Al davis oakland raiders’s raiders team al

Raider Card Addict has read through the media’s preaching, and has
decided if you want your team to be better than us….then bring it.

Well, as the Giants game winds down, and the start of the NFL season
is here, the Raider Nation has to ask itself, are we ready?

The media, the ESPN people, and the haters, they like to crow “no.”
There’s no way this team will win more than four games this season,
and those are the comments that can be published.

What’s truly funny though is that a lot of these writers, reporters,
and media junkies constantly trumpet that the cause of the Raiders’
turmoil is Al Davis.

Funny. Last time I checked, he wasn’t our quarterback. Or our running
back. Or our wide reciever.

Saying that Al Davis is the reason we lose is like saying Mike
Shanahan is the reason Denver wins games. Neither actually goes out on
the field and scores touchdowns.

In the end, it comes down to the players who go out on the grass and
enter the field of play.

So, for all those mockers and haters, I’ll simply say this: If your
team thinks it can win…bring it.

Our first game is against Denver. A lot of the Shanahan disciples have
Denver picked to win. How they came up with this, I have no idea.

Somehow, after all this, Denver’s going to win in Oakland in front of
a rabid crowd? If you believe that, I’ve got a bridge to sell you,
too.

You’re right RCA, Al Davis is not on the field. However, it is fair to
say he set the chessboard.

Drafting McFadden will turn out to be a masterstroke, despite the many
who felt it would have better to draft Glenn Dorsey.

True enough, JC. Although, at times I feel Al Davis walks the line
between Genius, and Madness. Remember the team he assembled back in
2000? He brought in all those Vets, for one good run, and managed to
get 3 decent years out of the lot. The only downside, is that once the
expiration dates hit, the team ground to a halt, couldn’t stop anyone,
and then we had to put most of our team on the IR. I remember watching
the Chicago game, in 2003, thinking to myself, if we could keep them
from kicking a field goal…..but to no avail. But, as for the man who
doesn’t like to use the R word….this squad Al has constructed, is a
unique bunch. It’s got some solid bricks to work with, both this year,
and into the future. I see McFadden giving us at least several seasons
of highlights, plus more, if we can lock him down to a longer deal.
Russell, same deal….and Miller reminds me tons of Christensen.

Al Davis has the Raiders ready to make a run at the AFC West this
season, and for seasons to come. Our team consists of a lot of
extremely good, young talent. These guys will be together for a while
and grow into a dominant force.

Bottom line is that they have to run, run, run. The O line is pathetic
in pass protection. It’s running and defense with the occasional play
action. Of course this strategy depends on flawless execution because
they cannot afford to play from behind, or get penalized very much. If
they can keep their holding penalties at one or two for the game then
they have a shot, and of course the defense, or special teams have to
force a couple of turnovers.

The haters and ESPN have been saying this about AL ever since the
raiders moved back from LA, Until the Gruden Ara, then they jumped
back on the on the bandwagon. Back then we went through the same shit
with the coaches, Mike White, Joe Bugel and so on. It’s just a matter
of time before they jump back on again. mark my words, Al will shut
this idiots up again.

Think a lot of it will tell shortly after the Broncos game. If we win,
ESPN will probably consider it a abberation, that we didn’t really
win, we just didn’t lose. As well, if we lose, ESPN will trumpet Al’s
failures again, and try to make them sound like geniuses. So pretty
simple. Win, make it impactful, and solid.

I have mentioned this on other places but it fits in well here. The
problem is the O-line was never sufficiently repaired. We used to have
excellent players (think Lincoln Kennedy). When that generation
dropped off, we never adequately replaced the talent. The next
generation did not come through. We wasted the high draft pick on
Gallery who was supposed to play Tackle. We still have not found his
replacement while his lack of talent is disguised at guard. Who are
these other bums on the line? Why did Al recruit castoffs like Cornell
Green, Kwame Harris, etc. who would not even be in the league if not
for Al misjudging their abilities. Al likes to think he sees things
others don’t. Well, sometimes yes. In this case, NO

Like John Madden says, it all starts with the O-line. Why has there
been such little attention paid to stocking that role with talent? It
is obvious the line stinks and I don’; care about a zone blocking
scheme or cut blocking or lack of fullback help or whatever.

The O-Line is the problem, has been for a while and it has not been
fixed in YEARS now. So that is it in a nutshell.

Actually, something must be working on the O-line. Otherwise, why did
we finish as the 6th best rushing club? That line has to be held, for
the transfer from QB to RB, and then for the same RB to find a hole. I
remember in the truly horrid 2006 season, you couldn’t even get that,
because usually as the handoff occurred, there’d be one or two
opponents in the backfield….that, was having no O-line. Now, as for
a passing O-line, we need to work on it. Russell needs time to have
his receivers go deep, and if he’s got company inside of 3 seconds,
that’s good for about 8-10 yards, depending on the route. Miller helps
in cases like this, acting as the extra lineman, but it’ll come down
to Russell, those recievers, and possibly a little duck and weave for
it all pan out. First test is less than 3 days out….anyone else
excited?

I can heaqr what youre saying but like Addict said, something is
definbately working for this line.

Gallery is now a prolific guard and Harris is still developing. Its
the running game that this team made lasty year that probably
convinced AL not spend too much big bucks on replaciong and finding
new Olinemen in free agency.

Al your right! running ok we’re good, but you need to throw the ball
in this league. I don’t see us throwing the ball unless we use play
action. By the way play action doesn’t work if your down by 10 points.
Defenses don’t give a sh!t about letting you run the clock out.
Russell will have blitzes coming from all directions not just because
he is in his first starting year, but because the line has not proven
it can pick up anything other than an overpriced pay check.

Amen brother. In the decades that the Raiders were a dominant team
they’re Oline beat on teams, pushed them around & enabled the offense
to impose its will on opposing defenses. “offenses in the NFL have
always had the philosophy of take what the defense gives, but not the
Raiders, we take what we want.”-Al Davis- It was because of those old
Raider Olines that the Raiders could “take what they want”, but for
now, because of the Oline, we must take what we can get.

Al Davis likes to be diffrerent and its his desire to be that renegade
that defines the Raiders and makes us a Raider fan. Personally I
believe that why the Raiders have such die hards in their fanbase is
simply because the Raiders have a personality of their own. A
personality that meshes into those only destined to be forever
Raiders, win or lose; A personality of defiance, struggle and
ultimately victory through that effort.

Thats what Raider Nation and the Raiders are all about. U couldnt have
said it any better when talking about “Walkinbg a fine line of Genius
and madness”. Its what make us Raider Nation so fustrated at times as
well. Look at Plunkett, Gannon, Kennedy, and the list can go and on if
I want.

There comes a point when the term ‘haters” is tossed around so much it
sounds like whining. While there are bandwagon detractors against the
raiders, it is legitimate to criticize and be skeptical of a team with
the Raiders record and behavior as of late. Don’t fret over or label
all detractors as “haters”. just sit back and let the wins, quickly
silence them all.

Whet that silence comes it will be venomous. The talk will be about
what a great coach Kiffin is, how he must be a mastermind to be able
to turn around a Raider team while being caged & beaten daily by the
evil coach hating mad man who knows nothing about running an NFL team,
Al Davis. I think it was Joe Bugle that said being the head coach of
the Raiders is the best job in football, if you win you get all the
credit, if you lose Al gets all the blame. Remember the ’02 superbowl?
Gruden was the genius that built the team that the dottering old fool
Al Davis was hoping could win, by all sports writers accounts. The
wins will come & the hate will remain, but in the end we will still be
One Nation.

Last offseason, Oakland improved at positions that were already strong
(think Deangelo Hall and Darren McFadden) and largely ignored their
weaknesses (no, cornell green, Kwame “turnstyle” Harris, William
Joseph who I think has been cut, Kalimba Edwards, and Greg Spires are
not good enough to compensate for Oakland’s severe weaknesses in the
trenches.)

I am also weary of the Raiders’ receiving core, which now relies on a
decent but not amazing Ronald Curry (had a 10 catch game against
Detroit but exceeded 4 catches only twice afterwards), an injury prone
and overly cocky Javon Walker, and insert late draft pick here
(probably a guy like Todd Watkins or Armon Shields, maybe Higgins if
he can get his act together).

That problem is made worse by the fact that they have a largely
unproven quarterback (yes Jamarcus Russel is very talented but until I
see him perform for a full season I’m lukewarm on him) playing behind
a line that can’t pass block to save its life. The running game is
very deep with McFadden, Bush, and Fargas but a winning team needs to
be able to throw the ball effectively and the Raiders won’t be able to
do that.

The Hall and Wilson signings (loved the Wilson signing even if he is a
tad overrated) strengthened an already solid secondary.,but the run
defense, which ranked 31st in the league last year, has not improved
much personnel wise. Also, although Hall is very talented, he gets
burned very frequently for a player of his caliber. The most loaded
secondary in the league is useless if teams can simply run the ball
down your team’s throat, especially in a division that has Ladanian
Tomlinson, Larry Johnson, and Denver’s always solid rushing attack.

The Raiders have a lot of talent on their roster but they can’t pass
or stop the run, and unless they improve significantly in those areas,
I can’t see them winning more than 7 games. Give it a couple years and
a draft/FA signing period dedicated to shoring up their weaknesses and
the Raiders should be able to contend for a wild card spot, but this
sin’t the year in my opinion.

