Interesting tidbits?

[jatfly]

Here are some tidbits from the GREAT
Steve Corkran from the ContraCosta Times about Trestman and also Sark.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/sports/football/nfl/oakland_raiders/16425222.htm



I just hope the first sentence is completely incorrect.

Walsh and Shoop remain under contract and could be kept on in different roles.
Trestman has said in recent days that he is interested in the coaching vacancy at the University of Minnesota. However, he has not been asked to interview as of yet.
In Trestman, the 32-year-old Sarkisian would have an experienced NFL play-caller on his staff.
Sarkisian and Lane Kiffin share offensive coordinator duties at Southern Cal, though Kiffin calls the plays. Sarkisian works from the sideline, where he is available to give coach Pete Carroll input and suggestions.
The sense around Raiderland in Alameda is that Davis won't take long to decide upon the 16th coach (including Shell twice) in team history. Sarkisian said he expects a decision by the end of the week, at least in terms of his status.

Wouldn't that be amazing if we hired a coach that quick!!!


Here are some other little tidbits from his take on the team at the end of the season......

Raiders' offseason checklist
• 1. WHITHER MOSS AND PORTER? Wide receivers Randy Moss and Jerry Porter need to be traded or released if the Raiders deem them unsalvageable.
• 2. REBUILD OFFENSIVE LINE. This unit failed to grasp the blocking techniques preached. Now comes the matter of determining whether to find players capable of grasping the schemes or giving this year's players another year.
• 3. IDENTIFYING QB OF THE FUTURE. Aaron Brooks and Andrew Walter got eight starts each. Neither did much to discourage the Raiders from taking a quarterback in the NFL draft or targeting a top-notch free agent.
• 4. FIND AN OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR. Tom Walsh and John Shoop got ample opportunity to show off their offensive game-planning. Both failed to hit upon anything that worked on a consistent basis.
• 5. BOLSTERING RUN DEFENSE. The Raiders finished with the league's top-ranked pass defense partly because of their inability to stop the run consistently.
-- Steve Corkran

Raiders' top 3 surprises
• 1. Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. He matured into one of the league's best cornerbacks and made it easy for the Raiders to forget about the departure of mainstay Charles Woodson to free agency. His eight interceptions were eight more than he had his first three NFL seasons and three more than the Raiders had as a team in 2005.
• 2. Guard Kevin Boothe. He went from a sixth-round draft selection out of Cornell into a starter by midseason. This is far more than the Raiders could have envisioned from a player who arrived with a penchant for weight-control issues and a lack of exposure to top-flight competition.
• 3. Outside linebacker Thomas Howard. The knock on him was that he lacked football instincts and often didn't play within the framework of his team's defensive scheme. He dispelled those notions and helped to shore up one of the team's major weaknesses.
-- Steve Corkran

Raiders' top 3 disappointments
• 1. Offensive coordinator Tom Walsh. His promised return to a Raiders staple of power running and vertical passing never materialized. His play-calling lacked quick passes and screen passes to running backs, for the most part, and made the offense too predictable. His unyielding ways compelled coach Art Shell to replace him after 11 games.
• 2. Wide receiver Randy Moss. He dropped passes at an astonishing rate, failed to challenge defensive backs for contestable passes and degenerated into just another receiver. It became apparent as the season progressed that he no longer is worth the exorbitant salary he gets paid or the acclaim once afforded him as the game's most dangerous receiver.
• 3. Tight end Courtney Anderson. He, too, had a problem with the dropsies early on and lost his starting job by midseason. He rebounded somewhat late in the season but not enough to stand out above journeyman Randal Williams and rookie John Madsen.
-- Steve Corkran

a little bit more..... mostly scheduling stuff and a report card......

