2010年12月1日星期三

Tom Cable reveals side of Raiders that;s been hiding for half-decade

The ; Week 7 overtime nail-biter against the New York Jets proved to be more than just an ordinary win for the silver and black.It was a game -- if you;ve followed the team long enough -- you;d expect the Raiders to lose. It had all the signs of a typical Raider screw-up:; Oakland was leading, 10-3, heading into Jets 6 Sanchez Jersey
the fourth quarter. The choke scenario was set.; The offense was stagnant, but the defense was keeping the team in the game for three quarters. The late-game defensive collapse was due.; The Jets rallied with a tying field goal in the final seconds of the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime.; New York won the OT coin toss.; Brett Favre was the opposing QB.Still, the home crowd remained in the game. It was a loud, chaotic environment for New York to deal with. Fans were hoping -- not so much expecting -- their team would win.But, if Favre and Jets effortlessly went down on the first drive of OT and kicked a field goal to win, there;d be no surprises. It simply would have been the Raiders; 66th loss in 5 1/2 years. After witnessing so many late-game collapses over the past half-decade, they start to become mind-numbing, routine losses. They;re second nature.The last time the Raiders had won a game in overtime was over five years ago, on Sept. 28, 2003. Dating back to the beginning of that ;03 season, Oakland has lost 27 games -- 41 percent of the team;s total losses since that time -- by a touchdown or less, and has already blown fourth-quarter leads twice this season.This time around, though, things were different.Oakland looked like it wanted to win. The defense refused to break; the offense didn;t commit its usual late-game blunder; and the special teams refused to choke in the clutch. Yes, all three of those things happened simultaneously. Even an uncharacteristic fake punt worked out -- one that led to tie-breaking field goal 12 minutes into the fourth quarter.It was a side of the Raiders that;s been in hiding for five years. They were grinders; they were resilient; they were ; yes, clutch ; for once.That;s all a part of interim head coach Tom Cable;s new mantra. After being re-assigned from offensive line coach to head coach prior to Week 6, Cable took down ex-head coach Lane Kiffin;s ;I;m in; sign in Alameda, Calif., and replaced it with a ;1-0; banner.;We;re 1-0 and we;re going to enjoy it,; Cable said after the game.In reality, Oakland now sits at 2-4, and Cable is 1-1 as a head coach, but the 44-year-old;s new one-game-at-a-time philosophy is just what the young Raiders need at this point in the season.Even after calling a timeout to ice Jets kicker Jay Feely in the final seconds of the fourth quarter -- a horrible backfire that allowed Feely to re-kick a game-tying ball he missed on the first attempt -- Cable admitted: ;I called it ... But we just kept grinding.;Grinding is right. The Oakland ;D; stopped the Favre-led Jets; offense three times in overtime and it wasn;t until 12 minutes and 25 seconds into the extra quarter that the Raiders were able to seal the deal with a 4 Brett Favre White jersey
57-yard Sebastian Janikowski field goal.;In previous times, if we had been in this situation, guys would have been pointing fingers, or saying why did this happen, what;s going on, or here we go again,; second-year defensive end Jay Richardson told the Sacramento Bee. ;But no one had that attitude this time.;;Everyone was together. I think it;s the first time since I;ve been here that I;ve seen the whole team have the same feel about something like that.;The Raiders don;t get to enjoy the feeling of being 1-0 very often. For now, it seems Cable is bringing that mentality back to Oakland, and it;s refreshing. (28)

