Dear JaMarcus Russell

Okay, I've held my tongue on this one for WAY TOO LONG. I've quietly (or loudly) supported the Oakland Raiders since circa 2000, when I saw Charles Woodson crack a 50-yard interception return for a TD. Now, Charles is long gone, and the Raiders are under a new regime than the one spearheaded by journeyman-turned-MVP, Rich Gannon. And if your play, JaMarcus, is any indication of the future of this new regime, I might not be able to find another year of Raiders fanhood in me. Let's just keep it funky and objective, JaMarcus. These are your stats in the first four weeks of the season:

51 Completions
121 Attempts
42.1% Completion Percentage
601 Yards
1 TD
4 INT's
47.4 QB Rating

That's right, J-Rocc!! You've sucked this year!! After the last two games of the 2008 season, I seriously thought that you and the Raiders had turned the corner of rebuilding that we'd been hugging since that 2003 Super Bowl (real Raiders fans know we were doomed since the Tuck Rule). Everything looked so promising. You came into camp not overweight (I guess that's kinda sad in retrospect), you finally had an offseason where you didn't switch coaches, and the front office added a few more weapons (Darrius Heyward-Bey, Chaz Shillens, etc.). AND this is your 3rd year as a starter!! Most QB's don't make it past that 2nd year without hearing ESPN call them a bust, and here you are getting a 3rd year? JaMarcus, come on.. How hard is it really to come to practice, do the film work required and make good reads? You have all of the physical tools, but have proven time an time again that your arm strength outweighs your IQ. I'm starting the 'Bench JaMarcus Russell' petition in Week 8, if you don't step your game up. I suppose that won't matter in the grand scheme of things, as long as you're getting that paycheck. God forbid you ever get injured, or forget that you're the QB, because both would do you more good than any amount of money Al Davis' disillusioned ass could ever do...

Only a true BUST could do this...