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10-07-2005, 07:34 PM
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#1 | ||
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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FOF2K4: A Team of Our Very Own
My name is Barrett Blade.
I am just your average middle aged guy, stuck in a dead-end job, with no major aspirations. I am not married, I do not have any kids, and I do not have any pets. I simply work to pay for my apartment, food, clothing, and frivolous items. I work my 8-5 life, come home, order some take out, and watch TV. And I love Football. I cannot get enough football, really. As a kid, I played Pop Warner, and continued to play as I got older. I was never a star or anything like that, but I loved the game, and just continued to play. I became a safety/tight end in High School, then managed to make the Division II Northern Michigan University team as a safety. I graduated with an Accounting degree, and now I work at a crappy job crunching numbers. I still watch and read everything about football that I can, dreaming of what could never have been. And so, my life goes on in a monotonous circle, day after day, with but a brief breath of life on Sunday. My name is Barrett Blade.
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-07-2005, 07:35 PM
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#2 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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I was lying on the couch, watching “Total Access” on the NFL Network, when my phone rang.
“Hello?” “Hey Bear! How ya doing?” I sat up, amazed. It was John Mackey, a friend of mine since we were 5 years old. I hadn’t heard from him in about a year. John was one of those computer geeks who spent a ton of time at his keyboard, building the ultimate super computer, or at least surfing for a lot of porn. To be honest, I am not sure exactly what he was always working on, but he had hit it big with his software. He now had a multi-billion dollar organization called Mackey-Soft, and had been in hiding for the past year or so. “Mack? How the Hell are you? And what have you been up to? Last I heard, you were buying an island or a country or something.” Mack laughed. “No, just been crazy with work. Besides, Mezoestonia or Czechogentina or whatever it was called was a little too small for me. What have you been up to?” I looked down at the sweats I was wearing, stained with some spilled beer and a dropped piece of pizza. “Uh…just working away. Doing what us simpletons do when we cannot strike it rich.” Another laugh. “And watching football?” Mack asked. “Yah, and watching football.” “Excellent! That is why I called! Remember when we were kids, and we always talked about making it to the NFL and playing together? Well, I am going to do the next best thing…I am going to buy and NFL franchise! And, I want you to be the General Manager.” I dropped the phone. I stared at it for a minute, hearing Mack’s distant voice asking if I was still there, when I finally regained my senses and picked up the receiver again. “Uh…what? What are you talking about?” “I have the money now, and I want to get into the NFL. We sure as Hell know that we could never get there on talent, so I will use money!” I was still dumbfounded. “But, I can’t be a GM. I don’t have any qualifications!” “What qualifications do you need? You know football, you know numbers, and you love the game, so that is all I need. Plus, it will be better than the job you are working now, I am sure.” I didn’t know what to say. This was a dream come true, but could I do it? I thought for another moment, then came to the only decision I could come to. “Alright, let’s do it. I hope you know what you are doing, Mack. What team are you going to buy?” “Well, let’s face it. Any teams that we both like are not going to be for sale. I want to put our mark on the team, so I figure we are going to have to get one and move it where we want. Not only that, but we will probably have to gut a lot of it and bring in the type of players we like.” Again I was shocked. “Do you think an owner will sell you the team knowing your plans for it?” “Probably not, but we are not going to tell them that, are we?” “Mack, I am not sure if this is a good thing. We are going to be screwing a lot of fans over. I am not sure if I can do that with a clear conscience.” Mack laughed again. “Don’t worry, Bear. You will not mind…this is going to be our team, and we will make that team the way that we want.” I was still worried. It just did not sit right with me. “Well…what team are you going to buy?” “The Oakland Raiders.” I smiled.
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-07-2005, 07:35 PM
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#3 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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Hey all,
I haven’t done a dynasty in quite a while, and even longer for an FOF dynasty. As it is, I have been a big fan of FOF for years (obviously, otherwise why would I be here), but I feel a lot of shame as I did not buy FOF2k4 until last week. As such, I am very rusty, and probably pretty bad at it now, but I wanted to start this dynasty anyway. I wanted to write it up just so I could look back at it as my career evolves, and I thought that I might as well post it here so that if anyone wanted to read it to read, enjoy, or just plain laugh at me, they could do so. I don’t have any major goals for this dynasty other than getting to move the Raiders from Oakland, and to rebuild them in an image I prefer more. I will try to add as much storyline filler as possible, and hopefully it turns out alright. I will be using Yabanci’s real NFL rosters to start this. I am going to try to make it somewhat pretty with graphics, but it probably will still be very plain...I would love to do something like Grid Iron did for his dynasties, but I do not have the graphic talent to do so...  Oh, and I really do not have any hate or bias against the city of Oakland…just the Raiders!  So, sit back and enjoy, and if you decide to read, please feel free to offer your advice, opinions, etc. Thanks!
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. Last edited by Blade : 10-07-2005 at 07:38 PM. |
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10-07-2005, 10:56 PM
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#4 |
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Head Coach
Join Date: Sep 2004
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You're getting rid of the Silver and Black? *gasps in horror* Nice start, though. Reminds me that I need to update my Tampa Bay dynasty.
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2006 Golden Scribe Nominee 2006 Golden Scribe Winner Best Non-Sport Dynasty: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty) Rookie Writer of the Year Dynasty of the Year: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty) |
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10-07-2005, 11:37 PM
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#5 | |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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Quote:
Heh...yah, just not a Raider fan at all... Plus they fit the bill for a team that I should be able to relocate shortly...
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-07-2005, 11:57 PM
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#6 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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 New Owner in the Raider Nation By Reid Ryley The Oakland Raiders held a press conference today to announce some shocking news: Al Davis has sold the Oakland Raiders to Billionaire John Mackey. John Mackey is the owner of the software conglomerate Mackey-Soft, which earned $27.5 billion in total revenue last year. It was announced that the deal is official and Mr. Mackey will be taking ownership of the team immediately. When questioned as to why Mr. Davis would sell the team he had first been a part of in the ‘60’s, Mr. Davis responded that it was time to enjoy the rest of his life with family and friends. He thanked everyone that he had worked with in the Raiders organization, and wished them well. Mr. Mackey’s first order of business was to hire a new General Manager, Barrett Blade. This was met with numerous questions as Mr. Blade is unknown to the football community. Mr. Mackey stated that the NFL should just “wait and see” what Mr. Blade will bring to the organization, and stated that he had Mr. Mackey’s fullest confidence. The current coaching staff will remain in place, however. Mr. Mackey was also questioned as to his future plans with the Raiders. He responded that he was excited about the future, and that he had a lot of hope for the team. He also stated that the Raiders should have a long future in Oakland, so long as the city shows that they will support the team. He did say, though, that there will be changes made to the team, so that they can compete the way that he wanted them to compete. When questioned further on that issue, Mr. Mackey declined to comment. So begins a new era in the Oakland Raiders history. Fans hope it will be long and prosperous.
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-09-2005, 11:41 PM
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#7 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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Mackey walked into my new office, inside McAfee Coliseum. I had my head buried into the current Raiders roster.
