Road back to the playoffs clear cut for the Raiders in 2016

After being in the abyss for much of the last 14 years, expectations are high for the Oakland Raiders entering the 2016 season.

Since 2002 when the reached the Super Bowl only to lose 48-21 to Tampa Bay, the Raiders have cornered the market on terrible in going 66-145. The franchise had consecutive 8-8 seasons in 2010-2011 but has posted nary a winning record since 2002.

In head coach Jack Del Rio’s debut in 2015, Oakland improved from 3-13 to 7-9 but achieved something meaningful. The Raiders served notice to other teams that they were no longer an automatic victory for the opposition. For further evidence, in 2014, Oakland was outscored by an average of 12.4 points per contest. In 2015, the Raiders were outscored by an average of just 2.5 points per game.

While I’m not a believer in the term “moral victory,” I do believe some losses are more honorable than others and considering the Raiders had more than a decade full of dishonorable losses, you have to start somewhere.

The 2016 season, however, will come with expectations. Translation, being competitive will not be good enough.

After years of swinging and missing on first-round draft picks and free agent signings, Oakland has rebuilt its roster through the draft with cornerstones such as quarterback Derek Carr, defensive end Khalil Mack, wide receiver Amari Cooper and offensive lineman Gabe Jackson to name a few. Oakland has since used free agency to patch more holes such as offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele, linebacker Bruce Irvin, safety Reggie Nelson and cornerback Sean Smith.

On paper, the Raiders roster appears much better. Couple that with the fact that the rest of the AFC West appears to be trending down bodes well for Oakland. The Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos figure to have a Top 5 level defense despite the losses of defensive tackle Malik Jackson and linebacker Danny Trevathan. Though retired quarterback Peyton Manning was just a shell of himself, the Broncos will miss his leadership. Denver is still capable of a deep postseason run.

Kansas City’s path to an 11-5 season coupled with its first playoff win since 1994 was nothing short of amazing. The Chiefs recovered from a 1-5 start to win 11 straight despite losing its best offensive (Jamaal Charles) and defensive (Justin Houston) players to injury. While Andy Reid and Alex Smith are solid in their titles of head coach and quarterback respectively, both have likely reached their ceiling.

San Diego has a quarterback past his prime in Phillip Rivers and too many question marks to be a threat in the AFC West.

Another reason the Raiders are trendy pick to win 10 or more games and return to the postseason is the strength of schedule. Beyond the Chiefs and Broncos, Oakland faces just one team (Carolina) that reached the postseason in 2015.

In my judgment though, preseason strength of schedule is one of the most meaningless stats in all of creation. What a team did last season has zero bearing on what it will do this season.

The obvious answer to the Raiders getting back to the postseason is winning division games. Oakland went 3-3 in such contests last year. It would behoove the Raiders to go at least 4-2 against such foes this year.

However, I can think of two other stretches of games that will be defining:

Sept. 11 @ New Orleans

Sept. 18 vs. Atlanta

Sept. 25 @Tennessee

Oct. 2 @ Baltimore

The opponents do not look daunting as they combined for a 23-41 mark in 2015 but you are looking at three games in the Eastern Time Zone and for a West Coast team the adjustment is significant because the kickoffs are 1 p.m. local time but 10 a.m. Pacific Time. You can argue that the change is as mental as it is physical. Between 2003-2014, Oakland went 14-46 (28% winning percentage) in the Eastern Time Zone that represented 10 a.m. kickoff times. The Raiders went 2-3 in such games last season. That record is a small sample size that looks pedestrian but the last time Oakland won two such games in a season was 2005.

The key in this stretch is making sure they win the Atlanta and Tennessee games and getting no worse than a split against New Orleans and Baltimore. Atlanta is often good but very seldom great. The Falcons are also a dome team that struggles in outdoor games. Since entering the NFL in 2008, the Falcons are 52-20 at home in quarterback Matt Ryan’s starts 22-25 on the road. The Titans have quarterback Marcus Mariota as a strong building block but it’ll take time before they see any real progress from their rebuilding efforts.

New Orleans is in much the same category as Atlanta. The Saints are in rebuild mode and figures to be a mid-level club. Oakland is superior on paper but the venue alone makes this a high alert situation. In the Drew Brees quarterbacking era, the Saints are 51-29 at the Superdome and 43-37 on the road.

Baltimore went 5-11 last season but was eviscerated with injuries, most notably to quarterback Joe Flacco. While even a healthy Ravens team has question marks, this game comes on the back end of consecutive cross-country trips.

In this stretch, 2-2 is floor regarding expectations but 3-1 would pack a greater punch.

