Come on, Bill, that's a reach. The two quarterbacks aren't that different. Culpepper throws the ball downfield a little better, and McCown is a bit more mobile and has more experience in the offense. If the Lions need to spend time preparing for both, they'll be a tad less prepared somewhere else. It's the first game, and the QB competition came down to the end, so there was doubt even in Oakland. Why not exploit every little thing? The No. 2 guy might end up coming out for the second half, anyway.
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Robert,
On the practical order I agree with you in that I don't think it matters much to Detroit whether it's McCown or Culpepper but the larger issue is an important one, I believe. These silly cat-and-mouse games that coaches play are potentially very dangerous in creating value for the information they hoard and that does set the table for scandal. That's why I'm a big believer in full disclosure of injuries. Bill Belichick has been one of the worse offenders on that score.
-- Bill O.

Perhaps you are missing the point here. The previous years, the Raiders have had a notorious rat in their organization and there has been no trust throughout the team and the organization. I see the decision to confide in the team as a "trust exercise", he is confiding in the team to build confidence within the group. There must be something to build on this year, and the team needs to trust Kiffin as well as each other if they want to put last season behind them and move forward.
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Jonathan,
Thanks for writing. I will confess that I am unaware of the "rat" factor on the Raiders and I'm a little shocked because if they were caught, Al would have them shot at sunrise. This is a team that in the past hasn't even told reporters (meaning the fans) when they cut a player. The reporters used to have to go to practice with a roster and check it off every day -- maybe they still do. I don't see how this is an effective way to bond and build trust.
-- Bill O.

This is the dumbest article I have read in a long time. You guys must have a serious ganbling problem.
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You're entitled to your opinion but your point is a little cryptic. I'm not sure what you mean by "gambling problem." But the point I've been trying to make here is that a coach who does what Lane Kiffin did with the starting QB thing are, at a minimum, being silly and at worst, potentionally endagering the inetgrity of the game by trying to keep secret information whose foreknowledge would be 1) of interest to gamblers and, 2) cannot effectively be kept a secret anyway.

Give it a rest. The only people making a big deal out of the "secret" are you media dopes that are hurt that Kiffin won't tell you what you want to know. It's pretty tired by now, and it's hardly anything newsworthy.

Seriously, I can't believe how many of you writers are jumping on this bandwagon. When Shanahan does this or Parcells, it's strategy and gamesmanship. WHen Kiffin does it it's "stupid"! Is it stupid because he's young or is it stupid because he won't tell you media folks what the deal is? Gambling houses do not gain an advantage because Culpepper or McCown is starting or not. How much is being bet on the Lions Raiders Game anyways. Geez, get over that he wouldn't tell you guys and quit making a story our of a non story!!
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JJ,
A quick primer ... it's not the "gambling houses" (and do you imagined they're smoke-filled) that gain an advantage on inside information. It isn't "gambling houses" that are at issue in the Tim Donaghy case, right? It would be individual or connected gamblers who would profit from inside information and probably betting on Internet sites where they could spread the bets around. Those are the type of folks who would enlist a inside confederate to learn that type of information. And the import of the game itself has absolutely nothing to do with its potential profitablity as a betting proposition. When Stevin Smith was rigging those ASU baseketball games, how imporant were those contests in the larger sports universe? And finally, if it were a Parcells or a Shanahan pulling this same stunt, it would just be as wrong-heaeded and silly.
-- Bill O.

Funny how you point the finger at Mr. Davis. Please go put on your purple jersy on and stop worring about the Raiders. You sound like that writer from San Fran. That got his feelings hurt because Kiffin didn't tell him who the QB is. The media already has McCown starting so what's the problem?

Win,lose or tie Silver and Black till I die
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I had a long response planned but I have to run out to the dry cleaner and pick up my Ravens jersey. Seriously, thanks for writing. Good luck this season.
-- Bill O.

Seriously? Coaches are now supposed to be worried about how the information they chose to withhold or divulge effects the gambling community? Are you serious? As if Kiffin (and every other coach, GM, etc.) in the league doesn't have enough to concern themselves with and you expect them to give a rats backside about how this is going to effect a betting line? Give me a break! Kiffin's job is to make decisions based on what he believes will benefit the Oakland Raiders and their chance of winning on Sundays.
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No argument on your basic position. No, it should not be at the top of a coach's list what the impact of divulged or confidential information has on wagering. But as I've pointed out, that is one reason (and maybe the most important one) why the NFL requires teams to report injuries and, as a matter of fact, are cracking down on the games played by coaches like Belichick who put too many guys on the list -- which, of course, renders it meaningless. What I'm talking about here is not truly confidential information, such as strategy, but info that, in this case, is unquestionably already known by dozens if not hundreds of people -- it's the starting quarterback, for heaven's sake.
-- Bill O.

SO WHAT IF KIFFIN DOES NOT WANT TO SAY WHO HIS STARTING QB IS. GET OVER YOURSELF, IT IS NOT A BIG DEAL. YOU JUST RAN OUT OF TOPICS AND YOU FIGURED TO TO WRITE THIS USELESS ARTICLE, THIS ARTICLE WAS AS INFORMATIVE AS ALL THE OTHER USELESS ARTICLES THAT TALK ABOUT "THE SECRET." WRITE SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY GIVES ME SOME INFORMATION, YOU ARE SUPPOSE TO REPORT NEWS NOT "NOTHING."
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Raul,
There's this little gizmo usually located on the left side of your keyboard that says "Caps Lock." It's considered good manners in Internet exchanges have it toggled off. And I find your point of view amusing. You contend that you want news from the news media but are happy as a clam that the Raiders coach wants to keep that very news from you.
-- Bill O.

