November 30th, 2006 06:38pm
by admin
Somebody left a door open.
We writers normally have no access to team meetings and film
sessions in Alameda,
relying instead on coaches and players to replay the occasional anecdote or
snippet of conversation. But there is a meeting room off a hallway just outside
the media room, separated by a door – and today, someone had propped open the
door with a garbage can.
I came back from our locker room access time about 12:30 Thursday
afternoon, …
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November 29th, 2006 08:14pm
by admin
This was already shaping up to be a pretty damned
interesting week with the long-anticipated demotion of Tom Walsh and promotion
of John Shoop to offensive coordinator. Some Raiders – running back LaMont
Jordan, in particular – were candid in their assessments of Walsh and Shoop on
Wednesday.
But when reporters spoke to coach Art Shell after practice this
afternoon, on a chilly field in Alameda,
we got more intrigue than we had bargained for.
After running through …
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November 28th, 2006 04:19pm
by admin
Al Davis and/or Art Shell have
listened to the hue and cry of Raider Nation. Tom Walsh is out as offensive
coordinator and John Shoop, recently the tight ends coach, is in. Fans have
been calling for Walsh’s removal virtually all season as the Raiders have
fielded an attack that ranks last in the league in most significant statistical categories.
Walsh will remain on Shell’s staff, but Shoop will call the plays. I’ll have
more in …
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November 17th, 2006 04:47pm
by admin
As you probably know by now, the league hit Art Shell with a
$12,500 fine this week, fallout from comments he made in reference to an
officiating call during the Raiders’ loss to Denver last Sunday.
Players and coaches have always had to check their freedom of
speech at the door when entering the NFL. You can knock a dude cold on the
field of play (as long as he’s not a quarterback), but suggest …
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November 16th, 2006 07:37pm
by admin
It was
a quiet moment in the Raiders locker room. Running back LaMont Jordan wasn’t
ranting or even complaining. In fact, he was complimenting this week’s game
plan for the Chiefs, and this is what he said: “I feel good about our running
game plan this week. We have a variety of run plays, which I like. Last week I
think we went into the game with only three run plays, and I don’t think …
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November 15th, 2006 06:49pm
by admin
He actually said it. Art Shell, the increasingly embattled
and doubted coach of the Oakland Raiders, was at the podium for his weekly
press conference Monday when someone asked him whether Andrew Walter’s
post-game pout was the result of frustration.
“It ain’t
easy, and at times things aren’t going to go your way,” Shell said. “But you’ve
got to believe in what you do, you’ve got to stay the course.”
Stay
the course?? Hasn’t that phrase recently come …
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November 13th, 2006 07:11pm
by admin
It usually takes about a week for new players and coaches joining the Raiders to buy wholeheartedly into the “vast NFL conspiracy” theory, blaming every controversial call on the league’s desire to topple Al Davis and his team.
Of course, Art Shell isn’t a new coach, he’s an old one – and an older player – so he probably feels less compunction to join the chorus. More important, Shell had an …
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November 12th, 2006 01:29pm
by admin
Just got the inactives list, and Robert Gallery’s
name is on it.
Gallery strained his groin at the end of practice Thursday
and was held out of Friday’s work, so this wasn’t a complete surprise. But
coach Art Shell had held out hope his blue-chip offensive lineman would be
ready by Sunday, and he wasn’t. Chad Slaughter will start at left tackle in
Gallery’s absence, right next to Corey Hulsey, who is filling in for the
injured …
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November 10th, 2006 11:28am
by admin
The Denver game is sold out, and will be broadcast locally on CBS. It is the Raiders’ fifth consecutive sellout in 2006, the longest streak since 2002. The team’s new ticket sales staff is doing one heck of a job – assuming the stadium isn’t half-filled with active servicemen and wayward teens this Sunday.
The bad news is that LaMont Jordan’s back feels worse this week than it did a week …
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November 8th, 2006 06:54pm
by admin
What can the Raiders do to improve their pass protection?
It’s a question we ask coach Art Shell and his offensive linemen every week.
We’re sick of asking, and they are sick as hell of trying to come up with an
answer. None of the linemen have snapped, but you can see the sour looks on
their faces when the subject comes up.
So what can be done? Short of sending, Shell, Gene Upshaw
and Jim …
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Phil Barber covers the Raiders for The Press Democrat, uncovering news and features despite the team’s best efforts to keep everything a secret. He’ll keep our online audience up-to-date and informed with his blog “Instant Raiders.”
