Oakland Raiders News

Raiders hire Clancy Pendergast to coach defensive backs
"The Raiders hired Clancy Pendergast on Monday as their defensive backs coach. Pendergast, 42, has coached in the NFL the past 15 years, including the past six as a defensive coordinator. He was with the Kansas City Chiefs last season and the Arizona Cardinals from 2004-08. The Raiders hired Pendergast to replace longtime secondary coach Willie Brown, who announced his retirement soon after last season ended. Pendergast is the third assistant coach hired since the end of the regular season. He joins Mike Waufle (defensive line) and Hue Jackson (offensive coordinator)."
ESPN: Pendergast will coach Raiders DBs
"ESPN is reporting that deposed Kansas City defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast will coach the Raiders' defensive backs in 2010. Pendergast could either replace incumbent secondary coach Lionel Washington, who is still under contract, or join Washington on staff."
NFL players preparing for 2011 lockout
"As collective bargaining agreement negotiations between the NFL Players Association and the NFL owners continue to drag, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said he expects the owners to lock out the players before the 2011 season. Chad Ochocinco, representing OCNN, asked the first question of a press conference this afternoon in which the NFLPA laid out their message. He asked Smith how worried he is about a lockout next season. "On a scale of 1 to 10," Smith said, "it's a 14." Smith said he and NFLPA president Kevin Mawae have informed players to save 25 percent of their paychecks in order to prepare for a lockout. Mawae said negotiations for a CBA have been "frustrating" and moved ..."
Silent Al Davis must be ready to deliver goods
"WITH THE NFL and much of the sports world fixated on Super Bowl 44, you just know the Raiders are quietly finalizing their amazing bailout plan. A scheme, if you will, articulated to prove they can and will find answers that have eluded them for seven years. The unveiling should come as soon as Tuesday. That's the strategy, isn't it? Why else would a professional sports organization, in the hour of perhaps its greatest need, spend the first full month of an offseason willfully and dutifully shrinking its profile? Something has to be up, something more than hiring Hue Jackson as offensive coordinator and Mike Waufle as defensive line coach. Despite the lunacy exhibited by Raiders boss Al ..."
Cable comes from winning staff at San Diego St.
"Saints receivers coach Curtis Johnson thought he knew Tom Cable. They played college ball together at Idaho. They broke into coaching together at San Diego State. But when Cable became the Raiders' head coach last year, Johnson barely recognized the animated man making those brash promises with emphatic hand gestures during a televised press conference. "I couldn't believe that was Big Red," Johnson said Wednesday before the Saints practiced for Super Bowl XLIV. "I can't imagine him being in front of a team, giving a big speech or anything. Back then, he never said anything. Not a word. I was like, 'Check him out.' " Check them all out, that beginner's group of Aztecs coaches in 1989, ..."
Raiders CB says he was joking about joining Jets
"Well, we knew Nnamdi Asomugha could play defense. Days after saying he and Darrelle Revis talked about teaming up in the Jets' defensive backfield, the Raiders Pro Bowl cornerback claims it was a two-way joke and "the story was totally overblown." "The only thing we were 'dead serious' about was the fact that it would be fun to one day play on the same team," Asomugha told the San Francisco Chronicle in an e-mail. "That's all. We were two guys enjoying the Pro Bowl and completely clowning around during the week. "We were playfully recruiting each other; I was talking about getting him to Oakland and vice versa." Asomugha, in the second year of a three-year, $45 million contract, said he ..."
Oakland Raiders should trade Nnamdi Asomugha
"I LOVE New York ... as the next home of Nnamdi Asomugha, the Raiders' Pro Bowl cornerback who apparently has his eye on joining the Jets. Get rid of Nnamdi? The sanest voice in the NFL's looniest locker room? The Raiders' best player, at least among those who don't kick a football for a living? Yes, yes and yes. Do the deal, as long as Al Davis nabs a franchise-saving package of draft picks and players in return. Asomugha's value is sky high. The Raiders, since Asomugha's rookie year of 2003, have been 6 feet under. Even at his peak, he hasn't stopped their tailspin and five-win seasons. He is a magnificent bargaining chip who could generate a blockbuster trade, along the standard set by ..."
