Madden 2010 is Raiders’ only hope

By MikeBullock  |   Thursday, October 29, 2009  |  Comments( 3 )

Oakland Raiders
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Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter.

That’s what the signs over the entrances to McAfee Coliseum should say. In fact, if things remain status quo, that should be the new team motto. Forget Commitment to Excellence, that’s obviously a figment of Davis’s imagination. In fact, the only example of excellence to be seen last weekend was the few seconds the TV camera’s spent focusing on John Madden.

At some point in the ‘90s, Howie Long sat on the Fox Sports Sunday NFL coverage panel discussing the most recent Raider blowout with John Madden and Terry Bradshaw. If anyone remembers the greatness of the Raiders, it’s these three. Bradshaw posed the question “What happened to the Raiders?” to which John Madden stammered and didn’t respond. After an instant of awkward silence, Long chimed in.

“I’ll tell you what it is, Coach, they lost what you gave them.”

Truer words were never spoken in regards to the Silver and Black. The swagger of men who knew they dominated all comers was gone. The Raider mystique that led to other teams dressing on barstools or checking for helium in the kicking balls was only a memory. The notion that a team could not go into the Raider’s home field and take a win was nothing more than an old legend.

Now, some fifteen years later, the team still hasn’t regained what Madden gave them. In fact, they’ve regressed to the point that the pre-Madden Raiders looked better. Who among you wouldn’t give your favorite jersey to trade Jamarcus Russell for a young Darryl Lamonica?

Meanwhile, time crawls by at 7000 Coliseum Way and with it is dragged the hopes of Raider Nation.

However, out there on the horizon, is a glimmer of the chosen one, riding in funny colored bus, loaded up with video games, broadcasting awards and turkey legs. Al Davis has said many times he wants to have someone to take over his legacy. Who better than Madden?

From a financial standpoint, Madden is most likely worth far more than Jerry Jones, carries the clout to draw in free agents like moths to the proverbial flame and understands the modern game of football. Let Madden buy the team, hire Bruce Allen as the GM, bring back Jon Gruden and Raider fans would instantly have a dream team. Once again, dynasty could be a word used to describe the Oakland Raiders. Once again intimidated would be a word in the minds of opponents and once again the Silver and Black would sit atop the NFL, in their rightful place.

If not, Davis can always continue with his current battle plan, shove one hand inside his white jumpsuit jacket and wait to be shipped off to the island of St. Helena. Once there, he can spend the rest of his days bemoaning his fate to the remains of Napoleon Bonaparte, another legendary leader who failed to recognize when his time was up…
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CommentsComments: 3  |  Sign Up  View all comments
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No.1
neil b		11:46 AM
10/29/2009
Nice article Mike.......but Napoleon's remains are in France now. What you've said goes back to what Gary Russell said a few ...
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No.2
MikeBullock		12:14 PM
10/29/2009
Thanks, Neil. I knew Napoleon's remains had been moved, just not sure Al Gore- err I mean Davis knows that. ...
No.3
Manic-Bronco		04:36 AM
10/30/2009
Finally I think the reality that Al Davis is the problem with this team is starting to sink in to the hard thick skulls of raider ...
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