Oakland Raiders preview
Oakland Raiders 2008 Preview ReportAugust 4, 2008
No, they’re not rebuilding. And they’re not improving. Wherever the “right track” may be, they’re at least two time zones away from it. Young franchise quarterback JaMarcus Russell? Doesn’t matter. Star rookie running back Darren McFadden? Moot point. Thirty-three-year-old head coach Lane Kiffin? Irrelevant.
Regardless of whose on the roster, the Oakland Raiders are near the nadir of the NFL. They’ve been so bad since their ’02 Super Bowl loss that not only has their motto “Just win, baby” gone out of style, but making fun of the motto has gotten old as well. It’s almost embarrassing. And we all know whose fault it is.
It’s sad to see Al Davis’s franchise wallow in decadence. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, the Raiders are one of the iconic teams of the NFL. And Davis is one of the iconic characters. The man has done more for pro football than perhaps anyone alive. And for this, we owe him.
That said, football takes place in the here and now. Davis concurs, as his vision is perilously near-sighted. Problem is, it’s never encountered a mirror. Davis should have relinquished his managing control long ago. But, despite reports of failing health, the 79-year-old continues to call the shots.