Once again Bay Area teams left out of Super Bowl rotation
"IT'S SUPER BOWL Week, which means for the next seven days our cumulative national energy will be concentrated in one region. Once again, it's not the Bay Area. That, frankly, makes me a little envious. It's been a quarter century and counting since we were granted the privilege of hosting America's grandest annual sports event. The 49ers on Jan. 20, 1985, pounded the Miami Dolphins into a thin paste with a 38-16 win at Stanford Stadium. There have been 43 Super Bowls. That was our first and last. The 44th comes Sunday in Miami. Of course it's Miami. Isn't it always Miami? Though the Bay Area meets or exceeds the league's basic requirements for a host region - three international airports, ..."
Raiders' silence shows contempt for fans
"Raiders to fans: Buzz off! If you want to know who our head coach will be next season, buy a ticket and show up for the first game. We've got more important things to do thanyou on our coaching situation. Like finding a shade of black more slimming for our quarterbacks. Last Thursday, Tom Cable - rumored to be the coach of the Raiders - broke a 23-day media silence by chatting on a Sacramento radio station. Cable answered, sort of, some of the questions hanging over the troubled team. He "absolutely" expects to return as head coach. He has had several talks with Al Davis, although none about whether Cable will be retained. JaMarcus Russell's leadership role is no more important than that ..."
Darting Here and There
"DARTING HERE and there ... i No wonder the Raiders wanted Hue Jackson. In his only two stints as an NFL offensive coordinator, he went 5-11 with the 2003 Redskins and 4-12 with the 2007 Falcons. He fits perfectly. i Seriously, I can't wait to see how good Bruce Gradkowski might become in Jackson's offense. i So what's Tom Cable going to do now that he can't spend the whole game scouring for something that might work on his play menu? Organize Gatorade cups in neat little rows? i Of course, this is presuming Cable is staying. It's still hard to believe The Al is recommitting to a coach who is never going to recommit (honestly, anyway) to his unsalvageable flop, JaMarcus Russell. i Actually, ..."
Raiders to sponsor first Oakland marathon in two decades
"Runners who make the full 26.2-mile trek to the finish line of Oakland's first marathon in more than 20 years will arrive to the cheers of the Raiderettes, organizers announced Wednesday. The Oakland Raiders are sponsoring the first mile of the Oakland Running Festival marathon, the longest run in a festival set for March 27 and 28, festival spokesman Dave Gell said. "The Raiders are pleased to work with the City of Oakland to support an event that highlights the city's parks and recreation facilities, helps sustain worthwhile community endeavors and bolsters the local economy," Raiders chief executive Amy Trask said in a written statement."
Tom Cable says his job status with the Raiders has 'never been an issue'
"Raiders coach Tom Cable, ending a prolonged silence over his job status, said in a radio interview Thursday that he has no doubt that he will continue in his current capacity for the 2010 season. Cable spoke for about 11 minutes with KHTK-Sports 1140-AM in Sacramento on an array of topics that he has avoided since his season-ending news conference Jan. 4. Cable has refused all interview requests from Bay Area media, save a brief, off-the-cuff remark earlier this week to a TV reporter camped in the parking lot of the team's year-round facility in Alameda. "I don't think there was ever any question," Cable said, when asked if he expects to be the Raiders coach next season. "That, really, was ..."
Can Jackson turn Russell around?
"Hue dat? Hue dat? Hue dat say dey gonna fix JaMarcus Russell? While the rest of the country got wrapped up in the feel-good story that is the New Orleans Saints' Who Dat Nation, the Raiders went about their business this week. Business as usual. Or at least, business as usual as it can be when it comes to that old Eastern Bloc cloak-and-dagger mentality that reigns over Raider Nation. Announce the rehiring of a defensive-line coach in Mike Waufle, who was part of the Jon Gruden Regime, but fail to mention what has become of the the former D-line coach, Dwaine Board? Check. Issue a statement denying an ESPN report that says Al Davis has chosen to retain Tom Cable by saying he has not ..."
Raiders' assistant coach Hue Jackson moves to reach his goals
"STEVE MARIUCCI once stood in a corridor at Memorial Stadium pondering the source of the friction with his former boss, Bruce Snyder, and guessing it was linked to a man named Hue Jackson. Jackson, having spent four years as an assistant under Snyder at Arizona State, was an energetic 30-year-old running backs coach equally popular with players and staff - much as Mariucci was during his time as an assistant under Snyder at Cal. Mariucci had hired Jackson away from Arizona State, bringing him to Cal and installing him as offensive coordinator - and perhaps alienating Snyder. "I called Bruce to let him know I was interested in Hue," Mariucci recalled at the time. "And, boy, he wasn't happy ..."
