. The Raiders need a guard who can take over as the starter opposite Walker and they need to improve depth. They will likely add two guards to the roster.


Defensive tackle: While Warren Sapp's sack production actually doubled last year, he isn't the disruptive force he was earlier in his career and doesn't always play with great discipline. It's also unclear who will line up opposite him. Oakland made Ted Washington a cap casualty and he has since signed with Cleveland. Tommy Kelly has the burst to develop into a productive situational pass rusher and Terdell Sands is tough against the run, but neither is an every-down player. The Raiders had one of the worst run defenses in the league and have lost the massive Washington to free agency. Keeping that in mind, they need a defensive tackle who can split double teams when defending the run and collapse the pocket when rushing the passer.


Outside linebacker: Kirk Morrison, who is coming off a strong rookie season, appears to have a bright future on the weak side, but there are questions surrounding the strong side. Tyler Brayton and Grant Irons, who is a restricted free agent, have struggled at linebacker so they are expected to move back to defensive end. There is a lot to like about Sam Williams' blend of speed, strength and athletic ability. Only problem is he missed all of last year because of a knee injury. His ability to bounce back and stay healthy remains to be seen. Oakland needs to add a linebacker who can push for playing time opposite Morrison as a result.


Strong safety: Derrick Gibson is a former first-round pick who has never lived up to expectations and has sustained season-ending injuries in each of the past two seasons. Jarrod Cooper, an unrestricted free agent, is an effective situational run stuffer who provides good depth, but he lacks the cover skills of an every-down player. The Raiders need a safety who is big enough to line up in the box and has the cover skills to stay with the tight end. That would allow them to either move Gibson into a reserve role, where he is a much better fit or cut him.


Running back: LaMont Jordan did a good job of catching the ball last year, but don't be fooled by his rushing production. While he ran for just over 1,000 yards, he averaged fewer than four yards per carry and appeared hesitant at times. He also missed two games with a toe injury. Explosive backup Justin Fargas hasn't been able to stay healthy and his injuries have likely played big roles in the fact he hasn't developed as expected. Oakland needs a back who can replace Fargas as the backup and step in should Jordan struggle or miss substantial time with an injury.


Other possibilities: Defensive end and corner.

[Rupert]

My take on their take on our draft needs:

Offensive guard: With Barry Sims essentially out of a starting spot but getting starter money, look for him to get worked in at guard, where he's explosive enough and more than mobile enough to be effective. He might not carry the bricks in his pockets that a Raider-style guard should, but he's tough and determined and should prove good enough to earn a starting role. Because Badger is a technician, he's ideally suited to back up everywhere but center, and he'll retake that role. Walker is the wild card. He should be the first choice to start at right tackle, but an eye-opening performance by Slaughter against Michael Strahan gives him a legitimate shot at starting even if Walker is healthy. If Walker is healthy, he might get the not at one of the guard spots, thereby completing the starting unit. However, that would not leave a legitimate starting quality (other than Badger in an emergency emergency) guard or tackle in the development pipeline. I would expect a guard and a tackle to be added, but with Walker possibly able to play tackle it could be two guards. But however it's done, only one added is likely to be starting caliber.

Defensive tackle: Terdell Sands could be a poor-man's Ted Washington. His main problem is endurance, and that means he'll need someone to spell him off the bench. Tommy Kelly could definitely be an every down player in Sapp's position, but he's going to wear down if he has to take on double-teams. Antajj Hawthorne has the ability to develop into something, just what isn't certain. At this point, he can't be counted on for anything other than a backup role. So with Sapp and Kelly manning the same position, and Hawthorne questionable at anything other than penetrating, we'll definitely need someone to spell Sands to take on the double-teams.

Outside linebacker: With an off-season geared toward the Will position, Morrison might just sew that spot up. Unfortunately, there is no-one behind him on the roster who could take over if he's winded or injured. Sam Williams could be a very good Sam backer if he could stay on the field. He hasn't demonstrated that ability yet, and even if he does, there's only Ryan Riddle behind him on the roster, and he hasn't played more than a couple downs yet. Riddle might be the guy to push for time opposite Morrison, and Williams could be the backup on both sides to keep him healthy for 16 games. But I'd still want at least one legit backup at either position, or better yet, a starter, since I wouldn't bank on Riddle or Williams starting.

Strong safety: Gibson can man cover, but he's to hesitant in zones, he can read the run okay, but he tackles high and isn't consistent at anything other than man coverage, where he's above average for a safety. He's an athlete who's gotten by on his athletecism. Cooper is a good run stuffer, he hits hard and wraps up fairly well, but he's average in zone coverage, and not agile enough in man coverage to warrant him being out there in obvious passing situations. Cooper is a traditional strong safety, but in today's game you need more. Gibson looks and acts like a modern safety every day but Sunday, and that's the only time to really judge him. We could get by with Cooper for another couple years if we get improved play from Stu at free safety, more consistent pressure from the front four, and a complete linebacking corps. And if we get that this year or next, upgrading strong safety would become #1 on defense, so if we can't get the others, there's no reason not to try to improve strong safety this season.

Running back: Maybe Zack Crockett could back up Jordan for another year or two, but he brings nothing new to the table. Fargas might be okay as a change of pace guy, and without all the carries could stay healthy for an entire season. But I wouldn't want to have to rely on these two guys if Jordan went down. A young, legitimate backup would be much appreciated.

Other possibilities: There is no replacement for Burgess, but who has a legitimate replacement for a Pro-Bowl, league leading sack artist? A credible backup would be nice though, since I wouldn't want to revert to a pocket collapsing team that relies on it's coverage with our current holes at SS and SLB.

We're pretty set at starting corner, and I'd accept who we've got on the bench in a pinch, but the truth is we do need young bench guys who're pushing for playing time. Carr might be one of those guys. So there's no need to panic on draft day.

Tight end is a possibility. As much as I like the large and relatively quick Courtney Anderson, Foschi and Flemister are not real pass-catching threats, though they are nice blockers. Williams is a nice route runner and pass catcher with excellent quicks, but no-one will pay any attention to him as a blocker. An upgrade here wouldn't be unwelcomed, and I'd take one before I'd take another corner.