Raiders' 2007 opponents
• Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
• Road: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Miami Dolphins

Raiders' final rankings
Where the Raiders ranked among the 32 NFL teams:
Category Rank Avg. per game
Total offense 32 246.2
Rush offense 29 94.9
Pass offense 31 151.2
Total defense 3 284.8
Rush defense 25 134.0
Pass defense 1 150.8

Raiders' 2006 report card
• PASSING OFFENSE: The inconsistency of quarterbacks Aaron Brooks and Andrew Walter wasn't a surprise, given the poor blocking by the offensive line, a slew of drops by their receivers and a scheme that asked them to hold on to the ball too long in hopes of receivers getting open well downfield. Ronald Curry was the lone wide receiver to have a productive season. Receiver Randy Moss failed to carve out a niche in the offense and rarely was a factor. Jerry Porter's attitude limited his playing time to four games and one reception. None of the tight ends distinguished himself as a reliable target. Tom Walsh and John Shoop lacked imagination as play-callers. Grade: F
• RUNNING OFFENSE: LaMont Jordan had only one standout game before he sustained a season-ending knee injury. His 3.8-yard average rushing matched his output in 2005 and fell far short of the 4.9 he averaged in four seasons before he signed with the Raiders. Justin Fargas ran hard and showed more versatility than Jordan. However, he didn't fare much better overall. The offensive line failed to open holes on a consistent basis. Walsh and Shoop oftentimes abandoned the run after a slow start. Grade: D-
• PASSING DEFENSE: Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha had a Pro Bowl-caliber season, with eight interceptions and consistent play. Fellow cornerback Fabian Washington matured into an admirable complement to Asomugha. Pro Bowl defensive end Derrick Burgess (11 sacks) and defensive tackle Warren Sapp (10 sacks) keyed a pass-rush that set up an impressive linebacking corps to make plays all over the field. This was the team's strong suit. Grade: A-
• RUNNING DEFENSE: Teams often shied away from their passing attack because of the success they found running the ball against a Raiders defense that lacked a consistent run-stopper. Middle linebacker Kirk Morrison stood out against the run. The Raiders had difficulty stopping the run even when they knew what was coming. Finding a proven run-stopper figures to be a priority. Grade: D
• SPECIAL TEAMS: Kicker Sebastian Janikowski started off strong but suffered through a prolonged drought the second half of the season. Shane Lechler had another impressive season, though his 19 touchbacks were far too many for a punter of his talent. Kick returner Chris Carr once again ranked among the best at his position. But he struggled on punt returns for the second straight season. Kick and punt coverage was spotty and a problem area in several games. Coverage man Jarrod Cooper showed he is among the best in the league. Grade: C+
• COACHING: Art Shell did a nice job laying the foundation for the future by developing several young starters and establishing a strong work ethic. However, he could have handled the Porter situation better. He also failed to reign in Moss from the outset. Give him credit for replacing Walsh after 11 games, even if it didn't yield better results, and for restoring some sanity to a team that was in disarray when he replaced Norv Turner. Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan turned his troops into one of the league's top defenses. Grade: C
-- Steve Corkran

I hate to say but he is about right on!!!

 

[Seraph24]

• PASSING OFFENSE: The inconsistency of quarterbacks Aaron Brooks and Andrew Walter wasn't a surprise, given the poor blocking by the offensive line, a slew of drops by their receivers and a scheme that asked them to hold on to the ball too long in hopes of receivers getting open well downfield. Ronald Curry was the lone wide receiver to have a productive season. Receiver Randy Moss failed to carve out a niche in the offense and rarely was a factor. Jerry Porter's attitude limited his playing time to four games and one reception. None of the tight ends distinguished himself as a reliable target. Tom Walsh and John Shoop lacked imagination as play-callers. Grade: F

Dead on to the obvious part people tend to ignore in judging those two.

 

[Limee]

Raiders might talk to Martz

Fassel Green and Lofton also mentioned.

 

[Crossbones]

Raiders might talk to Martz

Fassel Green and Lofton also mentioned.

Yep, maybe we can drag this out until April. Same shit different year.

 

[Limee]

I honestly thought it would be done by the end of this week.

 

[Madturk]

Well I guess Martz coming in for a second look is encouraging but I think he will be out of AL's price range.

 

[RaiderIVlife]

Dead on to the obvious part people tend to ignore in judging those two.

Yeah Brooks & Walter are fine QB's, but for Tom Walsh.

Want to buy some beach front property in Idaho? I've got it at a great price.

 

[Seraph24]

Yeah Brooks & Walter are fine QB's, but for Tom Walsh.

Want to buy some beach front property in Idaho? I've got it at a great price.

Yep stick to the one liners of dry idaho humor. Because like i said it was obvious. Let ask you this. Do you expect Randy Moss to put up the same numbers in another offense? If you do then you've already bought that land in idaho.

