Khalil Mack is an absolute monster. He ran a 4.65 at the NFL Combine, then he ran in the 4.53-4.55 range at his pro day. He’s 6′ 3″, 250 and set FBS records in tackles for loss (75) and forced fumbles (16). Some have said that he’s the best player in the draft, and the Oakland Raiders were more than happy to submit his name when it was their turn to pick on Thursday night.
He has All-Pro potential, and the Raiders need as many elite players as they can collect. But he isn’t a TV star, and the station that carries Raiders games wants some guys they can talk about. They want ratings. They wanted Johnny Football.
Well, not all the hosts wanted Johnny Football. The Raiders already have Matt Schaub and need to stop losing 10+ games per season, and taking a smallish quarterback who’s raw and displayed some questionable judgment at times in college probably isn’t the most logical path back to respectability. Greg Papa will probably be 100% in favor of the Mack selection, and other hosts like John Middlekauff were down with the pick.
But others weren’t quite so pleased that the Raiders said no to Johnny Football.
Raiders just lost out on a once in a lifetime player. Manziel will be a star in this league. Couldn’t be more upset right now!
— AUBREY HUFF (@aubrey_huff) May 9, 2014
Congratulations Raider nation you just went from 4 wins last year to 4 wins next year! Need a diff maker and Manziel was it. Not Mack! Ahhh — AUBREY HUFF (@aubrey_huff) May 9, 2014
Can’t wait to have to listen to all the callers 2 years from now say “I told ya the Raiders should have taken Manziel not Mack!” Ughhh — AUBREY HUFF (@aubrey_huff) May 9, 2014
Then Aubrey Huff started channeling Jon Gruden and ripped any team that didn’t have the cojones to take the J-Football plunge.
I guess the Browns want to keep sucking! Justin Gilbert really? I don’t want Manziel in Cleveland anyway! — AUBREY HUFF (@aubrey_huff) May 9, 2014
Huff then focused his Twitter energies on making sure Manziel didn’t feel too badly about his situation.
That’s right Johnny nobody believes in you! That chip on your shoulder will make you a hall of famer! — AUBREY HUFF (@aubrey_huff) May 9, 2014
Then Huff decided he just wanted ANY team in the Bay Area to take his beloved Johnny Football. Hey, a talking point is a talking point, amirite? (I really hope this next tweet was tongue-in-cheek, but it’s hard to make any assumptions on draft night.)
Maybe Manziel will be there for the 49ers!! — AUBREY HUFF (@aubrey_huff) May 9, 2014
Finally the Browns moved up and took Manziel at 22, historically a fail-safe spot for quarterbacks going to Cleveland.
Go Browns!! I’ll be the first one to buy my doo doo brown jersey! Manziel to Cleveland not sexy for him! — AUBREY HUFF (@aubrey_huff) May 9, 2014
Cleveland Browns Super Bowl champs in 3 years. Book it! — AUBREY HUFF (@aubrey_huff) May 9, 2014
But it wasn’t just the Huffster. I don’t even know what this next tweet means (maybe Bruce meant “fell” instead of “feel”), except that it was going to be followed by one that signaled disappointment.
And now – the chance to pass on Johnny Football – or draft him just feel on the #Raiders. Come on Reggie. Do it. — Damon Bruce (@DamonBruce) May 9, 2014
An OLB from Buffalo that NOBODY heard of six weeks ago, was just taken before guy who ripped up the SEC. Good luck #Raiders — Damon Bruce (@DamonBruce) May 9, 2014
Raiders fans questioned Damon Bruce’s questions, and he went to the Chucky card.
We’ll Gruden 100% agrees with me. “@Tha_Frank: @DamonBruce shut your hatin ass up” — Damon Bruce (@DamonBruce) May 9, 2014
Then he went to the “I know more about not knowing anything about Buffalo than all y’all” card.
I’m guessing the amount of #Raiders fans gushing about Mack, having never seen him play a single snap, is closer to 100% than 99%. — Damon Bruce (@DamonBruce) May 9, 2014
I’m from Upstate NY, and have never seen a down of University of Buffalo football. Don’t pretend. — Damon Bruce (@DamonBruce) May 9, 2014
Because of U. Buffalo football? Mmkay. RT @MFCharles408: @DamonBruce u are a perfect example of an uneducated sports personality. — Damon Bruce (@DamonBruce) May 9, 2014
If you haven’t noticed, Bruce’s skin isn’t all that thick.
