Raiders seek to reinstate $1.2 billion suit against NFL
Bob Egelko, Chronicle Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
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(04-03) 12:08 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- The Oakland Raiders will be looking to snap a legal losing streak Wednesday when they ask the state Supreme Court to reinstate a $1.2 billion suit that accuses the National Football League of forcing the team out of Los Angeles in 1995 by sabotaging plans for a new stadium.
The court's ruling, due in 90 days, isn't likely to affect the team's location -- its lease in Oakland runs through 2011, and the Raiders and the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority have expressed interest in negotiating an extension.
But the verdict could resolve Raider headman Al Davis' long-standing claim that his plans to keep the team in the larger and more lucrative Southern California market were undermined by league officials' ill-will toward him.
The Raiders moved from Oakland to Los Angeles in 1982 after winning an antitrust suit against the NFL, which opposed the shift. They returned to Oakland in 1995 after trying to relocate from the cavernous Los Angeles Coliseum to a planned new stadium at Hollywood Park in suburban Inglewood, which was never built.
A separate legal dispute with Oakland authorities began two years later, when city and county officials accused the team of trying to break its lease and the Raiders countersued for fraud, claiming they had been misled about advance ticket sales.
The Raiders sought $833 million in that suit, but a Sacramento jury awarded them only $34.2 million, and a state appeals court wiped out those damages in November. The court said the team had waived its right to sue when it negotiated a new contract with the Oakland Coliseum in 1996 after learning the truth about slow ticket sales.
In the case to be heard by the high court Wednesday in Los Angeles, the Raiders claimed that the NFL caused the Hollywood Park negotiations to fail by insisting on unacceptable conditions, including a requirement that the Raiders share the stadium with another team.
The lawsuit sought $500 million in damages for the failure of the stadium deal and $700 million for the right to put a new team in Los Angeles, which has not had an NFL franchise since 1995.
After a 10-week trial, which included five days of testimony by Davis, a Los Angeles jury issued a 9-3 verdict in 2001 finding no wrongdoing by the NFL. But Superior Court Judge Richard Hubbell granted the Raiders a new trial in 2002, finding jury misconduct.
According to juror declarations submitted by the Raiders, one panel member said during deliberations that he hated Davis and the team, and would never award them damages, because he once lost a bet on them. Another juror, a lawyer, told her fellow panelists about the legal rules they had to follow in a way that differed from the judge's instructions, the Raiders said.
The first juror said in a declaration that he had only been joking to ease tensions in the jury room, and the second juror denied giving legal instructions to others. Hubbell did not specify which actions were misconduct.
His ruling was overturned in June 2005 by a state appeals court, which said the Raiders had failed to show that either juror did anything wrong. The court quoted several jurors as saying they had never heard any expression of bias from the juror who supposedly hated the Raiders. The second juror's denials were supported by other jury members, the court said.
"When faced with such conflicting evidence, courts generally deny motions for a new trial,'' because the losing side in the case has the burden of proving that the jury verdict should be set aside, the three-judge panel said.
But the Raiders' lawyers said conflicts in the evidence must be resolved by the trial judge rather than by an appellate court, which reviewed only a written record.
"There is substantial evidence of egregious and prejudicial juror misconduct,'' the team's attorneys said in written arguments to the state Supreme Court. They said only Hubbell, the trial judge, could determine who was telling the truth -- the juror who said he was joking about hating the Raiders, or other jurors who said it didn't appear to be a joke.
Lawyers for the NFL countered that Hubbell's failure to specify the juror misconduct prevented any meaningful review of his ruling by a higher court and justified the appellate panel's reinstatement of the jury verdict. The Raiders' lawyers replied that the high court, if it has any doubts, should return the case to Hubbell to clarify his ruling.
The case is Oakland Raiders vs. National Football League, S132814.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Me:
With all due respect to Mr. Davis, he's misguided on this.
The basic problem is that the documents show Mr. Davis tried to play both sides -- NFL and Oakland -- in a way that he got the stadium he desired.
It's well-known amoung those like me who were first covering the issue and later -- in my case -- involved in it, that Mr. Davis stalled signing the Oakland agreement to see if he could get a better deal at Hollywood Park.
I do wish the organization wasn't so populated with "yes" people, as they're not countering the perceptions Mr. Davis is coming up with.
I understand he hates to lose, but the Raiders made a TON of tactical errors in this case, and didn't gain my support as some of the people were trying to undermine our Super Bowl - Oakland effort.
Attacking the NFL just reopens that case, BUT now with a twist -- they lost to Oakland. The Raiders tried to tie them together at first, but that did not work at all. In other words, we sue the NFL for tampering with our Oakland move, then sue Oakland for not giving us all we believed we were getting.
But now, Oakland's given them what they wanted, and because of that it was clear the NFL was not tampering, but the Raiders were creating the climate for things to look that way.
Not right at all.
Now, Mr. Davis wants to unravel all of that, and have egg on the face of the team yet again.
All I can say is his evidence better be water-tight this time.
I seriously doubt it is.
Friday, April 06, 2007
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Don LaFontaine, John Leader, Al Chalk, Mark Elliot, and Nick Tate - Video
Wow. Check out this video featuring the greatest movie voices of the modern age of movies.
It features Don LaFontaine, John Leader, Al Chalk, Mark Elliot, and Nick Tate, all off to the Key Awards.
It features Don LaFontaine, John Leader, Al Chalk, Mark Elliot, and Nick Tate, all off to the Key Awards.
FON - Wifi Network I Just Joined
I'm preparing to go to New York for the NFL Draft, and I'm concerned that we may be without wireless service at Radio City Music Hall. In search of a backup plan in case the standard service gets giggy, I stumbled onto and joined the FON Network.
The basic idea is that with a small wireless device you can join any other person's FON network anywhere in the World. I'll let you know more as I delve into it. Right now, I'm pretty excited about it.
There seem to be a number of FONers in Oakland, including six within a mile of me.
The basic idea is that with a small wireless device you can join any other person's FON network anywhere in the World. I'll let you know more as I delve into it. Right now, I'm pretty excited about it.
There seem to be a number of FONers in Oakland, including six within a mile of me.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Senator Barack Obama - Raises $25 Million To Shock Hillary Clinton!
Much as Muhammed Ali promised to shake up the World, Senator Barack Obama's run for president is doing just that. This report is just amazing and proves that this campaign is for real, with power and legs!
