200 Million Reasons Why.... Its Time For A Road Trip

Yeah Yeah Yeah....... I have heard all of the stories about how the Raiders are Oakland and how Oakland is the Raiders. I understand. I get it. By now, I am sure you get it too. Butttttttttt....... Raider Nation may be packing their bags and making a road trip down south pretty soon.

The NFL Owners just agreed to a 200 Million dollar grant to the San Francisco Forty Niners to move the team to Santa Clara and build a stadium. Niners officials are saying that the team will be ready to relocate for the 2015 season.

Question is, will the Raiders partner with them? Well, without Al Davis in the mix, Tommy Boy has some choices to make. Here is how the deal would work.........

The stadium site will be owned by the city of Santa Clara, who will lease it to the Santa Clara Stadium Authority under what is called the "ground lease". The Santa Clara Stadium Authority will then lease the stadium to the Forty Niners Stadium, LLC, in what the term sheet calls the "stadium lease". The Forty Niners Stadium, LLC will lease the stadium to the San Francisco Forty Niners, LTD in what is referred to as the "team sublease". At their discretion, Forty Niners Stadium, LLC can also lease the stadium to the Oakland Raiders, the "2nd team sublease". 

You dizzy yet? Here is a picture of how it all works....

The Ground Lease, Stadium Lease and Team Sublease all have the same term: 40 years minimum, with 5 options to renew for another 4 years - bringing the maximum lease period to 60 years. Forty Niners Stadium, LLC has the option as to whether they want to exercise a lease extension or terminate the leases. The 2nd Team Sublease, while controlled by the Forty Niners Stadium, LLC, is supposed to be subject to the same terms as the Stadium Lease, but presumably that does not include the 40 year term. Section 16.2 of the term sheet even talks about a temporary 2nd team sublease of up to 3 NFL seasons while the Oakland Raiders wait for a new stadium to be built.  

My thoughts.......Raiders Get Screwed....As Subtenants.....

Word is that as of October 2011 the 49ers were far enough along on the stadium to have reportedly already sold over a quarter of the luxury suites, which means the Raiders would be forced to be secondary tenants. This would be similar to the Jets being the tenants of the Giants, after they moved into Giants Stadium from Shea Stadium in 1984. How about it Raider Nation? Want to walk into a home game and enjoy the plush Red and Gold carpet greeting you?

I say hell no! PLAN B!!!

This ladies and gentlemen, is Plan B! Farmers Field.

 Welcome to the $2.5 Billion dollar LA Live owned by AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group )! The City Of Angels.

Here you have 5,600,000 square feet of apartments, ballrooms, bars, Nokia theatre, restaurants, movie theaters and a 54-story Ritz Carlton hotel and condominium tower, on a 27-acre site. Oh and not to forget, the Staples Center Home of 16 time World Champion Los Angeles Lakers, Home Of The Los Angeles Clippers Of Anaheim and The Los Angeles Kings.

This is not the Los Angeles you may remember. The City has been revamped (I know because I have completed 10 of the major renovation construction projects in Downtown LA myself), the element has changed and the environment is more family friendly. Hell, who am I trying to convince? 

I ask you to think of it this way though, overall, do you want to be a stepchild or do you want to own your own home!

Plain and simple, Santa Clara does not want the Raiders. The Whiners don't want anything but a split in the costs and revenue and what do the Raiders get? The Visitors locker room.

I say get ready to pack your bags Raider Nation of the North! Pack lite, its nice weather in Southern Cali!



Chaotic View

The Great Schilens Debate

As the bye week gets into full effect, the Oakland Raiders are looking to improve on the overall health of the team with many key positions. You have Nnamdi with the ankle, Henderson with the foot, Miller with the foot, and the most anticipated and oft injured Chaz Schilens and the knee, or is it knees? Or is it a foot? Or is it.......oh God I give up.

Lets get into who this notorious WR is that seems to be on the Al Davis scholarship.

Chazeray "Chaz" Schilens  is a 25 year old 6'4", 225 WR, with similar physical stature to Vincent Jackson of the San Diego Super Chokers. Schilens was a seventh-round pick out of San Diego State in 2008. His contract was signed on 7/17/2008 for four-years @ $1.755 million. The deal included a $50,000 signing bonus.

His yearly salary will be 2010: $470,000, 2011: $555,000, 2012: Free Agent.

After being drafted by the Raiders, Schilens played his first game against  the Denver Broncos where he caught two passes for 29 yards. Schilens got his first taste as a starter on October 19, 2009  vs. the New York Jets. In his first year, Schilens played in all 16 games, six of those as a starter. See his 2008 stat line below.

Schilens finally made his 2009 debut in a game against the Chiefs in Week 10 where he had 3 Rec. for 27 yards in a 16-10 loss. Schilens finished out the month of November with 7 Rec. for 100 yards, and bettered in December with 14 Rec. for 166 yards and two touchdowns. In the final game of the 2009 season against the Baltimore Ravens, Schilens hauled in eight passes for 99 yards, a career high, and the Raider Nation fell in love!

Here is his Career stat line:

2008

15 Rec. 226 Yards 2 TD's

2009

29 Rec. 365 Yards 2 TD's

Injuries

On August 18, 2009, Chaz broke the fifth metatarsal bone in his left foot in a non-contact drill during an intra squad scrimmage against the 49ers and he subsequently missed half of the ’09 season. Upon his return, he had 29 catches for 365 yards and two touchdowns, but needed another operation after the season to help the foot fully heal.

