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Maybe the Raiders will suck it up and give KC a game next Monday...Not gonna hold my breath, but Gannon always played well against his old team. The other partys envolved in the ownership of the Raiders have initiated a lawsuit to have Al Davis removed as the managing general partner for gross mismanagement, about time is all I have to say.

Honestly, as much as I'd LIKE a good game between the Raiders and Chiefs, I don't think Oakland's got it in 'em to stand up to Trent Green, Priest Holmes, Dante Hall, Morten Andersen, and the rest of the KC bunch. Dick Vermeil won't allow it.

Oh, and on a side note... who are the three undefeated teams left?

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Carolina, Kansas City, and <gasp>...

The <b><u>MINNESOTA VIKINGS</u></b>!!

I didn't think I'd be saying ANYTHING about the Vikes being undefeated at ANY point in the season (unless they played the "Special Olympics" team for the season opener). However, I've stayed by their side season in, season out, for as long as I can remember... and I gotta say, they're lookin' good.
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“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.” Benjamin Franklin, 1759

Vikes also looked good when they were 15-1 and got their asses kicked by the NY Football Giants in the NFC Chamionship game. As crappy as my Raiders are thus far, I think they will make a game of this, for no other fact that it is the Chiefs. Oddsmakers agree with me, the Chiefs are only 3 1/2 point favorites.

KC is the most balanced and dominant team in football right now...Dante Hall is a playmaker. Carolina is stout, John Fox is a damn good coach who builds his teams around dominating defenses, ala Bill Parcells. The Vikes are overated...Dome team that lacks the character to carry them far in the playoffs.

KC has an overwhelming offense....but let's face it, their defense sucks.

Defense wins championships, well USUALLY it does.

"Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle, and quick to anger."

Yep a great defense will always defeat a great offense...Case in point last years Super Bowl. Look at the NFC's dominance in the mid to late 80's early 90's. NFC East was the class of the NFL, problem was they were always beating up on each other in Division play. Joe Gibbs is one coach who I would like see return to the NFL.

Gibbs team is the current reigning NASCAR Winston Cup champion, and they just won again another race last week.

Methinx Joe aint coming back.

"Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle, and quick to anger."

For the Vikings naysayers:

Look at it this way. The Vikings have not one, not two, not three, but FOUR great running backs (Williams, Chapman, Smith, and Bennett once he's healthy again), two great receivers (Moss, Bates), a decent TE, a stable offensive line, and of course a mobile, accurate quarterback.

Defensively, they've FINALLY gotten their act together with players like Hovan, Claiborne, Chavous, Russell, Mixon... the list goes on and on. Special teams isn't what KC's is, but they're not doing too badly.

The key is in Mike Tice's 2nd year. He built the defense up again to give them a playing chance, and took some of the attitude and mouth out of Randy Moss (a BIG problem when he's not producing... i.e. last year), and dispersed the workload of the offense more evenly. Culpepper delivers on the ground OR in the air (hasn't had a single interception all year), he's got receivers everywhere, he's got a backfield to rival any running team this year, and he's got the line to give him time to do what he needs.

I'm not saying they're "Superbowl material" or something so bold as that. However, I do think they're focusing more on being a "team" instead of a bunch of talented individuals, and it's helping tremendously. I don't think I've seen Moss do one overly eccentric end zone dance all year (he does flex to the crowd, but that's about it). The team doesn't believe that they're more than they actually are this year... they just finally feel what it's like to play as a TEAM again, and I think they're gonna go far because of it.

I don't remember if it was here or another site where I posted my prediction, but I said I thought they'd go 12-4 and lose the NFC Championship game (a la last year, yes). But honestly, who's doing good enough thus far this year to really give 'em a run for their money in the NFC?

Dallas is leading the East, testament to Parcells' ability, but are they really gonna make the playoffs? Carolina's looking good, but they're not putting the points on the board the way Minnesota can. Seattle's leading the NFC West, but I think that's short-lived. Now that St. Louis' head is finally out of their proverbial ass, I think they're going to start a rally in the West and come back to lead their division. After them, the only other team I see that can compete with the Vikings is possibly Green Bay, in their own division, but Minnesota's already shut them down AT LAMBEAU FIELD.

So who's it gonna be? Anybody wanna make predictions for playoffs or the Superbowl yet?