“Hey, Bear. How’s it going?” I looked up from my papers and smiled. “Just going over the team roster, as it currently stands.” “Thoughts on it?” I thought for a moment. “Well, if we want this team to be our own, there are going to have to be some changes. But, with that in mind, we may have to start making the changes slowly, because too much in too short of a time, and we are going to be in some trouble on the field and with the fans. Mackey laughed. “Don’t worry about it. We need to remember our main goals here. We want to be able to move this team, so some upset fans work in our favor. We also want this team to be our own, so changes are a necessary part of that.” Mackey sat down in a chair opposite my desk. Let’s go over this roster and see what we have. Code:
I frowned as I looked over our QB situation. “I am not a fan of Collins at all. He can throw the deep ball, but I just do not see him as a franchise quarterback due to his physical skills. The guys is smart, though, and is also a fan favorite, so we may need to hold onto him for a bit. Tuiasosopo is nothing great, but I like the looks of the Walter kid. He may be a decent player, so I will be interested in seeing how he develops.” Code:
“Lamont Jordan could be good for us, and I don’t mind the guy. He has already taken a leadership role on the team, and he just got here. Not bad. Fargas is a serviceable backup, but Crockett and Henry are not great. I think we should cut one of them. And I do not like our fullbacks at all. They cannot block, and if they cannot block, then they are worthless to me.” Mackey nodded. “Yah, that is something we should look at remedying soon.” Code:
I smiled as I looked at the TE situation. “I like Courtney Anderson a lot. He is pretty well-rounded, and looks like he is developing some good blocking skills. Seems like he has a good head on his shoulders, so I think he is a keeper. I am not overly happy with our backups here, though, as they cannot block.” Mackey nodded again. “We should have some time to get some depth, so no worries there. Now, what do you think of our wideouts?” Mackey smirked, knowing what my first answer would be. “Randy Moss. Arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL, a fan favorite, and brand new here to the Raider Nation. The fans are looking to him as a savior. Me, I hate him. Always have. He is our best trade bait, and I think he has to go.” “I thought you would say that! I agree, though.” Mackey laughed. “Other than Moss, I think we have some guys that we should cut from this part of the roster, but I like Porter, Curry, and Gabriel. I think we have something we can work with here.” Code:
“Our offensive line is alright, mainly at center, right guard, and left tackle. We are hurting at left guard and right tackle, though. As for the personalities here, they seem to be alright. No one instantly pissing me off, so we should just work with our strengths and fix our weaknesses here.” Code:
I grimaced as we looked at the kickers. “Lechler, I can work with. Janikowski, in my opinion, is a cancer and needs to go. As soon as possible.” Mackey nodded his agreement. Code:
“We have some decent starters along the line, but depth is a major problem here. We also have too many defensive tackles, so some cuts will need to be made. Burgess and Jasper have had some words here and there, so we may need to watch that. And Warren Sapp is another guy who is more often more trouble than he is worth, so I think we should get rid of him.” Mackey looked at me with a smile. “The fans are really going to get mad at us.” “Well, that is the price we pay, wanting to move the team and get our type of players in.” Code:
“We have too many middle linebackers, even with the 3-4 defense that our coaches like. And that said, I don’t think the majority of our MLB’s could even be effective in that defense. Some cuts will be coming. The outside linebackers are not great, but serviceable. We will need to upgrade here.” Code:
I rubbed my face as I looked at our secondary. “We have a few problems here. We have no one that can play on the right corner and actually be of any use to us. Also, our free safety situation is grim. But the main issue is Charles Woodson. Granted, he is a good corner, but I don’t think he is very good for the locker room, and he is definitely not one of ‘Our’ guys. Worst yet, he is making $10.5 million this year in the last year of his contract. I am thinking that we should resign him, then trade him and take the cap hit for the signing bonus.” Mackey thought for a moment. “Yah, I agree. Let’s do that.” Code:
“Ok, it looks like we have the start of a plan here. Now it is up to you, Bear, to start working those phones and make some deals!” Mackey winked. I rubbed my forehead. “It is going to be a long week, isn’t it?” Mackey smiled. “Ah, you will do fine. So, thoughts on our current staff?” “Eric Washington is our Lead Scout. He is 61 years old, and not that good of a scout anymore. I think it is high priority to find someone else next year.” Mackey frowned a bit. “Too bad. I talked with him a bit before. Nice guy. Likes fishing. Oh well, we need to do what is best for the team, right?” I just nodded and moved on. “Our Head Coach, Jorge Shank, seems to be a decent coach. I think we can wait to see what he can do with the players we give him before making a decision on him. Aaron Ellis, our Offensive Coordinator, seems to be pretty good at dealing with the young guys, but other than that, he is nothing special. We may need a new guy next year. And lastly, we have Louie Sutter, our Defensive Coordinator. He should go next year. No ifs, ands, or buts.” I pushed the papers away and looked at Mackey. “That is about it, boss.” Mackey stood up. “Sounds good, Bear. Well, get working on the phones, and we will see how badly the fans react to this.” Mackey walked out of my office. I took a deep breath, realizing that this was all really happening, and picked up the phone.
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-10-2005, 11:57 AM
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#8 |
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Mascot
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Rural Western NY
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Any plans on which city to move to?
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10-10-2005, 12:15 PM
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#9 |
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Coordinator
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Big Ten Country
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Please let it be Houghton!
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10-10-2005, 04:22 PM
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#10 | |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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Quote:
Not sure at the moment...I will wait until I get to the point when I can move them, and see what is available...
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-10-2005, 06:19 PM
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#11 |
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Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Troy, Mo
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Reading this one Blade!!
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10-11-2005, 07:02 PM
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#12 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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I walked up to John Mackey’s office and knocked on the door.
“Come in.” Opening the door, I found John buried under a pile of papers, furiously writing with a pencil. John looked up, noticed me, then gestured to a chair. “Finances. Nothing but fun for me,” he said as I took the chair. “Don’t you have accountants for that?” “Yah, but I like to take a look at everything myself, just to keep them honest. You know accountants!” He smirked at the quick jab at me. “So, what’s up?” “A lot. I have made enough roster moves to bring us down to 53 players, so that we will be starting the season with a full roster. I was able to resign Woodson, then traded him with a 5th round pick to San Francisco for their 2nd round pick. I also traded Janikowski and a 7th round pick to Dallas to recoup a 5th round pick. In his place, I signed the elderly Steve Christie to an $800,000 deal for this year only.” Mackey laughed. He seemed to be doing that a lot, lately. “Steve Christie? Man, that guy is still kicking?” “Yah, and he can still kick well. We had him work out with the team, and he did well enough. Should be alright for this year. We will need to address it next year, though.” Mackey nodded. “Ok, sounds good. At least the locker room is becoming a little better place to be. What about Moss and Sapp?” I grimaced. “Bad news on that front. I cannot deal them. The contracts they are currently playing under are scaring people off. I think that I will be able to deal at least Moss after this season, and hopefully Sapp too. At the very worst, we can release Sapp at the end of the year and take less of a cap hit. As it is, we are looking at a cap hit of something like $7 million next year.” It was Mackey’s turn to grimace. “$7 million? Damn. Oh well, if it gets rid of some of the bums, then it will all be worth it. Alright, so we get one long season of Moss and Sapp. We can only hope that they will not be too much of a problem in the locker room this year. Then again, that may work to our advantage, if it costs us some games.” I nodded. “I released some players to bring our numbers down as well. TE Zeron Flemister, WRs Johnnie Morant and Randal Williams, DTs Kenny Smith and Terdell Sands, and LB Tim Johnson.” Mackey just shook his head. “Just fodder, right?” “Yah. But we still have some glaring weaknesses on our team. I am not sure if you are thinking that we should address some of them now, or wait until the Stadium proposal falls through next season.” Mackey sat back. “Well, I would say that if you can find a guy that you love for our system, bring him in. Otherwise, hold off. Sounds like we have a minor version of Cap Hell to go through, so we need to be smart about who we bring in.” “Alright, sounds good.” I stood up to leave. “Oh, and Bear? Be ready. These deals are going to start to bring the wrath of the Oakland faithful.” I nodded and left.
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-12-2005, 11:08 AM
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#13 |
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Mascot
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Rural Western NY
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Steve Christie was a good reliable player here in Buffalo. Hated to see him go.
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10-12-2005, 11:21 AM
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#14 |
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General Manager
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: The Town of Flower Mound
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Awesome start, Blade...
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UTEP Miners!!! I solemnly swear to never cheer for TO |
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10-12-2005, 04:17 PM
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#15 | |
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Resident Alien
Join Date: Jun 2001
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Quote:
May I be so bold as to suggest Dallas? Or perhaps Waco?  Great start, sir! Last edited by Kodos : 10-12-2005 at 05:53 PM. |
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10-12-2005, 11:36 PM
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#16 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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(Note: Thanks for the support so far, all! Also, thank you to Grid Iron for his help with the look of the added pictures!)
Woodson, Fans Angry over Trade by Darius Donaldson, Oakland Tribune Charles Woodson spoke to the public yesterday about the deal that sent him from the Oakland Raiders to the San Francisco 49ers recently. Woodson was resigned to a contract that would have seen him stay in Oakland for another four years beyond this season, then was dealt along with a 5th round draft pick in the 2006 draft, for San Francisco’s 2nd round draft pick in the same draft.  “This is ridiculous. That new GM over there, Barrett Blade, got me to resign with the team, saying that things were only going to get better for the organization, and that I would get the respect I deserve, then he traded me. All I can say is that the Raiders are in trouble now, and they are going to be hurting without me.” Woodson spoke to reporters from the 49ers training complex, as he reported to the team for the first time.When reached for comment, Barrett Blade had this to say: “I don’t know why Charles is so upset. We did resign him so that we could deal him, and he came off looking clean. He got $4.75 million in a signing bonus that we walked away with, but you do not hear him complaining about that, do you? The fact is, Charles does not fit in with the new Oakland Raiders locker room. We want people who are going to put the team first, and Charles did not seem to be dedicated to that. That is also why we dealt Sebastian. He has been more trouble than he was worth in his time here in Oakland. Don’t get me wrong, they are both good players, but they just do not fit in our ideal of a team”  Blade was referring to another deal made recently, which saw Janikowski and a 7th round pick in the 2006 draft being sent to the Dallas Cowboys for their 5th round pick. To replace Janikowski, the Raiders signed 16 year veteran Steve Christie.Already Oakland Raiders fans are sharing their outrage at the moves the new ownership and management have made. They have done so by calling into local radio shows, posting on Internet discussion groups and in chat rooms. It looks like the young tenure of the new management is already being rocked with controversy. Oakland Raiders’ owner John Mackey spoke to us by phone. “Fans just need to be patient with us. We want to bring a winner to this organization, which they have not had since the Super Bowl appearance in 2002, and to do that, you cannot just throw money at skilled players. You need to bring in players who are right for the team, and can buy into the system. That is what we are doing now.” And so, the Oakland Raiders will begin the 2005 season with more questions than ever, and with all of the Raider Nation watching.
