Divergent opinions of Russell's comments (long)

[blackbishop]

Reading a bunch of articles, one can see why Russell would not enjoy talking to the media, look at how different people take the things he says:

Cam Inman writes:

Candid Cam: Russell exemplifies boring day - Inside Bay Area

* * State of JaMarcus * * *

An ardent supporter in Camp Boredom is quarterback JaMarcus Russell. He's been accused of being a slow learner to this NFL stuff, so perhaps this ease-your-way-into-camp approach caters to him. He does represent what amounts to a youth-laden roster.

"It's good he's doing it that way, so when Monday comes, they're going to have a sense of what's going on," Russell said.

Throughout practice, however, Russell often took a knee well away from teammates. He looked as bored as anyone. He certainly didn't ooze any leadership charisma.

Russell kept reporters waiting for an hour before making his first state-of-JaMarcus address of training camp. But he did address the usual topics: His weight (little too heavy, but not 300 pounds, he claimed), his leadership (he knows he needs to be one by virtue of his position) and his so-called competition with backup Jeff Garcia.

Russell didn't crow about this being his team, but rather took an unselfish approach to the quarterback derby, perhaps too unselfish an approach.

Said Russell: "We all for the same team. If he going to push me to do my best, and if he do better than me that week, I'm going to be his biggest cheerleader. But we all for the same team. I wish him the best with whatever happens."

Whatever happens? Yo, the only thing you should expect to happen is that you break out in your third season, and second as the Raiders starter.

"There's going to be a lot going on this year," Russell added. "You have a lot of doubters counting the Raiders out. But it's the beginning of a new year."

The only receivers who headed down to Russell's native Alabama for an offseason passing session were youngsters Louis Murphy, Todd Watkins, Will Franklin and Jonathan Holland. So much for Russell developing vital chemistry with his main wide receivers if they were absent.

Paul Gutierrez

Raiders' Russell says he's ready to lead - Sacramento Sports - Kings, 49ers, Raiders, High School Sports | Sacramento Bee

Surrounded by cameras, microphones, notepads and nosy news types, JaMarcus Russell seemed at ease. It was a far cry from his first two seasons as an NFL quarterback.

Even when a sensitive question about his weight was lobbed across his bow, the Raiders quarterback did not flinch.

"Right now," Russell said with a grin as sly as his Southern drawl is thick, "I would say I'm a little heavier."

And you could almost hear the assembled media horde gasp at the disarming honesty displayed by the 6-foot-6 Russell, listed at 260 pounds but looking more than a biscuit heavier.

"But," Russell added, "I'm not 300 pounds like y'all said the last time."

Laughter erupted, and Russell smiled as he wiped sweat from his shaved head following the Raiders' first practice of training camp Thursday morning.

When coach Tom Cable challenged Russell to become more of a leader, many wondered how the sensitive quarterback would react, especially with four-time Pro Bowler Jeff Garcia in camp champing at the bit.

Cable liked what he saw of Russell in Thursday's morning practice, a start-stop exercise with most plays whistled dead immediately after the snap.
"From what we wanted to do … in terms of managing everything, the communication, calling it, doing your reads and all that, he looked good in the routes and the individual stuff we did throw," Cable said. "We didn't throw the ball the rest of the practice by design."

Russell, who turns 24 on Aug. 9, drew praise from the organization by holding a passing camp with wide receivers in his native Alabama recently, even if only youngsters Will Franklin, Jonathan Holland, Louis Murphy and Todd Watkins showed up.

"It was cool, man, worked over plays, worked on some routes and stuff," Murphy said. "Worked on timing. It was really cool."

Bob Padecky

Padecky: JaMarcus will lead Raiders, ready or not | PressDemocrat.com | The Press Democrat | Santa Rosa, CA

JaMarcus Russell clearly is not there yet, clearly not the leader the Raiders want, clearly not the leader the Raiders need. If Russell was, he wouldn’t have said what he said Thursday.

“A quarterback has to lead,” said the Raiders quarterback at training camp ... and that would have been fine ... but Russell added one other thing, like a bad rim shot.

“Whether he wants to or not.”

“Whether he wants to or not.” It never crossed the mind of Rich Gannon, the last great Raiders quarterback, to ever say anything like that. Gannon never had to force himself to be a leader. Sure, from time to time many of his teammates wanted to turn Gannon upside down and stick him in a dumpster, so obstinate was he about it, but never once did his mates doubt Gannon’s drive and motivation.

