Alliance... » Conflicting Khalil Mack trade rumors show sad state of sports

An apology has been issued for this article. Read that here***The Khalil Mack holdout has been going on for months now. Mack did not report to mandatory minicamp Reggie Nelson Jersey , voluntary minicamp, OTAs, training camp, any preseason games or the Raiders 4th of July barbecue. However, contracts take time, especially for someone like Mack who is arguably the best defensive player in football and certainly the best player in the AFC West.But for the last few weeks we’ve heard countless rumors about Khalil Mack being traded. Where did they come from? Do they have any validity?Let’s start with Ground Zero.There had been a few rumblings, mostly from New York area football blogs, that the Jets were looking to add an edge rusher, namely Khalil Mack. And then there was this article from Bleacher Report that said,The fact that this comes from the den of scum and villainy known as Bleacher Report should tell you all you need to know about its validity, not to mention the fact that the story is “an unnamed exec from an unnamed team has a feeling”. I had a feeling once, but it turned out I had too many burritos.And there was this:Okay first of all, who the fuck is Eric Galko? Nobody had ever heard of him or his little scouting company before this tweet made the rounds, but it provides scouting services and consulting. They’re not a news outlet. This was really where things started to get crazy. Every football blog in existence then went off the deep end speculating about how their team could get Khalil Mack. Possible suitors, if you believe that there are any, include the Packers, Bears, Jets, Bills, Pottsville Maroons, New York Yankees and CSKA Moscow.Three days ago, Yahoo! Sports came out with this article about the Mack trade saga. It includes the following passage:And much of this came after an August 21 report from Sports Illustrated that quoted Albert Breer, saying:Most recently, MMQB’s Albert Breer broke down the idea of a Mack trade and did so as bluntly as possible. According to Breer, inquiries about acquiring the 2016 Defensive Player of the year “have been quickly met with a no.”Breer’s insight on the situation goes beyond just the fact that the Raiders aren’t interested in moving Mack currently, though. He also lays out an interesting scenario for any potential suitor, which includes not only giving up a massive amount to acquire him but then the huge contract a team would have to lay out immediately after.And Ian Rappaport went on the Rich Eisen Show this week and made it very clear the Raiders are not interested in trading away Mack.Also this week, this little foray into seeing how the sausage is made in the wild, wacky world of sports journalism officially became a joke:You see folks, ever since you, the consumer, stopped actually paying for sports journalism, it has become something completely degenerate and foul. Modern sports (and regular) journalism is ad-based, which means the more people who click on your page, the more money you make. The ad doesn’t care if what you wrote is true or not, it only wants more readers. And the best way to get readers is to tell them what their cognitive bias wants to read about. Happy lies sell far better than inconvenient truths. It’s known as clickbait, and I will have none of it.The bottom line here is that there’s been a ton of speculation, none of which is based on any sort of verifiable truth or reasonable conclusions from any evidence whatsoever, that teams are lining up to trade for Khalil Mack. There is no evidence of any kind from any source that the Raiders are interested in any way in trading Mack, and in fact trading for him and signing him to the contract he deserves would be so cost-prohibitive that there are few teams for whom such a move makes sense. But that doesn’t stop journalists with questionable motives from spreading a false narrative.UPDATE: In the hours since this article was posted, an article went up on NFL.com which completely encapsulates the issues the article speaks about.The headline reads, “Raiders want at least two first-round picks for Mack”.The actual story is... about something else. Seriously, read the headline and then read the actual story. And consider the fact that many people will just read the headline and not the story, and draw conclusions from that. We look at a day-by-day account of just how Antonio Brown dominated the news cycle while barely setting foot in Raiders training camp." