He said he was retiring. Why cause so much grief to the Packers or whatever team picks him up now? Why can't he just bow out gracefully? Does he honestly think he will start playing at the same level with a different team in 1 year? He will have to learn a new system, the terminology, the players, etc. etc. It sounds like a lose-lose situation to me. I am really tired of hearing about it. It is tarnishing his image in my eyes.......

Apparently he has met with Kiffin who told him that he would no longer be practicing with the team. His best year as a Raider came in 05 when he rushed for over 1000 yds, caught some 70 passes and scored 11 TDs. He was on fire last season through the first 3.5 games. He rushed for some 424 yards, second only to FWP until his back acted up again. Hopefully we can trade him. I wish him well with his next team, as long as he doesn't ressurrect himself somewhere in the AFC West that is!

I am at a loss as to why Thurman has not been picked up yet. He is a talented linebacker who won't cost much dollar-wise. He has off-field baggage. Is there something more to his release from the Bengals than meets they eye?

So the Pats cheated, got caught, and paid the price. End of story right? Was justice really served? Or did they just set the going price for cheating? Had they not been caught, how many more tainted championships would they have won? How many other clubs would be willing to pay that price for a championship? Has this whole thing been blown out of proportion? I'm sure Pats fans think so. Unfortunately, the line appears to be blurring where cheating is concerned. Whether it's steroids, videotaping, illegal recruiting tactics, lying about someone's age, the list just seems to go on & on. I'm not sure which irks me more, the cheating or those who minimize & endorse it as if it's no big deal.

There's not much skill involved with tearing a person down verbally or in print. Children learn this at an early age. It's so much easier to hide behind a wall of cruelty than it is to be courageous and complement someone. It's much easier to say "YOU SUCK" than it is to give a compliment. Compliments take some thought. This article is a perfect example of kicking someone when they are down. And to think these guys get paid to write this kind of trash. Can't think of anything good to write? Not to worry! You can always trash the Raiders! Come on. Grow up already. This isn't the Grimmer Elementary schoolyard anymore. Or is it? (PFFFFFT!!!)

Interesting choice for a veteran backup. After a year with the Jets, Tui is back. Am I missing something? I mean this one has me baffled. Nothing against Tui, I sure don't remember him throwing the Raider Nation under the bus when he left. But he doesn't fit (my) proto-typical backup-QB mold. Guess we'll have to do a wait and see. Unless they just plan on cutting him in 2 months like they did AGB.

Stu is a good player who just got a bum-rap for missing tackles that he should not have been in on in the 1st place. I wish him well. I'm sure he will get picked up soon, hopefully not in the AFC West. It still stings to hear ex-players air our dirty laundry. Why can't they just thank the team for the opportunity to play in the NFL and move on already?

With Sapp gone into the sunset, the Raiders need a new leader on defense. What better place to look than the "mike" position and Kirk Morrison. Click through! He gets my vote.

Too bad, I really liked Stu. I feel he took a bum-rap for being out of position on tackles he should not have had to make had the rest of the defense done its job. Great motor, Good special teamer. I am sure he will catch on somewhere soon. I just pray it's not in the AFC West! Man I hate getting torched by one of our own cast-offs!

Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, DE, who was just signed in March from Miami spent 27 games with the Raiders in the past (from '03 to '04). As expected, that number will stay at 27. The 28-year-old was also released today.

Who can blame him? This is a bittersweet story. On one hand I feel for him because it's gotta be tough playing on a losing team. On the other hand, you hate to see your dirty laundry aired out for all to see. It's no secret that the Raider organization is a dysfunctional one, but why pour salt in the wound? It just doesn't sit right with this Raider fan. I truly want to wish him well with his new team, but yet I am having trouble getting the words out of my mouth. Did someone say "cold beer?"

Yankee fan marries a Red Sox fan? Eagle fan hooks up with a Cowboy fan? TOBAL you say! How can this be? Has hell truly frozen over? No, no, no. Sure it's great if you both happen to be fans of the same team, however there is also a lot to be said about opposites. My brother and his wife, for example, are diehard Raider fans, which makes for a unified household. My wife, however, is a 49er fan. WHAT? A Niner fan married to a Raider fan? It actually makes for a lot of fun when we go to games. When I took my wife to her 1st 49er home game vs the Raiders many years back, I was genuinely amused by the comments from the home crowd. (yes I was in my Raider garb and of course the Raiders won!) The home crowd was perplexed as to how a Niner fan could be married to a Raider fan. I have to say I truly enjoy the dynamics involved where opposites are concerned. I mean, anyone can get along when they like all of the same things. There are those however, who could never bend their mind around this. And it makes for good conversation/debate. (TOBAL-there oughta be a law)

I for one like the open competition theory, where-in the best man gets the job. I feel like it raises the bar so-to-speak, when players feel like they can truly earn a spot on the roster. Is that possible with Jano? Is it time to bring in a kicker who will give him a run for his money? Does such a player exist? With Jano's numbers declining. I have to wonder; will he live up to his 1st round selection status? Can he improve? Or is his peformance based on as the team goes, so the kicker goes? The guy has a monster leg, but it doesn't matter much if he can't get it through the posts when it counts.

http://www.ibabuzz.com/raidersblog/2008/05/19/time-for-seabass-to-compete/

Assuming Al breaks out the checkbook and gets this kid in camp on time, will the Raiders turn him loose? The kid can run, catch, throw, and even return kicks! I would think this would depend on how fast Darren picks up the offense. Personally, I hope he gets paid, gets learned, and gets wild! Let the bull out of the chute baby! I want to see some Silver & Black SMASH-MOUTH FOOTBALL!!!

(excuse me while I wipe the foam from my mouth....)

Some will get paid and some might hold out. Do you think anyone will be holding out when the season starts? I would think this would mostly apply to the top 5 players but who knows? Agents & owners can be goofy over this stuff. Look at what happened to Jamarcus Russell last year. How can a team sign a top 10 draft pick and not expect to pay big bucks? The biggest sticking point these days seems to be around the guaranteed money. Personally, I don't know how they can pay so much money for an unproven product. And of course I mean unproven by NFL standards. We've all seen college all-stars bust like a lead balloon at the NFL level. I've always thought there should be some sort of pay scale set up and then bonus pay based on incentives/production. What are your thoughts?

In news that shocked no one, the Raiders used the fourth-overall pick in the draft to select Darren McFadden, which led to the team releasing Dominic Rhodes. The move put Oakland under the salary cap, but it also meant one fewer running back on a depth chart that now includes McFadden, LaMont Jordan, Justin Fargas and Michael Bush.

Today, Rhodes, took his GM skillz to Sirius NFL Radio:

"I don't see the reason why the Raiders needed to draft a running back, you know what I'm saying? I mean, we have a stable full of running backs, that ran for 100 yards every one of them. And then we went and drafted a guy -- he's a great runner, don't get me wrong -- but, I don't understand the logic, everybody wanted to do this or that; it was never saying, "Okay, we're all going to do this together." I mean, there were just a whole bunch of fires everywhere, and ... then they seemed to blaze out of control.

I don't really think Lane Kiffin wanted to take a running back in the first round, let's just put it like that ... he has to deal with it now, but I don't think that's what he wanted to do.

I don't think Lane Kiffin wanted to take a running back in the first round either, but why would Al Davis suddenly give a crap about that? To be fair, Rhodes sounded much less bitter than I expected, and a lot of people were making his argument prior to the draft.

Only time will settle this argument. The question here is not whether Darren can be productive. Oakland had the 6th ranked rushing attack last season. The bigger question is whether the defense will earn it's money. Again, time will tell.