The Raiders Research Project

Offseason updates

2012-01-07T09:52:00.000-05:00

Well, it's another too-soon offseason for the Raiders in 2011-12, unfortunately.

On the bright side, that means I can begin my annual offseason updates of the RRP!

So watch for them soon!

Meanwhile, I've shifted the Official SBReport.net Roster into offseason mode, and created a 2012 Schedule page. As always, check out Silver & Black Report for all the best Raiders news and Raiderfans.net for all the best Raiders talk!

Rest in peace, Big Chet

2011-12-08T19:10:00.001-05:00

Another sad addition to The Memorial Wall Project: 1992 first-round pick Chester McGlockton died at age 42 of a heart attack on November 30. Big Chet was working as an assistant coach at Stanford University under former Raiders assistant David Shaw.

McGlockton's death concludes a tragic cycle: In 1997, he lined up alongside 1997 first-round pick Darrell Russell, who played end. After the season, the Raiders let McGlockton leave as a free agent so Russell could slide inside to his natural DT position. The Raiders got a compensatory draft pick at the start of the second round of the 1998 draft, which they used on another DT prospect, Leon Bender.

Bender died May 30, 1998, shortly after the draft, the result of an epileptic incident. He was only 22 years old.

Russell died December 15, 2005, the result of a car crash during a street racing incident. He was only 29, but had been out of football for several years after drugs derailed his career.

Now McGlockton is gone, at only 42.

Sadly, the Memorial Wall also holds four other members of that 1997 team: running back Tim Hall (d. 1998), safety Eric Turner (d. 2000), center Curtis Whitley (d. 2005) and tackle Scott Whittaker (d. 2003).

At least one article after his death suggest he had really turned his life around. When with the Raiders, he had a reputation as a talented (four Pro Bowls) malcontent, and the team seemed comfortable letting him go as a free agent while bringing in Russell Maryland as a free agent. The idea was that Maryland would be a better influence on young Russell than McGlockton. Obviously things had changed, as he was coaching young men and presumably a good influence on them!

Another article on McGlockton's passing.
An earlier article on McGlockton's post-football life.

Despite playing for division rivals Denver and Kansas City later in his career, it seemed like McGlockton had returned to the Raiders' good graces in recent years. Truly, once a Raider, always a Raider.

The Supplemental Draft Project

2011-10-10T18:07:00.004-04:00

With 2011 Supplemental Draft selection Terrelle Pryor eligible to be added to the Raiders' roster this week, I have created a new "Roster Minutiae" Project on the Raiders' history in the Supplemental Draft.

Oakland Raiders 2011 Supplemental Draft selection Terrelle Pryor.

It's a short history: Pryor is the first player the Raiders have chosen in the traditional summer draft. The team did, however, make three selections along with the rest of the NFL in a special CFL/USFL player draft in 1984.

This project looks at both Pryor and the 1984 draft, which yielded one Raider, receiver Chris Woods, who was a member of the team in 1987 and 1988.

The Raiders will never be the same

2011-10-10T17:45:00.001-04:00

I have updated the Memorial Wall with Al Davis himself. Not sure what else I can say that hasn't already been said.

Yes, he was a Raider, too...

2011-08-06T18:22:00.000-04:00

Charles "Bubba" Smith may have been best known as a fearsome defensive end for the Baltimore Colts for five seasons.

"Bubba" Smith, from SI.com

He may have been best known as Hightower from the "Police Academy" films.

But for two years, he was also an Oakland Raider, starting 25 games over two years in Silver & Black from 1973-74.

Smith died August 3, at age 66. Rest in peace.

Let the games begin!

2011-07-27T19:15:00.000-04:00

With the NFL lockout over and the free-agent frenzy underway, I've updated the Official S&B Report Roster for the start of the 2011 season.

Obviously, this is a moving target over the next few days.

Another name for the Wall

2011-07-27T18:48:00.003-04:00

Sadly, it is time for another update on the Memorial Wall Project. Former Madden-era cornerback Alonzo "Skip" Thomas died July 24, 2011, at the age of 61.

A question for you...

2011-06-11T02:51:00.000-04:00

What would you think about a Project on the Supplemental Draft?

