Great Moments in Raiders History:

The 1985 AFC Divisional Playoff Game

The set-up: The Raiders secured home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and were a heavy favorite over the New England Patriots. It was a big year for the Raiders. The normally under-achieving Marcus Allen rushed for 1,759 yards along with 11 touchdowns in 1985. The Raiders defeated the Patriots, 35-20, earlier in the season in Foxboro. This had the look of a blowout.

But not many people would get a good look at the game because it was blacked out locally. That is right. The Raiders could not even sellout a home playoff game. Not like it was an unusual occurrence. The Raiders were 8-1 in 1982 and could not sell out its home playoff game to the New York Jets and it too was blacked out. The Raiders choked that game away, 17-14, setting a precedent.

The game: The Raiders committed six turnovers in the game as the Patriots prevailed, 27-20. The Raiders held 20-17 halftime lead, but the Patriots tied it on a field goal in the third quarter. The Raiders fumbled the ensuing kickoff in the end zone, which the Patriots recovered for what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown. Raiders quarterback Marc Wilson tried to rally the troops, but could not complete a pass to anybody not in a Patriots uniform. And before your try to use Wilson as an excuse Raiders fans, remember that Tony Eason was the Patriots quarterback.

The aftermath: The 1980s will be remembered for the Delorean car, Member's Only jackets, Miami Vice, and the Raiders not selling out home playoff games and choking them in horrific fashion. But at least the Raiders saved themselves from a savage beating in the Super Bowl. Of course, they would eventually pay that price 17 years later in Super Bowl XXXVII.

It also should be noted that 1985 marked the last time Allen rushed for more than 1,000 yards in a season. Yet, he still managed to find his way into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Allen would eventually turn out to be one of the biggest expletive blockers in the history of the NFL.

This also was the game when Matt Millen (pictured below) took a swing at the Patriots GM Patrick Sullivan (who we heard was kind of an a-hole anyway). Talk about it at the Hater Nation Forums.

Where Are They Now:Jerry Rice

The career: Receiver Jerry Rice was born in an endzone and grew up thinking that he scored a touchdown. Nobody was the bigger product of a system more than Jerry Rice. If Rice played for any other team in the NFL, he would have been Andre Reed, Andre Rison, or Herman Moore. Rice played with two Hall of Fame quarterbacks in San Francisco, Joe Montana and Steve Young, but when the organization was in a slight rebuilding mode, Rice hightailed it over to the Raiders.

Typical. But that is the hallmark of Rice's career. When the going got rough, the Rice got moving.

NFL commentators would sometimes say that Rice was not only the greatest receiver of all-time, but also maybe the NFL's greatest player, ever. But NFL commentators, by in large, are some of the biggest dopes. Case in point Young and the whole "laissez faire" nonsense. But Rice was not the greatest receiver in NFL history, which was Don Hutson�a point that cannot be disputed. Rice also could never be the greatest player of all-time because he did not play defense.

Rice was one of the most beloved players in NFL history. So much that the national press went to great lengths to cover up Rice�s involvement in a prostitution sting at a San Francisco area message parlor. Nobody mentioned it when Rice wanted to become the first man in NFL history to have both a shaved head and corn rows at the same time. Still, Rice was so beloved that it seemed like there was nothing Rice could do to tarnish his reputation.

Until now.

The aftermath: We first noted in October that Rice was hell-bent on becoming one of the nation's top camera fornicators. Rice will be participating with other washed up athletes such as Jennie Finch (not hot) and Karl Malone (no rings) in Pros vs. Media Hos (on some low-budget station such as Spike TV).

But now Rice wants to take on Kelly Monaco in the latest installment of Dancing with the Stars, II. Just like Rice was never able to eclipse the shadow of Hutson, as far as media whores go, Rice will never be a Mark Long or Trishelle Cannatella.

And for those of you who believe that we are showing pictures of Kelly Monaco to increase traffic to this site, well duh. Props to you for figuring that one out, Gill Grissom. But we hope that poster Robert T. Jefferson does not post more pics of Kelly in the Hater Nation Forums. Nobody would want that, right?