Wide receiver would be a consideration if I really really wanted a route runner with some quicks. Ronald Curry was very promising before injuring his achilles for the second time. And even if he comes back 95%, I'd want a legit backup for him, and there is not one on the roster. Losing him again would mean more rounded routes by the big guys. And even though Moss would be improved with a healthy hammy, and Morant does a nice impression of good cuts, they're not the kind of route runners to get separation out of their breaks.

Fullback would be a really nice addition because there isn't a true blocking back on the roster. Crockett? Give me a break. Even though he's vastly improved from when he took over the duties, he's obviously a runner who adapted his game. And who's his backup. I think Foschi did a nice job in short yardage situations, and I could be convinced to accept him if all he was doing was blocking or releasing on short routes, but we need a better all around guy, and I'd draft one of these before TE or CB.

[CrossBones]

Nice take Rupert...looks like you're jonsin' for some football!

[Angry Pope]

Nice job, Rupert.

[Angry Pope]

Here is an article on one of our new coaches...also mentions Art's comments about our season and the new coaches optimism...

Former Kofa QB gets defensive with NFL's Raiders

BY JOE GENZEL, Sun Staff Writer
Apr 6, 2006

George Martinez has gone from NFL assistant to high school coach and back again.

Martinez, who played quarterback for Kofa from 1965-68, will return to the NFL this season as the Oakland Raiders' defensive quality control and outside linebackers coach.

"Some people never get (to the NFL) at all, and this is my second go at it," Martinez said. "I never had any doubt that it would happen again."

In 1994, Martinez made his first appearance at the professional level, working as a defensive quality control and special teams coach on Buddy Ryan's Arizona Cardinals staff. He spent two years with the Cardinals before Ryan was fired in 1995 after compiling a 12-20 record.

After his stint in the NFL, Martinez, who will enter his 30th year as a coach this season, became the head coach at Avondale-Westview. He worked as a moderator for high school students surviving in-school suspensions, and took a second job providing security for a local golf course.

"You take a hell of a pay cut when you go from the NFL to high school," Martinez said. "I'd get to school about 7 a.m., we'd practice till 6 p.m. and then I'd go to the (golf course) from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. I'd get a couple hours of sleep and then do it all over again."

Martinez resigned from Westview three years ago and is in the process of writing a book entitled "Quarterback Keep: Keeping the Faith."

The book deals with being a young coach and making your way up the ranks to the NFL the way Martinez did after his college playing career ended at Northwestern Oklahoma State, and failed attempts to reach the pro level in 1973 after tryouts with the CFL's Winnipeg Bluebombers and the Washington Redskins.

"The reason I'm writing the book is: No. 1, believe in your dreams," Martinez said. "In 1973 someone told me, 'Martinez, you're never going to make it.' But my philosophy has always been, 'They have to hire somebody, why can't it be me?' ”

Martinez landed a job with the Raiders through his connection with Ryan's son Rob, who is Oakland's new offensive coordinator after head coach Norv Turner was fired and former Raiders coach and Hall of Famer Art Shell was brought in.

Rob's twin brother Rex, who is on the Baltimore Ravens staff, worked under Martinez at New Mexico-Highlands.

All three worked together from 1994-95 with the Cardinals.

"I grew up liking the Rams in Los Angeles and the Raiders in Oakland, so this is neat to have this opportunity," Martinez said. "If I didn't have those two years with the Cardinals I probably wouldn't have got on board here."

The Raiders haven't made the playoffs since 2001, and have had three straight losing seasons — the last two of which they finished at the bottom of the AFC West.

Shell, the NFL's first African-American head coach, led the Raiders to the postseason three times in his first stint as coach, including a trip to the AFC Championship in his first season. Martinez thinks that it's entirely possible the Raiders can quickly return to the playoffs under Shell.

"You find out that successful people have the same qualities," Martinez said. "They just suck it up and make it work.

"Art told us from day one he's going to bring back the Raider magic."

[Angry Pope]

Here is a draft trade that is interesting...

In 1987, the Patriots and Raiders made a multi-pick trade on draft day in which New England moved down to get the Raiders' fourth-round pick. The Patriots used that pick to draft Gannon ... who eventually made his way to the Raiders and led them to Super Bowl XXXVII. (The Raiders, by the way, used the third-round pick they got from New England that year to select Penn State running back Steve Smith.)

[Angry Pope]

Here are the Super Bowl host teams (the team whose stadium is used for the Super Bowl) and what that team did that year....

SB Stadium, City Home Team Home Team Results

I Memorial Coliseum, LA Rams No playoffs

II Orange Bowl, Miami Dolphins No playoffs

III Orange Bowl, Miami Dolphins No playoffs

IV Tulane Stadium, New Orleans Saints No playoffs

V Orange Bowl, Miami Dolphins Lost in Divisional round

VI Tulane Stadium, New Orleans Saints No playoffs

VII Memorial Coliseum, LA Rams No playoffs

VIII Rice Stadium, Houston None N/A

IX Tulane Stadium, New Orleans Saints No playoffs

X Orange Bowl, Miami Dolphins No playoffs

XI Rose Bowl, Pasadena None N/A

XII Superdome, New Orleans Saints No playoffs

XIII Orange Bowl, Miami Dolphins Lost in Wild Card round

XIV Rose Bowl, Pasadena None N/A

XV Superdome, New Orleans Saints No playoffs

XVI Silverdome, Pontiac Lions No playoffs

XVII Rose Bowl, Pasadena None N/A

XVIII Tampa Stadium, Tampa Buccaneers No playoffs

XIX Stanford Stadium, Stanford None N/A

XX Superdome, New Orleans Saints No playoffs

XXI Rose Bowl, Pasadena None N/A

XXII Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego Chargers No playoffs

XXIII Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami Dolphins No playoffs

XXIV Superdome, New Orleans Saints No playoffs

XXV Tampa Stadium, Tampa Buccaneers No playoffs

XXVI Metrodome, Minneapolis Vikings No playoffs

XXVII Rose Bowl, Pasadena None N/A

XXVIII Georgia Dome, Atlanta Falcons No playoffs

XXIX Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami Dolphins Lost in Divisional round