“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.” Benjamin Franklin, 1759

Oh, by the way... you can check out the novel that was my last post at your local library... sheesh. Sorry it was so long. <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.” Benjamin Franklin, 1759

<img src="http://burns.thefinaldimension.org/cwm/cwm/piss2.gif" border=0><font size=5>VIKINGS</font id=size5>

Overkill??? I'd kill a fly with a howitzer if I had one.

Edited by - stinger on Oct 14 2003 09:40 AM

_________________
\"One of you is gonna fall and die, and I'm not cleaning it up\"

<img src="http://burns.thefinaldimension.org/cwm/cwm/piss2.gif" border=0><font size=6>RAIDERS</font id=size6><img src="http://burns.thefinaldimension.org/cwm/cwm/piss2.gif" border=0><font size=6>SAINTS</font id=size6>

Two can play at that, Stinger... <img src=icon_smile_evil.gif border=0 align=middle>

“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.” Benjamin Franklin, 1759

Don't be grabbing my monkey you pervert.

Overkill??? I'd kill a fly with a howitzer if I had one.

_________________
\"One of you is gonna fall and die, and I'm not cleaning it up\"

Well Frogger I take it you dislike the Raiders because they completley took the Vikes apart in their last Super Bowl appearance.

Seahawks are for real....
You need not score mass amounts of points if you are solid defensivley, look at the 2001 Baltimore Ravens. They scored 14 or less points their first 8 weeks. Its all about having a solid defense and an oportunistic offense. If you defense can bust chops and force turnovers, your gonna be succesfull in this league. As far as this years Super Bowl, Its anybodys guess.

I like Indy, and or KC if they start to gell on defense. Seattle in the NFC.

But you know the old saying...on any giving sunday.

Oh, no... don't let the monkey lead you to believe I dislike the Raiders, I like them just fine.

Stinger's a big fan of them and the Saints, however, and I was just doing that to get back at him for his monkey peeing on the Vikings. No, I didn't mean to disrespect the Raiders or Saints. Honestly, I'm sadly disappointed at BOTH teams' performances thus far this season.

As for Seattle... you could be right. Carolina's doing the same thing in the AFC, so you never know. For Indy and KC, I think KC's just got a more well-rounded team. A lot of teams are becoming hip to the Manning/Harrison matchup, and unless Indy gets Edgerrin James back into the game (along with that other RB they've got) and maybe mixes up the passing game a bit, they're gonna get a face full of defense that they don't want.

Although... now that I look at Indy's schedule for the next few weeks, it seems like they've got it fairly easy. Houston and Jacksonville, both have given up over 150 pts. so far. The Jets, although they're 1 and 4, have only given up 80, but they'll fall anyway. Miami, the biggest threat of the four, has only allowed 58 pts. for the season... hmmm.

“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.” Benjamin Franklin, 1759

Actually I thought it was funny...Do me a favor and post that same monkey "disrespecting" an F-18E/F..

That does however prove to be fitting for the play of the Raiders this year..They stink. I blame Al Davis for running our coach off, but thats just me.

Can't really just blame the coach. Coaches have a lot to do with a football team, but it's also the team itself.

Gruden's tenure with the Raiders:
98: 8-8
99: 8-8
00: 12-4, AFC Championship Game
01: 10-6, Divisional Playoffs
** REG. SEASON WIN-TO-LOSS RATIO: 1.46 **

(Couldn't make it to the Superbowl)

Callahan:
02: 11-5, Superbowl (loss)
** REG. SEASON WIN-TO-LOSS RATIO: 2.2 **

If you add in the 2-4 start that Oakland's got so far, Callahan's regular season win-to-loss ratio with the Raiders is just about even with what Gruden's was (1.44). Not to mention the fact that he DID in fact take the team to the playoffs (and eventually the Superbowl) in his FIRST year... something that Gruden took 3 years to do. Gruden got lucky, coming into a Tampa Bay team that was already assembled nicely. He just tweaked it a bit with his style of offense, and voila! Superbowl winners.