Oct. 23 @ Jacksonville

Oct. 30 @ Tampa Bay

Another stretch of back-to-back Eastern Time Zone games. The Raiders might as well spend two weeks in Florida without bothering to fly home. The opponents are not only in the same state but in similar positions, rebuilding but Jacksonville is closer to contention than Tampa being in the weak AFC South. The matchup against Tampa Bay would fall into the “look ahead” spot in that it comes the week before what figures to be a highly anticipated Primetime game at home against Denver. In this stretch, Oakland must do no worse than a split, 0-2 and kiss the playoffs goodbye.

The road back to the postseason is clear. Stay healthy and handle business.

Time Out with Andrew Pieper: 2008 Napa High graduate

Vince D’Adamo: What did you enjoy most about competing in athletics throughout your life? Andrew Pieper: I most enjoyed the relationships that I built with both teammates and coaches during my athletic career. I am still good friends with many of the people I played with and still stay in contact with many of the coaches that coached me. I also enjoyed the valuable lessons that athletics taught me among those being lessons in hard work, being goal oriented and working as a team to achieve success. D’Adamo: What have you been doing since graduating from high school? Pieper: After high school I continued my baseball career at Napa Valley College where I played for two years and from my exposure at the JC, received a scholarship to play at Missouri Western State University. After graduating from Missouri Western with a degree in Business Administration, I moved back to Napa and started working as an accountant at a local firm. D’Adamo: What was your favorite class at Napa High? Pieper: My favorite classes at Napa High were U.S. history with Brian King and Economics with Mike Warrington. D’Adamo: What was your favorite athletic moment at Napa High? Pieper: My favorite athletic moment at Napa High was our last drive on offense at the Section Championship game in 2007. We needed to get a couple of first downs to clinch the win and so we just kept handing the ball off to Jake Croxdale. He scratched and clawed for every yard he could get which eventually lead us to victory. Jake was the hardest working and most determined athlete I've ever had the privilege to play with and in that drive I could just see it in his eye that he would not be denied the championship. I'll never forget winning that title with some of my best friends that I still have to this day. D’Adamo: How much do you feel you have grown personally since graduating from high school and how much of that do you trace to athletics? Pieper: I feel I have grown very much since graduating high school, and I owe a lot of that growth to what I learned from athletics. I was lucky to have some of the best coaches. From Matt Stewart, who was my coach at 13 years old playing River Rats, to Troy Mott who coached our section championship team and many in between. My coaches throughout the years have all influenced me immensely. All of the coaches I've had have taught me the valuable lessons in life. All have emphasized the value of hard work and putting your best foot forward everyday, no matter what. The influence they have had on my present self is exponential and I owe all my coaches a great deal of thanks for molding me into the man I am today. D’Adamo: Within your family, who have been the most influential people? Pieper: My father has been and still continues to be, the most influential person on me. He is the hardest working person I know and would do anything to ensure that my sister and I have a happy and successful life. He has taught me so many valuable lessons that I hope to pass on to my future children. Not to discount my other family members, who have also played crucial roles in my development over the years. I am lucky to have all of them in my life. D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports you would most like to meet. Pieper: The historical figure I would most like to meet is Jerry Rice. He embodies what it means to be a true professional. He wasn't the biggest he wasn't the fastest, but he was going to outwork everyone, every time.

Time Out with Annie Petrie: Napa High School principal

Vince D’Adamo: Be it as an administrator or coach, what do you enjoy most about being involved in athletics?

Annie Petrie: Because I reaped the benefits of playing multiple sports through elementary and middle school, then being a four-sport athlete in high school (volleyball, basketball, softball & track) and playing collegiate basketball at UC Davis, I have a deep understanding and appreciation for what it takes to be a student-athlete. I also know what it feels like as an athlete to have great coaching and mediocre coaching. A coach can absolutely bring out the best in an athlete and push him/her to achieve at extremely high levels.  

Being a varsity coach at Dixon High School (basketball & golf), I also know what it is like to run a program at the high school level so I have the utmost respect and admiration for the coaching staff at Napa High.   

So when I watch our student-athletes compete in practice and games, I can relate to what they experience on the court/field and I can also relate to what the coach is experiencing on the sideline. Watching athletics (and I love watching practice - because that is where the real teaching happens) brings out a fire in me. I love to compete and I love to watch our student-athletes compete.    

D’Adamo: It is often said that athletics and academics coexist, how much have you found that to be true?