Obama Raises $25M to Rival Clinton Camp
By NEDRA PICKLER
The Associated Press
Wednesday, April 4, 2007; 1:28 PM
DAVENPORT, Iowa -- Democrat Barack Obama raked in $25 million for his presidential bid in the first three months of 2007, placing him on a par with front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton and dashing her image as the party's inevitable nominee.
The donations came from an eye-popping 100,000 donors, the campaign said in a statement Wednesday.
Democratic presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. Barack Obama talks to a crowd at the VFW during a campaign stop in Rochester, N.H., Tuesday, April 3, 2007. (AP Photo/Jim Cole) (Jim Cole - AP)
The figures were the latest evidence that Obama, a political newcomer who has served just two years in the Senate, has emerged as the most powerful new force in presidential politics this year. It also reinforced his status as a significant threat to Clinton, who'd hoped her own $26 million first quarter fundraising total would begin to squeeze her rivals out of contention.
The campaign reported that the figure included at least $23.5 million that he can spend on the highly competitive primary race. The Clinton campaign has yet to disclose how much they can use for the primary verses money that is designated for the general election.
While Clinton has honed a vast national fundraising network through two Senate campaigns and her husband's eight years as president, Obama launched his bid for the White House with a relatively small donor base concentrated largely in Illinois, his home state. But his early opposition to the Iraq war and voter excitement over his quest to be the first black president quickly fueled a powerful fundraising machine.
Since he formally declared his presidential campaign in February, Obama has been traveling the country with a focus on urban areas where he could build his momentum and bring in new donors. He attracted big-money Hollywood and Wall St. executives along with families who came out to his stops in places like Oklahoma that sometimes are neglected by other candidates.
More than half the donors contributed via the Internet for a total of $6.9 million, the campaign said.
"This overwhelming response, in only a few short weeks, shows the hunger for a different kind of politics in this country and a belief at the grassroots level that Barack Obama can bring out the best in America to solve our problems," said Obama finance chairwoman Penny Pritzker.
Donors are limited by law to contributions of $2,300 for the primary election, but Clinton, Obama and some other candidates also have been raising money for the general election. That allows them to take another $2,300 from each donor, but the money has to be returned if they don't win the nomination.
Clinton's campaign often solicited the $4,600 donations, while Obama's campaign focused on recruiting small dollar donors. In the coming months, he can return to those donors and ask those who haven't maxed out to give more.
Unlike Clinton, Obama says he doesn't take money from the lobbyists or political action committees that are frequent contributors on other campaigns.
Clinton campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle said, "We are thrilled with our historic fundraising success and congratulate Senator Obama and the entire Democratic field on their fundraising, which demonstrates the overwhelming desire for change in our country."
Obama was visiting Iowa Wednesday, holding an evening rally at a community college in Mason City.
Among the other Democratic candidates, aides to former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards said his $14 million in new contributions included $1 million for the general election.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said he had raised $6 million and had more than $5 million cash on hand.
Aides to Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd said he raised more than $4 million and transferred nearly $5 million from his Senate campaign, for a total of $9 million in receipts and $7.5 million cash on hand. Delaware Sen. Joe Biden lagged behind, with his staff reporting that he had total receipts of nearly $4 million, nearly half of which was transferred from his Senate campaign account.
Edwards, speaking to Davenport, Iowa, television station KWQC, complained that the pressure to raise huge sums was distorting the political process.
"We should actually be publicly financing these campaigns," Edwards said. "We shouldn't be doing these money contests. They're not healthy, they're not good for democracy. Public financing is the answer.
"While we still have this system, you have to compete the best way you can. What's clear is I think we're going to have at least three candidates on the Democratic side who have plenty of money to run a very serious campaign."
Among the Republican candidates, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was the top money-raiser with $23 million, another eye-catching sum that place him in the same league with Clinton and Obama and left his GOP rivals in the dust.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani raised $15 million for the quarter, while Arizona Sen. John McCain posted $12.5 million. Giuliani leads the GOP field in national popularity polls, followed by McCain.
Obama Raises $25M to Rival Clinton Camp
By NEDRA PICKLER
The Associated Press
Wednesday, April 4, 2007; 1:28 PM
DAVENPORT, Iowa -- Democrat Barack Obama raked in $25 million for his presidential bid in the first three months of 2007, placing him on a par with front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton and dashing her image as the party's inevitable nominee.
The donations came from an eye-popping 100,000 donors, the campaign said in a statement Wednesday.
Democratic presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. Barack Obama talks to a crowd at the VFW during a campaign stop in Rochester, N.H., Tuesday, April 3, 2007. (AP Photo/Jim Cole) (Jim Cole - AP)
The figures were the latest evidence that Obama, a political newcomer who has served just two years in the Senate, has emerged as the most powerful new force in presidential politics this year. It also reinforced his status as a significant threat to Clinton, who'd hoped her own $26 million first quarter fundraising total would begin to squeeze her rivals out of contention.
The campaign reported that the figure included at least $23.5 million that he can spend on the highly competitive primary race. The Clinton campaign has yet to disclose how much they can use for the primary verses money that is designated for the general election.
While Clinton has honed a vast national fundraising network through two Senate campaigns and her husband's eight years as president, Obama launched his bid for the White House with a relatively small donor base concentrated largely in Illinois, his home state. But his early opposition to the Iraq war and voter excitement over his quest to be the first black president quickly fueled a powerful fundraising machine.
Since he formally declared his presidential campaign in February, Obama has been traveling the country with a focus on urban areas where he could build his momentum and bring in new donors. He attracted big-money Hollywood and Wall St. executives along with families who came out to his stops in places like Oklahoma that sometimes are neglected by other candidates.
More than half the donors contributed via the Internet for a total of $6.9 million, the campaign said.
"This overwhelming response, in only a few short weeks, shows the hunger for a different kind of politics in this country and a belief at the grassroots level that Barack Obama can bring out the best in America to solve our problems," said Obama finance chairwoman Penny Pritzker.
Donors are limited by law to contributions of $2,300 for the primary election, but Clinton, Obama and some other candidates also have been raising money for the general election. That allows them to take another $2,300 from each donor, but the money has to be returned if they don't win the nomination.
