Another sad NFL draft in the sinking ship called the Raiders

By iceman4444  |   Friday, August 07, 2009  |  Comments( 17 )

Oakland Raiders
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The Raiders finally got lucky. During the 2009 NFL draft, the best WR in college football for two straight years had dropped into Al Davis lap. It seemed like old times when the magical Ron Wolf and his scouts would lead the Raiders drafting war room. The Raiders drafts under the direction of Ron Wolf were of legend, sometimes adding hall of famers and pro bowlers like toppings at Cold Stone ice cream parlor. Michael Crabtree, the all world Texas Tech wide receiver was all but given to the Raiders. An exciting, hard-nosed playmaking WR, seemed like a fit made in silver and black heaven. The Raiders passed up on Larry Fitzgerald to get the adequate Robert Gallery, but with Crabtree’s selection, all would be forgiven.

You could see all fans of the Raider nation; old and young alike partying with joy of glory days gone past. Finally the Raider nation could celebrate and Michael Crabtree would be another piece of rebuilding this once proud franchise.

The Raiders WR core was one of the worst in the NFL last year; for a few years for that matter. Couple that with a young, pudgy, and often inaccurate QB in DeMarcus Russell, and you end up with one of the worst offenses in the NFL. With Michael Crabtree and McFadden though, there would be hope.

In a recent New York Times article, it was said that Al Davis really only listened to 2 people when it came to football matters; Bill Walsh and Ron Wolf. Walsh is unfortunately no longer with us and Ron Wolf and Mr. Davis haven’t exactly seen eye to eye for years. For those not in the know, some people feel Ron Wolf may be the best drafting executive in the history of the NFL. When he took over the GM job in Green Bay, in two of his first moves he helped to sign a guy named Reggie White, and traded for an air headed QB named Brett Favre. With 2 great drafts, the rest was history.

Unfortunately for the Raider nation, Mr. Davis is now running this ship alone. This once feared renegade pirate of the NFL now leads a boat with a mindless crew. He listens to very few people and still has visions of Ken Stabler taking 5-7 seconds before throwing long to Cliff Branch for a touchdown.

Mr. Davis sleeps every night with Warren Wells, George Atkinson and Cliff Branch dancing in his head. He dreams of their speed and smiles as he sleeps like a kid on Christmas Eve night. Their speed entices him. He dreams of domination and long TD passes.

John Madden once said the greatest player he ever coached was Warren Wells. Wells still holds the NFL and AFL record for most yards per catch at 23.1 yards. In one year, Wells averaged an unreal 27 yards per catch. In a famous last minute drive, George Blanda told Madden, “Let me throw three slants to Warren and we’ll score”. They did and went 80 yards and scored. Wells was a bigger Cliff Branch and no one could match his electric speed bursts.

Recent draft choices like Buchanon, Huff, Washington, Gibson, and Routt will never make anyone forget about the soul patrol. These poor players are finding it hard enough to find starting jobs in the NFL let alone being great. Why did Mr. Davis love these draft choices? Their dazzling speed at the NFL combines. Mel Kiper would be proud. Now we come to Mr. Davis latest man crush.

I watched Darius Heyward-Bey in three games last year. I had a sheckle or two on a few of Marylands’ games. He was flat out dominated at Virginia in a 31-0 loss. He had huge problems getting off the line of scrimmage, and I ran better routes than he did. I just didn’t get him.

In Death Valley, Clemson also played very physical against him and he was shut out there as well. In a 4 game span, Heyward-Bey had 5 catches and 90 yards in receptions, and 2 TD’s. In the weak ACC, Heyward-Bey was not a factor in half the games he played.

Now, fast-forward to the 2009 NFL draft. The Raider nation; now in full throat; began bellowing out their joy for all to hear and see. The Raiders were on the clock. They couldn’t wait for Michael Crabtree to come out in joy with his hands raised. They already had Darren McFadden; a possible superstar in the making; and now the best WR in college football would be there’s. Then it happened………

“Now drafting, with the seventh pick, the Oakland Raiders choose Darius Heyward-Bey WR, from the University of Maryland.” It couldn’t be. Surely Roger Goodell had too many mimosas. Maybe that last Guinness from the night before messed up my hearing. The 49er friends at my draft party started jumping up and down with joy. I realized now Al Davis was building a winner in the bay area. Unfortunately it was in the San Francisco bay area and not in Oakland.

When the hot searing pain had begun to sink in from losing Crabtree, another huge pain came in the form of their second round pick. No offense to this young man but the Raiders then shocked the world again when they chose Mike Mitchell, a safety out of the University of Ohio. Some teams didn’t have him on their draft board, and the Ravens were talking about signing him as an undrafted free agent. That was good enough for the Raiders. ESPN didn’t’ have any video on him, and they ended up going to you tube like the rest of us.

Every year I hold a draft party and we keep track of our picks. In my mind at the time, the Raiders should have chosen Larry Fitzgerald. They wanted Robert Gallery though because he was huge and amazing in the drills at the NFL combines. I wanted Adrian Peterson but instead they went for need and got JaMarcus Russell who seemed to me the second coming of Byron Leftwich; and not in a good way.

From the Tommy Kelly signing, to the Heyward-Bey draft pick, the Raiders continue showing how lost they really are. In the past they were the best in drafting players and now they may be the worst.

In the glory years, the Raiders drafted so many players other teams would scratch their head about. They drafted Fred Biletnikoff who ran as fast as paint drying. Ken Stabler was also drafted and went into the second round due to his glass knees and weak arm. Gene Upshaw was from too small a school; Cliff Branch couldn’t catch; Lester Hayes was too stupid (the Raiders realized he had a speech impediment and got him a speech therapist); Tim Brown wasn’t fast enough to be an every down WR; Marcus Allen didn’t have enough breakaway speed; the list goes on and on and I remember how dumb other teams and analysts said the Raiders were. The Raiders always got the last laugh..

The Raiders were mostly right. They didn’t care about a players color, height, speed or the school they went to. Any criminal record or discretions were forgiven. They wanted one thing; football players that would help them win.

The Raiders were one of the few teams that wouldn’t exchange information with all of the NFL or AFL teams. Why you say? Because they felt they knew more than anyone else. Ron Wolf and Al Davis did know more, and they knew it. They also made others know it. The Raiders drafts during those times were magical. Now they are poster children for Mel Kiper and the NFL combines.

Mr. Davis is now all alone on his pirate ship. He and Ron Wolf were once the captains of the NFL seas, with their talented scouts were the loyal crew. They went where they wanted and did what they wanted with crossbones flying high. Now when Al Davis brings out this once mighty vessel, it’s tattered and old; the flags are now ripped and torn. Fear is now replaced by pity and laughter.

It’s difficult to say about one of the greatest football people in the history of the sport; but the Raiders need a new captain and direction. The great Al Davis hired the first Hispanic coach; the first African American coach; and the first female executive. And oh by the way he helped with the merger of the AFL and NFL to form one of the greatest sports leagues in history. Al Davis was the ONLY owner that wanted to make a skilled nursing facility for ex players that would be paid for by the NFL owners. Al Davis is loyal and caring to all of those that trust and follow him. It’s sad to see things go so wrong.

Instead of Al Davis and the Raiders looking like Blackbeards pirate ship “Queen Anne’s Revenge”, it reminds us more of Gilligan’s U.S.S. Minnow. Sadly the direction of this ship will not change with this captain. And sadly all Raider fans realize from the history of the Titanic and many other doomed vessels, a captain always goes down with his ship.
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