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I am moving all my blogs to Active, this was origionally written 9/25/07

 

 

 

 

So it took me a day to come down from the high that is a Raiders win! I mean it had been 11 games since the silver and black were victorious, and I stood by them. It might not have been the ideal way to win, but it was a win none the less, and all that complaining I did last week about calling late time outs to ice a kicker, just forget about it. Though, the Raiders did prove their worth by coming through and blocking the second kick not just icing the kicker so that it was missed.

 

Lets just say after that many losses a win might send a fan off the deep end. Here comes the girlie part of my sports fandom. I definitely rushed online Monday morning and ordered a Raiders Bikini. I mean I live in a beach town and there are times when it is just too hot to wear a jersey, and for those occasions I still want to show my allegiance, and in 3-5 business days, I will be able to do just that. I also am a bit more confident in my previously decided Raiderette Halloween costume. It's always good if they win a game before I go out in San Diego dressed as the enemy.

 

 

 

I am not saying that this win is going to turn around the season or anything. I am still predicting 5 wins, but that is just because I would rather under predict and have them over deliver. I mean there are still obviously issues and short comings. It seems that this year the defense is finally living up to expectations, but as soon as the offense finally puts the team in the situation to lose the defense gets a little loser and lets the Browns get the one play they need to get an opportunity to score, a pass to the sidelines. Even in game 1 it looked like the Raiders might pull it off, but the defense could not hold it together in the end. Don't get me wrong I am still a big fan of the Raiders defense; I mean this year I am having a hard time deciding between a Morrison and Asomugha jersey, but come on guys "offense sells tickets defense wins games." Don't let it fall apart in the fourth Quarter.

 

I am hopeful that the Raiders can go into Miami and get W number 2. Who knows who exactly will start, but it was nice to get a hint of Culpepper last week, in fact the entire bar, in San Diego deep in the heart of chargers territory I might add, cheered when he was put in for one play in the first half. The most exciting thing besides the win to come out of the weekend is the fact that I can now say "We are tied with the Chargers." For some reason all the **** talking that plagues my email, my text messages, and me personally every day is suddenly silenced, and those who have the courage to try this week lack clout and I can easily rebuttal.

 

In closing... Go Raiders!!! And Come on KC!!

 

 

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*This Blog was origionally written 9/17/07, I am moving all my blogs to Active.com*

 

 

1. The A's fail to complete a sweep of the Texas Rangers, not that it matters, since they are totally out of play off contention, but that may have softened the blow of the rest of the day.

 

 

 

2. The Raiders in Raiders fashion lose a game, in which they had 3 offensive fall starts (I think the Referees come to a Raiders game excited because they know they are going to get to throw that yellow flag), on a late time out call. I hope you enjoyed your 200th win Shanahan.

 

 

 

3. We got to watch Randy Moss perform like the Hall of Fame quarterback he is on another team.

 

 

 

I'll say it again, rough Sunday for East Bay Sports Fans. The only thing that salvaged the day in sports was the announcement that Don Nelson would be back to lead the Warriors for another season. Will they be able to save the year for East Bay sports fans?

 

 

I will just skip the A's loss, since it doesn't matter anymore this year whether they win or lose. I must just say that after sitting in the bleachers in Network Associates watching them sweep their way into the 2nd round of the play offs for the first time in years last season, it is terrible to see the poor level of play this season.

 

 

Now onto the Raiders. Being a Raiders fan in San Diego is hard enough, but try being a Raider's fan that works for the official radio station of the Charger Fans. I could easily just become a chargers fan, though after last night I don't know that it is that much better, but instead I keep my allegiance with my hometown team, and I think that deserves some respect!

 

 

Not that I thought the Raiders had a chance going into face Denver at home, but as an eternal optimist, I could be quoted saying to my roommate at 10am during the first set of games, "Maybe the loss to the Lions was a wake up call and they are going to come out hard this week and dominate." The problem with being a Raiders fans is they toy with your emotions. I finally was convinced that the Raiders had a chance to win this game.

 

 

I mean sure there were a ton of penalties, and of course the line judges seemed to continually spot the ball a foot or so in a direction that was a disadvantage to the Raiders, and Kiffin even showed a little extra effort by attempting and successfully completing an onside kick in the 3rd quarter, only to have to punt one first down later, and they lost the coin toss in overtime don't even get me started on NFL overtime rules, but they still had more of a shot to win a game then I had witnessed in a while considering they have lost 14 in a row to AFC west opponents and 11 in a row on the road. They still had a chance though, a chance to redeem themselves and in a sense redeem me as their fan.

 

 

I watched the defense, which was talked up throughout the off season as one of the best in the league, but did not live up to expectations in game 1, stop the Broncos giving the Raiders a chance in overtime. I watched Lamont Jordan's 33 yard run within view of that magical red line on the field marking Janikowski's field goal range. Then, I watched an attempted throwing play, as McCown gave up and threw the ball away. I mean sure its better than a fumble or an interception, but McCown, hold onto the ball and run out of bounds and get us a yard when every yard counts towards a made field goal and a win. Then I watched us pass that red line into field goal range.

