Raiders News Thread....

[ULEN]

On to Training Camp
June 25, 2004

The Oakland Raiders finished up their June mini-camp with a final practice session at the team's Alameda, Calif., facility yesterday. The team will now break and reconvene in late July for Training Camp 2004 at their Napa Valley training complex. Throughout the three-day mini-camp, Raiders Head Coach Norv Turner indicated that he is pleased with the team's off-season program.


Raiders Head Coach Norv Turner takes it all in during a recent mini-camp practice at the team's Alameda facility.

Lisa Coelho
Q: What is your impression of the younger guys on the team?

Raiders Head Coach Norv Turner: I think we are an extremely talented football team in terms of our many young players. We have had a great look at our young guys during this offseason and have seen them improve. Doug Gabriel improved dramatically over the last eight weeks and I think he is going to play at a high level for us. Tyler Brayton has had a great camp and he is going to have a real impact on this football team. I can tell you the guy who has improved dramatically is Phillip Buchanon. I think he is a lot more disciplined; he is using his eyes and hands. This team will improve the most with the development of the young players, second and third year players, who had a little taste of it are having good offseasons. Napoleon Harris is another one. He has had a great offseason and has taken to what we are doing defensively. He is going to have an impact on our football team.

Q: Do you feel these mini-camps are beneficial?

Raiders Head Coach Norv Turner: This is a great time of year because we are not concerned with playing a game and everybody is getting ready to go to camp. I told everyone this morning, camp comes and everything changes. The sense of urgency goes up dramatically and you have 15 days before your first preseason game and you don't a lot of do-overs. Here we have had time with the young guys to do it right, stop it and watch it, run it again or whatever it is. Guys fall by the wayside in camp if they don't pay attention or learn the specifics of their position. By doing this you give someone else a great chance to make the football team.

Q: How actively do you evaluate talent for position spots at a camp like this?

Raiders Head Coach Norv Turner: It's the hardest thing about these camps. You want to evaluate players and you want to have an opinion on their athletic ability. We are getting the players ready to compete for a job when they go to camp and I think we have done that. I think the guys know what to do when we put the pads on.

Q: How have the 2004 draftees been faring?

Raiders Head Coach Norv Turner: We have worked these guys pretty good over the past two or three months since the draft. Robert Gallery, Jake Grove, Courtney Anderson are have had fewer mental errors than many of the veterans because they have come in here with a sense of urgency. They have handled it extremely well. Stuart Schweigert has shown very good coverage ability. He has played safety all his life, so he is very experienced.

http://raiders.com/newsroom/newsroom...l.jsp?id=12930

On the Rise: Tyler Brayton
June 16, 2004

By Kevin Kimball

Household names? Not yet. The Oakland Raiders have infused the roster with a bevy of talented young players who are taking advantage of the team's heralded veteran leadership and are starting to or are preparing to make names for themselves. Log on each week as we take a look at these players, where they came from, how they got here and where they're going. These are the players to watch and get to know because they are definitely On the Rise. We continue the series with a look at DE Tyler Brayton.


The Raiders drafted DE Tyler Brayton in the 1st round of the 2003 NFL Draft.

Lisa Coelho
In the game of football many attributes can be measured empirically - speed, strength, stamina, and intelligence. Tyler Brayton is one of the few that have all of these characteristics, plus one that could not be measured on draft day: heart.

Drafted in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders, Brayton is already stepping up to the Raider tradition of playing with heart. In 2003 as a rookie he played in all 16 games with a total of 61 tackles, 2.5 sacks and one fumble recovery, but said he expects to improve on those numbers in his sophomore season. "I want to get to the passer more often, wreak havoc, collapse the pocket and just try to be disruptive in the passing game," Brayton said. His sophomore campaign will include playing with some seasoned veterans. Along with John Parrella, newcomers Warren Sapp and Ted Washington join the mix in the trenches.

Brayton said he could learn something from his teammates. "Hopefully I can learn a lot. Hopefully we can work together," he said. "They can show me some things, like what it's going to take to get to the passer. They know every little detail. They know how to get to the quarterback. They know how to play every blocking scheme, and they have done it a hundred times before. They have pretty much mastered the game, and I'm trying to master one thing at time."

"I want to get to
the passer more
often, wreak havoc,
collapse the pocket
and be disruptive."
- DE Tyler Brayton

Tyler Brayton has already mastered at least one thing - leaving everything on the field. The 6'6", 280-pound defensive lineman played in 47 games at the University of Colorado, recording 152 tackles (99 solos) with 12.5 sacks for minus-94 yards, 25 stops for losses of 119 yards, 34 quarterback pressures, 17 third-down hits, three fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles and six pass deflections. His play earned him the Buffalo Heart Award, which exemplifies team spirit, and the Dave Jones Award, which is given to the team's most outstanding defensive player. During his stay, one of Brayton's greatest strengths was his leadership ability. As a junior, he asserted himself as the heart and soul of Colorado's team with a dramatic pre-game speech that turned Colorado's season around and spurred the Buffaloes on a run to the Big XII Championship Game.