Clinton's campaign often solicited the $4,600 donations, while Obama's campaign focused on recruiting small dollar donors. In the coming months, he can return to those donors and ask those who haven't maxed out to give more.
Unlike Clinton, Obama says he doesn't take money from the lobbyists or political action committees that are frequent contributors on other campaigns.
Clinton campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle said, "We are thrilled with our historic fundraising success and congratulate Senator Obama and the entire Democratic field on their fundraising, which demonstrates the overwhelming desire for change in our country."
Obama was visiting Iowa Wednesday, holding an evening rally at a community college in Mason City.
Among the other Democratic candidates, aides to former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards said his $14 million in new contributions included $1 million for the general election.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said he had raised $6 million and had more than $5 million cash on hand.
Aides to Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd said he raised more than $4 million and transferred nearly $5 million from his Senate campaign, for a total of $9 million in receipts and $7.5 million cash on hand. Delaware Sen. Joe Biden lagged behind, with his staff reporting that he had total receipts of nearly $4 million, nearly half of which was transferred from his Senate campaign account.
Edwards, speaking to Davenport, Iowa, television station KWQC, complained that the pressure to raise huge sums was distorting the political process.
"We should actually be publicly financing these campaigns," Edwards said. "We shouldn't be doing these money contests. They're not healthy, they're not good for democracy. Public financing is the answer.
"While we still have this system, you have to compete the best way you can. What's clear is I think we're going to have at least three candidates on the Democratic side who have plenty of money to run a very serious campaign."
Among the Republican candidates, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was the top money-raiser with $23 million, another eye-catching sum that place him in the same league with Clinton and Obama and left his GOP rivals in the dust.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani raised $15 million for the quarter, while Arizona Sen. John McCain posted $12.5 million. Giuliani leads the GOP field in national popularity polls, followed by McCain.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Goodell Meets with Jones, Henry, Union Leaders
Jones, Henry, union leaders all meet with NFL chief
By DAVE GOLDBERG, AP Football Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and league officials met with Adam "Pacman" Jones Tuesday as the Tennessee Titans' cornerback attempted to avoid a long suspension following a series of arrests.
Goodell and his staff also met with Cincinnati wide receiver Chris Henry and members of the NFL Players Association executive board as he prepared a tougher policy on NFL players who violate the law.
Goodell has said he will announce his decision on suspensions or other disciplinary action before the draft on April 28 and perhaps in the next 10 days.
The NFL had no comment and lawyers for the players had no immediate response. The meeting with the players was held away from the NFL offices where six television cameras stationed themselves with no one to interview.
The Titans couldn't add much either Tuesday night.
"We have not heard anything from the NFL office," Titans general manager Mike Reinfeldt said.
Goodell also met with Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFLPA and other union officials as he tried to get a consensus for his policy. Upshaw also has been critical of player misbehavior.
Henry is one of nine Bengals who were arrested last season, leading to calls for a crackdown on player behavior. But Jones has become the focus for Goodell, who took over as commissioner in September and has been preoccupied by the issue almost from the start of his tenure.
"It went pretty good, to have the chance to meet the commissioner face to face," Henry told The Cincinnati Enquirer. "I just wanted to explain my situation to the commissioner and move on. I told him I was learning from my mistakes and how to handle myself in a better manner."
Since being drafted in April 2005, Jones has been arrested five times and questioned by police in 10 episodes. Last week, Las Vegas police recommended he be charged with a felony and two misdemeanors for his role in a Feb. 19 strip club fight that led to a triple shooting.
His lawyer, Manny Arora, did not return calls or e-mails from The Associated Press. However, he told the Nashville Tennessean on Monday: "I fully expect him to be part of that team when the season kicks off in September.
However, Jones' former agent, Gary Wichard, told the AP that he thinks Goodell could be hard on Jones. "In the commissioner's mind, he's trying to make a statement because the league needs this," Wichard said.
That seems to be the general consensus around the NFL -- that the problems have gone too far. Henry, Jones' teammate at West Virginia, was suspended by Goodell for two games last season and could face more discipline after serving two days in a Kentucky jail for letting minors drink in a hotel room he had rented.
AP Sports Writer Teresa Walker in Nashville contributed to this story.
By DAVE GOLDBERG, AP Football Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and league officials met with Adam "Pacman" Jones Tuesday as the Tennessee Titans' cornerback attempted to avoid a long suspension following a series of arrests.
Goodell and his staff also met with Cincinnati wide receiver Chris Henry and members of the NFL Players Association executive board as he prepared a tougher policy on NFL players who violate the law.
Goodell has said he will announce his decision on suspensions or other disciplinary action before the draft on April 28 and perhaps in the next 10 days.
The NFL had no comment and lawyers for the players had no immediate response. The meeting with the players was held away from the NFL offices where six television cameras stationed themselves with no one to interview.
The Titans couldn't add much either Tuesday night.
"We have not heard anything from the NFL office," Titans general manager Mike Reinfeldt said.
Goodell also met with Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFLPA and other union officials as he tried to get a consensus for his policy. Upshaw also has been critical of player misbehavior.
Henry is one of nine Bengals who were arrested last season, leading to calls for a crackdown on player behavior. But Jones has become the focus for Goodell, who took over as commissioner in September and has been preoccupied by the issue almost from the start of his tenure.
"It went pretty good, to have the chance to meet the commissioner face to face," Henry told The Cincinnati Enquirer. "I just wanted to explain my situation to the commissioner and move on. I told him I was learning from my mistakes and how to handle myself in a better manner."
Since being drafted in April 2005, Jones has been arrested five times and questioned by police in 10 episodes. Last week, Las Vegas police recommended he be charged with a felony and two misdemeanors for his role in a Feb. 19 strip club fight that led to a triple shooting.
His lawyer, Manny Arora, did not return calls or e-mails from The Associated Press. However, he told the Nashville Tennessean on Monday: "I fully expect him to be part of that team when the season kicks off in September.
However, Jones' former agent, Gary Wichard, told the AP that he thinks Goodell could be hard on Jones. "In the commissioner's mind, he's trying to make a statement because the league needs this," Wichard said.
That seems to be the general consensus around the NFL -- that the problems have gone too far. Henry, Jones' teammate at West Virginia, was suspended by Goodell for two games last season and could face more discipline after serving two days in a Kentucky jail for letting minors drink in a hotel room he had rented.
AP Sports Writer Teresa Walker in Nashville contributed to this story.
