LawFitz
Footballguy
Bush eager for competition
Running back healthy after missing season recovering from broken leg, not afraid of McFadden's presence
By PHIL BARBER
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Someone casually asked Michael Bush how he was doing last weekend. Glancing out at a room packed with cameras and reporters, he smiled and said, "Kind of nervous. I ain't seen this in a while."
Bush has experienced his share of stardom, but it seems as if it came in a different lifetime. His college career, his NFL draft prospects and even his rookie season were diminished by a devastating leg injury. And just when he appeared to be re-entering the mix at running back this year, the Raiders used the No. 4 overall pick on Darren McFadden, a potential superstar at his position.
Bush was watching the draft on TV that day, and his initial reaction was shock.
"At first I was like, 'Why do we need another back?' Bush said. "Because at the time we did have Dominic (Rhodes), and LaMont (Jordan) is still on the roster, and (Justin) Fargas and me. So I was like, 'Why do we need a back?' "
A lot of NFL analysts were asking the same question after the Raiders plucked Arkansas' McFadden. Jordan, Fargas and Rhodes each recorded 100-yard rushing games last season, with Bush waiting in the wings.
McFadden was simply too good for owner Al Davis and coach Lane Kiffin to pass up, a spectacular blend of size, speed and football savvy.
Bush later changed his approach, saying the addition of another talented player will only help the team win. And the Raiders subsequently cut Rhodes, who landed softly back in Indianapolis. Still, it's crowded in that Oakland backfield, especially when you add fullbacks Justin Griffith and Oren O'Neal.
Bush remains an intriguing possibility, though. He was considered a sure first-round pick before his senior season at Louisville in 2006, but sustained a broken right leg while being tackled in the season opener against Kentucky.
He had another surgery a month before the 2007 draft and fell to the second day, where the Raiders took him with the first pick of the fourth round, No. 100 overall.
He arrived at a Christian Okoye-like 6-foot-3 and 253 pounds, with uncommonly quick feet and the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Raiders fans couldn't wait to see him in action. But they're still waiting.
The Raiders stashed Bush on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list until Nov. 1. He then began practicing with the team, but went on Oakland's injured reserve three weeks later without seeing any game time.
In effect, he delayed his NFL debut for a year, a situation that would have maddened some young players. Bush accepted it.
"To me it was like I was training, basically, to one day get on the field," he said. "Wasn't any low points. I was out there basically focusing on my conditioning, just trying to get right in every aspect of the game."
According to Bush, the injury is no longer an issue.
"The leg's been 100 percent for a while," he said. "I mean, I was ready to play last year. I played with them for three weeks, I was on the PUP list. And I haven't had any problems out of it, don't feel anything from it. Sometimes I don't even notice that it was broke. Except for that large knot on it."
The physical reminders of the injury will probably be with Bush for a while. His lower right leg is dramatically scarred, even a bit misshapen.
But Bush is running at full speed again. He took part in the Raiders' rookie camp last weekend, along with the guys fresh out of college. Because he didn't get any accrued time in 2007, he was able to participate.
"It's awkward, but at the same time I love it because I've been out of football," Bush said. "And I'm just glad to be doing football plays and getting out there and running around and showing the coaches that I'm healthy."
And well-conditioned. All that tedious one-on-one work with trainers last year, while his teammates practiced on another field, did show some return.
"If I'm not in shape now and not close to being where I was at last year, then something is not right," Bush said. "I feel good. I'm not out there gasping for air. I see some of the rookies there kind of bending over and stuff. I'm glad I was here for the offseason workouts, I'll put it like that."
This week, he will get a chance to compete with the full complement of runners as the Raiders' organized team activities begin. Fargas and Jordan are proven NFL runners. McFadden will probably get a signing bonus in the neighborhood of $20 million, and will certainly get his carries. Bush just wants a chance.
"It's open competition, so our philosophy is it doesn't matter what you've done in the past," running backs coach Tom Rathman said. "I don't care if you were the fourth-round pick, one of the top guys in the SEC that have ever come out as a runner. I don't care if you're Justin Fargas and ran for 1,009 yards."
Or as Kiffin said, apparently slighting Jordan: "We'll open the competition up and who knows? Michael Bush may be the best of the three."
If all those bodies make it hard on Bush, they do give the Raiders some options. They could have two legitimate ball carriers in the backfield, a rarity in the NFL these days. McFadden occasionally took direct snaps at Arkansas, and spent about 20 minutes working on such plays at the rookie camp last Saturday, hinting at yet another permutation. McFadden and Bush are both considered good receivers.
Bush is simply looking forward to hitting an opponent, a task he hasn't executed in more than a year and a half. His precise role is undefined, but that's less important.
"Personally, I really don't care right now," he said. "I just want to get on the field and just play. Special teams, I'm all down for anything. . . . I'm just ready."