DE Tyler Brayton had an impressive rookie season for the Silver and Black in 2003.

Lisa Coelho
With his team sitting at 1-2 and coming off an embarrassing loss to Southern Cal, Brayton laid it on the line - literally. As the team was preparing to take the field to play UCLA, Brayton laid a strip of tape across the door to the locker room and challenged his teammates to only cross the threshold if they were willing to put forth maximum effort or they would have to answer to him. Brayton has a history of performing in a manner that earns him the respect and admiration of his teammates, and coaches. Before joining the Buffaloes, Brayton grew up in Pasco, Wash., where he received his team's Most Inspirational Award as a team captain at Pasco High School as well as earning first-team All-Area honors at defensive end and first-team All-State mention at tight end.

With a new staff and a new defensive system there is a sense of renewed optimism in Oakland, and for good reason. The defense has talent busting at the seams and is ready to take on any challenge thrown at them. Brayton plays a big role in helping the Raiders get to where they want to be in the upcoming season. "What makes me excited about it more than anything is the attitude of the whole defense and the attitude of the whole team," Brayton said. "I think everyone is a lot hungrier than they were last year. I think we are just antsy to get started, and it shows in the way we practice."

As the 2004 season approaches we know that when Tyler Brayton is on the field he is going to give nothing less than 100 percent of his athleticism, his intelligence, and most of all, his heart to the Commitment to Excellence that is The Oakland Raiders.

On the Rise: Justin Fargas
June 8, 2004

By Pam Javandel

Household names? Not yet. The Oakland Raiders have infused the roster with a bevy of talented young players who are taking advantage of the team's heralded veteran leadership and are starting to or are preparing to make names for themselves. Log on each week as we take a look at these players, where they came from, how they got here and where they're going. These are the players to watch and get to know because they are definitely On the Rise.


The Raiders drafted RB Justin Fargas in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft.

Lisa Coelho
After an unfortunate season-ending injury during the Raiders' game versus the Minnesota Vikings last November, Justin Fargas is healthy and ready for a bigger role in the offense during the 2004 season. There is tight competition between the running backs on the roster. Fargas, Tyrone Wheatley and J.R. Redmond return from last year's team, in addition to recently signed free agent running backs Amos Zereoue and Troy Hambrick.

The second-year player injured his medial collateral ligament during a home game on November 16, 2003 - a Raiders 28-18 victory over the Vikings. The injury was sustained early in the second quarter at the end of a kickoff return. Fargas did not return to the game and was placed on injured reserve three days later.

Before the injury, Fargas' season looked promising. In his first professional game, against St. Louis in the preseason, he had 17 carries for 72 yards. In game two against San Francisco, he had 126 yards on 18 carries while playing the entire second half. After the first two games, Fargas led the NFL in preseason rushing yards with 198.

During the regular season, Fargas played in all 10 games before he was injured. His best game during the regular season came in Week 2 against Cincinnati, when he carried twice for 56 yards, for an average of 28 yards per carry. He also excelled in the game against the Browns, where he had 33 yards on six carries and Week 10 against Minnesota, before he was injured, when he had 24 yards on only three carries.

Fargas was considered one of the nation's top running backs out of high school. He started his football career at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Calif., where he ran for 6,357 total yards and had 82 touchdowns on 668 carries, all of which were school records. During his senior year, he was named Parade All-American, USA Today All-USA first team, All-California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section first team, All-CIF Division III Offensive MVP, Los Angeles Times All-Valley MVP, Los Angeles Daily News All-Valley MVP and All-Mission League MVP.



Fargas led the NFL in preseason rushing yards in 2003.

Lisa Coelho
As a freshman at the University of Michigan, Fargas ran for 277 yards with 1 TD on 77 carries. He also led the team in kickoff returns with 16 for 311 yards. During the 10th game of the season, he suffered a season-ending injury and had to sit out in 1999 to rehabilitate his leg. After the season, Sports Illustrated named Fargas as one of the Top 10 Freshmen in the country.

Fargas' sophomore season came in 2000, when he was switched from the backup running back position to safety. He made 10 tackles and forced a fumble as a safety and also returned seven kickoffs for 124 yards, averaging 17.7 yards per return.