NFL INTERNATIONAL TO FOCUS ON LONDON 2007: CHINA PRESEASON GAME RESCHEDULED FOR 2009 CHINA PRESEASON GAME RESCHEDULED FOR 2009
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
(212) 450-2000 * FAX (212) 681-7573
WWW.NFLMedia.com
Joe Browne, Executive Vice President-Communications
Greg Aiello, Vice President-Public Relations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
4/2/07
NFL INTERNATIONAL TO FOCUS ON LONDON 2007:
CHINA PRESEASON GAME RESCHEDULED FOR 2009
The NFL has determined that it will focus its global resources this year on its first overseas regular-season game --
to be held on October 28 in London, England, with the Miami Dolphins hosting the New York Giants.
The American Bowl preseason game in China, originally set for August 9 in Beijing between the New England
Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, will be rescheduled. Working in partnership with the Beijing municipal authorities,
the NFL will plan to play a game at the National Stadium of Beijing in August of 2009.
“The regular-season game initiative was approved by NFL ownership after we announced the China Bowl.
Therefore, we will focus this year’s efforts on the regular-season game,” commented MARK WALLER, senior vice
president of NFL International.
“Our assessment is that Chinese fans would be better served if our game in China is played at a later date after we
have launched our international series of regular-season games and more effectively paved the way for the
introduction of our game into China,” added Waller. “As a new sport in China, it is critical that we create the best
platform for the introduction of the game. We are delighted Beijing authorities have agreed with our assessment
and have invited us to play in Beijing in 2009.”
NFL International is presently establishing an office in Beijing and will partner with the city to build fan interest in
American football prior to the 2009 flagship event.
# # #
280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
(212) 450-2000 * FAX (212) 681-7573
WWW.NFLMedia.com
Joe Browne, Executive Vice President-Communications
Greg Aiello, Vice President-Public Relations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
4/2/07
NFL INTERNATIONAL TO FOCUS ON LONDON 2007:
CHINA PRESEASON GAME RESCHEDULED FOR 2009
The NFL has determined that it will focus its global resources this year on its first overseas regular-season game --
to be held on October 28 in London, England, with the Miami Dolphins hosting the New York Giants.
The American Bowl preseason game in China, originally set for August 9 in Beijing between the New England
Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, will be rescheduled. Working in partnership with the Beijing municipal authorities,
the NFL will plan to play a game at the National Stadium of Beijing in August of 2009.
“The regular-season game initiative was approved by NFL ownership after we announced the China Bowl.
Therefore, we will focus this year’s efforts on the regular-season game,” commented MARK WALLER, senior vice
president of NFL International.
“Our assessment is that Chinese fans would be better served if our game in China is played at a later date after we
have launched our international series of regular-season games and more effectively paved the way for the
introduction of our game into China,” added Waller. “As a new sport in China, it is critical that we create the best
platform for the introduction of the game. We are delighted Beijing authorities have agreed with our assessment
and have invited us to play in Beijing in 2009.”
NFL International is presently establishing an office in Beijing and will partner with the city to build fan interest in
American football prior to the 2009 flagship event.
# # #
NFL - PRESEASON NATIONAL TV SCHEDULE FEATURES ALL PLAYOFF TEAMS & SUPER BOWL XLI REMATCH
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
(212) 450-2000 * FAX (212) 681-7573
WWW.NFLMedia.com
Joe Browne, Executive Vice President-Communications
Greg Aiello, Vice President-Public Relations
FOR USE AS DESIRED
4/2/07
PRESEASON NATIONAL TV SCHEDULE FEATURES
ALL PLAYOFF TEAMS & SUPER BOWL XLI REMATCH
It kicks off in Canton, Ohio...showcases every 2006 playoff team...and includes a rematch of Super Bowl XLI.
Those are among the highlights of a 15-game national television preseason schedule that was announced today by the
NFL, along with the complete list of 2007 preseason matchups.
The preseason begins on Sunday night, August 5 with the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio when
the New Orleans Saints face the Pittsburgh Steelers on NFL Network at 8:00 PM ET. The Saints marched to a division
title and advanced to the NFC Championship Game last season, led by AP Coach of the Year SEAN PAYTON and Pro
Bowl quarterback DREW BREES. The Steelers enter the 2007 season under the guidance of MIKE TOMLIN, who will
make his head-coaching debut in Canton.
On Monday night, August 20, the Chicago Bears visit the Indianapolis Colts in a rematch of Super Bowl XLI on ESPN
(8:00 PM ET). It will mark the first home game for the Super Bowl champion Colts since defeating the Bears on February
4 in South Florida.
