Great read!

A couple of new faces to our preseason games...

Renel and JT the Brick Join TV Crew

July 2, 2007


Popular radio personalities Renel Brooks-Moon and JT the Brick will join the Raiders television broadcasting team for the 2007 Pre Season. In addition, Renel will contribute as a correspondent on Raiders-produced television shows The Raiders Report and Behind the Shield throughout the 2007 Season. JT the Brick, who served as the pre- and postgame host for Raiders Radio for six years, will continue in his role as host of The Raiders Report.
“Renel and JT have been an important component of Raider television programming for years and we are delighted to expand their roles,” said Raiders Chief Executive Amy Trask. “The Raider organization and its fans are thrilled that Renel and JT will be a vibrant component of our television programming in 2007.”

Renel, the top Bay Area radio personality who entertains listeners as host of the Renel In The Morning Show on 98.1 KISS-FM, will be on the Raiders’ broadcast of the August 18 contest against the 49ers in San Francisco and the August 30 contest versus the Seahawks in Seattle.

An Oakland native, Renel also hosts the San Francisco Giants pre-game show on FSN Bay Area, delivers entertainment news on CBS 5, previews weekend sports on UPN 44, and thrills baseball fans as the voice of The San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park.

"It's beyond my wildest dreams to join the Raiders Pre Season broadcasts,” said Renel. “As a lifelong Raiders fan, I am truly honored and look forward to representing the vast female fan base. Real women wear black!"

National radio sports talk show host JT the Brick will be part of the Raiders Pre Season for all four Pre Season contests—the August 11 Pre Season opener versus Arizona at McAfee Coliseum, August 18 at San Francisco, August 24 against the St. Louis Rams at McAfee Coliseum and August 30 at Seattle.

JT the Brick hosts a nightly radio show on Fox Sports Radio. His popular radio program that can be heard around the country is hailed as the most fan interactive show on the air.

“I am honored to have this opportunity with the Raiders,” said JT the Brick. “I have worked with the organization since 1998. From my days as one of the original hosts of Behind the Shield, to the current day host of The Raiders Report and now this preseason game opportunity, it just keeps getting better.”

Silver and Black Productions, the Raiders in-house television production operation, provides viewers with innovative, cutting-edge and behind-the-scenes content devoted solely to The Oakland Raiders. Three dynamic television shows air in the Bay Area as well as in additional television outlets throughout California, Nevada, Hawaii, Oregon and Idaho and feature the personalities that make up the NFL’s most dynamic organization.



The Silver and Black Show consists of an in-depth, comprehensive, week-by-week analysis of the Raiders throughout the 2007 NFL season. The show also offers a retrospective look at the previous week’s Raider game and a breakdown of the upcoming contest with a look at the matchups.

Features on players past and present are part of the new, cutting-edge program profiling the Silver and Black. Raiders Radio play-by-play man Greg Papa hosts the half-hour show while Raiders Legend Jim Plunkett, MVP of Super Bowl XV, is co-host.

Behind the Shield provides viewers with unprecedented access for an inside look at pro football’s winningest team. This unique show offers a behind-the-scenes perspective on the Raiders preparation for the upcoming week's game as experienced by the entire organization including players, coaches and team personnel. Raiders Legend George Atkinson, who roamed the secondary for the Silver and Black from 1968-77, hosts this television show.

The Raiders Report is an hour-long show which combines analysis and a behind the-scenes look at the Oakland Raiders. Papa, Plunkett, Atkinson and Renel also contribute to this program. “The Raiders Report” focuses on longer, in-depth pieces featuring the Team of the Decades all year long.

All three shows are produced by the Raiders own Silver and Black Productions. The shows originate from Silver and Black Productions' state-of-the-art studio located within the Raiders' 100,000-square foot Alameda facility.
 
Raiders rant: Six simple tasks to get done
By Anthony Carroll on July 3, 2007 02:06 AM

In exactly 10 weeks, the NFL's two worst franchises from 2006, the Oakland Raiders and Detroit Lions , will suit up and compete to earn their first win of a new season.

