Angry Pope
All Raider
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2006
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Walter stating his case
Phil Barber
Here's something I never expected to be writing on the third day of training camp: Andrew Walter looks like the best quarterback on the team.
The proclamation comes with a major disclaimer, of course, because the Raiders have practiced only three times. But in those three sessions, Walter has clearly outplayed his major competition at this point, Josh McCown. Jeff Otis has gotten minimal repetitions, Cody Pickett just joined the team and JaMarcus Russell is still chillin' in Mobile while his agents and the Raiders' negotiating team attempt to pick each others' pockets.
Perhaps I'm being unfair to Walter. Maybe I had every reason to expect him to shine, though I think my reasoning was based on solid observation. In the mini-camps and OTAs open to the media, McCown simply looked like the better quarterback. His mobility will always be miles ahead of Walter's, but the former Cardinal and Lion also looked pretty efficient passing the ball, while Walter struggled. Then Walter had arthroscopic surgery, putting him in a deeper hole.
But Friday and Saturday, it was McCown who looked off-balance. He threw at least two picks that I saw, tripped on a lineman's foot and fell while dropping back one time, and left a snap on the ground another. Many of his passes have been way off-target. Walter, meanwhile, looks as sharp as I've seen him.
This is just the first leg of what promises to be a marathon competition at the position, and the dynamic will change entirely if and when Russell gets into camp. But Walter is sending early notice that he has no intention of abdicating the starting job to McCown.
NIGHT MOVES: The Raiders' first night practice was curious and interesting, and I think the idea will wind up being hailed as a big success. The afternoon practices bake you a little, even in mild Napa. Players can cramp up, and the recovery time is no doubt longer. In the cool of evening - second practices run 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. - I actually got a little cold on the field.
The players appreciate the long interval between practices. Some told me they feel a bit creaky when they take the field in the afternoon for a traditional two-a-day. And I'm guessing Lane Kiffin and his staff appreciate knowing exactly where every player is until 9 p.m.
The Redwood Middle School fields don't have lights. The Raiders do it by renting powerful stadium-style lights that are lifted hydraulically from flatbed trucks. There is one on each side of the fields, plenty at that dusky hour. The whole atmosphere came into focus after practice, when I walked past an end zone and looked back to see a nearly full moon, shining swollen and bright over the Marriott Hotel.
MINOR INJURY CLINIC: Knock on wood, the Raiders have escaped any significant injuries thus far. Cornerback Fabian Washington "tweaked" something and sat out part of one practice, and guard Ben Claxton came out of a play limping last night. Center Jeremy Newberry and tight end Randal Williams both missed last night's practice. We didn't get official explanations, but Newberry had told us he'd sit it out (and probably some others) as he rehabs his damaged knees, and Williams has chronic back problems (not surprising for someone who has put on about 30 pounds of muscle in the last 18 months).
It looked like we had our first major casualty of the summer late Friday afternoon. Practice had been over for 45 minutes when linebacker Isaiah Ekejiuba returned to the training area from the hotel, borne by a pair of teammates. Ekejiuba was in obvious pain. The players tried to set him down at one point, and Ike couldn't stand. Another writer noticed that one of Ekejiuba's toes was bent off-kilter. Dramatic guesses flew back and forth. Broken foot? Achilles' tendon? How did it happen? Did he run into the ping-pong table?
Turns out it was simply the worst cramp in world history. The next day, Ekejiuba said it ran from neck to toe and he thought he was going to die.
Phil Barber
Here's something I never expected to be writing on the third day of training camp: Andrew Walter looks like the best quarterback on the team.
The proclamation comes with a major disclaimer, of course, because the Raiders have practiced only three times. But in those three sessions, Walter has clearly outplayed his major competition at this point, Josh McCown. Jeff Otis has gotten minimal repetitions, Cody Pickett just joined the team and JaMarcus Russell is still chillin' in Mobile while his agents and the Raiders' negotiating team attempt to pick each others' pockets.
Perhaps I'm being unfair to Walter. Maybe I had every reason to expect him to shine, though I think my reasoning was based on solid observation. In the mini-camps and OTAs open to the media, McCown simply looked like the better quarterback. His mobility will always be miles ahead of Walter's, but the former Cardinal and Lion also looked pretty efficient passing the ball, while Walter struggled. Then Walter had arthroscopic surgery, putting him in a deeper hole.
But Friday and Saturday, it was McCown who looked off-balance. He threw at least two picks that I saw, tripped on a lineman's foot and fell while dropping back one time, and left a snap on the ground another. Many of his passes have been way off-target. Walter, meanwhile, looks as sharp as I've seen him.
This is just the first leg of what promises to be a marathon competition at the position, and the dynamic will change entirely if and when Russell gets into camp. But Walter is sending early notice that he has no intention of abdicating the starting job to McCown.
NIGHT MOVES: The Raiders' first night practice was curious and interesting, and I think the idea will wind up being hailed as a big success. The afternoon practices bake you a little, even in mild Napa. Players can cramp up, and the recovery time is no doubt longer. In the cool of evening - second practices run 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. - I actually got a little cold on the field.
The players appreciate the long interval between practices. Some told me they feel a bit creaky when they take the field in the afternoon for a traditional two-a-day. And I'm guessing Lane Kiffin and his staff appreciate knowing exactly where every player is until 9 p.m.
The Redwood Middle School fields don't have lights. The Raiders do it by renting powerful stadium-style lights that are lifted hydraulically from flatbed trucks. There is one on each side of the fields, plenty at that dusky hour. The whole atmosphere came into focus after practice, when I walked past an end zone and looked back to see a nearly full moon, shining swollen and bright over the Marriott Hotel.
MINOR INJURY CLINIC: Knock on wood, the Raiders have escaped any significant injuries thus far. Cornerback Fabian Washington "tweaked" something and sat out part of one practice, and guard Ben Claxton came out of a play limping last night. Center Jeremy Newberry and tight end Randal Williams both missed last night's practice. We didn't get official explanations, but Newberry had told us he'd sit it out (and probably some others) as he rehabs his damaged knees, and Williams has chronic back problems (not surprising for someone who has put on about 30 pounds of muscle in the last 18 months).
It looked like we had our first major casualty of the summer late Friday afternoon. Practice had been over for 45 minutes when linebacker Isaiah Ekejiuba returned to the training area from the hotel, borne by a pair of teammates. Ekejiuba was in obvious pain. The players tried to set him down at one point, and Ike couldn't stand. Another writer noticed that one of Ekejiuba's toes was bent off-kilter. Dramatic guesses flew back and forth. Broken foot? Achilles' tendon? How did it happen? Did he run into the ping-pong table?
Turns out it was simply the worst cramp in world history. The next day, Ekejiuba said it ran from neck to toe and he thought he was going to die.
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