Following is the 2007 NFL preseason national television schedule:
2007 NFL PRESEASON NATIONAL TELEVISION SCHEDULE
(All times Eastern)
DATE GAME NETWORK (TIME)
Sunday, August 5 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, Canton, OH:
New Orleans vs. Pittsburgh NFLN (8:00 PM)
Preseason Week 1 (August 9-13)
Thursday, August 9 Indianapolis at Dallas FOX (8:00 PM)
Friday, August 10 Buffalo at New Orleans CBS (8:00 PM)
Saturday, August 11 Washington at Tennessee NFLN (8:00 PM)
Sunday, August 12 Seattle at San Diego NBC (8:00 PM)
Monday, August 13 Denver at San Francisco ESPN (8:00 PM)
Preseason Week 2 (August 16-20)
Thursday, August 16 Miami at Kansas City ESPN (8:00 PM)
Friday, August 17 Minnesota at New York Jets FOX (8:00 PM)
Saturday, August 18 San Diego at St. Louis CBS (8:00 PM)
Sunday, August 19 New York Giants at Baltimore NBC (8:00 PM)
Monday, August 20 Chicago at Indianapolis ESPN (8:00 PM)
Preseason Week 3 (August 23-27)
Thursday, August 23 Jacksonville at Green Bay FOX (8:00 PM)
Friday, August 24 New England at Carolina CBS (8:00 PM)
Sunday, August 26 Philadelphia at Pittsburgh NBC (8:00 PM)
Monday, August 27 Cincinnati at Atlanta ESPN (8:00 PM)
2007 PRESEASON WEEK-BY-WEEK SCHEDULE
HALL OF FAME GAME – AUGUST 5
New Orleans vs. Pittsburgh (NFLN)
WEEK 1 – AUGUST 9-13
Indianapolis at Dallas (FOX, 8/9)
Buffalo at New Orleans (CBS, 8/10)
Washington at Tennessee (NFLN, 8/11)
Seattle at San Diego (NBC, 8/12)
Denver at San Francisco (ESPN, 8/13)
Arizona at Oakland
Atlanta at New York Jets
Carolina at New York Giants
Chicago at Houston
Cincinnati at Detroit
Green Bay at Pittsburgh
Jacksonville at Miami
Kansas City at Cleveland
New England at Tampa Bay
Philadelphia at Baltimore
St. Louis at Minnesota
WEEK 2 – AUGUST 16-20
Miami at Kansas City (ESPN, 8/16)
Minnesota at New York Jets (FOX, 8/17)
San Diego at St. Louis (CBS, 8/18)
New York Giants at Baltimore (NBC, 8/19)
Chicago at Indianapolis (ESPN, 8/20)
Atlanta at Buffalo
Carolina at Philadelphia
Denver at Dallas
Detroit at Cleveland
Houston at Arizona
New Orleans at Cincinnati
Oakland at San Francisco
Pittsburgh at Washington
Seattle at Green Bay
Tampa Bay at Jacksonville
Tennessee at New England
WEEK 3 – AUGUST 23-27
Jacksonville at Green Bay (FOX, 8/23)
New England at Carolina (CBS, 8/24)
Philadelphia at Pittsburgh (NBC, 8/26)
Cincinnati at Atlanta (ESPN, 8/27)
Baltimore at Washington
Cleveland at Denver
Dallas at Houston
Detroit at Indianapolis
Minnesota at Seattle
New Orleans at Kansas City
New York Jets at New York Giants
St. Louis at Oakland
San Francisco at Chicago
San Diego at Arizona
Tennessee at Buffalo
Tampa Bay at Miami
WEEK 4 – AUGUST 31-SEPTEMBER 2
Arizona at Denver
Baltimore at Atlanta
Buffalo at Detroit
Cleveland at Chicago
Dallas at Minnesota
Green Bay at Tennessee
Houston at Tampa Bay
Indianapolis at Cincinnati
Pittsburgh at Carolina
Kansas City at St. Louis
Miami at New Orleans
New York Giants at New England
New York Jets at Philadelphia
Oakland at Seattle
San Francisco at San Diego
Washington at Jacksonville
2007 PRESEASON TEAM-BY-TEAM SCHEDULE
AFC
Buffalo Miami New England New York Jets
at New Orleans (CBS) Jacksonville at Tampa Bay Atlanta
Atlanta at Kansas City (ESPN) Tennessee Minnesota (FOX)
Tennessee Tampa Bay at Carolina (CBS) at NY Giants
at Detroit at New Orleans NY Giants at Philadelphia
Baltimore Cincinnati Cleveland Pittsburgh
Philadelphia at Detroit Kansas City vs. New Orleans* (NFLN)
NY Giants (NBC) New Orleans Detroit Green Bay
at Washington at Atlanta (ESPN) at Denver at Washington
at Atlanta Indianapolis at Chicago Philadelphia (NBC)
at Carolina
Houston Indianapolis Jacksonville Tennessee
Chicago at Dallas (FOX) at Miami Washington (NFLN)
at Arizona Chicago (ESPN) Tampa Bay at New England
Dallas Detroit at Green Bay (FOX) at Buffalo
At Tampa Bay at Cincinnati Washington Green Bay
Denver Kansas City Oakland San Diego
at San Francisco (ESPN) at Cleveland Arizona Seattle (NBC)
at Dallas Miami (ESPN) at San Francisco at St. Louis (CBS)
Cleveland New Orleans St. Louis at Arizona
Arizona at St. Louis at Seattle San Francisco
NFC
Dallas New York Giants Philadelphia Washington
Indianapolis (FOX) Carolina at Baltimore at Tennessee (NFLN)
Denver at Baltimore (NBC) Carolina Pittsburgh
at Houston NY Jets at Pittsburgh (NBC) Baltimore
at Minnesota at New England NY Jets at Jacksonville
Chicago Detroit Green Bay Minnesota
at Houston Cincinnati at Pittsburgh St. Louis
at Indianapolis (ESPN) at Cleveland Seattle at NY Jets (FOX)
San Francisco at Indianapolis Jacksonville (FOX) at Seattle
Cleveland Buffalo at Tennessee Dallas
Atlanta Carolina New Orleans Tampa Bay
at NY Jets at NY Giants vs. Pittsburgh* (NFLN) New England
at Buffalo at Philadelphia Buffalo (CBS) at Jacksonville
Cincinnati (ESPN) New England (CBS) at Cincinnati at Miami
Baltimore Pittsburgh at Kansas City Houston
Miami
Arizona St. Louis San Francisco Seattle
at Oakland at Minnesota Denver (ESPN) at San Diego (NBC)
Houston San Diego (CBS) Oakland at Green Bay
San Diego at Oakland at Chicago Minnesota
at Denver Kansas City at San Diego Oakland
*Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio
280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
(212) 450-2000 * FAX (212) 681-7573
WWW.NFLMedia.com
Joe Browne, Executive Vice President-Communications
Greg Aiello, Vice President-Public Relations
FOR USE AS DESIRED
4/2/07
PRESEASON NATIONAL TV SCHEDULE FEATURES
ALL PLAYOFF TEAMS & SUPER BOWL XLI REMATCH
It kicks off in Canton, Ohio...showcases every 2006 playoff team...and includes a rematch of Super Bowl XLI.
Those are among the highlights of a 15-game national television preseason schedule that was announced today by the
NFL, along with the complete list of 2007 preseason matchups.
The preseason begins on Sunday night, August 5 with the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio when
the New Orleans Saints face the Pittsburgh Steelers on NFL Network at 8:00 PM ET. The Saints marched to a division
title and advanced to the NFC Championship Game last season, led by AP Coach of the Year SEAN PAYTON and Pro
Bowl quarterback DREW BREES. The Steelers enter the 2007 season under the guidance of MIKE TOMLIN, who will
make his head-coaching debut in Canton.
On Monday night, August 20, the Chicago Bears visit the Indianapolis Colts in a rematch of Super Bowl XLI on ESPN
(8:00 PM ET). It will mark the first home game for the Super Bowl champion Colts since defeating the Bears on February
4 in South Florida.