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesSilver And Black Pride homepageHorizontal - WhiteSilver And Black Pridean Oakland Raiders communityFollow Silver And Black Pride online:Follow Silver And Black Pride on TwitterFollow Silver And Black Pride on FacebookLog in or sign upLog InSign UpSite searchSearchSearchSilver And Black Pride main menuFanpostsFanshotsRaidersOddsAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 321 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Raiders StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Raiders NewsYahoo Raiders Team PageYahoo Raiders ReportYahoo Raiders Depth ChartYahoo Raiders TransactionsYahoo Raiders PhotosOdds About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub ✕Drama timeline: Even while ABsent, Raiders training camp was all ABout ABNew,120commentsWe look at a day-by-day account of just how Antonio Brown dominated the news cycle while barely setting foot in Raiders training camp.PDTShare this storyShare this on FacebookShare this on TwitterShareAll sharing optionsShareAll sharing options for:Drama timeline: Even while ABsent Kolton Miller Jersey , Raiders training camp was all ABout ABTwitterFacebookRedditPocketFlipboardEmailPhoto by Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesTraining camp report day seems like it was six months ago, doesn’t it? That was the day Jon Gruden was asked about Antonio Brown taking a hot air balloon ride that morning and Gruden perhaps jokingly said he expected a lot more drama from Antonio Brown. If this were a movie or, let’s say a reality show (cough-Hard-Knocks-cough), that would be what we call foreshadowing.Gruden had no idea what he was in for over the next three weeks plus. A look at the timeline of events is pretty staggering. If you are in the ‘any publicity is good publicity’ camp, then you are probably thinking Antonio Brown is ready to have his star on the Hollywood walk of fame right about now.Let’s relive it, shall we.July 26 - Antonio Brown opens Raiders Napa training camp in style with hot air balloon ride, Gruden expected ‘a lot more drama’ Training camp report day. That morning Antonio Brown takes hot air balloon ride. Initially people were wondering if he actually showed up at the Napa Marriott in the balloon which would really be something, but no. Regardless, he made himself the top story from day one.July 27 - Training camp opens with Antonio Brown on NFI, expected to miss a weekThe team said they had known about the injury for a couple weeks and that Brown was expected to miss a week of camp. Yeah, about that...July 28 - Training camp day two: Antonio Brown return to practice a brief oneThe most exciting part of today’s practice happened right from the start of the day. When Antonio Brown took the field with his teammates. But it didn’t last long. Once stretching was to begin, his day was done.July 29 - Antonio Brown posts video of son running route, catching pass from Derek Carr's sonDay three and Brown was once again not practicing. Through three practices, Antonio Brown and Derek Carr's kids had practiced together more this camp than their dads. And it was freaking adorable.July 30 - Training camp day four: Antonio Brown suits up, schools defensive backs like he never leftThe players took the field and Antonio Brown was with them. And he mad it to stretching and warmups this time. He went through one session of one-on-ones and his day was done. This time when he left, he was not seen again for a while. Unless you watched Hard Knocks that is.July 31 - Antonio Brown ‘ready to unleash’ in Raiders camp and fellow receivers can’t wait With the taste AB gave everyone on day four, his coaches and teammates were convinced it was the start of something. That his workload would only increase from that point forward. Narrator: It didn’t.July 31 - Antonio Brown comes in at No.7 in the NFL Top 100 listHey some of that nice fluffy good news. We’re reminded of the talent Brown is when he’s on the field.August 1 - Training camp day five: Antonio Brown absent again, posts video showing blistered feetThe Raiders returned to work after a day off. We really thought that would mean AB was back. But alas, he was mysteriously gone again (sad trombone).August 3 - Antonio Brown to see foot specialist for blistered feetThose gruesome feet of his needed checked out. And by a specialist because this is a considerably uncommon affliction.August 6 - Antonio Brown foot injury said to be frostbite, still no timetable for return to RaidersThere have been a lot of theories as to what is going on with Antonio Brown’s feet. One theory I heard from a source in the medical field was frostbite from improper or prolonged use of cryogenic machine.August 6 - Hard Knocks premieres and Antonio Brown is heavily featuredMan, if you caught the first episode of Hard Knocks, you’d think Antonio Brown attended most of Raiders camp. And it kind of felt that way in real life too. But nope. One series of drills in