1. 1
Nowhere man - The fall of JaMarcus Russell
WhilstlookingatNFL.com'sBuckyBrooksNovember3rdbreakdownof the top three quarterbacks
at collegiclevel,IthoughtI’dcontinue the theme bydetailingthe storyof a formerprospect.
A prospectthatmuch like hismoderncontemporariesinVirginia’sGenoSmith,USC’sMattBarkley,
and NorthCarolinaState’sMike Glennon,hasattractedhisfairshare of eulogy,onlythistime that
eulogyhasturnedintooutrightcondemnationandmockery ona gargantuanscale.Stepforward –
JaMarcus Russell.
Goingintothe 2007 draft,Russell wasgenuinelyconsideredtobe the real deal,andarguablythe
mosttalentedprospecttoemerge fromthe collegicsystemformanya year.
For the draft itself,NFLtelevisioncrewssetupcamerasinMaysville,Alabamatocapture the local’s
reaction,andwhenthe OaklandRaidersselectedRussell withthe No.1pick,there wasan eruption
of joy.Now,the mere mentionof Russell ismetwithhowlsof derisionfrombothfansandpundits
alike,butitcouldhave beenohso different,orcouldit?
High School and College career
JaMarcus Trenell Russell,wasborninMobile Alabamaonthe 9th of August1985, and attendedLillie
B. WilliamsonHighSchool.Itwashere thathistalentcame to the fore,and underthe tutoringof
headCoach BobbyParish,begantoflourishandhe nevermissedasingle game.
In hisfreshmanyear,hisevolutioncontinuedwhenhe completed180of 324 passesfora total of
2,683 yardsand 20 touchdownsasWilliamsonadvancedtothe Championshipgame,onlytogo
down42-26 toEtowah, despite Russellchalkingup256 passingyards,throwingforone touchdown
and rushingforanother.
As hisfootballingdevelopmentgatheredpace,hisphysical developmentwasn’tfarbehind,andby
the nextseasonstoodat an impressive6ft3, 185 pounds.He thenbeganto receive aplethoraof
recruitingletters.
Thoughin hissophomore year,Williamsonfailedtobooka returnto the Championshipgame,they
didstill make itto the state semi - finals,Russell retainedhisconsistencythroughout,accumulatinga
total of 2,616 - yards and throwingtwentytouchdownpassesinthe process.
However,itwashisperformancesduringSenioryearthatreallycaughtthe attentionof the scouting
networks,somuchso that Russell’scompletionof 219 from372 passattempts,3,332 - yards,(400
rushing) andtwentytwotouchdowns,earninghimParade magazines‘All-Americanhonourable
mentionhonours’,andhelpedestablishacareerrecord10,774 - yards that still holdsfirmasthe
bestinthe historyof AlabamaHighSchool AthleticAssociation.
In February2003, on National SigningDay,Russell signedacontract withLouisianaState University,
beatingoff competitionfromFloridaState,andinthe processbecomingthe institutions28thand

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final recruitforthe season.He proceededtoredshirthisfreshmanyear,andthenbythe fall of the
2005 campaign,cementedhimself asfirstchoice quarterback.
He wouldgoon to leadthe ‘Tigers’toa mightilyimpressive 10-1regularseasonrecord,the South-
easternConferenceWesternDivisionTitle,andacommendable 5thplace rankinggoingintothe
Championshipgame,all of whichenhancedhiscompletionpercentage,takingitfrom58.8 to 60 and
an honourable mentiononthe AP’sAll - SECTeam.
Duringthisimpressive regularseasonrun,Russell showedgreatcalmnessandcomposure inleading
twocome frombehindsuccesses,the firstcomingcourtesyof alast gasp39-yard completionto
Early Doucetwhichsealed a35 - 31 winoverArizonaState,andthe seconddeliveringthe knockout
blowto previouslyundefeatedAlabama,bytossinga14-yarderto Dwayne Bowe inovertime.
SadlyforRussell,hisinvolvementwascutshort bya shoulderinjurysustainedinthe SEC
ChampionshipGame againstGeorgia,andhe hadto watchfrom the side-linesasback–upMatt
Flynnledthe Tigerstoa 40-3 decimationof Miami,sealingthe coveted‘PeachBowl’inthe process.
