**Oakland Raiders 2010 offseason Thread**

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Defy

Defy

Cannabis Connoisseur
#684
Jan 23, 2006
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Rich City
#684
Jason Campbell is not raw. That foo makes hella mistakes especially when under pressure. washington didn't have an o-line to protect him either and he would fuck up and lose football games for the skins when they had the lead. I don't think anyone on our roster is any better tho. I'd like to see him succeed tho
 
Defy

Defy

Cannabis Connoisseur
#685
Jan 23, 2006
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Rich City
#685
Meta4iCAL said:
Rolando McClain Q&A

By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Thursday, April 22nd, 2010 at 10:14 pm in Oakland Raiders.

A transcription of a conference call with first-round draft pick Rolando McClain and the local media:

Q: What was your reaction to being drafted by Raiders?

McClain: I was for the most part at a loss for words. I mean, I don’t know, it’s crazy. It’s like all the hard work I put in over the past 20 years has paid off.

Q: Have much contact with Raiders before today?

McClain: No, I had no idea really that the Raiders were that interested. All’s I know is they came down the last week and talked with me. But I don’t know, they weren’t like the other teams that I thought were interested in me; they actually brought me in for visits. I don’t know, it was just a different vibe. But when they came out last week I felt pretty strong that they wanted me. I just didn’t know how bad they wanted me.

Q: Who came out last week?

McClain: The linebacker coach and the DB coach, they worked out Kareem (Jackson) and I. We worked out and they talked with us. I know we just sat down and talked, really.

Q: Have you talked to Al Davis yet?

McClain: No, I haven’t talked to Mr. Davis. I’m looking forward to talking to him, actually.

Q: What message did Coach Cable give you?

McClain: He didn’t really give me a message, he just asked if I was ready to play football, ready to play linebacker with the Oakland Raiders. I said yes, and he asked me if I could lead this defense. Said ‘of course I can.’ He just had a couple questions. He just asked me if I was ready to be a Raider. I told him yeah, and he told me they were gonna draft me.

Q: What will you bring to this defense?

McClain: Just my intensity, not just as a football player but as a leader, teammate and friend to these guys. I’m accustomed to winning. I know these guys are, and just ready to get back to winning the way we used to win. I know the Raiders haven’t had a great season the past few years, but I mean, hey, everything’s made to turn around, everything happens for a reason, and I think Coach Cable as well as myself and a lot of these other guys are gonna turn this program around, and we’re gonna get back to winning, get back to the playoffs, get back to having fun and playing good football.

Q: Will it be hard for you to assert yourself as a rookie?

McClain: No. It’s just my personality as far as meeting guys. I’m not the most outgoing guy. I’m shy and I stay to myself. But when it comes to football, my job’s something that I love doing. I’ll do whatever it takes to win, no matter if it’s go out and yell at a guy during practice just to get everybody up, or just to get everybody together, cause we’re not on the same page on defense, to watch film. I do what I have to do in order for the defense and the team to have success. So it’s something I don’t mind doing, something I’m looking forward to. But I don’t think I’ll have too much trouble. I know the rest of my teammates are ready to get back to winning. We’re gonna start winning. I think everybody’s just eager as me to play football and begin the season.

Q: Are you aware of the Raiders’ struggles against the run and how do you think you can help?

McClain: I don’t know. I haven’t really followed the Raiders too much, but — so I don’t know how much success they’ve had against the run, but I’m sure that Coach Cable has great things on in his mind. Me personally, I’m going to do my job. I pride myself, because Coach Saban, he’s real tough on me a little bit. He prides himself on stopping the run and I pride myself on stopping the run so I think some of those there, the D-lineman and linebackers and everybody including me, I think we’re all going to do what we have to do to stop the run and make this defense real good there.

Q: Can you clarify the Crohn’s disease story? It was reported you had it, then you didn’t . . .

McClain: Well basically, when I was in ninth grade I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, but after being to the hospital the past few weeks and getting several tests done, my doctors at the University of Alabama, they don’t even think I have Crohn’s disease so I know I haven’t been affected. It’s never affected my play in practice or in a game so I’m not sure. I don’t think there’s really a test to see if you’ve got Crohn’s disease. I just feel that God has blessed me at this point. He’s been looking over me. All I can do is pray that he continues to do the same thing.

Q: How nerve wracking was it to watch the other picks go by?

McClain: It wasn’t nerve wracking at all because I was at home sitting down, playing poker with some of my friends. We were watching the draft and the crazy thing about it is I say Joe, he was crying and I saw him getting drafted and like five seconds before Coach Cable called me and said he was going to draft me, I said, ‘Hey man, I’m tired of sitting around. I want to get drafted.’ Because I saw (Joe Haden) crying and I wanted to feel the way he felt. And five seconds later, Coach Cable called me and I was drafted.

Q: How did you do in poker?

McClain: Out of 10 guys that started, I was the last two. I was actually in a hand — I was actually in a hand when I got the call. I think I ended up losing the hand, but I think we had split the chips so we end up quitting. I think I’ll end up giving them all the money. I don’t think I’ll need it now.

Q: How long have you been playing linebacker and when did you realize it was the position for you?