Petrie: The best teams I have played for, the best teams I have coached, and the teams at Napa High who have experienced the most success have been teams where academics comes first for the coach the the team. Athletes must be students of the game in order to be able to compete at the highest level. When athletes internalize the game ~ the why, the how they are able to adapt and adjust with more grace, precision, and poise. When you have a team with many “students of the game,” the entire team can make adjustments together which is ultimately what you want your teams to be able to do. No matter who much preparation goes into a game, athletes and coaches will need to be ready to adapt and adjust throughout the competition. Students of the game get really good at doing this.  The best students of the game are the best students in the classroom.   

D’Adamo: Beyond victories and defeats, when bringing in a coach, what are common denominator qualities you seek?

Petrie: “You win in life with people.” - that isn’t mine I stole that from the late great Pat Summitt…..but I believe it to be true. I have experienced it as an athlete, as a coach, a teacher and an administrator. I look for coaches who will bring out the best in the student-athlete as an athlete, a teammate and an overall person. Most student-athletes will not play in college so coaches need to understand the true impact they have on the students they coach. I want kids to leave Napa High athletics forever using the experiences, the lessons they learned as an athlete to help them make decisions about how they will conduct themselves as a person. Wins and losses don’t do that - the experience with people (coaches and teammates) through those wins and loses shape people. A coach can absolutely create an experience for a student that they will draw from in a positive way for years to come. I want that for all student-athletes at Napa High.  

D’Adamo: From the student-athlete perspective, what life lessons do you hope they learn from sports?

Petrie: I want student-athletes to leave Napa High athletics understanding the power in people. I want students to leave Napa High athletics with a passion to be a change agent because they are able able to work productively with all types of people, they experienced what it feels like to work together toward a common goal, and they know what working hard looks like and feels like. I want the skills they learned from their coaches and teammates to transfer into the classroom and in life.  

D’Adamo: Within your family, who have been the most influential people?

Petrie: I am blessed to have an amazingly supportive and loving family (Mom, Dad, two sisters and one brother) but there isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t think about my late father. Through his actions, my father inspired me to always believe in people. He modeled for me and my brothers and sisters unconditional love, hard work and how to live in the moment with people. As a proud American and Vietnam Veteran, he instilled in me at a very young age a sense of pride and patriotism. My father never missed a Memorial Day or Veteran’s Day celebration. My father also pushed me to be the very best I can be in athletics but more importantly in life. It’s been nine years since he passed away and I don’t believe that times makes it easier….time makes me miss him even more.   

D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports you would most like to meet. What would intrigue you about meeting him or her?

Petrie: I have always idolized the late Pat Summitt and I did meet her in an unusual circumstance. I was in Texas at a conference in 2009 and during some down time we went to a local mall. While walking through the women’s undergarment section, I saw Pat Summitt (you can’t miss the Tennessee orange track suit). I was immediately star struck and the person with me had no idea who Pat Summitt was or why I was excited to see her; but I got the courage to go up to Pat (as she was looking at undergarments) and I introduced myself and told her I was a huge fan. She shook my hand, asked my name and she thanked me for the support. Since her passing I have watched many of her old interviews and probably will continue to pull up her old interviews when I need inspiration.  Coach Summitt not only changed the game of basketball for women; so serves as a role model for working women. She loved her career and she loved and cared for her son Tyler.    

Time Out with Malik Flores: 2013 American Canyon High graduate

Vince D’Adamo: What have you enjoyed most about competing in athletics throughout your life?

Malik Flores: There's a great camaraderie that comes with participating in athletics, especially in football and all team-orientated sports. I enjoyed my years of playing for football at ACHS because of the bond we all formed both inside and outside of it. How often did you see teammates, especially at our age, getting together on a Sunday for some Popeye's and a movie?

D’Adamo: What have you been up to since graduating from high school?

Flores: The first couple of years after graduation were rocky. Mom got sick and I quickly had to grow up and become the head of the house. I also had my first job during this time as a dishwasher at a retirement home, but that ended with the aforementioned crisis. Things got much better after that.

Nowadays, I'm working at a party rental warehouse as their heavy lifter after deciding to not continue on with college. My next goal is to achieve my childhood dream of becoming a Marine. Like all things, it's going to take time.

D’Adamo: What was your favorite class here at American Canyon High?

Flores: My favorite class had to be the combined history/english class with Mr. Olson and Mr. Fultz. While the subjects were engaging enough for me on their own (I actually write from time to time, and I love studying the World Wars), these two gentlemen made the learning experience one to be enjoyed.

D’Adamo: What was it like being part of history at American Canyon High as the school opened?

