The Oakland Raiders are a team in dire straits. There is no need to reproduce the win-loss record that is haunting the Raider Nation. It is starting to seem like the losing is bothering the fans more than it is bothering the team, and that is a huge problem. The Raiders did not just lose their last game to the Ravens, they were thoroughly abused all game, but that did not stop Raider players from "having a good time" and celebrating throughout the game.
Pride and Poise
Before the slogans "commitment to excellence" or "just win, baby" there was "pride and poise." When Al Davis was first hired as a head coach in 1963 the Raiders were a joke of a franchise. The first thing he brought to the table was the concept of "Pride and Poise" meaning that regardless of whether things are going good or bad, his players were to play their absolute best.
With pride and poise, the Raiders immediately started winning. In Davis's first year as a head coach the Raiders had the single greatest single season turnaround ever. It seems that this year's incarnation of the Raiders misses the concept of playing with pride. In fact, there were times where it seemed like the Raiders yesterday were going through the motions having already given up on the idea of winning the game.
Just Win, Baby
The most well known of all the mantras that Al Davis brought to the Raiders is "Just Win, Baby." Once upon a time, that's all the Raiders did was win. These days, the wins have been few and far between. When linebacker Thomas Howard was questioned about his celebrating a tackle despite being well behind late in the game he said:
"I'm having fun. That's how I play. If we're up 30 or down 30, I'm going to give you what I am. I don't care what (fans) think. I love playing the game. You can't tell me I can't have fun if we're up 30 or down 30. It's what the game's all about."
The Raider Nation sure wasn't having fun watching that defense miss tackles and blow assignments whilst letting the Baltimore Ravens move the ball up and down the field. When the goal of the team is to win, and that goal is well out of reach, what is to be having fun?
Cam Inman of the Contra Costa Times says that the Raiders need a leader on defense. This echoes a post written on Thoughts from the Dark Side on October 7, 2008:
Al Davis is known for loathing disciplinarians as coaches. He believes that it is important for the locker room to police itself. Once upon a time that idea worked perfectly. The Raiders had their zany characters, but the core of the team was the solid vets with names like Jim Otto, Gene Upshaw, and Art Shell. The guys could do what they liked away from the practice field, but once it came time to suit up, even the heartiest partiers went to work. The key to the success of the Raiders was the locker room leadership. In a more recent time, it worked once again as leaders like Tim Brown, Rich Gannon, and Jerry Rice kept the team together despite the lack of discipline from the top. Today's Raiders do not have those leaders, and that is reflected in the current doldrums in which the Raiders reside.
Apparently, someone has to step up to these guys and get them to realize that the most important thing is the team and winning. Apparently Howard believes in the old adage that its not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game. Well, the Raiders need the ghost of Vince Lombardi to show up to remind these guys:
Winning is not everything, its the only thing.
DeAngelo Hall, who has been improving his game of late after a rough start, and is known for not being a team guy seems to get the clue when he said:
"I ain't celebrating. The point is to win. Not to make plays, but to win. You didn't see me celebrating one time."
Hall has the right idea. He needs to be louder in impressing that idea upon his teammates. The problem is that it seems systemic in Oakland that the concept of TEAM is forgotten over the individuals, and has been since Rich Gannon, the last great Raider leader, left town.
Back in September, Rob Calonge, of Thoughts from the Dark Side, wrote:
Tuesday, Tim Brown was on a sports talk show in Sacramento hosted by Raiders preseason play-by-play man Grant Napier and former Raider Mike Lamb. Brown had been on the field prior to the start of the game Monday night and said that he never saw any emotion from the players. There was no helmet slapping, shoulder pad hitting, or calls like, "Let's GO!" He accounted for their being no real team leaders, but instead individuals. He also said that even guys, like himself when he played, who would lead by example and tap a guy on the helmet and encourage him to get going was also a necessity for the team. According to Brown, he didn't see that.
In his press conferences, Tom Cable has stressed the idea of getting the Raiders to play together as a team, but the actions of the team seem to suggest that his preaching is not taking hold. He even recently defended the celebration during a beat down:
“You say, `Well, that’s because they’re a good defense.’ No, that’s the way they play, the emotion and energy they play the game with,” Cable said. “You have to respect that. I like it when our players have fun playing the game and enjoy playing the game. I’d like to be ahead by 20, though, because maybe it’s a little more fun, you know?”
Maybe a little more fun to be winning by 20? That is a long way from VInce Lombardi, or for that matter Herman Edwards's infamous:
You play to win the game.
The team across the bay is in a similar situation. They were playing with no heart and individual putting themselves above the team. Rather than saying its OK, their interim coach had this to say:
That is the type of kick in the pants that the Oakland Raiders need. They need it from the coaching staff. They need it from the team leaders. They need it from the owner's box. Until the Raiders get the heart of champions, which doesn't celebrate anything except winning, they won't be winners.