McClain: I started playing linebacker my ninth grade year in high school and since then I’ve been playing. I started out as an outside linebacker and up until my senior year everybody was running the ball away from me and I had to make a lot of plays running people down. So they put me in the middle where I could go both ways, and since then, since my senior year in high school, I’ve been playing middle linebacker, I’ve been accustomed to the job and I think I’ve been doing pretty good at it.

Q: What do you like about playing linebacker?

McClain: You get to hit somebody every play. That’s the best part. It sums it up. You get to hit somebody every play at middle linebacker. It’s like you’re the quarterback of the defense and you have control. And I like to be in control as far as lining everybody up and getting everybody going. I like that and I embrace that role.

Q: Do you see yourself as an every down linebacker in the NFL and is it possible some people underestimated you?

McClain: I’ve never came off the field in my collegiate career at the University of Alabama, no matter what it was. I never came off the field. The best running backs, the best slot receivers, the best receivers, I’ve guarded man to man. We don’t play much zone at the University of Alabama. I’ve done a lot of good coverage in my time and I’ve played against a lot of good guys from the SEC. I know I can do it and I’m sure coach feels the same way.

Q: Do you watch film early in the morning or late at night?

McClain: When you talk about watching film, I give 95 percent of the credit to coach Saban. He showed me what to watch and how to watch film. But my thing is I get away to the day before practice and I watch film and look for particular things. I have sort of an order of how I watch film and what I look for. I’m not going to tell you exactly what it is but I have an order of how I watch it.

Q: How has coach Saban prepared you for life in the NFL?

McClain: I give all the credit to coach Saban for me being where I am. Obviously God and my family but coach Saban has made me into the player that I am now. Not just being able to watch film but he taught me how to tackle, taught me how to read things about a particular alignment. I mean I give credit to him for doing all those things. Not only did he teach me how to be a football player but he’s a great role model for me and a father figure. He’s made me the person I am today.

Q: Talk to him since you were drafted?

McClain: He sent me a text message saying congratulations. I’m at home in Decatur. I think I’ll go back to Tuscaloosa tomorrow and I’ll see him then.
Click to expand...
Finally someone ready to embrace the role as leader on the Raiders. This got me lightweight juiced, hopefully he can bring some much needed fire to the D (and hopefully the whole locker room)
 
Defy

Defy

Cannabis Connoisseur
#688
Jan 23, 2006
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Rich City
#688
I hope Jason Campbell proves me wrong, I'm ready to be a Campbell fan!
























and if he doesn't work out, I hope Bruce Gradkowski pans out, I'm ready to be a Gradkowski fan!
























and if he can't heal, then I hope Kyle Boller thrives in the bay, I'm ready to be a Boller fan!
 
radiostationrep

radiostationrep

Sicc OG
#694
Dec 2, 2006
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#694
JR will be cut and asked to stay for the league minimum if asked to stay at all. Obviously the kid still has his head in his ass. The Raiders had the best draft weekend in years, imo. Pending of course production on the field. I don't mind Cambell as are QB. He needed a fresh start. If we stay healthy we will be a playoff team. Suck my dick!
 
Skizzy Ske

Skizzy Ske

Sicc OG
#695
May 24, 2006
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www.fucku.com
#695
Jason Campbell is gonna be great for us. We just need him to manage the game. Not asking him to be Peyton or anything. Hand the ball n throw the ball to our play makers accurately. He's improved EVERY year he's played. He needs to be more aware in the pocket, and know when to throw n not throw in certain situations. Hopefully he won't be throwing DUMBASS int's or fumble like jalwarus did every fuckin game. Sick of seein a DE or someone get JR's blindside n him barely noticing the pocket collapsin then BOOOOOM he gets sacked or fumbles... Campbell also is athletic enough to run n bootleg it or just run outside.

Keep in mind, the kid has had 9 OC's throughout his football career. A QB needs some stability in his coaching cuz each coach will ask for diff stuff etc. He's still a very young QB, and very much capable of being a good QB in this league. He started off in 08 with a great season like 5-0 then the team collapsed. Last year was just a shitty year for the skins, period. Too much drama wit the front office, and plus skins haven't had a good line so that doesn't help much as a qb.

Over all, raiders did an AMAZING job this year in the draft. We made some great trades and drafted some great players we needed. What I'm really hopin for is, veldeer and Bruce campbell starting this year. I hope cable n co can develope these linemen to be a nasty big respectable o line. We have some nice pieces on offense, and u give bush/mcfadden some room to run.... Better watch out!! U give campbell some time to throw n he's got some weapons like a DOPE TE in miller then u got Chaz, Murphy, and DHB at the WR spot. Mcfadden is capable of running that screen as well.

Damn..... We have so much potential now that I'm thinking bout it wit our new addition. The big question mark is the o line but oooooohhhhh boy, once we get our o line to dominate, we got SOOO many weapons! Wishful thinking bout it's a possibility!! Can't WAIT for the season to start god damn!!

RAAAAAAAIIIDDDDEEERRRRR NAAATTIOON BIIIIIITCCCHH!!
 
corinthian

corinthian

Just Win Baby!!!
#696
Feb 23, 2006
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#696
if campbell doesn't work out for us, then we keep our pick. so we would have got him for nothing. it's a no lose situation. I think the skins will get that pick though.
 
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