Following is the 2007 NFL preseason national television schedule:
2007 NFL PRESEASON NATIONAL TELEVISION SCHEDULE
(All times Eastern)
DATE GAME NETWORK (TIME)
Sunday, August 5 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, Canton, OH:
New Orleans vs. Pittsburgh NFLN (8:00 PM)
Preseason Week 1 (August 9-13)
Thursday, August 9 Indianapolis at Dallas FOX (8:00 PM)
Friday, August 10 Buffalo at New Orleans CBS (8:00 PM)
Saturday, August 11 Washington at Tennessee NFLN (8:00 PM)
Sunday, August 12 Seattle at San Diego NBC (8:00 PM)
Monday, August 13 Denver at San Francisco ESPN (8:00 PM)
Preseason Week 2 (August 16-20)
Thursday, August 16 Miami at Kansas City ESPN (8:00 PM)
Friday, August 17 Minnesota at New York Jets FOX (8:00 PM)
Saturday, August 18 San Diego at St. Louis CBS (8:00 PM)
Sunday, August 19 New York Giants at Baltimore NBC (8:00 PM)
Monday, August 20 Chicago at Indianapolis ESPN (8:00 PM)
Preseason Week 3 (August 23-27)
Thursday, August 23 Jacksonville at Green Bay FOX (8:00 PM)
Friday, August 24 New England at Carolina CBS (8:00 PM)
Sunday, August 26 Philadelphia at Pittsburgh NBC (8:00 PM)
Monday, August 27 Cincinnati at Atlanta ESPN (8:00 PM)
2007 PRESEASON WEEK-BY-WEEK SCHEDULE
HALL OF FAME GAME – AUGUST 5
New Orleans vs. Pittsburgh (NFLN)
WEEK 1 – AUGUST 9-13
Indianapolis at Dallas (FOX, 8/9)
Buffalo at New Orleans (CBS, 8/10)
Washington at Tennessee (NFLN, 8/11)
Seattle at San Diego (NBC, 8/12)
Denver at San Francisco (ESPN, 8/13)
Arizona at Oakland
Atlanta at New York Jets
Carolina at New York Giants
Chicago at Houston
Cincinnati at Detroit
Green Bay at Pittsburgh
Jacksonville at Miami
Kansas City at Cleveland
New England at Tampa Bay
Philadelphia at Baltimore
St. Louis at Minnesota
WEEK 2 – AUGUST 16-20
Miami at Kansas City (ESPN, 8/16)
Minnesota at New York Jets (FOX, 8/17)
San Diego at St. Louis (CBS, 8/18)
New York Giants at Baltimore (NBC, 8/19)
Chicago at Indianapolis (ESPN, 8/20)
Atlanta at Buffalo
Carolina at Philadelphia
Denver at Dallas
Detroit at Cleveland
Houston at Arizona
New Orleans at Cincinnati
Oakland at San Francisco
Pittsburgh at Washington
Seattle at Green Bay
Tampa Bay at Jacksonville
Tennessee at New England
WEEK 3 – AUGUST 23-27
Jacksonville at Green Bay (FOX, 8/23)
New England at Carolina (CBS, 8/24)
Philadelphia at Pittsburgh (NBC, 8/26)
Cincinnati at Atlanta (ESPN, 8/27)
Baltimore at Washington
Cleveland at Denver
Dallas at Houston
Detroit at Indianapolis
Minnesota at Seattle
New Orleans at Kansas City
New York Jets at New York Giants
St. Louis at Oakland
San Francisco at Chicago
San Diego at Arizona
Tennessee at Buffalo
Tampa Bay at Miami
WEEK 4 – AUGUST 31-SEPTEMBER 2
Arizona at Denver
Baltimore at Atlanta
Buffalo at Detroit
Cleveland at Chicago
Dallas at Minnesota
Green Bay at Tennessee
Houston at Tampa Bay
Indianapolis at Cincinnati
Pittsburgh at Carolina
Kansas City at St. Louis
Miami at New Orleans
New York Giants at New England
New York Jets at Philadelphia
Oakland at Seattle
San Francisco at San Diego
Washington at Jacksonville
2007 PRESEASON TEAM-BY-TEAM SCHEDULE
AFC
Buffalo Miami New England New York Jets
at New Orleans (CBS) Jacksonville at Tampa Bay Atlanta
Atlanta at Kansas City (ESPN) Tennessee Minnesota (FOX)
Tennessee Tampa Bay at Carolina (CBS) at NY Giants
at Detroit at New Orleans NY Giants at Philadelphia
Baltimore Cincinnati Cleveland Pittsburgh
Philadelphia at Detroit Kansas City vs. New Orleans* (NFLN)
NY Giants (NBC) New Orleans Detroit Green Bay
at Washington at Atlanta (ESPN) at Denver at Washington
at Atlanta Indianapolis at Chicago Philadelphia (NBC)
at Carolina
Houston Indianapolis Jacksonville Tennessee
Chicago at Dallas (FOX) at Miami Washington (NFLN)
at Arizona Chicago (ESPN) Tampa Bay at New England
Dallas Detroit at Green Bay (FOX) at Buffalo
At Tampa Bay at Cincinnati Washington Green Bay
Denver Kansas City Oakland San Diego
at San Francisco (ESPN) at Cleveland Arizona Seattle (NBC)
at Dallas Miami (ESPN) at San Francisco at St. Louis (CBS)
Cleveland New Orleans St. Louis at Arizona
Arizona at St. Louis at Seattle San Francisco
NFC
Dallas New York Giants Philadelphia Washington
Indianapolis (FOX) Carolina at Baltimore at Tennessee (NFLN)
Denver at Baltimore (NBC) Carolina Pittsburgh
at Houston NY Jets at Pittsburgh (NBC) Baltimore
at Minnesota at New England NY Jets at Jacksonville
Chicago Detroit Green Bay Minnesota
at Houston Cincinnati at Pittsburgh St. Louis
at Indianapolis (ESPN) at Cleveland Seattle at NY Jets (FOX)
San Francisco at Indianapolis Jacksonville (FOX) at Seattle
Cleveland Buffalo at Tennessee Dallas
Atlanta Carolina New Orleans Tampa Bay
at NY Jets at NY Giants vs. Pittsburgh* (NFLN) New England
at Buffalo at Philadelphia Buffalo (CBS) at Jacksonville
Cincinnati (ESPN) New England (CBS) at Cincinnati at Miami
Baltimore Pittsburgh at Kansas City Houston
Miami
Arizona St. Louis San Francisco Seattle
at Oakland at Minnesota Denver (ESPN) at San Diego (NBC)
Houston San Diego (CBS) Oakland at Green Bay
San Diego at Oakland at Chicago Minnesota
at Denver Kansas City at San Diego Oakland
*Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio
Philip de Vellis Details Production of "1984 Hillary" Video
Philip de Vellis, the creator of the "1984 Hillary" Video, explains how he created the now classic clip. He says that he used a Mack Book equipped with Final Cut Pro and Motion 2, which means I can make the same video right now. But here's the video.