It never ceases to amaze when the media types want to display their advanced knowledge of the pro football game only to come with enough egg on their face for a three egg omelet. I think the classis example of that was when Don Shula was still coaching. He had a 6 point lead and was backed up deep in his own territory. On 4th down with a long way to go Griese lined up in the shotgun. The TV broadcast crew was going berserk demanding to know whom Shula had donated his brain. Griese got the snap and ran out of the back of the end zone. Shula still had a lead that required more than a field goal to beat, the ball at the 20 yard line and a free kick. The announcers then reluctantly admitted that Shula was no longer as stupid as he was a couple of minutes before.
Now I do not spend hours each day talking on the phone with Coach Kiffin but I think I could come up with a couple of reasons for his decision. Perhaps he wants to make the Lions worry more about our QB decision than the choice warrants. Maybe he wants the team to circle the wagons and focus just on the team.
When Coach Kiffin's performance is evaluated by Al Davis at the end of the year I don't think the category of providing the media with all of the information that THE MEDIA wants is going to be high up on the list of criteria. If I recall correctly AD might have said something like "Just Win Baby."
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I have no argument with much of what you say. And certainly AD has zero concern about the media or probably even the public perception of his team and coach. And, yes, I'm sure Kiffin thinks this somehow helps his team. Personally, I think he's wrong if he really believes it gives him even a smidge of a competitive edge on Sunday. I cannot imagine that the Lions do not know who is taking the reps with the first-string Raider offense. A team-bounding exrecise? Okay, I'll give you that one. Maybe that's Kiffin's real motive.
-- Bill O.

Bill,

Until Commish Goodell says otherwise, every team has the ability to play cat and mouse games with starters and injuries.

Bill Belichick has been doing this for the past three years with Tom Brady. Brady has been on the injury list with a "shoulder injury" for the past three years, listed as questionable, yet has started every game. The only thing the NFL forbids is players sitting out a game due to injury and not reporting it. That will result in fines.

If Goodell thought this sort of thing violated the integrity of the game, he would have cracked down on Oakland as soon as Kiffin announced he was keeping the starter a secret. He's proven to be a no-nonsense Commissioner.

This is not anything close to a significant issue. Mike Holmgren hasn't announced who the starter is between Burleson and Hackett, but you're not highlighting that here, are you? You're only highlighting this because it's the Raiders.

You and every other Raiders-bashing sportswriter out there REALLY need to find a new hobby. But there's just nothing like kicking a team when it's down, is there?
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Bob,
I could care less if it's a Raider coach, the Seattle coach or the Baltimore coach. You sound like a smart guy but then you use Burleson and Hackett to make a point relative to the wider issue I've been trying to explain here at length. So you want to equate the impact of either of those guys to a team's starting QB? You're kidding, right?
-- Bill O.

Look I have followed the raiders for years and if Lane wants to keep his qb a secret, he has that right
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? why do you dislike Al Davis--Do you know him? I can't remember if Al ever live in baltimore.

Davis has lived for football all his life and all he wants is to win-- he has made mistakes but at least he has done something.

Most of the east coast fish wrappers,or sport media types don't know jack about the Raiders. You have limited knowledge about the players or the organization. You pretty much get your information off the wire service. The only thing you really know about Kiffin is who his father works for. Check out sport sites and you will see very few columns or opinions about west coast teams. Most of us on the west coast have gotten use to the limited exposure of the Raiders. Its a joke to read or listen to you folks build up teams like the Browns, Jets,Giants,Bills, Vikings,Packers, and try and educate us how great they are becoming. I disagee with your take on coaches giving out information. No information should be given out and it would confuse the gamblers as much as giving information. I think N.E. has it right, and say all players have some kind of injury. What is really silly about Kiffin not giving you fish wrappers any information about q/b is you can't change the story to fit your opinion just like this story about Kiffin. If Kiffin did tell you who was the starting q/b you would change his remarks to fit your opinion. I think all pro football teams should hire washed up sport writers and have them the only people you can talk to. Their orders would be to deceive you as much as they can. Twist everything they have to say about the team and then ask the beat reporters "what is the problem" isn't this how you do it...
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I've explained this as much as I intend to. If the Tim Donaghy mess doesn't connect the dots for you on the rational for the injury report, you haven't been paying attention.
-- Bill O.

Articles like this are great for the Raiders. While mediots like you obsess over who the Raider QB is and why he won't tell you, you miss the real stories revolving around the team. By all means continue the temper trantrum. Not announcing the QB is a crime against humanity! I think you might serve your city a little bit better if you talked about how and why murdering people is wrong. Baltimore still hasn't figured that one out.

Bill... dude...did u really not have anything better to write about... the only thing this is going to effect is fantasy and i dont know anyone that is trying to pick up those guys...kiffins choice of a starting center will effect this game not the qb

your freaking funny you guys in the press think just because you write columes daily. means what? hey i think micheal vicks calling. the leage does have a problem it so maybe you need to write somthing worth writing.