There's only so much new Raiders assistant Jackson can do with JaMarcus
"New Raiders offensive coordinator Hue Jackson won't save JaMarcus Russell's Raiders career. No coach, assistant or muse can do that. Only Russell can. It won't happen, anyhow. No disrespect to Jackson, but he can't be coming to the Raiders simply to hold Russell's hand. Jackson must coordinate one of the league's most feeble offenses, one that Russell wanted no part of this past season. Here is your word of the day: Fun. We all like to have fun. Jackson thinks coaching Russell will be just that. But Russell and fun can't coexist, not with his career in such serious demise. "This guy was the first player drafted. It's going to be fun to see if we can get him up and playing the way we all ..."
Raiders offense takes on a new Hue
"The Raiders maintain they have not decided if head coach Tom Cable will be back next season. They have decided that, one way or the other, Cable no longer will be calling the offensive plays. New offensive coordinator Hue Jackson will handle those duties. The Raiders hired the Ravens' quarterbacks coach Tuesday to run an offense that scored 17 touchdowns under Cable's play-calling last season, the second-fewest in franchise history. The Raiders did not make Jackson, 45, available for interviews, but Jackson explained his job description to the Ravens' official Web site. "I'm hired as the offensive coordinator and I'll be the primary play caller," Jackson said. "That's my role. It's a ..."
Raiders hire Hue Jackson as their new offensive coordinator
"The Raiders have hired Baltimore Ravens assistant coach Hue Jackson as their new offensive coordinator, Jackson confirmed on Tuesday. Jackson, who has been credited with helping develop Joe Flacco while serving as the Ravens quarterbacks coach, told the Baltimore Sun via a released statement that he's headed to Oakland. "After much consideration I have decided to accept a position as offensive Coordinator with the Oakland Raiders," said Jackson. "I will miss the fans here and I thank them for all the encouragement and support they have shown me while I called Baltimore my home. I'd like to extend my deepest gratitude to Steve Bisciotti, Ozzie Newsome, Dick Cass and especially Coach John ..."
Hue Jackson accepts Raiders offensive coordinator job
"Ravens quarterbacks coach Hue Jackson, left, confirmed that he has agreed to become the Oakland Raiders' offensive coordinator. In his two seasons with the Ravens, Jackson has helped develop quarterback Joe Flacco. He interviewed with the Raiders for three days last week and was headed to talk to the Chicago Bears on Tuesday before canceling. Jackson was previously the offensive coordinator in Atlanta (2007) and Washington ('03). The Raiders didn't have an offensive coordinator last season."
Oakland hires Ravens QB coach Jackson to run offense
"The Raiders insist that no decision has been made on Tom Cable's future, but the team continues to build a staff for him. Oakland has hired Baltimore quarterbacks coach Hue Jackson as its new offensive coordinator, FOXSports.com has learned. Sources close to the current Raiders head coach insist that Jackson is to be Cable's offensive coordinator and not the new head coach."
Sources: Jackson to take Raiders' offer
"Baltimore Ravens quarterbacks coach Hue Jackson, who was scheduled to interview Tuesday in Chicago for the Bears' offensive coordinator job, will accept an offer to serve in that capacity for the Oakland Raiders, sources close to the situation tell ESPN. Jackson interviewed with Raiders owner Al Davis last week and has had a desire to become an NFL offensive coordinator. His biggest project is expected to be working with Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell, who has been a disappointment since Oakland selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in 2007. Russell again struggled this season and was benched by coach Tom Cable for four of Oakland's final seven games."
Cable should coach until told otherwise
"There are two ways for a head coach to deal with the sort of uncertainty brought to bear by the Raiders. There's the Lane Kiffin approach _ show up at the Senior Bowl without a Raiders shield in sight, wearing a gray hat with an NFL logo, decline comment on the record, but send out as many smoke signals as possible to let people know Al Davis has stripped the coach of any authority and that continued employment isn't necessarily a foregone conclusion. Or there's the Bill Callahan approach _ named "captain of the coaches" following the trade of Jon Gruden to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he simply rolled up his sleeves, went to work and conducted himself as a head coach should until finally ..."