In 2001, Fargas transferred to USC, but had to sit out for the season because of NCAA transfer rules. In 2002, during his final collegiate season as a Trojan, he ran for 715 yards on 161 carries with seven TDs and caught eight passes for 101 yards. He also returned seven kickoffs for 132 yards and was named to the 2002 All-Pac 10 second team.

Fargas' two season-ending injuries (one in college and one during his rookie season with the Raiders) have both come as a result of an injury during the 10th game of the season. This year he looks forward to playing in all 16 games after an off-season of training and building up the strength in his knee.

By all indications, Fargas will be an immediate threat for the Raiders running game during the 2004 season. He has the speed, versatility, and talent to make big plays and will have an impact on the Raiders offense. When talking about overcoming his injuries and playing for the Raiders, Fargas said, "The Raiders represent toughness. I've exemplified that I'm a tough person. I just want to continue to do that."

Fargas should have plenty of opportunities to showcase his talent and help get the Raiders back on top in 2004.

http://raiders.com/newsroom/newsroom...l.jsp?id=12423

On the Rise: Doug Gabriel
June 25, 2004

By Collette Fowler

Household names? Not yet. The Oakland Raiders have infused the roster with a bevy of talented young players who are taking advantage of the team's heralded veteran leadership and are starting to or are preparing to make names for themselves. Log on each week as we take a look at these players, where they came from, how they got here and where they're going. These are the players to watch and get to know because they are definitely On the Rise.. We continue the series with a look at WR Doug Gabriel.


Raiders WR Doug Gabriel fit the mold of the mighty Silver and Black when he joined the 2003 rookie class last year.

Lisa Coelho
Working hard to achieve success is nothing new to the Oakland Raiders' young wide receiver Doug Gabriel. Coming to the Raiders organization as the 167th overall draft pick in 2003, Gabriel knew he was becoming apart of an elite powerhouse. In his first year, he earned himself the position as primary kick return specialist and is competing for an offensive position beside future Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Tim Brown. Gabriel hopes to join these Silver and Black legends, as his carrier is on the rise.

Rice and Brown have kept Gabriel alert and on top of his game on the field. Gabriel said, "I am coming in every day and trying to perfect what I was going to do. If they (Rice and Brown) say I do well one day, I try and come back to do it better than what I did before." With Gabriel's constant desire for personal improvement, he is quickly earning more playing time on the offense. This work ethic has allowed him to get to this point after dominating in high school and later in the collegiate game.

Coming from Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Gabriel was one of the most highly sought after recruits in the state of Florida. His high school career was enough to turn heads at the University of Miami, one of the national college powerhouses. He had the speed and athleticism that was needed to dominate at this cutthroat college level. Gabriel signed a letter of intent with Miami, and later decided to attend Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College to develop his game at the JC level. At this time, Gabriel became known nationally as one of the most exceptional players in the country.

As a sophomore, he reset the school's long standing records for touchdowns (17) and points scored (104) in 2000. Gabriel also managed to account for 1,206 all-purpose yards during the season. This earned him a slew of awards including All-Region team, South Division Offensive MVP, and JC Gridwire's All-American second team. In addition he garnered the Offensive MVP award in the Mississippi JC All-Star game. He received so much national attention that Division I colleges were again beating down his door and the University of Central Florida swiped him before he could change his mind.

Gabriel made his decision on Central Florida due to the opportunity to further his offensive career, after turning down an opportunity to be on Florida State's defense. He made this decision to go to UCF with his career in mind. "I felt like my opportunity was more on offense than defense at the time", Gabriel said. "I took more time as a receiver going to camps and doing all the study session for the position." In two seasons as a Golden Knight, Gabriel emerged as UCF's primary offensive threat.

Once again, Gabriel reset the record books at UCF, breaking single-season marks for receiving yards (1,237) and all purpose yards (1,921) in 2002. His 19.3 average yards per catch blew him into the record books at second place for UCF. This was enough to earn him first team All-Conference and third team All-American honors. With his senior year ending, NFL scouts were hot on his trail.



Gabriel's work ethic has allowed him to get to this point after dominating as a rookie last season.

Lisa Coelho
Nationally ranked as one of the top receivers, Gabriel was expected to go high in the 2003 Draft. Unfortunately the expected changed to the unexpected when he discovered that he would have to wait until day two. Gabriel fell from the second round to the third round, falling as far as the fifth round. Finally selected by the Oakland Raiders he fit the mold of the mighty Silver and Black, joining the 2003 rookie class.

In his rookie year as a Raider, Gabriel played in 12 games as a wide receiver and on special teams. He caught one pass for 17 yards at wide receiver and made four tackles on special teams. Against Kansas City in week 11, he returned four kickoffs for 88 yards, earning him the job as the primary kick return specialist for the remainder of the season.