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-13-2005, 06:38 PM
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#17 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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Mackey and I sat down for a status meeting. The preseason seemed to be almost a blur, with it now completed and us looking ahead to Week 1 on the regular season. The team got into a rhythm during the preseason, but we had more than a few injuries.
“So, 3 and 1 for the preseason. I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. How do you see it, Bear?” I flipped through my notes. “Well, we started off against San Francisco, and of course won 27-21. We had a very good day running the ball, which is what I like to see, and Lamont Jordan had a good game with 95 yards on the ground for a 5 yard per carry average, and 3 TDs. Our passing game wasn’t too bad either, with Collins going 12 for 16 and no picks, and the youngster Walter going 6 for 6 with a TD pass. Moss was our top receiver, which I guess is to be expected, though I was hoping he wouldn’t be. The defense looked pretty good, but not outstanding. We had some gaps in our offensive line as well, which I did not like. Lastly, Charles Woodson wasn’t great, with only 2 tackles and 1 assist, with no knockdowns in pass coverage.” “Our second game was against Dallas, and we won that one 31-14. Offensively, we were solid again, and our running game led the way as it did in the first game, even though Jordan was out with an injury. Crockett and Henry both looked great, with averages at 5.3 and 4.8 respectively. Collins looked good, throwing for two TD passes, and Tuiasosopo looked good during his first bit of action, though Walter struggled. Moss had a big game, unfortunately. However, Gabriel was quite good as well, with Porter out with an injury. Our defensive line provided good pressure, but our pass coverage wasn’t great, giving up 383 yards in the air. The offensive line looked better, though. Janikowski missed his only field goal try from 52 yards, though Christie missed a 43 yarder.” “The third game was a 38-32 victory over Arizona, which we won in overtime thanks to Doug Gabriel running back a 96 yard punt for a TD. Fargas was the only running back who had even a decent game, with a 7.3 yards per carry average. Jordan was still out with an injury, though. Collins looked fine, though Walter got the most action. He wasn’t fantastic, going 20 for 32, for 255 yards, 2 TDs and 3 Ints. Moss was over 100 yards receiving again, though Gabriel had a good day receiving, and, of course, had the winning punt return. We also gave up a safety, which was pretty ugly. Our defense was quite bad, giving up 164 yards rushing and 344 yards passing. Really, this was not a pretty game from an execution standpoint.” “Our last game was our only loss of the preseason, in a 42-35 game against St. Louis. Lamont Jordan was back and played absolutely lights out for us, running with a 5.8 yard average. Collins and Walter were also pretty good, though Tuiasosopo looked bad. Moss was our leading receiver again, and the o-line looked good. Defensively, we were not good at all. We gave up 341 yards in the air, and didn’t get much pressure on their QBs. Pass coverage was also pretty shoddy.” “Now, the bad news out of all of this is the injuries we are faced with. CB Nnamdi Asomugha is done for the year with a torn ACL. We lost WR Jerry Porter for around 15 more weeks with a severe hamstring pull. CB Denard Walker is out for 10 weeks with a torn lateral knee ligament. We are also without RB Justin Fargas and CB Stanford Routt for 3 weeks. To fill our roster up for the injuries, I released G Corey Hulsey, who was a waste of oxygen anyway. I signed WR Dedric Ward to a 1 year $700,000 contract, and CB Bobby Taylor to a 1 year $800,000 contract. Both are good veteran leaders who should be good for our younger players.” Mackey sat back and absorbed all of the information I gave him. “Ok, so what do you think going in to the regular season?” “Well, I think we will compete, and probably put up some good numbers offensively. But I think our defense is going to let us down some games, and our offensive line may collapse in some areas. Also, if we suffer any more injuries, we could be in a lot of trouble. I think we will be lucky to have a .500 season.” Mackey nodded. “Well, I don’t think we want to have a winner here this year anyway. Would hurt our plans overall. But, we do not want to out and out lose every game, as we may alienate the players we actually want to hold on to. Alright, well, let’s see what happens. Sounds like it might be a toss of the dice. And this will allow us to see if this coaching staff is any good.” I nodded, scooped up my papers, and headed down to the practice facility to see the team prepare for the first game of the season.
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-14-2005, 11:56 PM
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#18 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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Moss Gets the Party Started in the Raider Nation
Oakland (1-0) 27 - Pittsburgh (0-1) 20 Pittsburgh, PA (Week 1, 2005) – Questions surrounding the Oakland Raiders during the off-season started to get some answers as the Raiders opened their season in Pittsburgh against a strong Steelers football team. A Raiders team that has been shrouded in criticism, with a new Owner and General Manager, followed by the subsequent trades of Charles Woodson and Sebastian Janikowski, it was another off-season move that proved to be the main story.  Randy Moss, traded by the Minnesota Vikings, had given the Raider Nation something to talk about as anticipation for the new season rose. Fans were excited about the prospect of having arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL, and to give Kerry Collins a true deep ball threat. Moss stepped on to the field Sunday and showed the Raider fans that he would indeed play a big factor for the Raiders’ offence, as he was dominant all game long. CB Deshea Townsend could not stop Moss from gathering in 12 receptions for 223 yards and a touchdown. Further, Moss was Collins’ go-to receiver during a number of third and long plays, picking up the first down to extend drives.“I am just happy to finally get the season going. Too much talk going on. I just wanted to show everyone why I am here and what I can do,” Moss said after the game. “I was open all game long, and Kerry was able to hit me. Get the ball into my hands, and I will take care of things from there.” Another off-season acquisition for the Raiders paid off during the game against the Steelers. Lamont Jordan, the backup to Curtis Martin on the New York Jets last season, ground out an effective game as he collected 100 yards on the ground, along with 2 touchdowns.  “It was important to get a good balance going against that strong Steelers defense,” said Raiders Head Coach Jorge Shank. “We were able to keep them guessing as we had a great combination of Randy in the passing game, and Lamont in the running game. We are going to have a lot of success this season if we can keep that going.”Pittsburgh QB Tommy Maddox, playing for an injured Ben Roethlisberger, got the Steelers back into the game late as he engineered a drive for a touchdown with 1:21 left in the game, which brought the team within 7 of the Raiders. Pittsburgh CB Chidi Iwuoma recovered an onside kick to give the Steelers a real chance at tying the game up, but a key sack by DE Derrick Burgess and DT Edward Jasper on the Raiders 23 yard line allowed Oakland to force the Steelers to turn the ball over on downs, and hold on for the win. Burgess was a force all game, coming up with a number of key plays. Oakland now looks ahead to their home opener next week as they will be taking on the Buffalo Bills, and the Raiders feel like they have something special going on. “This is only week one,” said DT Warren Sapp, “but we are undefeated, and on pace for a 16-0 season.” Box Score Code:
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-15-2005, 12:19 AM
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#19 |
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College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Mar 2004
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You gotta keep moss he is the best...
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10-15-2005, 12:31 AM
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#20 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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Running and Defence Keys to Raiders Victory
Buffalo (1-1) 13 - Oakland (2-0) 17 Oakland, CA (Week 2, 2005) – The NFL off-season held a lot of hype for one new Raider, Randy Moss. Another new Raider was able to fly under the radar. Lamont Jordan, expected to be the key to revitalizing the Raiders running game, was lost in the media shuffle thanks to his new outspoken team-mate, but he did not mind.  “It wasn’t bad at all. I was able to come in and get my workouts done and leave without a whole media circus,” Jordan said earlier in the week. “Randy is a great player, and it is only right that he should get all of the attention. I just want to do my speaking on the field.”In what seemed to be an omen for the Raiders home opener against the Buffalo Bills, Jordan was a large part of the Oakland offence. Piling up 183 yards on 27 carries, Jordan was able to help grind the Bills defence, and set up two first half touchdowns by Randy Moss. “It was pretty easy out there tonight,” said Jordan, speaking from his locker after the game. “The offensive line played so well, I just had to run into the holes and go for the easy gains. Plus, the threat of the passing game helped keep Buffalo honest so that they couldn’t stack the box on me.”  Oakland was also able to play a strong game defensively, as they held the Buffalo offence to 165 yards passing and 76 yards rushing. Bills QB J.P. Losman had a rough time as he threw three interceptions, including one to Renaldo Hill, who was unexpectedly thrust into a starting role with the off-season trade of Charles Woodson, and the injury to Denard Walker. The Raiders also collected 4 sacks, including 1.5 sacks from DT Edward Jasper. “There was just no room out there today,” said Losman. “There was a lot of defensive pressure, and we couldn’t get our offence going. Willis [McGahee] had problems running the ball because they were just filling the holes that we were trying to open. And their defensive backs were pretty sharp tonight.” GM Barrett Blade had to make another move after this game as starting SS Derrick Gibson went down with a Hyperextended knee injury, and will be lost for a few weeks. Blade responded by releasing LB Maugaula Tuitele, and signing SS Damien Robinson to a one year, $700,000 contract. Despite the early criticism of the new management, the Raider Nation seems to be living the high life with their team being 2-0. The Raiders now prepare to face Tampa Bay next week. Box Score Code:
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-15-2005, 01:22 PM
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#21 |
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Resident Alien
Join Date: Jun 2001
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This and DataKing's new dynasty are the most promising new football dynasties to come down the pipe in a long time. Keep up the good work!