Also, I agree with Greb, the term “hater” has become analagous to the
political term “flip-flopper”. It has become so overused that even if
someone did fit that label, nobody takes the use of the word
seriously. If the Raiders win 9-10 games this year I’ll gladly eat
some crow, after all, that would mean I was clearly wrong about them,
but until that happens, my answer to the questin at the top of your
article is a resounding no.

Max, you’re a little late on the Arman….he’s already IRed with
injury, so it’ll be Watkins and Schillins filling in behind Curry,
Walker, Higgins and Lelie. One aspect that people also forget, is that
the most reliable talent for passing on the team, isn’t a WR. It’s
Miller, who actually led the rookie TEs with 44 catches last year. It
also set the team rookie record for receptions, as things go. Granted,
we might not have recievers like the Colts, or even the
Patriots….but then, that’ll be to our advantage. How? No one will
expect us to get TDs with these guys. Secondly, if we’re relying on
the run, at 80 percent of our offense, why worry about a pass every 4
plays? Russell will either find someone, check off to Miller, or if
all else fails, play Pink Floyd, and Run like Hell. With this weak of
a schedule, I can see 10 wins. After all, games are against playoff
clubs, two in the division already. Then the Bucs at the end, and the
Patriots, in December…but in Oakland.

O-line O-line O-line ………..it is painfull to watch. That and only
that is the reason the Raiders will not be any type of threat what so
ever in this league. It frustrates me to no end that with all this
talent, the simple fact the offence can’t get anything going is a lack
of time after the snap. Trust me folks, the entire season will be
displayed in the first quarter.

Nah, you don’t have to say it. Simply because, if our line is so
bad….how’d we finish 6th in the league for rushing? Sure, it takes a
different formation to pass. But as well, with a passing formation,
the TE can stick around, as an extra man. Also, both teams know, that
a Denver-Oakland game isn’t an everyday game. This usually has
something extra brought to the grudge match. You can bet Shanahan’s
looking through every bit of film he can. And I wouldn’t say it’ll be
over in the first quarter. Unless Fargas, McFadden, and Nmandi all
break for TDs.

Denver is favored by 3 points, talk about no respect!I cant wait for
this game, I feel DMac is going to have a HUGE game.

That’s true. Although, Betus.com has the Raiders up, and making the
spread. Playing the simulation, we win 16-8, with denver only breaking
through in the 4th quarter. I doubt it would be that close, and I
doubt McFadden will have 35 yards, too.

This is sooooooo hilarious. McFumble is going to have a HUGE game!
16-8!! It won’t be that close!! You were right about that!
hahahahaha!!! McFumble had 48 yards dudes, 48! Oh my goodness, this is
why I never predict outcomes, you end up looking silly

THE RAIDERS F****** SUCK it is funny how a crappy team that should not
even be mentioned in the same breath as the NFL are going to
apparently make it to the super bowl and beat god in a game. on a good
day i would only say that they are a mediocre 4-12 team. honestly i
think a college team could beat oakland because when u come down to it
that is all they are

Funny Matt, that your memory forgets the last time we played. We owned
you, and your coach. Now who is the fool?

every day another mindless raiders fan writes another meaningless
article advertising these washed up oakland raiders. just please wake
up and smell the roses folks, the raiders are the laughing stock of
the league (other than the rams) and all they know how to do is lose.
the raiders have a rich history of winning and it seems that the
raiders hopeful think that at the start of every season that the
raiders will restore that tradition. look if the raiders have a shot
in hell of having a record of over .500 then they are going to have to
pray for a few more natural disasters to throw their opponents off. i
beg you raiders fans pull your heads out of the smokey raiders
atmosphere and watch monday night football and watch jay cutler and
company tear the roof down

Um, Josh, I’ve read some of your drivel….and it’s nothing to write
home about. Maybe when you put together an article, and have it read
over 2000 times, then i’ll consider you past third grade. Until then,
go away, and finish high school….you need it.

ok havent is spelled wrong and read what the guy said i was asking who
is ” you” and who did ” you own” so read what people write first and
see if it DOSE make sense

Still don’t make sense. You said dumb. Not only is haven’t spelled
wrong all theses punctual errors you got. Us raider fans are not dumb,
Its like a hooker calling anther girl a whore. Go back to following
Baseball by the way when was the last time Yankees won the World
Series? Seems like the Sox being owning your ass.

ya terry ur right the yankees are playing like shit but unlike little
bitch fans i can admit when they are not doing so good and “seems like
the sox being owning your ass” ya and im the one not making any sense

ok raider card first my team is the ravens and like i said im not
going around like an idiot saying that they are gonna be the best team
of all time because i know they may be lucky to get 5 wins and i was
never afraid to say that but nobody asked and second it is funny how
your using the past tense to describe oaklands sucess but you are
right about one thing arguing about this is immature so how about you
wait untill week 8 or 9 when the raiders will have maybe won 2-3 games
and then have a discussion

well so much for the 16-8 victory huh i guess so much for the great
corners so let me know what the excuse is for being killed this week
is

ok im waiting for a response but seriously i thought about it and u
are right they are a great team i mean a lot of teams drop the season
opener with a score that big ( i was being sarcastic in case you
idiotic fans cant tell)

Standard Messaging Rates or other charges apply. To Opt-out text STOP
to 4INFO (44636). For more information text HELP to 4INFO (44636).
Contact your carrier for more details.

The al davis raiders kiffin offensive coach

OAKLAND, California (AFP) — The Oakland Raiders fired Lane
Kiffin on Tuesday, ending his 20-month stint as head coach of the
National Football League club.

Kiffin, who signed a 3.5 million dollar five-year contract early last
year, could be replaced by Raiders offensive co-ordinator Greg Knapp
or offensive line coach Tom Cable.

Paul Hackett, an advance scout with the team and a former offensive
co-ordinator in the league, is also reportedly among the potential
successors.

The firing ended a tumultuous tenure for the 33-year-old Kiffin, who
became the youngest head coach in NFL history when he was hired.

The former offensive co-ordinator for US college’s USC Trojans, Kiffin
guided the Raiders to a 4-12 record in his first season after the team
won two of its first four games. Oakland had gone 2-14 in the previous
season under Art Shell.

Kiffin reportedly was on the verge of being fired three times in the
past three weeks by enigmatic owner Al Davis, who wrote up a
resignation letter in the offseason for Kiffin to sign – only to have
the coach refuse.

Al davis raiders’s season rams coach

UPDATED (10:10 a.m.)… The St. Louis Rams have fired Scott Linehan as
their coach. The team has confirmed the move and a news conference is
scheduled for today at 1 p.m. Eastern time. Linehan will be replaced
on an interim basis by defensive coordinator Jim Haslett, formerly the
head coach of the New Orleans Saints.

“I have enormous respect for Scott Linehan as a person and believe
under the right circumstances he will be regarded one day as a fine
head coach,” Rams owner Chip Rosenbloom said in a written statement.
“Unfortunately, the situation with the Rams as they exist today is no
longer acceptable and we have to make a change. “We do this with a
heavy heart, and we thank Scott for his efforts and dedication on
behalf of the Rams. “By appointing the well-respected Jim Haslett as
our head coach, we are making an interim move that we hope will make
the Rams winners again.” The move was expected after Sunday’s loss to
the Buffalo Bills dropped the Rams’ record to 0-4 this season and 3-17
since the beginning of last season. Rosenbloom recently had promised
to make changes if the team’s play didn’t improve, and Linehan
appeared to lose the support of his players. He benched quarterback
Marc Bulger last week in favor of Trent Green, and running back Steven
Jackson criticized the move on a radio show. There also was talk that
Linehan was at odds with wide receiver Torry Holt, producing
speculation that he might be trying to trade Holt. Linehan had a
record of 11-25 with the Rams. He went 8-8 in 2006 in his rookie
season as an NFL head coach. But the Rams now have surrendered 30 or
more points in seven straight games dating back to last season and
have been outscored, 147-43, in four games this season. It was the
second straight season with a slow start for the Rams. They began 0-8
last season. The Rams’ losing streak dating to last season is eight
games. They rarely have been even competitive in games: They’ve been
outscored by 26 points per game this season and by 14 points per game
since the start of last season. This season, they rank 30th in the
league in total offense and next to last in total defense. The Rams
are beginning their bye week. Haslett gets a promotion despite
overseeing the NFL’s 31st-ranked defense. He was chosen by the club’s
decision-makers after they reportedly also gave consideration to
offensive coordinator Al Saunders. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch
reported that there was consideration given to keeping Linehan for the
rest of the season and hiring former Rams coach Dick Vermeil as a
consultant, but those ideas were rejected. The decision reportedly was
made overnight in a meeting involving Rosenbloom and other high-
ranking team officials. An online poll by the Post-Dispatch conducted
Sunday night found that 92 percent of respondents thought Linehan
should be fired. The newspaper also reported that there will be
changes made to the team’s front office after the season. One of
Haslett’s first decisions will be whether to reinstate Bulger as the
starter at quarterback. Bulger signed a six-year, $65 million contract
extension last year, and his play apparently was not regarded as the
team’s main problem within the locker room. Holt recently said
publicly that the club’s offensive line had to improve its play or
Bulger would not last the season. Jackson said on the radio late last
week that Bulger was the team’s leader and it made no sense to sit
down a quarterback after giving him such a hefty contract. Linehan’s
switch to Green failed to provide a spark. Haslett was the Saints’
head coach between the 2000 and 2005 seasons and had a record of
45-51. He led the Saints to the playoffs in the 2000 season. He was
fired after the team went 3-13 in 2005, the season in which it was
displaced from New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina. The question is
whether it will be a two-firing Monday. The Oakland Raiders also could
dismiss their coach, Lane Kiffin. Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan might
replace him. There have been reports for weeks that Raiders owner Al
Davis was about to fire Kiffin. The two have been at odds since the
offseason, when Davis reportedly tried to get Kiffin to resign but
Kiffin refused. The only thing keeping Kiffin in his job then, it
seemed, was that he didn’t want to resign and forfeit future salaries,
while Davis didn’t want to fire him and pay future salaries. Now it’s
possible that Davis will oust Kiffin and maintain that Kiffin violated
his contract and isn’t owed those salaries. The Raiders are 1-3 and
firing a coach after four games wouldn’t be completely new to Davis.
In 1989, he fired Mike Shanahan as his coach four games into the
season and replaced him with Art Shell. The Raiders went 4-12 last
season in Kiffin’s rookie season as a head coach. In the offseason,
Kiffin reportedly wanted to fire Ryan but Davis blocked the move.
There were reports that wide receivers coach James Lofton was hired
without Kiffin’s input, although the Raiders denied that. The Raiders
made a series of expensive player moves, raising expectations for this
season despite the fact that they’re starting young quarterback
JaMarcus Russell. The troubles of the offseason intensified when
Kiffin said after a poor defensive performance in a season-opening
loss to the Denver Broncos that Ryan and Davis collaborate on the
defensive game plans. Ryan came to Davis’s defense, saying publicly
that he–not the owner–is in charge of the defense. That seemed to
reinforce Ryan’s loyalty to Davis and underscore the point that he’s
in line to succeed Kiffin. If Davis doesn’t give the job to Ryan, it
could go to Lofton, offensive coordinator Greg Knapp or running backs
coach Tom Rathman. The Raiders also employ former coach Paul Hackett
as a scout. The Raiders, like the Rams, have a bye next weekend.