For the Raiders, who generated an awful 246.2 yards per game last year, the first week of the regular season has become a recent nightmare. Oakland hasn't taken a first-week win home since 2002, the year it fell in the Super Bowl to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers , 48-21.

With 70 days between now and Week 1 of the regular season, here's six quick chores for 32-year-old head coach Lane Kiffin and the Raiders to get done.

• Find, and follow, an offensive captain

Who was the Raiders' offensive leader in 2006? Probably...um...Ronald Curry? In the midst of a 2-14 campaign, the Raider offense completely lost its identity last season, and it's just now starting to very slowly get it back. The 11-man crew needs nothing more than a dynamic leader to step to the fore and give some direction to a struggling, lackluster offense. Enter, JaMarcus Russell.

• Tell Gallery where to go and stay, for good

Robert Gallery, 26, is entering his fourth season in the NFL. Still, nobody knows his true position. Gallery has seen action at right tackle, left tackle and guard over the past three seasons, and he has found a way to disappoint each time. Kiffin and offensive line coach Tom Cable need to put No. 76 in one slot -- right tackle or either of the guard positions -- and leave him there. If he fails again, then the experiment is over, at last.

• Cut Alvis Whitted, finally

Oakland currently houses 14 wide receivers. Ten of them are taller, 12 are bigger and all are younger. Whitted, 32, is the player who just won't go away. Let's see Will Buchanon.

• Show Nnamdi Asomugha the dotted line

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Asomugha is set to rake in $730,000 next season. If the soon-to-be-fifth-year cornerback repeats his '06 performance (50 tackles, eight interceptions and 11 passes defensed), that generous figure could very likely turn into $7.3 million. Team owner Al Davis knows the value of tall, proven cornerbacks in the NFL, and he should lock his best one up before another team does.

• Build around the rookie

Oakland's new-look offense could use a reliable anchor, and it may have found one a few months ago in the draft. This time, though, we're not talking about JaMarcus Russell. Instead, second-round pick Zach Miller, a tight end from Arizona State, could very well serve as the team's top pass-catching target next season. The 6-5, 259-pounder hauled in 144 passes for 1,512 yards and 14 touchdowns with the Sun Devils and has earned the nickname "The Truth" over his football career. Kiffin can only hope his stat line indeed tells the truth.

• Forget Randy Moss

Done.

http://www.realfootball365.com/nfl/articles/2007/07/raiders_rant_six_simple_tasks_1.html

Only one month and eight days to the pre-season opener...
 
R4Life said:
In exactly 10 weeks, the NFL's two worst franchises from 2006, the Oakland Raiders and Detroit Lions , will suit up and compete to earn their first win of a new season.
Click to expand...
That sounds like it is so close.

R4Life said:
With 70 days between now and Week 1 of the regular season...
Click to expand...
Shit, that sounds like a long damn time. :o

I'm ready for some football NOW.
 
I generally don't post the "Where are they now" fluff pieces from Raiders.com - they're just a bit too schmoltzy. That said, here's one. Mark Van Eeghen was my first favorite Raider. I was about four when he was drafted and by six, he was my favorite. Why him? Because I wanted to be a pro football player and I was a Raider fan. My dad (who was a serious body builder) told me I'd really have to work hard because I would be short (though I bested dear old dad by 2 inches by getting to 5'10") and would have to work to bulk up. He showed me these isometric exercises to do against door jambs to strengthen my neck/back and took me to the gym with him to work out my legs. By the time I entered Pop Warner I was head and shoulders above the other kids and got to play a few years at running back and had a ton of fun. Then everyone caught up and passed me and I could barely make the HS squad at safety. I idolized MVE, because my dad told me he was a regular guy who, through hard work and passion, made it into the NFL and the Raiders (and averaged 4 yards per carry over his career). The article is not that great, but man does it take me back:

http://www.raiders.com/Common/Article.aspx?id=25414
 
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• Find, and follow, an offensive captain

Who was the Raiders' offensive leader in 2006? Probably...um...Ronald Curry? In the midst of a 2-14 campaign, the Raider offense completely lost its identity last season, and it's just now starting to very slowly get it back. The 11-man crew needs nothing more than a dynamic leader to step to the fore and give some direction to a struggling, lackluster offense. Enter, JaMarcus Russell.
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I was just talking about this with someone recently... We're really devoid of a true offensive captain captain... There is no way a rookie would be appointed, overall #1 draft pick or not, he still hasn't earned his bones with the vets... Curry is a bit too quiet... The three best candidates IMO (Crockett, Newberry, McCown) may not even be starters... I'm thinking Sims may get the nod... His past aside, it also wouldn't surprise me if Porter got the call from Kiff since by most accounts, he's been one of the hardest workers with a first in, last to leave mentality...