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10-15-2005, 11:36 PM
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#22 | |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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Quote:
Thanks Kodos! That is high praise indeed! Hopefully I can get the next game done soon...
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-16-2005, 12:53 AM
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#23 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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Big Plays Highlight First Raiders Loss of the Season
Tampa Bay (3-0) 23 - Oakland (2-1) 20 Oakland, CA (Week 3, 2005) – In a rematch of the XXXVII Super Bowl, the Oakland Raiders were hoping that the outcome of the game would be different this time around. In a game that was highlighted by a number of big plays by both teams, the Oakland Raiders fell short of the victory, taking their first loss of the season.  The game started with a 57 yard touchdown pass from Kerry Collins to Alvis Whitted on the fifth offensive play of the game. Tampa Bay QB Brian Griese came back with a 46 yard pass to Joey Galloway later in the first quarter, which led to a Tampa Bay field goal. The game slowed down for a while after that, as both teams worked at grounding the other team down with more balanced play. With the game tied at 13 in the third quarter, the big plays came out again as Collins hooked up with Randy Moss for a 95 yard touchdown pass to give the Raiders the lead again. The Tampa Bay defense had been putting pressure on Collins all game long, and in the fourth quarter, the Buccaneer defensive line was able to for the Raiders to punt from deep in their own territory, and received the ball on the Oakland 42 yard line. Eight plays later, and Tampa Bay tied up the game. With five minutes left in the game, Griese found Michael Clayton for a 53 yard pass which would lead to a 27 yard field goal by Kicker Matt Bryant. Oakland came back, but Kicker Steve Christie missed a 50 yard field goal attempt with 1:05 left, and the game was over at that point. Christie had a rough game, going 2 for 4 in field goal attempts. “It was a tough loss. We hung in there, but couldn’t pull it out in the end. It happens,” said Raiders Head Coach Jorge Shank. “We could have played better in all facets of the game, and we will have a lot of film to look at this week. All we can do now is learn from this, and move on.”  The Oakland defense was victimized by plays going for 20 or more yards a number of times, as they gave up 415 total yards to the Buccaneers. The Raiders offensive line was also porous as they allowed Collins to be sacked four times, with RT Barry Sims allowing three of them. Lamont Jordan was held to 72 yards rushing, the first time this season he has not reached the 100 yard rushing mark. Despite the loss, there were some strong performances by a few Raider players. Kerry Collins went 18 for 31, with 321 yards and two touchdown passes, despite the pressure he was under. Randy Moss grabbed five of those passes for 135 yards and one touchdown. Collins seemed optimistic about the team, even in light of the loss. “We showed that we can hang with the big boys,” Collins said after the game. “Tampa is still undefeated, and they have beaten some good teams. But, we hung in there, and gave ourselves a chance to tie it at the end. That says something. With all of the changes we have had in the past few years, we are growing as a team, and I think that you are seeing the result of that this season.” Oakland heads to Houston next week to take on the 0-3 Texans. There should be little reason to believe that the Raiders will not be able to take it to the Texans, so long as they are prepared. “We are getting better. Every game we learn something new about ourselves,” Coach Shank said. “You are going to see a Raiders team ready to compete game in and game out.” Box Score Attendance: 54,000 (62,500).
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-17-2005, 11:12 PM
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#24 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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Raiders Lose in Overtime, Give Texans First Win of Season
Oakland (2-2) 27 - Houston (1-3) 30 Houston, TX (Week 4, 2005) – Things started off so well for the Raiders. In a game expected to be a blow out for the Oakland Raiders, Lamont Jordan got it going with a 55 yard touchdown run on the first offensive play of the game. Against a Texans club that had no wins coming into the game, Oakland was figuring that this was just the first step in what would be a game where the Raiders were in complete control. How wrong they were.  On their first possession of the game, the Texans, led by QB David Carr, strung together a drive that answered the Oakland TD with one of their own, on a 7 yard pass to Andre Johnson. “We wanted to show Oakland, and everyone else out there, that we are here to play,” said David Carr, after the game. “We have been the whipping boys of the league this year, and we want to get some respect back. It was important for us to come back with an answer to the first touchdown they scored, so that we could show them that we would not be intimidated.”The game continued to be a see-saw battle in which both teams traded scores, leading to a tied game at 24 with 1:53 left in the game, when Kris Brown hit a 19 yard FG to give the Texans the lead. Kerry Collins led the Raiders back with passes to Randy Moss for 23 and 21 yards, then a Lamont Jordan run for 9 yards set up a 47 yard field goal try for Steve Christie, which he made, sending the game to overtime. In the overtime period, both teams defences came out in full force, as the ball changed possession five times before the Texans were able to string a strong drive together, highlighted by 22 yard pass from Carr to Mark Bruener, and two 15 yard passes to Andre Johnson. With 2:16 left in overtime, Kris Brown kicked a 40 yard field goal to give the Texans their first win of the season.  The loss saw an Oakland defence that again struggled to defend the pass, as they allowed David Carr to throw for 391 yards and two touchdowns. Texans receivers Andre Johnson and FIRST NAME Armstrong both pulled in 140 or more yards during the game. The Oakland pass rush was a little more effective, however, as they accumulated 3 sacks, 3 pass blocks, and 9 hurries. Offensively, Lamont Jordan had a big game, as he carried the ball 24 times for 172 yards and a touchdown. Randy Moss also pulled in more than 100 yards for the third time this season. The offensive line had difficulties though, especially LT Robert Gallery, who allowed 3 sacks in what was an uncharacteristic game for him this season. “We have a lot of things to work on this week,” Head Coach Jorge Shank said at his post-game conference. “This is very disappointing for our club. We are getting some very good performances out of some players, but very poor performances out of others. We may have to make some line-up changes soon to see if we can spark some of the players.” Raiders GM Barrett Blade was questioned regarding Coach Shank’s comments. “We are not really looking at making any deals here, or bringing in any free agents. I think that Jorge was talking about switching up the depth chart a bit. We are just not in the place where we can make any deals at the moment.” The questions continue to be asked about a Raiders team that is starting to have it’s weaknesses exposed. Next up is the Indianapolis Colts, whose strong passing attack will look to further exploit a poor Raiders pass defence. Box Score Week 4, 2005
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-17-2005, 11:13 PM
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#25 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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I was sitting in the conference room when John Mackey walked in.
