Tag: JaMarcus Russell bust (Page 2 of 4)

      JaMarcus Russell could learn from Michael Vick

      February 11, 2010 /

      Here’s a shock: Michael Vick didn’t work hard when he was a member of the Falcons, or so he admitted in a radio interview with 790AM The Zone in Atlanta.

      From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

      “There was a lot more I could have done off the field and in the film room that could have elevated my game to a different level,” Vick said. “I was complacent at the time, somewhat lazy, and I settled for mediocrity. I thought what I was doing was enough.”

      “Just imagine what I could have been doing if I really would have been applying myself. That’s a regret I have.”

      Considering that he’s complacent, somewhat lazy and is settling for mediocrity, I can envision JaMarcus Russell saying the same things about himself in the next couple years when he’s looking for a job outside of the NFL.

      Russell’s on-field problems have been well documented. He doesn’t have good mechanics, his decision-making is horrendous and he has never been an accurate passer. But that doesn’t mean he lacks the athletic tools to become a decent starter. If he only applied himself more, then maybe he could make something out of the talent he does have.

      The problem is that he’s just like Vick was in Atlanta. He has had everything handed to him in life and he’s never had to work for something he truly wants. He’s lazy, unmotivated and he settles for being a lush because he knows Al Davis will support him no matter how bad he is on the field. But if he would heed what Vick said in the interview, maybe he would take this offseason to try and turn his career around.

      Personally, I wouldn’t bet on Russell succeeding. I don’t think he has the work ethic to become a good player and worse yet, I don’t think he cares. I agree that he’s not in the best environment in Oakland, but at some point you have to stop blaming other people and look in the mirror.

      But maybe he’ll prove everyone wrong and take this offseason seriously. It took Vick going to jail to realize the opportunity he pissed away in Atlanta, but maybe Russell (who is only 24 mind you) won’t need a life-changing experience to turn his career around in Oakland.


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      Did Russell ditch Raiders for Las Vegas?

      January 6, 2010 /

      Beat writer David White of the San Francisco Chronicle is reporting “someone using the name JaMarcus Russell checked into The Palms in Las Vegas” the day after Russell was excused from a team meeting for “personal reasons.”

      White notes that this could potentially save Tom Cable’s job in Oakland.

      Russell is believed to be the major sticking point between Cable, who benched Russell after nine games, and Davis, who preaches patience for his prized No. 1 overall draft pick.

      Russell has been criticized by Cable publicly, and teammates privately, for not working hard enough off the field. The reason reporters knew about Russell’s absence Monday was because of a tip from a teammate in the locker room who couldn’t hide his disgust.

      Cable can take Russell’s Vegas-over-team trip to show Davis the extent of his disconnect from the rest of the team. Maybe Davis will see Cable handled Russell the right way all along, that his struggles were about more than Xs and Os.

      That, or Davis says about Russell what he said about Randy Moss in September — that the Raiders failed him. If that’s his stance, then yeah, Cable is gone.

      If Davis choices Russell over Cable it would be a colossal mistake. Russell will never live up to his lofty expectations because he’s not prepared to put in the work. Furthermore, he doesn’t have the overall talent. (It takes more than a strong arm to be a quarterback in the NFL, which he has proven time and time again.)

      If this rumor/report (not sure what to call it) is true, then Russell should be released immediately. I don’t know how much proof Davis needs to unload that gigantic bust. That said, maybe Russell really did have a “personal” issue to attend to, so we’ll just have to wait and see if more details emerge.

      I don’t want to make Cable out to be Vince Lombardi, but he proved this season that he’s capable of winning games. With Russell on the bench, the Raiders showed promise down the stretch and actually fought hard under Cable. He wasn’t Oakland’s biggest problem this season and deserves a shot to see what he can do without worrying about Russell infecting the team with his horrible play.


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      Report: Tom Cable likely to be fired

      January 4, 2010 /

      According to the San Jose Mercury News, “all signs point to” the Raiders firing Tom Cable this offseason.

      In the Raiders’ case, that means parting ways with coach Tom Cable and hitching their floundering franchise to another coach who has a fresh set of ideas and the patience to put up with quarterback JaMarcus Russell.

      Managing general partner Al Davis has yet to weigh in publicly on the matter.

      However, several people close to Davis say he is inclined to fire Cable and hire a new coach for the sixth time since Jon Gruden was jettisoned after the 2001 season.

      When asked if he is expecting to be the coach next season, Cable said: “I am, because I see, and you all see, too, where this team is going, and what we’ve been able to accomplish in proving some things.

      If Davis fires Cable and keeps Russell, that would be yet another horrendous decision in a long line of horrendous decisions by Al Davis. I’m not necessarily suggesting that Cable should be retained, but what has Russell shown in four years that would make Davis (or any owner, coach or water boy for that matter) want to keep him? Russell is absolutely abysmal and shows zero signs of ever becoming a professional quarterback.

      At the very least, Cable should be credited for benching Russell and having a little success with castaways like Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye. The Raiders were actually competitive with Gradkowski and Frye under center, not so much with the biggest bust in NFL history. Personally, that merits Cable keeping his job for at least another year. He’s not the Raiders’ biggest problem – Davis is, with a little aid from Russell.

      We’ll see if Cable is inevitably gets the boot, although if I were a Raider fan I’d currently have that horrible, Al-Davis-is-about-to-screw-us feeling in the pit of my stomach.

      NFL

      Raiders choose Charlie Frye over JaMarcus Russell

      December 16, 2009 /

      Question: You know your career is in shambles when…

      Answer: …Charlie Frye is named the starting quarterback over you.

      From the Denver Post:

      That means JaMarcus Russell, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2007, has again been demoted. Russell was benched last month for Bruce Gradkowski, who is now out with MCL sprains in both knees.

      Russell replaced Gradkowski in the second half of last week’s loss to Washington. He threw an interception and was sacked six times.
      That performance was enough to make Cable turn to Frye, who has been inactive or did not play in every game this season.

      This has to be the nail in the coffin for Russell in Oakland. If Cable retains his job in the offseason, I don’t see how he’ll keep Russell when he’s already chose Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye over him. Even crazy ol’ Al Davis has to see that Russell is a bust.

      If he is released, some team will take a shot on Russell because of his size and arm strength. But I doubt he’ll be one of those players that resurrects his career after seeing the light of day. The guy just doesn’t have what it takes to be a professional quarterback because he won’t put in the time to succeed. He’s a mess.


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      Is it now or never for Russell in Oakland?

      December 14, 2009 /

      With Bruce Gradkowski likely shelved for the rest of 2009 after spraining and partially tearing his MCL in the Raiders’ Week 14 loss to the Redskins, it could be do or die for former first overall pick JaMarcus Russell.

      Russell has been a bust virtually from the moment he arrived in Oakland. He has never grasped that in order to become a great player in the NFL, he has to work for it on and off the field. Thus far, he has tried to get by on only his God-given abilities, which clearly isn’t enough for him to succeed.

      Russell has major issues with his accuracy, his decision-making and his overall pocket awareness. He also has shown the inability to read a defense, to lead and to become a student of the game. The first three things can be taught, but the latter is on him.

      He likely has three games to prove himself to the Raiders, because the team will no doubt evaluate him to decide whether or not to cut their losses and move on the offseason. If he isn’t going to develop, it doesn’t make sense paying him all that money to watch Gradkowski on the sidelines.


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      NFL

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