XXX Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe Cardinals No playoffs

XXXI Superdome, New Orleans Saints No playoffs

XXXII Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego Chargers No playoffs

XXXIII Pro Player Stadium, Miami Dolphins Lost in Divisional round

XXXIV Georgia Dome, Atlanta Falcons No playoffs

XXXV Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Buccaneers Lost in Wild Card round

XXXVI Superdome, New Orleans Saints No playoffs

XXXVII Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego Chargers No playoffs

XXXVIII Reliant Stadium, Houston Texans No playoffs

XXXIX ALLTEL Stadium, Jacksonville Jaguars No playoffs

XL Ford Field, Detroit Lions No playoffs

[Angry Pope]

In 1983 we acquired Michael Haynes by trading a first round draft pick in 1984 and a second round draft pick in 1985.

[Angry Pope]

Here is how we acquired Wisniewski....

We had the first pick in the second round, we wanted DJ, but we didn't want to take him that high," Johnson recalled. "I called Al Davis, and, of course, me being a rookie coach, it had everyone concerned about dealing with Al. The way it worked out, we took Al's pick (guard Steve Wisniewski), then about 10 minutes later traded him for Al's second and third rounders. Then we took DJ with the second.

[CrossBones]

In 1983 we acquired Michael Haynes by trading a first round draft pick in 1984 and a second round draft pick in 1985.And worth every penny! :D

[Rupert]

Jonesin' like a mofo.

[Angry Pope]

And worth every penny! :D


Yes he was.....

[Angry Pope]

Another honor for Ted....

Hendricks Receives Honor

April 5, 2006


Raider Legend Ted Hendricks was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame (BASHOF) during BASHOF's 27th Annual Enshrinement Banquet in San Francisco Tuesday night. Mark Davis of The Oakland Raiders served as Hendricks' presenter.

Hendricks played for the Raiders for nine seasons and saw action in 131 consecutive league games with the Silver and Black. He was a member of all three Raider teams that won the World Championship of Professional Football - following victories in Super Bowls XI, XV, XVIII. Hendricks joined the Raiders as free agent in 1975 and was inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1990.

The Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame, a section 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was conceived by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce in 1979. Annual contributions are made to aid in the development of Bay Area youth through The Youth Fund. Support is received from the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, its "Partners in Youth & Sport", its volunteer committee and sponsoring Bay Area businesses, foundations and individuals.

Other Raider Legends in the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame include Fred Biletnikoff, George Blanda, Willie Brown, Ronnie Lott, John Madden, Jim Otto, Jim Plunkett, Art Shell, Ken Stabler and Gene Upshaw.

[Angry Pope]

Here is some information on Hostetler's son...

Hostetler's son to walk on at West Virginia

April 6, 2006

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) -- The son of former NFL Pro Bowl quarterback Jeff Hostetler has accepted an invitation to walk on at his father's alma mater, West Virginia.

Like his dad, Justin Hostetler is a quarterback, but he also excelled at safety at nearby University High, and that's where he could help the Mountaineers, WVU coach Rich Rodriguez said Wednesday.


"When you play quarterback, people don't pay that much attention to what else you can do," said University coach John Kelley. "The bottom line on Justin is he's got very good speed and he was one of the most physical players we had and he's a good coverage guy."

Hostetler had five interceptions last fall as University advanced to the Class AAA semifinals. He also threw for more than 1,800 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Jeff Hostetler, who is married to former WVU coach Don Nehlen's daughter, Vicky, was the starting quarterback for the Mountaineers in the 1982 and 1983 seasons. He spent 15 years in the NFL, including a Super Bowl victory with the New York Giants in the 1990 season.

Another high school player from Morgantown also accepted an invitation to walk on at WVU. Fullback Maxwell Anderson helped Morgantown High win Class AAA championships in 2004 and 2005. He rushed for 1,193 yards and 18 touchdowns last fall.

In the past few years, walk-ons such as Ben Collins, Owen Schmitt, Scott Gyorko and Jeff Noechel have earned starting positions for West Virginia.

[Angry Pope]

David Klingler gets a new gig....

Updated: April 6, 2006

Klingler to sling color commentary for Houston

Associated Press


HOUSTON -- Former Houston quarterback David Klingler will be a color analyst on Cougars' games this season, the school announced.

He will join Tom Franklin in the booth and replace Tony Fitzpatrick, who became an assistant coach on the Cougars' staff.

Klingler set NCAA single-season records in 1990 for passing yards (5,140), total offense (5,221) and passing touchdowns (54). He had an NCAA-record 11 touchdown passes against Eastern Washington on Nov. 17.

Klingler finished his career with 9,430 passing yards and 91 touchdown passes, both school records. Klingler was a first-round draft pick in 1992 by the Cincinnati Bengals and played in six NFL seasons for the Bengals and Oakland Raiders.

[Rupert]

Hopefully he does that better than he slung the rock.

[Angry Pope]

Bill King nominated for Radio Hall Of Fame...

National Radio Hall of Fame Announces 2006 Nominees

Thursday April 6, 3:35 pm ET


CHICAGO, April 6 -- A highly competitive field of nominees was announced today for induction into America's only National Radio Hall of Fame in Chicago.
"Our 2006 list of National Radio Hall of Fame nominees includes immensely talented personalities who have entertained and informed radio audiences from Boston to the Bay Area, as disc jockeys, talk show hosts, newscasters and play-by-play announcers," said NRHOF President Bruce DuMont.

Winners in each of the following categories will be inducted during a national radio broadcast from Chicago's Renaissance Hotel on Saturday, November 4. Premiere Radio Networks will produce and distribute the one-hour broadcast at 10:00 PM (ET).


The 2006 nominees for induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame are:

NETWORK OR SYNDICATED - ACTIVE

-- Bob Brinker, host of Money Talk, ABC Radio's long running financial
advice program.
-- Christopher Glenn, retired anchor of The CBS World News Roundup.
-- Clark Howard, host of a daily consumer service program from Cox Radio
Syndication and Jones Radio Networks.
-- Marian McPartland, host of Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz for more
than 25 years on National Public Radio.

