AFC West

Carson Palmer Traded in Exchange for Three Magic Beans

Carson Palmer's value has dropped more precipitously than that of a new convertible or an old laptop -- which is fitting enough, because he ran slower than either. The Oakland Raiders today sent the quarterback packing to Arizona -- along with a seventh-round draft pick -- in exchange for a sixth-ro ... More >>

Ten of the Raiders' Last 12 First Round Picks Are no Longer on the Team

In the 2000 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders used their first-round pick to select Sebastian Janikowski, a damn kicker. People laughed. People taunted. People thought the Raiders were crazy. And that would turn out to be one of the team's smarter first-round picks. This week, the Raiders released D ... More >>

Super Bowl XLVII: Damn It.

Super Bowl weekend is not yet an official national holiday, so at some point this morning, the great majority of San Francisco adults had to toss off the covers, grit through the behind-the-eyes headache, pull on some pants, and step into a cold, cold world. This week, we will hear lots of calls fo ... More >>

Here's Your 49ers Super Bowl XLVII Drinking Game

What a time to be in San Francisco. On Sunday, the world's eyes will be on The City's team. The Super Bowl is America's favorite unofficial holiday, and San Francisco will be right in the middle of national party. A day of greasy foods, shouting, and general indulgence; a day for revelry and drink ( ... More >>

Kwame Harris, Former 49er, Accused of Assaulting "Ex-Boyfriend"

Kwame Harris, a former offensive lineman for the 49ers and Raiders, made headlines today because he was in San Mateo Superior Court for an assault charge. It was a hackneyed narrative, the kind we gawk at for some minutes before moving on and forgetting about it: "retired pro athlete accused of beat ... More >>

Jerry Rice and Tim Brown Claim Bill Callahan Sabotaged Super Bowl XXXVII

It's that wonderful time of the year again. Super Bowl double week. Time to reflect upon Super Bowls past, basking in the NFL Films nostalgia of legendary performances and epic games. Remember Marcus Allen swerving around the Redskins defense before hitting light speed for 74 yards? Remember Montana ... More >>

Football Fan Falls From Railing at Raiders Game

A man attending the Oakland Raiders game last night remains hospitalized this morning after falling from a concourse at the Coliseum, authorities said. According to the press, shortly after kickoff at about 5:30 p.m., the man, who has not been identified, climbed over the wall on the concourse outs ... More >>

The 49ers Lost on Sunday, but at Least Their Cars Weren't Stolen

It was the 49ers' most lopsided loss of the Jim Harbaugh-era. The New York Giants ran the ball effectively and made Alex Smith look like the old Alex Smith, all the while closing the always-trivial Power Rankings gap with the Falcons (dominant 26-3 win in SF > close 23-20 home win over the Raider ... More >>

Fashion Police: 49ers Dress Candlestick's Undercover Cops

49ers Fan Heckles Charger Fans Who Happen To Be Cops

Updated 2:35 p.m. to show man's identity.Here's a cautionary tale for all prospective sporting agitators.One allegedly drunken San Francisco 49ers fan must have felt a surge of football-fueled hostility as he saw the group of San Diego Chargers fans stroll by in the Candlestick Park parking lot befo ... More >>

Tim Tebow: Jesus Smiles Upon San Francisco By Sending Him Elsewhere

​More than a few sportswriters couldn't resist marital analogies during the 49ers abortive recent pursuit of Peyton Manning. And, hey -- it works. The team's for-better-or-for-worse union with Alex Smith finally experiences some of the "for better," vows are renewed -- and cue an aging but hormona ... More >>

Sebastian Janikowski: Are His Feet Deadly Weapons?

​Oakland Raiders place kicker Sebastian Janikowski is a man for the record books. Not only is he the co-holder of the longest field goal in National Football League history (63 yards), he seems hell-bent on becoming the league's most courtroom-savvy kicker. Yesterday Janikowski was sentenced to an ... More >>

Police Chief Asks 49ers Fans Not to Beat, Kill Each Other at Sunday's Game

​Football is a sport notorious for causing life-long injuries  -- and we're not only talking about the players. Fans can be just as brutal, as evidenced by the barbaric behavior we saw during the 49ers and Raiders pregame showdown at Candlestick Park earlier this year. So we think it's fair t ... More >>

The Golden Age of Punting: Local Kickers Lead the Field

49ers, Raiders Booting NFL Records

Bombs away...​It warranted a mention, deep within local newspapers' sporting sections, that 49ers punter Andy Lee was named Special Teams Player of The Week. This is about as much mention as punters usually get. It's somewhat akin to being named outstanding McDonald's manager for your sub-region. ... More >>

Raiders Accuse Nation's Burgers of Unsavory Advertising Practices

The Raiders want Nation's to pay them, and not in burgers​The Oakland Raiders are taking Nation's Giant Hamburgers to court, claiming the Northern California food chain has .... uhh raided the team's famous trademark: Raider Nation. Now the question is will the Raiders "Just win, baby?"According t ... More >>

Beefcake Football Players Serve You Drinks for Charity!

