: Tue Jun 16, 2009 8:30 am
The two players that most impress me in Oakland are Miller and Asa. Miller is a top, top tight end who impresses me whenever I see him. Asa is class. Simple as that - the best at what he does. He shuts off one side of the field, the problem is, the other side is like an open plain on the Serengeti.
They have other good players too (as mentioned Morrison, D-Mac etc), but they don't help themselves in the draft. This years first pick signifies all of what is wrong with Al Davis' obsession with the 40 time. Speed over production. Even last year, when they picked up a talented guy like McFadden, they ignored issues in the trenches to go with glamour. They had a decent running game already, but went and got a RB anyway. The other thing is that I do not rate Russell. He's gash. Garcia was a shrewd pick up, but there's no way he'll beat Russell to the starting job. I would love Oakland to improve to make the AFC West stronger, but there are fundamental flaws throughout the franchise.
For some reason, I don't have the same bad feelings towards the Raiders as I do the other AFC West teams. I think it's sympathy over what the fans of a great franchise have had to put up with under Al - the man who once took them to greatness but now can't let go. KC will come good again, Denver probably will (after they see that McDaniels has set the franchise back 4 years or so), but in Oakland, it's totally dependant on when Mr Davis hangs up his proverbial gloves (likely to be when he dies).