Monday, April 02, 2007
No punishment for Coughlin's 'Hitler' quote
No punishment for Coughlin's 'Hitler' quote Oh My G-D...Just...Just see my Rant Below!!!
BY ARTHUR STAPLE
Giants coach Tom Coughlin won't be disciplined and his job is not in jeopardy after he was quoted saying he is almost as hated as Adolf Hitler.
The Giants had no official comment yesterday after the Daily News quoted Coughlin saying this, in response to a question about the battering he received in the New York and national media near the end of last season:
"I hear some of it and I see it. You know [vice president of communications Pat] Hanlon tells me about it, what's going on. Hitler and then me, in that order. Unfortunate, but it is."
Coughlin made the comment to a handful of reporters in Phoenix at the NFL meetings. He and the rest of the Giants' front office, including team president John Mara, returned home Wednesday and there was no further discussion of the remark.
Coughlin has never had the warm relationship with New York writers and radio hosts that his predecessor, Jim Fassel, enjoyed. Some of that comes from the outspoken players Coughlin has coached - he and Tiki Barber went at it privately and publicly as the team stumbled down the stretch last season - and some from Coughlin's unwillingness to show anything but his business side to reporters.
WFAN host Mike Francesa said on the air yesterday that Coughlin has canceled the weekly spot he did with Francesa and co-host Chris Russo.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HEY TOM!!! you do realize you just Pissed off about 35% of the Metro area with that Comment, don't YOU???
Do You realize that one of the two families that owns the Team are Jewish, along with a good deal of your season ticket subscribers?
Ok: we can't blame you for feeling like you have been abused by many in the last several months, True.
You knew the deal when you came here: people weren't going to like your "Tough as Nails" personality, or the way you do things. This is the Price of doing business in NY Tom!! Get over it....if you want to be well liked, you'll need a personality transplant.
BY ARTHUR STAPLE
Giants coach Tom Coughlin won't be disciplined and his job is not in jeopardy after he was quoted saying he is almost as hated as Adolf Hitler.
The Giants had no official comment yesterday after the Daily News quoted Coughlin saying this, in response to a question about the battering he received in the New York and national media near the end of last season:
"I hear some of it and I see it. You know [vice president of communications Pat] Hanlon tells me about it, what's going on. Hitler and then me, in that order. Unfortunate, but it is."
Coughlin made the comment to a handful of reporters in Phoenix at the NFL meetings. He and the rest of the Giants' front office, including team president John Mara, returned home Wednesday and there was no further discussion of the remark.
Coughlin has never had the warm relationship with New York writers and radio hosts that his predecessor, Jim Fassel, enjoyed. Some of that comes from the outspoken players Coughlin has coached - he and Tiki Barber went at it privately and publicly as the team stumbled down the stretch last season - and some from Coughlin's unwillingness to show anything but his business side to reporters.
WFAN host Mike Francesa said on the air yesterday that Coughlin has canceled the weekly spot he did with Francesa and co-host Chris Russo.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HEY TOM!!! you do realize you just Pissed off about 35% of the Metro area with that Comment, don't YOU???
Do You realize that one of the two families that owns the Team are Jewish, along with a good deal of your season ticket subscribers?
Ok: we can't blame you for feeling like you have been abused by many in the last several months, True.
You knew the deal when you came here: people weren't going to like your "Tough as Nails" personality, or the way you do things. This is the Price of doing business in NY Tom!! Get over it....if you want to be well liked, you'll need a personality transplant.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Clinton Supporter Markos Moulitsas Zúniga Of "Daily Kos" Blows It - Intentionally Misquotes Barack Obama
"Markos Moulitsas Zúniga, I salute you!" - Senator Hillary Clinton
Markos Moulitsas Zúniga -- the founder and head guru of the popular political blog "Dally Kos" picked up the recent USA Today, saw Senator Barack Obama's face, and since "Kos" as he's called gets about $4,900 a week from Hillary Clinton , (enough to buy two Mercedes Benz sedans!!) he decided to do what any fanatical supporter of the New York Senator would do: misquote Senator Barack Obama.
On Sunday, Senator Obama was quoted in the USA Today as saying this:
"SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — If President Bush vetoes an Iraq war spending bill as promised, Congress quickly will provide the money without the withdrawal timeline the White House objects to because no lawmaker "wants to play chicken with our troops," Sen. Barack Obama said Sunday.
"My expectation is that we will continue to try to ratchet up the pressure on the president to change course," the Democratic presidential candidate said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I don't think that we will see a majority of the Senate vote to cut off funding at this stage."
The Senator was speculating on what he believes Congress -- which has a razor-thin Democratic majority -- would do if the bill is vetoed by the President. He never stated he supported the war -- never has But think about it. Stop for 30 seconds. If funding was cut off without a timetable for getting out of Iraq, what would the troops do? Ah, leave on a jet plane for home, defying orders? Go postal? What?
Are you paying attention? Are you thinking? Good!
Now this is what "Kos" wrote:
Obama caves to Bush
by kos
Sun Apr 01, 2007 at 10:57:18 AM PDT
I wish this was an April Fools Day joke:
If President Bush vetoes an Iraq war spending bill as promised, Congress quickly will provide the money without the withdrawal timeline the White House objects to because no lawmaker "wants to play chicken with our troops," Sen. Barack Obama said Sunday.
What a ridiculous thing to say. Not only is it bad policy, not only is it bad politics, it's also a terrible negotiating approach.
Instead of threatening Bush with even more restrictions and daring him to veto funding for the troops out of pique, Barack just surrendered to him.