Why dont the Rams package Stephan Jackson and Marc Bulger and trade
for a good QB. If they did that they should be able to get an elite QB
like Peyton Manning or Donavon McNabb.

We encourage users to analyze, comment on and even challenge
washingtonpost.com’s articles, blogs, reviews and multimedia features.

Davis kiffin raiders in al davis raiders

Oakland Raiders new interim head coach Tom Cable, left, and owner Al
Davis, right, listen during a news conference at Raiders headquarters
in Alameda, Calif., Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008. The Raiders fired head
coach Lane Kiffin on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008, just four games into his
second season. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Raiders fired Lane Kiffin on
Tuesday just four games into his second season, ending a public feud
with owner Al Davis that had been simmering since the start of the
year.

“I reached a point where I felt that the whole staff were
fractionalized, that the best thing to do to get this thing back was
to make a change,” Davis said during a lengthy news conference. “It
hurts because I picked the guy. I picked the wrong guy.”

Kiffin had a 5-15 record since being hired last year, losing his final
game 28-18 on Sunday to San Diego.

The decision to remove Kiffin was more about his frequent criticisms
of Davis’ franchise as it was the team’s performance on the field.
Those critiques reached a peak when Kiffin distanced himself from the
defense after a blowout loss in the season opener, saying that was
under coordinator Rob Ryan and Davis’ control.

However, during a news conference Tuesday, Davis also critiqued
several of Kiffin’s coaching and personnel decisions. Among other
things, he said Kiffin objected to the Raiders using the first pick in
the 2007 draft on quarterback JaMarcus Russell.

“I didn’t think it was any one thing, it was a cumulative thing,”
Davis said. “The pattern just disturbed me.”

The Raiders said Kiffin was fired for cause, meaning they will likely
try not to pay him for the remainder of his contract. He signed a
three-year deal worth about $6 million when he took over last year.

The 79-year-old Davis was front and center for more than 90 minutes,
sharing the stage with Cable for some of that time and then sticking
around afterward to take more questions.

Dressed in Raider silver-and-black, his face weathered by years of
standing on football sidelines, Davis sat at a podium reading from
notes illuminated by a large desk lamp. He seemed angry at times,
blaming Kiffin for most of the Raider woes, though he also blamed
himself for hiring him in the first place.

The firing comes a day after the St. Louis Rams let go of Scott
Linehan, marking the second firing at the quarter point of the season.
The last time a coach had been fired this early in the season was when
Davis got rid of Mike Shanahan after four games in 1989.

Cable is regarded as one of the top offensive line coaches in the
game, and worked with successful units in Atlanta and Oakland. He
spent four years as a college head coach at Idaho, and was also an
assistant at UCLA, California and Colorado.

“This is in many ways a strange day,” Cable said. “I have a friend who
lost a job. That’s difficult in this business but, as we know, this is
a business. It is time for us to move forward and to put the past
behind us. … We have a good coaching staff here and a good football
team here.”

Kiffin’s job security was in question as far back as January, when a
dispute with Davis over whether he could replace Ryan as defensive
coordinator led to a resignation letter being drafted for the coach.
Kiffin refused to sign it and the feud went on throughout the
offseason as Kiffin questioned big-money signings and other personnel
moves made by Davis.

The situation grew more heated with Kiffin’s comments on Davis’
involvement with the defense two days after a season-opening 41-14
loss at home to Denver. Three days after that, reports surfaced that
Davis was ready to fire his coach at any time and it dragged out from
there.

Kiffin did his best to deflect the controversy and never went to Davis
to lobby for his job or a resolution. The team played much better the
past three weeks, beating Kansas City and taking leads into the fourth
quarter against Buffalo and San Diego before losing.

“I know that we left this team a lot better than when we got here,”
Kiffin told KPIX. He is expected to have his own press conference on
Wednesday.

Davis’ once-proud franchise has fallen on hard times of late, with the
blame going beyond one coach. Oakland has an NFL-worst 20-64 record
since the start of the 2003 season, a stretch spanning the tenures of
Bill Callahan, Norv Turner, Art Shell and Kiffin.

Oakland has lost at least 11 games for five straight seasons, tying
the dismal Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the 1980s for the worst stretch in
NFL history.

Since returning to Oakland in 1995, the Raiders have had just three
winning seasons and will be on their eighth head coach. The success
mostly came under Jon Gruden, who led Oakland to division titles in
2000 and ’01 before leaving for Tampa Bay. Callahan took the Raiders
to the Super Bowl the following season, but there was nothing to cheer
about in that 48-21 loss to Gruden and the Bucs — and nothing
since.

The one constant during that period has been Davis, who won three
Super Bowl titles in his first 21 years with the Raiders but has had
little success over the past quarter-century.

Kiffin, the son of longtime NFL defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin,
was just a 31-year-old assistant at Southern California when Davis
hired him to replace Shell in 2007. With that, he became the youngest
head coach in the NFL’s modern era.

Davis said at the time that Kiffin’s youth was not an issue, pointing
to the success the Raiders had in the past with young coaches like
John Madden and Gruden.

Kiffin, instead, is following the path of Shanahan, who was hired at
age 35 in 1988 and then fired four games into his second season. Until
this move, Shanahan had been the only coach Davis had fired in the
middle of a season since joining the Raiders in 1963.

He’s twins it’s in jim thome contract

2008 – 41 131 16 34 10 0 3 18 17 25 0 0 .260 .347 .405

Who saw THAT coming from John Danks tonight? Not even White Sox fans
in their right minds–on three days rest, throwing eight shutout
innings and more than 100 pitches? If you’d guaranteed me that before
the game I’d have laughed in your face. Whatever I thought would
happen certainly didn’t tonight, and the ultimate hero, without a
doubt, was Danks. He had issues early on with finding the strike zone,
but that was the case for both pitchers with a tight zone being called
on both sides. Able to fight off some tough calls he fought through a
trio of walks and what looked like a big double from Michael Cuddyer
to lift Chicago to the division title.

“Maybe this is justice, who knows,” he said. “Maybe this is the way
it’s supposed to be. The two best teams in the division all year have
to play one game to see who goes [to the postseason].”–Tigers manager
Jim Leyland

This is it. This is for October. One final contest with the world of
baseball watching to see who comes out the victor. Oh, and if you were
asking yourself: “Why are the Twins in Chicago for this game instead
of the other way around?”, you’re not the only one. The Twins are in
Chicago because of a coin flip. Apparently head-to-head results matter
nothing–huzzah.

Chicago White Sox (88-74)Home: 53-28 / VS Twins: 8-10 / VS Twins @
Home: 7-2CWS @ Home: .273/.347/.483 / 754 IP, 7.58 K/9, 1.24 WHIP, 83
HRCWS vs MIN: .289/.341/.486 / 155.2 IP, 6.65 K/9, 1.48 WHIP, 15 HRCWS
vs RHP: .268/.333/.444

Minnesota Twins (88-74)Away: 35-46 / VS Sox: 10-8 / VS Sox away:
2-7MIN Away: .270/.335/.391 / 707 IP, 6.03 K/9, 1.50 WHIP, 100 HRMIN
vs CWS: .283/.341/.440 / 156 IP, 6.00 K/0, 1.47 WHIP, 30 HRMIN vs LHP:
.277/.334/.401

John Danks: Danks started four games against the Twins this season,
three of those occasions were in Chicago. Only one of those contests
in Chicago saw him pitch effectively, when he threw five innings of
six-hit, two-run ball back on May 8th. Some of the Sox advantage for
playing at home disappears by starting Danks, although on the whole
the 23-year old southpaw did have a fine year.

