THE POND H.O.F.

The NFL Hall Of Fame has seventeen members who have worn the Silver and Black.

We and the majority of the Raider Nation believe this to be a number way below what it should be and the NFL knows it too.There are many former Raiders that deserve to be in the H.O.F. who haven't been inducted despite the obvious impact that they have had on the game of football.

We say F#%K you NFL and aim, in our own way to put things right.We will induct our first group of Pond HOFers today and will bi-annually induct from here onwards until all the former Raiders that are deserving of the official NFL accolade are honoured.But we will also induct former Raiders that are deserving of their bust in the Pond for, shall we say , less than purely footballing reasons.The Raiders already in the NFL HOF are given a bye straight into the Pond, we hope that the NFL will show the same respect with our members, come on Roger Goodell you know you want to.

We have e-mailed Al Davis to request an induction speech for each new member and are awaiting the replies and will add them as they arrive, thanks Al.

#1.Kenny "The Snake" Stabler QB Alabama 1970 - 1984.

Career Stats.

Att. Comp. Pct. Yds. TD. Int.

3793 2270 59.8 27983 194 222

The leader of probably the most romanticised Raider team(s) in history during the 1970's.A Superbowl winner, 1976 Bert Bell MVP Trophy winner, 1974 AP NFL MVP and offensive player of the year, 1974 UPI AFC MVP.A man involved in plays such as The sea of hands, Ghost to the post, The holy roller.Keeper of the Tooz, a legend on and off the field, say "The Snake" to any football fan and they instantly know who you mean.Not only a Raider Icon but a footballing Icon.Shame on you NFL, Joe Namath has his place in Canton with a lower pass completion rate, less yards and TD's, and the same number of rings.It is a (inter)national disgrace that The Snake, inducted into the Pond at No 1, still awaits the call from the NFL.

#2 Tom Flores QB/HC Pacific 1960 - 1994.

Career Stats.Player.

Att. Comp. Pct. Yds. TD. Int.

1715 838 48.9 11959 93 92

Career Stats.Head Coach.

Reg. Season: 97-87 Post Season: 8-3

2 Superbowls

Tom Flores.Raider Player, Raider assistant Coach, Raider Head Coach.Steered two Raider teams to World Championships, served in the Raider front office, and now a radio commentator for the Raiders.What a part-timer.Tom Flores is part of Raider hierarchy, a capo to Al Davis' godfather.He is fifth all time amongst AFL passers, and one of only 20 players that played through the entirety of the AFL.He was the first Hispanic QB in pro football and the first minority Head Coach in the NFL.He and Mike Ditka are the only two men to win a Superbowl as a player, assistant coach, and head coach.When I discovered the Raiders, it was Tom Flores' Raiders that I was watching, it was Tom Flores' Raiders that humiliated a good Washington Redskins team on "Black Sunday" in Tampa in January 1984, the team that Al claimed rivalled any team to ever play professional sports.Tom Bloody Flores.Stick that in your pipe and smoke it NFL.

#3 Cole Ford K USC 1995-1998.

Career Stats.

FGA. FGM. XPA. XPM. LNG.

62 45 89 86 53

This is the first of our left-field picks, and its obvious that the career of Cole Ford as a placekicker was never HOF.But if there is ever a HOF for complete balloons/headcases, then the Fordster is well and truly in.Cole was a good kicker at Southern Cal, and initially showed some promise at NFL level with the Raiders until he imploded in 1997 with a shocker of a season, exit Oakland and after one game for Buffalo exit the NFL.Fast forward to 2004, up pops Cole doing a convincing Charlie Manson impersonation, whilst attempting a drive-by shooting of camp as a row of tents "magicians" Siegfried and Roy.Now that is quality.Apparently while watching S & R on TV he decided that they were A. Involved in some sort of sexual practises with their animals and B.This made them responsible for all the bad things going on in the world.Sounds fair enough to us, but his psychiatrist thought that he may be mentally ill, the spoilsport. If Cole Ford had been on the Raiders team of say 1976, he would have been viewed as a bit eccentric.

#4. Jim Plunkett QB Stanford 1971 - 1986

Career Stats.

Att. Comp. Pct. Yds. TD. Int.

