<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>No holdouts. No controversy involving a starting wide receiver. No talk of last season's 2-14 showing. "Oh, yeah, definitely," offensive tackle Barry Sims said of the noticeable change from last year's Art Shell-coached team. "You can tell just by the tempo of practice and the way things are going that competition is all over the field right now. It's going to make us better." "Man, it looks like someone hired (an automated throwing) machine and put a jersey on it," Porter said. "Man, he can throw the ball." Sapp lost considerable weight within the past four months, though he refused to divulge just how much. Kiffin said Sapp dropped 49 pounds, from 334 to 285.</div>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MysteryMan)</div><div class='quotemain'>Damn Sapp mustve starved himself. Honestly Oakland might not be that bad this year</div> I see the raiders going like 7-9 they will be better.. I think Shell brought down the morale of the team..
The Raiders will be much improved IMO. 2nd in the AFCW may be a longshot, but, it would not shock me if they finished in third.
So what's with the RB situation? Who's the starter? LaMont Jordan or Dominic Rhodes? Michael Bush may still have a limited role during the season but he might be the next Frank Gore next year.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MKIV_Supra)</div><div class='quotemain'>So what's with the RB situation? Who's the starter? LaMont Jordan or Dominic Rhodes? Michael Bush may still have a limited role during the season but he might be the next Frank Gore next year.</div> If healthy, Jordan should start. That is just my opinion, but the job is currently up for grabs as most positions are right now. I see Rhodes as a situational player, like third and medium. I think that Jordan needs to get more breaks throughout the game. He had to shoulder a lot more of the offense last year to compensate for a lack of a passing game. I recommend 20 or less attempts per game, with the rest of the rushing duties given to Rhodes. I would run it this way in week 1, and possibly give more or less touches to Rhodes based on how that works.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>... Rookie quarterback JaMarcus Russell opened some eyes with a 20-yard pass to receiver Jerry Porter that hit Porter in the chest, made a loud sound and almost knocked over the 225-pound player.</div> Moss was too scared to catch passes from this guy.