During the pre season of 2010, the Raiders had high expectations of their wide receiver corps, with a returning Chaz playing the 1, DHB playing the 2 and Louis Murphy at the 3. That was until August of this preseason, when we found out the Schilens injured his foot during practice. When head coach Tom Cable was interviewed about the injury, he said it was that Chaz was just just pushing a little too much and hurt his foot again. They took it easy on him and upon his return to practice and two a days, the injury bug bit again when Chaz injured his knee. Cable said the knee injury was likely a result of overcompensating for the foot injury and he underwent a "minor procedure" to clean up the knee.

After week upon week of pressing questions and the press asking Cable about the injury and rehab, it was finally acknowledged that Chaz Schilens' August knee surgery wasn't just a simple scope as he originally led us to believe.

"I think the procedure that was done was not something real minor or anything like that," said Cable "It was fairly extensive, so it takes time."

Damn I hate a liar.

"He is on the field working now," coach Cable said in a week 5 interview. "There's no running, nothing quick twitch. (We're) just trying to get him back on his feet."

I mean come on, Schilens was only expected to miss 3-6 weeks after undergoing the knee surgery. Can someone say scholarship?

Our Achilles hell this year has been the wide receiver position. DHB sat out of the 3rd scrimmage game with what was called "fatigue" after a promising pre season and has been more then inconsistent during the first 9 games of the season. Louis Murphy has been a little more consistent during the season, but has been slowed by a collar bone injury he sustained against San Diego and a bruised lung that has kept him out since the San Francisco game. Without the unsung hero, Jacoby Ford who singlehandedly willed the Raiders in the win at home against Kansas City, its safe to say this wide receiver corp has been a huge disappointment.

Back to Chaz....what is it about this guy that is so amazing that the Raiders are wasting a roster spot to keep this guy on the payroll? Terrel Owens was available, and we passed. Michael Crayton was available, and went to the Chokers. Hell even Randy Moss was a free agent and we could have placed a waiver claim on him, but we passed.

So I did a little homework and found this highlight video of Chaz. Yes, you heard it right, a highlight video of Chaz.

To be quite honest with you, I am tired of waiting for this guy, as promising as he may be. Let me know what you think. Your comments and opinions are important!

As always, just a

Chaotic View

Seeing Is Believing - Defense

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. The achilies heel. The show stopper. One game they show up, the next they're no where to be seen. Its funny how the first week all 3 phases of the team put it together for a complete team win, was 7 weeks into the damn season. It's often said that the Defense is the quickest part of the team to gel when the season opens. Looks like someone forgot to tell the Raiders that.

Opening game against the Tennessee Titans, the Raiders were sent home with their tails tucked between their legs, allowing Chris Johnson to run for 142 yards and two touchdowns, and Vince Young to throw  for two scores in a 38-13 route. They had 205 yards rushing in that game and held the ball for 31 minutes.

Throwing out the Arizona game, which could have went our way, they lose miserably at home against a good Texans team who also gashed the Oakland rush defense for 249 yards and maintained the ball for 30 minutes.

And who can forget the debocle against the whiners where the Raiders allowed 158 rush yards and gave the whiners over 33 minutes of possession.

There is a trend here. Time of possession and controlling the run!

Here are our stats year to date:

26.3 points per game allowed

26th in the league

331.1 yards per game

16th in the league

192.3 Pass yards per game

5th in the league

138.9 rush yards per game

28th in the league

So, what's our fix to this mess?

His name is Richard Seymore and he has a few buddies that go by the name Tommy, Trevor, Mike Mitchell and Rolando Mclain.

Here are the keys:

Staying true to gap responsibilities. Wrap up tackles in space and gang tackling at the point of attack. OWN the line of scrimmage and do not, I say again Rolando, do not over-pursue the damn play!!!!!!

Stopping the Seattle run game won't be easy, but failing to do so will set up the play action pass and allow the Seahawks to get big plays and control the clock.

In the secondary, I wont even touch on Nnamdi, because that would'nt be fair to the opponent. He is absolutely a shut down corner, hands down. The big key to this game, as Nnamdi will pretty much shut down the resurgent Mike Williams, is Mike Mitchell. This guy has done a tremendous job on some of the best tight ends in the league. Vernon Davis of the 49ers caught only one ball . Antonio Gates caught only two. Being able to cover the tight end and also be aware of the run is key to this defenseive team gelling and performing their roles. Remember, it takes a team effort on defense. ( Oh yeah, I've been wanting to say this for a long time now......

STANFORD ROUTT, YOU SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Seahawks will try to beat the Raiders in Oakland for the first time in nearly 13 years Sunday.Seattle is trying to end a five-game losing streak in Oakland dating to December 1997. Key words there, try and trying. Sorry to tell ya boys, but youre not winning this weekend.

Protecting Matt Hasselbeck, who was sacked five times last week, could also be an issue with rookie left tackle Russell Okung's status in question due to a left high ankle sprain.

Yes I know this is Charlie Whitehurst....and?

I'll say it here as I do when I am watching the game, GET HIS ASS!!!!!!!

PS.....There is only one Nation, The Raider Nation, so someone tell these clowns to stop biting our rhyme.

Losers.

As always just a

Chaotic View