Running back healthy after missing season recovering from broken leg, not afraid of McFadden's presence
By PHIL BARBER
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Someone casually asked Michael Bush how he was doing last weekend. Glancing out at a room packed with cameras and reporters, he smiled and said, "Kind of nervous. I ain't seen this in a while."
Bush has experienced his share of stardom, but it seems as if it came in a different lifetime. His college career, his NFL draft prospects and even his rookie season were diminished by a devastating leg injury. And just when he appeared to be re-entering the mix at running back this year, the Raiders used the No. 4 overall pick on Darren McFadden, a potential superstar at his position.
Bush was watching the draft on TV that day, and his initial reaction was shock.
"At first I was like, 'Why do we need another back?' Bush said. "Because at the time we did have Dominic (Rhodes), and LaMont (Jordan) is still on the roster, and (Justin) Fargas and me. So I was like, 'Why do we need a back?' "
A lot of NFL analysts were asking the same question after the Raiders plucked Arkansas' McFadden. Jordan, Fargas and Rhodes each recorded 100-yard rushing games last season, with Bush waiting in the wings.
McFadden was simply too good for owner Al Davis and coach Lane Kiffin to pass up, a spectacular blend of size, speed and football savvy.
Bush later changed his approach, saying the addition of another talented player will only help the team win. And the Raiders subsequently cut Rhodes, who landed softly back in Indianapolis. Still, it's crowded in that Oakland backfield, especially when you add fullbacks Justin Griffith and Oren O'Neal.
Bush remains an intriguing possibility, though. He was considered a sure first-round pick before his senior season at Louisville in 2006, but sustained a broken right leg while being tackled in the season opener against Kentucky.
He had another surgery a month before the 2007 draft and fell to the second day, where the Raiders took him with the first pick of the fourth round, No. 100 overall.
He arrived at a Christian Okoye-like 6-foot-3 and 253 pounds, with uncommonly quick feet and the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Raiders fans couldn't wait to see him in action. But they're still waiting.
The Raiders stashed Bush on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list until Nov. 1. He then began practicing with the team, but went on Oakland's injured reserve three weeks later without seeing any game time.
In effect, he delayed his NFL debut for a year, a situation that would have maddened some young players. Bush accepted it.
"To me it was like I was training, basically, to one day get on the field," he said. "Wasn't any low points. I was out there basically focusing on my conditioning, just trying to get right in every aspect of the game."
According to Bush, the injury is no longer an issue.
"The leg's been 100 percent for a while," he said. "I mean, I was ready to play last year. I played with them for three weeks, I was on the PUP list. And I haven't had any problems out of it, don't feel anything from it. Sometimes I don't even notice that it was broke. Except for that large knot on it."
The physical reminders of the injury will probably be with Bush for a while. His lower right leg is dramatically scarred, even a bit misshapen.
But Bush is running at full speed again. He took part in the Raiders' rookie camp last weekend, along with the guys fresh out of college. Because he didn't get any accrued time in 2007, he was able to participate.
"It's awkward, but at the same time I love it because I've been out of football," Bush said. "And I'm just glad to be doing football plays and getting out there and running around and showing the coaches that I'm healthy."
And well-conditioned. All that tedious one-on-one work with trainers last year, while his teammates practiced on another field, did show some return.
"If I'm not in shape now and not close to being where I was at last year, then something is not right," Bush said. "I feel good. I'm not out there gasping for air. I see some of the rookies there kind of bending over and stuff. I'm glad I was here for the offseason workouts, I'll put it like that."
This week, he will get a chance to compete with the full complement of runners as the Raiders' organized team activities begin. Fargas and Jordan are proven NFL runners. McFadden will probably get a signing bonus in the neighborhood of $20 million, and will certainly get his carries. Bush just wants a chance.
"It's open competition, so our philosophy is it doesn't matter what you've done in the past," running backs coach Tom Rathman said. "I don't care if you were the fourth-round pick, one of the top guys in the SEC that have ever come out as a runner. I don't care if you're Justin Fargas and ran for 1,009 yards."
Or as Kiffin said, apparently slighting Jordan: "We'll open the competition up and who knows? Michael Bush may be the best of the three."
If all those bodies make it hard on Bush, they do give the Raiders some options. They could have two legitimate ball carriers in the backfield, a rarity in the NFL these days. McFadden occasionally took direct snaps at Arkansas, and spent about 20 minutes working on such plays at the rookie camp last Saturday, hinting at yet another permutation. McFadden and Bush are both considered good receivers.
Bush is simply looking forward to hitting an opponent, a task he hasn't executed in more than a year and a half. His precise role is undefined, but that's less important.
"Personally, I really don't care right now," he said. "I just want to get on the field and just play. Special teams, I'm all down for anything. . . . I'm just ready."
