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ALAMEDA, Calif. – The Oakland Raiders released former No. 1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell on Thursday, ending a three-year tenure marked by his high salary and unproductive play on the field. Senior executive John Herrera told The Associated Press about the move and said that "we wish him well." The decision came less than two weeks after Oakland acquired Jason Campbell from Washington to take over at quarterback and signifies that owner Al Davis finally lost patience with the immensely talented but unproductive player he drafted first overall in 2007 against the wishes of former coach Lane Kiffin. Russell will...

The Raiders will be killing time Sunday against Baltimore, whether they win, lose or lose by a lot. The real story comes immediately thereafter when the lottery on Tom Cable's firing begins. The early betting is on Thursday, because Al Davis tends to wait for the internal postseason self-examination process, in which the coach who is about to get fired has to hear about why he's going to be fired. But it could come as early as Monday (six percent), Tuesday (21 percent) or maybe even Wednesday (nine percent).And if you like the long money, Davis could wait and make...

OAKLAND -- A young man is in custody after another man was shot in the leg and groin Sunday afternoon in the McAfee Coliseum parking lot following the Oakland Raiders game, police said. The shooting around 4:30 p.m. on the northeast side of the McAfee Coliseum parking lot escalated from a "non-football related argument," said Alameda County Sheriff Dept. Sgt. J.D. Nelson. The victim, whose name was not released, is being treated at Highland Hospital, he added. The Raiders lost the afternoon game to the Kansas City Chiefs, 12-10. "It was not a Raiders-Chiefs fight or anything like that," said...

This is what I saw Saturday night at the Coliseum in the first half when the first-line players were on the field. New Raiders quarterback Josh McCown was fast and resourceful and, after he got over being nervous, he was an accurate passer. And he was fun to watch. Andrew Walter, last season's human sacrifice, came after McCown and completed a bunch of passes. He was on the money with his throws, and on one third down he hit tight end Zack Miller over the middle for 14 yards before the Arizona Cardinals figured out what to do. On that...

Alameda, Calif. (AP) -- The Oakland Raiders canceled the final week of their offseason training program Friday after complaints from the NFL players' union about the intensity of the practices.

Lane Kiffin will be formally introduced as Head Coach of The Oakland Raiders during a press conference on Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 1:00 p.m. at the Raiders' facility in Alameda. With his appointment today by Raiders owner Al Davis, Kiffin becomes the 16th head coach in franchise history and the youngest head coach in the NFL. The 31-year old Kiffin is also the youngest Head Coach in Raider history. Pro Football Hall of Fame Coach John Madden was 32 when he was elevated to the head post by Davis in 1969. Most recently, Kiffin presided over the vaunted offensive...

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Southern California assistant head coach Steve Sarkisian withdrew from the Oakland Raiders' coaching race Friday, just days after apparently emerging as the favorite to succeed Art Shell.

BREAKING NEWS: Terror Alert in Oakland : OAKLAND , (CA) --Oakland Raiders football practice was delayed nearly two hours today after a player reported finding an unknown white powdery substance on the practice field. Head coach Art Shell immediately suspended practice and called the police and federal investigators. After a complete analysis, FBI forensic experts determined that the white substance unknown to players was the GOAL LINE. Practice resumed after special agents decided the team was unlikely to encounter the substance again.

Porter seen pumping fist, laughing as Brooks is sacked ESPN.com news services When Raiders wide receiver Randy Moss said of his team, "things are crazy around here," he wasn't kidding. The San Francisco Chronicle reported on its Web site that disgruntled receiver Jerry Porter who was inactive for the 27-0 drugging the Raiders absorbed from the San Diego Chargers on Monday night, was seen laughing and pumping his fist on the sidelines when Raiders teammate Aaron Brooks was sacked for the seventh time. Porter's role on the team has greatly diminished after he clashed with new coach Art Shell in...

What a weekend. John Madden gets his long overdue induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Raiders get a win in the Sunday night Pre-season opener. But I can’t for the life of me, figure out what all the crying about is from so many Raider fans. Did the team look good? Not really, but they showed flashes on defense and the defense is going to carry this team for the first eight games or so. I know the Eagles first teamers came out and moved the ball well in the opening drive, but they should have...

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Rowdy crowds that took to the streets after the Oakland Raiders' Super Bowl defeat left parts of the city strewn with broken glass, charred hulks of burned cars and a fast-food restaurant with nearly every window broken. Police in riot gear responded with rubber bullets and tear gas, and briefly closed some stretches of city streets. At least 23 people were arrested, mostly for public drunkeness, authorities said. About 10 vehicles were set on fire, and crowds broke the windows of at least one television news van, police and witnesses said. One group of young men set...