The man some call Mr. Raider would love to assist the man that is synonymous with the Raiders.
Former Raider Pro Bowl receiver Tim Brown said in an interview with Sacramento radio station KHTK 1140 that he'd be open to helping owner Al Davis by becoming an employee again.
Since the show that was Lane Kiffin's firing, Brown has been asked if all the craziness seen and heard about the Raiders is true.
"As much as you can defend them certainly there are certain things that are indefensible," Brown said. "...Right now the perception of the Raiders is not good and that's what's so bad because it is a great organization. It's done great things in the NFL and for people to be anyway thinking the Raiders are just a laughing stock of the league, it hurts me. It really hurts me to the core. I really wish there was something I could do on a day-to-day basis to help that situation out."
For those that didn't hear the interview, Brown did not come on the air and start campaigning. He responded to questions and acknowledged his lack of experience in the front office would be seen as a negative.
But he knows football and thinks he could help in somewhere.
He's not volunteering to be Matt Millen - a former player and talking head on television hired to be a general manager - but Brown is tired of seeing the team he spent 16 seasons with made fun of and wants to do something.
"I don't it should be a GM type of position," Brown said. "I think it should be a consultant role. At this point I don't think I have anything to lose. ... I can't take it anymore. Every time you turn on the TV and the Raiders are mentioned there's a punch line behind it."
Kind of like this about 55 seconds into the video:
Brown also took exception to former Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon criticisms of the Raiders in which he's taken jabs at owner Al Davis.
Brown said if not for his intervening at times, Gannon would have had to fight his own teammates because of his attitude toward the organization.
"Gannon knows he came there with that 'I hate the Raiders' type mentality," Brown said. "He came in with that and showed that to all the players. And Gannon wasn't a very well like player his whole time with the raiders. In fact he was downright hated.
"For a guy like Rich to say something just isn't fair to the organization."
Brown will be in town this weekend for a tribute to Gene Upshaw where he might make his pitch to help out the team.
Brown believes the Raiders can be good again with the right direction and if Davis allows someone to help.
"This is a place that can be turned around very easily," Brown said. "As much as people love Al, there's going to have to be somebody else there, I believe."
He knows Davis values loyalty and what kind of players Davis likes, something vital to working with Davis.
Many that know Davis have said his problem in recent seasons is the owner has no one willing to tell him he's wrong.
Adding anyone to help out would require Davis to be willing to have someone disagree with him and not co-sign on everything he wants.
"I can get along with anybody," Brown said. "I know Mr. Davis, I understand Mr. Davis. The only thing I would ask of him is to trust me."
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From the "What were they thinking" category ...
The San Diego Union-Tribune reported the Raiders were close to trading running back Michael Bush to the Chargers?
Is there something wrong with Bush?
Coach Tom Cable denied there was any talk of moving Bush or Justin Fargas, but rarely does trade talk like this just fall from nowhere.
He wasn't activated last season because the team held on to a running back it didn't want and didn't fit into the future in LaMont Jordan.
It was bad enough the team toyed with the idea of playing Bush at fullback (something former coach Lane Kiffin made clear he was against).
Now you'd consider trading Bush to a division rival? The report out of San Diego said the Raiders backed out of the deal.
Well it sounds like someone has some sense.
With the struggles the Raiders have had on offense, the last thing they should do is trade someone that might help them score points.
And moving Bush would have been a bad move. Fargas Darren McFadden both have been injured so trading your third and only healthy tailback this season would have been puzzling.
--Jason Jones
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