AFS rough draft
American Football Spectacular: Tom Takes The Fall, or, Shoop Shoop A-Doop
Out of the wreckage of last wnkd's wacktacular loss to the San Diego SuperChargers comes the Raiders' decision to demote offensive coordinator Tom Walsh in favor of tight end coach John Shoop.
"In this business, at times there are tough decisions that have to be made for the good of the football team," Head Coach Art Shell was quoted in the Merc, "... Tom has been diligent in his effort to get our offense going in the right direction. In no way should the lack of a more successful offense be placed totally at his feet."
OK, that’s nice of you to say, Art.
But here's the problem: indeed, Walsh was merely symptomatic of the issue with the offense. Like Art, Walsh was but a foot soldier. The course of the current Raider regime looks to remain unchanged. It’s like firing of former Secretary Of Defense Donald Rumsfeld - an executor of policy has been removed, but the “decider” of the failed policy still remains in power.
By SFist Christopher Rogers for "American Football Spectacular"
Ayup. Remember the pattern of what happened with (former Cal Head Coach) Mike White, the evil Mike Shanahan, and Chucky Gruden? All of them were fired, tossed, or otherwise abrogated by The Al.
The whole point of the Art Shell coaching regime is that no reasonable candidate wanted the Raiders' coaching gig in the 2005-2006 offseason since Al absolutely requires certain things: utter loyalty, a vertical offense, an attacking defense, and the blood of the living.
Now, if you're a defensive coordinator for the Raiders, that means you can have plennnty of leeway. Want to run a 3-4? 4-3? Heavy nickel? Whatevs, as long as the Raider mystique is infused in there somewhere.
As mentioned previously in this column, defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has a mullet. And damn if he hasn't whipped the OAK defensive squad into shape this year. A team that was mushy and identity-less last season has been shaped into an aggressive 4-3.
The addition of a couple speedy LBs, and SS Michael Huff in the draft has changed the tempo of play behind the line to the Raiders’ advantage. High-motored QB-chasin' DE Derrick Burgess has been a key to the pass defense. The emergence of players like the huge DT Terdell Sands, and (Cal alum) CB Nnamdi Asomugha have helped gel this brusque power D.
The defense hits hard, and laughs at what they've done. Like Raiders should.
The sad part is, while the defense was evolving, the offense wasn't. They're not allowed to.
During the OAK vs SD game, an offensive play was called that blew my mind. Further than thirty yards outside the endzone, the Raiders sent three receivers into said endzone. There were no underneath routes, there were no checkdown routes. QB Aaron Brooks wasn't able to escape, since there was no one to throw to, unless he had been able to throw it away. He wasn't, and he was sacked.
Through our disbelief, we had to watch it multiple times on the DVR to be sure of what had just occured.
That play, as it was drawn, would not work against any NFL defense within twenty years. Or, actually, ever.
That play would never work, ever.
It's an embarrassment that this play was called by a Raider coach, or by anyone not on a sandlot.
And so, far from his home in Idaho, Tom Walsh will take a fall for the Raider regime’s failings.
From today forward, John Shoop will take his place as offensive coordinator and playcaller. Who is John Shoop?
During his time in Chicago under then-Coach Dick Jauron, Shoop was known as an innovator, being one of the first offensive coordinators in the NFL ever to have a website built that was dedicated to the prospect of their firing: www.firejohnshoop.com.
All anecdotal evidence bein’ dredged up to describe Mr. Shoop characterize his previous offensive coordinator work as being conservative to-a-fault.
He likes to run the ball, and to throw dink-and-dunk short passes.
Oh. Uh-oh.
So, a man who was reviled for being too conservative and playcalling too close-to-the-vest is being placed at the controls of Al’s hallowed vertical Raider attack?
This will not end well.
Or, perhaps it will. Perhaps between the two extremes of philosophy, a new OAK offensive style will be hewn. The offense will bloom in the final weeks of the 2006 season, defenses will fall tame before this new strategy, and Raider Nation will rejoice as the Silver And Black once more stike fear into their foes on both sides of the ball.
Also, perhaps peace will be negotiated between the various warring factions in Iraq by a puppy.
An adorable Jack Russell terrier puppy.
Hope for the best, gird for the worst, o Raider Nation. The future for your soldiers be not bright.
Next up on your American Football Spectacular: It's pronounced NAM-Dee Asoh-MWAH, according to the internets. Next up, your AFS preview of Week 13.