Gabriel excelled in the role, returning 29 kicks for an average of 23 yards per return. He finished the season on a roll, totaling over 100 return yards in each of the teams' last four games. In the final game of the regular season against San Diego, he returned four kickoffs for 131 yards, highlighted by an 85-yard touchdown in the second quarter for the team's only score.

With a successful season behind him and a new opportunity on the horizon, Gabriel is ready for his chance to shine in the 2004 season. There is little doubt that his desire to achieve success as a football player through his "Commitment to Excellence" will make him a favorite of Raider fans now and in the future.

http://raiders.com/newsroom/newsroom...l.jsp?id=12940

[broncos1170]

Originally Posted by Orion9185

On the Rise: Tyler Brayton
June 16, 2004

By Kevin Kimball

Household names? Not yet. The Oakland Raiders have infused the roster with a bevy of talented young players who are taking advantage of the team's heralded veteran leadership and are starting to or are preparing to make names for themselves. Log on each week as we take a look at these players, where they came from, how they got here and where they're going. These are the players to watch and get to know because they are definitely On the Rise. We continue the series with a look at DE Tyler Brayton.


The Raiders drafted DE Tyler Brayton in the 1st round of the 2003 NFL Draft.

Lisa Coelho
In the game of football many attributes can be measured empirically - speed, strength, stamina, and intelligence. Tyler Brayton is one of the few that have all of these characteristics, plus one that could not be measured on draft day: heart.

Drafted in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders, Brayton is already stepping up to the Raider tradition of playing with heart. In 2003 as a rookie he played in all 16 games with a total of 61 tackles, 2.5 sacks and one fumble recovery, but said he expects to improve on those numbers in his sophomore season. "I want to get to the passer more often, wreak havoc, collapse the pocket and just try to be disruptive in the passing game," Brayton said. His sophomore campaign will include playing with some seasoned veterans. Along with John Parrella, newcomers Warren Sapp and Ted Washington join the mix in the trenches.

Brayton said he could learn something from his teammates. "Hopefully I can learn a lot. Hopefully we can work together," he said. "They can show me some things, like what it's going to take to get to the passer. They know every little detail. They know how to get to the quarterback. They know how to play every blocking scheme, and they have done it a hundred times before. They have pretty much mastered the game, and I'm trying to master one thing at time."

"I want to get to
the passer more
often, wreak havoc,
collapse the pocket
and be disruptive."
- DE Tyler Brayton

Tyler Brayton has already mastered at least one thing - leaving everything on the field. The 6'6", 280-pound defensive lineman played in 47 games at the University of Colorado, recording 152 tackles (99 solos) with 12.5 sacks for minus-94 yards, 25 stops for losses of 119 yards, 34 quarterback pressures, 17 third-down hits, three fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles and six pass deflections. His play earned him the Buffalo Heart Award, which exemplifies team spirit, and the Dave Jones Award, which is given to the team's most outstanding defensive player. During his stay, one of Brayton's greatest strengths was his leadership ability. As a junior, he asserted himself as the heart and soul of Colorado's team with a dramatic pre-game speech that turned Colorado's season around and spurred the Buffaloes on a run to the Big XII Championship Game.



DE Tyler Brayton had an impressive rookie season for the Silver and Black in 2003.

Lisa Coelho
With his team sitting at 1-2 and coming off an embarrassing loss to Southern Cal, Brayton laid it on the line - literally. As the team was preparing to take the field to play UCLA, Brayton laid a strip of tape across the door to the locker room and challenged his teammates to only cross the threshold if they were willing to put forth maximum effort or they would have to answer to him. Brayton has a history of performing in a manner that earns him the respect and admiration of his teammates, and coaches. Before joining the Buffaloes, Brayton grew up in Pasco, Wash., where he received his team's Most Inspirational Award as a team captain at Pasco High School as well as earning first-team All-Area honors at defensive end and first-team All-State mention at tight end.

With a new staff and a new defensive system there is a sense of renewed optimism in Oakland, and for good reason. The defense has talent busting at the seams and is ready to take on any challenge thrown at them. Brayton plays a big role in helping the Raiders get to where they want to be in the upcoming season. "What makes me excited about it more than anything is the attitude of the whole defense and the attitude of the whole team," Brayton said. "I think everyone is a lot hungrier than they were last year. I think we are just antsy to get started, and it shows in the way we practice."

As the 2004 season approaches we know that when Tyler Brayton is on the field he is going to give nothing less than 100 percent of his athleticism, his intelligence, and most of all, his heart to the Commitment to Excellence that is The Oakland Raiders.

This guy is definetly "on the rise." He was a beast at Colorado. I remember a game when he tackled this running back so hard the guy's helmet and mouthpiece flew off and landed 5 yards behind him.