“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.” Benjamin Franklin, 1759


Edited by - kingfrogger on Oct 14 2003 12:38 PM

Oh, and before anybody asks... yes, I do have WAAAY too much time on my hands at work. <img src=icon_smile_evil.gif border=0 align=middle>

“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.” Benjamin Franklin, 1759

Naw numbers lie...I like Callahan, I really do. But Gruden was something special. I gauge the Raiders by how they play. Mental mistakes, penalties, lack of execution. Talent has never been an issue for the Raiders, they have always had great talent. What Gruden did was get that talent to play, to execute, to believe in itself as a team. I have watched them for to long to know when they are regressing back to the Al Davis type teams. 4 consecutive holding penalties, lack of execution, poor pursuit angles are all indicators of poor coaching. I don't blame Callahan, but he is no Jon Gruden. Al Davis once said its all about the players, well it takes a great leader to make these egotistical players play the game how it should be played to win...Thats sacrifice, committment, and not taking plays off.

These Raiders have regressed back to the Art Shell 7-9 perenial also rans, and the Joe Bugel 4-12 never was, all the above teams had talent, they just didnt play, they choked, they beat themselves...Looks very famaliar this year. I have watched these guys for 25+ years. Al Davis needs to go.



Edited by - chadrewsky on Oct 14 2003 1:11 PM

I agree with Chad here Froggy... Gruden focused the team, and last year Callahan was able to keep that focus for the most part... the Four games the Raiders decided to "get smart" and "run the ball" led to 4 straight loses. They then went back to the "pass it till the other team dies" aproach and kicked a**. Unfortunatly Callahan is implementing more and more new things, Tim Brown said it himself that Callahan was changing things this year (2003) and I for one don't think the changes are working. Plus Porter has been out, and thats letting the opposing teams lay into Brown and Rice more than they usually can.

Overkill??? I'd kill a fly with a howitzer if I had one.

_________________
\"One of you is gonna fall and die, and I'm not cleaning it up\"

send that "Dump Davis" petition my way, I'll sign it till BOTH my hands cramp! Al may actually be WORSE than Bill Bidwell!!

"We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would harm us". George Orwell

Fighting For Justice With Brains Of Steel !
<img src="http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/atengun2X.GIF" border=0>

_________________
The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

Al reminds me of Adolf Hitler...Both let early success expand their egos to such, they would listen to nobody. Hitler his field marshals, Al his coaches. Hitler had Goering, and Jodl for a yes man. Al had Joe Bugel & Art Shell. Hitler had Rommel conspire to kill him, and Heinz Guderian ignore his orders.. Al had Gruden dismember his team on the NFL's biggest stage, and Mike Shanahan own his Raiders in head to head play..

I don't blame Bill Callahan, he is gonna get the raw end of the deal this year for something that is not his fault. The Raiders are Al's doing. The man is sadisitic and bad for football...

Several owners/GMs are bad for football, simply because they get too involved. They think that since they OWN a football team, they can probably RUN a football team as well.

Al Davis, Jerry Jones (don't EVEN get me started), Art Modell, Michael McCaskey... just to name a few. They get a bit TOO involved in the enterprise.

I can understand the excitement and frustration involved in owning an NFL team, but what they try and do is what they hire COACHES to do. If you want to coach a team, give someone the GM position and coach it your damn self. Don't cut the coaches' legs out from under them with your own personal suggestions, then turn around and fire them when your ideas don't get you a ring. That's just frustrating... to the coach, to the team, and especially to the fans.

“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.” Benjamin Franklin, 1759

Drewski I think you hit the nail on the head here, Al is a dictator, he does things because he CAN do them not nessisarily because he really thinks it's best for the team. He doesnt mind cutting off his nose to spite his face just as long as EVERYONE knows HE'S the boss. it a power trip for him and the older he gets the worse it will likely become.

"We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would harm us". George Orwell

Fighting For Justice With Brains Of Steel !
<img src="http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/atengun2X.GIF" border=0>

Edited by - boomer on Oct 15 2003 1:29 PM

_________________
The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

Al Davis is evil. No more need be said.

"Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle, and quick to anger."

Eagles stole one from the Giants today, keeping themselves in decent shape for the playoffs, but McNabb is STRUGGLING.

So are his recievers- i counted 7 dropped passes today.

"Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle, and quick to anger."

Its a long, long season. The Titans started off weak last year, and didn't find themselves untill week 8. They almost made the Super Bowl. Philly will be fine. Tampa Bay looked pretty bad against a 49er team that many regarded as pretty bad.



Edited by - chadrewsky on Oct 19 2003 11:18 PM