NETWORK OR SYNDICATED - PIONEER

-- Jimmy Durante, (deceased) legendary vaudevillian turned 1940s radio
comedian and singer known for his mangled English and raspy voice.
-- Douglas Edwards, (deceased) veteran CBS newsman from 1942 to 1988, who
was a war-time correspondent on The World Today and anchored The World
Tonight on CBS Radio for 22 years.
-- Phil Harris & Alice Faye, (deceased) the husband and wife comedy team
that portrayed a zany egotistical bandleader and his film star wife.
-- Graham McNamee, (deceased) the defining voice of sports in America on
NBC Radio during the 1920s and '30s, who called a record 12 straight
World Series.

LOCAL OR REGIONAL - ACTIVE

-- Jerry Coleman, the former New York Yankee infielder and the long-time
voice of the San Diego Padres on XPRS/San Diego.
-- Steve Dahl, the revolutionary talent from WCKG/Chicago, who brought
his brand of shock and awe to radio decades ago and redefined the
medium for his generation.
-- Luther Massingale, as morning man on WDEF/Chattanooga, TN for 65
years, he has provided the Tennessee Valley with a mix of music and
the latest in local information.
-- Scott Shannon, the talented on-air personality and program director of
WPLJ/New York, who helped create and define the "Morning Zoo" format.

LOCAL OR REGIONAL - PIONEER

-- Jess Cain, morning talk show host for over 33 years on WHDH/Boston.
-- Ron Chapman, legendary Texas personality from KLUV/Dallas.
-- Bill King, (deceased) the long-time voice of sports in the Bay Area,
King was the only 1980s announcer to do play-by-play for the Oakland
A's, the Golden State Warriors and the Oakland Raiders in the same
seasons.
-- William B. Williams, (deceased) a veteran disc jockey and radio
raconteur at WNEW/New York, whose knowledge of music and personal
anecdotes about artists set a standard of excellence for a generation.

Ballots will be mailed in May to radio executives, broadcast historians and all NRHOF members. Anyone wishing to vote can join the National Radio Hall of Fame online ($15) at http://www.radiohof.org .

The voting deadline is August 1. Ballots will be tabulated by the accounting firm of RSM McGladrey of Chicago.

Promotional support for the National Radio Hall of Fame is provided by American Airlines and The Renaissance Chicago Hotel.

America's only National Radio Hall of Fame, now undergoing major renovation in downtown Chicago, is scheduled to re-open in early 2007.

To learn about and hear past inductees into the National Radio Hall of Fame, please go to http://www.radiohof.org .

[CrossBones]

Bill King...

The greatest BASKETBALL play-by-play guy I have ever heard. Kevin Colabro of the Sonics is the current #1 IMO --- and he is really good. In fact Colabro will be moving into the National spotlight next seaon. I'm fuzzy on the details but yeah it's happening to some extent. Back to King, Bill was amazing coining many phrases still used by play-by-play announcers even today.

As a football guy King did a terrific job. Always fair, enthusiastic, and passionate. I believe he loved the Raiders and I'm still not sure what happened.

Did you know, however that BASEBALL was Bill King's ultimate passion? I never knew that until much later (after he left the Raiders) when he started announcing for the Oakland A's.

I miss Bill King a lot. He was one of a kind.

[Angry Pope]

Here is the 2000 draft...five years later....take it for what it is worth....

2000 NFL Draft, Six Years Later

4/7/2006

Michael David Smith

If NFL teams could do the 2000 draft all over again, several first-round picks would switch places with their sixth-round counterparts. Among the sixth-round picks who have far exceeded expectations are Tom Brady, Marc Bulger, and Mike Anderson, and among the high first-round picks who now look more like sixth-rounders are Courtney Brown, Peter Warrick and Ron Dayne.

Players selected in the 2000 draft have now completed their rookie contracts, so it seems like a good time to analyze that year’s draft at each position, examining who the conventional wisdom before the draft held as the best player, the first player selected, who turned out to be the best player, the biggest bust, and the best value. (Note: For fans who enjoy revisiting past drafts, the best site on the Web is drafthistory.com.)

Quarterback

Conventional wisdom: Scouts agreed that it was a weak year for quarterbacks, with Marshall’s Chad Pennington considered the best of the bunch, Hofstra’s Giovanni Carmazzi considered the unheralded player with the big upside, and Louisville’s Chris Redman or Tennessee’s Tee Martin considered the players most likely to be able to start immediately. Scouts thought there might also be a couple of practice squad scrubs like Michigan’s Tom Brady and West Virginia’s Marc Bulger worth picking up toward the end of the second day.

Highest pick: Pennington, 18th overall to the Jets.

Best player: Brady, the sixth-round afterthought the Patriots picked up with pick No. 199 (16 spots after the Browns selected Southwest Texas State quarterback Spergon Wynn). The late Joel Buchsbaum, previewing the draft for Pro Football Weekly, wrote, “Brady really came on as a senior and threw the ball extremely well. … Brady is tall, smart, dedicated, coachable and a good decision-maker.” Still, neither Buchsbaum nor anyone else expected Brady to become a dependable starter, let alone a superstar.

Biggest bust: Carmazzi, whom the 49ers made the second quarterback taken (No. 65 overall). He never played in a regular-season NFL game.

Best value: Other than Brady, it was Marc Bulger, picked in the sixth round by the Saints. He became a Pro Bowler after leaving New Orleans and heading to St. Louis.

Other noteworthy picks: Tim Rattay, the seventh-round pick the 49ers grabbed on a lark to join Carmazzi in training camp. Rattay gave the 49ers a couple of decent years as an occasional starter before they decided Alex Smith was their future. Martin went in the fifth round to the Steelers and completed exactly six passes in his NFL career.

Running back

Conventional wisdom: Commentators were evenly split on who would emerge as the best player in what was seen as an excellent draft for running backs. Tennessee’s Jamal Lewis had a great combination of speed and power, Virginia’s Thomas Jones was known as a complete and durable back, and Wisconsin’s Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne had great college production.