“Hey Bear. How’s it going?” I looked up at Mackey. He was wearing a blue Hawaiian shirt, with a pair of beige khaki shorts. He had sunglasses sitting on top of his head, and a tan. “Not bad. Where have you been? I haven’t seen you around for a few weeks.” “Off talking to some potential clients in the Caribbean. Owning a company can be tough some days.” He winked. “So, we are through a quarter of the season. How are we doing?” I opened my folder and spread some papers around. “Well, we are 2-2 right now. The team really surprised me to open the season with that win over the Steelers, but they were without their regular starting quarterback, so that played a role. The good news is that we have lost two straight, and this latest loss was to Houston, who had been winless going in to the game against us. We have lost some steam, and it seems like there is a lot of grumbling going on with the fan base. Things are setting up nicely for your stadium proposal to the city at the end of the season.” Mackey smiled and sat down. “That is good to hear. It will be nice to make this team fully ours.” I nodded absently. “We are going to have to be careful, though. It would not be great to make it obvious that we are setting the team up to be moved. We are already on somewhat shaky ground with the deals I made before the season started. We do not want to alienate the players that we want to keep after the team moves. That Woodson deal has really hurt the team, as our pass defence is second last in the entire league. Our rushing defence is about middle of the pack, too.” “Ok, so, our defence is hurting us right now,” Mackey said as he grabbed a glass of water. “How is our offence doing?” I took a deep breath. “Well, the news there is not as good, for you and I, at least. It may be very tough to justify trading Randy Moss to the media after this year. As it stands right now, he is leading the league in reception yards, and tied for the league lead in receiving touchdowns. On the upside, we both like Lamont Jordan, and he is leading the league in carries and rushing yards. Of course, that is good because we may want to hold on to him after the team leaves, but he may single-handedly win us some tight games this year.” “I see. Well, maybe the fact that our defence is so bad will help keep this team out of some games. Plus, aren’t we like the second most penalized team in the league? I think if we can go .500 or worse, we will be in good shape for the stadium proposal.” I nodded again. “We will have to see. The rest of our schedule this year seems to be against teams who could go either way. They could either turn out to be strong teams, or end up being weak teams. There are just too many question marks right now. But, yah, penalties are high right now. Shank and his staff have started to pull their hair out.” Mackey sat back and took a sip of water. “Anyone else to note?” “Well, other than last game, Gallery seems to be living up to his potential. He is going to be a great player, and seems to be alright in the locker room, so we should keep him if possible. Collins is also doing alright, but I still do not like him as our franchise quarterback. We will have to see who else is available in the next few years. Oh, and Chad Slaughter, a LT behind Gallery, is pissed about his playing time.” “Is he any good?” “Not really. And his contract is up at the end of the year, so I think we should just let Shank deal with him.” Mackey laughed. “Sounds good. I saw that our division is still up for grabs. KC is 3-1, San Diego is 2-2, and Denver is 1-2-1. Still pretty tight.” “Yah, but we haven’t had any divisional games yet, so things will start to become clearer. I am not too worried about it yet.” Mackey stood up. “Alright, well, just keep on the way you have been. We may have to step in if we start on some kind of winning streak, but I just can’t see that happening right now. I am off to Florida now for some more meetings.” I just shook my head. “Must be a hard life.” Mackey turned as he was heading out. “Oh, it is. But it will be getting better soon!” Mackey walked out. I continued to sit and look at my papers. “I hope it does…”
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-17-2005, 11:14 PM
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#26 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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Hey everyone (at least whoever happens to be reading this),
I was just wondering if I can get some feedback on this dynasty so far. Is there anything different you would like to see? More detail? Less detail? Any thoughts at all (in relation to this dynasty )?
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-18-2005, 09:31 AM
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#27 |
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Mascot
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Rural Western NY
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Good mix of a look inside the coach's room and on field results. I enjoy reading. Keep up the good work.
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10-18-2005, 09:41 AM
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#28 |
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General Manager
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: The Town of Flower Mound
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I'm loving it and don't really see anything that you need to change...
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UTEP Miners!!! I solemnly swear to never cheer for TO |
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10-18-2005, 10:15 PM
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#29 |
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Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Troy, Mo
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Me either, very impressed Blade!!
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10-19-2005, 12:42 AM
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#30 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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Raiders Fortunes Change in Second Straight Overtime Game
Oakland (3-2) 30 - Indianapolis (2-3) 24 Indianapolis, IN (Week 5, 2005) – For the second straight game, the Oakland Raiders went to overtime. This time, however, they were determined to create a different outcome. Playing a good, but beat-up, Indianapolis Colts team, the Raiders had to fight back from a 24-10 deficit after three quarters.  “We have been under a lot of criticism lately, especially with the loss last week,” said Raiders QB Kerry Collins. “We knew that we had to make something happen, and it had to happen soon. I don’t know if this can be called a statement game, as it is still early in the season, but this is a game we knew that we had to win.”Using another strong game by Lamont Jordan, rushing for 136 yards and a touchdown, as a foundation, Collins put the Raiders on his back and led the team to two fourth quarter touchdowns, sending the game to overtime. Collins ended up with 447 yards passing and two touchdowns. 275 of those yards, and one of those touchdowns, were to his main receiver, Randy Moss, as Moss collected his second 200+ yard game of the season. “He just makes it easy on me out there,” said Collins. “He gets a lot of attention by the defence, but he is such a remarkable player that he often gets separation from his coverage, or flat out beats a cornerback to the ball. I can just throw the ball up for him, and he will go and get it.”  Indianapolis came into the game without their top running back, Edgerrin James, who was out with an injury. Dominic Rhodes did well in relief, picking up 134 yards and a touchdown. The Colts took another serious blow, however, late in the fourth quarter, as Peyton Manning went down with an injury. Travis Brown took over for Manning, and while he went 5 for 7 with no interceptions, he was not as effective as Manning. The Raiders defence were able to neutralize the Colts offence during overtime, allowing Collins and the rest of the Raiders offence to drive the field and win the game, on a 1 yard TD run by Jordan. While the Raiders offence had a strong day, the Raiders defence was exploited for most of the game, particularly in the run game. The front seven did not seem to get much pressure on Manning, and looked confused by the Colts running schemes. Head Coach Jorge Shank knows that they have to improve. “This game shows the strengths and weaknesses of this team. Our offence is amazingly good, and can win a game on its own, but the defence has struggled a lot, and has cost us games. We need to shore up our holes, and our players need to support each other more. They just don’t seem to be hungry for the ball.” During the game, Guard Brad Badger went down with an injury and will be lost for at least the next Raiders game. As a result, GM Barrett Blade released Safety Jarrod Cooper and signed Guard Rich Seubert to a one year deal worth a reported $570,000. Seubert should start during next week’s divisional match-up against Denver. Box Score Week 5, 2005
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. Last edited by Blade : 10-19-2005 at 12:47 AM. |
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10-19-2005, 12:47 AM
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#31 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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Jordan, Collins Key to Win Over Denver
Denver (1-4-1) 7 - Oakland (4-2) 24 Oakland, CA (Week 6, 2005) – Things started well for the Denver Broncos, as they ended the first quarter with a 7-3 lead. That was the closest they would come to winning the game, though. Despite the fact that the Raiders have been a Jekyll and Hyde team this season, they were able to control their divisional foes without much difficulty.  “It was important to establish a good rhythm to the game early,” Kerry Collins said from the locker room after the game. “When you have a guy like Lamont [Jordan], it is easy to do. He is the league leading rusher for a reason, and we know that we can just give him the ball and allow him to set the tone.”Jordan did indeed set the tone, picking up 135 yards on the ground, while running for one TD and catching another. He has shown all season long why the Raiders handed him a nice contract and gave him the starting job, despite being a backup to Curtis Martin last season. He has also shown that he can handle the majority of the carries without being spelled, though the Raiders will be watching to see if he can continue to be durable as the season continues. “This is what I have wanted since I got to the NFL,” said Jordan. “I wanted to show people that I could be a starter in this league, and more than that, be a player that the team can count on for those big plays and those tough yard plays. I want the ball on every down, so I am ready whenever my number gets called in the huddle.” Kerry Collins was also very effective against the Broncos, going 21 for 28, with 246 yards and two touchdowns. He was able to help keep the Broncos honest by being efficient with his throws, hurting Denver when they were looking to stack the box against Jordan. That allowed Oakland to keep Denver off-balance, sustaining drives and grinding the opposing defence.  “We just went with what their [the Broncos] defence gave us,” said Collins. “Lamont was able to pound the ball at them, and I just had to make simple passes to keep things going. I will take a game like that any day, over a tight game where we throw for 400 yards.”While Oakland had a somewhat easy time with the victory, their run defence was exploited for the second straight game, as they surrendered 116 yards to Broncos RB Tatum Bell. They were also unable to sustain a lot of pressure on QB Jake Plummer, though they did keep him to 160 yards passing. “We know that we have to get better, at least in stopping the run,” Coach Jorge Shank said. “We have some big guys on the line, so we are not sure why they are getting beat so easily lately. We are going to have to go back to the film this week and work on addressing that.” Oakland is now tied for the lead in the AFC West with San Diego. They will look to continue their success next week against the New Orleans Saints. Box Score Week 6, 2005
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-19-2005, 01:11 AM
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#32 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
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Hey there, Blade. This looks great! I'm going to set some time aside to read it tomorrow. Very nice.
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10-19-2005, 07:47 AM
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#33 |
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Head Coach
Join Date: Sep 2004
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Superb dynasty you have here. The pictures really add to it.
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2006 Golden Scribe Nominee 2006 Golden Scribe Winner Best Non-Sport Dynasty: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty) Rookie Writer of the Year Dynasty of the Year: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty) |
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10-19-2005, 11:12 PM
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#34 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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(Thanks for the support guys!)