Thankfully,Russellregainedthe starter’sjobin2006, beatingoff competitionfromthe manwhoin
hisplace deliveredsospectacularlyagainstMiami - Matt Flynn,andprecociousyoungsterand
freshman,RyanPerrilloux.Priortothe start of the season,he changedthe numberof hisjerseyfrom
4 to 2, an insignificantchange then,butone thatwouldlatercome torepresentasignificantly
substantial face inlateryears…
The numbermay have changedbutthe level of performance didn’tasRussell once againprovideda
clearillustrationof histalents,leadingthe Tigerstoa 10–2 regularseasonrecordfor2006, and yet
anotherappearance inthe title game,throwingforanincredible3,129 - yards,twentyeight
touchdownstoeightinterceptionsalongthe way.
He wasalso the secondmostproductive quarterbackinthe SouthEasternConference,chalkingup
2,923 - yardsfromthe line of scrimmage,somethingthatcontributedmassivelyinlandingOffensive
Playerof the weekonthree occasions.
Duringone game against Tennessee,Russellstartedinparticularlyinauspiciousfashion,coughingup
three picks,includingone thatwasreturnedall the wayfor a score.Though he redeemedhimself by
fashioninganincredible recoverytoarticulate a15-play,80-yard comebackdrive culminatinginthe
game winningtouchdownviaacompletion toEarlyDoucetwithtime expiring.Thussealing,atone
stage,a highlyimprobable28 - 24 win.
In the ‘Allstate SugarBowl’,‘number2’producedanutterlyimperiousdisplayof quarterbacking,
throwingforover350 - yards, fashioningthreetouchdowns,inthe Tigerscomprehensive41 - 14
demolitionof Notre Dame,thusassuringhimof SugarBowl M.V.P.The personal accoladesdidn’t
endthere,asupon the conclusionof hiscollege career,Russellclaimedanumberof prestigious
awards,includingthe ‘ColumbusTouchdownClubSECPlayerof the Year’(2005), ‘4 x SEC Offensive
year’(1 in 2005, and 3 in2006), ‘First - teamAll - SEC by the AssociatedPressandSECcoaches’
(2006) ‘ManningAward’(2006) andfinally,the ‘DaveyO’BrianAwardsemi-finalist’(2006).

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So,superstardomsurelybeckoned…..Well,if formerClevelandBrownsGeneralManager(2005 -
2008) Phil Savage - “Histalentissubstantial.He’sthatrare combinationof size andarm strength”,
and ESPN’sToddMcShay “I can’t rememberbeinginawe of a quarterbackinmydecade of
attendingcombinesandprodays”were tobe believed.
That beingsaid,amongstthe hoopla,there wasanelementof doubt,asNFLdraft expertMike
Mayock opined“The onlythingthat’sgoingto keephim(Russell)frombeinggreatishim".He went
on to say“You’ve got to figure outwhetherornot thiskidwantsto be the bestquarterbackin
football…If Ihadthe first,second,orthirdpick inthat draft,I wouldbe tearingaparthis personal life,
tryingto figure outwhetheror not I couldtrustthiskidwith$10 million”.But,whatwashe hinting
at?
Pro career
Despite his(Mayock’s) evidentreservations,Al Davisandthe Raidersorganisationpressedahead,
and on the 28th of April,tookRussell withthe numberone overall pick.Despitereachingthe
promise land,Russellandthe Raidershadreacheda majorstumblingblock,asRussell spentthe
entiretyof the 2007 off-season,includingtrainingcamp,holdingout,due tocontractual issues.
However,anendto the impasse came on the 12th of SeptemberasRussell signedasix-yearcontract
worthan astonishing$68 million,of which$31.5 millionbeingguaranteed.
The head coach at the time,Lane Kiffinheldbackfromnamingthismostexpensive of acquisitionsas
hisstarter,justifyinghisdecisionbystating“Thatway we can reallycontrol whathe’sdoing,playfor
play,forthe setamountof time forhismanyplays.He doesn’thave everythingmastered”.Noting
that Russell hadmissedall of trainingcampandfellow quarterbackson the roster,DavidCarr should
have beenbroughtalonggradually.
