LOVE THE TEAM, %$!@ THE OWNER

Time to rant.

My beloved Oakland Raiders (I mean Al Davis) drafted Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey with the seventh overall pick in the NFL Draft Saturday.

I’m still trying to get over it today (Wednesday, April 29, 2009).

Texas Tech wideout Michael Crabtree was my choice. Missouri pass catcher Jeremy Maclin was my second choice. Heyward-Bey wasn’t even on my radar screen. He wasn’t on most Raiders fans’ radar screens. Note to self: when the Raiders go looking for a receiver, find out who has the fastest 40 time.

Davis sees a 6′2″ Cliff Branch when he sees Heyward-Bey fly down the field. Whether he catches it or not is the $25,000 dollar question. Critics have questioned his hands. Heyward-Bey said on the “Chronicle Live” show that if he couldn’t catch the ball, he wouldn’t be where he is now. That’s true. But if he drops ONE pass, he’ll hear it from The Nation.

Now, is that fair? Absolutely not. Will he forever be linked to Crabtree, who was selected by the rival 49ers three picks later? Definitely. Heyward-Bey will be watched like a hawk by everyone who loves Raider football, so here’s hoping he won’t crumble under the pressure.

Raiders head coach Tom Cable says this pick is as much on him as it is Davis. Not buying it, Mr. Company Man. This has Al Davis written all over it, and I’ve never heard so many devoted Oakland fans asking for Davis to hand over his baby like this before. This was the final straw for some. And come on, Tom! Don’t tell me DHB was your guy when you’re an offensive line coach by trade leading a team in dire need of young offensive tackles! In fact, Oakland could have traded down in the first round to get Heyward-Bey AND offensive line help with the extra picks they could have received.

For the record, Heyward-Bey said he knew the Raiders were going to pick him for sure only two minutes before the announcement. Uh huh. Then how did he get a Raiders hat on his head so fast?

Ever since the Marcus Allen debacle, I have loathed Al Davis. Allen was probably the greatest Raider ever, but you wouldn’t be able to tell in the media guides. Why he treated Allen the way he did, I have no clue. Davis tried to replace him with Bo Jackson, Napoleon McCallum, Roger Craig, Greg Bell and Eric Dickerson, and probably would have started Vance Mueller over him if he really wanted to.

Bottom line: Davis is calling the shots, and you can’t convince me otherwise. In an interview with ESPN, Cable said the Raiders are going to run through defenses and throw over them. I swear I heard Davis and saw Cable. I now also know why he’s the head coach.

Ever since the Super Bowl loss to the Buccaneers, Davis and the Raiders have lost 11 games or more for six consecutive seasons (an NFL record), overspent on free agents (Randy Moss, Javon Walker, Terdell Sands), made horrible trades (DeAngelo Hall, Moss), have gone through five head coaches (Bill Callahan, Norv Turner, Art Shell, Lane Kiffin, Tom Cable), brought back the overhead projector, and now fumbled their way through the draft. Commitment to Bizarro World Excellence. The Raider pirate is wearing two eyepatches these days.

Is there light at the end of the tunnel? Maybe. The AFC West isn’t exactly the toughest division in the NFL and the Raiders have a young and talented nucleus, Heyward-Bey included. But with Al still in charge, you never know.

Hey, there’s always the 2010 draft. Davis’s search for the fastest offensive tackle has begun.

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