The guy is two years into his 3 year contract and he can’t put together an offence (with Moss, Jordan, Porter, and Collins) and a defense (with Sapp, Burgess, and Morrison). Then I show up to my local spot, the Village Tavern (a west village hang out spot with a dozen flat screens, the NFL game day package and free food at the half time breaks!!!), and the Jets and Raiders are going at it today. We could have gone to the game as tickets couldn’t even be given away – Jets were easily one of the worst teams in NFL…
…and then the news… Norv is benching Collins in replacement for Marques Tuiasosopo… Tui who?!? Where did this guy come from and why is he in place of a top 10 QB?!? Tui has been warming the pine for 5 years and Norv thinks this is a great time to put him in and see what he can do against a sub par team. Wow were we spanked this time, and I’m calling for Norv’s head!
This has to be one of the most idiotic decisions in management history or just classic Raider management… Collins, the obvious Raider starter was 4th in the league in passing yards through 13 games (with the sit out, he’s down to 7th). He’s 10th in the league in touchdowns through the same number of games. Tui? Haven’t seen anything productive from him since his 99 Washington Huskies days… and we still haven’t – especially when the Jets had him on the mat 6 times this game.
I mean come on!!! 26 to 10 with no Curtis Marin! I’ll put blame on many people for this game – Jordan didn’t perform at all this round, the offensive line had more holes than Krispy Kreme donuts leading to 4 turnovers, Doug Jolley can’t catch a football to save a career (one that would have lead to a TD!), and like Raider form 13 penalties for 88 given up yards.
Still the decision to remove Collins, I believe, has less to do what the media says as ineffectiveness of Collins and more to do with Norv Turners ineffectiveness to develop plays and an offense that matches up to the abilities of Moss, Jordan and Collins. The result of the removal… the Raiders third loss, and the Jets first win in 9 games… and this is what we saw of Tui —-
With the right coach, motivation and play book, the Raiders still have a shot at playoffs in 06/07 – provided they find someone to get them disciplined – Hey Belichick! Get out of NE while you’re still up and come out to sunny cali to start up a new dynasty!
The World Cup Group draft has been drawn and the next round of tickets for the 2006 FIFA World Cup games go on sale Dec. 12th. There are a few surprises and for the USA, as we were drafted into a very tough Group. Every Cup there is one group of the toughest teams, labeled “The Group of Death”. The soccer public is already labeling Group C with Argentina as this years toughest group, however, with the The USA drawn into Group E; up against two of the top European nations in Italy and the Czech Republic as well as one of the legitimate African nations to qualify in Ghana, this is out Group of Death.
….