Huff looking forward to "real" defense w/out Al Davis calling it.

[als_shadow]

so...it is a common occurence that one of the most storied well coached teams in history chooses to not even bother with film when they play us?

AL drafted and signed the most talented players and then he trusted them to be self-motivated and driven to win championships. This worked well until the last of the baby boomers all graduated from college in about 1986.

Since then, the game didn't pass AL by, the players let AL down.

Nobody had to study film on the last Raider Super Bowl team either. They ran the same offense and same defense that we ran in 2011 (modified slightly since then for major NFL rule changes) before AL died. You must have forgotten this.

We have players on this roster who don't really care about winning Super Bowls. I suspect that Huff is one of them.

AL never made a single tackle or scored a single point the last time we won a Super Bowl. Somebody needs to tell Michael Huff to stop blaming AL for his (Huff's) screw ups on the field. AL had a policy of allowing his players the opportunity to "free-lance" as long as they won games. So Huff has no reason to be happy that AL is gone, because AL didn't cause Michael Huff to be a failure -- he has no Super Bowl rings and no playoff wins.

STFU Huff!!!

[Palehorse]

the last Raider Super Bowl team either. They ran the same offense and same defense that we ran in 2011 (modified slightly since then for major NFL rule changes) before AL died. You must have forgotten this.

You say that like it's a good thing. Everyone else passed us by. This was/is very apparent.

Al Davis was an amazing man. But everyone in life needs to hit that moment where they come to realize that they just can't do it anymore. Our defense has been putrid. You can't just blame this on spoiled players. Everything about it was outdated and misguided in todays game.

[als_shadow]

You say that like it's a good thing. Everyone else passed us by. This was/is very apparent.

Al Davis was an amazing man. But everyone in life needs to hit that moment where they come to realize that they just can't do it anymore. Our defense has been putrid. You can't just blame this on spoiled players. Everything about it was outdated and misguided in todays game.

I know this seems strange but... if we were still using 100% NFL rules from 1977, AL would still be considered an up-to-date owner and his teams would have won more Super Bowls than they have under the changed rules. I guess you forgot that many of the major rule changes were aimed specifically to stop AL's teams from having an edge. The NFL owners wanted parity... and used every tool possible to wack AL Davis and screw him over.

Or doesn't it matter to you?

[Palehorse]

I know this seems strange but... if we were still using 100% NFL rules from 1977, AL would still be considered an up-to-date owner and his teams would have won more Super Bowls than they have under the changed rules. I guess you forgot that many of the major rule changes were aimed specifically to stop AL's teams from having an edge. The NFL owners wanted parity... and used every tool possible to wack AL Davis and screw him over.

Or doesn't it matter to you?

Oh it matters and it pisses me off. But things did change. Everything changed. We didn't adapt to it and have been paying the price for years.
I wish Al would have found a way to dominate even with the new rules. THAT would have been the way to stick it to the man. Not just trying to pull the same sht and suck bottom for years because of it. All that happened is the league won in the end.

[als_shadow]

Oh it matters and it pisses me off. But things did change. Everything changed. We didn't adapt to it and have been paying the price for years.
I wish Al would have found a way to dominate even with the new rules. THAT would have been the way to stick it to the man. Not just trying to pull the same sht and suck bottom for years because of it. All that happened is the league won in the end.

Let me make one thing perfectly clear [infamous quote by Tricky Dick aka President Nixon] NOBODY ever beat AL Davis! AL won the war by outlasting Emperor Rozelle and numerous failed NFL teams.

Most of the AL supporters stuck around until he died because we believe this to be fact. AL left us a playoff caliber roster and all it will take is a playoff level GM and a playoff level HC to get us there and follow through with AL's dream to "Just win, baby!"

[SLVR&BLK]

Al meddled on the defensive side of the ball, i think thats common knowledge if you read what the Oakland beat writers have said over the years.
If you wanted to do something different, you had to sell Al on the idea and then if it didn't work he would be pissed.
I loved Al, but thats not a very good work environment for coaches.

The players need to step up for sure, but i am excited that we will now have a fresh, modern scheme and a coaching staff on the same page with the GM.

[16 to 88]

Have no problem with what he said because it's the truth, however he'll be out of excuses if he doesn't perform well now.

What he said... EXACTLY.

[Kalifas510]

Blame it on the dead guy, very classy. Huff is a below avg safety and needs to make a play not run his mouth!

