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Davis says Porter can seek trade
By Steve Corkran
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
NAPA - Disgruntled wide receiver Jerry Porter "has lost his way" and is free to leave, Raiders managing general partner Al Davis said in a lengthy news conference Tuesday afternoon.
That revelation punctuated an hour-long question-and-answer session in which Davis focused his thoughts on former Raiders coach John Madden in anticipation of Madden's induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Davis is slated to give the introductory speech before Madden is inducted in Canton, Ohio. His performance Tuesday showed he's still the voice of everything Raider.
Porter has been unhappy with his standing since a face-to-face meeting with coach Art Shell in February that ended with Shell berating Porter and kicking him out of his office.
Soon thereafter, Porter demanded a trade, though he has four years left on the five-year extension he signed before last season. No problem, the Raiders said.
That is, as long as Porter pays back the $4 million bonus he received for this season, and his agent, Joel Segal, is able to find a team willing to give the Raiders suitable compensation, be it in the form of draft picks or established players, Davis said.
"He has lost his way a little bit," Davis said of Porter, "but he is a good guy."
Porter has refused most interview requests and did not speak Tuesday. He strained a calf the first day of practice July 25 and has seen limited action on the days he participates in full-team drills.
Senior personnel executive Michael Lombardi said Tuesday that no teams have contacted the Raiders about trading for Porter. Segal did not return several phone calls.
The Raiders selected Porter in the second round of the 2000 NFL draft out of West Virginia. He was viewed as the heir apparent to former Raiders receiver Tim Brown. However, he has yet to develop into a No. 1 receiver in terms of production and consistency.
"If someone offers us the (draft) choice we want or a representative player and the $4 million bonus he took from us this year, we'll respond," Davis said. "They got to get it done. (Porter's) agent has known this since the draft (in April). Before the draft, he knew what he had to do. He couldn't get it done."
Porter told ESPN in early July that he wanted the Raiders to hire former St. Louis Rams coach Mike Martz as the successor to Norv Turner. In the process, he criticized new offensive coordinator Tom Walsh for his being out of the NFL for 11 years.
Davis said he doesn't view Porter's displeasure with Shell and Walsh as a distraction.
"I had one of the greatest players who has ever played this game, and he was tough to handle. He was the T.O. of his time," Davis said in comparing receiver Art Powell in 1963 to Dallas Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens.
Davis was the Raiders coach that season. He said he dealt with Powell in a straightforward manner, just the way Shell is dealing with Porter these days.
"I used to go in the huddle and hear, 'Give me the damn ball,' " Davis said. "(I'd say), 'You will get the ball when you are told to get the ball.' "
Davis also touched upon a number of other topics.
Among them, he said the Raiders had no option but to take over control of ticket sales from the Oakland Football Marketing Association on the heels of an 11-year run that featured more homes games that didn't sell out than ones that did.
"No, I'm not encouraged or satisfied unless we sell out," Davis said, when asked if he is encouraged by ticket sales for this season.
As for his health, Davis, 77, joked about his use of a walker to get around the past year and said he is in fine shape other than a weakened left quadriceps.
"I have a quadriceps problem that no one seems to be able to fix for me," Davis said, "and I certainly won't go in and touch it with an operation. I have only known one person in my life who had a quadriceps (injury) and had that done with an operation. I don't want to do it."
Footballwise, Davis said, the Raiders are headed in the right direction. He sees Shell as being instrumental in restoring the Raiders way, when the Raiders were a perennial playoff team and opposing teams held them in high regard during the 1960s, '70s and into the '80s.
"Art is starting to get something I had when I was very young," Davis said, "and that is, I was going to dominate it, no matter what it is. I was just going to get it done. ... (Shell) knows he can dominate, and he will dominate."
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/sports/football/nfl/oakland_raiders/15178857.htm
By Steve Corkran
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
NAPA - Disgruntled wide receiver Jerry Porter "has lost his way" and is free to leave, Raiders managing general partner Al Davis said in a lengthy news conference Tuesday afternoon.
That revelation punctuated an hour-long question-and-answer session in which Davis focused his thoughts on former Raiders coach John Madden in anticipation of Madden's induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Davis is slated to give the introductory speech before Madden is inducted in Canton, Ohio. His performance Tuesday showed he's still the voice of everything Raider.
Porter has been unhappy with his standing since a face-to-face meeting with coach Art Shell in February that ended with Shell berating Porter and kicking him out of his office.
Soon thereafter, Porter demanded a trade, though he has four years left on the five-year extension he signed before last season. No problem, the Raiders said.
That is, as long as Porter pays back the $4 million bonus he received for this season, and his agent, Joel Segal, is able to find a team willing to give the Raiders suitable compensation, be it in the form of draft picks or established players, Davis said.
"He has lost his way a little bit," Davis said of Porter, "but he is a good guy."
Porter has refused most interview requests and did not speak Tuesday. He strained a calf the first day of practice July 25 and has seen limited action on the days he participates in full-team drills.
Senior personnel executive Michael Lombardi said Tuesday that no teams have contacted the Raiders about trading for Porter. Segal did not return several phone calls.
The Raiders selected Porter in the second round of the 2000 NFL draft out of West Virginia. He was viewed as the heir apparent to former Raiders receiver Tim Brown. However, he has yet to develop into a No. 1 receiver in terms of production and consistency.
"If someone offers us the (draft) choice we want or a representative player and the $4 million bonus he took from us this year, we'll respond," Davis said. "They got to get it done. (Porter's) agent has known this since the draft (in April). Before the draft, he knew what he had to do. He couldn't get it done."
Porter told ESPN in early July that he wanted the Raiders to hire former St. Louis Rams coach Mike Martz as the successor to Norv Turner. In the process, he criticized new offensive coordinator Tom Walsh for his being out of the NFL for 11 years.
Davis said he doesn't view Porter's displeasure with Shell and Walsh as a distraction.
"I had one of the greatest players who has ever played this game, and he was tough to handle. He was the T.O. of his time," Davis said in comparing receiver Art Powell in 1963 to Dallas Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens.
Davis was the Raiders coach that season. He said he dealt with Powell in a straightforward manner, just the way Shell is dealing with Porter these days.
"I used to go in the huddle and hear, 'Give me the damn ball,' " Davis said. "(I'd say), 'You will get the ball when you are told to get the ball.' "
Davis also touched upon a number of other topics.
Among them, he said the Raiders had no option but to take over control of ticket sales from the Oakland Football Marketing Association on the heels of an 11-year run that featured more homes games that didn't sell out than ones that did.
"No, I'm not encouraged or satisfied unless we sell out," Davis said, when asked if he is encouraged by ticket sales for this season.
As for his health, Davis, 77, joked about his use of a walker to get around the past year and said he is in fine shape other than a weakened left quadriceps.
"I have a quadriceps problem that no one seems to be able to fix for me," Davis said, "and I certainly won't go in and touch it with an operation. I have only known one person in my life who had a quadriceps (injury) and had that done with an operation. I don't want to do it."
Footballwise, Davis said, the Raiders are headed in the right direction. He sees Shell as being instrumental in restoring the Raiders way, when the Raiders were a perennial playoff team and opposing teams held them in high regard during the 1960s, '70s and into the '80s.
"Art is starting to get something I had when I was very young," Davis said, "and that is, I was going to dominate it, no matter what it is. I was just going to get it done. ... (Shell) knows he can dominate, and he will dominate."
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/sports/football/nfl/oakland_raiders/15178857.htm
