Post by TheShadow on Dec 1, 2003 18:01:59 GMT -5
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Raiders fall flat against Denver
By GREGG BELL
THE SACRAMENTO BEE
OAKLAND -- Mount Callahan finally erupted in full fury after yet another mishap-filled Raiders loss Sunday.
"We've got to be the dumbest team in America in terms of playing the game," frustrated, had-it-up-to-infinity Oakland coach Bill Callahan said -- no, yelled -- moments after his players gave away a 22-8 loss to the Denver Broncos in a day-long rain that was steadily miserable, like the home team's performance.
The NFL's most-penalized team had 11 more, leaving it with 112 in 12 games. No. 104 was an unnecessary roughness foul by linebacker Eric Barton on 3rd and 14 that pushed the Broncos to their first touchdown. And No. 105 was tight end/special teamer O.J. Santiago ruining his blocked punt for a safety in the first quarter by going offside on a Denver punt in the next quarter, directly leading to the Broncos' second, ultimately game-winning touchdown.
Add in three lost fumbles by Tyrone Wheatley, Jerry Porter and Rick Mirer, and you have the first game without a Raiders touchdown since a 16-3 loss in the AFC Championship Game in January, 2001, 50 games ago.
This latest flag day pushed Callahan past his percolation of last week, when he publicly called out his error-prone special teams. Sunday brought an even more startling and sweeping condemnation of his woeful, 3-9 team's intelligence and ability to win another game.
"If we don't learn how not to beat ourselves, we won't win again. We won't win for a long time," Callahan said, his voice volume far higher than his team's quality of play. "We had penalties that took us out of crucial drive-stops that allowed us an opportunity to get back in it with a one-possession game, and we failed.
"I'm highly critical because of the way we give games away. We give 'em away.
"Period. And it's embarrassing. And I represent that. And I apologize for that.
"If that's the best we can do, that's a sad problem.
"It's just a myriad of concentration penalties, physical penalties that are really disturbing from a coaching standpoint, because you put your best product on the field and guys play hard. But again, it all goes for naught when you don't discipline yourself."
The stinging lava from this eruption was already splatting onto many angry Oakland players moments after it occurred, which proved that words traveled faster and better Sunday than the Raiders offense (262 total yards, 142 net passing).
"That's not right," usually laugh-a-second guard Frank Middleton said. "Since you were a kid, your mom's taught you not to call anyone dumb or stupid."
The most outspoken Raider was October Callahan antagonist and soon-to-be-free-agent Charles Woodson. He slapped Denver quarterback Jake Plummer near the neck for another, drive-extending, 15-yard penalty early in the fourth quarter. Then, on the next play, he twice grabbed receiver Rod Smith for a 16-yard pass-interference flag.
That would have led to yet another Broncos score early if Plummer hadn't tried to cram a throw between two Raiders near the goal line for a Phillip Buchanon interception.
"I can't believe a grown man would call another man dumb," Woodson said.
"We'll see it and we'll take it up as a team tomorrow. Yeah, (this season is) frustrating. But if he said we're dumb, we'll deal with that."
Asked if he would confront Callahan, Woodson said: "Please believe. I'd confront you if you called me dumb. It's not acceptable at all We're all out there fighting We won't stand for that."
Team captain and riot-queller Tim Brown confirmed that he will call a players' meeting before the one Callahan will have with the team this morning.
"You talk about unfortunate, that is unfortunate," Brown said of Callahan's comments, echoing Woodson that the coach's comments were "not acceptable."
"I've had five guys mumbling about this already. It's not going to be pretty.
"My job is to squelch fires. And I've got a wildfire now. I know exactly what's going to happen. He'll say, 'Hey guys, it was not anything personal.' But once you ring the bell, you can't un-ring it."
Callahan is now certifiably boiling inside in the biggest stew of his professional life, 11 months after being at the apex of his profession, the Super Bowl. And his near-desperate rage Sunday suggested he knows it.
He is two seasons into his first head job in 26 years of coaching, slogging through the second year of the two-year contract he signed when general managing partner Al Davis promoted him from offensive line coach in March, 2002. Davis has three, one-year contract options for Callahan to return through the 2006 season, a fact that had to have been behind the icy stares the owner was shooting all locker room visitors after this seventh loss in eight games.
"This has been one of the worst years, because of all the potential we had," said Brown.
And Brown's been here for 16 Raiders seasons, including the 4-12 one in 1997 that led Davis to fire another promoted offensive line coach, Joe Bugel.
Brown said he met with Callahan before Sunday's loss. The two discussed the need to stay positive.
"We don't want to part ways enemies," Brown said. "But if comments like this keep going, it's going to be tough to keep everybody in a rah-rah, let's-go-get-'em mood."
