Oakland Raider Fans Are Victims of False Rumor Mongerers
by Ramone Brown Senior Analyst Written on March 29, 2010
ESPN analyst Adam Schefter Hall of Famer Willie Brown Local sports columnist Tim Kawakami False rumor mongerer Michael Lombardi None of the above vote to see results Heading into this season, we can be sure of at least one thing:
JaMarcus Russell is in the shape of his life and has been training in Phoenix, AZ, every day up until OTAs started. He's totally different from last year and lost quite a bit of weight. He is having special meals brought in and has a former Raider monitoring his progress.
Or at least according to Willie Brown.
Oh wait sorry... according to Tim Kawakami who has an "alleged source" close to the Raiders JaMarcus weighed in at 271 at OTAs.
Wait wait wait... that can't be right...because, according to ESPN analyst Adam Schefter, Jamarcus just tipped the scales at 290.
If Schefter said it, then it must be true...
I mean, Tom Cable was indicted on assault charges by the Napa-PD, then the Raiders fired Cable after the Ravens game. Also, don't forget Mike Shanahan is now coaching the Kansas City Chiefs.
Adam Schefter reported all that as well...oh wait, you mean none of that actually happened? And half the stuff Schefter says is completely bull.
At least two people here are liars, but who?
Adam Schefter reports pretty much everything and anything regardless of sources, integrity, or believability. And he's wrong about as often as he is right.
So picking out liar No. 1 seems easy
Hall of Famer Willie Brown is a former Raider player, former Raider coach, and still works for the team. So out of the three, he is easily the most reliable source.
But he is a bit of a Raider-homer. I would never call the great Willie Brown a liar. But that doesn't make him incapable of exaggerating, stretching the truth, or having an overly-pro-Raider bias.
Then there's Tim Kawakami. He is a documented Raider-hater who constantly spews opinionated anti-Raider bias.Though he often slights the Raiders in his articles and his opinions may rub some fans the wrong way, I don't think he has ever fabricated information or flat-out lied. I mean, that would just be bad journalism.
Unless John Herrera was right when he called Kawakami a liar.
As much as it pains me to say it...I think Kawakamis' report of 271 may have been the most accurate.
Then there are the McNabb trade talks.
Some how from a team "entertaining offers" and another team allegedly inquiring about availability were people able to connect the dots and somehow come to absurd conclusions like the Raiders actually pursuing a trade for Donovan McNabb. Some people have even gone as far as to suggest the Raiders are offering Nnamdi Asomugha.
It would seem some people have vivid imaginations.
Now, the talk seems to be about the Raiders pursuing Sage Rosenfels.
These rumors are just as baseless.
According to Mike Lombardi, he has spoken to a team executive, who told him the Raiders and Vikings were discussing the availability of Sage Rosenfels...
Really? You mean like Raiders senior executive John Herrera? The thought of a Raider executive actually speaking to Lombardi is comical.
I am tired of stories citing vague sources like: "A player," "a source close to the team," "multiple sources," or even "a starter."
I mean, at least Lombardi cited a "team executive," though he didn't even clarify for what team.
"Multiple sources" told me the Raiders aren't interested in McNabb. Do you believe me? I mean, any scrub off the street has got to be more credible than Adam Schefter or Yahoo Sports.
These false rumor mongerers just need to leave the Oakland Raiders alone, they are out of control.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/370498-oakland-raider-fans-are-victims-of-false-rumor-mongerers
Since when did the Steelers turn into the Cincinnati Bengals?!
