Oakland
Jack Del Rio Reflects on Raiders Training Camp, Marshawn Lynch
On the eve of the Raiders first preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals, Raiders coach Jack Del Rio was at the Napa Valley Raiders training camp facility, reflecting on his team and the future of the Oakland Raiders.
“I am looking for improvement,” said Del Rio. “I am not focusing on win totals in the preseason, as much as just us getting better as a team.”
With the new NFL collective bargaining agreement taking place, practice habits in the preseason have changed. There are not that many days in pads at practice, hitting is limited and the overall toughness of training camp has disappeared to a large degree.
“In our practices, what we do look for is competition. We make an effort to let our guys compete.”
Del Rio said that first games are games where new players can make names for themselves.
“First games are the biggest opportunities for sleepers to make a name,” continued Del Rio. “This is their chance to standout.”
One player who stood out last season as a rookie was Raider running back Jalen Richard and he said that he has more confidence this year, with a season under this belt than he did last year.
“Last year, I was showing what I could do,” said Richard. “This year, I am focusing on honing my skills and getting better.”
Richard came off of a good first year where he split time with DeAndre Washington and Latavius Murray. Murray is gone as he went to the Minnesota Vikings, but the Raiders added former Seattle Seahawk and Oakland native Marshawn Lynch to their rosters.
“I want to show people my pass-catching ability and my pass-blocking ability,” said Richard. “I want to develop my entire game as a player.”
The Raiders would lose the first game of the preseason 20-10 against the Arizona Cardinals. Most of the starters didn’t play, as Raider quarterback Derek Carr didn’t play and EJ Manuel got the start at quarterback. Other players, such as outside linebacker Khalil Mack and Lynch, didn’t play, but Lynch still over overshadowed the game.
While the national anthem played, Lynch sat on the bench eating a banana, which caused a national commentary on Lynch. Former hockey player Jeremy Roenick took to twitter and called Lynch “disrespectful.” Pittsburgh Steeler linebacker James Harrison said that “anyone on my team that sits for the anthem, better be in a wheelchair.”
While Lynch didn’t talk to the media, his coach Del Rio said that he, “strongly believes in standing for the national anthem, but I’m going to respect you as a man,” said Del Rio in the San Jose Mercury news. “You do your thing. It’s a non-issue for me.”
The next Raiders pre-season game is Saturday August 19, at 7 pm in Oakland against the Los Angeles Rams.
Bay Area
Faces Around the Bay: Sidney Carey
Sidney Carey was born in Dallas, Texas. He moved with his family to West Oakland as a baby. His sister is deceased; one brother lives in Oakland. Carey was the Choir Director at Trinity Missionary Baptist Church for 18 years.
By Barbara Fluhrer
Sidney Carey was born in Dallas, Texas. He moved with his family to West Oakland as a baby. His sister is deceased; one brother lives in Oakland.
Carey was the Choir Director at Trinity Missionary Baptist Church for 18 years.
He graduated from McClymonds High with a scholarship in cosmetology and was the first African American to complete a nine-month course at the first Black Beauty School in Oakland: Charm Beauty College.
He earned his License, and then attended U.C., earning a secondary teaching credential. With his Instructors License, he went on to teach at Laney College, San Mateo College, Skyline and Universal Beauty College in Pinole, among others.
Carey was the first African American hair stylist at Joseph and I. Magnin department store in Oakland and in San Francisco, where he managed the hair stylist department, Shear Heaven.
In 2009, he quit teaching and was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure. He was 60 and “too old for a heart transplant”. His doctors at California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) went to court and fought successfully for his right to receive a transplant. One day, he received a call from CPMC, “Be here in one hour.” He underwent a transplant with a heart from a 25-year- old man in Vienna, Austria
Two years later, Carey resumed teaching at Laney College, finally retiring in 2012.
Now, he’s slowed down and comfortable in a Senior Residence in Berkeley, but still manages to fit his 6/4” frame in his 2002 Toyota and drive to family gatherings in Oakland and San Leandro and an occasional Four Seasons Arts concert.
He does his own shopping and cooking and uses Para Transit to keep constant doctor appointments while keeping up with anti-rejection meds. He often travels with doctors as a model of a successful heart-transplant plant recipient: 14 years.
Carey says, “I’m blessed” and, to the youth, “Don’t give up on your dreams!”
Bay Area
Emiliano Zapata Street Academy Celebrates 40 Years Serving Oakland Families
The Oakland Emiliano Zapata Street Academy, a public alternative high school, celebrated its 50th anniversary this year with a community party and festival last Saturday with live music, good food, vendors’ booths, and activities for adults and children.
By Ken Epstein
The Oakland Emiliano Zapata Street Academy, a public alternative high school, celebrated its 50th anniversary this year with a community party and festival last Saturday with live music, good food, vendors’ booths, and activities for adults and children.
Attending the Saturday, April 27 celebration were current and past students, families, faculty, and supporters of the school. The school is located at 417 29th St., and the celebration was held nearby at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church on Telegraph Avenue in Oakland.
For more information, go to www.streetacademy.online or call 510) 874-3630 or (510) 879-2313.
Activism
Oakland Ambassadors Strengthen Ties and Aid Efforts in Ghana
Oakland natives and esteemed members of the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG), Jonathan P. Jones and Dr. Maritony Efua Jones, recently embarked on a significant journey to Ghana as guests of the World Martial Authority Ghana. This trip signifies a crucial opportunity to bolster partnerships, explore new avenues of collaboration, and contribute to impactful initiatives in Ghana.
By Post Staff
Oakland natives and esteemed members of the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG), Jonathan P. Jones and Dr. Maritony Efua Jones, recently embarked on a significant journey to Ghana as guests of the World Martial Authority Ghana.
This trip signifies a crucial opportunity to bolster partnerships, explore new avenues of collaboration, and contribute to impactful initiatives in Ghana.
Upon their arrival at Katota Airport in Accra, Ghana, the Joneses were warmly received by His Royal Majesty Okatakyie Asafo Boakye III, the distinguished king of Sanzule Kingdom in the Eastern Nzema, and Etse Nyamedi of World Martial Authority, Ghana.
Nyamedi accompanied the Joneses to the city of Mepe, which had recently experienced flooding, to assess damages and engage with local leaders, elders, and youth regarding the city’s urgent needs after major floods last fall.
Key concerns and priorities identified by the community include comprehensive flood mitigation measures, agricultural support, housing initiatives, educational enhancements, improved healthcare access, and the development of communal recreational spaces.
The Joneses were also graciously invited to meet with leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at their headquarters in Accra. This meeting provided insights into ongoing humanitarian efforts in Ghana and explored avenues for collaboration to further assist Ghanaian communities.
The LDS leaders shared their prompt response to the recent flood, demonstrating their commitment to humanitarian aid by dispatching substantial supplies including medical provisions, sanitation items, blankets, and food to assist flood victims just four days after the disaster.
Additionally, Boakye extended a special invitation to the Joneses to his palace, where they were pleasantly surprised with a heartfelt recognition ceremony. Maritony Jones was honored as the Queen Mother of the Sanzule Kingdom in acknowledgment of her dedicated work, while Jonathan Jones was lauded and welcomed as the ambassador of the Sanzule Kingdom, symbolizing a meaningful homecoming to their ancestral land.
The visit not only strengthens ties between Oakland and Ghana but also underscores the collaborative spirit and commitment to meaningful progress and humanitarian endeavors shared by all involved parties.
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