Strengths: Good fastball with movement, strikeout threat, keeps the
ball in the parkWeaknesses: Familiar to opponent, experience, can get
away from his breaking ballRed Alert: Justin Morneau (1.675 OPS, 16
AB), Joe Mauer (1.381, 12), Michael Cuddyer (1.393, 12), Brendan
Harris (1.315, 10), Jason Kubel (1.500, 7)

Nick Blackburn: Sandwiched between three ultimately effective
September starts were two pretty bad ones, and they’ve thrown off his
numbers for the month. It’s been awhile since we’ve seen him at his
best. This year he sqaured off against the Sox five times, plenty by
any measure. Two met requirements for a Quality Start, but only once
did he allow more than three earned runs; on June 6th he allowed seven
runs on eight hits through four innings. Tonight will be his fourth
start of the season in Chicago, so at the very least he’s not walking
into this situation blind.

Strengths: Control, good breaking ball, keeps the ball in the
parkWeaknesses: Familiar to opponent, experience, recent track
recordRed Alert: Jim Thome (.929 OPS, 12 AB), A.J. Pierzynski (1.145,
10), Joe Crede (1.200, 10), Nick Swisher (.944, 9), Carlos Quentin
(1.067, 9), Juan Uribe (1.000, 9)

C X Joe Mauer is about to win his second batting title in two years.
Sorry, A.J., but you can’t hold a candle, in any aspect of the game.
Except probably trash talking.

1B X Paul Konerko is good, but not as good as Justin Morneau. For
years I was envious of a big, powerful first baseman. Not anymore.

X 2B This is a close one, because both Alexei Ramirez and Alexi
Casilla have edges in different categories. Ultimately Ramirez won due
to his power and better ratings for range in the field, but in the
long run I can see Casilla evening the score with high yearly OBP.

3B X If we were looking at Joe Crede instead of a bloated Juan Uribe,
this wouldn’t even be a conversation. But whether you’re looking at
Brian Buscher or Brendan Harris, I’d happily take either of them over
the all-or-nothing Uribe.

X SS X This is a split to me. Because while Nick Punto is maddening in
so many frustrating ways, he’s not only having a better year at the
plate for a shortstop than Orlando Cabrera, but if you pro-rate for
innings at the position Cabrera isn’t making that many more plays
outside of his zone. Also, Cabrera’s been a real dick lately. In the
end this isn’t a Twins advantage because Punto still doesn’t have
Cabrera’s range.

X LF This is Nick Swisher over Delmon Young and Jason Kubel combined.
In spite of a pitiful batting average, Swisher can still reach base
and hit the hell out of the ball. If Carlos Quentin were available,
this would be an across-the-board victory for Chicago, instead of a
categorical victory.

X CF I know Ken Griffey Jr. is having a down year, perhaps because
he’s getting up there, but in spite of his diminishing range in the
field he’s still a better and more reliable player than Carlos Gomez.
Gomez could neutralize this disadvatage by taking a couple of hits
away from the Sox in the gap or at the wall, but that’s not something
you can rely on.

X RF X This isn’t as big of a blow-out as I thought it’d be; I was
thinking there’d be no conversation here. But Denard Span’s OBP is 43
points higher than Jermaine Dye’s, and he’s markedly out-performing
him in the field. Dye’s experience and power forced an ultimate tie to
stave off what could have been an upset.

X DH Jason Kubel has had an excellent season, but he’s still no match
for the savvy and powerful Jim Thome. Not yet, anyway.

Bench X The Twins have a reliable backup catcher who can hit, and
Michael Cuddyer, and defensive versatility. The Sox have no Joe Crede
or Carlos Quentin which has depleted their depth, and Dewayne Wise as
the only option with good offensive numbers this year.

X Bullpen In spite of a pen that’s let them down recently, and game-
saving performances from Jose Mijares or Craig Breslow, the White Sox
are still edging the Twins here. Bobby Jenks, Matt Thornton and
Octavio Dotel make for a formidible threesome, and Joe Nathan is the
only Twin I’d rank above any of them. Sadly, this is not a comparison
of closers.

One way or the other, tonight should hold in store one helluva game.
For the 19th time this season…Sox VS Twins.

One last thing, for a slightly more…enthused…reaction to last
night, and expectations for today, don’t forget to check out . SSS is
the best Sox site on the net, and it’s got a rabid fan base. Check it
out.

This will be the third time I’ve done a series preview for a set with
the , the Twins were 57-47 (and losers of five straight, meaning
they’d been 15 games over .500 in the midst of July…sad how fortunes
haven’t improved). Amazingly enough, at that time the Twins were STILL
two and a half games behind the Sox. Since then Minnesota has gone
27-25; Chicago 27-25. These two clubs, who looked so promising as the
summer was coming into full bloom, have been decidedly mediocre every
since.

At 84-72, the Twins are just 7-12 in September and are doing
everything they can to let the White Sox back into the division title.
Chicago, meanwhile, at 86-69 is having an identity crisis of its own,
playing like a third place team with a 9-10 record this month. Sadly,
the Cleveland Indians mounted their charge too late; a 13-7 record in
September and a 23-10 record since August 17th is just too little too
late. It’s a shame too, because right now they’re far and away the
best team in the AL Central. Honestly, whether it’s the Twins or White
Sox that sneak into October’s post-season extravaganza, Cleveland
still looks like the division’s best team right now.

At any rate, the Indians will still be watching the playoffs from
their couches. This week it’s all about Minnesota and Chicago, and
thankfully there are no ties in baseball because one of these teams
will have to win the division whether they like it or not. Here’s the
side-by-side team glance:

Javier Vazquez: It’s been a bit of an up-and-down year for Vazquez.
After a bit of a career resurgence in ’07 he’s slipped back toward his
career averages again, particularly where baserunners are concerned.
He’s still more than capable of having a big night striking hitters
out, but we’re getting him in the Dome, and he’s a significantly worse
pitcher away from Chicago. With lefties getting to him easier than
right-handers, Gardenhire should layer the lineup with Jason Kubel,
Brian Buscher and even Nick Punto. With the uncertainty regarding our
starters getting out of the early innings, any offense is good
offense. I’d be starting Denard Span in center, with Michael Cuddyer
starting in right and Carlos Gomez getting the night off. Vazquez
throws a good fastball with movement in the low 90’s, a mid-80’s
slider, a low-80’s changeup and a curve that can tie hitters up with
the change in speed, coming in around 75 mph.

Mark Buehrle: Over his last four starts he’s been for Chicago, lasting
25.1 innings and allowing just six earned runs. Over the years he’s
been Mega-Man for Chicago against the Twins–he’s an arch nemesis
that’s familiar and leaves a bad taste in your mouth, and only a win
can wash it away until the next time. Much like Vazquez, he’s tougher
on righties and he’s tougher at home, which means that in a world
where I’m looking for any possible edge to give the Twins I’m coming
up with another easy one. No surprise to anyone, Buehre is having a
good season, but there are two things I’ve noticed that are much
different than last season. First, he’s throwing harder; every one of
his pitches has a bit of extra kick this year. Second, he’s getting
more ground balls (48.7%, up from 43.2% in 2007). For what it’s worst,
he’s 1-2 against the Twins this season–one great start and a pair
that he’d probably like to forget.

Gavin Floyd: Having the best season of his career, the seemingly over-
achieving Floyd has been a bit more human since the beginning of
August. The home runs have started to haunt him again, because while
his homer-to-flyball ratio is still far below what it’s been the past
couple of years, it’s creeping back up. With an average in baseball
around 11%, give or take a tenth here or there, Floyd’s back up to
12.2%. Looking at it another way, it’s 1.39 HR/9…and that’s not
good. On a bit of a skid and with the Twins (hopefully) breathing down
his neck, maybe the pressure gets to him; he’s still relatively young
in this league in spite of his service time, and he definitely hasn’t
been “himself” over his last few starts. If the Twins can get to him
early, they might have a golden opportunity. Just like Vazquez and
Buehrle, he’s not as sharp versus left-handed hitters (.828 opponent
OPS), so here’s hoping we see a lot of Kubel this series.

Paul Konerko: While it’s too late to turn around his season line
completely, he’s doing a fine job of helping Chicago out with his bat.
In August he hit .333/.483/.591; so far in September .298/.353/.600.
The nine homers he’s hit in that span (113 AB’s) equal how many he hit
from April to the end of July (175 AB’s). Under no circumstances
should he face a southpaw: .375/.412/.875 in September. Better yet,
since he’s basically a hitting machine right now, it wouldn’t be a bad
idea to pitch around him in appropriate situations. Otherwise, it’s
still important to be aggressive and have confidence in how he’s
pitched to; he’ll destroy mistakes against familiar pitchers.

Jermaine Dye: Seriously. I run out of good things to say about
Jermaine Dye. He’s 34, he’s hitting .290/.344/.542 with 32 homers and
41 doubles, and he just comes out and plays, period. He’s been a bit
off his game in August and September, hitting just .244/.286/.465, so
many there are a few more weaknesses that Twins pitchers can exploit
at this juncture of the season, but generally speaking he can’t be
taken lightly. This is a dangerous lineup.

Jim Thome: 33 homers, 125 OPS+ and no way he moves better than the Tin
Man from Wizard of Oz. Excellent strike zone judgement but still
strikes out a lot. Used to hit fifth until Quentin got hurt, which was
probably a better spot for him considering the options Ozzie Guillen
has for his lineup card, but he’s 38 and still a great cleanup hitter.
In any era of baseball, Thome would rake.