 

[hawaiianboy]

Well I guess Martz coming in for a second look is encouraging but I think he will be out of AL's price range.

Put me in the category of not wanting Martz as a head coach... he fought with management and players his last couple of years in St Louis and apparently the Lions O-line coach this past year.... After all the drama associated with Art and whoever not seeing eye to eye this season, I'd rather get a guy in here that's a little more people friendly...

Having an egotist of Martz's level and an egotist of Al's level = a new coaching search in '09 because they are bound to clash IMO...

 

[Limee]

From SF gate.

One team source described the coaching search as moving along quickly, and a hire could be made within a week. That rate of speed would stand in contrast to the past three coaching searches since 2002, which ranged from 22 to 38 days.

Of the team's five coaching hires since 1997, Jon Gruden was the quickest hire (16 days in 1998).

SF Gate

 

[massraider]

Schefter on NFL Network reports that Langston has voided the remainder of his deal.

Schefter went on to say that the Raiders and Langston are talking deal, but talks aren't far along. And that he won't come cheap, and that he'd be one of the bigger O-line FA's, both in terms of size, and talent.


What the F....?

 

[Limee]

Size? Yes. Talent? I'll get back to you on that one...

 

[Ghost To The Post]

One thing that is underated about Langston is his upper torso flexibility.

How many times have I seen him reach ineffectively to the inside gap with arms fully extended, while at the same time, turning his head outward in a clockwise fashion to watch as the man he was responsible for sprinted past him to the QB?

I am not claiming that there are no other RT's in the NFL that can perform this feat, but Langston has an almost Regan MacNeil-like range of motion.

Many NFL teams, that are looking to replace their starting QB mid-way through next season, may have an interest in signing young Mr. Walker.

 

[massraider]

One thing that is underated about Langston is his upper torso flexibility.

How many times have I seen him reach ineffectively to the inside gap with arms fully extended, while at the same time, turning his head outward in a clockwise fashion to watch as the man he was responsible for sprinted past him to the QB?

I am not claiming that there are no other RT's in the NFL that can perform this feat, but Langston has an almost Regan MacNeil-like range of motion.

Many NFL teams, that are looking to replace their starting QB mid-way through next season, may have an interest in signing young Mr. Walker.

Good stuff. No idea who Regan MacNeil is, but I am sure it's very funny.


I hope the contradiction of the RT for the worst O-line in the league being a hot FA is apparant to the rest of the NFL.

Actually, I don't. I hope he signs a mega-deal with an AFC West team.


EDIT: The Exorcist. Nice. HBoy would be proud.

 

[Madturk]

Max Stark's and Eric Steinbach's agents just peed themselves.

 

[Ghost To The Post]

Actually Mass he may be leaving the NFL altogether. Apparently, and I should declare that this is just a rumor, he was contacted by the Royal School of Tauromachy in Seville about becoming an insructor there.

 

[R4Life]

http://www.realfootball365.com/nfl/articles/2007/01/raiders-langston-walker120107.html

The "rumor monger" is at it again.

Adam Schefter of the NFL Network reported on Thursday that Oakland Raiders right tackle Langston Walker has voided the final year of his contract. When confirmed, it will make the 6-foot-8, 345-pound lineman an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

In late December, the former Denver Post reporter was the first to announce the imminent firing of 60-year-old head coach Art Shell. Hours after the report hit print, a source within the organization countered, saying, "Adam Schefter has always been a false rumor monger with respect to the Raiders and anti-Raider based upon his relationship with Denver and Mike Shanahan."

Needless to say, there was no statement released this time around.

Likely because Walker is doing the Raiders a favor.

The massive tackle was one of the team's many offensive disappointments in 2006, starting and struggling in all 16 regular-season contests.

A late second-round pick in 2002, Walker worked his way up to the starting rotation as a special teams player. The 27-year-old blocked five kicks from 2004-2005, and earned himself seven starts at right tackle and left guard until a stomach injury sidelined him for the remainder of the year.

In 2006, he was the only lineman on Oakland's roster to start in all 16 regular-season games, but not because he played well.

Walker led all Raider offensive linemen in sacks allowed, false starts and holding penalties. The Oakland native let in 11 sacks on the season, good for a loss of 48 yards; only fellow tackle Robert Gallery can proudly match that number. With eight penalties for a loss of 55 yards, Walker also equaled Gallery's yellow-flag total on the year.

