Art Shell

Art Shell owes the organization about 120 laps, according to my estimation.In the offseason, when Shell's preferred word of the day was "accountability," he attempted to back it up with old-school discipline. When a player talked out of turn, they were sent off the field; when an offensive lineman jumped offside, they were told to lace up their sneakers and start running laps.Bend down and double-knot, Art. It's your turn.Rightfully so, the players in Oakland have taken the brunt of blame for the 2-10 season they have contributed to. 4 Brett Favre White jersey
Among the leading candidates for criticism have been left tackle Robert Gallery, running back LaMont Jordan, quarterbacks Aaron Brooks and Andrew Walter and wideouts Randy Moss and Jerry Porter.It hasn't been by sheer coincidence, though, that each of the above players has simultaneously hit rock bottom in their respective careers. The group of six players have combined for 35 NFL seasons together; hands down, under Shell's first year back at the helm, 2006 has been the worst for each.Thirty laps: Shell took an already questionable Robert Gallery and moved him to perhaps the most grueling, difficult position in professional football. Not surprisingly, the disappointment-in-disguise that Norv Turner concealed on the right side of the line has become a full-fledged bust under Shell on the left. In the offseason, ex-offensive coordinator Tom Walsh referred to guys like Shell and co-offensive line coach Jackie Slater as readily-available "Encyclopedia Britannica." Apparently, the "T" edition is missing, because there is no technique being taught up front in Oakland.Twenty-five laps: You can't fault Shell for LaMont Jordan's recent injuries. You can, however, fault him for hiring and retaining Tom Walsh for 11 weeks. Jordan transformed from being a pass-catching, downhill runner under Norv Turner (70 catches and 1,025 rushing yards in 2005), to a helpless dancer behind the line of scrimmage in 2006. It took the coaching staff 11 weeks to find out that No. 34, the offensive line and the halfback sweep don't mix very well together.Forty laps: A declining Kerry Collins threw for 3,759 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last year in Oakland under Norv Turner. This season, under the Shell regime, three different quarterbacks have sat behind center -- all have failed miserably. The three-headed quarterbacking crew of Aaron Brooks, Andrew Walter and Marques Tuiasosopo has thrown the ball 340 times, completed just 173, and has put up a miserable six touchdowns to 16 interceptions. It's hard to imagine any QB succeeding under the current conditions in Oakland.Twenty-five laps: Alvis Whitted, a 32-year-old career backup, has been stealing time from Jerry Porter, Ronald Curry and Johnnie Morant all season. The latter three wide receivers are all in their 20s with promising careers ahead, while Whitted is on his last leg. Still, the hard-headed Shell has stuck with the theme of failing to change, and has instead 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey
opted to stay in neutral. Meanwhile, the once-big-play Randy Moss is sitting back and doing what he's done since he entered the NFL in 1998 -- he's reacting to the situation in front of him. It's no surprise, then, that Moss doesn't want to try to change his style of play, either. If the head coach can't make a simple adjustment to help the team, why should he?Want to be in the Raiders mailbag? Visit RaidersLive.com to submit your questions and comments for the Dec. 15 mailbag. (38)