Joe Montana, Steve Young, Brett Favre, John Elway, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, all these guys would have cut out their tongues before saying something like that. Heck, Russell’s backup, Jeff Garcia, has fashioned a nice career by never backing his foot off the pedal. Is it fair to bring up all those Hall of Fame names in a column about Russell, not even 24? Yes, it is. Russell was the first pick in the 2007 draft.

“A quarterback, everybody looks to him,” Russell said.

And hears him say, “Whether he wants to or not.” A great NFL quarterback would find the thought repugnant, that he has to lead even if he doesn’t want to lead. A great NFL quarterback doesn’t create an opening of doubt, however slight. A NFL quarterback can not come off as anything less than confident. The position demands it. His teammates notice it, are affected by it. In fact, a NFL quarterback is allowed to be even ****y. A NFL quarterback is the egotistical spine of any football team.

Fact is, Russell looks like he’s in his second trimester, at least 280 pounds, and that would be of no consequence if he was productive. No one, after all, accuses chubby Ben Roethlisberger of Pittsburgh of being in his second trimester. Then again Bouncy Ben has two Super Bowl rings.

Which begs the obvious question: If you are the first overall pick in 2007, coming into just your second training camp, wanting to prove to Al Davis you were worth that $32 million of guaranteed money, wouldn’t you come in shape? Wouldn’t you have six-pack abs? Wouldn’t you want to show the way for the rest of your teammates?
__________________________________________________

These are three articles about the small interview Jamarcus gave during the first day of practice. One thought he was OK, the other two felt the need to rip him. Dealing with that day in and day out would be annoying and I can see why many athletes just chose to not deal with it.

[Anotharaiderfan]

No wonder Russell doesn't bother talking to the media its a complete waste of time.

Everything he says is spun to whatever the particular writer feels it should be.

[Gen_Man]

I have always stated that players do not owe mediots ****. Most of the media in bay area is filter with haters and niner lovers anyway. They are looking for an angle, a story to sell so to speak. Players need to learn will quick that you cannot be buddy buddy with these douchebags.

**** THE MEDIA.

[JRaider17]

Thats why you can't believe ****, there is always some type of bias.

[raiderArt]

I have always stated that players do not owe mediots ****. Most of the media in bay area is filter with haters and niner lovers anyway. They are looking for an angle, a story to sell so to speak. Players need to learn will quick that you cannot be buddy buddy with these douchebags.

**** THE MEDIA.

very true.

[R8drTahoe]

I said this in another thread, but it seems pertinant here as well:

A lot of Peyton Manning as well until he won the Super Bowl... especially the media.

It just goes to show that negative news is more captivating than positive. That's why there's almost always doom and gloom on the news and in the papers, cuz it sells.

If the media were just saying "things are going well in Oakland, everyone is in to training camp and is ready to get ready for the upcoming season." it wouldn't garner nearly the attention that "JaMarcus Russell may have a lazy demeanor and work habit as shown by his coming in to training camp heavy." or "DHB the Raiders' first round draft pick has not signed yet and is not at camp" (I am aware he has done both). But looking at NFL.com it was actually a "news" article that DHB hadn't signed and wasn't in camp until he signed.

Any time there is a chance to preach that the sky is falling it will be done because that is what gets attention. Not the sky is sunny with not a cloud in sight and birds are chirping...

I've been a huge advocate of giving Russell the opportunity to develop. It's usually a three year margin of learning/playing before the true player emerges...
as of now Russell has one full season as a starter under his belt, two to go in my opinion before a true evaluation can be assessed.

Add to it that Jamarcus Russell did have off season surgery on his ankle if I'm not mistaken.

It's kinda hard to do cardiovascular work outs such as running, jump rope, etc. while healing up from that.

But I am sooooooo over talking about Jamarcus' weight like it is the end all factor of how he will perform this season.

[blackbishop]

I said this in another thread, but it seems pertinant here as well:

[quote = R8drTahoe]A lot of Peyton Manning as well until he won the Super Bowl... especially the media.

It just goes to show that negative news is more captivating than positive. That's why there's almost always doom and gloom on the news and in the papers, cuz it sells.

If the media were just saying "things are going well in Oakland, everyone is in to training camp and is ready to get ready for the upcoming season." it wouldn't garner nearly the attention that "JaMarcus Russell may have a lazy demeanor and work habit as shown by his coming in to training camp heavy." or "DHB the Raiders' first round draft pick has not signed yet and is not at camp" (I am aware he has done both). But looking at NFL.com it was actually a "news" article that DHB hadn't signed and wasn't in camp until he signed.

Any time there is a chance to preach that the sky is falling it will be done because that is what gets attention. Not the sky is sunny with not a cloud in sight and birds are chirping...