3701 1943 52.5 25882 164 198

Another QB, but come on its Jim Plunkett.Two superbowl rings alone says he's in.But Plunkett was a leader and a true Raider in that he was seen to be all washed up before arriving in Oakland.From Heisman winner and AFC rookie of the year in New England to bust shipped off to the 49ers, where fortunately for the Silver and Black side of the bay things didn't go too well either.We should also thank Dan Pastorini at this point for breaking a leg in 1980, to allow the Plunk to win 9 of the remaining 11 games and then lead the wild card Raiders to the Superbowl, throwing 3 TD's and earning an MVP, not a bad comeback at all, stuff you whiners.One comeback is'nt enough for the Plunk though, he had to do it again 1n 1983 and win another SB after replacing super (not) Marc Wilson in the regular season.He's in for all these reasons, and for the fact we at the Pond met him in a restaurant in SF a few years ago and he was a gent.Plus Jim has the biggest face known to man which deserves some recognition.

#5. Lyle Alzado DE/DT Yankton 1971 - 1985.

1977 Defensive Player of The Year

1982 Comeback Player of The Year

Pro Bowler 1977,1978 All AFC 1974,1977,1978,1980,1982

Ok Lyle was exposed as a Steroid abuser, which could be said to have tarnished his career in the NFL, but how many players were guilty of the same thing during the years in which he played?At least he had the bollocks to stand up and admit it, and speak out against the continued use of them.Right thats that out of the way, Lyle Alzado was one of the most aggressive football players to step on a field, probably mostly down to the drugs, but it still made for a great spectacle, he didn't just want to get to the QB, he wanted to pull his arms off.The NFL had to come up with a new rule after Lyle ripped off a Jets lineman's helmet and threw it!But many of his teamates have spoken of the generous caring man off the field, one of the lasting memories of him is the sight of this huge man blubbing like a baby on the sideline at SB XVIII as the fourth quarter ticked away.He was a quote waiting to happen, "I like to think my hits border on felonous assault", "If me and King Kong go into an alley, only one of us is coming out and its not the monkey"He also had a threat competition running with his un-official minder Howie Long."I'm going to kill you and everything you love" - Alzado, "I'm going to get you in the parking lot after the game and beat you up in front of your family" - Long.Brilliant.Despite his success earlier in his career with the Donks, where he was part of the orange crush defence, the Browns, and his forays into boxing (going 8 rounds with Ali), he was at his happiest in the Silver and Black.Gone but not forgotten.

#6. Ray Guy P Southern Mississippi 1973 - 1986

Played in 207 consecutive games
Punted 1,049 times for 44,493 yards, averaging 42.4 yards per punt (typical 2006 average, 43), with a 33.8 net yards average (typical 2006 average, 37)
Had 210 punts in the 20 (not counting his first 3 seasons, when the NFL did not keep track of this stat), with just 128 touchbacks (the ratio of 'in the 20' to touchbacks is 1.64, and would have been 29th best in the NFL in 2006)
Led the NFL in punting three times
Had a streak of 619 consecutive punts before having one blocked
Has a record of 111 career punts in post season games
Had five punts of over 60 yards during the 1981 season.

There are no punters in the NFL HOF.There should be one, and it should be Ray Guy.Until he arrived as the first punter ever taken in the first round of the draft, punting was just a way of ending an un-successful drive, then Ray Guy started kicking balls into space.The Raiders coaching staff realised that this was a weapon, he could hang it up there for ever and allow the coverage all day to get downfield, or he could put the ball exactly where the coaching staff asked.Joe Horrigan the Pro Football Hall Of Fame historian called Guy "The first punter you could look at and say he won games"."Our offensive coaches wanted Ray Guy, our defensive coaches wanted Ray Guy, and the head coach really wanted Ray Guy." -- John Madden."Think back over the history of any sport. Very often there has been one guy who stood out above the superstars - just as (Ray) Guy stands out in punting. It just happens." -- Tex Schramm, Former Dallas Cowboys President.If a player changes the way a position is played, whatever that position, and he is unanimously viewed as the best to have ever played that position, then he is a HOFer, simple as that.

MIKE SHANAHANS WONKY THIRD EYE

As it is, there actually is'nt much news out there in Mikesville this week, or last week for that matter.Unless you count the fact that we noticed this week that the beloved Donks have added a blog section to their official website, one of which is written by their mascot, excellent.The views of a man(?) that spends life (almost certainly all of it) in a cartoon horse suit, banging on about where and when he will be annoying people next, and this on the team website!Denver must be a laugh a minute.And by the way Miles, yes he's called Miles, If I am ever close enough to your ginger quiffed donkey arse, there will be a size 9 right up it until you take off that Double OO shirt, there was only one OO and he wore black.