• Cut Alvis Whitted, finally

Oakland currently houses 14 wide receivers. Ten of them are taller, 12 are bigger and all are younger. Whitted, 32, is the player who just won't go away. Let's see Will Buchanon.
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I'd be somewhat surprised if Whitted gets clipped... He's not starter material, but we have so many big, physical receiver types that he may fill a nitch... I wouldn't hold my breath in regards to Will Buchanon... There are USC fans still waiting on him to break out and fulfill his potential...
 
Well, they were shuffling Buchanon between cornerback and receiver at USC. He missed most of his first year due to injury.

They had him at receiver and then had him play cornerback because they had injuries in their secondary. Then midseason of one year they switched him back to receiver. I think he has played about the same amount of games at both positions.

Last preseason, he did some good things. Having the continuity of playing one position now I think he will develop into a good receiver for us. I actually think that Buchanon will beat out Whitted. Buchanon is just as fast as Whitted, has the height, flashes good hands and has more upside than 31 year old Whitted. But that is just my opinion.
 
Here is a Buchanon write up...

William Buchanon, WR

Southern California


OVERVIEW

The son of former Green Bay Packers and San Diego Chargers All-Pro cornerback Willie Buchanon, William Buchanon has the same blazing speed and incredible leaping ability that his father showed in earning three Pro Bowl appearances. The younger Buchanon only started three games during his Southern California career, but his versatility and quickness bailed the team out of jams when injuries hit the secondary and receiving corps.

Buchanon was 2000 Super Prep, Prep Star and Student Sports Senior All-American pick at Oceanside High School. He added Prep Star Dream Team, Super Prep All-Farwest, Prep Star All-Western Region Super 30, Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West, Cal-Hi Sports All-State, Las Vegas Sun Super 11, Tacoma News Tribune Western 100, All-CIF San Diego Section and All-Avocado League Co-MVP honors as a senior.

Buchanon had 30 receptions for 553 yards (18.4 avg) and five touchdowns as Oceanside was 9-4-1 in 2000. As a junior, he caught 24 passes for 553 yards (23.0 avg) and five scores, leading the team to the CIF San Diego Section Division II title. He made 30 catches for 302 yards (10.2 avg) as a sophomore. In his career, he caught 90-plus passes for 1,621 yards and 15 scores. He also had five career interceptions as a defensive back. He also was on the track team, with bests of 11.19 seconds in the 100-meters, 22.73 in the 200-meters, 48.6 in the 400-meters, 21-10 ¾ in the long jump and 43-11 in the triple jump.

Buchanon saw brief action as a wide receiver in Southern California's first two games of the 2001 season, but a back sprain vs. Kansas State would sideline him the rest of the year. He began the 2002 campaign as a reserve receiver, but moved to cornerback and earned three mid-season starting assignments. Buchanon posted a career-high 19 tackles (17 solos) with a stop for a loss and six pass deflections.

Buchanon appeared in seven games as a reserve cornerback and receiver in 2003. He made three solo tackles with an interception before a back sprain vs. Washington State would force him to miss the team's final four games. He spent the 2004 campaign as a reserve receiver, catching four passes for 15 yards (3.8 avg) in twelve games.

As a senior, Buchanon played on both sides of the ball and on special teams. He posted one solo tackle and had an interception. In 43 games at Southern California, Buchanon started three times. He finished with 23 tackles (21 solos), a stop for a 4-yard loss, two interceptions and six pass deflections. He also caught four passes for 15 yards (3.8 avg) and fielded a punt return for no gain.