Dewayne Wise: A 30-year old journeyman outfielder who’s been thrust
into a center field job for a playoff contender and division leader,
he’s making the most of his opportunity. Wise is a career
.221/.258/.402 hitter in 443 at-bats over parts of six MLB seasons
between four different teams, but right now it’s simply that he’s the
Hot Bat. Since September 9th he’s 11-for-38 with four homers, two
doubles and a pair of walks, and as far as short term solutions for
the replacement of Carlos Quentin’s offense goes, that’s pretty damn
good. He’s an aggressive swinger who’s made good contact recently, but
with his track record he’s likely to chill out at any time–he swings
at 33% of pitches outside of the strikezone, he strikes out on 25% of
his plate appearances, and even in the minors he struggled until he
was old enough to dominate younger competition. In 12 minor league
seasons he’s hit .259/.310/.422. Of course now that I’ve played him
down, he’ll hit two homers this week en route to a 7-for-11 series.
Just my luck.

Ken Griffey Jr.: He’s hit fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh for the Sox,
and as much as I hate to say this…I’m glad he’s not tearing it up
right now. Griffey isn’t providing any more power for the Sox, belting
just one homer since coming over from the Reds. His OPS is .678; I
can’t help but wonder if all those innings in center field are eating
him up a little bit. Sure, he was playing in right in Cincy, but
there’s a lot more ground to cover in center, and a bit more going on.
And even though it’s The Kid, well, The Kid isn’t getting any younger.

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP

0-0 15 0 0 0 0 0 15.1 16 3 3 0 9 10 1.76 1.63

3-0 54 0 0 0 29 2 57.1 47 16 16 3 15 34 2.51 1.08

5-3 70 0 0 0 1 5 64.0 45 19 19 5 19 75 2.67 1.00

0-0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3.0 3 2 1 1 0 1 3.00 1.00

2-2 47 0 0 0 1 3 44.0 36 16 15 8 8 35 3.07 1.00

11-8 31 31 0 0 0 0 183.0 173 67 65 13 53 150 3.20 1.23

1-0 28 0 0 0 0 1 37.0 29 15 15 1 13 28 3.65 1.14

16-8 31 31 1 0 0 0 194.2 174 101 83 30 67 133 3.84 1.24

14-11 32 32 1 0 0 0 204.2 223 102 88 21 47 131 3.87 1.32

4-4 70 0 0 0 1 4 64.0 52 34 28 12 29 88 3.94 1.27

12-14 31 31 1 0 0 0 200.0 202 101 96 23 58 192 4.32 1.30

7-6 20 20 1 0 0 0 121.0 130 64 61 12 35 70 4.54 1.36

4-0 21 0 0 0 0 0 25.2 30 15 15 1 10 22 5.26 1.56

2-3 54 0 0 0 0 1 42.0 55 29 26 5 14 42 5.57 1.64

2-5 11 8 0 0 0 0 42.2 55 34 29 5 12 29 6.12 1.57

1-0 6 1 0 0 0 0 13.1 19 11 11 4 5 7 7.42 1.80

1-2 23 0 0 0 0 0 19.1 27 19 17 0 13 8 7.91 2.07

0-3 15 0 0 0 0 0 11.1 22 10 10 0 8 2 7.94 2.65

I blame of the Ibanez sweepstakes. Initially saying they didn’t place
a claim at all, Christensen updated his blog later as it turns out
Minnesota did make a move, but were merely out-done by a team higher
on the waiver wire pecking order (also known as the Detroit Tigers).

What’s interesting about yesterday was that the Twins placed, and WON,
on Jarrod Washburn. As we all know, teams often make this kind of a
snide move in order to screw things up for another team, in this case
speculation indicates it was done to block a Washburn-to-Chicago
situation. That’s not a bad thing, it’s always nice to see the Twins
doing something proactive. But THEN came the report that Minnesota was
actually considering bringing Washburn and his hot streak to the Dome.
Says Joe C.:

In Washburn’s case, it sounds like the Twins did indeed win the
claim and had extensive talks with the Mariners. The Twins were
willing to take on Washburn’s contract, and Seattle could have
dumped it on them. But the Mariners also wanted the Twins to throw in
one of their current starters.

Over the last couple of months, Washburn had been quite effective. But
in the short (and long) term(s) I’m not sure how he fits, unless the
Twins were thinking about moving Glen Perkins or Kevin Slowey into the
bullpen. Which, again, doesn’t make all that much sense for either
Perk (there’s already a bit of doubt that the Twins would put a
legitimate reliever, much less a starter, into the ‘pen if he’s
“another” southpaw) or Kevin (he’s been pretty effective this year).

And of course there’s the whole snafu of having the Mariners still
asking for one of our four young starters not named Francisco Liriano
in return…although I have it through reliable sources that that part
of the conversation went something like this:

Bill Smith: Yeah, sure, we’ll take Washburn off your hands and make
him fit somehow.Not Bill Bavasi: Okay, cool. Oh, by the way, it’ll
take Baker, Perkins, Blackburn or Slowey to get him.Bill Smith: Up
yours, smartass. (Click.)

At any rate, at least the White Sox won’t be ending up with Washburn.
Unlike the Ken Griffey Jr. acquisition, he actually might have
improved their team.

Anyway, to wrap this up (sort of), insists the Mariners and Twins
could still work something out by placing Washburn back onto waivers
again…although this time that would mean he’d be irrevocable and
would go to the first team in the pecking order that claimed him, even
if that wasn’t the Twins. Either way it’s a no-lose situation for the
Mariners who would, at worst, save on dishing out the rest of
Washburn’s salary.

Personally, I have a hard time believing this organization will let
any of their starters walk for a guy like Washburn, but since Seattle
is the worst team in the American League they could work something
else out for someone on the Twins 40-Man roster, since they’d have
first dibs on waivers. And of course there are also those players who
aren’t on the 40-man.

No matter what Washburn’s cost, even if it’s peanuts, I’m just not
convinced wedging him into the rotation is the best thing to do. Even
thinking of October, I’m happy picking a three-man rotation from
Liriano, Baker, Blackburn, Slowey and Perkins (and probably in that
order, too).

Editorial Update: We offered Boof Bonser? No. No, not even for Boof
Bonser will I take Jarrod Washburn…like I said, I’d have a hard time
convincing myself it’d be a good idea for peanuts. Good lord, Seattle,
if we were foolish enough to offer you ANYTHING other than salary
relief…I’m not sure who gets Das Failboot points for this: the Twins
for offering Bonser or the Mariners for turning it down. Let’s just
hope this fiasco is done.

TT is an SB Nation blog of, by and for the fans. We strive to be the
best Minnesota Twins blog by providing quality content and analysis,
as well as daily news and notes on the team. We hope you’ll make
Twinkie Town your home for all things Twins!

Jim thome stats’s home win sox

For the first time in history, a team finished its season with three
victories in three days against three opponents. And now the ‘s home
run. “I’m having a hard time breathing,” Thome said in a cramped,
champagne-drenched clubhouse. Just to get that champagne bath, the Sox
had to beat Cleveland Sunday, Detroit in a makeup game Monday and then
the Twins in a winner-take-all AL Central tiebreaker.

White Sox win 3-0 White Sox win 3-1 White Sox win 3-2 Rays win 3-2
Rays win 3-1 Rays win 3-0

Now it’s on to Tampa Bay, to play a best-of-five with the surprise
team in baseball. “We will take our chances,” manager said. “Right now
we injected new oxygen for the guys and we will be ready for them.”
When the Sox last were at Tampa Bay at the end of May, they lost three
of four games and Guillen laced into his team and hitting coach Greg
Walker. They returned home and won seven straight. “Your manager does
things to motivate you,” Thome said. “Looking back … it
motivated us to try to turn the corner offensively and we did it.”
They had just enough offense Tuesday, thanks to Thome helping out
winning pitcher with a seventh-inning bomb to center field. Despite
being in the playoffs before, Thome said hitting the game-winning home
run made this one the best. “It is,” he said. “Any time you do
something to help your team advance, it’s a special feeling. “It’s
unbelievable, to battle like we did and keep battling and keep
battling.” , who got the final three outs in the ninth inning to save
the game for Danks, also said this was special, even though he was
part of the 2005 World Series championship. “This means a lot,
everything we went through, the ups and downs, the injuries,” he said.
“That’s how championships are won.” Jenks would not compare this team
to the ’05 group. “It’s a different atmosphere, a different group.
This is ourteam,” he said. “We start a new chapter now.” No one was
happier than pitching coach Don Cooper, who brought along youngsters
Danks and , winners of the last two games while pitching on short
rest. “How ironic is it that Floyd pitched in a do-or-die game and
Danks finished it off?” Cooper asked. “These guys were question marks
who everyone went after. Let the record show the question mark has
been replaced by an exclamation point.” The first of the three games
was won by before a nearly all-in-black fandom is what made this game
different from 2005. “I think it’s better because we clinched at
home,” he said. “It’s always better to clinch at home.” Catcher A. J.
Pierzynski, whose tag at home plate on Michael Cuddyer in the fifth
inning was a game-saver, agreed: “To do it at home is the best feeling
in the world.” Danks often has been compared to Buehrle because he is
left-handed, tough and works quickly. “Yeah, I taught him everything
he knows,” Buehrle smiled. “To me, he has been our best pitcher all
year.” Danks, in just his second big-league season, said “I can’t put
[my feelings] into words. “I’m still shaking. Obviously, we have a
little bigger and better things we want to do this year but for right
now this is the best feeling I’ve ever had.” Included in the clubhouse
champagne celebration was , such a key player but sidelined for most
of the last month with a broken right wrist. “It feels amazing to be
here,” he said. “We gutted it out, we got the job done.” Now, with
both Chicago teams in the playoffs, it could be an all-Chicago World
Series. “Special, it just proves that Chicago is a great baseball
city,” said Thome, who grew up a Cubs fan in Peoria. ” We’re so happy
Sox fans get to enjoy the ride as well.”

