GameDay: Great Weekend For Bay Area Teams, Can Raiders Contend?
CBS 5 Sports Director Dennis O'Donnell hosts "Gameday" every Sunday night at 11:30pm on CBS 5 and offers his unique sports analysis here.
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5) -- So I'm sitting on the dock of the Bay Monday, hanging out at Red's, having a burger and a Bud.
What a weekend. The Giants are in prime position to win the West, the A's are the greatest story in baseball, and the 49ers marched into Lambeau Field and sent a stern message that THEY are the team to beat in the NFC.
And as the ice cold beer hit my lips, I glanced across the Bay, my mind turned to Monday Night Football and the Raiders. Really, does it get any better than this? Two pro baseball and two pro football teams within spitting distance of one another.
With all the instability and uncertainty of Oakland's long-term status as the home of the Raiders and A's, this is a time to appreciate what we've got. Only New York can relate to having the NFC, AFC, AL and NL just an area code away.
So, with the A's, Giants and 49ers looking like playoff material, where does that leave the Raiders? Oakland enters a new and exciting era of football. For the first time in years there appears to be a long term plan with the GM and head coach. Dennis Allen's 4-year deal didn't come by accident, and not to sound too much like President Obama, it might take years to fix what was left over.
The fact is there are too many question marks on this football team to expect it to be a playoff contender. McFadden can do it alone. It's a team that needs an infusion of talent via draft and free agency. Most of all, the Raiders need TIME. And while patience isn't high on any fan's priority list, it might help to remember how quickly teams can turn it around. Just look across the Bay.
And while you do, stop by Red's for a burger and a beer. It's on Romo.
I'll see you on TV.
(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