The Raiders actually have only participated in the special 1984 version of this selection process, which has brought into the NFL such players as Brian ("Did anyone catch the number of that Bo?") Bosworth.

Bo Jackson running over Brian Bosworth (photo from ESPN.com)

That 1984 draft was designed to award NFL teams the rights to USFL and CFL players. Although most picks were made from the USFL, including future Hall of Famers Steve Young, Gary Zimmerman and Reggie White, the then-Los Angeles Raiders actually made two of their three selections from the CFL.

Round 1: WR/KR Chris Woods (Auburn), Edmonton Eskimos
Round 2: LB/DE Stewart Hill (Washington), Edmonton Eskimos
Round 3: OG James Farr (Clemson), Washington Federals

WR/KR Chris Woods played in 11 games in 1987-88 (photo from Fanbase.com)

Woods signed with the Raiders in 1987 and spent two years with the team. He is probably best remembered, if at all, as the primary punt returner in 1987. He signed with the Denver Broncos as a "Plan B" free agent in 1989.

Neither Hill, the 1984 CFL Western Division Rookie of the Year, nor Farr ever joined the Raiders. Hill spent a long and productive career in the CFL as a pass rusher — including seven years in Edmonton, winning the Grey Cup Defensive MVP in 1987, among other honors — and Farr stayed in the USFL for its final 1985 season — when the Federals became the Orlando Renegades.

The Raiders have rarely even employed players chosen in the Supplemental Draft (DE Darren Mickell, who played 1 game in 2001, was chosen in the 1992 Supplemental Draft by Kansas City). Although one player is already found among the Projects: former Houston Texans RB Tony Hollings, whose selection cost the Texans a pick connected to the Gruden Trade.

Worth adding? Or just watering things down? The recent Terrelle Pryor situation has me thinking about it.

Making corrections

2011-05-06T02:26:00.000-04:00

Updated the Draft History Project to fix some formatting problems — now that some players have a decade or more of service, the table was breaking off the right-hand side of the page.

Shortened the years to two digits (i.e., "98" for "1998") and just used abbreviations if the player spent the season on IR or the Practice Squad.

Thinking about some new Projects, so stay tuned...

Updates for 2011, Part 2

2011-04-28T14:33:00.000-04:00

One sad duty during my 2011 updates: Marking the September 2010 death of Hall of Famer George Blanda.

Another one: Wrapping up the "AFR First-Year Star" page, since the award was essentially discontinued after my "retirement" as a Staff Columnist for SBReport.net. The final winner, for the 2009 season, was WR Louis Murphy.

The "After Further Review" First-Year Star Award winners:
2009: Louis Murphy, WR
2008: Trevor Scott, DE
2007: Thomas Howard, WLB
2006: Zach Miller, TE

Watch for more updates and Projects this offseason!

Updates for 2011

2011-04-28T11:55:00.000-04:00

I know it's been a while, but I'm pleased to say I've begun the updates for the 2011 season.

Lockout? What lockout?

More sad news

2010-07-27T15:41:00.002-04:00

Update the Memorial Wall with the death of "The Assassin," Jack Tatum.

Updating the trades!

2010-07-18T22:26:00.000-04:00

I have finally caught up with the Raiders' trades for the 2009 season and the 2010 offseason. Updates include all the deals the Raiders made from March of 2009 through July of 2010, including deals that affect what the Raiders received as compensation in the infamous Gruden Trade.

On a sad note...

2010-07-09T15:17:00.000-04:00

You will see among the updated Projects is the Memorial Wall, which now includes a pair of former Raider linebackers:

Marquis Cooper, a Raider in 2008, who was lost at sea in March 2009 and is presumed dead.
Elijah Alexander, a Raider in 2000 and 2001, who died of multiple myeloma in March 2010.

The first update of 2010!

2010-07-09T14:16:00.000-04:00

I know it has been awhile, and my apologies for that. See my main blog for an assortment of excuses!

But I have finally begun my updates for 2010, beginning with the Coaches (who are still somewhat up in the air due to lack of confirmation from the Raiders), the Starting Lineups (estimated for 2010) and updating the Draft Picks with the Class of 2010 (and estimating 2010 status). As always, the Official S&B Report Roster is continually updated.