The tim brown career stats game win week

I’m sure we all know the drill by now. I rant and rave about
what I thought was cool. Then you rightfully so correct me and find
other things. It’s a nice system, so let me know what other gems
I missed Friday.

– Extremely impressed with Cashion and more specifically, Cayden
Cochran. I guess he didn’t let our player of the week thing go
to his head. Another great game by the QB as Cashion rolled Luther.
It’s not that I thought the move from Class B to A would be
tough, but I never thought Lynn Shackelford’s boys would have
such a seamless transition. Same could be said for the boys in Dewar
and Morrison as well.

– Did we overrate Prague, or is 2A just that deep? Fantastic
performance by Eufaula to go into Prague and walk out with a 22-13
win. Eufaula’s only blemish was to Checotah. BTW, Checotah put
up 67 vs. Okmulgee last night. Wowzas. Will the eventual Eufaula and
Chandler game mean as much as Heritage Hall and Kingfisher?

– How about that Washington defense? One of the early stories of this
season was Lindsay QB Tim Hamilton. He didn’t surprise the
Warriors who picked off six passes last night in a 31-17 win.
Washington is definitely flying in under the radar in 2A this season.

– Had I had more time last night, I would have definitely done a lil
something on Ardmore and Noble. The Tigers outscored Noble 21-7 in the
fourth to come from behind for a 27-21 win. The stats don’t
really tell much, but I’m guessing the Bears’ three
turnovers were a huge part in swinging the momentum in that one.

– How good is this Shawnee defense? Its allowed 15 points in four
games so far. Don’t quote me, but I think it’s 187-15 for
the Wolves. Is the 5A-2 game of the year next week with Shawnee and
Carl Albert? Just throwing it out there. Brayle Brown looks extremely
comfortable at QB as a sophomore. That’s just allowing Brett
Davis to roam free and do whatever he wants. Something a special might
be a brewin’ in Shawnee.

– Classic case of just getting to district play for Owasso. The Rams
put it on Enid, 41-14, to earn their first win of the year and giving
Enid its first loss at the same time.

– Edmond North finally had that bust out game by Joe Aska to get its
first win. I’ve been praising Joe for a while, so I’m
happy to finally look semi-competent for once.

– I know Kye Staley provided a lot of flash, but how about this
chemistry at Guthrie between Keaton Callins and Donte’ Foster?
The duo is sensational right now. I’m a fan of the QB-WR thing
instead of huge numbers by the RB. It’s something different,
especially this year where there has been a lack of huge games for WRs
(or that have been reported to us).

– Newkirk, playing with extreme heavy hearts, bested John Marshall,
31-20. It was a wild week for those boys, glad they could find some
comfort with a win.

– Statement of the week: Booker T. (and not just cuz it was my LOCK).
I don’t know how my Tulsa brethren saw the game, but here in the
OKC, we saw it as a toss up. The Hornets emphatically gave Bishop
Kelley its first loss, 35-15. 5A is loaded with some unreal talent at
the top right now.

– Thursday, I was at McLoud and Star Spencer. I was impressed with the
quality of play. I realize both coaches cannot be happy about their
defense in a 39-35 Star win, but it was fun from the press box. While
Jeremy Harris rightfully deserves some huge kudos for his game,
I’m going with Cody Phipps at McLoud. As a sophomore, he was a
rising star in the state. I thought for sure he would be an all-state
RB his final two years. Injuries derailed him last
year…horribly. It wasn’t the type where he couldn’t
play, so his numbers and the team suffered. He was too tough for his
own good. He’s back to being that workhorse again, and
it’s a sight to see. Both teams appear to be locks to reach the
postseason, but who knows? All I know is Thursday night was a helluva
good game.

– Your turn. Give it to me. What did I miss? Player of the week? You
know the drill.

Timothy Winans Says:
Game Friday between Kingfisher and Mount St. Mary’s. Timothy
Winans had five catches for 166 yards, three touchdowns, interception
44 yards for a TD but was called back. All within first half of game!

Neal and Brandi Parker Says:
name incorrectly put under leave a reply name required . Regarding
Kingfisher and Mount St. Mary’s game. Please replace Neal and
Brandi Parker instead of Timothy Winans

Jamie Worcester Says:
Nominate Shane Leiter because he not only scored 6 touchdowns, he also
kicked all of the extra points.

Shari Stevens Says:
Player of the week should go to Shane Leiter. He’s an
outstanding player, makes the touchdowns, kicks the extra points,
works his bottom off and he’s cute too. What more can you say.

Jeff Says:
Jaycee Dismuke, DB, Bethel – The sophomore cornerback recorded 4
interceptions, returning two of them (54 yds and 85 yds) for
touchdowns during a 39 point second half by the Wildcats. Bethel went
on to win the game 45-12

Leah Says:
Shane Leiter should be player of the week. He’s scored almost
all of the points for his school so far this season. GREAT JOB
SHANE!!!

Kyle is a senior QB and LB at Checoah. The team is off to it’s
best start in 10-15 years. They are 4-0 and number 8 in the state.

Kyle had a great game this past Friday leading the Wildcats to a 67-27
win over Okmulgee. Kyle rushed for 89 yeads and passed for 211. He was
14 of 17 passing with three dropped balls. He had two rushing
touchdowns and 1 passing touchdown. In addition, Kyle had a kickoff
return of 50 yards and an interception for a touchdown. Kyle also had
four solo tackles.

Gasnier orford games in tim brown career stats

St George Illawarra captain Mark Gasnier towered over his Manly rival
Matt Orford at yesterday’s captains call for the NRL finals series.
The two squared off in front of the cameras at Sydney Football Stadium
as part of the build-up for Saturday night’s clash at Brookvale Oval –
and at 193cm, Gasnier stood some 17cm above the pint-sized Sea Eagles
playmaker.

“That was made very clear to me this morning that our record’s not
been the best,” Orford said during yesterday’s press conference.

While Orford brushed the damning statistics aside, it does provide
hope for Dragons supporters still shellshocked that their top-four
crusade has developed into a fight for survival.

The Dragons have won seven of their past eight games against Manly and
won four of six at Brookvale Oval.

“A lot of our games have been a bit scrappy, to be honest, and we’ve
been the better of the teams when we played them.”

Gasnier said he spoke to the players after Friday night’s loss to the
Roosters, telling team-mates their finals campaign had not been
derailed by the 10-0 loss at a rain-soaked SFS.

“After the game (Roosters) when I spoke to the boys, I said as far as
we’re concerned we have to win four games to win the comp,” Gasnier
said.

What is Nathan Brown thinking with keeping Ben Rogers in the starting
side……Bring back Sowie
Posted by Nick on 9/09/2008 5:42:47 PM

Mark Gasnier (rear) and Matt Orford pose for the press yesterday on
the eve of the NRL finals series. Picture: GETTY IMAGES

Tim brown stats’s aboubakare players match

Bianca Aboubakare ’11 was one of 64 players to earn an invitation to
the All-American Invitational, where she competed this weekend in
Malibu, Calif.

While her teammates suffered through a rain-drenched weekend at the
Brown Invitational, women’s tennis player Bianca Aboubakare ’11 spent
the weekend at Pepperdine University in sunny Malibu,
Calif.Aboubakare, who was named the Rookie of the Year last year in
the ITA East Region and in the Ivy League, competed in a pre-
qualifying weekend battle for a spot to play in the Riviera/ITA
Women’s All-American Championships. She was one of 64 players invited
to the pre-qualifying tournament with hopes of advancing to the
qualifying draw, whose top eight players then compete in the main draw
against the top 24 players in the country.Aboubakare needed to win
three matches to advance to the qualifying tournament, and she started
off sharp. In the first round, she drew Louisiana State senior Mykala
Hedberg, the No. 2 singles player on a team that finished 27th in the
country last year.Down 5-3 in the first set, Aboubakare won four games
in a row to win 7-5. That set the tone for what would be a back-and-
forth match.In the second set, the Brown sophomore was up 5-4, but she
lost seven match points, as Hedberg went on to win that set 7-5. In
the third, Aboubakare came out firing, putting away her opponent for
good with a 6-2 victory.Still, the match took a lot out of Aboubakare,
who lost 10 match points to Hedberg before getting the victory.
Hedberg “plays a lot better when she’s down,” Aboubakare said. “She
was hitting some really great shots on those points.”Only an hour
later, Aboubakare faced Baylor sophomore Jelena Stanivuk, ranked No.
97 in the country. Out of energy and playing against an opponent who
had won her first match in two sets, Aboubakare fell 6-1, 6-3,
eliminating her from the tournament.Aboubakare had an opportunity to
make the match close in the second set, down 5-3, and leading the game
40-15. Instead, Stanivuk used her physical strength to out-hit
Aboubakare and capture that game for the match victory.Brown Head
Coach Paul Wardlaw said the Baylor player was described by one of her
coaches as being like Nuke LaLoosh, the erratic pitcher played by Tim
Robbins in “Bull Durham.””When she’s on, she’d be a good player for
the men’s team,” Wardlaw said. Aboubakare said her opponent’s playing
style was unusual.”Her ball was a lot heavier. There was more spin
with more pace,” she said. “Most girls hit either pace and no spin or
they’re only soft, spinny girls, but she was pretty strong.”Wardlaw
said this was the first time in his five years at Brown that a player
had been invited to the tournament. One of his goals for his players
this year, he said, is to face strong out-of-conference opponents both
as a team and individually, as Aboubakare did this weekend.”What we
need to do as a program is we need to have our players and our team
raise the level of our opponents,” Wardlaw said. “East Coast tennis is
probably the weakest region, so we gotta get out of the region and
play some teams.”

