The Black Hole, Go Inside the Las Vegas Raiders Training Camp Day 1

The Las Vegas Raider opened training camp for the veterans today, and we take you inside the facility with the inside information you crave.

HENERSON, Nev.-People are hungry for information on their beloved Las Vegas Raiders, and I am here with a smorgasbord of food. Let's dig right into the latest on your beloved Silver and Black.

I am here at the Las Vegas Raiders headquarters, bringing you the most relevant inside information available anywhere.

· The Las Vegas Raiders under the leadership of Josh McDaniels are a different breed of coaches.

· They are demanding, but they pride themselves on treating players like men.

· They are teachers. They are quick to point out failure, or mistakes, but don’t mistake that for demeaning.

· I have been covering and around football for decades. It is HIGHLY UNUSUAL for a team that was as close as the 2021 Las Vegas Raiders, who lost a popular coach, to have accepted, and embraced a new coach this fast.

· It is imperative to understand that McDaniels is a teacher, and his staff reflects that. One player told me last week, “I have spent more time in the meeting rooms in OTA, and mini-camp, then I ever have in my career combined. Josh (McDaniels) and Dave (Ziegler) put a big value on smart players, and they show it by teaching.”

· That is a major point. Football players make a lot of money, and it does no good to get them injured doing things that can be mastered by smart players in a meeting room, followed up by limited reps on the field.

· In today’s NFL, time is limited on the field, so spending more time in the classroom, allows you to go to the practice field, demonstrate you know it and make adjustments, and then move to something else quickly.

· Long-time readers are aware that I reported last winter about how the Raiders playbook will change.

· McDaniels expands the playbook every week. That is not abnormal, but what isn’t normal is that the Raiders will have according to a former McDaniels player, “About 40-45% of the playbook installed in camp.”

· They explained why that helps the Raiders, “In New England, they can lose any player and it doesn’t bother them that week. They change the playbook each week based on who they have healthy, and the team they are playing.”

· They added that the only negative to this is that, “Josh may call a play in week 12, 13, 14 or in the playoffs that you haven’t used since camp, and he isn’t playing, you have to know it.”

· He added, “The funny thing is that those Friday tests, before you get on the plane, they really do determine who makes the trip. We know football is physical, but you can’t under estimate the mental part of playing in this system.”

· Let’s not pretend that the Raiders’ strength and conditioning is anything less than stellar. But, I can tell you that seeing the players both inside the facility, and outside of it, they all look visibly different up close.”

· It is clear that McDaniels has given clarity to what he expects from the strength staff, it is equally clear that they gave it to him.

· I asked John Simpson about the new style of leadership in the classroom. “If we keep learning the way they are teaching us, things are going to be good.”

· Hunter Renfrow compared the Josh McDaniels way when I asked him, to the system run by Dabo Swinney at Clemson, where he played his college ball.

· Per Renfrow, “It is very similar. Detail and journey driven. It is proven time and time again. When you get to creative you can make mistakes. I have had a lot of fun with this staff, and it parallels my time with coach Sweeney and at Clemson.”

· Denzel Perryman equates the new way of doing things to accountability. Saying, “Everybody has to be accountable. Everybody has to do their job. That accountability is on you, when you are in or not in the building to know what you do.”

Please make sure you tell us your thoughts when you like our Facebook Page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.

Want to talk about this? Want to air your opinion about all things Las Vegas Raiders? Maybe you like to talk about other sports that aren't Silver and Black related? We got your back. Join our 100% FREE message board, a brand new option, when you CLICK RIGHT HERE.

Want the latest breaking Las Vegas Raiders news delivered straight to you? CLICK THE FOLLOW button at the top of the page. Don't miss any of the latest up-to-the-second updates for your Las Vegas Raiders when you follow on Twitter @HondoCarpenter