Russell made hisfirstprofessional appearanceonDecember2ndagainstthe DenverBroncos.
Enteringthe game as a replacementforstarterJoshMcCown,Russell playedtwoseries,andwent4
of 7 for 56 - yards.On December23rd, againstthe lowlyJacksonville Jaguars,Russell threwhisfirst
careertouchdownpass,(a 2 - yarderto tight - endZach Miller),howeverhisoverall performance
was generallydisappointingashe completedonly7of 23 passesfora completionpercentageof
30.4, threwthree interceptions,andlostafumble.
Thingsdidn’tgetmuchbetterinthe Raidersseasonendingclashwiththe Chargers,asRussellthrew
twopicks,and again,as was the case againstthe Jaguars,losta fumble,all of whichleadingtothe
concessionof 17 pointsfromturnoversforSan Diego.
Thoughon the face of it,what wouldappeartobe a prettyinauspiciousintroduction,courtesyof the
fewstartsgranted,Russell still closedouthisrookie campaign,completing36of 66 passesfora
completionpercentage of 54.5,throwingfor373-yards, two touchdowns,thoughhe didblotthe
copy bookwithfourinterceptions.
Regardlessof whatwentbefore Kiffinsaw enoughtoconvince himtoinstall Russell ashisstarterfor
the 2008-09 campaign.However,despiteacompetentindividual performance,courtesyof a65%
completionpercentage,180passingyards,twotouchdownsandno turnovers,Russell’sRaiders
were pulverisedtothe tune of a 41-14 hammeringat the handsof Mike Shanahan’sDenverBroncos.

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Althoughinhisnextoutingagainstanotherdivisionrival inthe Chiefshe onlypassedfor55 - yards,
he once againkeptthe slate cleanas far as turnoverswere concerned,inOakland’s23-8win.
The nextthree weekstookonan entirelydifferentcomplexion,asOaklandwell andtrulyhitthe
skids,losingthree inarow,startingagainstBuffaloandSan Diego,before concludingina34-3
annihilationagainstDrewBreesandSaints.ThoughOaklandandRussell weretosnapthat losing
streakwitha 16 - 13 overtime win,duringnew CoachTomCable’sfirstgame incharge againstthe
NewYork Jetsinweek7.
A game where Russell completed17of 30 for a completionpercentage of 56.6,203 passingyards
and one touchdown,the adverse weatherresurfacedinthe formof defeatstoBaltimore,Atlanta,
Carolina,andMiami,thusendingOakland’splay - off interestsforanotherseason.
However,afterthe Miami defeat,Oaklandexactedrevengefortheiropeningdayhammering,by
beatingthe Broncos31 - 10. Thoughit maynot come to representanythinglikeaquarterbacking
clinic,Russell showedimpressive economybygoing10 of 11 for a completionpercentage of 90.9,
152 - yards and a touchdown.
He wouldgoon to finishthe seasonbyplayinganintegral role insecuringbackto back victoriesover
perennial play - off candidatesthe HoustonTexans,andthe TampaBay Buccaneers.Inthose last
three gamesof newheadcoach Tom Cable’syoungtenure,Russell threw forsix touchdowns,and
onlytwointerceptions.So,hadRussell finallyannouncedhisarrival?
As wasthe case in2008, Russell wasagainnamedasstarter forthe 2009-10 campaign.However,
thingsdidn’tstartoff too well,asfollowinganerrorstrewneffortagainstthe Chief’s,Cablebenched
the Raidersno.1 pickinfavourof back - upBruce Gradkowski.TocompoundRussell’smiserystill
further,hisback - up wentonto leadtwo impressive fourthquartercomebacksagainstboththe
BengalsandSteelers,respectively.Even whenGradkowskiexitedthe game againstthe Redskins,
Cable optedforanotherback-up,thistime Charlie Frye,subsequentlydemotingRussell tofourthon
the depthchart. Quite the humiliation.
