Visiting the Hall of Fame

It's been awhile Yardbarkers but I am back. I am just getting back to Oakland from the Hall of Fame. Each team sends its rookies to Canton in order to learn about the history of the game. We had history with us because two of our Hall of Famers, Willie Brown and Ted Hendricks, went with us. We flew out yesterday and got to Ohio at about 11 last night. Our wake up call came at 7:30 and then after breakfast we went to the Hall of Fame. It was really cool seeing all of that history, learning about when the game started and seeing all of those great coaches and players in there. You can tell things have changed just by looking at some of the cleats they have on display. They looked like work boots with spikes on the bottom. They have come a long way since then. I was watching highlights of all the running backs. There was this one highlight when Dallas was playing Washington and they had the ball near the goalline. Tony Dorsett took the handoff, dipped inside, put his foot in the hole, spun and then bounced it outside. He left the defenders crashing into each other and scored. I know after watching that there are some things he did that I wouldn't mind picking up. It was a great trip. It's so important to keep the legacy of the game going because these great players paved the way for all of us. You always have to appreciate the history and those who played the game before you. I know I do. - Darren

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• justwinbaby said May 28, 2008

  Hey Darren...hope your trip to the hall was an incentive....Hope you get to camp early.We need ya man!
  Good luck this season and go Raiders........

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• CHECKMATE said May 28, 2008

  Sorry Darren ,but im like 96% SEC. In my opinion last year if you guys would've started the season with the same offense formation you guys used on LSU(with you in the back as Qb and two other guys on each side of you)Shiiiiiiii-----T Arkansas would've been deadly. IF you would've stayed 1 more year coach was goin to pick up on that, and the SEC would've been shut down.

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• RedditAndrews said May 28, 2008

  That's great bro! I can really appreciate that- its rare to see an appreciation of history these days. Many act as if things begin and end with themselves. If you stay humble, work hard, improve each year maybe your video clips will be the ones shown 20 years from now. May it be in silver and black!

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• raiderpat said May 28, 2008

  Suck it all in Darren. The Raiders are one of the greatest teams in sports history. Your going to do great and be in the Hall one day.

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  • tommyr replied May 29, 2008

    big ups raiderpat i couldn't have said it any better. it's a pleasure to see you back in the yard. nothing but respects to you.
• CHECKMATE said May 28, 2008

  Oyea my bad D Good luck with the Raiders! and remember one thing Just Be yourself and if they dont like that then F--kem and keep it movein.

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• mrbarker1982 said May 29, 2008

  man that must have been a great experience and no doubt you are bound for the HOF as well

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• Reds1214 said May 29, 2008

  You'll be there Buddy your a monster,,,

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• Dewey said May 29, 2008

  D-Dawg --> Canton. It'll just take a few years of tearing up the AFC West, and putting Oaktown back on the map. Hopefully Robert Gallery can start to live up to his potential. That would help.

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  • SilverandBlack replied May 29, 2008

    He did start living up to his potential last year...he was one of the better LG in the league.
    • Dewey replied May 29, 2008

      He was drafted as a left tackle, though, and then they moved him to RT before shifting him to guard.
• iknwftbl said May 29, 2008

  Darren I know the trip to the Hall was great. Tear up the league for years and believe me you can be there as well. The Raiders and all of us Raiders fans need you to be great. I hope you are in camp from day one and make an impact. Tear the league up Dawg every chance you get.

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• GSWgirl said May 29, 2008

  Tell them to clear you a spot on the wall cause you're on the way!!!!!!!!!!!!

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• RaiderRaul said May 30, 2008

  Thanks for the update, Darren. I'm so glad we drafted you...now show the league what the next generation/prototype running back can do in the NFL!! BTW, you gotta stay on the down-low about the whole being a big Terrell Davis & Denver Bronco fan thing. Just do us a favor and drop 1 or 2 TDs against them on opening Monday Night!! Also, I love the #20 choice for your jersey number...it's gonna look sweet below you name...can't wait to get one!! Pound the Rock, Baby!!

