It has come to my attention that one of my favorite NFL players, one of the really good guys who does his job right, has signed with (sighs deeply) the Oakland Raiders. Lorenzo Neal is not a name that everyone recognizes. He plays fullback, which is probably right up there with center as the least appreciated positions in football. He very rarely touched the ball, but for years he plowed through defenders like a freight train to open running lanes for greats such as Eddie George and LaDainian Tomlinson. He is a competitive beast of a man but he was never one to complain or argue. He played with integrity.
If you aren't a Charger fan (or an NFL linebacker who was forced to take on this monster truck at some point in your career) you may not even know who he is. If the NFL had a "Most Underrated Player" award (the pure irony of which would be simply fantastic), Lorenzo Neal would be voted league MUP every year.
Neal started his career with the Saints in 1993. He moved on to the Jets and Buccaneers in the mid-90's and really found his form with the Titans in 1999. This was the year of the Music City Miracle, when the Titans scored on a last second play to defeat the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs. It remains to this day one of the most memorable plays in sports. They went on to play the Rams in the Superbowl, and if Kevin Dyson was 3 inches taller, Lorenzo Neal may have received a well-deserved Superbowl ring.
But because he devoted his last 5 years to the San Diego Stupid Chargers, he remains winless in the championship category. He has since turned to the Baltimore Ravens, with whom he rode to the AFC championship game last year. However, the overall inexperience of the team shined through as they were tossed out by the Steelers.
So now he goes where all legendary sports figures go to die, Oakland. Oakland was once known as a great franchise, especially during the times of John Madden: Coaching genius. But lately (since Rich Gannon's career was ended with his neck injury) they have sunk to the bottom of the NFL toilet. The "commitment to excellence" has become a commitment to excrement, if you ask me. And I would seriously consider retiring before I entered that black hole.
I will not deny, however, that this move scares me a little bit. I know that Darren McFadden is going to be a good player in the NFL (if not a great one) and the jury is still out on Russell, but he has at times showed promise. It pains me greatly to admit that if the Raiders can put all these pieces together, plus Neal and a decent defense... they might be able to steal a few games, maybe break into the 8-8 range. They did win 5 games last season and it would not be going too far to say that a confident, productive Jamarcus Russell could win 3 more games for them.
I wish you all the best Lorenzo, but I must admit that you have lost most of my respect. Just like Mr. Favre, you have fraternized with the enemy and I cannot condone that kind of behavior. Football is the ultimate team sport and trust is of the utmost importance. If you are going to defile that bond, then my trust is obviously lost on you.
Don't come crying back to papa when you realize that the few years you have left will be spent wearing the hated black and silver, losing football games, and clubbing baby seals.
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