Raiders’ rookie says veterans complained

By Mike Ash  |   Monday, July 02, 2007  |  Comments( 51 )

Oakland Raiders
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Just over two weeks ago, the NFL Players Association forced the Oakland Raiders to cancel the last week of their offseason training program. At the time of the NFLPA's ruling, which cited the Raiders for violating the offseason contact rules set out in the league's collective bargaining agreement, there was no explanation given for why the team's practices had been investigated.

Speculation began immediately. One popular theory, most prominently floated by Bay Area writer Bill Soliday, was that the NFLPA became aware of comments head coach Lane Kiffin had made to the media about the physical nature of the practice sessions. With little to no evidence that suggested any other possibility, it seemed that Soliday's theory was becoming accepted.

Now, though, thanks to rookie fifth-round pick Jay Richardson, it looks like the mystery has been solved.

"Some of the veterans reported that we were working too hard," Richardson told his hometown newspaper in Ohio last week. "With me coming from Ohio State, we always worked really hard there so I was kind of used to it. But the veterans complained that they 'don't always have to do all of this crap.'"

Even though the penalty the Raiders faced wasn't severe -- because their OTAs were already over with, players only lost a week of workout time at the team's facilities -- the admission that team veterans were behind the cancellation may be something of a worst-case scenario for Raiders fans who hoped that unrest among the players had faded since Kiffin took over for Art Shell.

Worse yet, Richardson's comments suggest that multiple players on the roster, not just a malcontent or two, were to blame. But in that vein, his comments can be looked at in one of two ways. By focusing on his remark that "some of the veterans" were behind what happened, it downplays the number of players who were involved. But his subsequent reference to the complainers as just "the veterans" makes it sound as if it could have been a whole host of people.

Regardless of the actual numbers, though, it's unsettling that a collection of Raiders vets have chosen not to join with the "I'm In" mission statement Kiffin has installed since taking over the team. Furthermore, the notion that some feel they "don't always have to do all of this crap" is somewhat remarkable considering the Raiders' 15-49 record since their Super Bowl appearance in 2002. If "not doing all that crap" has helped produce those losing seasons, why not be open to giving something new a try?

Clearly, Kiffin still has a lot of work to do in eliminating the negative element inside the Oakland locker room. At least some of his veteran players appear to be more concerned with easy practice sessions and collecting their paychecks than they are about seeing the Raiders turn things around on the field.

It will be interesting to see which players, if any, get weeded out when training camp begins in just over three weeks. But in the meantime, Raider Nation should be encouraged by rookies like Richardson, who appear to have the kind of team attitude that should help breed future success.
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