Schefter, though, slapped a lofty price tag on the back of Walker, describing him as a quality, starting-caliber tackle.

Perhaps he should stick to reporting, not analyzing -- at least in this case.

As of now, the list of teams expectedly interested in the five-year veteran includes the Kansas City Chiefs , New York Jets , Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys .

Don't expect Raider fans to hold on too tightly when one of the above teams shows interest. Walker consistently lacked the quickness to close off speed rushers, and was deemed useless when an opposing defender turned the corner on him.

Following a Week 9 shutout loss at Seattle, Walker was the first to admit that even one weakness on an offense can throw off an entire team's rhythm.

"Unfortunately you can have 10 guys doing everything perfect and one guy screws up or loses a battle."

Thanks to Walker, Oakland may have one fewer chance to screw up each game.

 

[hawaiianboy]

Regan MacNeil?....

Royal School of Tauromachy in Seville?...

Freakin Ghost...

I swear Bones needs to put a google link on Mr Smarty Pants' avatar or something...

 

[R4Life]

Rob Ryan interviews for Raiders head coaching job

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23918_5276834,00.html

ALAMEDA, Calif. — Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Ryan interviewed Friday for the team’s head coaching vacancy.
Ryan followed former New York Giants coach Jim Fassel and Southern California quarterbacks coach Steve Sarkisian to interview to replace the fired Art Shell. Ryan is the only defensive coach to interview so far.

The son of former Philadelphia and Arizona coach Buddy Ryan, Rob Ryan was the coordinator of the NFL’s third-ranked defense. While the offense struggled all season, scoring only 12 touchdowns, Oakland’s defense was one of the only bright spots in a 2-14 season.

The Raiders allowed the fewest yards passing in the NFL in Ryan’s third season as coordinator and were able to stay close in many games even when the offense failed to move the ball.

He is extremely popular with the defensive players, many of whom have advocated him for the head coaching job.

Ryan has helped develop Derrick Burgess into a two-time Pro Bowl defensive end, Nnamdi Asomugha into one of the league’s top cornerbacks and young linebackers Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard into solid NFL starters.

But Davis has historically gone for offensive-minded coaches. The last time he hired a defensive coach was when he promoted John Madden from linebackers coach to take over the head job in 1969.

The Raiders still plan to bring in other candidates. Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Mike Martz also could be brought in for a second straight year for an interview, and the team also plans to talk to at least one or two minority coaches.

Also Friday, Raiders offensive coordinator John Shoop was hired in the same job at the University of North Carolina. Shoop, who replaced Tom Walsh as coordinator late in the season, had been hoping to interview for the head coaching job.

The Raiders have already interviewed Marc Trestman for the offensive coordinator’s job. Trestman was an assistant with Oakland from 2001-03. He was offensive coordinator at North Carolina State last season before losing his job when head coach Chuck Amato was fired.

 

[hawaiianboy]

You knew his name was eventually going to pop up:


http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm


GREEN COULD STILL LAND IN OAKLAND

Though he has yet to even receive an interview, there continues to be talk in league circles that former Vikings and Cardinals coach Dennis Green could be the next coach of the Oakland Raiders.

The scuttlebutt is that Green's relationship with mercurial (thanks, Tiki) receiver Randy Moss and his ability to get through to guys with bad attitudes could make him an attractive candidate.

If, however, Green were to get the job, he wouldn't be allowed (as the talk goes) to round up his cronies (e.g., Richard Solomon) and bring them to the Bay Area.

The cast of characters who have interviewed for the position vacated when Art Shell was fired include, to date, Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, USC quarterbacks coach Steve Sarkisian, and former Ravens offensive coordinator Jim Fassel. There also is speculation/rumor that Raiders offensive coordinator John Shoop could get the job, but he has not yet been interviewed.

Several readers have asked us whether the interview of Sarkisian constitutes compliance with the Rooney Rule, since the 32-year-old is Armenian. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello has advised us by e-mail that Sarkisian's interview doesn't count.

But whether through Green or another minority candidate, it's safe to say that the Raiders will comply. Owner Al Davis, after all, was embracing diversity long before is was mandatory to do so.