Raiders Look Ugly Early but Win in Dramatic Fashion New Orleans (2-5) 26 - Oakland (5-2) 27 Oakland, CA (Week 7, 2005) – For almost three quarters of the game, the Oakland Raiders were ineffective against their opponents, the New Orleans Saints. The Raiders offence was having a tough time moving the ball, while the New Orleans offence was successful in getting points on five of their first six possessions. With 9:26 left in the third quarter, Oakland found themselves down 19-0. In their bid to get any points at all, Steve Christie missed two field goal attempts, one from 55 yards, and one from 43 yards.  “Things were going wrong for us in all phases of the game,” said Coach Jorge Shank during his post-game conference. “We were not executing at all. Our offence was shaky, and we were having problems establishing the run. Our defence was alright at preventing a lot of yards, but we were giving the Saints good field position, so they did not need a lot of yards anyway.”Finally, the Raiders got the spark they needed with 1:21 left in the third quarter, as CB Renaldo Hill grabbed an errant pass by Saints QB Aaron Brooks and took it 28 yards for the touchdown to put Oakland on the board. That seemed to put some life back into the Raiders bench, and their fans. “It was crazy. All game there seemed to be a cloud hanging over us and the stadium,” said DT Edward Jasper. “Things were quiet because of how bad we were playing. Then Hill came up with that pick for the touchdown, and the crowd started to get back into it. We have already been in some tough games this year, and we got the feeling back that it just was not over yet.”  After the touchdown, the Oakland defence continued to take control of the game back from the Saints, as LB Jay Foreman hit Saints TE Ernie Conwell, causing a fumble which was recovered by FS Stuart Schweigert, giving the ball to the Raiders defence. With 5:12 left in the game, Raiders QB Kerry Collins kept the ball himself, and closed the Saints lead to five with a 4 yard TD run. Seeing that Oakland was coming to life, Brooks led the Saints on a quick drive, regaining the Saints twelve point lead with a 4 yard TD pass to Joe Horn. “It was strange,” said Collins. “At that point in the game, being down by twelve with two minutes or so left in the game, we just felt like we still had a real chance. And, with a player like Randy [Moss], we always have a chance.” Moss was indeed big, as Collins found him with a 27 yard pass, then a 48 yard pass for a touchdown, on a drive that took only 26 seconds to complete. Oakland then continued their miracle comeback, as LB Tyler Brayton recovered Steve Christie’s onside kick. It didn’t take Collins long to hook up with Randy Moss for another 48 yard pass for a touchdown, to give the Raiders the lead with 30 seconds left. The Raiders attempted the two-point conversion, but were unsuccessful. It did not matter, however, as the Raiders defence wrapped the game up with a interception by Schweigert to give the Raiders the amazing victory. “What can you say about a game like this? It is unbelievable,” said Shank. “We played a pretty bad game for the most part, but these guys persevered and stuck with it, and pulled out an incredible victory. They worked hard, and this is the type of victory that will buoy a team for a long time. We just need to ride this momentum now, and prepare for an important divisional game against San Diego.” Box Score Attendance: 54,000 (62,500).
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-19-2005, 11:13 PM
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#35 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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I was sitting in my office, head in my hands, as John Mackey stormed through the door.
“What the Hell was that?” I looked at him, his face becoming quite red. I sat there for a second, unsure of what to say. Never in my wildest dreams, or nightmare, did I expect to see a game like I had just seen out of these Raiders. I finally composed myself. “I am not sure. We knew that they had some weapons, and the New Orleans defence just gave up. This team has more guts than I had given them credit for, anyway. But, I guess, we need to look at the bright side. This is our team, and regardless of the fact that they will be moved, and players will be dumped, this is the core, and the fact that they have this in them is a good sign.” Mackey sat down and rubbed his face. “I know, Bear. But, Hell, this is not going to help our case in the off-season. It is games like this that rally a city around the team, and if they are at the point where they are ready to accept all kinds of crazy stadium deals, well, our plans are out the window. And what did Moss have? Like 200 yards?” I nodded. “Something like that. Let’s face it, Jordan and Moss are playmakers. They are good enough that the entire offence can jump on their backs and be carried. By no means is this team good enough to win a Super Bowl, but they are good enough that an above .500 season is not out of the question.” “Something needs to be done, Bear.” I looked at Mackey helplessly. “What can we do? We can’t dismantle the team at this juncture, or it will be obvious that we are sabotaging them, and that is press that we may never recover from.” Mackey smiled. “Don’t worry, I will figure out something.” I didn’t like that look in his eye.
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-20-2005, 05:24 PM
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#36 |
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High School JV
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Hillsboro OR
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The plot thickens...
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10-20-2005, 10:39 PM
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#37 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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Moss, Jordan Missing as Raiders Lose to San Diego
Oakland (5-3) 19 - San Diego (5-3) 37 San Diego, CA (Week 8, 2005) – Game time approached, and the Raiders could not find their two star players, Randy Moss and Lamont Jordan. The league leaders in yardage for their respective positions were no where to be found as the Raiders walked onto the field to start the game. And they were also not with the team by the time the game ended, with the Raiders losing the game to their divisional opponents, the San Diego Chargers.  Earlier in the day, Moss and Jordan were booked to attend a photo shoot for an NFL-driven charity drive. It was learned after the game that both players were at the shoot and were then trapped in the building after the shoot ended. They were descending the building in an elevator when the elevator lost power and trapped them both between the 16th and 17th floors. Maintenance crew were unable to restore power to the elevator for six hours and by the time Moss and Jordan were freed, they had already missed the game.“It was insane. Being trapped in a small elevator for that much time, that is something I don’t wish on my worst enemy,” said Moss, who was reached for comment later in the evening. “Lamont and I wanted out as fast as possible because we knew that we had a big game today. To be stuck there for so long, and to find out that we lost, is just the garbage thing to have happen.” On the field, the Raiders sorely missed the presence of their star players. Oakland QB Kerry Collins did everything that he could to give the Raiders a chance, and he spread the ball around 9 different receivers, but without the big play threat of Randy Moss, and without the strong running of Lamont Jordan, he couldn’t generate the offence needed to hold off the Chargers. The Raiders’ offensive line also had problems giving Collins any time, as Chargers DT Jamal Williams completely dominated the game. Williams recovered a blocked punt during the Raiders’ first offensive series of the game and returned it 27 yards for the Chargers opening points. He finished the game with 6 tackles, 4 assists, and a huge 4.5 sacks.  “He was incredible tonight,” said Collins after the game. “No matter where I looked, Williams was coming after me. It also didn’t matter who he lined up against, he beat everyone. Four or five sacks and a touchdown tonight? How can you beat that?”The Oakland defence also had problems all game long. Despite two interceptions off of Chargers QB Drew Brees, including one by Stuart Schweigert for a touchdown, the San Diego offence was efficient and effective. Star running back LaDainian Tomlinson ran for 109 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries, and the passing game was timely when needed. By comparison, Raiders RB Zach Crockett, starting for the missing Jordan, ran for only 40 yards on 14 carries. “It is complete and utter [expletive deleted],” said Raiders Coach Jorge Shank. “Our two best players caught in this freak accident, and we miss them for our first big game of the year? What can I say? We did not have our best team out on the field, and we paid because of it. Complete [expletive deleted]. I hope they find out how this happened. It just seems to convenient.” When questioned further about his comments, Coach Shank declined to say any more. Oakland now gets ready to get back into the win column against the Carolina Panthers. Box Score Attendance: 57,500 (71,600).
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-20-2005, 10:42 PM
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#38 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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John was sitting in the conference room, waiting for our meeting to start, when I walked in and tossed an issue of the Oakland Tribune sports section down in front of him.
“Did you read this, Mack? They are talking about the loss against San Diego. They are actually suggesting that someone had purposely sabotaged that elevator to keep Moss and Jordan out of the game. They have no evidence, it is just a suggestion, but they are not making any comments on who they think may have done it.” Mackey looked up at me and had a little smirk. “What are you suggesting, Bear?” “I am not suggesting anything, personally, Mack. But, our last meeting was a little strange. Did you have anything to do with this? I mean, we want the team to lose, or at least keep fan support down, but to openly risk something like this? If we were ever found out…” “Bear, we are friends. We have been friends for a long time. I am not going to even answer that question. Now, half the season is over. Let’s see where we are.” I shook my head and sat down. I knew that he had to have been involved. While I wanted everything to go well and be able to move the team, I was starting to question the length that Mack would go to see that happen. I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself, and opened my folder. “Well, we are 5-3, and thanks to the last game, we are tied with San Diego for the division. The upcoming schedule is against some teams that we can beat, so that is cause for concern. Our offence is definitely the strength of this team, and can outscore other teams regardless of how bad our defence is playing. We are ranked 5th in rushing yardage, and first in passing yardage. Collins is rated first in passing yards and tied for second in passing touchdowns. He is also fourth in QB rating. And, well, have you seen what Jordan and Moss have been doing?” Mack shook his head. “I know that they have been doing well. That is about the extent of it.” “Even with the game they missed, they are still the top in yardage at their positions. Jordan is about 70 yards above the number two player. Moss, though, is putting up insane numbers. As of right now, he has 1069 yards receiving. That is around 420 yards more than the number two receiver! As of right now, including the game he has missed, he is on pace to shatter the single season receiving yards record!” Mack groaned. “Well, that should make trading him easier to do from the standpoint of finding a partner, but the fans will definitely not like that.” “True, but will we care if things are in place to move the team? I think the real issue is that if he is pursuing the record late in the year, we may draw more fans then we want. That said, our defence is plain bad, and I am hoping that will be enough to cost us games. We are in the bottom half of the league in yards against for both passing and rushing, and I cannot see us getting much better. Our linebacker, Clark, is having a decent year though. He is currently fifth in the league in tackles. Oh, and apparently Shank isn’t getting much discipline out of the team, as we are fifth in the league for most penalties.” “Ok, so, you are saying that things can still go either way, correct?” “Yah, Mack, it could go either way. But, I would put my money on this team winning more than it will lose. I think we need to prepare by putting together a stadium offer that the city has no choice but to refuse.” Mack smiled. “Don’t worry about that. I have that under control.”