Still 'the dumbest team in America

There were some surprising events in the ' locker room on Monday.It wasn't what defensive tackle Warren Sapp said. It's that it took this long to be said."We're just undisciplined from top to bottom," Sapp told the Sacramento Bee.Whoa, hold on. The veteran lineman certainly can't be talking about the right team. 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey White jersey
Oakland only has 125 penalties this year for 874 yards. That's just eight free trips up and down the field and 48 uncontested points (excluding point-after attempts). It's not as if the Raiders aren't talented enough to overcome 10-plus penalties a game. (Note the sarcasm.)Keep in mind, Sapp's recent comments came nearly four years after ex-head coach Bill Callahan called the Raiders the "dumbest team in America."And nothing -- absolutely nothing -- has changed since.Year in and year out, Oakland is among the most penalized teams in the football. Dating back to the franchise's inception in 1960, the Raiders have led the NFL in penalty yards 12 different times. Only the Bears, who moved to Chicago in 1921, have done that more times; however, they haven't led in the category since 1968. The Raiders last achieved the shameful triumph just four short years ago. That was 2003, the year that sparked Callahan's fearless comments.Since that season, the Raiders have amassed a 17-57 record.This year, the team's starting offensive line alone has combined for an atrocious 35 flags for 232 yards, and that's with right guard Cooper Carlisle factored in, who has been penalized only one time all season. The team's other linemen have done the remainder of the damage: Left tackle Barry Sims has 12 infractions for 75 yards; right tackle Cornell Green has eight for 40; left guard Robert Gallery has 10 for 72; and center Jeremy Newberry has four for 40.Warren Sapp isn't just talking about the O-line, though. He placed the blame on everyone, including himself and wide receiver Tim Dwight, who was sitting on his couch at home three weeks ago."Where the [beep!] you going?" Sapp blurted out to the media, referring to Dwight's mishap late in the fourth quarter in Sunday's 29-22 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Dwight was flagged for a false start in the closing seconds of the Raiders' final failed comeback attempt, costing his team a 10-second runoff. The worst part: It was on a spike. 4 Brett Favre White jersey
"Penalties, this and that, undisciplined gaps on defense, allowing people to run for 200 yards - it's not going to change until we get out of our own damn way."That could be it. The Raiders are usually playing an opponent ... and themselves on Sunday.And here's the problem:"We can't beat ourselves," starting quarterback Daunte Culpepper admitted.Anthony Carroll, a senior writer for , can be contacted at

Daunte Culpepper to meet old team; JaMarcus Russell may see time

The last time quarterback Daunte Culpepper faced an old employer, he single-handedly put up 30 points on the board. That was a Week 4 win at Miami, when Culpepper threw for two touchdowns and ran for three more.Head coach Lane Kiffin must have called that fleeting moment to memory when he Steelers 43 Polamalu jersey
decided this week to start Culpepper, who in his other three starts this season was rather ineffective.The 30-year-old QB, outside of that performance in Miami, has completed 65 of 113 passes this season for 742 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions. He's also 0-3 in his last three starts.Still, Kiffin is ready for a change ... again. Culpepper will come in and replace the struggling Josh McCown, who has started in the team's last two losses and has thrown just one touchdown pass to four interceptions. This season, McCown has started five games. On Sunday, Culpepper will also start his fifth."I just felt after watching film and putting everything together, it was time to go with Daunte and see if he can give us a little spark. It's nothing against Josh." Kiffin told the Associated Press on Wednesday. "Neither quarterback playing over the last month has done much for us offensively, obviously. We haven't produced anything close to what we would like to do. So we'll see if Daunte can give us a little spark this week going back to a place he was at for a long time," he continued.Kiffin's right. Neither quarterback has done much of anything over the past month. The Raiders are now losers of five straight and have been outscored by nearly 40 points in that span.The news of Kiffin's decision came just two days after 25-year-old backup Andrew Walter expressed his own displeasure with the quarterback situation in Oakland."I'm standing on the sideline on game day, so I'm saying to myself, 'I want to play,' but I'm not. My goal is never to be a career backup. I want to play and be a starter," Walter told the San Francisco Chronicle.Walter started eight games in 2006 and threw for 1,677 yards, three touchdowns and 13 interceptions. To be fair, though, the former Arizona State standout was playing under perhaps the worst offensive conditions in NFL history. Based on the way events have played out under Kiffin, it's still highly unlikely Walter sees a single rep this year.Instead, Culpepper will start against the Vikings, the team he played 81 games for from 1999-2005.However, both the Sacramento Bee and the NFL Network's Adam Schefter reported that Kiffin is also planning on using rookie JaMarcus Russell on Sunday. The 6-foot-6, 255-pounder could be used in "special packages" and is expected to serve as the primary backup behind Culpepper.Minnesota fields the worst-ranked pass defense in the league, so Kiffin's timing to test out both Culpepper and Russell in the same 2010 pro bowl Vikings 4 Brett Favre jersey
week isn't all too surprising.With the Vikings' Adrian Peterson out, with Culpepper and perhaps Russell in, fans may finally have something to be excited about.Nothing against McCown, but he's not the most exciting passer alive. Or on the team, for that matter.Anthony Carroll, a senior writer for , can be contacted at