ANALYSIS

Positives: Has a lean, angular frame with good muscle development, broad shoulders, good bubble, long arms and minimal body fat...Smooth runner with the flexibility, body control and agility to change direction instantly...Competitive athlete who plays with good effort and competes hard in special teams coverage...As a defensive back, he has a decent feel for the game, reacting quickly to the pass...Effective playing off the receiver or in press coverage, staying tight on his man in both...Has solid ball skills in man coverage and times his leaps well going for the jump ball...Runs step for step with the receiver on deep routes and has tremendous acceleration to close...Works well to avoid blocks in run force...Flashes the ability to strike the opponent with adequate force...As a receiver, he gets off the line in a hurry, generating a quick burst...Has the bulk and upper body strength to beat the jam...Better working underneath, as he runs tight and sharp short area routes...Has the burst to separate and the second gear to explode past the defender...Runs quick, sharp routes and uses his long arms well to reach and pluck the ball away from the frame...Tough pass catcher in a crowd and has the frame to control his area...Best asset as a receiver is his strong burst after the catch to break tackles.

Negatives: Has a long history of injuries that kept him out of seventeen games during his career...Back injury needs further evaluation...On defense, he struggles some working the zone and looks lost when having to switch off on his assignment...Not involved much in run support and prefers to avoid blocks rather than take them on and use his hands to shed...Looks tentative making the tackle, ducking his head at times before making contact...On offense, he rounds his cuts on up field routes and flies around the field too much rather than stay in his route...Can extend for the ball, but prefers to let it come into his body when working in a crowd...His short, quick stride limits his ability to be a consistent deep threat...Has some upper body stiffness adjusting for the off-target passes.


AGILITY NOTES

Campus: 4.38 in the 40-yard dash...40-inch vertical jump...4.15 20-yard shuttle...6.85 three-cone drill.



INJURY REPORT

2001: Suffered a back strain in the second game of the season vs. Kansas State, missing the rest of the year.

2002: Did not play vs. Arizona State after spraining his neck vs. Stanford.

2003: Sat out the team's final four games after spraining his back vs. Washington State.

2005: Did not play vs. Washington due to a hip flexor strain suffered vs. Notre Dame.


CAREER NOTES

Played on both sides of the ball as a sophomore and senior.



HIGH SCHOOL

Attended Oceanside (Cal.) High School, earning 2000 Super Prep, Prep Star and Student Sports Senior All-American honors...Added Prep Star Dream Team, Super Prep All-Farwest, Prep Star All-Western Region Super 30, Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West, Cal-Hi Sports All-State, Las Vegas Sun Super 11, Tacoma News Tribune Western 100, All-CIF San Diego Section and All-Avocado League Co-MVP honors as a senior...Had 30 receptions for 553 yards (18.4 avg) and five touchdowns as Oceanside was 9-4-1 in 2000...As a junior, he caught 24 passes for 553 yards (23.0 avg) and five scores, leading the team to the CIF San Diego Section Division II title...Made 30 catches for 302 yards (10.2 avg) as a sophomore...In his career, he caught 90-plus passes for 1,621 yards and fifteen scores...Also had five career interceptions as a defensive back...Was on the track team, with bests of 11.19 seconds in the 100-meters, 22.73 in the 200-meters, 48.6 in the 400-meters, 21-10 ¾ in the long jump and 43-11 in the triple jump.



PERSONAL

African American Studies major...Father, Willie, was a 1971 All-American cornerback at San Diego State and a three-time Pro Bowler (1973-74, '78) during his eleven-year (1972-82) NFL career, the first seven seasons with the Green Bay Packers (member of Green Bay's All-Century team) and the last four with the San Diego Chargers (he also prepped at Oceanside)...His father's second cousin is former Trojan fullback C.R. Roberts (1955-56)...Born 4/05/83...Resides in Oceanside, California.
 
New Players

Zach Miller - The Truth
JaMarcus Russell - Has "Chosen One" tattooed on his arm
Oren O'neal - "Blessed" tattooed on his arm

It's getting kinda churchy up in here...
 
