As an Oakland resident, I probably get a closer look at the utter meyhem that is the Raiders. The things you hear about this franchise make you wonder how they even function… let alone win games. This article on SFGate.com gave a rundown of the things that have gone on in the offseason, as well as a few quotes from former players:

Warren Sapp told the St. Petersburg Times his time with the Raiders was as “dark as a black hole.” Chris Carr said it was difficult to win in Oakland because there was “so much other stuff going on there.” Stuart Schweigert talked about “a thousand-pound bear” being lifted off him when he was released by the team, and Jerry Porter said being a Raider had become a “burden.”

They make playing for the Raiders sound like being in prison.

Click Here to read more of the depression.

Sportaphile has dedicated a decent amount of time to Javon Walker in the past, from his mind boggling contract with Oakland to his bizarre mugging in Las Vegas. Somehow this guy just can’t stay out of the news and his NFL career gets weirder by the minute.

Reports surfaced this weekend that Javon Walker was so distressed by his lackluster performance in training camp, that he told management he was retiring. That’s right, he was willing to throw away a newly signed $55 million dollar contract because he’s having a slow start in practice. The owner of the Raiders, Al Davis, had to talk Walker out of leaving.. .and he eventually changed his mind. Javon has done a complete 180 and is now saying everything is fine.

“That’s a done issue,” Walker said late Saturday following the Raiders’ evening practice. “I’m not really sure what happened but that’s a done issue. That’s something that obviously people hear stuff. I’m here practicing, waiting, and (I) obviously can’t wait till the season starts.

However… head coach Lane Kiffin has his doubts…

“I worry a lot about it,” Kiffin said. “For someone to discuss retirement, and then to come back and change his mind a day later. I’m worried a lot about it. I’m worried about where he’s at mentally, because these things happen sometimes and they come back up again, because maybe they come back and maybe it isn’t necessarily for the right reasons. So were going to continue to communicate with him and push him out there on the field and get him better.”

Between Javon’s recent behavior, and the situation with Darrent Williams, I’m starting to think there are serious mental issues that need to be tended to. I’m no health professional, but I know “coo coo for cocoa puffs” when I see it.

The Oakland Raiders have undoubtedly had the craziest off-season of any team in the NFL. They’ve been in the headlines for the past three months for handing out what seems like ill-advised contracts to questionable players.

Javon “Mr. Pop Bottles” Walker is the third highest paid receiver in the NFL (and he doesn’t deserve it).
Tommy Kelly is one of the highest paid D-Linemen in the league and nobody has ever heard of him.
etc etc.. I wont rehash the entire thing, but basically the Raiders handed out so much money, I made a parody post of them signing a bowl of oatmeal.

Anywho, word around town is that team owner Al Davis is regretting some of the moves he’s made. Al and the Raiders released a statement strongly denying that he’s second guessing anything.

Raiders public relations director Mike Taylor reacted sharply to inquiries from Cole on this point, and refused to ask Davis for a reaction.

“You obviously don’t know Al Davis,” Taylor told Cole. “Self-doubt is not part of the equation with Al Davis. I’m not going to justify this tripe, this drivel by even asking [Davis] for his response. It’s ludicrous, it’s insane, it’s rumor-mongering and it’s irresponsible journalism.

However, I remember a few years ago when there were rumors of the Raiders firing Art Shell, they released a similar statement about “rumor mongers” spreading lies…… and it turned out to be true afterall.