2010年11月30日星期二

Stephen Davis LaMont Jordan

In the absence of LaMont Jordan, Zack Crockett rushed the ball 15 times for 27 yards in Week 17 last season-a painful 1.8 yards per attempt.That pain should end in 2006. The remedial pill could come in the form of a mid to late-round draft pick; however, the draft is always a crapshoot, especially in the later rounds. The last thing Oakland needs is another three-year Justin Fargas experiment-an experiment that always had the seeds of potential planted, but never grew to become anything.Instead, the remedy should come in the form of a six-foot, 230-pound veteran named Stephen Davis. Davis is by far the preeminent runner remaining on a once very deep list of 2006 free agent halfbacks. Potentially solid backups like Najeh Davenport and Michael Bennett are off the market, leaving a very limited selection of reserves on the table.Last season, LaMont Jordan was the sole castaway on the island of running backs in Oakland. For yet another season, Justin Fargas was badgered with injuries that kept his helmet off and the medical tape supply low. Throughout his career, the former third-rounder out of USC has been hit with knee, hamstring, and toe injuries. And at the age of 26, it's often hard for a runner to fully conquer early career injuries and make a full recovery.After a long season with fullback Zack Crockett filling in at the number two spot, Oakland may not want to gamble on a sudden Fargas renaissance. Instead, they should look to someone who is an already proven Renaissance man. Perhaps, someone who has been around the game for a decade-someone who has started in over 100 games-someone who has a handful of 1,000+ yard seasons under his belt.Well, that wasn't planned, but Stephen Davis can raise his hand to all of those. And although he is a ripe 32 years old, the ex-Redskin and late-Panther still has some gas left in the tank-certainly enough gas to backup workhorse LaMont Jordan. Last season in Carolina, Davis ran the ball 180 times for 549 yards and 12 touchdowns. In fact, his 12 touchdowns in 2005 were good for fifth in the NFL. However, this offseason, Davis has seemingly been overlooked by most ballclubs. He unquestionably has lost a step or two and may not be as versatile as his 1999-2003 form, but Davis is as solid as they come in terms of a backup role. His 2005 double-digit touchdown total is just a small indication of that.Despite that, however, the ten-year veteran is still very quietly sitting untouched on the free agency shelf. But, if the Raiders were wise, they would at least pick him up and take a quick look at his career nutrition facts.If they did, they would see 7,875 rushing yards, 65 touchdowns, and a 4.1-yard rushing average. His game values would also read something like 20% of the carries, 90% bruiser, and 95% backup-equipped.All Oakland needs to do is mix some color additives into the player's ingredients.

Stephen Davis LaMont Jordan

In the absence of LaMont Jordan, Zack Crockett rushed the ball 15 times for 27 yards in Week 17 last season-a painful 1.8 yards per attempt.That pain should end in 2006. The remedial pill could come in the form of a mid to late-round draft pick; however, the draft is always a crapshoot, especially in the later rounds. The last thing Oakland needs is another three-year Justin Fargas experiment-an experiment that always had the seeds of potential planted, but never grew to become anything.Instead, the remedy should come in the form of a six-foot, 230-pound veteran named Stephen Davis. Davis is by far the preeminent runner remaining on a once very deep list of 2006 free agent halfbacks. Potentially solid backups like Najeh Davenport and Michael Bennett are off the market, leaving a very limited selection of reserves on the table.Last season, LaMont Jordan was the sole castaway on the island of running backs in Oakland. For yet another season, Justin Fargas was badgered with injuries that kept his helmet off and the medical tape supply low. Throughout his career, the former third-rounder out of USC has been hit with knee, hamstring, and toe injuries. And at the age of 26, it's often hard for a runner to fully conquer early career injuries and make a full recovery.After a long season with fullback Zack Crockett filling in at the number two spot, Oakland may not want to gamble on a sudden Fargas renaissance. Instead, they should look to someone who is an already proven Renaissance man. Perhaps, someone who has been around the game for a decade-someone who has started in over 100 games-someone who has a handful of 1,000+ yard seasons under his belt.Well, that wasn't planned, but Stephen Davis can raise his hand to all of those. And although he is a ripe 32 years old, the ex-Redskin and late-Panther still has some gas left in the tank-certainly enough gas to backup workhorse LaMont Jordan. Last season in Carolina, Davis ran the ball 180 times for 549 yards and 12 touchdowns. In fact, his 12 touchdowns in 2005 were good for fifth in the NFL. However, this offseason, Davis has seemingly been overlooked by most ballclubs. He unquestionably has lost a step or two and may not be as versatile as his 1999-2003 form, but Davis is as solid as they come in terms of a backup role. His 2005 double-digit touchdown total is just a small indication of that.Despite that, however, the ten-year veteran is still very quietly sitting untouched on the free agency shelf. But, if the Raiders were wise, they would at least pick him up and take a quick look at his career nutrition facts.If they did, they would see 7,875 rushing yards, 65 touchdowns, and a 4.1-yard rushing average. His game values would also read something like 20% of the carries, 90% bruiser, and 95% backup-equipped.All Oakland needs to do is mix some color additives into the player's ingredients.