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-21-2005, 01:27 AM
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#39 |
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College Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
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This is really superb, Blade. Great stuff. Looking forward to the next installment. Count me in as another reader.
Are you getting the action shots from Madden 2006 for the PC? If so, are you actually playing games to get those players together for your image? I would think that would take a long time. They really add a nice touch to the write-ups, though. Keep it up! And take the stairs. |
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10-21-2005, 01:30 AM
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#40 |
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Ice Cream Man
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Bay Area
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Looks great!
I hate the Raiders (San Diego native), but I'll be following this story! |
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10-21-2005, 02:07 AM
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#41 |
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High School JV
Join Date: Jan 2004
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great work keep it up!
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10-21-2005, 08:46 AM
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#42 | |||
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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Quote:
Thanks GB! I am using Madden 2005 for the PC. Yah, I am actually playing games until I get the shots I want. The tough part is with it being the 2005 version, I have to set the rosters before most games to make sure the right players are on the right team and starting... Quote:
Thanks Grid Iron! I hate the Raiders too, which is why I don't mind getting rid of players and moving the team! And thanks again for you help, since I cannot take any credit for the look of this dynasty. Quote:
Thanks!
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-21-2005, 09:36 PM
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#43 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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Turnovers Key to Win Over Panthers
Oakland (6-3) 28 - Carolina (3-5) 23 Carolina, NC (Week 9, 2005) – With Randy Moss and Lamont Jordan back in the line-up after missing a game due to a freak accident, it was turnovers which allowed the Oakland Raiders to pull out a victory over the Carolina Panthers. It started early in the game as Carolina had their punt blocked by CB Renaldo Hill on the first possession of the game, giving the Raiders the ball on the Carolina 24 yard line.  Randy Moss, who missed last week’s game with team-mate Lamont Jordan by being trapped in an elevator, was anxious to get back on the field, and it showed as he quickly pulled in a 24 yard TD on the first Raiders offensive play of the game. “I was pumped up all week, ready for this game,” said Moss, after the game. “Missing that game last week was something I was not happy with, especially with the numbers I am putting up so far this year. When things are going good, you just want to keep playing as much as possible and take advantage of it.”Moss finished the game with 76 yards receiving, well below his per-game average this year, but did have two touchdowns. Lamont Jordan also showed his anxiousness to play again, collecting 127 total yards and a touchdown reception. QB Kerry Collins also was strong, throwing for four touchdowns. Overall, the Raiders’ offence did not put up big numbers, collecting only 291 total yards for the game, but they did not need to put up strong numbers, as their average starting position for the game was their own 41 yard line.  That was thanks to the turnovers that the Oakland defence was able to generate. Collecting three fumbles and one interception at key moments in the game, as well as the special teams play, the Raiders were constantly in strong positions to come away with points. Despite the turnovers, the Oakland defence did struggle at times in the game, allowing DeShawn Foster and the rest of the Carolina run game to collect 168 yards. The Raider’s run defence suffered another blow as DT Ted Washington went down with an injury during the game and did not come back. After the game, Washington was examined and it was determined that he suffered a torn ankle ligament and will be out for the season.“Losing Ted is going to hurt,” said DT Warren Sapp. “That is a big body in the middle of our line, and he is going to be missed. All we can do is try to pick up our play in his absence.” Despite the performance of the defence against the run, the Raiders seem to be in a place where all they can do is win games, so long as their key players are in the game. However, with a bye week next week for the team, there is the worry that they will lose some momentum. “What we have to do is stay focused over the next two weeks,” said Coach Shank. “The guys will get some time off to clear their minds and rest up, but then it is back to the practice field. We want to keep things going for us, because we are in a good place right now. Plus, we have our last game against San Diego when we get back, and that game is going to be huge. We are concentrating on one thing right now, and that is winning.” Box Score Attendance: 70,200 (73,300).
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-23-2005, 09:03 PM
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#44 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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Fourth Quarter Comeback Over Divisional Rivals For Raiders
San Diego (6-4) 28 - Oakland (7-3) 31 Oakland, CA (Week 11, 2005) – Both teams knew that the game would be an important one, as the San Diego Chargers and the Oakland Raiders met to determine the sole leader of the AFC West, though it is still early in the season. It had all the markings of an exciting game, and it did not disappoint.  Things started well for the Raiders as Raiders CB Renaldo Hill forced and recovered a fumble on the Chargers’ second possession of the game. It took only two plays for Lamont Jordan to break a few tackles and take the ball 50 yards for the first six points of the game. The Raiders continued to play well, working up a strong 21-10 lead over the Chargers near the end of the half. The Chargers started to work away at that lead with a field goal as the half ended.San Diego came out for the second half with the momentum as they picked off QB Kerry Collins, setting up a drive that ended with an 11-yard TD pass from Chargers’ QB Drew Brees to TE Antonio Gates. They tied the game with a successful two-point conversion. San Diego finally took the lead with less than eight minutes left in the game on a TD pass to Reche Caldwell for 31 yards, and the 28-24 lead. Oakland had difficulty getting anything going after that point, until a big play by DT Warren Sapp, when he forced Chargers’ RB Darren Sproles to fumble, which LB Kirk Morrison fell on to give the Raiders the ball on the Oakland 25-yard line with 2:04 left in the game. This time, Collins came out firing, first hitting Alvis Whitted for a 36-yard reception, then a huge 44-yard TD pass to Doug Gabriel to give the Raiders the 31-28 lead with 1:21 left in the game. The Oakland defence did a great job holding the Chargers at bay, including a sack by LB Danny Clark, and time ran out to give the Raiders the big victory. “This was huge for us,” said DT Edward Jasper. “With all of the early season stuff we went through, and with the bizarre circumstances surrounding the last game against the Chargers, we needed to come out and make a statement. It wasn’t overly pretty at times, but we made a statement. You can’t count us out, and we are going to fight tooth and nail to win a game.”  The game was all about offence, as both teams combined for 857 total yards of offence. San Diego was led by Brees, who had a fantastic game by going 21 for 36, with 317 yards and three touchdown passes. WR Reche Caldwell was Brees favorite target during the game as he finished with 138 yards and two touchdowns. RB LaDainian Tomlinson also had a good game as he ran for 100 yards.Lamont Jordan was the big player for the Raiders, ending the game with 126 yards rushing and two touchdowns, as well as another 56 yards receiving. Randy Moss also had another strong game with 124 yards receiving and a touchdown. Collins had a good game as well, as he threw for 286 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception being the lone blemish. The Raiders defence also had a few good performances, led by DE Derrick Burgess, who 2 sacks during the game. Unfortunately, Burgess went down with an injury during the game, and will be lost for up to three weeks with a strained foot ligament. “We are going to miss him, that is for sure,” said LB Danny Clark. “But, this is the NFL, and injuries are a part of life. The season comes down to a battle of attrition, and the teams who are successful are the ones who can deal best with injuries. We have shown that we can do that, and we will continue to do that.” The Raiders did get some good news on the injury front, as it was announced that WR Jerry Porter will be back at practice this week and should be available for the Raiders game against the Denver Broncos in another divisional match-up. Box Score Attendance: 55,900 (62,500).
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-24-2005, 05:15 PM
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#45 |
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General Manager
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: The Town of Flower Mound
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Lose, Raiders! LOSE!!!
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UTEP Miners!!! I solemnly swear to never cheer for TO |
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10-24-2005, 10:27 PM
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#46 | |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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Quote:
Thanks for the vibe! (See the next post!)
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-24-2005, 10:29 PM
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#47 |
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College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Mar 2004
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I like moss...as long as he is good...