I just realized it didn't do a quote. Can a moderator please edit this and make a quote?

[cashpath]

You did a quote but in your closing quot eyou don't need to put the =username just put / quote

[broncos1170]

Originally Posted by cashpath

You did a quote but in your closing quot eyou don't need to put the =username just put / quote

Ok, thanks. I will do that next time.

[ULEN]

Friday, June 25, 2004

By MARTY JAMES
Executive Sports Editor

ALAMEDA -- Norv Turner has already picked up on a couple of important things as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders.

No. 1, he said, it's a football team that likes to work and knows how to work. "There's some guys that have really put in a great offseason," said Turner.

No. 2, they like to play, and they have fun doing it, said Turner, who was hired in late January to lead the Raiders.

"That gives us a chance, and that's exciting to me," Turner said Thursday, following the Raiders' final minicamp at the team's headquarters in Alameda. "There's a group of young players that have been drafted over the last three or four years that are potential Pro Bowl players. There's guys that are going to have great success in their careers. There's a lot of starters in that group.

"I think the chemistry of this team and the mix is outstanding."

The voluntary three-day minicamp, which began Tuesday and included selected veterans and rookies, ended in spirited fashion, with the offense and defense scrimmaging in shirts, shorts and helmets for the last half-hour of practice.

Noticeably absent were veteran wide receivers and future Pro Football Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Tim Brown, but for many of the younger players, it was a chance to get familiar with a new playbook, a new staff and impress their position coaches.

The Raiders worked on their offense, defense and special teams in the 90-minute session.

"We've got a new coaching staff here, and everybody wants to show them we can play," said Carlos Francis, a rookie wide receiver from Texas Tech. "I want to let them know that I'm here. I'm going to take one day at a time. I need to work extremely hard to make this team -- that's my main focus."

The minicamp also served for more player evaluation during the offseason. There was light contact, but the tempo and intensity will pick up significantly when the Raiders report to training camp on July 29 at the Napa Valley Marriott.

It's during two-a-day practices in full pads at Redwood Middle School where there's blocking and tackling and where positions can be won or lost.

The Raiders' ninth training camp in Napa will consist of 28 practice days, a schedule that will take them up to their third game of the preseason.

"This is a great time of year," said Turner, a native of Martinez in the East Bay and a former Washington Redskins head coach. "We're not concerned about playing a game. We're coaching everybody and getting them ready to go to camp. I told the guys that when camp comes, it changes. The sense of urgency goes up dramatically. You've got 15 days before your first preseason game.

"Guys fall by the wayside in camp, if they don't pay attention, if they don't learn the specifics of their position. What you do is you give someone else a great chance to make the football team."

After a complete meltdown during the 2003 NFL season, when the Raiders went from AFC champions and Super Bowl participants to a 4-12 record in one disastrous year, there's really only one direction for the team to go -- and that's upward.

"The ingredients we have as a football team to me that make us exciting are that we're talented, and talented at a lot of positions and a lot of different age groups," said Turner. "We're a lot younger football team than anyone realizes."

Turner continued: "The thing about this football team and this coaching staff is that there's a lot of guys in that building that feel they have something to prove -- and I'm one of them. I think when you have that approach, that attitude, it does raise everything up a little bit."

One of those young players is Tyler Brayton, a second-year defensive end from Colorado who hasn't missed a workout during the offseason.

"You can't get better than that," said Turner.

Offensive tackle Robert Gallery, the team's top pick in the April draft from Iowa, is working on learning the playbook as much as he is about pass blocking and run blocking techniques.

"I learned some things I've got to work on, so that I'll be ready to go to training camp," said Gallery. "I'm trying to learn as fast as I can."

The Raiders had two sessions in the last 10 days with Jeff Fish, their strength and conditioning coach. Their weight room is also open in the mornings five days a week in the offseason.

"Physically, as long as they stay in shape, we'll be ready to go when we go to camp," said Turner.

Rich Gannon and Kerry Collins got the most work and repetitions at quarterback, and threw short and medium range passes in different drills.

All in all, Collins was pleased with the way the minicamp went.

"I think we performed well," he said. "We've got a lot of young guys we're working in. We made some mistakes, but I felt like we improved every day we were out there. I saw a lot of guys practice hard and really make progress."

Turner got his first look at the Raiders' training camp setup a couple of weeks ago during a visit to Napa. He gave it a thumbs up.

"It's outstanding. It's not so spread out, like a college campus. I like getting away from the facility and having that training camp mentality. When you can keep everything that compact it's a big plus."

It's expected that Turner will turn up the heat in training camp, as the Raiders continue preparations for the 2004 regular season. They open on Sept. 12 at Pittsburgh.