Highest pick: Lewis, No. 5 overall to the Ravens.

Best player: Alabama’s Shaun Alexander, No. 19 overall to the Seahawks. Some questioned why Seattle would take a running back when Ricky Watters was already on the roster. But after backing up Watters as a rookie, Alexander has rushed for more than 1,000 yards every year since.

Biggest bust: Dayne, who carried 585 times for 2,067 yards (a 3.5-yard average) in five seasons with the Giants. About the only thing Dayne accomplished was taking away enough carries from Tiki Barber that it took Barber a few years longer than it should have to demonstrate that he can be an every-down back. (In fairness to Dayne, he looked good in limited action in Denver last year. Then again, who doesn’t?)

Best value: Utah’s Mike Anderson, No. 189 overall to Denver, became the league’s rookie of the year. Little did anyone know at the time that he wasn’t even the best sixth-rounder of his class.

Other noteworthy picks: Reuben Droughns was a smart pickup for the Lions in the third round, but, being the Lions, they only gave him the ball 30 times in two seasons before releasing him. He’s since gone on to have back-to-back 1,200-yard seasons, first in Denver and then in Cleveland. Commentators said the same thing about Trung Canidate that they said about Alexander: He was an odd selection for a team that already had a veteran running back. Unlike Alexander, Canidate didn’t become the veteran’s permanent replacement, although he did have a couple of decent years as a role player, both in 2001 in St. Louis and in 2003 in Washington.

Wide receiver

Conventional wisdom: Florida State’s Peter Warrick was seen as head and shoulders ahead of the rest of the pack. Vying for second-best receiver were Michigan State’s Plaxico Burress, Florida’s Travis Taylor, Jackson State’s Sylvester Morris and USC’s R. Jay Soward.

Highest pick: Warrick, No. 4 overall to the Bengals.

Best player: A close call. Burress, who went No. 8 overall to the Steelers, has 5,378 career yards and has been the No. 1 threat in both the Steelers’ and the Giants’ passing attacks, would probably be the choice of most analysts. But Warrick’s college teammate, Laveranues Coles, who went No. 78 overall to the Jets, has slightly more career yards (5,501) and is a better route-runner.

Biggest bust: Warrick, who never emerged as a No. 1 receiver in Cincinnati, certainly qualifies. But the biggest disappointment has to be Soward, who was suspended several times for violations of the league’s substance-abuse rules, and who finished his career in Jacksonville with 14 catches despite going No. 29 overall.

Best value: Texas A&M’s Dante Hall, No. 153 overall to the Chiefs. Hall was a running back in college but projected to receiver in the NFL. He’s become a mediocre offensive threat but a very good kick returner.

Other noteworthy picks: Taylor went No. 10 overall to the Ravens and never produced the way they thought he would. Morris went No. 21 overall to the Chiefs and looked promising but suffered several serious knee injuries.

Tight end

Conventional wisdom: Bubba Franks of Miami had good size, good hands and good speed and was a clear No. 1 at the position.

Highest pick: Franks, No. 14 overall to the Packers.

Best player: Probably Franks, although with only 1,936 receiving yards in six years, he hasn’t lit it up quite the way the Packers thought he would.

Biggest bust: With only Franks and West Virginia’s Anthony Becht (picked by the Jets with their fourth and final first-round pick, No. 27 overall) going in the first round, there aren’t a lot of busts to choose from. It was a mediocre crop of tight ends, but no individual player earned the bust label.

Best value: Erron Kinney, selected by the Titans out of Florida with the 68th pick overall, has been nearly as good a player as Franks.

Other noteworthy picks: After Kinney, the list of tight ends selected reads like a who’s who of mediocre players that fans will only vaguely remember: Dave Stachelski to the Patriots from Boise State, James Whalen to the Buccaneers from Kentucky, Austin Wheatley to the Saints from Iowa, Jay Tant to the Cardinals from Northwestern, etc.

Offensive line

Conventional wisdom: Chris Samuels of Alabama was widely regarded as the best of the bunch and about as much of a sure thing as this draft had.

Highest pick: Samuels, No. 3 overall to the Redskins.

Best player: It’s hard not to pick Samuels, who became an immediate starter. Both Chad Clifton of Tennessee, selected No. 44 overall by Green Bay, and Marvel Smith of Arizona State, selected No. 38 overall by Pittsburgh, have also become solid starters.

Biggest bust: Chris McIntosh of Wisconsin, selected No. 22 overall by Seattle, never panned out.

Best value: Mark Tauscher of Wisconsin, a college guard selected at No. 224 overall by the Packers, has moved to tackle and started 80 games for Green Bay. If you ever wonder how much of a crapshoot the draft is, remember that NFL scouts watched film of Wisconsin and came away thinking McIntosh was a first-rounder and Tauscher was a seventh-rounder.

Other noteworthy picks: Stockar McDougle of Oklahoma, selected No. 20 overall by the Lions, was the second offensive lineman drafted. He started 54 games in Detroit but never turned into anything more than a competent NFL lineman. He’s currently fighting for a spot on the Jaguars’ roster.

cont'd...

[Angry Pope]

cont'd...

Defensive end

Conventional wisdom: Everyone loved the rare strength and athleticism of Penn State’s Courtney Brown.

Highest pick: Brown, No. 1 overall, to the Cleveland Browns.

Best player: John Abraham, who played outside linebacker at South Carolina but moved to defensive end after the Jets selected him No. 13 overall. Now in Atlanta, Abraham, who was seen as a reach by many observers, has 53.5 career sacks. Brown, who was seen as a legitimate No. 1 overall selection, has 19.

Biggest bust: Erik Flowers of Arizona State, taken at No. 26 overall by the Bills. It’s hard to imagine what the Bills were thinking when they took Flowers that high, as he didn’t appear in any first-round projections. He had four sacks with the Bills, who released him after two years.