Right?!? All season long, the talk was Mack, Mack, Mack. Sure. RT @donnyrocci33: @DamonBruce everyone knew who Khalil Mack was, EVERYBODY! — Damon Bruce (@DamonBruce) May 9, 2014
What your “Home of Buffalo Football” station? I’ll tune in. RT @Ray1335: @DamonBruce man your an idiot you obviously don’t watch football — Damon Bruce (@DamonBruce) May 9, 2014
If you hear Huff and Bruce hosting shows on Cleveland radio shows in a year or two, don’t be surprised.
#Browns already approved three SNF games in the 2015 season? — Damon Bruce (@DamonBruce) May 9, 2014
What’s ridiculous about Huff’s and Bruce’s logic is it’s completely wrong for the NFL. In the NBA, when there are at most a half dozen stars in any given draft, passing on a guy with supreme talent (i.e. “upside”) can put your franchise into a tailspin. In the NFL, that isn’t the case. The team that drafts Johnny Football with the fifth overall pick is a laughingstock for a decade-plus if he goes kablooey. If Manziel ends up being a superstar, the Raiders will be one of 20 teams that had a chance to take him and said “no thanks.”
But these two hosts aren’t interested in how these teams are perceived in several years, they’re worried about the ratings implications now. They’re forced to talk about the Raiders because they work for the flagship station, and the Mack pick only lends itself to about 15 minutes of “So, he’s probably really good at sacking quarterbacks and separating running backs from the football” analysis. Long-term reputations, whether it’s the Raiders’ or their own, are secondary. Ratings are built on “hot takes” and emotion-based judgments on players you’ve watched a lot on TV.
@DamonBruce Uh, I think you are the only nobody.
— Christopher Hansen (@ChrisHansenNFL) May 9, 2014
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BASportsGuy huff is a joke in regards to any real analysis, baseball included. often sounds unprepared and just comes off as a dude-bro.
RaiderUte SLC gets the crap other cities don’t want #monty
BASportsGuy Good point about being the flagship station. But damn if Aubrey Huff isn’t a clown
NinersNation I just hope he wasn’t serious when he mentioned Manziel and the 49ers at the same time.
BASportsGuy We were joking about it in the office. I would have been speechless if something like that had happened
Terrible precedent for me, as I don’t think even SLC deserves Damon Bruce RT MACatHoyos SLC gets the crap other cities don’t want
BASportsGuy Let me guess…Huff? The guy has the football analysis skills of a shoelace.
BASportsGuy NinersNation I was hoping the Rams drafted him…rumors ftom Silver that they were thinking abt moving up to get him.
Their opinion is like yours and mine, just an opinion. It’s like when KNBR has their guys rambling on about nonsense as well. I’m guessing the witch hunt continues.
BASportsGuy NinersNation This is hilarious. And borderline creepy by Huff.
Huff is stupid and that morning show sucks harder than Murph & Mac
@CalBear949 BASportsGuyNinersNation I use all the Mike Silver rumors to line the bottom of my kitty litter box.
Pulgas de Brent Burns The BTH show is ok, but it might be better without Huff though, no offense to Huff.
Yeah, Huff is kind of dumb. He does provide good insights on the Giants, specifically the 2010 team, but other than that, there’s not much there with Huff. He kind of sounds like a typical ex-jock at times.
Khalil Mack + Derek Carr >Johnny Manziel + whatever defensive player they could have gotten.
Huff is an idiot who isnt even going to make it past 6 months in that show because he wont be able to get up that early on a consistent basis.
“Can’t wait to have to listen to all the callers 2 years from now say “I told ya the Raiders should have taken Manziel not Mack!” Ughhh”
I love Huff’s optimism. Not about Manziel, but that Huff believes he’ll still be on radio 2 years from now.
Its pretty annoying that Bruce and Huff are so upset at the raiders pick. I personally feel like they have become accustomed to “the sexy Al Davis pick” when he’s no longer around. There’s a reason he wasn’t selected by other teams. Bortles was selected #3 . Why not slam the Jags for not taking Manziel?
Defense wins championships just ask the Broncos and the whooping they took from Seattle.
I don’t wish an awful career for Manziel just to prove a point. I just hope Mack is the start of something great. It just feels right this time around.
erikh WE HAVE A WINNER!!! NO MORE CALLERS!
aj_strong and I’ll keep coming after ur bitch ass
BASportsGuy pure comedy, thanks for the story!
BASportsGuy how’s that radio career working out for Huff?
BASportsGuy Looks like Huff’s as good a football prognosticator as he is an outfielder.
justme2 (second baseman)