R4Life said:
I generally don't post the "Where are they now" fluff pieces from Raiders.com - they're just a bit too schmoltzy. That said, here's one. Mark Van Eeghen was my first favorite Raider. I was about four when he was drafted and by six, he was my favorite. Why him? Because I wanted to be a pro football player and I was a Raider fan. My dad (who was a serious body builder) told me I'd really have to work hard because I would be short (though I bested dear old dad by 2 inches by getting to 5'10") and would have to work to bulk up. He showed me these isometric exercises to do against door jambs to strengthen my neck/back and took me to the gym with him to work out my legs. By the time I entered Pop Warner I was head and shoulders above the other kids and got to play a few years at running back and had a ton of fun. Then everyone caught up and passed me and I could barely make the HS squad at safety. I idolized MVE, because my dad told me he was a regular guy who, through hard work and passion, made it into the NFL and the Raiders (and averaged 4 yards per carry over his career). The article is not that great, but man does it take me back:

http://www.raiders.com/Common/Article.aspx?id=25414
Click to expand...

Here is his daughter...

Hit it here...
 
Glenbrook players attend McCown Passing Camp

Written by Gregg Parks
Wednesday, 04 July 2007

JACKSONVILLE, TX — Recently a group of Glenbrook football players attended the McCown Passing Camp at Jacksonville High School in Jacksonville, Texas put on by NFL quarterbacks, and brothers, Josh and Luke McCown.

Josh McCown plays with the Oakland Raiders, and Luke is with Tampa Bay.

“It was a quarterback and receivers camp that really focused on individual skills,” Glenbrook assistant coach Chris Walker said. “Our kids got the opportunity to work with NFL caliber players and several of the top high school coaches in the state of Texas.”

Walker and Luke McCown were roommates at Louisiana Tech.

“Being friends with Luke,and knowing the kind of family he comes from, I knew that it would be a good camp for our kids to attend,” Walker said. “
Not only from a football skills standpoint, but also from a character standpoint. His family is one of the top notch families that I’ve ever met, so I knew our kids would learn lessons about life as well as football.”
 
Pat Swilling inducted into a state HOF...

'THE BEST TIME IN MY LIFE'

Former Saints player made his mark terrorizing quarterbacks with the help of the Dome Patrol Sunday, June 17, 2007By Jimmy Smith

When Bill Parcells was in the middle of his Super Bowl reign with the New York Giants and coaching a defense built around arguably the finest outside linebacker to ever play in the NFL, Parcells often motivated the man who wore the red, white and blue No. 56 by invoking the name of the man who wore the black and gold No. 56.

Shortly before the Giants were getting ready to play the Los Angeles Rams in a 1990 playoff game, Parcells told Lawrence Taylor, a future Hall of Famer, that he had a plane ticket for him.

"I want you to go to New Orleans," Parcells told Taylor. "Go find Pat Swilling. Give him your plane ticket and your helmet. You stay in New Orleans and have a nice time. He'll play."

During that season, Swilling, in two games against the Saints' NFC West rival, had sacked Rams quarterback Jim Everett 4 1/2 times on his way to a total of 16 1/2 sacks and his first Pro Bowl berth.

Taylor, who finished with 15 sacks in 1989, had zero sacks of Everett in a regular-season game against Los Angeles, but was voted to his ninth consecutive Pro Bowl.

Swilling isn't yet in Canton, Ohio, as is Taylor. But he'll join former Saints linebackers and Dome Patrol teammates Rickey Jackson and the late Sam Mills when he is inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches on June 23.

"I tell you what, for a little old kid from Toccoa, Ga., that ain't too bad," said Swilling, whose 12-year NFL career included five Pro Bowl appearances -- four as a member of the Saints -- an Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year award in 1991, 185 games, 106 1/2 career sacks and six interceptions. He ranks third on the Saints' all-time sacks list with 76 1/2.

"I'm really excited about it. It's going to be an exciting day, being from Georgia and all. I'm in Georgia's Hall of Fame, and it's tough to get into somebody else's hall of fame. So this is a great honor."

Swilling was a third-round draft choice by the Saints out of Georgia Tech in 1986, the year Jim Finks and Jim Mora arrived in town, which proved to be a seminal moment in the franchise's history.