Best value: Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, taken in the fifth round by the Packers out of San Diego State, has turned into a Pro Bowl defensive end after playing linebacker in college. Also note that Indiana’s Adewale Ogunleye went undrafted after a serious knee injury during his senior season. Miami coach Dave Wannstedt, who kept a close eye on Indiana because his daughters went there, picked him up and stashed him on the roster for a year while his knee healed. He has since produced 40 career sacks.

Other noteworthy picks: Shaun Ellis, taken No. 12 overall by the Jets, has been overshadowed by Abraham but is a solid player, and significantly better than Brown. Darren Howard, taken No. 33 overall by the Saints out of Kansas State, has 44.5 career sacks with New Orleans and recently signed as a free agent with Philadelphia.

Defensive tackle

Conventional wisdom: No one disputed that Florida State’s Corey Simon was the best prospect at the position, but many disputed whether he could stay healthy. In college Simon had multiple surgeries on both shoulders, plus knee and neck injuries. Some teams put him near the top of their draft boards; other teams dropped him completely.

Highest pick: Simon, No. 6 overall to the Eagles.

Best player: Simon, who proved the wisdom of the Philadelphia team doctors who cleared the team to take him: He missed only two games in five years with the Eagles before signing as a free agent with the Colts last year.

Biggest bust: It was a good crop of tackles with no major busts. Steve Warren of the Packers was the only defensive tackle taken on the first day of the 2000 draft who isn’t still on an NFL roster.

Best value: Alfonso Boone was the Lions’ choice with the 253rd selection of the draft, one before Mr. Irrelevant. But, being the Lions, they cut him in training camp, Chicago picked him up, and he has become an important part of a very good defensive line rotation in the Windy City.

Other noteworthy picks: Chris Hovan, taken by the Vikings out of Boston College with the 25th overall pick, developed into a good pass rusher but a liability against the run. Cornelius Griffin, taken by the Giants out of Alabama with the 42nd overall pick, has become a very good all-around lineman and rivals Simon as the best tackle to come out in 2000.

Linebacker

Conventional wisdom: LaVar Arrington of Penn State was seen as a uniquely talented linebacker with great strength, speed and leaping ability.

Highest pick: Arrington, No. 2 overall to the Redskins.

Best player: Brian Urlacher, the ninth overall pick by the Bears. Urlacher played strong safety in college at New Mexico, and his detractors say that shows in his inability to take on blocks, but there’s no disputing that he has been that rare Top-10 pick who exceeds expectations.

Biggest bust: It’s probably unfair to call a third-round pick a bust, but Virginia Tech’s Corey Moore received a huge amount of media hype, with just about every football commentator alive singing the Bills’ praises for drafting him at No. 89 overall. He played 10 games in his NFL career.

Best value: Some very good value picks, including the Giants grabbing Michigan’s Dhani “Dancin’ in the Street” Jones in the sixth round, Pittsburgh taking Colorado State’s Clark Haggans in the fifth round, and Green Bay taking Ohio State’s Na’il Diggs in the fourth round.

Other noteworthy picks: Julian Peterson of Michigan State, taken 16th overall by the 49ers, was an excellent linebacker before he was slowed by an Achilles injury. Keith Bulluck of Syracuse, taken 30th overall by the Titans, has had every bit as good a career as the more heralded Arrington. Marcus Washington, a defensive end at Auburn, was taken in the second round by Indianapolis and has become a very good pass-rushing linebacker, first with the Colts and now with the Redskins.

Defensive backs

Conventional wisdom: Scouts saw 2000 as a down year for defensive backs, with no clear consensus No. 1 pick. Some liked the big-play ability of Cal’s Deltha O’Neal, who doubled as a return man, while others liked the size of Jackson State’s Rashard Anderson, and still others liked the intelligence and work ethic of Ohio State’s Ahmed Plummer.

Highest pick: O’Neal, No. 15 overall to the Broncos.

Best player: Mike Brown, whom the Bears selected out of Nebraska at No. 39 overall, has had a good career as an important part of Chicago’s division-winning defenses in both 2001 and 2005.

Biggest bust: Anderson, whose career was derailed by repeated positive drug tests. He started nine games for Carolina before a two-year drug suspension.

Best value: Mario Edwards was a very good cover corner at Florida State, and one of the biggest surprises of the 2000 draft was that he slipped all the way down to the sixth round, where the Cowboys selected him. Although he’s now out of football, Edwards had four good years in Dallas.

Other noteworthy picks: Kenoy Kennedy, selected by the Broncos out of Arkansas with the 45th pick, has become one of the best coverage safeties in the league, shutting down tight ends both in Denver and in Detroit.

Kicker

There weren’t enough of them to give the position a full analysis, but we’ll close by pointing out that in a year when the quality of the sixth round rivaled the quality of the first, even kickers got in on the act: Oakland’s first-round pick, Sebastian Janikowski of Florida State, isn’t nearly as good a kicker as Cincinnati’s sixth-round pick, Neil Rackers of Illinois.

[JC]

Every time I think of Jano drafted in the first, it's like a sucker punch to the kidneys.

[Rupert]

Take my comments for what they're worth 6 years later.

Quarterback: I thought Pennington was over-hyped. He proved me wrong with his first couple seasons. Injuries have cut his production. Carmazzi was a huge WTF guy for me. I didn't see what anyone was talking about. I liked Redman and thought he had "potential". I also liked Martin's athleticism and intangibles, but I wondered if he'd make the transition to NFL drop back passer. Looks like he couldn't. I had to give Brady and Bulger incomplete grades. I hadn't seen enough of them to draw a good conclusion. I also liked Rattay and thought he was similar to Redman, potential.

Running back: Well here I'll pat myself on the back. I thought Shaun Alexander was the best back in this bunch. I didn't know what guys saw in Dayne other than his production, which kind of made me pause. I liked Lewis, but thought he was a bruiser who'd wear himself down in the NFL. He was better than I thought, but has started wearing down. I didn't understand what people saw in Jones either. I heard all the hype and thought, like with Dayne, maybe I missed all the "good" things. I really liked Droughns, maybe I saw in him what other people saw in Jones. Canidate was an interesting guy, but I thought he was a bit limitted, can't remember why.