Out of the wreckage of last wnkd's wacktacular loss to the San Diego SuperChargers comes the Raiders' decision to demote offensive coordinator Tom Walsh in favor of tight end coach John Shoop.
"In this business, at times there are tough decisions that have to be made for the good of the football team," Head Coach Art Shell was quoted in the Merc, "... Tom has been diligent in his effort to get our offense going in the right direction. In no way should the lack of a more successful offense be placed totally at his feet."
OK, that’s nice of you to say, Art.
But here's the problem: indeed, Walsh was merely symptomatic of the issue with the offense. Like Art, Walsh was but a foot soldier. The course of the current Raider regime looks to remain unchanged. It’s like firing of former Secretary Of Defense Donald Rumsfeld - an executor of policy has been removed, but the “decider” of the failed policy still remains in power.
By SFist Christopher Rogers for "American Football Spectacular"
Ayup. Remember the pattern of what happened with (former Cal Head Coach) Mike White, the evil Mike Shanahan, and Chucky Gruden? All of them were fired, tossed, or otherwise abrogated by The Al.
The whole point of the Art Shell coaching regime is that no reasonable candidate wanted the Raiders' coaching gig in the 2005-2006 offseason since Al absolutely requires certain things: utter loyalty, a vertical offense, an attacking defense, and the blood of the living.
Now, if you're a defensive coordinator for the Raiders, that means you can have plennnty of leeway. Want to run a 3-4? 4-3? Heavy nickel? Whatevs, as long as the Raider mystique is infused in there somewhere.
As mentioned previously in this column, defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has a mullet. And damn if he hasn't whipped the OAK defensive squad into shape this year. A team that was mushy and identity-less last season has been shaped into an aggressive 4-3.
The addition of a couple speedy LBs, and SS Michael Huff in the draft has changed the tempo of play behind the line to the Raiders’ advantage. High-motored QB-chasin' DE Derrick Burgess has been a key to the pass defense. The emergence of players like the huge DT Terdell Sands, and (Cal alum) CB Nnamdi Asomugha have helped gel this brusque power D.
The defense hits hard, and laughs at what they've done. Like Raiders should.
The sad part is, while the defense was evolving, the offense wasn't. They're not allowed to.
During the OAK vs SD game, an offensive play was called that blew my mind. Further than thirty yards outside the endzone, the Raiders sent three receivers into said endzone. There were no underneath routes, there were no checkdown routes. QB Aaron Brooks wasn't able to escape, since there was no one to throw to, unless he had been able to throw it away. He wasn't, and he was sacked.
Through our disbelief, we had to watch it multiple times on the DVR to be sure of what had just occured.
That play, as it was drawn, would not work against any NFL defense within twenty years. Or, actually, ever.
That play would never work, ever.
It's an embarrassment that this play was called by a Raider coach, or by anyone not on a sandlot.
And so, far from his home in Idaho, Tom Walsh will take a fall for the Raider regime’s failings.
From today forward, John Shoop will take his place as offensive coordinator and playcaller. Who is John Shoop?
During his time in Chicago under then-Coach Dick Jauron, Shoop was known as an innovator, being one of the first offensive coordinators in the NFL ever to have a website built that was dedicated to the prospect of their firing: www.firejohnshoop.com.
All anecdotal evidence bein’ dredged up to describe Mr. Shoop characterize his previous offensive coordinator work as being conservative to-a-fault.
He likes to run the ball, and to throw dink-and-dunk short passes.
Oh. Uh-oh.
So, a man who was reviled for being too conservative and playcalling too close-to-the-vest is being placed at the controls of Al’s hallowed vertical Raider attack?
This will not end well.
Or, perhaps it will. Perhaps between the two extremes of philosophy, a new OAK offensive style will be hewn. The offense will bloom in the final weeks of the 2006 season, defenses will fall tame before this new strategy, and Raider Nation will rejoice as the Silver And Black once more stike fear into their foes on both sides of the ball.
Also, perhaps peace will be negotiated between the various warring factions in Iraq by a puppy.
An adorable Jack Russell terrier puppy.
Hope for the best, gird for the worst, o Raider Nation. The future for your soldiers be not bright.
Next up on your American Football Spectacular: It's pronounced NAM-Dee Asoh-MWAH, according to the internets. Next up, your AFS preview of Week 13.