Never before had the Saints had a winning season, and by 1987, the Saints had become winners for the first time -- a 12-3 record in a season shortened by one game because of the NFL players' strike and a franchise-record nine consecutive victories. Swilling also had joined with Jackson, Mills and Vaughan Johnson to form a group many believe was the greatest set of linebackers in league history.

Swilling's speed-rushing ability on the right side of the Saints' 3-4 defense was the perfect complement to Jackson's strength and quickness on the left side, bookends to Mills and Johnson, who were fearsome in the middle.

The group made NFL history in 1992 when it became the first group of starting linebackers to all be picked to the Pro Bowl.

Yet it's not that memory that is fondest in Swilling's mind.

"It's going to sound strange to you, but all those games playing with Rickey, Sam, Vaughan and that whole '80s crew, that was the best time in my life," said Swilling, who also played with the Detroit Lions (1993-94) and Oakland Raiders (1995-96, 1998) before retiring and becoming a Louisiana legislator for 2 1/2 years.

"I look back on it, everybody knows us for the Dome Patrol. But . . . playing with those guys, when I left here, I never got that feeling again. I enjoyed playing in Oakland, didn't enjoy playing much in Detroit. But nothing compares to those years with the Saints and those great players I played with."

Much of that joy could be attributed to the Saints' win-loss record. In Swilling's rookie season of 1986, the Saints went 7-9, before the breakthrough of 1987 in which they went to the playoffs for the first time. In 1988, the Saints finished 10-6 before a 9-7 mark in 1989, 8-8 and another playoff berth in 1990, the team's first-ever division title in 1991 with an 11-5 record (when Swilling put up a then-team-record 17 sacks) and third postseason appearance and a 12-4 record in 1992 and a fourth playoff spot, capped off by the Dome Patrol's appearance in the Pro Bowl.

That was the last time Swilling, Jackson, Johnson and Mills played together.

"That said so much not only for our success, but for our success as far as the team defense and everything we had done together collectively as a group," said Swilling, who still lives in New Orleans and works in real estate. "I look back on my career, and you kind of savor and appreciate the individual honors.

"But they just don't mean as much as the group's success and all the great times we had together. The older I get, when I look back on it, I had so many great times with those guys. The Pittsburgh stand (a goal-line stand that ensured the Saints' first-ever winning season), I wasn't even in the game then. I was on the sideline. But it means just as much to me now as it did then. And it's just because of the group effort. All of those guys are the reason I'm going into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. All the individual success I had then doesn't mean a darn thing. It's because of that whole group.

"That was one of the best times of my life, considering all the hard luck the Saints had had. To be part of that first division championship and all those great years . . . that just meant so much to our team and our whole region. I look at what the team is doing now, but we were the first. And that means a lot."
 
Mike Siani to broadcast football games...

Familiar duo to broadcast AIFA games

Thursday, Jun 21, 2007

By Shawn Singleton

The American Indoor Football Association’s All-Star and championship games will be played tonight and Saturday night at the Florence Civic Center — for those able to make the games.

For those who can’t make it, the games will be covered by a pair of broadcasters who are no strangers to the booth or each other. WPDE sports director Rich Chrampanis and Florence Phantoms coach Mike Siani will call this weekend’s games, which will air on the local CW station, WWMB 21, channel 6 on Time Warner Cable in the Florence area.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to cover the two games. This is a great chance to showcase the city of Florence,” Chrampanis said.

This is not the first time Chrampanis and Siani have broadcasted football games together. In 2005, the duo was the broadcast team for the Myrtle Beach Stingrays before Siani became the team’s coach midway through the campaign.

“Rich and I were doing (Stingrays) radio broadcasts on weekends. Believe it or not, I was also an assistant coach during the week, so I had double duty,” Siani said. “It’s always enjoyable working with him and it’s going to be a fun two days back in Florence.”

Florence general manager Jack Bowman worked with Siani and Chrampanis in Myrtle Beach and is confident the duo can do the job.

“I had the privilege of seeing them work together in Myrtle Beach,” he said. “I have full confidence in their abilities and I am looking forward to seeing them work.”

Chrampanis reminisced fondly about their beginnings in the booth at a Stingrays road game.

“We were in Houma, La., to do the Stingrays’ first game ever. The team’s intentions were to do every game, home and away, but the money dried up. So we only did home games after that,” he said. “The only reason (Siani and I) didn’t finish the season together was because the team needed a head coach.