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• garyreid said June 01, 2008

  I was lucky enough to have been at the game with Dallas and Minnesota when Dorsett broke away for that great run.! What are you're goals as a player/person over you're NFL career? How will the historians view you're career?

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• ASOMUGHAFARGAS said June 01, 2008

  DARREN MCFADDEN UR FO REAL DAWG...BEFORE DA DRAFT PEOPLE WILL BE SAYIMG HOW U LEGS GO DEAD AND DAT U WERNT A ADRIAN PETERSON..DAWG I SEEN U PLAY U DO U THINK AND SHUT EVERY1 UP...I SAY U COME OUT IN NFL NETWORK AND SAY UR GONNA RUSH FOR 2,000 YDS.. I KOE U CAN ...U AINT NO REGGIE BUSH UR DARREN MCFADDEN AND HOW GOOD IS D-MAC...U TELL US BIG DAWG...GOOD LUCK AND GO RAIDERS BABY...PEACE

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• WestSidePirate said June 04, 2008

  WELCOME DARREN TO THE RAIDER NATION. YOU ARE NOW A PART OF ONE OF THE WININGEST TEAMS IN LEAGUE HISTORY. THE RAIDERS HAVE XIII PLAYERS IN THE HALL AND I HAVE SEEN THEM ALL KID. YOU ARE VERY GOOD YES, BUT IF YOU WILL PROVE TO VERY GREAT YOU MUST STUDY THE GREATS. THE DORSETT CLIP, THAT WAS NOT AS LONG AGO AS YOU THINK. IT MIGHT AS WELL HAVE BEEN YESTERDAY AND INDEED IT WAS DARREN. YOU SEE, IT HAS ALL BEEN DONE BEFORE IN THE NFL AND YOU ALL ARE JUST TRYING TO REPEAT WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE. AS EVIDENT BY THE CLIP YOU SAW, WHICH FOR DORSETT, WAS JUST ANOTHER DAY AT THE OFFICE KID.
  DO THIS YO: GET WITH YOUR POSITION COACH RATHMAN AND ASK HIM ABOUT YOUR STYLE AND WHO IT COMPARES TO WITH YOUR UNIQUE ATHLETIC GIFTS AMONG THE GREAT HALK BACKS IN NFL HISTORY. (ASK RATHMAN WHO TO STUDY AMONG THE GREATS.) THEN GO TO THE RAIDER FILM DEPARTMENT AND ASK THEM FOR FILM ON THESE PLAYERS. THEY WILL HOOK YOU UP, AND IF YOU DO THIS YOU WILL LEARN A LOT AND WILL TOO BE BEYOND JUST GOOD, YOU WILL BE GREAT TOO. (AS YOU HAVE SUCCESS AND GIVE PROPERS TO THESE GREATS YOU WILL ALSO BE OPENING UP ANOTHER CAREER ON NARRATING AND COMMENTING ON THE GREATS. ) --- BONE UP ON THE GREAT ONES DARREN AND INCORPORATE THEIR STRENGTHS INTO YOUR OWN GAME................
  REPORTS ON YOU COMING BACK ARE GOOD, FROM THE FIELD TO THE CLASSROOM. KEEP UP THE WORK AND MAKE US PROUD. THE HOPE OF AN ENTIRE POPULOUD REGION AND INDEED THE RAIDER NATION ARE IN HOW FAR YOU ADVANCE THAT BALL BRU............... DO ADVANCE IT ON THEN AND WITH YOUR WHOLE HEART, THEN KEYS TO THE RAIDER NATION ARE YOURS AND KNOW ONCE A RAIDER ALWAYS A RAIDER:
  RAIDER ON,
  +WEST SIDE PIRATE+
  COLUMNIST / AUTHOR
  RAIDER NEWS.COM

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• roberth said October 27, 2008

  Darren i dont know if your gonna read this, but i am a die hard Oakland Raider/football fan. My comment is that u r the most elusive back in the NFL what i need u 2 do, not saying that your dong any thing wrong but i would like 2 c u cut back on defenders break up the field u dont always have 2 lower your shoulder lets c that speed.

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