​What: 2011 NFL Celebrity Servers Event Where: MATRIX Fillmore When: Fri., November 11, 7:30 p.m. Cost: Donation The rundown: The Matrix Fillmore adds a side of beefcake to their menu for the 10th annual NFL Celebrity Servers party. You show up, you buy drinks, football players bring them ... More >>

49ers' Michael Crabtree Says Raiders-Loving Cop Pulled Him Over

Being a Niner's fan (or player) is apparently violating the penal code ​It's not unheard of for officials to exercise their sporting allegiances where they can. Remember how broadcasters would claim the Giants were delayed until well after midnight by Canadian customs officials back when the Expos ... More >>

Al Davis, Steve Jobs, and the Deaths of Difficult Men

​When Albert Schweitzer passed into the great beyond, the obituary writer's task was relatively straightforward. That's not to say it was easy -- but penning a remembrance for a man whose name has become synonymous with benevolence is a unique endeavor. More indicative of the challenges of blendin ... More >>

Daunte Culpepper Horrifies 49er Fans

The Ghost of Excellent Quarterbacking Past...​The notion of Daunte Culpepper being offered a contract -- or even being remotely considered as quarterback material -- caused millions of sphincters to tighten among 49ers fans throughout the realm. "Has it come to this?" was likely the thought of man ... More >>

Alex Smith: We've Still Got Him to Kick Around

Do the Vitamin Water people think this is going to help move the product? ​For San Francisco sports fans, the news that Carlos Beltran may soon be heading to town was tempered somewhat by the fact he could conceivably be rooming with Alex Smith. For parts of six maddening years, Smith has been the ... More >>

Pride Sets BART Ridership Marks

Pride before a squeeze...​Over Pride weekend, one can count on several things: photo opportunities, groups of young people making you feel old, and creative usage of the term "Santorum." Also: massive BART crowds.  Yesterday, 247,936 souls piled on BART -- seemingly all on the car depicted in ... More >>

Donald Rumsfeld Calls Oakland Raiders 'Evil'

Is this the face of evil?​In a recent interview that just so happened to take place on Super Bowl Sunday, Donald Rumsfeld -- who was notoriously regarded as callous during his term as Defense Secretary during George W. Bush's Iraq War -- dropped another "evildoer" reference. But this time he was t ... More >>

Leave Jay Cutler Alone!

Maybe not for long...​It's hard to believe, but Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler -- one of the most reviled men in sports -- has given people yet another reason to dislike him. After coming out of Sunday's championship game with a nondescript knee injury, players and fans alike excoriated the ... More >>

Mickey Pfleger, 'The Luckiest Person In The World,' Dies at 61

Brad ManginMickey Pfleger in his natural environment​If serendipity had a human form, it had to be Mickey Pfleger. You may not remember Pfleger's name, but you may well remember his story. A series of events that led the ace freelance sports photographer to dub himself 'the luckiest person in the ... More >>

Will NFC West Champ Be Worst Playoff Team Ever?

BrokenSphereCoach Mike Singeltary famously stated 'I want winners.' He's not getting them.​No one who watched the San Francisco 49ers get themselves folded, spindled, and mutilated last night in San Diego probably stopped to think, "Hey, that looks like a playoff team there." And yet, due to the h ... More >>

49ers-Broncos 'Spygate' Story Boggles the Mind

Sadly, not even cheating allowed the Denver Broncos to slap these on with pride...​The revelation that the Denver Broncos saw fit to clandestinely record the San Francisco 49ers practice sessions -- yet still lost -- is a story that truly makes not one bit of sense. First of all, even the Niners ... More >>

BART Hits Record Numbers, Thanks to Giants World Series Parade

Joe EskenaziPublic transit-riders, unite! ​As SF Weekly wrote during the throes of the World Series, Arlington, Texas, the home of the Rangers, is the largest city in America without public transportation. So if you ever wanted to find yet another contrast between the Bay Area and the Metroplex, h ... More >>

49ers-Broncos Game in London Shaping Up to Be Epic Stinkbomb

No matter what, a Smith will be the 49ers' QB​The announcement that Troy Smith will be under center for the 49ers in their forthcoming "home" contest vs. the Denver Broncos in London seals the deal: This may be the worst thing we've ever done to the British since convincing them to join us on our ... More >>

Oakland's Mistah Fab: 'My City Needs Me'

He's still mad at Al Davis​It's been a dark year for Oakland hip-hop -- at least judging from the videos. The latest in a string of WTF-is-going-on-in-this-town rhymes comes from none other than the former prince of hyphy, Mistah Fab. Over dramatic strings and a stuttering beat, his "My City Needs ... More >>

Is Football Without Brain Damage Possible?

Chris Brymer, far left, pictured with XFL teammates​Last month we reported in a cover story on the case of Chris Brymer, a former star lineman at USC who has been charged with hate-crime assault in San Francisco. Interviews with medical experts and with Brymer's friends and relatives indicated he ... More >>

Bruce Gradkowski Is Raiders Starting QB. But He Isn't a 'Member of the Tribe.'