I've been a huge advocate of giving Russell the opportunity to develop. It's usually a three year margin of learning/playing before the true player emerges...
as of now Russell has one full season as a starter under his belt, two to go in my opinion before a true evaluation can be assessed.

Add to it that Jamarcus Russell did have off season surgery on his ankle if I'm not mistaken.

It's kinda hard to do cardiovascular work outs such as running, jump rope, etc. while healing up from that.

But I am sooooooo over talking about Jamarcus' weight like it is the end all factor of how he will perform this season.

Winning helps but only if you are liked with the media. It will be that the team won despite you no matter what you did.

[HorrorSCope]

This is when you really can't trust a source, what a dick:

"Said Russell: "We all for the same team. If he going to push me to do my best, and if he do better than me that week, I'm going to be his biggest cheerleader. But we all for the same team. I wish him the best with whatever happens."


Writers clean up players speech 99.9% of the time. It was 100% until this aricle, the writer is trying to prove he can't handle it by the way he talks. Dick.

[madstork]

Reading a bunch of articles, one can see why Russell would not enjoy talking to the media, look at how different people take the things he says:

Cam Inman writes:

Candid Cam: Russell exemplifies boring day - Inside Bay Area

* * State of JaMarcus * * *

An ardent supporter in Camp Boredom is quarterback JaMarcus Russell. He's been accused of being a slow learner to this NFL stuff, so perhaps this ease-your-way-into-camp approach caters to him. He does represent what amounts to a youth-laden roster.

"It's good he's doing it that way, so when Monday comes, they're going to have a sense of what's going on," Russell said.

Throughout practice, however, Russell often took a knee well away from teammates. He looked as bored as anyone. He certainly didn't ooze any leadership charisma.

Russell kept reporters waiting for an hour before making his first state-of-JaMarcus address of training camp. But he did address the usual topics: His weight (little too heavy, but not 300 pounds, he claimed), his leadership (he knows he needs to be one by virtue of his position) and his so-called competition with backup Jeff Garcia.

Russell didn't crow about this being his team, but rather took an unselfish approach to the quarterback derby, perhaps too unselfish an approach.

Said Russell: "We all for the same team. If he going to push me to do my best, and if he do better than me that week, I'm going to be his biggest cheerleader. But we all for the same team. I wish him the best with whatever happens."

Whatever happens? Yo, the only thing you should expect to happen is that you break out in your third season, and second as the Raiders starter.

"There's going to be a lot going on this year," Russell added. "You have a lot of doubters counting the Raiders out. But it's the beginning of a new year."

The only receivers who headed down to Russell's native Alabama for an offseason passing session were youngsters Louis Murphy, Todd Watkins, Will Franklin and Jonathan Holland. So much for Russell developing vital chemistry with his main wide receivers if they were absent.

Paul Gutierrez

Raiders' Russell says he's ready to lead - Sacramento Sports - Kings, 49ers, Raiders, High School Sports | Sacramento Bee

Surrounded by cameras, microphones, notepads and nosy news types, JaMarcus Russell seemed at ease. It was a far cry from his first two seasons as an NFL quarterback.

Even when a sensitive question about his weight was lobbed across his bow, the Raiders quarterback did not flinch.

"Right now," Russell said with a grin as sly as his Southern drawl is thick, "I would say I'm a little heavier."

And you could almost hear the assembled media horde gasp at the disarming honesty displayed by the 6-foot-6 Russell, listed at 260 pounds but looking more than a biscuit heavier.

"But," Russell added, "I'm not 300 pounds like y'all said the last time."

Laughter erupted, and Russell smiled as he wiped sweat from his shaved head following the Raiders' first practice of training camp Thursday morning.

When coach Tom Cable challenged Russell to become more of a leader, many wondered how the sensitive quarterback would react, especially with four-time Pro Bowler Jeff Garcia in camp champing at the bit.

Cable liked what he saw of Russell in Thursday's morning practice, a start-stop exercise with most plays whistled dead immediately after the snap.
"From what we wanted to do … in terms of managing everything, the communication, calling it, doing your reads and all that, he looked good in the routes and the individual stuff we did throw," Cable said. "We didn't throw the ball the rest of the practice by design."

Russell, who turns 24 on Aug. 9, drew praise from the organization by holding a passing camp with wide receivers in his native Alabama recently, even if only youngsters Will Franklin, Jonathan Holland, Louis Murphy and Todd Watkins showed up.

"It was cool, man, worked over plays, worked on some routes and stuff," Murphy said. "Worked on timing. It was really cool."

