Raiders greats weigh in on ‘Raider Pride’ as Pierce takes over
The Sporting Tribune's W.G. Ramirez writes the Raiders are excited to get back to 'Raider Pride' under interim coach Antonio Pierce.
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1. Raiders greats weigh in on ‘Raider Pride’ as Pierce takes over
The Sporting Tribune's W.G. Ramirez writes the Raiders are excited to get back to 'Raider Pride' under interim coach Antonio Pierce, The Sporting Tribune’s W.G. Ramirez.
Every year the Raiders hold alumni gatherings before a preseason game, with some of the greatest names in football sharing stories of their glory years, donning Silver and Black in Oakland and/or Los Angeles.
The common theme among names such as Marcus Allen, Mike Haynes, Jim Plunkett, Fred Biletnikoff, Ted Hendricks, Charles Woodson, Rod Woodson and Tim Brown has generally been “Raider Pride” and what it means to be a part of a fraternity like none other in the National Football League.
“We’re certainly a band of brothers, that’s for sure,” Allen, the Super Bowl MVP in 1984, said during one of the recent events in Las Vegas. “It’s unique, it really is, and I’m sure every organization feels that way. There’s something, you know – a mystique with the Raiders.”
2. Joshua Kelley and Austin Ekeler need consistent touches to hurt Jets defense
Kellen Moore needs to lean on Kelley and Ekeler to beat the Jets on Monday Night, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Fernando Ramirez.
The numbers say that the Chargers have one of the better offenses in the NFL, which is true, but they don't tell the whole story.
Some tendencies from last season are showing up again this season for the offense.
Last season, they were near the bottom of the league in rushing yards per game with 89.6. That number has risen to 103.6 this season, but in the last four, they have struggled to replicate the running attack that put up 233 yards and three touchdowns.
3. Can Caleb Williams reclaim Heisman favorite spot and beat Washington?
Can USC and Caleb Williams put themselves back in the national conversation by upsetting a top five Washington team?
This is the showdown we’ve been waiting for, and although the stakes are lower, the potential for fireworks as the Huskies visit the Trojans is still sky-high. The season started with Caleb Williams coming in as the favorite to repeat the Heisman for the first time since Archie Griffin did it for the Buckeyes in the ’70s.
Michael Penix Jr. was the (not-so) dark-horse pick who many believed had a decent shot to unseat Caleb. Now, as we’re 24 hours away from their showdown at the coliseum, Michael Penix Jr. is the favorite to hoist the trophy in New York come December, and Caleb Williams’ is playing catch-up.
Now, this match-up between Washington and USC is more than just the battle of the star QBs, but that’s where the attention will lie. Ironically, the Trojans come into this match-up with nothing to lose, and all the pressure is on the Washington Huskies. Let’s get into the tale of the tape.
4. Can the Raiders make a playoff-run under Pierce?
Antonio Pierce takes over a 3-5 Raiders team that with nine games remaining, could make a similar run as the 2021 team?
I woke up at 4:30 am on Wednesday, knowing it was going to be a busy day considering Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler had been relieved of their duties as Las Vegas Raiders coach and general manager, respectively, just six and a half hours earlier.
I was in the gym with my personal trainer three hours later – at 7:30 sharp ’cause she’s a stickler for punctuality – getting my pull-day session out of the way.
Tell you this much, after listening to Raiders interim coach Antonio Pierce speak at his 1 p.m. press conference, I was ready for another lift – and ready to go harder.
5. Marchessault hat trick pushes Knights past Jets for 10-0-1 start
The Knights extend their point streak to 11 games to start the season thanks to a hat-trick from the reigning Conn Smythe winner, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Will Despart.
The Golden Knights won again on Thursday night, beating Winnipeg 5-2 with the help of a hat trick from Jonathan Marchessault.
The Golden Knights moved to 10-0-1 with the win, extending their point-steak to 11 games open the season.
Several Golden Knights players have expressed frustration with the team’s recent performance, despite their impressive record. On Thursday, the Knights showed a sense of urgency that reflected the tone of their locker room.
6. Kings hang on for 3-2 win over Senators in newest road victory
After taking a 3-0 lead to open the game, the Kings were able to hold on just long enough to secure a win in Ottawa, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Holdenn Graff.
As the Kings headed into Ottawa seeking to sweep their trip in Canada, they got off to a good start. Just 3 minutes into the game, Phillip Danault got the scoring started for Los Angeles with a power play goal.
In the second period, 2 more goals from Carl Grundstrom and Anze Kopitar would boost the lead to 3-0. The rest of the game would be about holding the lead, as a goal late in the second period for Ottawa sent things to the third and final period with the Kings leading 3-1.
While the Senators would score once more in the third on a goal from Josh Norris, Los Angeles held on the rest of the way to bring the road trip to a 2-0 start.
7. Odds and Ends presented by Circa Sports
Here are some odds at Circa Sports if you’re thinking about placing a wager today:
8. Ticket Time presented by Golden Gate
Here are the “get in” prices for tickets if you’re thinking about going to a game Saturday.
4:30 p.m. - Washington at USC - $81
7:00 p.m. – Avalanche at Golden Knights – $96
9. On the Air presented by The D Las Vegas
Here are the game times and television channels for professional teams in the region today.
1:00 p.m. – Hawaii at Reno – CBSSN
3:00 p.m. – UNLV at New Mexico – FS1
4:00 p.m. – Lakers at Magic – Spectrum SportsNet
4:00 p.m. – Utah State at San Diego State – Fox Sports
4:30 p.m. – Washington at USC – ESPN
4:30 p.m. – LA Kings at Flyers – Bally Sports West
7:00 p.m. – Avalanche at Golden Knights – ESPN
7:30 p.m. – UCLA at Arizona – Fox Sports
10. The Arash Markazi Show presented by The Sporting Tribune
Listen to The Arash Markazi Show presented by The Sporting Tribune on The Mightier 1090 ESPN Radio in Southern California, 98.5 The Bet in Las Vegas and the Hawaii Sports Radio Network 95.1 FM and 760 AM in Hawaii. You can also listen to the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Play and Stitcher. You can also watch every Friday on BLEAV on FuboTV.
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That’s it for today. Talk to you on Monday!