Flores: There's a great sense of pride knowing that you're one the first graduating students of American Canyon High School. One of my co-workers recognized me since they went to the school as well, and I could feel this sense of respect between us. It's not everyday that you can do something like that.

D’Adamo: How much do you feel you have grown personally since high school and how much of that growth do you trace to athletics?

Flores: I feel that I've grown greatly since high school. A lot of my good habits can be traced back to the simple things we did for football, like waking up at 5 a.m. for morning weight room or keeping good bonds with your supervisors like we did with our teachers. I also feel that football has made my blue-collar life a lot easier since it gave me the skills, strength and knowledge to work with a team of individuals on completing tasks.

D’Adamo: Within your family who have been the most influential people?

Flores: There's one individual who's been the most influential in my life, even if he's only here in spirit. That man's my grandfather, Victor Flores. He was a Gunny in the Corps, so he's not only my idol, he's the perfect role model for me to follow in my everyday life. There's others too, like my mother, who's workaholic habits have finally grown on me. You could say I'm the workaholic in the household now.

D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports, that you would most like to meet.

Flores: I would like to meet John F. Kennedy. I feel that he's a unique person that could have some potential insight on problems we face nowadays.

Time Out with Darci Ward: Napa High girls basketball head coach

Vince D’Adamo: What is the No. 1 thing that keeps you coming back to coaching every season?

Darci Lewis Ward: Absolutely the No. 1 thing that keeps me coming back and coaching is the relationship that I develop with the players. I think that if the quality relationships were not there and I did not feel a connection to the players, I would not continue coaching. I love that I keep in touch with my former players. I feel blessed that many return to help out in the program and want to become coaches themselves. It is wonderful to watch former players mature into strong, independent women.

D’Adamo: Though you have been the girls basketball head coach for over a decade, what was your vision at the time for the program based on what you wanted it to become?

Ward: To be honest, when I first started coaching I didn't really have a true vision. I was very young and unsure about everything that we were doing. I feel that about five years in is when I truly started to understand what it meant to be running a basketball program and knowing what direction I was hoping that the program would head. The vision is to have a program that cultivates and encourages young women to be strong, independent, focused and know how to work for what they want to achieve in life.

D’Adamo: You hear the term "culture" being uttered in sports, what does that term mean to you and your program?

Ward: I think that "culture" might be one of the most important things that a program can have. If you have talent, but do not have a hard working culture within your team, it is pointless. If you have a team that works together as a family, supports one another through the difficult times and knows how to always play hard then you have developed a "culture" within your program. It does not matter how much talent you have if you working as a unit and learning these lessons that will help in their future lives. I feel (and of course HOPE)  that the girls in our program would be able to define the importance of our team culture and would mention all of these qualities.

D’Adamo: Besides the Xs and Os of coaching, how important is it to be able to relate to youngsters as people?

Ward: If you do not relate to youngsters as people, they will not buy into the program and will not play as hard for you. Relationships are huge for the success of a program. My best teams and most enjoyable years have been when I have been able to really develop rapport with the players.

D’Adamo: Beyond athletics, what do you most hope that any youngster gets from being a student-athlete in your program?

Ward: I hope that they learn how to be leaders, work within a team, learn to believe in themselves and learn to dream a little for their goals. Of course I want them to have all of the typical sport skills such as time management, commitment and sacrifice as well.

D’Adamo: Within your family who have been the most influential people?

Ward: Within my family, I would have to say that everyone has been extremely influential and I cannot pick just one. My dad was a coach for 30 years and I grew up in that environment. He has always been extremely supportive of me and taught me so much about the game. My mom taught me how to be independent and strong, always pushing me out of my comfort zone. She taught by example and I also learned about how to develop and keep relationships. My sister Michelle has coached with me for almost my entire tenure and always challenges me to be a better coach and person. My other sister Jessica taught me what it meant to be competitive from a young age and how important it was to always support family. My husband Ted has encouraged and allowed me to keep coaching.  He has shown me how important it is to sacrifice and compromise for our family. I am the luckiest woman to have all of these wonderful people in my life.

D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports you would most like to meet and what would intrigue you about meeting that person.

Ward: I would love to meet Pat Summitt. I have always looked up to her as a female powerhouse coach and have deeply admired what she accomplished.  I have read all of her books and loved watching her teams play. Her intensity as a coach is something that can be intimidating, but obviously had a huge and positive impact on those around her.

Time Out with Kameron Jones: 1997 Napa High graduate

Vince D’Adamo: What did you enjoy most about competing in athletics throughout your life?