OnlywhenFrye himselfsufferedaninjuryagainstthe Broncos, didCable bringRussell infromthe
cold.Despite the game resultinginawin,it became clear,followingaseasoninwhichRussell had
the lowestquarterbackratingof 50.0 and an overall completionpercentage of 48.8,and cuttinga
worryingly300 pounds at minicamp,thathisfuture inthe Coliseumwasbecomingincreasingly
precarious,anditwas no surprise whenonthe 6th of May, Russell wasreleasedbythe Raiders.
Despite all the statistical evidence augmentingthe needforsuchaction,there wasa bizarre
lamenture aboutthe tone of Al Davis’final call toRussell uponhisrelease“I’mgettingolder,and
thingsare gettingoutof my hands.I know you’re goingtomake me looklike anass” - and he did,
justnot inwayshe couldhave possiblyimagined, orhoped.
But wasthe same man,a manwho will be foreversynonymouswiththe phrase ‘JustWinBaby’and
the Raidersorganisationasa whole,responsible forhisdemise?

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Unsurprisingly,Russell himself certainlyappearstobe of that opinion,especiallyif commentsmade
aboutthe coachingstaff inthe October31st Editionof SportsIllustratedare anythingtogo by“Look
at (Jetsstarter) Mark Sanchezand Mark Brunell.Mark Brunell knowsgoddamwellhe ain’tgoingto
come in the game.He’sthere to help.I wishIhad that help”.He wenton to say,inreference tohis
supposedlyunjusttreatmentatthe handsof Tom Cable “All of a sudden,he flippedthe script.Istuck
my neckout forhim.Didn’tcomplainwhenhe calledsame playsfive damntimes.Didn’tbadmouth
himto othercoaches.Whenthe mediaasksme,I say, He’sa good coach, a goodguy. ThenI hearhe
saysI was the worst thingthateverhappenedtothe Raiders,if itweren’tforhim, we’dbe inthe
play - offs?...Itjustgottothe pointwhere the game wasn’tfunfor me”.
Others,suchas L. Jon Wertheim,the authorof the aforementionedSportsIllustratedarticle“A
congenitallydysfunctional organisation,the Raiderscouldscarcelyhave beenaworse fit.They
surroundedRussellwithmediocre talent: JustinFargaswasnoMarcus Allen,RonaldCurrynoTim
Brown,Lane KiffinnoJonMadden(thoughthismaya slightlyunfaircomparison).The frontoffice
and coachingstaff were crippledbyin - fighting.The spectre of Davis’swrathandeccentricity
loomedovereachdecision.PuttingRussell - whose physical prowesswasoffsetbyhislackof savvy –
inan atmosphere chargedwithoffice politics,twotime zonesandamillionmilesfromhisgulf coast
comfortzone,spelledtrouble”.
RegularESPN FirstTake punditandjournalistSkipBaylessduringalive televiseddebate withregular
sparringpartner,StevenA.Smithconcurred “Ifirst guessed this.These quotes(reference’sto coach
Cable),areexactly why I wouldn’thavetaken JaMarcusin THE FIRST PLACE.I said,sitting right here,
if Al Davis makesthis pick withthe first pick in the draft,hewill makea hugemistakethatwill haunt
this franchiseforyearsto come - and it has”.He wenton to say “If you watched carefully how
JaMarcuswasin college, you sawwhathappened when hewentto Florida, in a big game,when he
wentto Auburn – you see high interception games (a keyexample beingapreviouslymentionedLSU
game againstTennessee,where he tossedthreepicks) you saw a kid thatfoughthisweightthe
wholetime, and gotso heavy and waslackadaisicalin third and fourth quartersatbig games.You
sawwhy you shouldn'thavetaken himin the first place”.
However,formerOaklandexecutivefrom1999 - 2007, and now NFL NetworkanalystMichael
Lombardi, laysthe blame squarelyatthe feetof Russell bystating “JaMarcuswasindifferent.And
that’stheworstthing to be. You didn’tget a sensethat hecared aboutdoing well”, as didLane Kiffin
whoin an openlettertoAl Davis,expressedgrave concernsaboutthe workethicof histriggerman,
onlyto be emphaticallyshotdownbythe enigmaticDaviswhorespondedwith “Heis a great player,
get overit and coach the teamon the field”.