2010年11月25日星期四

Warren Sapp's exit makes Tommy Kelly a top priority

Warren Sapp's official Web site, QBKilla.com, has been reduced down to one page and two words: "I'm done!" Unfortunately for the , things aren't that simple. Life goes on, with or without Sapp's Steelers 43 Polamalu jersey
help.The 35-year-old defensive tackle announced his retirement Friday after spending 13 seasons in the NFL with the Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In his four-year stint in the Bay Area, Sapp racked up 171 tackles and 19? sacks in 58 starts with the silver and black.When asked by the San Francisco Chronicle what went into his decision to retire, Sapp answered, "Warren.""It's always been about me. There is no more," he added. "When you get through with the football season, and I'm sitting 4-12, it's me."Sapp's exit is something 78-year-old team owner Al Davis obviously can't control. He can, however, play a big part in keeping another of one his premier linemen on the roster.Tommy Kelly, a 6-foot-6, 300-pounder who can play both end and tackle, is eligible for free agency this offseason. The 27-year-old's fourth year with the Raiders was cut nine games short by a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, but he has spent the past two-plus months rehabilitating it after a season-ending surgery on Oct. 31, 2007.The ex-Mississippi State standout served as a major part of the Raiders' rush 'D' before suffering the Week 8 injury. To that point, Kelly had registered 30 tackles and a sack as a defensive end, upping his career totals to 163 tackles and eight sacks in 49 games.Last offseason, the Jackson, Miss., native declined a long-term offer to stay with the Raiders and instead opted to stick with the $1.35 million salary he earned in '07. The decision solidified Kelly's entrance into the open market after the season; however, the unexpected injury he suffered midway through the year may have him feeling a bit of remorse.Certainly, Kelly's stock will fall because of the severe injury. However, his importance to the Raiders should remain the same.Oakland's 31st-ranked run defense will certainly be hurting more with the loss of Sapp, who has started at DT for the team in every game over the past two seasons. At an equal 300 pounds, Kelly has the ability to play in Sapp's spot; though, his ability to serve as a run-stopping DE is equally as important.Last offseason, the Raiders signed starting defensive tackle Terdell Sands to a four-year, $17 million deal, which included a $4 million signing bonus. This time around, it may not cost the team as much to retain the recuperating Kelly. Losing him, however, would leave multiple voids up front on a defense that can't afford to lose any more manpower down in the trenches."He's been working Steelers 43 Polamalu jersey
extremely hard (to rehabilitate)," Kiffin recently told the Sacramento Bee. "I know he's extremely excited, and hopefully we get this thing done and get Tommy here for a long time."As excited as both parties seem to be, it will ultimately be Davis who makes the decision.If he knows what's best, Tommy Kelly will be an Oakland Raider in 2008.

2010年11月24日星期三

Mafia Iceland is another area enriched with spices

sweet candies are cooked soft. The sugar was more than 5% other additives. Caramels have for many years. It became popular in the mid-1800s the United States now enjoys in other countries around the world. So what are some of the most popular types of jelly beans are enjoyed by people of 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey black jersey
all age groups? Let's see what they are and what they consist of: Cotton Candy Carnival park or entertainment is not complete without cotton candy that is sold. It is pure cotton candy, which merged with a small amount of dye. The old way, cotton candy, sugar melt in a pot with a fork and make strings of sugar. If the sugar chains to dry, it looks like soft cotton. They called the cotton candy in the United States, but some countries still call it cotton candy or cotton candy. MARSHMALLOWSOne marshmallows favorite soft caramels. It is made by whipping air into a mixture of sugar, corn syrup, egg whites, gelatin, flavors and food colors. The most popular form is white and dusted with powdered sugar. Also fill in the form of creams or cooking soft nougat soft nougat is a variety of sweets, nougat. It is a bit soft and crunchy, dissolves at first but as you chew. It is egg whites and gelatin in boiling sugar syrup. vegetable fats chew give added. Nuts are added. soft nougat are very popular for a few bars of chocolate filling. another popular praline caramel. Usually from peanuts and sugar syrup. The most common nuts, especially in France, almonds and hazel nuts. United States, the Walnut's most popular nut with cream added. Praline is a sugary, sweet cream, nuts responsible. The chocolates are so will lead to the creation of 36 Bettis White Jersey
a chief at the Chateau du Plessis-Praslin Marshal de Vaux-le-Vicomte and the name of Praslin, the sugar industry. Marzipan Marzipan is a paste, dough-based, sweet almond. It is flavored with rose water. The main ingredients are almonds or marzipan, egg whites and sugar, often made in different decorative shapes and sizes. It is also used as a cake filling or icing. There are many popular candies available fresh in the candy store. Grab a bag today and enjoy your candy!