Let me repeat that -- Obama just surrendered to Bush.
Note that "Kos" quoted only part of what the Senator said, not the whole deal. But considering that Kos is bought and paid for by Hillary Clinton, this comes as no surprise. My point is, his blog post can't be trusted at all. I like his work and his rise to pop-culture icon, but I don't like this way of playing fast and loose with the truth.
But since Kos isn't one to get the nuance of public policy, nor has he been confused with a policy wonk, I should not be surprised with this huge blunder. But, I forgot, he's paid by Hillary, who's been buying the support of everyone from a prominent Black preacher to the Iowa governor , and perhaps even several stray dogs.
Ah, maybe not -- stray dogs can't be bought.
What bothers me is there are people on his board who just blindly went along with what Kos wrote without doing any digging at all.
What the hell ever happened to critical thinking?
Raiders Head Coach Lane Kiffin Looks To 2007 Season
Nothing to Look Back on, Raiders Only Look Ahead
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: April 1, 2007
When Lane Kiffin took over as the Oakland Raiders’ coach, one of the first things he told his new players was that he did not want to dwell on what went wrong last season.
For the players who went through a 2-14 campaign that led to the Raiders being the butt of jokes on late-night comedy shows and Coach Art Shell being fired, that was a welcome approach.
“That’s exactly what I wanted to hear,” offensive tackle Robert Gallery said. “He said it before I even had to. I didn’t want to have to talk about it. It’s over, we’re on to new things.”
That was especially true for Gallery and the offense, which had one of the worst seasons in league history. The Raiders scored 168 points — fifth fewest in a 16-game season — had 12 offensive touchdowns, allowed a league-worst 72 sacks and failed to score a touchdown in their final three games.
Gallery, the No. 2 overall pick in 2004, looked lost at times as he moved from right to left tackle. He said he feels much more comfortable under the new assistant Tom Cable’s direction than he did under the inexperienced Jackie Slater.
“The system didn’t fit the offensive linemen that you had,” said the new fullback Justin Griffith, who played for the Falcons last season when Cable was the offensive line coach. “I think it was more the system than it was the players.”
There is plenty of excitement in Oakland about the regime and a new start as the team tries to rebound from four straight losing seasons.
But this is the time of year for optimism for all teams with new coaches, when everyone hopes the change will lead to success and no one has lost a game yet.
“Right now everybody is happy, the sun is out, everything is good,” cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha said. “But when adversity hits you never know what you are going to get. Like always, I can’t predict the future. I don’t know what is going to happen, but right now he has been very positive and seems like a guy that can take control.”
Kiffin said more than 90 percent of the players have been at the voluntary workouts, showing up at least four days a week. One notable exception has been the disgruntled receiver Randy Moss, who expressed a desire to be traded at various points last season.
Kiffin and the coaching staff have begun putting in some of the new offense, which will include elements of the West Coast offense that the coordinator Greg Knapp has used in the past, with some wrinkles Kiffin has brought from U.S.C.
But much of the final product will depend on who is playing quarterback, which remains up in the air.
Andrew Walter is the only quarterback with N.F.L. experience on the roster. The team could select quarterback JaMarcus Russell of Louisiana State or Brady Quinn of Notre Dame with the No. 1 overall draft pick, and also bring in another veteran.
Kiffin has talked with the former Houston quarterback David Carr, who was released by the Texans. Kiffin was a graduate assistant at Fresno State when Carr was on the team.
But for now, Walter is the quarterback. The Raiders thought so highly of Walter that they did not use their first-round pick a year ago on Matt Leinart or Jay Cutler.
But given a chance to play when Aaron Brooks went down with an injury in the second game, Walter struggled last year.
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: April 1, 2007
When Lane Kiffin took over as the Oakland Raiders’ coach, one of the first things he told his new players was that he did not want to dwell on what went wrong last season.
For the players who went through a 2-14 campaign that led to the Raiders being the butt of jokes on late-night comedy shows and Coach Art Shell being fired, that was a welcome approach.
“That’s exactly what I wanted to hear,” offensive tackle Robert Gallery said. “He said it before I even had to. I didn’t want to have to talk about it. It’s over, we’re on to new things.”
That was especially true for Gallery and the offense, which had one of the worst seasons in league history. The Raiders scored 168 points — fifth fewest in a 16-game season — had 12 offensive touchdowns, allowed a league-worst 72 sacks and failed to score a touchdown in their final three games.
Gallery, the No. 2 overall pick in 2004, looked lost at times as he moved from right to left tackle. He said he feels much more comfortable under the new assistant Tom Cable’s direction than he did under the inexperienced Jackie Slater.
“The system didn’t fit the offensive linemen that you had,” said the new fullback Justin Griffith, who played for the Falcons last season when Cable was the offensive line coach. “I think it was more the system than it was the players.”
There is plenty of excitement in Oakland about the regime and a new start as the team tries to rebound from four straight losing seasons.
But this is the time of year for optimism for all teams with new coaches, when everyone hopes the change will lead to success and no one has lost a game yet.
“Right now everybody is happy, the sun is out, everything is good,” cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha said. “But when adversity hits you never know what you are going to get. Like always, I can’t predict the future. I don’t know what is going to happen, but right now he has been very positive and seems like a guy that can take control.”
Kiffin said more than 90 percent of the players have been at the voluntary workouts, showing up at least four days a week. One notable exception has been the disgruntled receiver Randy Moss, who expressed a desire to be traded at various points last season.
Kiffin and the coaching staff have begun putting in some of the new offense, which will include elements of the West Coast offense that the coordinator Greg Knapp has used in the past, with some wrinkles Kiffin has brought from U.S.C.
But much of the final product will depend on who is playing quarterback, which remains up in the air.
Andrew Walter is the only quarterback with N.F.L. experience on the roster. The team could select quarterback JaMarcus Russell of Louisiana State or Brady Quinn of Notre Dame with the No. 1 overall draft pick, and also bring in another veteran.
Kiffin has talked with the former Houston quarterback David Carr, who was released by the Texans. Kiffin was a graduate assistant at Fresno State when Carr was on the team.
But for now, Walter is the quarterback. The Raiders thought so highly of Walter that they did not use their first-round pick a year ago on Matt Leinart or Jay Cutler.
But given a chance to play when Aaron Brooks went down with an injury in the second game, Walter struggled last year.
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