Kameron Jones: What I enjoyed most were the people I played with and for. Any success I experienced was largely due to their commitment. I can name many coaches from each team I've played for and list off how they added to my life beyond the field of play. Equal to that are those who were once strangers who became brothers and sisters. As much as I enjoy winning, the day-to-day grind with coaches and players was what made it amazing and an honor.

D’Adamo: What have you been doing since graduating from high school?

Jones: Lots. This day and age, life is full of opportunity. I'm married with three children (currently pregnant with our fourth). I pastor at a joy and spirit filled Christian church in Napa called The Rock. My wife and I have been ministering there going on five years. I still continue to keep my feet in education on a part time basis, substitute teaching primarily in Napa city schools. I'm back at my alma mater, Napa High School coaching track and field (short sprints) under the direction of Steve Hatton. Lastly, I've started a track club called Napa Valley Sprint, which teaches sprinting fundamentals and running mechanics in the summer.

D’Adamo: What was your favorite class at Napa High?

Jones: To be honest, I enjoyed all my teachers at Napa High. The culture and pride is the best of any campus I've attended. However, if I were to highlight someone specifically, it would have to be Mr. Gregory. The man is literally a genius, he has the ability teach difficult concepts with some simplicity.

D’Adamo: What was your favorite athletic moment at Napa High?

Jones: Beating Vintage is always a great moment, but one of my most memorable moments is playing Hogan High School in the fourth quarter, the score is 28-28. We began our final drive on our the 5 yard line with approximately four minutes left in the game. We must of ran the ball a total of 15 to 20 plays, all runs, no passes because they couldn't stop us. We are about 2 to 3 yards from the goal line and the series ends with me fumbling into the end zone on a 32 option toss, causing Hogan to get the ball back. My mistake cost us the game, especially after all the hard work. The only person who carried that perspective on the team was me. Coaches and players reminded me it is a team game and one play didn't define the outcome. In what I felt like was my huge mistake, the team didn’t point the finger. We collectively took responsibility.

D’Adamo: How much do you feel you have grown personally since graduating from high school and how much of that do you trace to athletics?

Jones: I feel like I’ve grown beyond what I ever imagined, to the point that I embrace a lifestyle of growth in everything thing I do. Being in athletics provides the opportunity to deal with adversity, which is a life skill that has kept me from quitting. There has been many times where I wanted to stop because athletics felt more like a job than fun. Or I struggled with coaches and players. Or I was on losing teams. Or balancing the demands of life and school with athletics was difficult. What was amazing about all of those adverse moments was, when I pressed through them and kept my commitment, rather than walk away, there was honor among those I competed with because we finished together regardless of the results. They knew I could count on them and they could count on me. Athletics was one of many stages that prepared me to handle the challenges of life.

D’Adamo: Within your family, who have been the most influential people?

Jones: My entire immediate family have been tremendously influential in my life in different ways. My younger brothers kept me entertained to the point that I'd rather be home than out in the streets. My two younger sisters kept me encouraged always. My older brother taught me everything I know and stretched me to become a better athlete. My step-mom nurtured a culture of success and accountability. My mom, was a defender of my actions and loves me like a mom loves her youngest. My dad is the most amazing man I know on this earth. He has a natural authority that is unexplainable. If I don't have them all, whatever is missing somehow makes them all less influential. My children make journeying in life more worth it than ever before. Lastly, my wife, all I can say is God has favored me because she will remain to be the constant relationship I'll have until my dying day.

D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports you would most like to meet.

Jones: There is no one I look forward to seeing more in the flesh and all His glory than Jesus Christ.

Time out with Matt Jones: 2013 American Canyon High graduate

Vince D’Adamo: What have you enjoyed most about competing in athletics throughout your life?

Matt Jones: The best part about competing in athletics through my lifetime are learning how to make strategic moves, traveling and meeting an abundance of new people.

D’Adamo: What have you been up to since graduating from high school?

Jones: After graduating high school, I attended school for a short amount of time until I found my current passion of construction. Currently I am working in Napa building custom homes and wineries. I spend time with friends and family in my spare time. Lately I have found another passion in cooking.  

D’Adamo: What was your favorite class here at American Canyon High?

Jones: My favorite class subject at American Canyon High was Science but my favorite class would have to be Biology.

D’Adamo: What was it like being part of history at American Canyon High as the school opened?

Jones: It felt amazing being apart of American Canyon High School’s history. Being apart of the American Canyon High School's football team and captain of the golf team was very rewarding.

D’Adamo: How much do you feel you have grown personally since high school and how much of that growth do you trace to athletics?