Receivers reflect Raiders' dysfunction
"Javon Walker is no longer much of a factor in the Raiders' plans. But his story says a lot about why the Oakland 11 have been the NFL's most consistent losers over the past decade. Many say the Raiders lose because Al Davis has a genius for mis-identifying quarterbacks. Others insist that Davis' fatal flaw is his inability to find or attract a difference-making coach. Still others might point out the current debacle surrounding Tom Cable - whether the coach of the team is actually the coach of the team - and blame Oakland's clandestine decision-making as a principal problem. All those things contribute to the Raiders' overall malaise. But let's not overlook the wide receivers. In a very ..."
Raiders have a commitment to indecision
"There was no official word from the Raiders on Sunday regarding their coaching search. Too bad about that. Not because Sunday's conference championship games lacked for excitement. And not because there's much drama to be squeezed from the Raiders' situation, given that the available logic leads to Tom Cable returning for the 2010 season. No, the pity here is that the team's official word, as delivered lately by senior executive John Herrera, has come to be the most exciting play in football. Let's roll the tape. When it was reported that Raiders managing partner Al Davis had reached out to Stanford's Jim Harbaugh: "Totally false," Herrera spat. When it was reported that the Raiders had ..."
It appears Al Davis and Tom Cable are still stuck together
"Maybe Al Davis and Tom Cable are meant to be with each other for eternity. Or until something better comes along. Nothing better has come along for either man for quite some time, which is probably the point, I would guess. Davis possibly can't do better than Cable, though Al has taken plenty of time in consecutive Januarys to see if he could. Cable can't do better than coaching the Raiders, though maybe once his contract runs out, he would enjoy perusing the non-Al options. They're together for now, though not exactly in love. More like convenient consolidation. Throw in JaMarcus Russell, and that's quite an assortment of mixed feelings, halfhearted embraces and relationships that might ..."
Cable's 'return' isn't shock
"NO TEAM IN modern NFL history has changed coaches six times in eight years. The Raiders made sure that liitle factoid remains intact, having apparently decided to retain Tom Cable as their coach. This shouldn't be shocking. Well, aside from the rare occurrence of Al Davis not telling a head coach to skedaddle. One thing the Raiders have done consistently - other than losing - is to stand by Cable as their coach, through all his off-field scandals and on-field defeats. More on those later. This does little to affirm the Raiders' future. That franchise's fate revolves around two figures: Davis' tight grip on personnel matters and JaMarcus Russell's tenuous roster spot. Did Cable win a ..."
Cable back as Raiders coach
"ESPN reported Saturday night that Tom Cable will be back as the Raiders coach next season, based on an unnamed source. Raiders senior executive John Herrera issued the following statement: "We've never made any statements that the head coach would not be back. That has been media speculation from the beginning. We've consistently stated that we're going through an evaluation process to determine the direction that the organization needs to go. The process is ongoing, and it has not reached a conclusion.""
It appears Al Davis and Tom Cable are still stuck together
"Maybe Al Davis and Tom Cable are meant to be with each other for eternity. Or until something better comes along. Nothing better has come along for either man for quite some time, which is probably the point, I would guess. Davis possibly can't do better than Cable, though Al has taken plenty of time in consecutive Januarys to see if he could. Cable can't do better than coaching the Raiders, though maybe once his contract runs out, he would enjoy perusing the non-Al options. They're together for now, though not exactly in love. More like convenient consolidation. Throw in JaMarcus Russell, and that's quite an assortment of mixed feelings, halfhearted embraces and relationships that might ..."
Raiders talked to candidate
"Another reported interview, another round of denials from the Raiders. The team denied that Ravens quarterbacks coach Hue Jackson is interviewing for the head-coaching job, as reported by multiple Baltimore-area media outlets. The Raiders did concede Jackson was a candidate for an offensive-coordinator position that sat vacant last year. A team source confirmed an ESPN report that former Giants defensive line coach Mike Waufle will rejoin the Raiders, seven years after he left. Also, three lower-level assistants were not retained: special-teams assistant Aaron Pelch, and quality-control coaches Bert Leone (defense) and Rich Scangarello (offense). - David White NFC injuries: New Orleans ..."