Whenall is saidand done,thiswhole sorrysagarepresentsnothingmore thanacatastrophic
marriage of naivety,unprofessionalism,denial,andstubbornness.All of which,conspiredtodamage
the reputationandcredibilityof aonce proud franchise.
Evenmore so whenRussell’sJuly5tharrestfor Codeine syruppossession(Russell claimsitwasa
remedyforsleepapnea,althoughit’saflimsyexcuse atbest,whenanobvioussolutionliesinthe
formof a deviatednasal septum) becamepublic.Hisarrestwasthe culminationof atwo month
investigation.One thatthoughnotinitiallyfocusedonRusselldidso,whenhisaddressbeganto
surface withregularity.

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ThoughRussell wasinitiallyreleasedonbail,andabondhearingscheduledforJuly7th2010, he
pleaded‘notguilty’toastate felonycharge for‘possessionof acontrolledsubstance’athis
arraignment.Onthe 29th of October,2010, a Mobile CountygrandjurydeclinedtoindictRussellon
the charge of possessionof Codeine syrupwithoutaprescription,thuseffectivelyendinganychance
of a careerrevival inthe NFL.
But shouldhe be givenanotherchance?Afterall,isn’tAmericathe landof opportunity,where
secondchancesare opentoanyone willingtoacceptresponsibilityfortheiractions?
Notso, accordingto ESPN analystStevenA.Smith,whentakingpartinthe previouslymentioned
studiodebate withSkipBayless“No,andI neversaythat.I’m a personthat believesinsecond
chances,I thinkAmericaisthe landof secondchances – exceptwhenitcomestothisdude (Russell),
Mr. ‘Jabbathe Hut’,you fat slovenly, nogood,lazybumof a quarterback”.
"That’swhathewasat the Oakland Raiders.Darren Woodson wasjustsitting up here (in the studio),
he played forthe Raiders,askhim, askany memberof the Oakland Raiderswho played alongsidethis
dude”.He went on “This dudeshould be arrested forbeing a thief. He stole money fromtheOakland
Raiders.I’mtalking $40 million dollars,the dudehad about7 starts,and did absolutely,positively
nothing,hecashed in the money and evidently used it to buy a bunch of donuts,ok.Nevergavetwo
cents abouttheOakland Raiders….”Theonly time wesaw him give a speckof effort,waswhen he
wasliterally caughton camera blowing his nose,that’saboutit.This dudeis the epitomeof a
disgrace!”
A disgrace maybe,butif Michael Vickisaffordedashotat redemptionfollowingthe horrorsof ‘Bad
NewzKennels’,thenperhapsateamcouldofferRussell the same opportunity?
Sadlythough,itappearsthe last lifeboathasleftthe shipof opportunity.Onthe 14th of April 2011,
life coachJohnLucas, a formerNBA star andfellow no.1draftpickhimself,severedtieswithRussell,
illustratingyetmore evidence of irredeemablelaziness.
So,what now?If Russell can’tbe savedby a man who’smade ita missionthroughhisHoustonbased
‘Wellnessandrecoveryprogramme’(setupin1986) to helpstrugglingathletes,andrefusestoseek
solace inthe arms if the CFL (CanadianFootball League),aninstitutionRussell dismissedwith
evidentdistain “Nameonekid in the world who says‘Ican’t waitto play in theCFL!”, surelythere is
no wayback, and muchlike he didagainstthe 49ers, Russell hassackedhimself forthe lasttime.
The OaklandColiseumisoftenreferredtoas‘The Black Hole’,andif JaMarcus Russell istohave the
secondchance StevenA deemstobe so utterlyundeserved,he’llhave toembrace anychance
thrownhisway withanassiduousnesssodearlylacking,certainlyif the aforementionedsourcesare
anythingtogo by, or else he’llwindupslidingintohisown‘Blackhole’- one of inescapableoblivion.
SeemsMayockwas rightto be concerned.