Jones: Honestly I feel that I have grown a lot since high school. I have more responsibilities and learned how to transition from being a teenager to an adult quickly. This traces right back to athletics. Having to be responsible for a team and being apart of a team made me learn about responsibility, leadership and partnership. With my growth as an adult and as a full-time worker.

D’Adamo: Within your family who have been the most influential people?

Jones: My cousins, my aunts, and of course my parents have been the most influential people in my life. Each and everyone of them have showed me a new skill and have taught me new life lessons.

D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports, that you would most like to meet.

I would want to meet Jordan Spieth because he was one of the youngest golfers to win the Masters. I would love to play golf with him one day. Maybe he could teach me some new golf tips. I would be thrilled if i got the chance to meet him.

Time Out with Jacob Wolfe: Vintage High 2001 graduate

Vince D’Adamo: What did you enjoy most about competing in athletics throughout your life?

Jacob Wolfe: Looking back and being apart of organized sports since the age of five, I think there are two things that I really enjoyed. The first is playing on teams with some really great people and building some great bonds with those people. I have had the pleasure of playing with a lot of great people over the years and had great memories of playing with all of them. The second is that there is nothing like game day. From the pregame until the handshakes at the end, there is nothing else like it.

D’Adamo: What have you been doing since graduating from high school?

Wolfe: After graduating from Vintage in 2001, I attended and played football for  St. Mary's College, a small Division 1-AA (now FCS) school up until they dropped the football program in 2004. I then transferred to Northern Arizona University where I finished off my last two years of eligibility. I then went back to St. Mary's after my last season at NAU and got my B.S.E in Business Administration. Since Graduating in 2006, I have had different jobs in sales and customer service, but since 2012 I have worked in the logistics industry. Right now, I work for APM Terminals in Long Beach where I work in the Vessel Operations Department.

D’Adamo: What was your favorite class at Vintage High?

Wolfe: My favorite class hands down was Coach (Mike) Flohr's senior economics class.

D’Adamo: What was your favorite athletic moment at Vintage High?

Wolfe: My O-line coach, Jon Conner, put it best the day before my last Big Game, he brought us all together after practice and told us that we would look back as we got older and we would always remember the all the Big Games that we were apart of. I still remember every single one. From freshman year, when we beat Napa twice. JV year where Napa put a small blemish on our perfect season when they tied the game on a last second trick play. My junior year when Grant Jacka caught a last second touchdown pass in the right corner of the end zone from Justin Nunley. Finally my senior year where we beat Napa 41-15. I had great memories in all of them.

D’Adamo: How much do you feel you have grown personally since graduating from high school and how much of that do you trace to athletics?

Wolfe: I have grown tremendously since leaving Napa in 2001. All of my growth can be attributed to my experience in athletics. Athletics teaches you many things that you need to succeed in the real world. A few that have helped me the most are; attention to detail, time management, working well with others to achieve a common goal, learning from your mistakes so that you can be better at what you do, and working well under pressure.The list could go on but I can honestly say I would not be where I am today without the the things I learned from playing sports.

D’Adamo: Within your family, who have been the most influential people?

Wolfe: 6. Within my family I think that all have helped me out tremendously along my way whether it was in athletics or just life in general. First and foremost would be my mom and dad.The others would be my uncles, Joe Ruffino and Perry Brace.

D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports you would most like to meet.

Wolfe: I think the man who I would want to meet the most is Bill Walsh. The man was successful both on and off the field. I would love just to pick his brain about football and just life in general.

What matters more Xs and Os or Jimmies and Joes

Coaching or talent? Talent or coaching?

I’ve had numerous conversations with people over the years about what means more to a team’s level of success. I am amazed by the amount of people that believe it is only one or the other. You’ve heard the statements, “This team sucks because of coaching!” or “Any coach can just roll out the ball and win with this talent.”

I strongly believe both matter. You could have a basketball team of midgets and not even John Wooden will coach that team to a .500 record. On the other hand, you can take the super team the Golden State Warriors have just assembled. It looks great on paper, Kevin Durant joining Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. True, you could probably hire the plumber to get this Warriors team to the Western Conference semifinals. However, it takes one with coaching prowess to match wits with someone like say Gregg Popovich or even Doc Rivers.

In San Francisco, the 49ers fired Jim Harbaugh after four seasons (2011-2014) despite three NFC Title Game appearances and a Super Bowl appearance. San Francisco replaced him with Jim Tomsula, who was fired after one season. The 49ers went 5-11 and while roster defections to players like Patrick Willis, Justin Smith and frank Gore to name a few did him no favors, with Tomsula’s game management skills (of lack of), I strongly don’t think he wins even with a good roster. On the other hand, you can dig Bill Walsh out of the grave and I don’t think last year’s San Francisco team breaks even.