Raiders adamant Jackson is O-coordinator candidate
"A pair of Baltimore area reports have Ravens quarterbacks coach Hue Jackson in Oakland not only as a candidate for offensive coordinator, but head coach as well. Both the Carroll County Times and the Baltimore Sun reported Jackson could ascend to the top job. Raiders senior executive John Herrera, however, said the Raiders have conducted no outside interviews for job of head coach. "I would vociferously deny that any head coaching interviews are taking place while (Davis) is still meeting with Tom Cable," Herrera said. Jackson's contract status is not known, but he was allowed to interview for the 49ers offensive coordinator job last season while under contract with Baltimore. Coach Mike ..."
Raiders hire Mike Waufle as their defensive line coach
"The Raiders are bringing back one of their former assistants, Mike Waufle, to become their new defensive line coach, ESPN reported Friday Waufle, who was Oakland's defensive line coach from 1998-2003, spent the last six seasons as the New York Giants' defensive line coach. He was fired ny the Giants on Jan. 6."
Former NY Giants defensive line coach Mike Waufle rejoins Oakland Raiders, report says
"While the Giants continue to search for a new defensive line coach, their old one is headed back to a familiar spot. Mike Waufle has been hired as the Raiders' defensive line coach, ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting. Waufle had interviewed with the Redskins, though word is he was interested in heading back to the West Coast, where his family is situated. Waufle was the Raiders' line coach from 1998-2003 before joining the Giants. Previously, he had been a line coach for Cal, Oregon State, UCLA and Fresno State. It's interesting Waufle would choose to head back to Oakland because the Raiders are notorious for being cheap when it comes to paying coaches. Waufle believed he was underpaid ..."
Alouettes, Raiders deny Trestman NFL rumour
"Dog bites man ... Boy cries wolf ... Marc Trestman linked to NFL head-coaching opportunity in (fill in the blank). We knew the rumours of Trestman going to the NFL weren't going to end. We just figured - after the Alouettes announced a contract extension for their head coach through the 2012 season only last month - they would at least be put on hold until next winter. Why else go to the trouble of calling a news conference and flying Trestman from his winter home in North Carolina? A professional sports team, not even one in the Canadian Football League, goes to this trouble - and expense - just to allow their coach to jump to another team a month later. That, in the public-relations ..."
Source: Waufle hired by Raiders
"The Oakland Raiders, still in limbo in terms of a head coach, have hired a new defensive line coach. Mike Waufle, who has worked as an assistant with the New York Giants since 2004, was hired by the Raiders, according to a league source. Waulfle knows what he's stepping into -- he coached with the Raiders from 1998-2003. From 1992-97, he coached at the University of California."
Al Davis plans to keep meeting with Cable
"Coach Tom Cable was not part of the interview process Wednesday when Baltimore Ravens quarterbacks coach Hue Jackson met with managing general partner Al Davis about joining the team in some capacity. Cable remains in the Raiders plans for the foreseeable future, and Davis intends to keep meeting with him to see how he fits for the 2010 season, senior executive John Herrera said. Davis and Cable still have plenty to discuss before Davis decides how to proceed, Herrera added. Meanwhile, the agent for Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh denied that his client had contact with the Raiders about their head coaching job. "There is no truth to the rumors that Jim Harbaugh or I have met with the ..."
Al Davis, one-headed owner/general manager, keeps Raiders down
"The names of the coaches associated with interviews with the Raiders tell a story, an old story nobody wants to hear. And it's not because Jim Harbaugh and Marc Trestman and Hue Jackson and Jim Fassel and Mike Waufle have nothing to say. It's because they're saying it to Al Davis. It's because they're responding to inquiries from Al the owner and general manager, which suggests Al the owner has no plans to retire Al the GM. For those new to this game, Al the GM is, as much as anything else, including Al the owner's eccentricities and reluctance to pay market rate, the main reason the coveted and upwardly mobile assistant coach tends to bypass Oakland. The word is out, that the only man in ..."