Click the links at right for all the Projects, and watch for more updates, coming soon.

In addition, I have launched the (belated) poll for my annual "First-Year Star" award, and updated the Project with the 2009 results.

2009 offseason updates!

2009-03-05T11:02:00.000-05:00

I have begun making updates for the 2009 offseason, including changes to the Superlatives (congratulations, Hall of Famer Rod Woodson!), the Coaches and the Starters projects.

I also added Brad Van Pelt to the Memorial Wall. Rest in Peace. (I am holding out hope for missing LB Marquis Cooper.)

As always, the Roster is updated regularly as moves occur.

The Roster and the First-Year Star Award

2009-01-03T22:25:00.001-05:00

I'm in the process of transitioning the Official S&B Report Roster to 2009 offseason mode. Part of that is a change in the URL, as you can see in the above link or in the links list to the right.

In addition, I've begun the poll for the third annual "After Further Review" First-Year Star award, over at Raiderfans.net. So, don't wait, go vote!

At last, the massive Starters update

2008-11-16T12:12:00.000-05:00

After a lot of formatting and some further research, the starting lineups Project has finally been updated at S&B Report.

Hit the link on the right to check on the newly reformatted and updated list of Oakland Raiders starters from the franchise's inception to today.

A word of warning, data gets a little vague in the early years of the nearly 50-year-old organization, but I've done my best, and I can certainly say anything from the late 1960s to today is in fine shape.

Enjoy!

Goodbye, Gene

2008-09-10T13:47:00.000-04:00

Add Hall of Fame lineman Gene Upshaw to the Memorial Wall Project.

Perhaps better known today as the head of the players union, Upshaw died earlier this summer of pancreatic cancer.

Minor maneuvering

2008-09-06T16:18:00.000-04:00

Just a quick status update on some projects, as we near kickoff 2008:

I made some minor tweaks to the coaching Project to reflect updates in the 2008 Raiders media guide, which I've just acquired.

I'm still working on updating the starters Project and the lineups Project, as well as some other things.

Plus, I'm keeping up with the roster and schedule now that the season's in earnest.

The "AFR" First-Year Star Award gets a page

2008-07-17T16:30:00.000-04:00

The next Project I've added over at S&B Report is actually a continuation of something I created over at Raiderfans.net:

The "After Further Review" First-Year Star award.

This award, named for my column at RF.net (and now S&B Report) honors the Oakland Raiders rookie or first-year player who contributes the most to the team during a given season.

I nominate anywhere from a half-dozen to eight players, and the members of Raiderfans.net vote via poll.

Full details are at the page, which is now Project No. 10.

Project No. 9: The Memorial Wall

2008-07-10T00:28:00.000-04:00

This one is something of a downer, but I've added a "Memorial Wall" as Project 9.

It's a list of (former) Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders players who have died, many tragically, and at a young age.

Every sports franchise has its share of tragedies, and the Raiders are no exception.

May they rest in peace.

Project No. 8: The superlatives

2008-07-06T21:02:00.001-04:00

There's a quick little project I've put together while updating the Raiders starters for 2008: The Oakland Raiders Superlatives!

The superlative accomplishments are the kind of miscellany that individually attract attention but are not normally gathered in one place.

That includes such things as Raiders Super Bowl teams, winners and losers, or Heisman Trophy winners who have played for the Raiders.

Can you name the Raiders' three NFL MVPs? No? Then click on the list on the right and find out!

The coaching list is ready!

2008-07-03T15:17:00.003-04:00

I've updated the list of Oakland Raiders head coaches and their staffs over at S&B Report!

Not only is the Project updated, it's expanded... the prior one was from 1970-present, this one is an all-time list, from 1960-present. Though there are a few holes in the pre-Al Davis years...

There's a new tab for the Raiders Research Project, with a nifty dropdown menu. All the projects will be under that tab!

Watch for the starting lineups, in process of being updated, and a brand-new project coming soon!

More updates coming soon!

2008-06-07T23:44:00.000-04:00

I'm working on 2008 updates of both the coaching list and the starting lineup list.

Watch for them at Silver & Black Report, just as soon as we get a few transitional kinks out of the way!