The only real thing of note going on in Raiderland, apart from Robert Gallery playing musical chairs with the other linemen, was the 2007 Youth Skills Camp held this past weekend at the Raiders facility in Alameda, where local kids had some hands on coaching from Raiders staff and players, so not real news here either, apart from Zach Bingenheimer aged 10 from Hayward had to sit out the final session with a stinger, Stacey Preston aged 8 from Pleasanton has been placed on I.R. due to surprise gum swallowing, and Lamont Jordan is listed as questionable after a particularly vicious hit from Emily Johnson aged 9 from San Leandro dropped him for a five yard loss.Only kidding LJ.
It was a 3 yard loss.

THE DO's AND DONT's FOR THE FIRST TIME VISITOR

Here is a quick Brits abroad guide to visiting Oakland and doing the whole football thing with ease.

DONT: Get a taxi from the airport (SFO) if you are staying in SF, the BART is cheap and quick and will get you all the way to the East Bay as well.

DO: Get off the BART in the East Bay, go straight to your hotel, drop your bags and then head to Ricky's and get drunk, despite jet-lag.You'll be wanting the BAYFAIR stop.

DONT: Get off the BART at the wrong stop, and despite a shit sense of direction head off in a random fashion until admitting you are lost finding that you are actually in Hayward.

DO: Then ring a taxi and get Mike Singh, official driver to the RAIDERS fans, to rescue you and take you to the correct place, although

DONT: Ask Mike to take you to San Francisco or fall asleep on him in his cab, he is'nt too happy with either prospect.

DONT: Go for your first breakfast in California and ask the very nice Mexican gentleman for some "easy over", or "easy over easy" eggs.He will look at you strangely.

DO: Go to see RAIDERHED, its the law.

DO: Meet some of your heroes, who turn out to be all round nice blokes, thankyou Jim Plunkett, Kenny King, and Rod Martin.

DONT: Stay in San Francisco if you don't like being asked for money.

DO: Stay in San Leandro instead, and get drunk again at Ricky's.

DO: Go to Berkeley, its got a great atmosphere, cheaper beer, shuffleboard, Blakes on Telegraph, and CAL football.Oh and its the home of west coast punk.

DONT: Attempt to walk from downtown Berkeley to the Marina, get the bus its easier.No Kingy its not a mile on the map is it?

DO: Get an invite to a Tailgate, its not hard, have a drink with some fellow RAIDERS fans and hey presto you're in.The Nation will look after you, its the law.Then take alot of beer.

DONT: Use the portaloo's at the Coliseum unless absoloutely necessary, you will have nightmares about what you will see in there.

DO: Climb into the back of an SUV with a large cup instead and smile at passers-by, and hope that A. Its only a one cupper and B. You never get the urge to shit before a game.

DONT: Drink so much before and during the game that you can't remember where your tailgate spot was afterwards.

DO: Go to Heinold's Last Chance Saloon at Jack London Square in Oakland and have a fine pint of Guinness.

DO: Go to THE RAIDER IMAGE on Hegenberger and see your money disappear.

DONT: Set off on foot from Hegenberger to the Coliseum, lots of American's in cars will look in astonishment at the pasty english people walking.

DONT: Be asking for a cup of tea unless you want that cold lemony shit.You'll be wanting a hot tea won't you.Well ask for one then, or have a coffee its up to you.

DONT: Be surprised when the term RAIDER NATION turns out to be an actual living breathing real-life attitude, where a visit to OAKLAND, Nation HQ, gives you the feeling that you are officially initiated.

DO: Adopt a mid-atlantic accent, if most of England can't understand your accent then the average American has no chance.But

DONT: Go completely over the top and develop a complete mock-american accent within 3 days or your mates will laugh at you.

DO: Embrace the word Limey.

DONT: Get vertigo, its shit.

DO: Represent in SF while doing the whole touristy thing, if you actually do see a Whiner fan they won't say anything, due to the fact that they suspect that you may shoot them in the face.

DO: Enjoy California, and say we sent you.