Former Broncos offensive lineman Mark Schlereth hasn’t endeared himself to many Raider fans over the years, but he offered a rare compliment to the organization last week on the team’s new direction under head coach Pete Carroll.
“I think they’re on the right track. I have so much respect for Pete Carroll, his football knowledge, the way he brings competition to an organization, and the no nonsense kind of culture that has to be developed,” Schlereth said of the Raiders on the Stinkin’ Truth Podcast.
“Everybody talks about changing the culture, everybody talked about coming in and establishing a culture, but that it not something you can establish [by saying] ‘This is what we’ve going to do’ and then you just walk away from it,” Schlereth continued. “It’s got to be something that’s preached, but got to be something that’s lived every single day. Pete Carroll is going to bring a culture of toughness, of competition and that, to me, is one of the keys of having a great football team.”
“As much as grief as I give the Raiders, I have a ton of respect for the organization. The league is a better place when the Raiders are relevant. And I think honestly, that’s what they’ve done here this off season for the first time… [is] bringing adults into the organization.”
Last year, Schlereth ruffled feathers among Raider fans, calling the organization “dysfunctional” and took a shot at the owner’s clothes and haircut.
“I think that that whole organization is so dysfunctional, which makes it mind boggling that they have won eight straight games against the Broncos because they are about as dysfunctional as any organization in football,” Schlereth said on Denver’s 104.3 The Fan in October of last year.
“It starts with the haircut of their owner,” Schlereth went on. “Like, if you see that haircut of their owner and that members only jacket, you can’t take yourself as a football team seriously. You’re just like, ‘We are run by absolute clown show. Like, what are we doing around here?’”
With the addition of Carroll, Tom Brady and John Spytek, the consensus seems to be that Mark Davis will take a little step back, and the hope among Raider fans is that he finally got it right with his newest decision makers in the building.
x: @raidersbeat
Antonio Pierce was no nonsense too. Amazing how he swept Sean Payton his 1st year, then got swept the following year. I wonder if better quarterback play improved their “culture”.
This comin front a former bronco well it’s great to see and here at any rate they the raiders r on the right path to greatness once again go raiders
As a Raiders fan I have to say how can you not agree with Mark? He’s right on all counts but hopefully soon all that will be changing. You only get respect by earning it & that time is here right now.