NFL Football Revealed on Squib Kick

JaMarcus Russell helping change the face of the Raiders!

by James on May 11th, 2007

NFL Football at its best. NFL Football at its craziest.

Big Ben Davidson and the handle bar mustache were way ahead of their time (way ahead)

Can all this work out in such a way that the glory days will return?

In your intrepid author’s youth, there was a Raider QB by the name of Daryle Lamonica.

He was known as the Mad Bomber!

Daryle had a favorite receiver named Fred Biletnikoff.

All they did was name an annual award after Fred. He had hands like glue.

The Mad Bomber loved to throw down field, but on third and 7, you knew it was going to Biletnikoff. Fred would run a picture perfect out route and Lamonica would fire it in there. It seems like Biletnikoff caught all of them.

The Raiders had players like Pete Banaszak at running back, George Blanda at backup QB and kicker, Big Ben Davidson at defensive end, and the 1959 Heisman winner Billy Cannon.

In 1968, the Raiders picked up an Offensive Tackle in the 3rd round by the name of Art Shell. All Art did was make 8 Pro Bowls and the Hall of Fame!

Al Davis had his vertical offense of always throwing down field.

Just for good measure the second pick of that year in the draft for the Oakland Raiders was Kenny ‘the Snake’ Stabler.

Ken Stabler

Oakland Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler and his teammates were once visited by a sportswriter at the team’s headquarters in California. The man had just returned from the Jack London historic monument and was still impressed. During his interview with the Stabler, he quoted a sample of London’s prose: “I would rather be ashes than dust. I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry rot. The proper function of men is to live, not exist.” Stabler nodded. “What does that mean to you?” the writer asked him. Stabler paused for a moment before replying: “Throw deep!” source

Now we have to fast forward to the future where we find JaMarcus Russell just starting out.

Will he be able to lead the Raiders back to glory?

Whoa, there fella, how about we let him get into camp and get acclimated. That will be new coach Lane Kiffen’s job.

Said Raiders coach Lane Kiffin of his top draft pick, “I wanted to see him come out here and just be able to handle the pressure of the whole new environment and playbook and a new huddle and getting in and out of the huddle.”

“We weren’t expecting great things right away, obviously, because there is so much thrown at him. We’re pleased with where he’s at, and as soon as we get him back here we’ve got a lot of work to do with him.” source

JaMarcus won’t be alone. Oakland drafted 11 players and also picked up Mike Williams and Josh McCown from the Detroit Lions. The Raiders made some excellent deals, including unloading an unhappy Randy Moss.

The Raiders may have had the most activity surrounding fourth-round picks in draft history. They acquired a fourth-round pick in the highest-profile move of draft weekend, exchanging Randy Moss for New England’s fourth-rounder. And they drafted Louisville running back Michael Bush, a big-time talent who’s coming off a badly broken leg, with their own fourth-round pick. source

It will be a long road back for the offense and it still remains to be seen if the defense can once again check in at third best in the NFL, but at least with JaMarcus Russell they have a solid foundation.

NFL Football Fan Question Can you get used to saying the Oakland Raiders are on the way back?

As always, any NFL Football related comments are welcome.

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POSTED IN: Al Davis, JaMarcus Russell, NFL Draft, NFL Football, Oakland Raiders, Randy Moss