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10-24-2005, 10:31 PM
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#48 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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Missed Field Goals Cost Raiders in Game Against Struggling Broncos
Oakland (7-4) 14 - Denver (5-5-1) 16 Denver, CO (Week 12, 2005) – The Raiders headed into another divisional game with high expectations. Coming off a gutsy win over the strong San Diego Chargers, many figured that an inconsistent Broncos team would be an easy target. Unfortunately for the Raiders, that did not prove to be true.  The weather was a chilly 22 degrees as both teams took the field, and the game turned into a slow and ugly one. Both offences started off sluggish, attempting to establish the run game but having little luck. Denver was able to strike first with two field goals in the first quarter. Before the half ended, Oakland had finally gotten on the board with a five yard touchdown pass from QB Kerry Collins to RB Lamont Jordan, but Denver responded with another field goal to take 9-7 lead into the half.As the second half got underway, the tempo in the game remained even, with the game becoming a slow grind. Denver ended the third quarter by finally finding the end zone on a 26 yard TD pass from QB Jake Plummer to WR Rod Smith, giving the Broncos a 16-7 lead. Oakland began to show some signs of life at that point by stringing together a solid drive which ended with a 2 yard TD run by RB Justin Fargas. Oakland continued to get their offence going on a drive that killed off 6:01 of the fourth quarter and set up K Steve Christie with a chance to give the Raiders the lead with a 40 yard field goal attempt, but Christie kicked the ball wide to the left. Not ready to give up, the Oakland defence stopped the Broncos from killing the clock by forcing them to punt with 1:19 left in the game. Collins made a key completion to give Christie a chance at redemption as he attempted a 55 yard field goal. Unfortunately, the aging kicker came up short, and the Raiders lost the game.  “It was not fun to watch,” said Raiders Coach Jorge Shank. “That is the way it is sometimes. But all in all, it is not Steve’s fault. We just did not have a good game offensively at all. We had the game plan down, but when it came to execution, something was very off. All year, our bread and butter has been our offence, but we did not come to play today. We are going to have to address that for next week.”The Oakland offence did indeed struggle for most of the game, as they tried to establish the run game. The Raiders ran the ball thirty times, but only came away with 98 yards, 75 of them gained by Jordan. The Raiders’ passing game was not a lot better, as they managed only 236 yards, with star receiver Randy Moss only gaining 72 yards. On the flip side, the Raiders’ defence had a better time than they have had over the past few weeks, as they held the Broncos to only 293 total yards, with Plummer barely eclipsing the 200 yard mark. “We played well, overall,” said LB Danny Clark. “Still, it wasn’t enough. This is a game we have to win, and to lose it will only make things more difficult in the stretch. We will be watching a lot of film this week, and see what we can do to get better. We have a big game next week, and we need to be ready and erase the bad taste of this loss.” Oakland is now tied for the AFC West division lead with the Kansas City Chiefs, which makes next week’s game against the Chiefs very important. Oakland will definitely be looking to it’s offence to come out firing, and will also be hoping that their defence can match their performance from this week. Box Score Attendance: 74,700 (76,100).
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-24-2005, 10:36 PM
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#49 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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Oakland Strong Against Kansas City Despite Penalty Trouble
Kansas City (7-5) 10 - Oakland (8-4) 20 Oakland, CA (Week 13, 2005) – The Oakland Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs met in the latest round of the dog-fight for the AFC West. Coming into the game, both teams were tied for the division lead, but it was the Raiders who came to play. Led by a strong running game and an improving defence, Oakland were able to control the game, despite a barrage of penalties which helped extend a number of drives for the Chiefs.  One of the most penalized teams in the NFL, the Raiders took another eleven penalties throughout the game, compared to the three penalties taken by Kansas City. “We were undisciplined, plain and simple,” said Raiders Coach Jorge Shank. “It is something we have struggled with all season long, and something we have worked on in practice, but it does not seem to be getting any better. I don’t know if it is a lack of concentration by the players or what, but this is going to hurt us come playoff time if we do not get it fixed.”Penalties aside, Oakland took control of the game in the first quarter, and did not look back. WR Jerry Porter, playing only his second game since returning from a serious injury suffered early in the year, hauled in the first score of the game on a 5 yard TD pass from QB Kerry Collins. K Steve Christie, criticized after his performance in Week 12 against the Denver Broncos, regained some of his form by kicking two field goals to give the Raiders a 13-0 lead by halftime. Kansas City put up a bit of a fight in the second half, as they finally got on the score sheet with a 4 yard scramble by QB Trent Green, then closed the gap to 3 with a 20 yard field goal by K Lawrence Tynes. The Raiders put it out of reach late, though, with a 1 yard TD run by RB Lamont Jordan. It was Jordan and the rest of the Raiders’ running game that led the way, as they ate up 133 yards, 112 of them by Jordan himself. Jordan also added another 40 yards receiving. They were able to grind the Chiefs defence down, which took a lot of the fight out of them. The Oakland defence continued that trend, as they held the Chiefs to only 195 yards passing, and held star running back Priest Holmes to 81 yards rushing on 24 carries.  “It was tough out there today,” said Holmes. “Running room out there was at a minimum, and wherever I turned, I was faced by a black shirt. Without our running game, we had problems establishing the pass, and it just went downhill from there. We are getting to a point in the season where every game is important, and divisional games doubly so, and they came to play today. We didn’t.”The Raiders’ defence did not have to be flashy to get the job done, as they were able to confuse Trent Green with coverage schemes and unique looks, and not on pressure and turnovers, though Green was sacked twice. The Oakland offence was similarly efficient as Collins threw for a conservative 227 yards, while Randy Moss only hauled in 72 yards. “We have shown that we can be all about the big play,” said Collins after the game. “But today, we showed that we can grind out the wins as well. You have to be able to adapt to what the other team gives you, and I think we have been able to do that pretty well this season. Each game like this only serves to expand your abilities as a team to win in different fashions, to be more adaptable. This game is only going to improve our ability to win in any given situation.” With the win, Oakland has regained sole possession of the AFC West, and looks to face a struggling Atlanta Falcons team next week. Box Score Attendance: 55,900 (62,500).
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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10-24-2005, 10:39 PM
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#50 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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I was shaking my head, looking over my notes, as John Mackey walked into my office.
“What’s up, Bear?” I was surprised by the intrusion, as I was not expecting to meet with Mack for another two hours. “Uh, just going over my notes. You are here early. I thought our meeting was scheduled for 2.” “You know how it is. Apparently there is some urgent meeting I have to attend, dealing with some anti-trust suit or something. Just a waste of time, but I guess it is something I have to deal with. Anyway, I thought we could quickly go over things now, then I can head off to that meeting.” I nodded absently, organizing my notes. “Well, what can I say? We are 8-4, tied for the best record in the AFC. We are leading the AFC West, thanks in part to another damn last minute win over a good team, San Diego. Just when you think this team is down, they find a way to win. The funny thing is, they are still largely inconsistent, as the loss over Denver should not have happened.” Mack finally took a seat and smiled. “Yah, I saw that game. If we played more like that this year, we wouldn’t have any problems.” “Tell me about it. As it is, we are still getting some good performances from some players, primarily Moss. He hasn’t had 100 yards receiving in a game for a few now, but he is still on pace for the damn single-season receiving yards record. That is something that the fans are buzzing about, and something that will haunt me if he gets it this year. I am hoping that he is tiring out now as the season wears on, but something tells me that is not truly the case.” “Well, I am not sure if there is anything we can do, but I will think on it.” Again, Mack had that tone. “Alright, but let’s just be careful. There is still a lot of questions being asked about the elevator incident, and regardless of how it happened, we do not need more accusations going on here.” Mack just nodded, but said nothing. After a few uncomfortable seconds, I continued on. “The other key offensive players are still doing well, too. Collins is the third highest rated QB in the league, and still leads the league in passing yards. Jordan has fallen off his pace somewhat, but is still high in rushing yards, third overall, I believe. Defensively, we are still not great, being ranked 22nd overall in rushing yards against and 28th overall in passing yards against, but the defence is starting to play better. We are still pretty undisciplined as a team, being tied for fourth overall in penalties against. Oh, and I think we are ranked third in the AFC Power Ratings.” Mack nodded again. “Four games left, huh?” “Yah, we have four games to go, and we are playing some weaker teams. I am not sure if that is good, yet. We should be able to kill them, but the Denver game showed me that it may not be as cut and dry. That said, I think we have to expect at least ten or eleven wins by the end of it, and maybe a first round bye. That is going to hurt our ‘proposal’ in the off-season, not to mention the crappy spot we will be getting for our draft. Things are definitely not looking good for our plans.” Mack stood up. “Pretty much the same message you have delivered over the past few meetings then. Alright, well, we will have to see what will happen. Thanks, Bear.” I was about to say something, but Mack just turned and started to walk out. As he was leaving, I thought I heard him mention Moss’ name again, though I could have been mistaken.
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Just trying to get by unnoticed... Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles. |
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