Harbaugh reportedly quashed overtures
"Stanford's Jim Harbaugh isn't going anywhere, and he sure isn't going to Oakland. That's what ESPN reported Wednesday, saying Harbaugh rebuffed the Raiders' recent interest in his head-coaching services. The Raiders, for their part, denied ever contacting Harbaugh. They also denied a Chronicle story saying the Raiders have contacted other potential head-coaching candidates in recent weeks, including former Giants head coach Jim Fassel and former Raiders assistant Marc Trestman. As for sitting head coach Tom Cable, he is still sitting as far as anyone can tell."
Raiders generate lots of reports, little news
"We have entered uncharted waters. That is, if Al Davis does decide to fire Tom Cable sometime before now and, oh, I don't know, the season opener in September. The longest Davis left a coach to wait and wonder was the 16 days Joe Bugel walked about in a fog following the 1997 season. Cable Watch '10 has entered Day 18. And the drama only thickens each day and with each new name that is linked to a vacancy that does not exist. Yet. Officially. Jim Harbaugh, who has turned Stanford from brainiac laughingstock into brainiac regional power, was contacted about the Raiders gig but turned it down. That's what ESPN reported, at least. Davis is so enamored of championship hardware, he has been ..."
Secretive Raiders deny reports concerning coach Tom Cable and his staff
"Raiders managing general partner Al Davis has received numerous calls from coaches, in and out of the NFL, seeking employment the past two-plus weeks. However, he has yet to interview anyone for the head coaching position, a team official said Wednesday. That includes Baltimore Ravens quarterbacks coach Hue Jackson. Nonetheless, a person close to Davis said Jackson arrived at team headquarters in Alameda on Wednesday afternoon and spent several hours interviewing for a position other than head coach, the job still held by Tom Cable. According to another person familiar with the situation, Davis' history is that he doesn't interview head coaching candidates while the position is filled. The ..."
Sources: Harbaugh rejects Raiders
"The Oakland Raiders have spoken to Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh about becoming their head coach, sources inside and outside the organization said, but Harbaugh did not express interest in the job. The Raiders also have spoken with former offensive coordinator Marc Trestman, who now coaches in the CFL. A source said Jim Fassel also talked to Oakland about the job but the former NFL coach, in a radio interview Wednesday, denied speaking to the Raiders. Tom Cable's status as Oakland's coach remains uncertain at best. He was scheduled to meet with owner Al Davis last week, but the meeting did not take place. The future of Cable and his staff remains up in the air until that meeting occurs. ..."
Coach Tom Cable's fate with Raiders not on timetable
"If the task were as simple as retaining or dismissing a football coach, a decision would have been made by now. Tom Cable would have been given another year or told to turn in his keys. Given the state of the Raiders in 2010, though, there is infinitely more to consider. Al Davis has a franchise to save - and a legacy to protect. To fail now might mean never again succeeding. Never have the Raiders had so few answers for such competitive and financial distress. Never has Al's patented swagger been so badly fractured. At the same time, never has he been so deeply engaged in battling age and health and vitality. After nearly 50 years and countless lawsuits and two relocations, the man ..."
Former Oakland Raiders player reports $312,000 worth of jewelry stolen
"Former Oakland Raiders wide receiver Jerry Porter has told police that someone stole about $312,000 worth of his jewelry after he placed the items under his car seat while he went for a facial at an Oakland salon. The 31-year-old Porter, who most recently played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, was set to speak with Alameda police detectives about the theft this afternoon. But Porter did not show up for the appointment and police say they are still trying to work out the details of what happened. Porter reported the theft last week, telling an Alameda patrol officer that he discovered the jewelry missing from his black 2007 BMW M6 on Dec. 17. Porter said he last the jewelry 10 days earlier, ..."
Report: QB coach Hue Jackson to talk to Raiders
"Ravens quarterbacks coach Hue Jackson has been granted permission to talk to the Oakland Raiders for an unspecified position, according to ESPN. It's uncertain when the Raiders will interview Jackson, who has been the Ravens' quarterbacks coach for Joe Flacco's two seasons in the NFL. This comes as a surprise because coach John Harbaugh had said earlier Tuesday that "We don't have anything brewing right now" in regards to coaching changes."
Raiders to interview Mike Waufle for defensive line coach job
"Former Raiders defensive line coach Mike Waufle will interview for Oakland's defensive line job held by Dwaine Board last season, according to NFL.com. A Raiders official could not confirm the report. In other news, Raiders long snapper Jon Condo was added to the AFC Pro Bowl roster as a "need" player, the league announced."
