CATEGORIES

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

Starting Tackle Kolton Miller is entering the final year of his rookie contract.

Wanted: Defensive coordinator

The Raiders didn’t wait long to begin their search for a new defensive coordinator, and it’s becoming clear that Jon Gruden has already narrowed his list down.

Raiders' good, bad, ugly

Raiders’ good, bad, ugly

NEWS & NOTES

The Raiders had one of the easier schedules in 2020 and got only eight wins to show for it. Things won’t get any easier in 2021, either.

Looking back at 2020 season

The 2020 season will absolutely be remembered for being one of the strangest and most disappointing in franchise history.

Gruden feeling the heat?

“I know there is a big bull’s-eye on my chest, certainly. If the people want to use that as an incentive, then so be it. I worked for Al Davis in 1998. That was pressure. I was 34 years old. I’ve dealt with pressure before. I don’t really feel pressure. I love the excitement and thrill of competing, and I can’t worry about things I can’t control in that regard. I know people will want to step on me and beat me, and that is just the way this league is.”

From the SILVERANDBLACK.com Message Boards

S&BI continually scans the message boards across Raider Nation to see what Raider fans are talking about now that the 2020 season has ended for the Raiders. We chose some of the better posts and present them here.

Checklist for 2021

Now that the 2020 season has been put to rest for Las Vegas, the Raiders have shifted their focus to what figures to be a busy offseason as they prepare for 2021.

AFC WEST ROUNDUP

The Chargers fired coach Anthony Lynn after four seasons.

‘We have to be a much more detailed football team'

Like so many Raiders fans, coach Jon Gruden found himself searching for answers after the Raiders’ second-half collapse that cost the team a spot in the expanded playoffs.

Obituaries

DICK ALLEN, a third baseman and first baseman who played in the major leagues for 15 years from 19631977 with the Phillies, Cardinals, Dodgers, White Sox, and Athletics and won the National League Rookie of the Year in 1964 and the American League MVP in 1972, died Dec. 7. He was 78.

Scout Spotlight

SCOUTS IN THEIR OWN WORDS. THE PLAYERS. THE JOURNEY. THE STATE OF THE GAME.

HOW A FRANCHISE WAS BUILT

In 1981, Baseball America was launched to fill a void in scouting and player development coverage

THE 120

MLB invited 120 teams to its minor league system. Find out what that means for fans, players and teams.

NO DOWNSIDE

Smart front offices are taking advantage of the minor league Rule 5 draft

CLUBHOUSE CHARACTER

Tim Dillard prides himself on helping his team both on and off the field

Offseason of change inevitable

The hardest part of losing in the playoffs was saying goodbye to his team. Coach Ron Rivera knows change is inevitable and the Washington Football Team is about to go through its annual additions and subtractions.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: TERRY McLAURIN

The Washington Football Team's offense was less than special in 2020, but it was good enough to somehow win a division title. A big part of that was receiver Terry McLaurin, our Warpath Offensive Player of the Year.

Pandemic to playoffs

WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM SEASON IN REVIEW

Hail and Farewell

The Washington Football Team did not go gently into the offseason.

Forgotten passer proves memorable

FROM WHERE I’M SITTING

And with the 19th pick …

A first-round quarterback again? It’s scary to imagine, but Washington might need one and there’s always the owner Dan Snyder’s marketing wow factor.

To Do List

Hire GM: This is more coach Ron Rivera’s decision than owner Dan Snyder’s since the former has control on football matters. Yet, the general manager is usually the closest person to the owner so it’s not easily Rivera’s decision.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: MONTEZ SWEAT

The Washington Football Team won five of its seven regular season games and a division championship because the defense largely carried the load.

3 big thoughts

CHOOSE A NEW NAME ALREADY

1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = ?

“Well, I think going through the four quarterbacks gives us a little insight into some things.” – Ron Rivera

MARTIAL ARTS VS. FIGHTING ARTS

JUDO ISN’T REALLY GOOD FOR SELF-DEFENSE. TRADITIONAL KARATE COMPETITIONS THAT DON’T HAVE ANY CONTACT AREN’T VERY EXCITING. TAI CHI DOESN’T DO ANYTHING FOR AEROBIC FITNESS. TAEKWONDO IS JUST A SPORT. COMMENTS LIKE THESE ARE COMMON IN MARTIAL ARTS CIRCLES. OFTEN, THEY COME FROM THOSE WHO IMAGINE THEMSELVES MUCH MORE EXPERIENCED AND COMPETENT THAN PERHAPS THEY ARE. WHEN WE HEAR SUCH STATEMENTS, WE WOULD DO WELL TO CONSIDER WHAT IS REALLY BEING SAID. MORE IMPORTANT, WHEN EVALUATING ANY ASPECT OF A FIGHTING ART, WE NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT THAT ART IS FOR.

THAT WON'T WORK ON THE STREET!

IT’S SAFE TO INFER THAT EVEN BACK IN THE DAYS OF THE GREAT ASIAN DYNASTIES, THERE WAS SOMEONE POINTING AT THE TEACHER OF A KINGDOM’S ARMY AND SAYING‚ “THAT WON’T WORK IN BATTLE.” MARTIAL ARTISTS ARE KNOWN FOR BEING CRITICAL OF TECHNIQUES THAT ARE NOT INTRODUCED BY THEIR INSTRUCTOR, THAT WERE NOT CREATED BY THEM PERSONALLY OR THAT COME FROM OUTSIDE THEIR SPECIFIC SYSTEM

LEON JAY IS OUT TO SPREAD SMALL- CIRCLE JUJITSU AND SMALL- CIRCLE JUDO

FEW MARTIAL ARTISTS HAVE NOT HEARD OF WALLY JAY AND SMALL-CIRCLE JUJITSU. A MEMBER OF THE BLACK BELT HALL OF FAME, JAY WROTE MUCH ABOUT THE ART HE FOUNDED, AS HAVE NUMEROUS OTHERS. WHAT MANY PEOPLE AREN’T AWARE OF IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SYSTEM THAT’S TAKING PLACE UNDER LEON JAY.

HOW BRUCE LEE CONQUERED THE RAT

According to Chinese astrology, 2020 was the Year of the Rat — which kind of explains the bad luck we all had! Turns out rats are not compatible with and can be countered by goats.