Raiders Blog and Q&A

Randy Hanson's lawyer John McGuinn recently claimed that some of the Raiders defensive backs had been in contact with his client via computer to help them gameplan. If true, it would seem to be a serious breach of etiquette, considering Hanson is considered persona non grata around the Alameda complex after his claims that coach Tom Cable assaulted him during training camp and the ensuing investigation into possible criminal charges.

Cornerback Stanford Routt was asked about the report on Wednesday.

"No, I don't know anything about us meeting together as a defensive back group," Routt said.

Told the report was about correspondence via computer, Routt blanched.

"I don't know anything about that."

Routt was then told the attorney said the defensive backs reached out to Hanson.

"His attorney?" Routt said. "I don't know anything about that. I can tell you that ever since training camp I have had a phone conversation with him or two, but as far as players calling him, asking him for this tip or that tip or whatever you want to call it, not that I know of. I've had a conversation with him or two. I didn't know it was illegal."

It's not against the law of the land, though it would probably be frowned upon in Silver and Blackdom. In any event, Routt said his contact with Hanson had been more of a personal nature.

"He's been my third down coach for the past, ever since the '06 season, and I know he's helped me out a lot in the nickel and playing in the slot, with my improvement and awareness in the slot, so I'm always going to have a good relationship with him, you know what I mean?" Routt said. "I remember, we were playing the Broncos or Chargers, he may send me a text message saying, `Hey, watch out for this play, they like to do it.'

"I don't really let what happened (allegedly between Cable and Hanson) get to me. I don't take sides on anything like that."

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Earlier I had asked Routt how the team was able to keep Cable's potential legal woes from becoming a distraction.

"The way I look at it is, it didn't happen on the field, so it doesn't even matter," Routt said. "We only worry about what happens in between those white lines. Anything else that goes on, that's it, I don't have any control over it, none of the players do. Hell, none of the coaches really have control over it, it doesn't matter, so we'll just worry about what we can control. I know that's something I try to take to heart."

I also asked defensive end Jay Richardson for his take on why the Raiders were able to ignore it.

"You know what's crazy about that? You would think that would have been a bigger issue, just considering the allegations," Richardson said. "You would think that would be like a bigger thing. But it hasn't been at all. No one's talked about it. He hasn't talked about it. We haven't talked about it.

"Like, we heard about it in camp and it was kind of like, 'Huh? All right, well, let's see what happens today.' It's just, I don't know, even me, I was like, I'm kind of surprised that that's not that big.

"But listen, we've got so much on our plate this year, and we've got enough to worry about right now and we've got New York coming in here and we got kind of a monkey off our back getting that win against a good team and I think that helped with our confidence as a team and self-validation. But all that stuff aside, we got bigger fish to fry."

So it's not an issue in here at all, really?

"Surprisingly nothing," Richardson said. "No. None at all."

Pretty amazing it's not in issue, considering the circus is it in news rooms and in cyberspace, right?

"It isn't (an issue). I mean, that speaks to our locker room and our leaders in here," Richardson said. "We've got a lot of good experienced guys who know how to help keep this ship, so to speak, going in the right direction so we don't really worry about that, man. It will play itself out, I'm sure."