Steroid suspended steroids in tony mandarich stats

The San Diego Union-Tribune has done its own “Mitchell
Report” of sorts on performance-enhancing drugs in pro football.
The baseball Mitchell Report had 85 names going back to about 1993.
The accompanying list has 185 names linked to such drug use dating to
1962 and also 85 names since 1993. It includes 52 former Pro Bowl
players and four Hall of Famers.
Like the Mitchell Report, it relied on hundreds of media reports,
archives, plus public records and interviews with players and league
personnel. It is not considered comprehensive or proportional, just
the best snapshot that could be provided through those sources. It
includes those who admitted to using or were caught during their
college years as they tried to reach the NFL, some of whom had very
brief pro careers. Many recent players claimed they unknowingly
ingested the drugs in tainted supplements.

It only involves drugs now classified by the league as performance-
enhancing or “steroids and related substances” (steroids,
ephedra, amphetamines), not cocaine, marijuana or alcohol.

Dates correspond to playing years, positive test or admitted use.
Players marked with an asterisk went to the Pro Bowl at least once:

LB Stephen Cooper (2008) suspended four games after testing positive
for banned stimulant. In 2002, at Maine, he was charged with
possessing more than 1,000 steroid doses. He said it was to enhance
his chances of being drafted in the NFL.

*LB Shawne Merriman (2006) tested positive for nandrolone. Attorney
said it was because he took a tainted supplement.

DE Luis Castillo (2005) tested positive for androstenedione at NFL
Combine and said it was to help him recover from an elbow injury.

FB Andrew Pinnock (2004) served a four-game suspension after testing
positive for violating the league’s steroid policy. His agent said he
accidentally took a supplement that contained a banned substance.

DE Burt Grossman (1989) tested positive for steroids at combine and
admitted to trying them in college at Pitt.

*RB Chuck Muncie (1984) failed drug test when amphetamines and other
drugs were found in his system after trade to Miami. The failed drug
test canceled the trade.

Team psychiatrist Arnold Mandell (early 1970s) prescribed amphetamines
to team, leading to the following amphetamines crackdown by the NFL:
In April 1974, coach Harland Svare was fined $5,000 for failing to
exercise proper supervisory controls over amphetamine and drug use on
team in 1973.

Team strength coach Alvin Roy (1963), who studied Russian
weightlifting, gave players Dianabol steroids in cereal bowls,
according to players, as part of mandatory regimen and may have
introduced them into the league. He later worked for Kansas City,
Dallas and Oakland before dying in 1979.

DL Houston Ridge (late ’60s) sued team in 1970 for injuries he
attributed to drug use, including steroids. He settled for $265,000.

*TE Dave Kocourek (1960s) also was among players taking the pills
until finding out their side effects.

*OG Walt Sweeney (1960s) said regular use of drugs and steroids led
him to addiction. In legal case, a judge awarded him $1.8 million in
benefits and attorney’s fees from NFL pension fund.

OL Matt Lehr (2006) suspended four games for violating steroid-related
policy. Steroids dealer David Jacobs said Lehr had purchased large
quantities of steroids from him, according to the Dallas Morning News.

LB Keith Newman (2003) suspended four games for violating steroid-
related policy. He said he took banned substance unknowingly in
supplement.

*DB Ray Buchanan (2002) suspended four games for violating steroid-
related policy. He said it was unknowingly in a supplement he took.

OG Scott Davis (1997) suspended four games for violating steroid-
related policy. He said he had taken testosterone injection to help
him play through chest muscle injury.

*OL Bill Fralic (early 1980s) said he used steroids in college at
Pitt. He later told U.S. Senate committee that as much as 75 percent
of NFL linebackers, linemen and tight ends have used steroids.

DL Doug Lowery (1990), a rookie free agent, tested positive before
draft, according to The Sporting News.

DB Nelson Munsey (1970s) sued NFL retirement plan in 2000 seeking
improved benefits. Complaint said he used steroids and amphetamines
“consistent with the common usage of such drugs in professional
football at that time.”

*CB Deion Sanders (2005) tested positive for steroid-related substance
before rejoining the league. He said it was in medication he was
taking to treat an injured ankle.

LB Matt Jaworski (1989) suspended for a month after positive test
along with 12 other players. He said he took an oil-based steroid
before his first pro camp.

DL John Dominic (1989) tested positive and was released. He denied
using steroids and never made the team.

OL Rick Schulte (1987) told Buffalo News he took steroids in college
at Illinois and in NFL.

LB Jim Haslett (early 1980s) told reporters he used steroids and said
the Pittsburgh Steelers were known for steroid use in the 1970s. He
later apologized about his Steelers comments.

*OT Todd Steussie (2004) was given prescriptions for banned substances
shortly before Super Bowl in 2004 and reportedly filled prescriptions
made by South Carolina doctor James Shortt after joining Tampa Bay.

*TE Wesley Walls (2002), another Shortt customer, named in court files
as having obtained banned substances from him.

*DE Julius Peppers (2002) suspended for four games after testing
positive for ephedra. He was leading the league with 10 sacks at the
time.

DE John Milem (2001) said on HBO he received HGH from Shortt and was
one of his first NFL patients.

OL Dave Rimington (1980s) went to Gold’s Gym in Cincinnati to get
them, according to sportscaster Bob Trumpy in the Dayton Daily News in
1989. Trumpy later said he didn’t know where Rimington got them and
that Rimington had been off steroids for several years. Trumpy said
players went to that gym for steroids.

RB Obafemi Ayanbadejo (2007) suspended four games after testing
positive for form of nandrolone. He sued supplement maker in 2008.

Assistant coach Wade Wilson (2004-06) suspended five games in 2007 and
fined $100,000 after admitting he received HGH while coaching Bears.
He was with Dallas when suspended. He said the drugs were to treat
complications from diabetes.

FB Daimon Shelton (2002) suspended four games for violating steroid
policy. He said it was unknowingly in “fat burner”
supplement.

DL Henry Taylor (2001) suspended four games for testing positive for
steroid-related substance. Also allegedly received banned substances
from South Carolina steroid doctor James Shortt.

QB Jim Miller (1999) suspended four games after violating league
steroid policy. He said the nandrolone was in his dietary supplement.

DL Alonzo Spellman (1998) grew enraged after doctor was late to
administer random steroid test. SWAT team called in during 10-hour
standoff. A year earlier, he was suspended for refusing to take
steroid test while he was serving a different suspension.

DB Maurice Douglass (1989) suspended for a month after positive test
along with 12 other players. He said a medication for a wrist injury
must have caused it.

OT Ryan Tucker (2007) suspended four games for violating steroid
policy. He said he took a banned substance to increase his
testosterone and improve his mental health, which had been suffering.

RB George Jones (1999) indicted for smuggling steroids in the U.S. He
was sentenced to three years’ probation. Jones said he never doped. He
said his mistake was loaning money to a friend, linking him to the
drugs.

DT Danny Noonan (1987) tested positive at combine before draft. Also
said he used steroids during NFL career, which lasted until 1992.

Strength coach Bob Ward in 1983 said about 25 percent, “maybe
more,” of team used steroids, according to Omaha World Herald.

*DL John Dutton (1970s/80s) said he liked to take them during
preseason, according to World Herald, before they were banned.

*DT Shaun Rogers (2006) suspended four games for violating steroid-
related policy. He said it was ephedhrine in an appetite suppressant.

DB Tommy Bennett (2001) suspended four games for violating steroid-
related policy. He said it was unknowingly in medication.

DL Kenny Peterson (2007) suspended four games for violating steroid-
related policy. He said it was a metabolism booster.

*P Todd Sauerbrun (2006) suspended four games for positive ephedra
test. Also reportedly had steroid prescriptions filled by South
Carolina steroid doctor while with Carolina.

DL Jim White (1970s) died of liver cancer in 1982, which was
attributed to steroid use. He is possibly the first NFL player to die
thanks largely to steroid use.

*OL Mike Wahle (1997) suspended his senior year in college at Navy
after positive steroid test, later selected in supplemental draft.

OL Mike Ariey (1989) suspended for a month after positive test along
with 12 other players. He said he took a oil-based steroid that
“worked pretty well.”

OL Tony Mandarich (late 1980s/early ’90s) allegedly confessed to
others of having used steroids, according to sources in Sports
Illustrated. He denied it.

*OL Bill Curry (1965) used Diabol to increase to 240 pounds from 220,
according to New York Times.

*OG Bob Young (1980) used steroids, according to teammate Dave Casper
in 2002 interview. Young died in 1995 at age 52.

*QB Dan Pastorini (1970s) said in suit he was injected with
“drugs and/or steroids and/or other substances” during
career.

OL DeMingo Graham (2002) suspended four games after testing positive
for ephedrine. He said it was unknowingly in sports drink.

