OAKLAND, Calif. -- The headlines of the San Jose Mercury News Saturday screamed from the past. The primary story was about the students who took control of a building on the UC-Berkeley campus. That reminded me of the 60's when Berkeley led the nation in civil disobedience.
The other headline was even older. It noted that Silicon Valley's unemployment rate was up to 12 percent, the worst since 1940. Twentieth Century Depression is outdone by the Twenty-first Century Recession.
I didn't expect the Bengals-Raiders game to show up on the front page of the paper, but it wasn't even on the front page of the sports section. The big story there was about Saturday's Cal-Stanford football game that could have a bearing on the Rose Bowl picture.
In fact, Cal-Stanford overwhelmed the teased public on one of the local newscasts. I counted no less than 12 descriptions of the game as being "big". Anchor women says "well..it's a big game tonight." Sports guy responds..."it's the biggest game in town." Anchor woman replies..."I'm ready for the big game, I'm wearing my Stanford Cardinal". To which the sports guy says "that says how big this game really is." At no time did any of these anchors mention WHY this game was BIG.
But I digress. The Oakland Raiders have become an afterthought in the Bay Area with a 2-7 record, and the never ending saga of whether head coach Tom Cable punched an assistant coach. And whether Cable needs anger management. And whether Al Davis can still run the team. And whether Al Davis is actually alive. It goes on and on and on.
Years ago, all sports departments around the country used to get a Christmas card from the Raiders with a team picture and a two line inscription, "The Oakland Raiders, Commitment to Excellence." They could boast. They really were one of the NFL's top outfits, rebellious and defiant yes, and with an appealing bad-boy image, but they won games and they won championships.
But then they couldn't even find a stable place to play. They went from Oakland to Los Angeles and back to Oakland. Now they can't even sell out the games. Sunday's game won't be telecast in the Bay Area.
They've had three straight drafts that have paid out more than 100-million dollars to Jamarcus Russell, Darren Mcfadden and Darrius Heyward-Bey. None has come close to becoming a star. I doubt they'll change their motto to "Commitment to Mediocrity."
I did eventually see two stories that talked about Sunday's game. One was in the newspaper where Chad Ocho Cinco was critical of the Raiders top pick, Heyward-Bey. The other was on a TV sportscast, quoting Ocho Cinco about his possible plunge into Oakland's "Black Hole." They're not talking about the main attraction. They're talkin about the side show.
That's what the Raiders have become, and that's why Sunday's game is getting little attention out here. Not that it should bother you or me that much. For us, it's not about the Raiders, it's about the Bengals.
Cincinnati has polished off Baltimore and Pittsburgh, and Oakland hardly seems like a worthy opponent. Of course, neither did the Houston Texans several weeks ago. Despite what they say in Oakland, this game is BIG for the Bengals in many ways. It would show continued momentum, continued mental and physical toughness, and a continued march to the playoffs.
It is a BIG game. Just not in Oakland.