Bob Padecky

Padecky: JaMarcus will lead Raiders, ready or not | PressDemocrat.com | The Press Democrat | Santa Rosa, CA

JaMarcus Russell clearly is not there yet, clearly not the leader the Raiders want, clearly not the leader the Raiders need. If Russell was, he wouldn’t have said what he said Thursday.

“A quarterback has to lead,” said the Raiders quarterback at training camp ... and that would have been fine ... but Russell added one other thing, like a bad rim shot.

“Whether he wants to or not.”

“Whether he wants to or not.” It never crossed the mind of Rich Gannon, the last great Raiders quarterback, to ever say anything like that. Gannon never had to force himself to be a leader. Sure, from time to time many of his teammates wanted to turn Gannon upside down and stick him in a dumpster, so obstinate was he about it, but never once did his mates doubt Gannon’s drive and motivation.

Joe Montana, Steve Young, Brett Favre, John Elway, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, all these guys would have cut out their tongues before saying something like that. Heck, Russell’s backup, Jeff Garcia, has fashioned a nice career by never backing his foot off the pedal. Is it fair to bring up all those Hall of Fame names in a column about Russell, not even 24? Yes, it is. Russell was the first pick in the 2007 draft.

“A quarterback, everybody looks to him,” Russell said.

And hears him say, “Whether he wants to or not.” A great NFL quarterback would find the thought repugnant, that he has to lead even if he doesn’t want to lead. A great NFL quarterback doesn’t create an opening of doubt, however slight. A NFL quarterback can not come off as anything less than confident. The position demands it. His teammates notice it, are affected by it. In fact, a NFL quarterback is allowed to be even ****y. A NFL quarterback is the egotistical spine of any football team.

Fact is, Russell looks like he’s in his second trimester, at least 280 pounds, and that would be of no consequence if he was productive. No one, after all, accuses chubby Ben Roethlisberger of Pittsburgh of being in his second trimester. Then again Bouncy Ben has two Super Bowl rings.

Which begs the obvious question: If you are the first overall pick in 2007, coming into just your second training camp, wanting to prove to Al Davis you were worth that $32 million of guaranteed money, wouldn’t you come in shape? Wouldn’t you have six-pack abs? Wouldn’t you want to show the way for the rest of your teammates?
__________________________________________________

These are three articles about the small interview Jamarcus gave during the first day of practice. One thought he was OK, the other two felt the need to rip him. Dealing with that day in and day out would be annoying and I can see why many athletes just chose to not deal with it.

Excellent post, and you have a good point. Russell must be a polarizing figure, the media reaction to him is as varied as the reaction on raiderfans.net, isn't it?

[ecnirp]

JaMarcus is that Commodores song

"Easy Like Sunday Morning"

Seriously check that song out.

He's not perfect, not as bad as people make him out to be, but we need to just let him be. Hopefully thats a winning QB.


Hmm. That might be my new sig, lol.

[Moriarty]

This is when you really can't trust a source, what a dick:

"Said Russell: "We all for the same team. If he going to push me to do my best, and if he do better than me that week, I'm going to be his biggest cheerleader. But we all for the same team. I wish him the best with whatever happens."


Writers clean up players speech 99.9% of the time. It was 100% until this aricle, the writer is trying to prove he can't handle it by the way he talks. Dick.

I know. It's always funny when a writer chooses to not clean up a player's speech. All of a sudden there's one player they've chosen to make sound like a complete idiot. Anyone would sound like a moron if their casual speech were transcribed verbatim.

[loctan]

This is when you really can't trust a source, what a dick:

"Said Russell: "We all for the same team. If he going to push me to do my best, and if he do better than me that week, I'm going to be his biggest cheerleader. But we all for the same team. I wish him the best with whatever happens."


Writers clean up players speech 99.9% of the time. It was 100% until this aricle, the writer is trying to prove he can't handle it by the way he talks. Dick.

I noticed the same thing man. It's just spinning **** like this is politics or something. I guarantee you Flacco and Ryan would have had theirs cleaned up.

[swoosh85]

JR just needs to let his play do the talking anyway. Every writer, radio host, tv program, and sports network has an ajenda.

[8485]

Ben is a big fat qb himself and because he wins there is nothing said and he isnt that good. Ben throws a ton Ints and holds the ball too long as well,he also rides a bike almost gets killed nothing said.

i am not saying that the way russell is acting is great but its funny who they choose is okay at what weight. Ben Looks like **** all the time. I have never seen that guy in great shape. He and Russell are about the same size and Russell gets killed.

If he was doing better and not a young black kid with lots of money that has flanted it. Been wears polos and and is a big fat white kid nothing.

[CHAMPION316]

This stuff happens but u know wat I just ignore it