Al Davis talks to possible coaches
"Raiders owner Al Davis has interviewed prospective head coaches for more than two weeks, two league sources told The Chronicle, in the event he decides to fire Tom Cable. Two people on his interview list have been identified as former Giants coach Jim Fassel, who now coaches UFL champion Las Vegas, and former Raiders offensive coordinator Marc Trestman, the head coach of CFL champion Montreal. Several sources, including one within the organization, believe Davis may re-interview 2009 candidates Kevin Gilbride, the Giants' offensive coordinator, and Winston Moss, a Packers assistant head coach, if he hasn't already."
49ers, Raiders should draft locally
"There are a million ways the 49ers and Raiders can go wrong in the next draft, although the Raiders have a really good chance to do something right, because of the law of averages. Here's some advice for the two local teams on acing the draft: Pick Jahvid Best and Toby Gerhart in the first round. I am aware that drafting the Local Hero can be folly. It can be a ruse to sucker fans into buying tickets, or it can be misplaced sentimentality. In this case, it would be insurance. There's a good chance Gerhart and Best will become decent-to-star players in the NFL, and if that happens somewhere else, woe unto the 49ers and Raiders (see: Aaron Rodgers and DeSean Jackson). Local love is OK if ..."
Still no word from Oakland Raiders on coach Tom Cable's status
"Raiders senior executive John Herrera said no news transpired Monday in Alameda regarding managing general partner Al Davis' scheduled second meeting with coach Tom Cable. Davis and Cable met last Thursday for a short time and agreed to meet again soon thereafter. There's no word on when that next follow-up meeting will take place. Meanwhile, Davis has until today to notify coaches whose contracts are expiring whether they will be re-signed. Cable, defensive coordinator John Marshall and passing game Ted Tollner are not among those awaiting word because they are under contract beyond the 2009 season. Therefore, there isn't any pressure for Davis to make a decision on whether to retain ..."
Jim Mora A Strong Candidate For Head Coach of the Oakland Raiders
"Sadly in most cases, several of these circumstances are generally intertwined for the players they grab, like "getting paid a ton of money," and "being on the decline of your career." Playing under Al Davis must be a nightmare; his laundry list of mistakes in recent history are without a doubt tarnishing his great reputation from his glory days with the Raiders. When's the last time he made a decent free agent pickup that he actually kept around? I mean, the guy has a No. 1 overall pick, No. 2 overall pick, No. 4 overall pick, and a No. 7 overall pick on his offense alone, and they still are ranked 31st in points, can you say B-U-S-T Central?! Even the best of his recent picks, running ..."
Raiders stays mum about Cable's job
"Raiders owner Al Davis met with head coach Tom Cable to evaluate his work and decide his future Friday. Or, did he? The Raiders aren't saying. Cable and Davis were scheduled to meet for a second straight day, but then, the Raiders won't confirm even that they actually met Thursday as announced."
TAILGATING WITH NNAMDI ASOMUGHA How to control a top QB
"Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha admits it. Even the best defensive backs have it tough facing an experienced quarterback who has a lot of options downfield. With that in mind, the two-time Pro Bowler tells The Chronicle about two key matchups to watch in today's divisional playoffs: WARNER VS. SHARPER Cardinals QB Kurt Warner vs. Saints S Darren Sharper: "Sharper is a very underrated as a ballhawk. In today's game, he gets his respect, but he is one of the greatest ballhawks in the history of the game. His exceptional hands and his ability to make calculated risks are what make him special. A lot of times people think a ballhawk is someone who just makes a lot of interceptions, but they ..."
Rob Ryan wants to coach the Raiders
"Raiders managing general partner Al Davis has a coach-in-waiting if he opts to fire Tom Cable. Former Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Ryan said he is a phone call away. "Hell, yeah, I'd have interest," Ryan said in an interview with USA Today. "I haven't talked to Mr. Davis because he has a coach. Let's see what happens." What's happening is anyone's guess. Second-hand reports from the team's year-round facility in Alameda are sketchy about the nature of the meetings between Cable and Davis about Cable's status as Raiders coach. Raiders senior executive John Herrera said Cable and Davis intended to meet Friday, but no meeting transpired, according to several people familiar with the ..."