​Moments after the Oakland Raiders tabbed journeyman Bruce Gradkowski their starting quarterback, the tweets and the e-mails started coming. Even people who despise the Raiders or can't tell a football from a matzo ball were suddenly delighted that the team's new signal caller is a "Member of the ... More >>

Good, Bad, and Ugly of Sporting Weekend

Smile and the world smiles with you, Tim​With college and professional football kicking off and baseball's pennant races rounding third, 'tis the season for sports junkies to never leave the couch. By the way, here are a few phone numbers for local divorce attorneys -- if, you know, this is a prob ... More >>

JaMarcus Russell Admits He's a Codeine Guy

JaMarcus Russell reveals the number of arrests he's suffered for alleged codeine possession​JaMarcus Russell, the departed Raiders quarterback who has staked a solid claim on being the biggest bust in National Football League history, has made a startling admission: He's used cough syrup in the pa ... More >>

Greg Skrepenak, Former Oakland Raider, Jailed for Corruption

Greg Skrepenak, during happier days at Michigan​If ever an opponent blasted past former Oakland Raiders offensive lineman Greg Skrepenak a little too easily and flattened the quarterback -- maybe it all makes a bit more sense now. The former football player was today sentenced to two years in jail ... More >>

United Football League Fashion Show!

Jon Dion OwensIs it really better to look good than to feel good? ​There is no old-timers day in modeling. Twiggy and Cheryl Tiegs do not prance down the catwalk after the cruel standards of their industry deem them old and unsuitable. There is an old-timers day, however, for the men who model foo ... More >>

Oakland Faders' DJ Platurn on Why Song Requests Suck and the Rise of Bottle Service Hip-Hop

www.sfstation.com​Have you ever wondered just how much it pisses off a DJ when you request your favorite guilty pleasures all night? What actually happened to the hyphy movement? What sets Drake out from all the rest? DJ Platurn of the Oakland Faders gave us his candid thoughts on these topics and ... More >>

JaMarcus Russell Lawyers Up

​Former Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell, busted last week for allegedly stocking up on codeine, has hired a blue-chip lawyer to handle his "purple drank" case. And attorney Donald Briskman talks a good game. "I think at the end of the day, JaMarcus is going to be acquitted and will go ... More >>

It's Your Friday Morning News Quiz!

Cops intercept JaMarcus Russell...​You know the drill, friends. Send me all the correct answers here, win a prize. Here you go: 1. Which of these was the statement Bay to Breakers spokesman Sam Singer gave SF Weekly regarding the race's latest announcement that it would no longer tolerate any booz ... More >>

The Most Peculiar Athlete Arrests of All-Time

www.hipsterwave.com​ Following a police sting operation, epic NFL bust JaMarcus Russell added himself to the list of famous figures, including Lil' Wayne, who've been nailed for possession of codeine cough syrup -- the key ingredient of "purple drank."Russell's Monday arrest on a Nyquil rap got us ... More >>

JaMarcus Russell Continues Winning Ways With Cough Syrup Arrest

Busted for sizzurp?​Former Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell, whose awesomely poor play often made fans sick, was not trying to make amends when he was busted for amassing medicine without a prescription. The former No. 1 draft pick was nailed in a narcotics sting at his Alabama home for posses ... More >>

Week in Gay: Carrie Prejean to Wed 'Jesus in Cleats'

Her prince has come!​On Thursday, members of the LGBT media were invited to participate in some kind of weird press conference at the White House. Was it a show of good faith (this is a first for queer journalists) or just another attempt to appear attentive? An administration official named Melod ... More >>

Daunte Culpepper Fulfills Destiny, Signs With Sacramento Mountain Lions Football Team

​Former star NFL quarterback Daunte Culpepper, having already fulfilled his karmic fate by playing for the Oakland Raiders, has now continued upon his predetermined sports destiny by inking a contract with the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League.

JaMarcus Russell: Big Bust or Biggest Bust?

JaMarcus Russell is now No. 1 on a most unenviable list...​The proper monument to Oakland's just-concluded JaMarcus Russell era would be a hole in the ground. Perhaps it would be a hole large enough to accommodate the $39 million the Oakland Raiders squandered on the historically underachieving qu ... More >>

It's Your Friday Morning News Quiz!

Now that's a good one!​Being smart and fast isn't just its own reward. The first to send back a perfect score on this quiz -- send it here, friends -- gets a prize. What poor soul with local ties just signed a contract to play quarterback for the woebegone Oakland Raiders? A. Kyle BollerB. Jeff Ga ... More >>

No Way Out

Inmate Lonnie Morris is a role model, antiviolence program leader, and darling of the media. But will the parole board see past his crime?

Helmet Hellcats

The Sporting Life

Where to watch baseball and football on 16, 17, or 18 TVs

Electric Avenue

The down-and-dirty bars on Albany's San Pablo Avenue