"We're going to hit, we're going to hit in the running game, we're going to have blitz drills," the coach said. "Based on what we've talked about in our meetings, I don't think we're going to hit a lot more than other teams. But it's going to be physical and it's going to be competitive."


http://www.napanews.com/templates/in...D-7EFC59D2DB3F

Turner hopes featured back will emerge from crowd of qualified competitors that also includes Zereoue, Fargas, Wheatley
June 24, 2004

By PHIL BARBER
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

ALAMEDA -- Amos Zereoue got most of the reps in nickel-package drills. Troy Hambrick bobbled a pass, then wound up catching it behind his back. Justin Fargas left a handoff on the ground, reminding everyone why he is considered a risk despite his tremendous athletic ability. And somewhere, Tyrone Wheatley enjoyed a day off.


If coach Norv Turner is having trouble sorting out the Raiders' halfback position, he probably wasn't able to clarify much on Wednesday, the second day of his team's three-day minicamp.


With Charlie Garner having defected to Tampa Bay, the Raiders have no clear starter in the backfield.


"I think there's a bunch of guys that see themselves as our starting tailback, and I think it'll work out when we get to camp," Turner said. "And I think when you have competition, and you have guys who've played, you have an opportunity to come up with a featured runner. That's our goal. If we don't come up with that, I do know we have guys who have been productive."


As Turner alluded, he has never been a runner-by-committee type of coach. Whether it was Emmitt Smith during his days in Dallas, or Stephen Davis in Washington, or Ricky Williams in Miami last year, Turner's offenses usually have relied on a single workhorse back.


"Yeah, that's the way I'd prefer to do it," the coach admitted. "When we've had success, had the best success, that's the way we've done it. ... I think that's the way the runners would prefer it."


All of which begs the question: Who will be the guy?

Wheatley seemingly has the edge, based upon his competent performance in Oakland. He was a 1,000-yard rusher in 2000, when the Raiders led the league in ground yardage under Jon Gruden, and he was one of the few offensive players to stand out last year. But Fargas is the fastest of the four, Zereoue (the former Steeler) probably has the best hands, and Hambrick was the most productive in 2003.


Coach Bill Parcells picked Hambrick to replace Emmitt Smith in Dallas last year, and Hambrick carried the load all season. He rushed for 972 yards, eighth-best in the NFC. But he averaged only 3.5 yards per carry and suffered in comparison with Cowboys fans' memories of their record-setting runner.


"It was hard," Hambrick said Wednesday, "because I didn't have Emmitt Smith's line. I didn't have Emmitt Smith's quarterback. But you know, we worked together as a collective group, and we were able to pull it and win it together, and finally get to a playoff."


But after the Cowboys drafted Notre Dame running back Julius Jones in the second round of the draft, Parcells made it clear to Hambrick that the team was going in a different direction. As the spring progressed, Hambrick began to feel less and less wanted.


"As the offseason went on, we were working out, it was more of being a nun at a nightclub," he said.


So Hambrick asked for, and received, his release from the Cowboys. Like so many other players past and present, he felt his best chance for a new start lay in Oakland -- especially since Turner's offense is not so different from the one the Cowboys ran during Hambrick's first couple of years in Dallas. He signed with the Raiders May17.


"All I am coming in to do is to try to get back on the team, get a fresh start and try to compete and show somebody I can play football," Hambrick said. "I'm very disciplined at what I do. So if I fit in, that's great. If I can help this team get up from where they were last year and back to the Super Bowl, that'll be good, too. I'm just here to help."


That could include toiling on kicking teams. Hambrick got his NFL start under Joe Avezzano, who spent 13 years with the Cowboys and now coordinates the Raiders' special teams.


In the meantime, Hambrick has a little more than a month to get in shape for training camp. Turner praised his vision and physical running style, but noted that Hambrick showed up for drills in less than peak condition.


Hambrick vowed to get into better shape.


"I'll get out there and run now if you want me to. I won't die on him."


Turner would no doubt be pleased to hear that. He'll use several factors to select a starting halfback; with luck, mortality won't be one of them.

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/raiders...24raiders.html

[ULEN]

COME BACK IN BLACK

June 27, 2004 -- ALAMEDA, Calif. - Kerry Collins may not have mastered the Raiders' offense yet, but he certainly has the wardrobe down. Sitting on a park bench outside the team's offices, Collins sports a black hat, black T-shirt and black shorts.
It's not quite an Al Davis jump suit, but Collins' wardrobe gives an indication how well he has adapted to his new surroundings. Two months after being released by the Giants, the 31-year-old quarterback is upbeat and content in a new role on a new team on the other coast.

