Raiders were sabotoged by HC Callahan in SB?!?

[R.P. McMurphy]

Tim Brown has just came out and stated that going into the 2003 SB Bill Callahan had a gameplan which featured the run. According to him the plan was to pound there much smaller front line with our big backs Crockett and Wheatley behind our much bigger 0-line. Apparently on the Friday before the game he switched the game plan at the last min. to a pass heavy attack and possibly contributed to Barrett Robbins flipping out.

Now according to Brown our HC Callahan hated the Raiders and never wanted to be there. The only reason he came on-board was due to his close friendship with Gruden. Brown also states that a couple times (not sure when) Callahan walked off the field on the team and most players had little to no respect for him. Obviously this will get more interesting if more players or coaches come out and side with Brown's statements. Find it hard to believe it's taken 10 years for this to come out however it's also hard not to take Brown at his word being a stand-up guy.

For the record not whining or making excuses but this is quite an un-heard story and some bold allegations against an HC at the pro level ecs. Mike and Mike are putting out calls to other Raiders from that team at the moment to get there take on this.

[R.P. McMurphy]

Zack Crockett just called in and stated the game plan was changed. Only difference with his story is the timeline as he states it was done after Robbins flipped out and went m.i.a. ??

[PAULYPOKER]

This is just one of the MANY avenues for what is known as the "RIG JOB"

[R.P. McMurphy]

Not buying into a fix theory or sabotoge all that much Pauly. However obviously losing Robbins was key to that game and made a huge difference. I have said for years they benefitted ALOT from knowing our calls and plays. Players from both teams have stated that was true that they knew everything before the ball was snapped thanks to Chuckie. I would do anything to go back in time line those 2 teams up with the only difference being Gruden or our sideline and Dungy on theirs and I bet we see a much different result. What's done is done tho and can't fix anything now obviously.. oh well!

[ZINISTER]

Big Raider fan for long time. My brothers house caught on fire right before kickoff that game. It didn't burn down or nothing, but we were putting it out long enough to miss the ass beating. We knew we had no chance with the coach on the other sideline. I'm salty about the tuck rule and fat ass Goose hitting Gannon low early in the AFC championship. If it wasn't for spygate and the tuck rule we might be looking at the Pats legacy a bit different. Raiders have a chance to improve with a GM and less control from the top. Sounds like we are getting away from the zone blocking and Gregg Olson will be heavy run oriented. When Hue was there McFadden had that good year. We have a long way to go, we can dwell on the past, but the future is what we hope for being a Raider fan! S.A.B.A (Silver and Black Attack)

[PAULYPOKER]

Not buying into a fix theory or sabotoge all that much Pauly. However obviously losing Robbins was key to that game and made a huge difference. I have said for years they benefitted ALOT from knowing our calls and plays. Players from both teams have stated that was true that they knew everything before the ball was snapped thanks to Chuckie. I would do anything to go back in time line those 2 teams up with the only difference being Gruden or our sideline and Dungy on theirs and I bet we see a much different result. What's done is done tho and can't fix anything now obviously.. oh well!

This is why the fix will live for ever................

People just don't get it.............

Money talks, always and forever.....................

There is a price tag on every soul on earth.............

[R.P. McMurphy]

That was a rough 2 year stretch Zinister because we had an elite team that could beat ANYONE on any Sunday. Obviously we won the game on the field that day in a tough environment in N.E. and were screwed by some b.s. obscure rule nobody had ever heard of. If the tuck does not happen and Davis does not send Chuckie packing who knows maybe we could have had a 4th or even 5th SB trophy?

[rsnnh12]

Regarding the tuck rule

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/14/AR2005101401828.html

Called 3 other times that season, once against the Pats in a game they ended up losing.

I'm really curious how this story by Brown plays out. He was one of my favorite players growing up, even as a Pats fan, and I always thought he was well respected by everyone. He doesn't seem like the type to BS this, especially so long after it happened.

Side note- when do Raider fans expect him to be inducted in Canton? I thought it would've happened by now, but it seems like the voters are ignoring elite WRs right now

[R.P. McMurphy]

Far as Brown going to Canton it should def happen just a matter of when? He retired 2nd behind Rice in pretty much all major receiving categories and unlike Rice he did not have 3 mvp and 2 HOF QB's tossing him the ball his whole career. Brown had a lot of castoff Qb's to work with and then you add his special teams and quality character and it seems like a no-brainer. But who knows Art Monk had to wait forever and he had #'s and rings! Interested to see where this story goes as well. However I do find it hard to believe an NFL hc would do this and potentially ruin his career instead of joining an elite fraternity of coaches who have won the big game. If this was a p.o.s. like T Owens spouting off it would be called b.s. easily but this is T Brown!

[ZINISTER]

The call on the field was fumble Walt "Dip Shit" Coleman made the call on the field then he went under the hood and changed his own call to Tuck. The rule sucked from the rip it was changed it didn't last long. It was a fumble before the rule during the rule and after the rule. Tom Brady was pumping the ball in his hands belly high not tucking shit he was looking to get rid of it the game was on the line. It was a directed at Al Davis it was the league telling Al to go fuc himself. If your not passing and the ball is out of your fucin hands it is a live ball unless you are down." Period " I will call every damn game I think is even slightly fixed a fix that shit was a fix. It burns my ass!!

[R.P. McMurphy]

Agree completely Zinister! It may be a rule but a retarded pointless one to say the least. Just makes you wonder who comes up with some of these laughable rules at times

[R.P. McMurphy]

Lincoln Kennedy- Gameplan was changed but and he agreed going in it was too pound th ball with the big backs behind the big o-line but things changed when getting down big in 2nd quarter.

Rich Gannon - States we were a pass 1st team that year (which is true) and the running game was our weakness.

Bill Romo- Says a lot of excessive partying the week leading up to the game was mainly to blame and it pissed him the fukk off and cost him his 5th ring.

Conflicting statements across the board pretty much but that's what I have been hearing today.

[R.P. McMurphy]

My take is the most crucial element was Gruden plain and simple. The defense knew all our plays and audibles going into the game. That is like a D student acing a test with a cheat sheet lol. Seriously if ur given the answers to the test prior that is a huge advantage.

Obviously losing Robbins was huge and a big distraction but if what Romo says is true about the partying and frat house environment that is truly sad considering we had a veteran team LOADED with guys who were mvp's, hof's, pro bowlers who had been in the league for years and they approach a SB game that way? FUKK!!!!!

[2daBank]

gruden inherited a bad ass defense and showed them the playbook... tim brown is a pole smoker, he must really be lonely... i wouldnt put a wr in the hall of fame that says his teams only chance was to run the ball..