Wide receiver: I didn't like Warrick because he'd been pampered and on strong teams his whole life. No adversity, no character, I expected him to fade against NFL talent. Plaxico Burress was lazy in my opinion and was getting by on mismatches. He's been better than I thought, but mostly when he has mismatches. In a firefight, he fades. I thought Taylor was the best in the bunch, oops. Morris was interesting but I hadn't seen enough of him. I thought Soward's size and game would limit him to being a #3 and kick returner. Never saw Coles.

Tight end: I thought Franks was pretty solid, maybe a little over-hyped, but maybe worth it. I thought Becht got way too much interest for his ability. I thought Erron Kinney had the most upside.

Offensive line: I was not as focused on the OL back in those days and still have to take a bit of time to work through the scouting. It's too much work for my tastes.

Continued...

[Angry Pope]

Here is something on Curry from Corkran....

C0MEBACK STORY: WR Ronald Curry finds himself rehabilitating a torn Achilles' for the second straight year and wondering just where he fits in to the Raiders' immediate and long-term plans. They already have Randy Moss, Jerry Porter and Doug Gabriel at receiver, with three other talented receivers waiting their turn. However, Curry showed in 2004 that his skills are special, and it is worth the Raiders' time for them to wait for Curry to recover from the third torn Achilles' in his football career. He has great hands, above-average speed and the rare ability to think like a quarterback because he played one until he reached the NFL. Those traits enabled him to become a reliable target for Collins, especially on third down. Curry's rehab is going well, by all accounts, but he likely won't be turned loose until training camp, at the earliest. Curry figures to be with the Raiders for years to come, as long as he isn't used as part of a package for the Raiders to move up in the NFL draft.

[Angry Pope]

Here is something on Taj...from Corkran....

Second-year DT Anttaj Hawthorne is a player the Raiders have high hopes for, especially considering the departure of veterans Ted Washington and Ed Jasper as free agents and a serious shoulder injury to veteran Warren Sapp that has his status in question for next season. Hence the reason, the Raiders re-signed Hawthorne last season after cutting him in training camp. They are confident that line coach Keith Millard can get Hawthorne to harness the talents he used in college to become a disruptive force in the middle and one of the best tackle prospects in the draft last year. Therefore, Hawthorne is a player who is receiving extra attention this offseason in hopes that he will develop into a player who can become part of the line rotation. He is a strong, physical player who just needs to work on getting better at using his leverage and skills against bigger centers and guards. He has the work ethic and should benefit from having learned under Sapp and Washington for a year. He likely won't be a starter this season but he should be a solid contributor.

[Rupert]

Excellent news about Curry. I definitely think he's special. Let's just make certain he's healthy. With the achilles torn thrice I worry about his long-term viability.

[Rupert]

Continuing

Defensive end: I wasn't that high on Courtney Brown for some reason, maybe all the hype, but the whole package was pretty hard to ignore. I thought he'd be the best end. I thought Darren Howard would be a great NFL DE, and he probably is just a little shy of great. I also thought Erik Flowers was an odd selection. I didn't know a thing about Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila or Adewale Ogunleye. Shaun Ellis was an interesting guy who I thought might be a decent 5 technique. But it's hard to get excited about a guy like that.

Defensive tackle: I panned Simon because of the injuries. Too little information. I wondered about Hovan who was touted as an energy guy. You never know if those guys will be worth anything. I hadn't seen anything to make me think he was somethig special. Cornelius Griffin was the guy I thought would be great. He's very good.

Linebacker: Everyone was on Arrington, because of the hype, and my tendency to root for the underdog, I preferred Urlacher. That said I thought they'd both be great players. 50% there. I wasn't too high on Dhani Jones or Clark Haggans but I liked Na’il Diggs. I wanted the Raiders to get Julian Peterson and after he went I was upset Keith Bulluck was taken before our next pick.

Defensive backs: I liked Deltha O’Neal and Ahmed Plummer, but wasn't too sure of Anderson. I was leery of Brown because of his Nebraska roots. I had the impression they could tackle but weren't the best cover guys (old-school thinking? probably). Mario Edwards wasn't on my radar but I hated seeing Denver grab Kenoy Kennedy.

Kicker: I don't think Rackers is as good as Jano, but he's close enough that you ask yourself if Jano was worth a #1 pick. I was ALL against it myself, but I thought Jano was the best kicker out there. He wasn't as good as anyone thought.

[CrossBones]

Nice takes rupert.

All tht stuff seems so long ago although it really wasnt. The one thing I remember is that I wanted the Radiers to get Ellis (ya know I pray for a stud DE every year). They didn't and I guess it really didn't matter.

[Angry Pope]

Callahan and Gruden together again...

Gruden visits Nebraska practice

STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star
Saturday, Apr 08, 2006 - 12:40:50 am CDT

When Bill Callahan and the Oakland Raiders parted ways following the 2003 season, Tampa Bay head coach Jon Gruden tried to hire his friend and former colleague as an assistant.

As it turns out, Gruden said Friday, Callahan landed in a prime coaching position.

“We tried to hire him immediately, as did some other teams, to keep him in the NFL,” Gruden said. “(But) this is a storied program. This is Nebraska. When I walk down these hallways, Jiminy Christmas, they have had a lot of great players here. This is a football powerhouse. It’s a great responsibility for whoever has this job.

“I think this is a good fit for him, and it’s a responsibility that he needs.”

The 42-year-old Gruden came to Lincoln as the featured speaker at the Huskers’ annual spring coaches’ clinic. He said it marked his first-ever clinic speech anywhere, and that he did it because of Callahan, whom Gruden obviously holds in high regard. In fact, Gruden said, “I wouldn’t be where I am without Bill Callahan.”

Callahan, meanwhile, returned the compliment, describing Gruden as a “mentor.”

From 1998-2001, Gruden was head coach at Oakland, with Callahan serving as offensive coordinator before taking over as head coach after Gruden left for Tampa. They also had worked together from 1995-97 with the Philadelphia Eagles, with Gruden serving as offensive coordinator and Callahan as offensive line coach.

