Post by TheShadow on Sept 7, 2006 18:28:32 GMT -5
www.contracostatimes.com
Oakland enjoys a rarity vs. San Diego -- a home game televised locally
By Steve Corkran
ALAMEDA -- Monday night's regular-season opener against the San Diego Chargers sold out in advance of the league-mandated deadline -- 72 hours before kickoff -- and will be televised locally on ESPN.
That, combined with the news Wednesday that the Raiders have sold 37,000 season tickets, bodes well for fans who got to watch only 29 of the 88 regular-season home games in the 11 years since the Raiders moved to Oakland before the 1995 season.
Quarterback Aaron Brooks said he's looking forward to his first regular-season game with the Raiders at McAfee Coliseum.
"I kind of got the feeling of how it's going to be against Detroit, when we were playing pretty well out there," Brooks said of Oakland's exhibition game at the Coliseum on Aug. 25. "Even with San Francisco, it came out. I look forward to it being very electrified. A big main event, stadium sellout, it's all going to be there. And it's just for us, it's set up for us to go out there and perform and make the fans happy."
Whitted gets nod
Coach Art Shell said veteran wide receiver Alvis Whitted is slated to start opposite Randy Moss against the Chargers. That is, as long as Whitted's groin injury doesn't act up.
Whitted, 32, didn't start any games last season and has logged only 11 during his nine-year career. He last started a game Jan. 2, 2005, against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
This comes as somewhat of a surprise, inasmuch as Jerry Porter started 15 games last season and Ronald Curry had been working with the first-team offense in practice the past several days after a successful rehabilitation from a ruptured left Achilles tendon.
"Ronald Curry just got back," Shell said. "(Whitted's) been working the whole camp, worked all offseason, and this guy deserves a shot at it."
Welcome back
Cornerback Duane Starks got cut Saturday but was back on the field Wednesday. That's because the Raiders released safety Hiram Eugene on Tuesday, only three days after reducing their roster to the league-mandated limit of 53.
Starks said he was told by the Raiders not to clean out his locker Saturday, that a move was in the works. Regardless the reason, Starks said, he is just happy to be back with the Raiders.
He said a few teams called to inquire about his availability between the time he was cut Saturday and re-signed Wednesday.
Extra points
Center Jake Grove (shoulder) is doubtful for Monday's game. Defensive end Lance Johnstone (shin) is questionable. Grove practiced Wednesday and said he still has a chance to play Monday, though he realizes it might be in his best interest to wait awhile longer before he returns from the injury he sustained during training camp. "I never like to play it safe," Grove said. "I want to get in there and help us win. I'm kind of frustrated right now." ... The Raiders signed former Cal running back Adimchinobe Echemandu and assigned him to their practice squad. He is the seventh player added to the practice squad since teams were allowed to do so beginning Sunday afternoon. They still have room to add one more player, if they choose.