"You know, sometimes there's nothing like a new start," Collins said. "I certainly feel rejuvenated out here. It's a big move for [my family] and there's a lot of new things for us, but I'm really happy I came out here."

The process of getting to Oakland has been a whirlwind for Collins. After the Giants traded for Eli Manning this draft day, the team asked Collins to restructure his contract. When he refused, he was released. Collins began to search for a new job, and a month later signed a three-year, $16.8 million contract with the Raiders.

When he looks back on the eventful time, Collins shakes his head.

"You don't ever know what's around the next corner," he said.

For Collins, the road began to take twists and turns on draft day. Collins was at home in Basking Ridge, N.J., watching the draft when the Giants made the deal for his successor. He had heard rumors for weeks but nothing from the team, leaving him a sliver of hope they would go another direction with the draft pick.



"I was disappointed," Collins said. "I was angry. I was resentful at times because I've got a lot of pride. I'm proud of what I did there. I'm proud of what we accomplished as a football team when I was there. They bring somebody else in and feel that they can do a better job than you can - it stings your pride."

Collins knew the Giants wanted him to restructure his contract and lower his $8.95 million salary-cap figure. Rather than wait to hear from the team, Collins went to Giants Stadium two days after the draft to talk to general manager Ernie Accorsi.

"He wanted me to restructure my deal, to make it more cap-friendly, so they could sign the new quarterback, you know what I mean?" said Collins, his voice rising in disbelief. "Well, you know what? No. No. Not going to happen.

"I really wasn't interested in helping them out too much at that point."

Two days later, on April 28, his five-year stint with the Giants was over. Collins and his agent, David Dunn, began searching for a new team, but the timing was less than perfect. Most teams had settled on a quarterback situation. A few offered the chance to play one year as a backup, after which he'd be forced to test free agency. Collins hoped for stability.

Then, the Raiders came calling. Collins visited Oakland and walked away impressed with new coach Norv Turner, owner Davis and the long-term opportunities for him there. Many people wondered why Collins would choose a team with an established starter, 2002 MVP Rich Gannon. But 38-year-old Gannon has only one year left on his contract, and most in the organization feel this is his last go-round with the team, giving Collins a year to learn the system before taking the reins in 2005.

The quarterbacks must get through this season first and all the controversy questions that go with it. The duo and Turner spent plenty of time at a minicamp last week downplaying the rivalry.

"There is no controversy," Collins said.

Added Gannon, "You guys are trying to create something more than there really is."

Collins is deferring to Gannon, yet he also is quick to point out he still considers himself a starting quarterback. He said if there had been a team that offered him a starting job, he would be there instead of in Oakland.

"It's tough when people ask me, 'Well, why would you want to be the backup?'" Collins said. "Well, I don't want to be a backup, but this is the best situation for me for a lot of reasons. That's what I have to look at."

Under Turner, the Raiders plan to throw deep often. It's an offensive philosophy Collins is unfamiliar with. After signing on May 24, Collins returned to New Jersey but was back in California a week later. He has been here since, learning everything from terminology to philosophy.

He's gotten to know his new teammates at two OTAs (organized team activities) and at last week's minicamp. He split reps with Gannon, working with the second team. Most of the practices were mundane, but one throw, a 55-yard strike to Ronald Curry, drew cheers from teammates. Collins has impressed his coaches with how quickly he's picked up the offense, and Davis "loves" him, according to a member of the team's front office.

"The first day we had a camp and had a 7-on-7 period, one of the veteran DBs came over to me and said, 'Have you guys been meeting with him since January? He looks pretty sharp,'" Turner said. "The veteran guys pick this stuff up quick. He knows how to get ready. I don't think the system is an issue. I don't think managing the game is an issue. I think, right now, it's getting comfortable with the guys he's playing with."

Collins also is getting comfortable in his new surroundings. He and his wife, Brooke, have been house hunting in the Bay Area. For now, Collins is living in a hotel.

Collins said he holds no grudge toward the Giants. He said he has not spoken to any of his former teammates but they are in his thoughts. He did place a call to Jesse Palmer after "The Bachelor" aired but has not gotten a call back.

"I don't want the 'Good Morning America' version," Collins said. "I want what really happened."

Collins said he remains grateful to the Giants for signing him in 1999 when he had been labeled everything from a quitter to a racist. Shortly after the team cut him, he went to Wellington Mara's office to thank the owner for taking a chance on him.

That's in Collins' rearview mirror now. He's eager to get started with his new team, even if it means holding a clipboard for a year.