Comments
I thought it was stupid when Howard was celebrating.I wonder if this team will ever understand anything about winning. This team lookked lost and pathetic against the ravens on sunday. That is the problem with the raider players and fans. They are always making excuses about losing and never seeing the real picture.Most fans think losing is ok as long as Big Al is in charge. Raider football is the joke of the whole football world.
Its a good thing Mike Singletary isn't the head coach of this team. Hall is right! What the hell are you celebrating? When you miss tackle after tackle and then make one when your getting your ass kicked whats that? Get a clue! Maybe we should take the names off all their Jerseys like Penn State and start playing like a unit instead of some jackass thinking they did something good making 1 out of every 5 tackles and thinking that is somehthing to celebrate. How embarrassing!
Patrick,
There are two ways to look at what happen Sunday. The coaching staff played right into the Ravens game plan. They kept trying to run the ball without success. And maybe Thomas was trying to be a leader and trying to light a fire in his teammates. So I don't knock Thomas for showing some fire even if they were getting thier butts kicked.
Silver and Black 4ever.
I Don't blame the players,I blame the "let them have fun" BS from our coaches for the last 20years..Shanny spoke up and got booted,kiffen did and got booted,Bill c did and got booted!! AL needs to wake up and see how big of a joke this team is!!! We need to shake things up,,Bench that statue QB,AND THAT STAUE mlb MORRISON andf go from there..Our O ran better last year with MCCOWN at QB..We don't need to play the almost rookie and just lose,A rogers sat on the bench for 4 years,Casstle sat the bench for 4 yerars and is doing just fine!! Who cares if it was favre,brady,its the coaching and the sidelines that help players out the most..This put him in until he gets BS is old football,which is DEAD!!
You guy's crack me up everytime the Raiders lose. You all point the finger at Al Davis. But when theres a win you don't hear his name at all. Al is a players owner and that maybe his only down fall. So when the Raiders win on Sunday. Come in here and say Al put a great game plan together. HA HA HA !!!
if the Raiders keep calling that hot spot the Black Hole, this is a curse upon them. I'm surprised no black women have filed a lawsuit against a bunch of fan guys using this kind of language. it's not Go Raiders anymore. it's Gone, baby.
I couldn't agree more. I'd like to get a Thomas Howrard picture signed for the little kids. Thomas "I have fun when we're down by 30" Howard. What a legend. I hate to say but I wish Singletary was on our side causing Havoc. Cable came out and defended Howard.
It's sad to say, but the Raiders lack focus that begins at the top of the organization to the playing field. We see it every Sunday. Al Davis is a legend and football today is Al Davis and what he did in the early years. Like a football player, Al needs to keep his legacy going and with that, he needs to pass the torch on to the Al Davis' of today (and their are some great candidates out there...) Until then, the Raider nation will continue to watch our team lose, but remain faithful and hope for the return of the "pride and poise"
Thomas can do whatever he wants, but first he needs to learn discipline. He currently is embarressing himself with his play. The national TV commentators treat him as a joke along with the rest of the team. When teams play the Raiders they look at their schedule and say, "there's a give-me win" because they don't play smart, they lack talent,they get no respect and that includes Thomas. Come on, Third and 21, and the Ravens get a first down. Raider players should be embarrassed with their play. Coach Cable thinks the offensive line is playing pretty good. Does that scare you?
Look most of us will continue to attend games, then go home and take the abuse we receive from our friends as fools for following the team. Thomas and his friends have no idea how embarrassing it is for fans who follow the Raiders. Most fans even our own families think we are nuts. smile..but once a Raider always a Raider. I just wish they would show some improvement, but it appears not to be in the cards for a while. Its frustrating to watch. I'm sure they feel the same, I hope they do...
howard was the only one out there making plays with hall. what are you talking about??? the guy is all over the place and NOT theone missing tackles.
I'm very disappointed and troubled by what Howard did (celebrated) and then what he said about it. His kind of mentality will help drive the Raiders further into the ground because. How can he have fun while 30 points down? That's just plain sick.
Want to add that Mr. Greg Knapp is not doing a good job as offensive coordinator. As I look back at his time with the Atlanta Falcons, he never really figured out how to use QB Michael Vick effectively. I know JaMarcus is still just getting his feet wet, but I'm beginning to see the same ho-hum play calling here that we saw in Atlanta where the coaching never fully maximized player talent. Keep Russell in there, let him earn his stripes on the battlefield the hard way by challenging him and letting him make those common rookie mistakes, the same type we've seen many great QB's make early in their respective careers. Yes, let him throw 4 or 5 interceptions a game this year while REALLY trying to score. Ultimately this will bode well for our cherished Silver and Black.
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