During their seven seasons together, their teams had a combined record of 64-47-1, with four playoff appearances.

“We were hand-in-hand for seven years in Philadelphia and Oakland, and I learned a lot of football from Bill,” Gruden said. “I wanted to rekindle my friendship with him. I miss him, and I’m proud of what he’s doing here. I know what he’s up against. I know the challenges he has.

“I’m just excited to see what he’s doing and where the program’s going. To witness it with my own two eyes was important to me.”

Gruden watched Friday’s practice from the sideline — that is, when he wasn’t signing autographs or posing for photographs. More than 700 coaches from 16 states were on hand for the workout.

“He looks as intimidating in person as he does on TV,” one prep coach said of Gruden.

Gruden said he was impressed with the practice’s quick tempo, efficiency and organization.

“It was crisp,” he said. “Guys are picking up the system. The execution is clean, particularly with the first group. Defensively, they have a real good energy and confidence and swagger about them.

“I think they’re making great strides, the way they closed out last season (with wins) against Colorado and Michigan. Now to have a good spring practice after an outstanding recruiting class — that’s what they need to lift this program off again.”

Interestingly, a few of the primary issues Tampa faced on offense during its run to the Super Bowl crown in 2002 were similar to the issues Nebraska is facing now. Before coming on late in the 2002 season, and dismantling Callahan’s Raiders 48-21 in the title game, the Buccaneers struggled in the running game and suffered breakdowns protecting quarterback Brad Johnson.

This spring, Callahan is emphasizing an improved power running game and overall improvement in the offensive line. Nebraska last season ranked 107th nationally in rushing at 96.0 yards per game, and quarterback Zac Taylor was sacked 38 times.

Gruden said he was impressed with Taylor, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound senior.

“I saw him make all kinds of throws — moving to his right, moving to his left, from the shotgun, three-step drops,” Gruden said. “I’m impressed with his toughness. This guy takes hits, gets up and keeps playing. He throws a friendly ball, and his receivers have a lot of confidence in him.

“I’ve seen guys take major jumps in Year Two as a starter in this system. His intelligence and his background are really going to help him.”

Gruden also was impressed with sophomore I-back Marlon Lucky. Cody Glenn, battling Lucky for playing time at I-back, missed the practice with a high ankle sprain. Callahan said Glenn could return to action as soon as today or Monday.

“I just see a guy that has great energy and quickness and pass-receiving ability,” Gruden said of Lucky.

In his speech to coaches, Gruden said he planned to impart his passion for the game and his belief in the importance of fundamentals.

“I want to have a little fun, because I think at the end of the day this has to be the best time of our lives — to coach football and live in America and be together at a coaching clinic, with no wives,” he said, grinning widely.

[Angry Pope]

Shell talks about Walsh...Schottenheimer talks about Art....


Raiders insider: Shell defends his pick to coordinate offense

By Jim Jenkins -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Saturday, April 8, 2006


Of all the hires Art Shell has made in his return as coach of the Raiders, only one has raised some eyebrows - Tom Walsh as offensive coordinator.
Walsh last coached in the NFL when he was with the Raiders, beginning in 1982 under then-coach Tom Flores and ending as an offensive aide to Shell from 1989 to '94.


When Shell was fired by owner Al Davis following a 9-7 1994 campaign and an overall 54-38 mark, Walsh was sent packing too. He later resurfaced for an unsuccessful term as head coach of Idaho State in 1997 and 1998, and then as a minor-league professional coach in 1999.
What's puzzling about the hire is that Walsh, 56, was re-hired by the Raiders while operating a bed and breakfast ranch with his wife and serving as mayor of Swan Valley, Idaho, a community of a few hundred people.

With all due respect, that hardly sounds like apt preparation for someone who will be at the forefront of game-planning every week in the NFL and adjusting to the ever-increasing time demands on coaches.

Nevertheless, during last week's NFL meetings in Orlando, Fla., Shell was positive Walsh could get the job done.

"He hasn't been involved in the NFL, but he's been involved in football," said Shell of Walsh. "He's a great football mind. He's a smart guy. He knows what I want. He knows how I want to do things. He knows the system I like to run.

"We've been talking two or three years now about football. I told him, 'If I ever got back into this thing, I want you to come with me.'

"We've put together an outstanding staff; people who will teach, work together. The interaction of our staff has really been great so far - they're energetic. But having Tom back is a real plus to me. Because he knows me."

Walsh hasn't been available for comment since joining the staff, nothing new in the Raiders' world of limited access. In fact, the last time he was spotted was two months ago at the team's headquarters in Alameda, attending Shell's introductory news conference along with several other former coaches and players in the organization.

When Shell was fired in 1994 and went on to assistant jobs in Kansas City and Atlanta, he made references to former coaches disloyal to him in his first stint as Raiders coach. Indeed, even Davis has said he blames himself for listening to the wrong people.

One of the coaches who remained loyal to Shell? Walsh.


Rival admirer

If it means anything, San Diego coach Marty Schottenheimer, who once employed Shell as an offensive line coach with Kansas City, thinks the Raiders made a good choice bringing him back.
"The football part of it he understands completely," Schottenheimer said of Shell at the league meetings. "The dynamics of people, players' personalities now, he's been able to stay abreast of because of his (recent administrative position) in the league office. He has tremendous credibility in my view. I always thought he was a very good teacher."

Schottenheimer will get an early look at his former assistant. The Chargers and Raiders open the 2006 regular season Monday night, Sept. 11, in Oakland.


Good-guy image

Randy Moss has a reputation for being an outstanding athlete with a big ego. But, evidently, there's a soft side to the Raiders receiver as well.
Last week in Moss' hometown of Rand, W. Va., the receiver took 80 children on an all-expenses paid, charter-bus trip to Cleveland to watch an NBA game between the Cavaliers and Miami Heat.

The Raiders' public-relations department said Moss, who was unable to attend NBA games as a child, regularly involves himself in such functions to benefit youth groups without seeking publicity.

[Angry Pope]

Grady Jackson flunked his physical with the Falcons when he visited there.

[Rupert]

Did he break the scale? I believe that's grounds for failing the physical.