 

 

 

 

Even after 3 missed field goals in week one, I was still optimistic. This could be it, this could give me a week of relief from the **** talking and maybe a chance to talk a little myself depending on the out come of Sunday night football. The field goal unit lined up, at this point I couldn't stay in my chair I was standing up in a room full of Chargers fans shifting side to side clinching my hands together so nervous I could barely watch the TV. Then the ball was snapped the kick was Good!!! I was jumping up and down and then I looked at the tv. It was, of course too good to be true.

 

 

 

 

Of course there was no video footage to see when exactly Shanahan called the time out, had the snap taken place, but of course the questionable call was ruled against the Raiders. Maybe having made the field goal already, Janikowski would have the confidence to make it again, but that, as we all know, was not the case. B*** SH**!!!

 

 

Usually an 0-2 beginning to a season would be ok knowing that we play the Browns next week, but after watching their back up quarter back complete 5 touchdown passes, and the team putting 51 points on the board against Cincinnati, nothing is guaranteed.

 

 

You would think the Patriots slaughtering the Chargers might ease my pain. I mean it did in the sense that the Chargers fans that surround me every day will not be silenced for a week, but watching Randy Moss's outstanding performances the last two weeks is just another twist in the knife in my heart. To think that we wasted all that money and a season on his whining and poor sportsmanship, only to have to let him go for less than half his value and watch him dominate, is just another way to ruin my Sunday.

 

 

 

 

The one positive was that the announcement that Don Nelson will be back with the Warriors this year. The Warriors have a chance to lift the spirits of down trodden East Bay sports fans everywhere. They can be our saviors, give us something to cheer for, something to believe in again, that's right "We Believe." This may be a lot of pressure, but maybe that will put a fire under them, if the reminder losses to the Jazz last season doesn't do that already.

 

 

So I will stick with my teams. I will get up next Sunday, pull on my old Woodson jersey that reminds me of the good old days, and root for my team again. I will follow all the wiretaps and off season reports on the Warriors, even maybe watch the episode of Lincoln Heights, yes that is an ABC Family show, that Barron Davis guest starred on for a brief minute last week. I will reserve my accommodations in Tempe and Scottsdale in March to watch the A's get ready for a new season. All the while hoping and even believing that against all odds things are going to turn around.

 

 

 

 

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I am moving my blog to Active, this was origionally written 8/25/07

 

 

 

 

 

America, the home of the free, the home of the brave, the home of the FORGIVING?

 

It seems that this has been the case in recent history; we can forgive all sorts of singers, actors, athletes, and celebutants. And just when it seemed that maybe there third, fourth, and maybe even fifth offense may finally have put one beyond the forgiveness America, its time to pull the rehab card that will guarantee that your next 3 offenses will be quickly forgotten.

 

Unfortunately for Michael Vick there is no DFA (dog fighter's anonymous), no 12 step process, and if 125 million reasons wasn't enough, no center that looks more like a luxury resort somewhere in the middle of nowhere Utah will convince him to leave the bad influences in his life behind.

 

Michael Vick, seemingly out of options, pulled out the big guns, the Son of God, the messiah, his sins made him find Jesus, and how can we not love him for that. Forget that he may have drowned, electrocuted, and hung up to 8 of man's best friends, gambled on their life, and taken those furry friends on an interstate ride, he has found Jesus, and what is most important, Jesus forgives.

 

Sure a week ago we killing a dog may have been worse to the American public than the murder of humans, but now that Vick is a god fearing Christian, can America forgive him, after all the bible does say all sins are equal in God's eyes. So me realizing I wasn't charged for that extra shot in my latte at Starbuck's this morning but staying hush is the same as a god fearing man bank rolling a sort of doggie concentration camp is equal as long as he recognizes his error and asks for forgiveness?

 

In this case I think America's love of our four legged friends might in fact be the one thing that holds more clout than the driving force behind our country, the religious rite.

 

Vick's appeal today and his public announcement of his new found religion will not be enough to put his jersey's back on the market, re-instate him as the face of the NFL, even play in the NFL again, and forget ever getting access to those endorsement dollars.

 

I think Vick has helped us pinpoint the one thing American's cannot forgive. Sure we can forgive a man who while drunk used his car as a weapon and successfully took another human life, a man who killed his ex and her innocent new boyfriend and later even wrote a detailed account of how he did it, and even those who have ruined the integrity of sports by turning their bodies into superhuman athletic machines, but with our love of Fido, Pluto, Underdog, Clifford (Yes, the big red one!), and all 101 Dalmatians, we may never find it in our hearts to forgive Michael Vick, even if Jesus does.

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