What's Up For Week 13?

It's Hater Week so it is time for a very special, "What's Up For" this week. What makes this week more special than the past drivel that has been on this site? Pretty much nothing. �

Do the Chargers continue their winning ways against the Raiders?

LaDainian Tomlinson and coach Marty Schottenheimer have both made it their personal missions to never lose to the Raiders. LT always seems to have something special for this week and even told the UT that there was something special about �Raiders Week.� LT scored on a rushing touchdown, receiving touchdown, and even tossed one last time against the Raiders. It is going to be huge for Chargers fans and fantasy owners with LT. Schottenheimer has been beating Raiders ass ever since he was in Kansas City and it does not expect to stop now.

Is this the week that Denver finally starts to collapse?

I say no. Jake Plummer, sure fire Hall of Fame quarterback, is going to lead the Broncos far this season. Why? It is a little something that Carson Daily said about "Karma." Jake has been so maligned during his career, he deserves on good playoff run.

Besides, the AFC West is a lost cause. What the Chargers need is for Denver to win this week (seems strange to say), The Bengals to not only beat Pittsburgh but also finish Big Ben's season, and Cleveland to beat Jacksonville. In other words, enjoy not going to the playoffs Chargers fans.

How badly is this St. Louis situation going to end with coach Mike Martz?

Wonderfully. Martz has started to posture to get back to the team, but the club has blown him off. Georgia hasn�t even offered to take him out for a swim. But as the Hater Nation speculated months ago, this is setting up perfectly for Martz to be the head coach of the Raiders next season. It has to happen. It must happen.

Wait a minute, did you say that Jake Plummer is a sure fire Hall of Famer?

Of course he is. If the Hall will allow Marcus Allen to be a member, the standards are that low. But in all seriousness, Plummer led the Cardinals to a playoff victory against the Cowboys in 1998. A playoff victory for the Cardinals. You match that up against Tom Brady's three Super Bowl wins and it is hard to figure which is more impressive.

What is your take on the whole Michael Irvin thing?

There are those that will say that Irvin does not deserve to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That is just rubbish. That is like somebody reasoning that Michael Jordan should not be in the basketball Hall of Fame because he was a lousy baseball player. The drug use should not diminish what he did on the football field.

Deion Sanders is not helping his cause. Sanders said that he totally believes Irvin, which holds a lot of weight because both of them are good friends and Sanders knows a lot about doing a lot of drugs and going to the psuedo-Christian to make everybody believe that you have reformed. (Cris Carter has perfectd this.) Sanders said that Irvin should be viewed as innocent until proven guilty. That is all well and good. But unless he could explain why Irvin changes his story seemingly everyday, then it is not without reason to cast a little doubt. You don�t have to be from the cast of "Criminal Minds" to figure that one out.

Are you still watching Survivor now that Hogeboom is gone?

No.

Why is Tony Siragusa still roaming the sidelines during an NFL broadcast?

If anybody has an answer for this, we would love to hear it. It is kind of distracting when Dick Stockton and Darryl Johnston are trying to discuss an important part of the game and the Goose is interrupting with commentary such as, "These hot dogs are awfully tasty." The dude can�t even find a sports coat that fits so he is strapped into a two-sizes too small polo shirt. At some point you expect Bam Margera to come out of the crowd to slap him with a bigmouth bass or something. Why is it that so many Italian Americans on television are fat? Phil Margera, Uncle Vito, and now Siragusa. At least Phil Margera went on the Celebrity Fit Club. I would never wager in one of those celebrity death pools, but how are Uncle Vito and Siragusa not top candidates?

Whose fault was it in Detroit?

It is hard to fault Matt Millen�he was too busy scouting wide receivers for the 2006 NFL Draft to really pay too much attention to his team. Millen has now been a loser in every year since he came aboard as the Lions GM. It is as if the Ford family wants to lose every year. And why was Millen ever considered for this job? What were his qualifications? Millen was a prototypical "Fonzie" player. Millen played the part well as he talked a good game. He rode around in leather jacket and acted tough, but did you ever see him throw a punch?




Never mind. Check out the Hater Nation Forums.