Post by TheShadow on Nov 27, 2003 14:14:58 GMT -5
www.sfexaminer.com
Well-traveled QB has paid dividends for hurting Raiders.
By Artie Gigantino
Special To The Examiner
The name is Rick, not Rich. In case you have been on a hike in the hills the
past month or so, the starting QB for the Oakland Raiders is Rick Mirer.
Although the season for the Silver and Black has turned into a M*A*S*H unit
and the win column is light with only three victories, one bright spot this
year has been the play of third-team QB Rick Mirer. As a matter of fact, we
might wanna ditch the third-team label now and forever because this guy is
not a third-team performer.
Since being tossed from clipboard duty to underneath the rear end of another
feel-good story in center Barret Robbins, Mirer has played just great for
Oakland. He has started three games but played in four. He has tossed 97
passes, completing 61 for a 63 percent completion percentage and an 83.9 QB
rating (however you figure that crazy formula out). Due to an increase in
the amount of running plays being called, he has only thrown two touchdown
passes. However, that is misleading because his leadership and calling of
audibles have been outstanding. The public never gets the stats on these
decisions, which are critical to a teams success.
Everyone forgets Mirer is not some Joe Blow off the street. In 1993, Seattle
drafted the Indiana native with the second overall pick in the draft. But as
Mirer drifted from Seattle to Chicago to Green Bay to the Jets to San
Francisco and finally the Raiders, his accomplishments became a distant
memory.
Prior to this year, his last start in a regular season NFL game was 1999.
But Mirer, as he patrolled the sidelines scribbling on his clipboard, always
paid attention to what was happening on the field. When the injury bug hit
Rich Gannon and Tui, he was more than ready.
The Raiders front office deserves a ton of credit for signing him last year
and seeing that he had games left in him yet to be played. In the NFL, you
never know when you will be called to duty. When asked to QB the Raiders
four weeks ago, Rick Mirer was ready.
***
I wonder if Ty Willingham is enjoying life in South Bend these days. Now I
am not saying that he should have stayed at Stanford and said no to the
Irish when they came calling.
I am saying he has quickly found out that the level of expectation on the
football field back there is quite a bit higher than on The Farm.
After an initial 10-3, the team is sitting at 4-6, with Stanford this
weekend and the Orangemen of Syracuse next week. Hidden in last year's 10-3
record was the way the season ended. First, the Trojans of USC demolished
them 44-13, then North Carolina St. pounded them in the Gator Bowl, 28-6. In
other words, they were hammered by the best two teams they played at the end
of the season, when you are supposed to be peaking.
Next year will be an interesting year at Notre Dame. It will be Year Three
of the Tyrone Era and the faithful want to win 10 or 11 games and get to a
BCS bowl.
***
Cal beat Stanford in the "Big Game" 28-16. But the score could have very
easily been 35-0. Cal had the turnover bug early in the game and handed the
Trees -- excuse me, the Cardinal -- a 10-0 halftime lead. The Bears got
things squared away at the intermission and proceeded to come out and
methodically take the lead and maintain possession of the infamous Axe.
Stanford needs to lick its wounds and get ready to stop the Notre Dame
running game. Cal awaits a bowl invite and can use that time as extra
practice for next year.
Cal also must face the music about what to do with the facility issue on
campus. Jeff Tedford has made it clear he wants the football plant to be up
to modern standards. The administration has made it clear it does not have
enough money or a good enough plan to accomplish this. Soon, not this year
but soon. Something's got to give.
***
Have a great Thanksgiving. Drive smart and safe and take the Irish and the
points.
Well-traveled QB has paid dividends for hurting Raiders.
By Artie Gigantino
Special To The Examiner
The name is Rick, not Rich. In case you have been on a hike in the hills the
past month or so, the starting QB for the Oakland Raiders is Rick Mirer.
Although the season for the Silver and Black has turned into a M*A*S*H unit
and the win column is light with only three victories, one bright spot this
year has been the play of third-team QB Rick Mirer. As a matter of fact, we
might wanna ditch the third-team label now and forever because this guy is
not a third-team performer.
Since being tossed from clipboard duty to underneath the rear end of another
feel-good story in center Barret Robbins, Mirer has played just great for
Oakland. He has started three games but played in four. He has tossed 97
passes, completing 61 for a 63 percent completion percentage and an 83.9 QB
rating (however you figure that crazy formula out). Due to an increase in
the amount of running plays being called, he has only thrown two touchdown
passes. However, that is misleading because his leadership and calling of
audibles have been outstanding. The public never gets the stats on these
decisions, which are critical to a teams success.
Everyone forgets Mirer is not some Joe Blow off the street. In 1993, Seattle
drafted the Indiana native with the second overall pick in the draft. But as
Mirer drifted from Seattle to Chicago to Green Bay to the Jets to San
Francisco and finally the Raiders, his accomplishments became a distant
memory.
Prior to this year, his last start in a regular season NFL game was 1999.
But Mirer, as he patrolled the sidelines scribbling on his clipboard, always
paid attention to what was happening on the field. When the injury bug hit
Rich Gannon and Tui, he was more than ready.
The Raiders front office deserves a ton of credit for signing him last year
and seeing that he had games left in him yet to be played. In the NFL, you
never know when you will be called to duty. When asked to QB the Raiders
four weeks ago, Rick Mirer was ready.
***
I wonder if Ty Willingham is enjoying life in South Bend these days. Now I
am not saying that he should have stayed at Stanford and said no to the
Irish when they came calling.
I am saying he has quickly found out that the level of expectation on the
football field back there is quite a bit higher than on The Farm.
After an initial 10-3, the team is sitting at 4-6, with Stanford this
weekend and the Orangemen of Syracuse next week. Hidden in last year's 10-3
record was the way the season ended. First, the Trojans of USC demolished
them 44-13, then North Carolina St. pounded them in the Gator Bowl, 28-6. In
other words, they were hammered by the best two teams they played at the end
of the season, when you are supposed to be peaking.
Next year will be an interesting year at Notre Dame. It will be Year Three
of the Tyrone Era and the faithful want to win 10 or 11 games and get to a
BCS bowl.
***
Cal beat Stanford in the "Big Game" 28-16. But the score could have very
easily been 35-0. Cal had the turnover bug early in the game and handed the
Trees -- excuse me, the Cardinal -- a 10-0 halftime lead. The Bears got
things squared away at the intermission and proceeded to come out and
methodically take the lead and maintain possession of the infamous Axe.
Stanford needs to lick its wounds and get ready to stop the Notre Dame
running game. Cal awaits a bowl invite and can use that time as extra
practice for next year.
Cal also must face the music about what to do with the facility issue on
campus. Jeff Tedford has made it clear he wants the football plant to be up
to modern standards. The administration has made it clear it does not have
enough money or a good enough plan to accomplish this. Soon, not this year
but soon. Something's got to give.
***
Have a great Thanksgiving. Drive smart and safe and take the Irish and the
points.