State of the Franchise

The National Football League is a league constructed to where bad franchises can become good franchises within an off season or two. It goes both ways for that matter, good one's can become bad just the same. But over the last decade we have seen a great proud franchise put a terrible product on the field for the better part of the 2000's. After Putting together deep playoff runs and a Super Bowl appearance at the early turn of the century. The Oakland Raiders a storied franchise with rich history and tradition has been in the basement of the AFC west division since 2003.

Legendary team owner Al Davis is known for his quotes and one liners over the years. "Just win, baby" is one of them. Which the Oakland Raiders have not done much of over the latter part of the past decade. Winning no more than 5 games in a single season for the last 7 years is not going to get it done. It stems from a number of areas within the organization. Starting at the top with the man pushing the buttons and calling all shots in Al Davis. In the past decade the Raiders have only produced 2 Pro Bowl players out of 77 draft picks. One of those players is Punter Shane Lechler(5) and the other is Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha (2). Someone on the college player scouting and evaluation committee needs to have a talking to, that is ridiculous. That kind of miss evaluation of talent gets coaches fired. Just ask Bill Callahan, Norv Turner, Art Shell, Lane Kiffin and current coach soon to be fired Tom Cable. Having said all of that, it all goes back to one man, Al Davis. The draft is one big beauty contest to him. If the player looks good in shorts, runs fast and presses 225 pounds 30 time he wants him, no matter what is on the tape. Prime example is Oakland's most recent first round number seven overall pick in 2009 Darrius Heyward-Bey. He was a workout warrior at the NFL scouting combine running the fastest 40 with a 4.25, had a 38 inch vertical he had all of the measurable....yadda yadda yadda but it didn't all measure up on the tape. It always comes back to the game tape. On most NFL team draft boards, Heyward-Bey was the fifth best receiver in the 2009 draft behind Michael Crabtree, Jeremy Macline, Percy Harvin and Hakeem Nicks. It was all set up perfectly. In 2007 Mr. Davis drafted his (quote) franchise quarterback JaMarcus Russell and in 2008 running back Darren McFadden, so it was a no brainer. If Michael Crabtree, the top rated wide receiver is their with the number seven pick, Al Davis will pull trigger and get him. " With the seventh pick in the 2009 NFL draft, the Oakland Raiders select (wait for it).................Darrius Heyward-Bey". Many eyes bugged out and heads went back collectively around the country after that selection. That was a surprising selection even for Al Davis's standards.

Many sports people in the nation live by the creed "you win some, and you lose some". But with Al Davis at the helm, Raider nation lives by a different creed, "we win hardly, and we lose most"