Chances are, if you can't make plays or make tackles in a very basic vanilla scheme where nothing you do is complicated, you won't be able to make them in a D where the schemes are complex.

A bad tackler is a bad tackler no matter what D you play in...

[16 to 88]

I don't care if we have {insert your favorite DC of all time here} running this squad. If we don't take personal accountability for maintaining our lanes, swatting the ball down and making tackles, this D will still be the bottom of the barrel.

You do make a good point here Mile High.

There's been a thread about Nnamdi going on here and in the same scheme as Huff he flourished.

Gotta believe that some is scheme and putting players in a position at what they do best (hiding there drawbacks while accentuating there positives attributes).

But that will only take a player so far. At some point your going to have to stick your nose in there and make an open field tackle. Something Huff has quite frankly has, s-s-s-s-s-sucked at!

I say let him run his mouth. He really put his foot in it now and if he doesn't play like one of the best safeties in the entire NFL especially considering where we drafted him and what was expected of him he will be looking pretty stupid.

[regret]

That's what I'm saying MH Huff has not done sh!t yet and he needs to start hitting people. How come no one is getting on his case for bad mouthing Al (RIP)? Everyone was on Aso's azz for saying we were happy to be 8-8 but Huff gets a free pass? I guess current Raider can bad mouth the team but former Raiders have to STFU.

I have no problem with what Nnamdi had to say. He suffered through terrible season after terrible season after terrible season and possibly the worst draft pick in the history of the NFL yet said nothing about it while managing to remain a positive presence in the locker room. He's earned the right to say whatever is on his mind as far as I'm concerned... and it's not like he went all Warren Sapp on us or anything.

[raidernationbmw]

Michael Huff has a lot to prove he's considered a veteran now and better start playing like one i want to see him make plays like Tyvon Branch who is the current leader on our defensive back field i also wanna see him become a leader too and a teacher to the younger guys and to the other safety's on our team. Michael Huff please step up your game this season we need you making plays and hitting people in the mouth like Oakland Raider safety tradition I want to see that Jack Tatum mentality in you because Branch has been showing glimpse's of that ever since we drafted him now it's your turn to STEP UP AND GO HIT SOMEBODY!!! Matt Giordano plays better than you and will be starting. Prove to us that you can be our starting FS or else you can go play for the rivals as well as far as super bowls go that's what the Raiders are built for so if you don't want to be apart of that go ahead and speak to Mr. McKenzie and he would be happy to trade you somewhere else.

[cheapshotartist]

Let me make one thing perfectly clear [infamous quote by Tricky Dick aka President Nixon] NOBODY ever beat AL Davis! AL won the war by outlasting Emperor Rozelle and numerous failed NFL teams.

Most of the AL supporters stuck around until he died because we believe this to be fact. AL left us a playoff caliber roster and all it will take is a playoff level GM and a playoff level HC to get us there and follow through with AL's dream to "Just win, baby!"

Shadow your love for Al (RIP) goes beyond common sense.

[cheapshotartist]

I have no problem with what Nnamdi had to say. He suffered through terrible season after terrible season after terrible season and possibly the worst draft pick in the history of the NFL yet said nothing about it while managing to remain a positive presence in the locker room. He's earned the right to say whatever is on his mind as far as I'm concerned... and it's not like he went all Warren Sapp on us or anything.

Word, people around here get all bent out of shape when former players tell us what was going on in the locker room. Moss said "something is fishy" and he was right. Sapp's fat azz said "Al (RIP) called the defense" and he was right. We all heard Cable say "you can't call us losers anymore" after our first 8-8 season. I'll take Aso's word over Shadows or any other fan.

[cheapshotartist]

My view on this is that I don't mind what he said, I just wish it came from someone else's mouth. I'm not the biggest Huff fan. all I ask is that he now goes out and back his words, because after this the excuses are all used up.

and to Jeff's comment, i like the 4-3 as well, and I really didn't mind Al's basic philosophies. I just preferred a higher football player to athlete ratio, discipline, fundamentals, and more creative ways to get to the QB.

I concur we just need better football players on defense. Speed don't mean sh!t If you can't play and Huff is not going to remind anyone of Tatum, Atkinson, Davis, Owens etc. IMHO Huff is to soft and can't hit.

[cheapshotartist]

Which truth are you talking about? The truth that Huff is a crappy tackler? That we have a new scheme? That bad-mouthing a person who has passed makes you look like a d-ck??

There are many "truths" being prophelisized here. You need to be specific.

WORD!