“It was still fun, though.”

Siani and Chrampanis share more than a broadcast booth. They also share a hometown: Staten Island, N.Y. Chrampanis’ family moved to central New Jersey when he was young. But the Chrampanis family was well-known in the area.

“My grandfather had a farm in Staten Island that Mike knew about, because he is from there as well,” Chrampanis said. “It’s more coincidence than anything else, though.”

While Chrampanis studied mass communication at St. Bonaventure University, Siani’s broadcasting career got started during his time as a receiver for the Oakland Raiders in the late 1970s.

Siani did a Monday morning radio show while with Oakland and has since worked for ESPN as a color analyst for Big East Conference football games in addition to the Stingrays games.

“People told me that radio was something I should try, so I did it,” said Siani, who won a Super Bowl with the Raiders during his 10-year NFL career.

“I really enjoyed doing Big East football on ESPN. I covered Virginia Tech games when Michael Vick was there, as well as Boston College and Rutgers games.”

Chrampanis said he hopes he can represent Florence and the AIFA with class and give the fans the best possible coverage.

“My No. 1 goal is to do the best job possible. These are the all-star and championship games, and many people will be viewing it for the first time,” he said. “I want to be able to explain the rules professionally and put the league and the city of Florence in a good light.”

Both broadcasters said they are pleased with the attention Florence is getting because of the games — and hope it quells rumors of the Phantoms’ demise.

“With (Florence) getting the All-Star and championship games, that goes a long way in keeping (the Phantoms) here,” Chrampanis said. “I know (Florence owner Joey Shannon) has been asked that question (about the team’s future) a million times. These games should go a long way to ending that kind of talk.”
 
Chad Levitt inducted into the Cornell HOF...

Chad Levitt '97, Football

Levitt was a second-team Division I-AA All-America selection by the Associated Press as a senior, capping a career that saw him named All-Ivy first-team three times and to the ECAC first-team twice. He set a school and league career record for most rushing attempts (922), and set a school-best mark for 100-yard rushing games in a career (24). Levitt rushed for 4,657 yards, and was prevented from breaking the school record (currently held by Ed Marinaro '72) due to a late-season injury at Columbia. During the 1996 campaign, he rushed for 1,435 yards on 267 carries, the second-best season in Cornell history. In 1996, Levitt was the ECAC Division I-AA Player of the Year, the Asa S. Bushnell Cup recipient as the Ivy League Player of the Year, the Ithaca Journal Male Athlete of the Year (1995 and 1996), and the Cornell Daily Sun Athlete of the Year. Levitt was awarded the Football News Ivy League Player of the Year accolades three years in a row and was selected by Vanity Fair magazine to its 1996 Ivy All-Star Award for offense. He was invited to play in both the East-West Shrine and the Blue-Gray all-star games. The Oakland Raiders chose Levitt in the fourth round (123rd pick overall) in the 1997 NFL draft and he started two games as a rookie. He also appeared on rosters for the St. Louis Rams and the Chicago Bears.
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Here is an old article on fathers and sons and our Raiders...

June 19, 2005

The NFL has included many father/son combinations throughout its history and the Raiders are no exception. Currently, four sons of former NFL players can be found on the Raiders roster - QB Marques Tuiasosopo, LB Jay Foreman, DT Ted Washington and DE Grant Irons. In honor of Father's Day, we have compiled a list of NFL players whose fathers or sons have worn the Silver and Black over the years. Happy Father's Day Raider Nation!