"Regardless of how it all went down, I couldn't be any happier," he said. "I know I'm not starting here and all that, but, God, I feel refreshed, and I'm excited about football. Sometimes you get in a rut when you're somewhere for a long time. This change has been great for me."

http://www.nypost.com/sports/23924.htm

[ULEN]

Inexperienced players adding to enthusiasm under Turner
June 27, 2004


By PHIL BARBER
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT


ALAMEDA -- Is Rich Gannon ready to regain his MVP form? Does Jerry Rice have another great year in him? Can Warren Sapp be a force in Oakland, as he was in Tampa Bay?

According to Raiders coach Norv Turner, we may be asking the wrong questions.


"Everyone wants to talk about our older players, the veteran players we've signed," Turner said Thursday after wrapping up a three-day minicamp. "But the key to this football team is the young players taking another step.


"Doug Gabriel (wide receiver), you see him out here making plays. Tyler Brayton (defensive end), Phillip Buchanon (cornerback), Napoleon Harris (inside linebacker) -- I've talked about a lot of those guys. ... We need the young guys to really step up and play at the level they're capable of playing."


At other times, Turner singled out cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and rookie tight end Courtney Anderson for praise.


With nearly all of the thirty-something Raiders excused from the minicamp, Turner and his staff have had a rare chance to evaluate their younger players.


And for the most part, the coach liked what he saw, even from his still-toddling rookies.


"(Tackle Robert) Gallery, (center Jake) Grove, Courtney Anderson, those guys, they've had fewer mental errors than a lot of the veterans," Turner said. "They've come in here with a sense of urgency, and they've handled it extremely well."


"It's been a good summer," said Gallery, whom the Raiders took with the second pick in the draft on April 24. "For the most part, I'm getting it. There's always something to pick up, and there will be until the day I stop playing. But I think it's going pretty well."


The sense of urgency to which Turner alluded was apparent throughout the three-day camp. New coaches such as special teams coordinator Joe Avezzano and defensive backs coach Clayton Lopez brought high energy to the drills, and most players seemed upbeat and energetic.


On a few occasions, they even crossed the line into aggression.


Defensive end Grant Irons tangled with a couple of different offensive linemen (Irons mixed it up with Gallery at the first minicamp, right after the draft), and cornerback Denard Walker verbally blistered Gabriel on Thursday after some minor contact in a passing drill.


"I was just having some fun out there," Walker said of his profane tirade.


Turner hopes such passion will translate into additional offseason conditioning. Strength coach Jeff Fish has guided most of the Raiders through numerous "organized team activities" and voluntary workouts. (Brayton, for one, hasn't missed a single workout.) The team weight room will remain open every morning, but many of the players will now disperse until training camp, which begins July 30.


"My point to them this morning: If you have been here for the last 31/2 months and you have been working four days a week and you have gotten yourself into this kind of condition, hey, build on it," Turner said. "Don't take a step back."


It isn't just the young guys who are providing impetus to Oakland's rebound, of course. Free agents like Sapp, linebacker Dwayne Rudd and safety Ray Buchanan are hoping to resuscitate their careers. And anyone left over from last year's 4-12 flameout is eager to get the bad taste out of his mouth.


"There are a lot of guys in that building that feel like they have something to prove," Turner said, nodding to the Raiders' facilities.


"And I am one of them."


EXTRA POINTS

Turner excused several players from Thursday's practice, saying they were "East Coast guys" who had weekend commitments. They included Buchanon, wide receiver Jerry Porter and running back Amos Zereoue.


Though he continues to be listed as a defensive lineman on the roster, second-year player Akbar Gbaja-Biamila confirmed that he has been moved to outside linebacker. DeLawrence Grant and Sam Williams have undergone similar shifts.


Several unsigned players took the field for tryouts during the three-day camp, including offensive linemen Todd Wike and Robert Hicks, and tight end Mike Hart

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/raiders...tsstreetc.html

[ULEN]

Tuesday, June 29, 2004

Tuiasosopo out of Raiders' eye?
Collins now appears to be QB of future

By CLARE FARNSWORTH
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

Marques Tuiasosopo was expecting the news, but that didn't soften the delivery.

When the Oakland Raiders signed veteran Kerry Collins this month, joining the even-more veteran Rich Gannon, it clouded the future for the former University of Washington quarterback.

Tuiasosopo had been considered the quarterback of the future since then-coach Jon Gruden selected him in the second round of the 2001 draft. Now, with the arrivals this off-season of Norv Turner -- Tuiasosopo's third head coach in four seasons -- and Collins, what was once thought to be a given could be taken away.

"I may not like it, but it's something that's out of my control," Tuiasosopo said recently during a telephone interview after a workout at Raiders headquarters.

If Tuiasosopo has learned anything in his brief career, it's to expect the unexpected and not make waves when the turbulent franchise veers from its expected course.

"I just want to go out and sh