There might be isolated cases where either statement can be true but for the most part, neither one is accurate. Former Justin-Siena High (Napa, CA) baseball head coach Allen Rossi, the best high school baseball coach I covered in my 18 years as a sports reporter once told me off the record, “talent and coaching is a package deal.” I don’t quote people off the record but this is one time I will make an exception.

Rossi led the Braves to a 252-72 mark on two separate stints (1999-2006; 2012-2015) to go along with six CIF Section titles (one in the Sac-Joaquin and five in the North Coast). Was he blessed with talent? Heck yes. You can begin with current Major Leaguer Brett Wallace and keep going. However, in the first year of both stints, Rossi took over teams that had been floundering and made an immediate impact. The Braves entered 1999 not having a winning season since 1989. The Braves went 17-9 in 1999. Justin entered 2012 coming off an 11-14 season. In 2012, Justin went 21-8 and reached the semifinals of the NCS Div. IV playoffs.

The dynamics, however, are different at the high school level because you have to play the hand you’re dealt. It’s not like a college coach who can go out and recruit his or her talent or a professional coach that can go out and sign free agents.

At the high school level, however, you do need to have some talent level that occasionally resembles elite at the large school level because those schools are likely to have some players that go on to play at the Div. I college level. At the small high school level, however, you can win without elite level talent but if you have an established culture and coaching continuity, you can win with strong coaching. Some of the best small high school coaches I covered besides Rossi include but are not limited to Rich Cotruvo (Justin football), Bill Foltmer (Middletown football), Brandon Farrell (St. Helena football), Leon Feliciano (Tomales football), Herschel Sandler (St. Patrick’s/St. Vincent and St. Helena wrestling), Gary Pickle (Clear Lake softball) and John O’Connor (Justin softball).

Those coaches may have had seasons where they had some top-flight talent but they also repeatedly took mid-level talent and got them to perform like a well-oiled machine.

At the college level, specifically football and basketball, guys like Nick Saban, Urban Meyer, Mike Krzyzewski, John Calipari to name a few are considered the creme de la creme in the coaching ranks. Though their track record speaks for itself, there is also a narrative that some may preach that their programs will attract elite level talent and have enormous resources so how could they not win big at those schools. While it is true that those programs have built in advantages, I also have no doubt that any of those coaches can walk into floundering programs with less resources and instantly make them better. On the other hand, a “C” level coach is not going to walk into their current programs and win at the same level as those coaches.

The argument that I most finding intriguing at the pro level is when people look at Phil Jackson’s coaching legacy. Jackson guided his teams to a record 11 NBA titles (six with the Chicago Bulls and five with the Los Angeles Lakers). I will always consider Red Auerbach, who guided the Boston Celtics to nine NBA titles, the superior coach because he built the Celtics dynasty from the ground up.

The Bulls and Lakers teams that Jackson took over from Doug Collins and Del Harris respectively were ready made teams that had pieces in place. However, as much as I dislike Jackson because he is a pompous/arrogant ass, I do give the man credit for guiding those teams to greater heights.

Anyone that believes the “anyone could coach those teams to titles because they had Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal” is also fooling themselves. If it were really that easy, then shouldn’t Collins or Harris have led them to titles? Though I do not believe either coach attains the level of success Jackson did, they have at least some sweat equity in that success.

Another polarizing argument in pro sports that I always find intriguing is former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka. Thanks to an all-time great defense, maybe the best ever with apologies to the 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers, the 1985 Bears went 15-1 on the way to winning the Super Bowl. Though he was blessed with a great team in 1985, he did not just walk into a great team either. Ditka took over as Bears head coach in 1982. Since winning the NFL title in 1963, Chicago had four winning seasons between then and 1982. To that end, Ditka played a role in getting the Bears where they reached.

With Ditka, you can say he’s the reason the Bears won a Super Bowl but you can equally say he’s the reason they only won one Super Bowl.

So what matters more, Xs and Os or Jimmies and Joes. They both matter. I’ll give coaching the nod but not by much, I’ll say a 60-40 ratio. Why? Because no matter how talented a player is, he or she still for the most part yearns for leadserhip.

More star power but only one basketball

Kevin Durant has sent the State of Oklahoma into a depression and the Bay Area into euphoria on the Fourth of July.