QB Tim Couch (2007) had regimens calling for steroids and human growth
hormone, as he tried to come back from shoulder injury, according to
Yahoo.com. He was suspended six games.

*DT Marcus Stroud (2007) suspended four games for violating steroid-
related policy. He said he unknowingly took the banned substance in a
supplement to help him rehab ankle.

LB T.J. Slaughter (2002) suspended four games for violating steroid-
related policy. He said he unknowingly took banned substance in an
over-the-counter supplement.

OL John Welbourn (2005) suspended four games for violation of steroid-
related policy, then again for six games in 2006.

WR Johnnie Morton (2002-03) allegedly supplied THG through BALCO,
according to federal investigators’ memo cited in reports. In 2007, he
tested positive for steroids in mixed martial arts event.

LB Lew Bush (2002) suspended four games for ephedra positive. He said
it was in a sports drink he took.

RB Michael Cloud (2002) tested positive for nandrolone, later signed
with New England and was suspended four games. He sued supplement
maker for damages and reached a settlement.

*DE Neil Smith (1986) had steroids found in his dorm room shared with
Lawrence Pete at Nebraska.

*OL Ron Yary (1982) told Omaha World-Herald that because of rampant
use in the league, he tried performance-enhancing drugs the summer
before his last season.

RB Sammy Morris (2006) suspended four games for violating steroid-
related policy. He said it was ephedrine in his Sudafed.

RB J.J. Johnson (2000) tested positive for steroid-related substance
but successfully appealed suspension. His appeal stated the team gave
him a supplement that caused the positive test.

DE Ray Edwards (2007) suspended four games for violating league
steroid policy. He said he didn’t check the dietary supplement he was
using.

*TE Byron Chamberlain (2003) suspended four games for ephedra
positive. He said he misread a label on product he was using.

*OT Korey Stringer (2001) died of heatstroke. Team linked his death to
use of ephedra. On the day he collapsed, a bottle of supplement
containing ephedra was found in Stringer’s locker.

OL Bob Sapp (1998) suspended four games after positive steroid test.
He said his testosterone-to-epitestosterone ratio was high.

LB Artie Ulmer (1997) suspended for violating league steroid policy as
a rookie. He admitted to taking substance before camp.

LB John Levelis (1990) tested positive for steroid at combine, drafted
in the seventh round, according to The Sporting News.

*SS Rodney Harrison (2007) suspended four games for violating steroid-
related policy. Shipment of HGH reportedly delivered to him in weeks
leading up to Super Bowl in 2004. He said it was to heal injuries.

RB Jesse Chatman (2008) suspended four games after positive steroid-
related test. League said it was a masking agent, agent said.

*DL Joe Klecko (1979-81) said he took steroids in offseason for
strong-man contests, according to book by Charles Yesalis.

DT Hollis Thomas (2006) suspended four games for violating steroid-
related policy. He said it was in his asthma medication.

DE Joel Smeenge (1990) tested positive for steroid-related substance
before draft, according to Pittsburgh Press. He denied it.

CB Jason Sehorn (2002) said he continued to use ephedra after NFL
banned it, until the league started testing for it.

FS Lyle West (1999) suspended four games for testing positive for
banned substance. He said it was unknowingly in a medication he was
taking.

OG Eric Moore (1993) sentenced to three years probation and fined
$5,000 for possession of steroids. Along with Tampa Bay defensive
lineman Mark Duckens, Moore was described by feds as “pawns in
an international steroid ring.” Admitted to spending $15,000 on
steroids. Suspended four games.

*DE Fred Dryer (around 1965) used steroids to get bigger in junior
college. “I was told if I wanted to get better and gain weight
I’d better (use steroids),” he told Parade Magazine.

RB Joe Don Looney (1963) took steroids before joining league in effort
to bulk up, according to biographer.

*DL Dana Stubblefield (2003) tested positive for designer steroid THG.
In 2008, he pleaded guilty to making false statements to a federal
agent about taking performance-enhancing drugs such EPO and “the
clear.”

*LB Bill Romanowski (2003) tested positive for the designer steroid
THG. He later told “60 Minutes” he used steroids and HGH.

PK Michael Attardi (1986-87) earned spot on team’s developmental squad
after using steroids in college at Kutztown State, according to Asbury
Park Press in New Jersey.

*DL Lyle Alzado (1971-85) became poster boy for steroid and HGH use in
the NFL. He blamed his brain tumor on his use of those drugs. He died
at 43 in 1992. He said he starting taking steroids in 1969.

DL John Matuszak (1970s) died at 38 in 1989 after life of partying,
including drug use and suspected steroid use.

Dr. Richard Rydze (2007) was dropped from team medical staff after his
name surfaced in steroid investigation. He had purchased $150,000 in
testosterone and human growth hormone with his own credit card. Team
said he didn’t prescribe these drugs to players.

OL Terry Long (1991) attempted suicide by swallowing rat poison after
failed steroid-related test. Died in 2005 after ingesting antifreeze.

*OL Mike Webster (1970s/’80s). In suit against NFL pension fund,
statements from doctors said Webster experimented with steroids. Died
in 2002 at age 50.

OL Steve Courson (late ’70s/early ’80s) admitted steroid use,
developed heart problem and testified before Congress about steroid
abuse in NFL.

FB Rocky Bleier (1970s) told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette he was
prescribed small amounts of Dianabol. Bleier, a Vietnam vet, had
shrapnel in his foot from grenade.

DL Steve Furness (1970s) used steroids, as suspected by his brother
Peter. Died in 2000 at age 49.

Strength coach Lou Riecke (1970s) had experience with Dianabol as a
weight lifter. He was hired by coach Chuck Noll, who was an assistant
with Chargers in 1963, when strength coach Alvin Roy introduced
steroids to Chargers. Riecke said he quit using in 1964 and did not
know about any steroid use on Steelers.

*LB Andy Russell (1960s) talked about taking “pep pills”
(amphetamines) for energy rush on field. “We were led to believe
they helped you play better,” Russell said. “Truth is they
help you play much worse because you overreacted.” He said Noll
discouraged such drug use.

DB Matt Stevens (1997) suspended for four games after violating
steroid-related policy. He said it was in a supplement he bought at
GNC.

*OL Ron Solt (1989) suspended for a month after positive test along
with 12 other players. He said gyms were places where steroids could
be obtained then.

DL Mike Golic (1987) said in 2007 that he used steroids to come back
from shoulder injury.

NFL drug adviser Forest Tennant (1988) said in Philadelphia Inquirer
he was informed of Eagles trying to beat test by having technician
replace their tainted urine with clean urine by catheter.

*RB Travis Jervey (1999) suspended four games for violating steroid-
related policy. He said it was a substance recommended by doctor to
help reduce inflammation in his ankle.

DL Randy Barnes, a shot-putter, was signed by team in 1991 despite
being suspended by the International Amateur Athletic Federation after
steroid-related positive.

OL Andy Sinclair (1989) said his test result was wrong after testing
positive for steroid-related substance, according to San Francisco
Chronicle.

LB George Mira, Jr. (1987) suspended in college at Miami, Fla., after
positive test revealed diuretic often used to mask steroid-related
use. Arrested in 1986 on charge of steroid possession, which later was
dropped.

OG Bruce Collie (1980s) said he used steroids but lessened use after
league started suspending players for it in 1989.

*DL Charlie Krueger (1960s/early 1970s) said in a disability lawsuit
he was “regularly anesthetized between and during games, and
endured repeated, questionable steroid treatments administered by the
team physician.” Settled case for around $1 million.

QB Bobby Waters (1960s) said he used Dianabol steroids to bulk up and
used it as early as 1962.

OL Mike Lindsay (1990), a rookie free agent, reportedly tested
positive before draft, according to The Sporting News.

DE Kirby Criswell (early ’80s) arrested in 1982 on charges of
conspiracy to produce and distribute methamphetamines, sentenced to
five years in prison.

*OG Ken Gray (1960s) sued team in 1971 for $3.5 million, claiming the
team made him take “potent, illegal and dangerous drugs” so that
he would perform “more violently.” He settled for a
smaller amount.

DL Mark Duckens (1993) sentenced to six-month, pretrial diversion
program for steroid possession along with New York Giants’ lineman
Eric Moore. Described by feds as “pawns in international steroid
ring.”

OG Carl Bax (1990) arrested for steroid possession. Police said he had
572 steroid tablets from Mexico. He pleaded guilty, received one year
of probation and had to perform community service.

LB Ryan Fowler (2008) supplied performance-enhancing drugs by late
steroids dealer David Jacobs, according to Dallas Morning News. Fowler
denied using steroids.

RB Chris Henry (2007) suspended four games for violating league
steroid-related policy. It allegedly was from a banned substance in a
prescription medication, according to The Tennessean.

DT John Thornton said in 2002 he took ephedra products for a while,
like many others, before quitting.

Assistant coach Jim Washburn (1989) sentenced to three months in a
halfway house after pleading guilty to importing steroids while he was
college coach at South Carolina.

OG Dave Fiore (2003) was a patient of South Carolina steroid doctor
James Shortt, according to HBO report.

Strength coach Dave Redding (2001) was proponent of supplements and
ephedra before it was banned by league.

*FB Frank Wycheck (1994) suspended four games after testing positive
for steroid-related substance. He said it was unknowingly in a
medication he was taking.

Coach George Allen (1974). Former player Walt Sweeney testified in
suit that Allen told players, “If it takes amphetamines to win,
I will bring it in by the truckload.”