Oakland Raiders Need More Internal Consistency and Reliability

Damali Binta – Jun 6, 2012

A  Pep Talk

The beginning of a new era in the Oakland Raiders’ team means that some things are changing and transforming. Two concepts popped up in my mind this morning: consistency and reliability.

First, this article is inspired by a conversation with two students who were in middle school with Andrew Luck. I asked each student to give me three adjectives to describe Luck.  They responded:

Smart, humble, athletic

Very smart, humble, athletic

I asked them if they felt that Luck has maintained these qualities at this time in his career. They said, yes.

Then I thought about the Oakland Raiders. If 2012 is going to help launch a new era, then there should not be any behaviors similar to those of Rolando McClain and Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Actually, it would be a good idea to look at each of the Oakland Raiders and ask fans what three adjectives they would use to describe each of them.

Some of us believe that the collective behavior of a team is directly related to the behavior of the individuals on the team. If McClain makes errors, it weakens the team. If DHB makes a social error, it affects the team.

There can not be anymore incidents of social blunders for the Oakland Raiders ini 2012 if, indeed, the character of the team has been strengthened.

This is a call for the Oakland Raiders to remember these words on collective strength and power:

Ecclesiastes 4:12

The Message (MSG)

¹² By yourself you're unprotected.
With a friend you can face the worst.
Can you round up a third?
A three-stranded rope isn't easily snapped.

In 2012, Coach Dennis Allen and GM Reggie McKenzie must teach the team the importance of reliability.

A definition of reliability from Wikipedia says:

In general, reliability (systemic def.) is the ability of a person or system to perform and maintain its functions in routine circumstances, as well as hostile or unexpected circumstances

Other concepts that must be taught and learned are

Integrity

Intensity

I told the students about a great Oakland Raider wide receiver who has been tagged as a prototype. I found an article written in Sports Illustrated in 1971 and it made clear that Coach John Madden could tell this wide receiver to do something and the man would say, “Don’t worry coach, I can do it” and it would be done. So I told my students that integrity on the playing field means that a player will say he can do something, and he will do it.

More of the players on the Oakland Raiders' 2012 roster must have this type of integrity on the playing field.

Now, intensity is another quality that is needed in 2012. Intensity involves the time that it takes to accomplish a great feat. If the time is short and the production is high, then there is intensity. On the other hand, if it takes a player a long time to reach a certain level of proficiency, then his intensity is low.

If the 2012 season is launching a new era in the history and performance of the Oakland Raiders, then the team must press hard to improve its integrity, intensity, reliability and consistency, as well as other qualities. It must press hard to improve the collective off-the-field character to avoid reprimands from the NFL Commissioner.

Think about it.

Words from Mama Raider