This is my first blog in two weeks and it has been an active two weeks for sports. Both the NBA and NHL playoffs are under way and the second rounds have started in each league. So far, California teams have been doing good as the Lakers advanced to the 2nd round in just 6 games against the Thunder while it took the San Jose Sharks only 6 games as well to handle the Avalanche. The Lakers are now underway with their second round series with the Utah Jazz (where there is no Jazz) and have gone quickly up 2-0 in the series. The Sharks haven't been doing too shabby either going up 3-1 against the Detroit Red Wings. They were up 3-0 but lost a blowout game against the Red Wings in game 4 in Detroit. The Sharks now have a chance to clinch the series with a win in San Jose in front of the home fans.
The Raiders also started off my Spring Break by trading for Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell who has been doing good for one of the worst offenses in the NFL for the last few years. The move is a great move and filled one of the big holes that the Raiders had entering this season. Some questioned when they chose not to draft Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen in the second round and instead filled a hole they had on the defensive line. But the people in the Raiders office knew what they were doing. In somewhat of a surprise move (not to me, I called this last year after the Redskins head coach was fired), the Raiders traded a 4th round draft pick in next years NFL draft to the Redskins for the underrated (at least to me) quarterback that could easily be a franchise quarterback.
This was also a sign that the Raiders were admitting defeat with their number one draft pick in 2007, the one and only JaMarcus Russel. After having below average years in 3 years since being drafted number 1, the Raiders showed they were ready to move on by trading for Jason Campbell. Many question JaMarcus' drive to play football at a professional level. In what was a shocking move to almost nobody, the Raiders released Russel on Thursday. Many thought JaMarcus had plenty of opportunities to prove himself, and failed at almost every chance, and was staying in Oakland too long. After being benched mid season last year, travel man back up Bruce Gradkowski took over at quarterback and led the Raiders to come back wins against playoff caliber teams like the Bengals and Steelers. He apparently didn't fit what Raider's owner Al Davis was looking for, as he started the talks with the Redskins to trade for Campbell. So in just a week and a half, the environment for the Raiders has almost completely shifted due to good draft picks during the Draft, as well as realizing what your team needs and making the right moves to go out and fill the positions you need.
No comments:
Post a Comment