After talks with the Baltimore Ravens fizzled, Derrick Hill has joined his all-time favorite team, the Oakland Raiders. While he's practicing with the team, Hill wants to absorb as much knowledge as possible from the coaches and veteran players surrounding him.
Between future-Hall-of-Famer Seymour and coach Wauffle, Hill will only have himself to blame if he doesn't learn anything this summer. That shouldn't be an issue for the former Bears defender, because he's more than ready and willing to learn.
During Sunday's practice, Hill continually made a push up field against his offensive counterparts. Even though he was getting in the backfield, the young rookie kept getting knocked to the ground just before he could make a play.
That's when one of those Raider veterans stepped in to give him advice. "Yeah, Tommy Kelly came by -- yet again, taking knowledge from a vet, and taking knowledge from a great guy to be listening to," said Hill. "He told me what to do, and after that, I didn't fall down again"
"So, every time somebody tells you something, you just gotta' continue to listen," he continued. "People are always watching, so if they watching, they giving you advice, it's best to take that advice, and that's what I'm doing. Continuing to take all the advice they giving me."
Relieved to be in the NFL, and a part of his favorite team, Hill said there's more to be unsettled about.
"That's only one part of the relief," Hill said of signing his first pro contract. "The next part is finishing up this, and making the 53-man roster."
After the jump David Esquer signs a contract extension and brings a pitching coach aboard. Don't forget, fall camp starts tomorrow!
Football
- JO previews the LBs heading into fall camp: this should be the strongest unit on the team thanks to some tremendous depth.
Baseball
- David Esquer has signed a five-year extension after last season's reinstatement and deep CWS run.
- Esquer has brough Mike Neu aboard as the team's new pitching coach. For the past three seasons Neu served as head coach of Diablo Valley College. Before that, he spent two seasons in the MLB (including one with the A's) as a relief pitcher.