nearly two weeks of camp. But the Hark Knocks people sure got a lot of mileage out of it. August 8 - Sports doctor chimes in with diagnosis on Antonio Brown's feetWednesday, noted sports doctor Dr Chao chimed in once again to give his diagnosis on what’s going on with Antonio Brown’s feet based on new infoAugust 10 - Raiders head coach Jon Gruden offers unwavering support for Antonio Brown through foot injury absence and helmet grievance Jon Gruden stepped in front of the mic following the team’s first preseason game and sent a message of support for his embattled star receiver. Because you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.August 12 - Raiders WR Antonio Brown loses helmet appeal, makes statement ‘looking forward to rejoining my teammates’ once healthy An NFL arbitrator has ruled against Antonio Brown’s appeal to wear his old helmet. At which point he said he suggested his feet issues were the only reason he hadn’t been practicing.August 13 - NFL now says it will allow Antonio Brown to wear his helmet model, if he can find a newer oneBrown immediately began searching for a Schutt Air Advantage manufactured within the last ten years.August 13 - Antonio Brown’s agent made sure the media knew his client would be returning that day to join Raiders in Napa And return he did. Not to practice, mind you. He showed up at the tail end of practice to address the media and ‘clear the air’August 13 - Raiders confident Antonio Brown will be ready for season, agent says helmet issue overblownNot only did AB speak, but Drew Rosenhaus was there as well to offer the version of things he wanted everyone to cover. That being that Brown’s injury is serious, no laughing matter, and that too much was being made about the helmet issue. Certainly that it was NOT the reason he wasn’t in camp.August 13 - Second episode of Hard Knocks airs with inside look at Gruden frustrations with AB absenceGruden said when asked by the media that he was always aware of where Antonio Brown was and what was going on with him, but through the Hard Knocks lens, he was clearly pretty frustrated with the lack of information and communication when it came to Brown’s status and whereabouts. At one point he literally says “Can anyone tell me where my friend Antonio Brown is?”August 14 - Celebrity chef is suing Antonio Brown for unpaid billThe actual court filing occurred at the end of July, but the report came out the day after Brown and his agent had attempted to put out other media fires surrounding him. Throw some more logs on that blaze.August 15 - Antonio Brown suits up, catches passes from Derek Carr during pregame in ArizonaNo better damage control than to see Brown suited up, with a helmet, catching passes and looking like he absolutely ready to go. If this were the start of something, everything else would be water under the bridge.August 16 - ‘Hell yeah’ Jon Gruden was encouraged by Antonio Brown suiting up, anticipates he will practice this weekGruden’s spirits were as high as they’d been all camp with regard to Antonio Brown. And he was very optimistic Brown would return to finish out camp. August 17 - Antonio Brown full participant in Raiders camp walk-thrus, Derek Carr sees nothing holding him backThe optimism from Gruden continued and Derek Carr joined in as well. Brown was not limited in their walk-thrus, giving Derek Carr every reason to think Brown was finally back full go and ready to prepare for the season.August 17 - Antonio Brown has harsh words for NFL as league rejects another helmet After allowing Brown to seek a Schutt Air Advantage helmet newer than ten years old, the NFL tested the helmet and deemed it unsafe, thereby denying his request to use it. What a clusterf—k.August 18 - Antonio Brown not practicing again over helmet issue, Raiders give ultimatum ‘it’s time for him to be all in or all out’What a difference a day makes. Saturday Jon Gruden and Derek Carr were ecstatic about Antonio Brown participating in walk-thrus and both talked with near certainty that Brown would continue to be a full participant in practices. That all changed when the league denied his helmet loophole attempt. The Raiders finally put their foot down and took off the kid gloves.What does today have in store? A tweet or instagram post? Another bombshell report?More importantly, where do we go from here? There’s no practice Monday. Camp broke in Napa a day earlier than originally scheduled. The next practice will be in Alameda on Tuesday. We may have an idea of how Antonio responds to Mike Mayock’s ultimatum. It’s clear Mayock and Gruden want him in Alameda with his teammates. If he doesn’t show up, things could go from bad to worse.Update: This is the best I can do for an update on this:Follow @LeviDamien