Granted, Oklahoma bleeds Sooner red but losing Durant was the worst possible scenario at the present time. After nine seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder/Seattle Supersonics, Durant announced Monday that he will be joining the Golden State Warriors. The same team that Durant’s Thunder had on the precipice of elimination in the Western Conference Finals. The Thunder led 3-1 over Golden State only to lose the series 4-3. The Warriors subsequently coughed up a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals to the Cleveland Cavaliers and lost 4-3 after winning an NBA record 73 regular season games.

According to ESPN, Durant will sign a two-year contract worth $54.3 million dollars that includes a player option after the first season. Durant’s arrival also means the Warriors are not likely to match the Dallas Mavericks offer sheet of four years, $95 million dollars to Harrison Barnes. Durant’s arrival also likely means the end of center Andrew Bogut’s career in Golden State.

For Warrior fans, Durant’s arrival is a mixture of Christmas coming early and an antidote for their NBA Finals loss. They are dancing in the streets as we speak.

With Durant’s signing, the Warriors now have four All-Stars in their prime, joining Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

Did the Warriors get better? On the surface, yes. Durant can certainly do that for any team. As we speak, social media is lighting up like a Roman Candle with people planning the Warriors next parade in June 2017.

Count me in the minority but I am skeptical of this move. Sure, the Warriors will win 60 games by accident. However, the franchise has created a culture where winning championships is all that matters. This signing in no way guarantees that scenario.

In fact, I think this move is just as likely to be costly, not in dollar amounts per se but in dismantling the roster, you affect the chemistry you built for a team that won 140 regular season games in two years, one of which ended in an NBA title. Sure, a variety of scenarios led the coughing up a 3-1 lead to Cleveland but is that really a reason to dismantle chemistry?

Some will point to Green’s Game 5 suspension for the Warriors losing the series but I say nonsense because Green played in Games 6 and 7. Plus, you had a 3-1 lead. It is a fair point though that Bogut not playing Games 6 and 7 coupled with Andre Iguodala and Curry being a shadow of themselves hurt Golden State’s cause.

The Warriors mantra of “Strength in Numbers” was not just a slogan. It was real. I still believe that a healthy Warriors team wins that series eight times out of ten.

OK, I can hear Warriors grovelling right now at reading this. “Vince, you’re being a hater!” Spare me of that rookie league response.

Make no mistake, Durant is an exceptional talent. His resume speaks for itself. Durant is a seven-time NBA All-Star, five-time first-team all-NBA and 2014 NBA MVP. In nine years, the 27-year old has a career scoring average of 27.4 points per game, 7.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocked shots.

The problem with the Warriors landing Durant is this: you already have three scorers (Thompson, Curry, and Green). Last time I checked, there is only one basketball. So if there are five seconds left in the game, who would Warriors head coach Steve Kerr draw up to take the last shot, Curry or Durant? That may seem like a great problem but as much as anyone can say they’ll make it work, do you really think Curry, Thompson or Green would be the good soldier to make room for Durant? They may be happy now but the reality of this matter has not arrived yet.

Also, assuming Bogut is gone, Durant’s signing also does not address rebounding and rim protection, two areas they were deficient at against Oklahoma City and Cleveland. I get parting ways with Bogut but you need a player with similar skills.

With the exception of football, chemistry matters most in basketball. You not only need five guys executing their assignments but you need stars and complementary/role players to mesh. You can take most any NBA team that has gone on an extended run of success. They have had Hall of Famers but they also had complimentary players that wore beige and blended. Since I am only 43 years old, I can only make a case for the teams I watched so no offense to the Bill Russell era Boston Celtic fans.

The 1980s Celtics won three NBA titles in six seasons led by Hall of Famers Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parrish. Boston, however, also does not win those titles without Dennis Johnson, Cedric Maxwell and Danny Ainge.

The 1980s Los Angeles Lakers won five NBA titles in nine years led by Hall of Famers Magic Johnson, James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Lakers, however, also do not achieve that success without Byron Scott and Michael Cooper.

The 1990s Chicago Bulls won six NBA titles in eight seasons thanks to Hall of Famers like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. The Bulls, however, also do not achieve that success without Horace Grant, Dennis Rodman and Toni Kukoc.

The late 1990s to present San Antonio Spurs have five NBA titles to their name, including three in a five year span from 2003-2007. You have two Hall of Famers in Tim Duncan and David Robinson along with two more probable HOF selections in Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli. The Spurs, however, also do not attain that success without players like Bruce Bowen and Robert Horry.

The 2000s Lakers won five titles thanks in large part to Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. The Lakers, however, also don’t achieve that success without the Derek Fishers and Luke Waltons of the world.