Raiders fall flat against Denver
By GREGG BELL
THE SACRAMENTO BEE
OAKLAND -- Mount Callahan finally erupted in full fury after yet another mishap-filled Raiders loss Sunday.
"We've got to be the dumbest team in America in terms of playing the game," frustrated, had-it-up-to-infinity Oakland coach Bill Callahan said -- no, yelled -- moments after his players gave away a 22-8 loss to the Denver Broncos in a day-long rain that was steadily miserable, like the home team's performance.
The NFL's most-penalized team had 11 more, leaving it with 112 in 12 games. No. 104 was an unnecessary roughness foul by linebacker Eric Barton on 3rd and 14 that pushed the Broncos to their first touchdown. And No. 105 was tight end/special teamer O.J. Santiago ruining his blocked punt for a safety in the first quarter by going offside on a Denver punt in the next quarter, directly leading to the Broncos' second, ultimately game-winning touchdown.
Add in three lost fumbles by Tyrone Wheatley, Jerry Porter and Rick Mirer, and you have the first game without a Raiders touchdown since a 16-3 loss in the AFC Championship Game in January, 2001, 50 games ago.
This latest flag day pushed Callahan past his percolation of last week, when he publicly called out his error-prone special teams. Sunday brought an even more startling and sweeping condemnation of his woeful, 3-9 team's intelligence and ability to win another game.
"If we don't learn how not to beat ourselves, we won't win again. We won't win for a long time," Callahan said, his voice volume far higher than his team's quality of play. "We had penalties that took us out of crucial drive-stops that allowed us an opportunity to get back in it with a one-possession game, and we failed.
"I'm highly critical because of the way we give games away. We give 'em away.
"Period. And it's embarrassing. And I represent that. And I apologize for that.
"If that's the best we can do, that's a sad problem.
"It's just a myriad of concentration penalties, physical penalties that are really disturbing from a coaching standpoint, because you put your best product on the field and guys play hard. But again, it all goes for naught when you don't discipline yourself."
The stinging lava from this eruption was already splatting onto many angry Oakland players moments after it occurred, which proved that words traveled faster and better Sunday than the Raiders offense (262 total yards, 142 net passing).
"That's not right," usually laugh-a-second guard Frank Middleton said. "Since you were a kid, your mom's taught you not to call anyone dumb or stupid."
The most outspoken Raider was October Callahan antagonist and soon-to-be-free-agent Charles Woodson. He slapped Denver quarterback Jake Plummer near the neck for another, drive-extending, 15-yard penalty early in the fourth quarter. Then, on the next play, he twice grabbed receiver Rod Smith for a 16-yard pass-interference flag.
That would have led to yet another Broncos score early if Plummer hadn't tried to cram a throw between two Raiders near the goal line for a Phillip Buchanon interception.
"I can't believe a grown man would call another man dumb," Woodson said.
"We'll see it and we'll take it up as a team tomorrow. Yeah, (this season is) frustrating. But if he said we're dumb, we'll deal with that."
Asked if he would confront Callahan, Woodson said: "Please believe. I'd confront you if you called me dumb. It's not acceptable at all We're all out there fighting We won't stand for that."
Team captain and riot-queller Tim Brown confirmed that he will call a players' meeting before the one Callahan will have with the team this morning.
"You talk about unfortunate, that is unfortunate," Brown said of Callahan's comments, echoing Woodson that the coach's comments were "not acceptable."
"I've had five guys mumbling about this already. It's not going to be pretty.
"My job is to squelch fires. And I've got a wildfire now. I know exactly what's going to happen. He'll say, 'Hey guys, it was not anything personal.' But once you ring the bell, you can't un-ring it."
Callahan is now certifiably boiling inside in the biggest stew of his professional life, 11 months after being at the apex of his profession, the Super Bowl. And his near-desperate rage Sunday suggested he knows it.
He is two seasons into his first head job in 26 years of coaching, slogging through the second year of the two-year contract he signed when general managing partner Al Davis promoted him from offensive line coach in March, 2002. Davis has three, one-year contract options for Callahan to return through the 2006 season, a fact that had to have been behind the icy stares the owner was shooting all locker room visitors after this seventh loss in eight games.
"This has been one of the worst years, because of all the potential we had," said Brown.
And Brown's been here for 16 Raiders seasons, including the 4-12 one in 1997 that led Davis to fire another promoted offensive line coach, Joe Bugel.
Brown said he met with Callahan before Sunday's loss. The two discussed the need to stay positive.
"We don't want to part ways enemies," Brown said. "But if comments like this keep going, it's going to be tough to keep everybody in a rah-rah, let's-go-get-'em mood."