OG Sam Adams, Sr. - 1972-80 New England Patriots
DT Sam Adams, Jr. - 2002 Oakland Raiders

TE Billy Cannon - 1964-1969 - Oakland Raiders
LB Billy Cannon - 1984 Dallas Cowboys

DE Tony Cline - 1970-1975 Oakland Raiders
TE Tony Cline - 1998 Oakland Raiders

DE Vince Dennery - 1941 New York Giants
LB Mike Dennery - 1974-1975 Oakland Raiders

RB Tony Dorsett - 1977-87 Dallas Cowboys, 1988 Denver Broncos
FS Anthony Dorsett - 2000-2003 Oakland Raiders

DT Alphonse Dotson - 1968-70 Oakland Raiders
DE Santana Dotson - 1992-95 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1996-01 Green Bay Packers, 2002 Washington Redskins

RB Chuck Foreman - 1973-79 Minnesota Vikings, 1980 New England Patriots
LB Jay Foreman - 2005 Oakland Raiders

DB Dave Grayson - 1965-70 Oakland Raiders
LB David Grayson - 1987-90 Cleveland Browns, 1991 San Diego Chargers

T Herb Hannah - 1951 New York Giants
G John Hannah - 1973-85 New England Patriots
T Charley Hannah - 1983-88 Los Angeles Raiders

TE Don Hasselbeck - 1983 Los Angeles Raiders
QB Matt Hasselbeck - 1998-2000 Green Bay Packers, 2001-present Seattle Seahawks
QB Tim Hasselbeck - 2002 Philadelphia Eagles, 2003-04 Washington Redskins, 2005 New York Giants

LB Gerald Irons - 1970-75 Oakland Raiders
DE Grant Irons - 2003-present Oakland Raiders

G Gordon Jolley 1972-75 Detroit Lions, 1976-77 Seattle Seahawks
TE Doug Jolley 2002-04 Oakland Raiders

DB Joe Krakoski - 1963-66 Oakland Raiders
LB Joe Krakoski - 1986 Washington Redskins

DB Ronnie Lott - 1991-92 Los Angeles Raiders
LB Ryan Nece - 2002-present Tampa Bay Buccaneers

LB Marv Marinovich - 1965 Oakland Raiders
QB Todd Marinovich - 1991-92 Los Angeles Raiders


CB Kent McCloughan - 1965-70 Oakland Raiders
DB Dave McCloughan - 1991 Indianapolis Colts, 1992 Green Bay Packers, 1993 Seattle Seahawks

RB Charlie Smith - 1968-74 Oakland Raiders
TE Kevin Smith - 1992-95 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders

DT Manu Tuiasosopo - 1979-83 Seattle, 1984-86 San Francisco
QB Marques Tuiasosopo - 2001-present Oakland Raiders

LB Ted Washington - 1973-82 Houston Oilers
DT Ted Washington - 2004-present Oakland Raiders

DB Howie Williams - 1964-69 Oakland Raiders
DB Gardner - 1984 Detroit Lions

CB Alvin Wyatt - 1970 Oakland Raiders
WR Antwuan Wyatt - 1997 Philadelphia Eagles


We can now add Thomas Howard as his dad played for the Kansas City Chiefs and the St. Louis Cardinals.
 
Here is where to listen to the games on the radio...

California

KSFO 560 AM San Francisco - Flagship
KNZR 1560 AM Bakersfield
KATA 1410 AM Eureka
KCBL/KVBL 1340 AM Fresno & Visalia
KRKC 1490 AM King City
KTHO 590 AM Lake Tahoe
KWSZ 105.1 FM Lompoc/Santa Maria
KXTA 570 AM Los Angeles
KMFB 92.7/96.7 FM Mendocino
KHKK 104.1 FM Modesto
KABL 1460 AM Monterey
KPRL 1230 AM Paso Robles
KHTK 1140 AM Sacramento
KYNS 1340 AM San Luis Obispo
KKBN 93.5 FM Sonora
KHRD 103.1 FM Redding
KHRD 93.3 FM Redding
KGAM 1450 AM Palm Springs
KPOD 1240 AM Crescent City
KSUE 1240 AM Susanville
KEWE 1340 AM Chico

Hawaii

KMVI 550 AM Maui
KHLO 850 AM Hilo
KKON 970 AM Kona
KKEA 1420 AM Honolulu

Oregon

KUIK 1360 AM Hillsboro/ Portland

Nevada

KBAD 920 AM Las Vegas
KPLY 1320 AM Reno
KTHO 590 AM S. Lake Tahoe

New Mexico

KBZU 96.3 FM Albuquerque

Canada

CKST 1040 AM Vancouver, BC

Overseas

AFN Armed Forces Network
(177 Countries)
.
 
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