Oakland Tribune: Curry's mistreatment symbolizes Raiders' ineptness

[Artois]

Poole: Curry's mistreatment symbolizes Raiders' ineptness - Inside Bay Area

Poole: Curry's mistreatment symbolizes Raiders' ineptness

By Monte Poole
Oakland Tribune columnist
Article Last Updated: 11/17/2008 05:54:20 AM

TO GET A FAIR and accurate illustration of the disarray within the Raiders, take a good look at the team's most tenured position player.

Ronald Curry began the season as a starting wide receiver and team captain, leading the team in receptions on opening night.

As the weeks passed, he faded away, as selected players tend to do in Oakland.

Curry last week was pushed into the irrelevancy of the inactive list. Deactivating a healthy seven-year veteran at midseason is one way to tell him he has outlived his usefulness to the team.

Yet there was Curry on Sunday, during Oakland's 17-15 loss to the Dolphins. He was active. He was starting at wideout. He was, gasp, the most productive player on the field.

``Because he's a pro,'' head coach Tom Cable said.

Well, yes, Curry is a pro. He is familiar with the adversities that come with being a Raider and he maintained his dignity, despite being kicked to the curb.

But he was active Sunday only because rookie wideout Chaz Schilens played sparingly and was ineffective after spraining his ankle last week against Carolina. Curry started only because veteran wideout Javon Walker was on crutches when he showed up at the team facility Thursday.

What we have here is a team so screwed up, so irrational, it won't utilize one of its best players unless it absolutely, positively has to.

``I knew I'd be the guy they'd have to use,'' Curry said. ``I knew the opportunity to play would be there.''

And now he's a walking symptom of what ills the organization. One week he's a pro. For the next several weeks, he's of no use to the team and hearing whispers about being released. Then, suddenly, he's on the field, making plays. And being referred to as ``a pro.''

Oakland managed 186 net yards in offense, 116 of which came through the air. Curry caught a game-high seven passes, for 73 yards. His first catch gave the Raiders a first down. His second gave them another. Four of his catches were good for first downs.
How can a team struggling to move the ball and averaging one touchdown a game not find a place for Curry?

How was a guy whose nickname is ``third and Ron'' be healthy and in street clothes for a team that hasn't scored an offensive touchdown since Oct. 26?

``It's just one of those things you wonder about,'' veteran cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha said. ``He's a captain. He's played well for us. And this is a guy who only with injuries can get back into the lineup?''

Trying to follow the direction of this organization is like watching a pinball ricochet about a machine. No rhyme, no rhythm, no direction.

While the misuse and disuse of Curry is too obvious to be missed, there are others who also can't seem to make sense of what is going on.

Like Michael Bush, who has played well when he received extensive playing time but now finds himself strapped to the bench whenever Darren McFadden is deemed healthy enough to play.

``When 20 (McFadden's number) is up, that's my role,'' Bush said, shaking his head.
They want him to play fullback; he'll do it but would rather not.

``I think they could use all three of us,'' Bush said, speaking of himself, Justin Fargas and McFadden. ``I've seen other teams around the league do it and it works.''

Just because it works, doesn't mean the Raiders are willing to try it. Nobody knows this more than the usually reliable Curry, who dropped several passes early this season and slowly disappeared from the offense.

``It's not like I was the only one not making plays; nobody was really making plays,'' he said. ``We were struggling as an offense."

``I got an opportunity today. Beyond that, I don't know. If I'm back (next year), that's great. If not, I have to put something on film so other teams can see me.''

“I'm still thinking my future's not here," Curry said. "I'm going to go out here, play these last six games, give what I've got for this team, for this organization "... "

Curry said he still isn't at peace with the way his demotion was handled. Having the support of his teammates provides some comfort.

"It means a lot, having the approval of your peers when they see the work that I put in, and see the type of player I am, and they see the situation unfold," Curry said. "For the last couple of years, I've been one of the most consistent players here. For them to come in and treat me the way they treated me the last couple of weeks is B.S."

Curry said he was told by Davis before the Panthers game that he would be deactivated for that game and the seven after that, as well. A season-ending ankle injury to Walker necessitated Curry's inclusion on the active roster once again.
And, who knows, maybe one of those teams will find a place for someone who is respected in the locker room and productive on the field.

Monte Poole can be reached at mpoole@bayareanewsgroup.com.

[Berkeley Boy]

Right...ignore the drops. I could see if Curry caught everything his way.

There's plenty of other player situations handled much more worse than Curry's.

[Artois]

Like who?

It's sad to see that no one here supports Curry.

[RaiderMac]

Originally Posted by Artois

Like who?

It's sad to see that no one here supports Curry.

I support anyone who wears the silver and black, and yes that means you too Kwame. Curry was demoted for a reason, he was ineffective at the beginning of the season.

Also, something to "note" along the way, the Dolphins had the 25th ranked pass defense in the NFL before going into this game. There was a reason why Curry was able to get his catches this past Sunday.

Now I'm not trying to take anything away from Curry's performance on Sunday, but even Sparano gave praise to our passing offense which was dead last in the NFL before this game, if anything he knew his pass defense was "suspect" at best against a Raiders team.

[SRV5490]

Yes, Curry is a pro. That means he is paid to perform, and if he doesn't, he can sit the **** down. Jesus Christ, what is this, freaking AYSO? Equal time for every player and make sure everyone gets a chance to play every position? Should we stop keeping score and give everyone a trophy at the end of the season just for participating?

[SRV5490]

By the way, I looked up his stats for that Denver game in which he was the "teams leading receiver". He had 2 catches, and I seem to remember a bunch of drops.

Monte Poole is a tool. (Sorry, don't like the rhyme, but I can't think of a better descriptor)

[Anotharaiderfan]

Curry dropped so many passes this season no one can stick up for him anymore.
2 vs Denver which where back breaking
2 vs K.c.
1 vs Buffalo
1 vs SD
3 vs N.O.


Watching drop all the passes was a ****ing joke, this is a professional game and he is a vet. No excuses.

[kultan]

Originally Posted by Anotharaiderfan

Curry dropped so many passes this season no one can stick up for him anymore.
2 vs Denver which where back breaking
2 vs K.c.
1 vs Buffalo
1 vs SD
3 vs N.O.


Watching drop all the passes was a ****ing joke, this is a professional game and he is a vet. No excuses.

Braylon edwards has tons of drops also and Cleveland stuck with him. Players give up big plays on D All the time from our front seven and they still jog out on the field after given up 220+ yds rushing and fourth Qtr. comebacks but somehow benching curry was supposed to answer our problems when you replace him with .........?

He was in a funk and felt that he wasn't allowed to play his way out of it. I can understand his ire and really when Al is telling you that you aren't playing for the rest of the year? Come on you mean you are going from team captain to deactivated? Just another day in Oakland.

We haven't scored in forever so I guess that point really helped huh?

[S&B_BO34]

This line from the article sums up things in Oakland in a big way...

"Trying to follow the direction of this organization is like watching a pinball ricochet about a machine. No rhyme, no rhythm, no direction."

Curry has had some big drops, but no way Lelie should be starting over him. Lelie has done absolutely nothing! Curry is a Raider vet and been with us his entire time in the league. Respected in the locker room and can still make plays. Lelie has speed and that is it, he does nothing else.