Risk, reward, hope, fear

With all the sideshows in Raiderland, some hilarious and some deeply disturbing, it's possible to forget six days a week that the Raiders are not a good team and probably won't be any time soon. On Sunday, the harsh glare of the autumn sun exposes the Raiders as a team of spare parts that don't fit together. On the other side of the bay, at least there is hope. And the difference, for outside observers not keen on deep analysis, can be found every Sunday except bye weeks in the performances of four players. Raiders JaMarcus Russell and Darrius Heyward-Bey are the mirror twins of 49ers Alex Smith and Michael Crabtree . All four were drafted high and received between $17 million and $29 million guaranteed. All four were, in varying degrees, risky picks. Russell and Smith are about equal in experience and both are trying to prove they're not franchise-wrecking busts. Heyward-Bey and Crabtree are rookie wideouts hoping to live down labels - Heyward-Bey that he's nothing but speed; Crabtree that he's everything but speed. What those four do is a weekly referendum on how their respective teams think and draft and coach. So far, the comparison is painful for the Raiders . But it's ongoing, all this season and into the next. It's the Bay Area's game within the game. Deep thoughts, cheap shots & bon mots -- That Urban Meyer is a no-nonsense disciplinarian. He suspends linebacker Brandon Spikes for half a game for gouging the eyes of an opponent, going at the task like he's cleaning out the inside of a pumpkin. Then Meyer makes it a full-game suspension. Now I hear Meyer is making Spikes return the eyeball. -- Confession: An Alex Smith rebirth, I did not see that coming. This should be good news for the Raiders , because I don't see much happening for JaMarcus Russell . -- The traffic cop who stopped Tim Lincecum had him doing 74 mph in a 60 zone. That's the lowest radar-gun reading Lincecum has registered since sixth grade. -- But seriously, Lincecum must internalize two absolute rules: One, substances that impair must be kept separate from driving a car. Two, Mr. Role Model, keep private what must be kept private. -- World Series hero? Joe Girardi . He must have been exhausted after the victory celebration, and it would have been so easy to cruise past that car crashed into a tree beside the highway in the early-morning darkness. But Girardi stopped to render aid. That's big-league. -- Wow, that was some Yankees victory parade through the Canyon of Heroes. Did you see Reggie Jackson waving at adoring throngs as his float cruised along the famed boulevard? Little-known fact: Reggie does that every day. -- The heroes, parading through Lower Manhattan's financial district, were showered with "ticker tape" that was actually millions of shredded retirement plans. -- A former girlfriend of Alex Rodriguez says he has two paintings of himself as a centaur hanging on his bedroom wall. Now I'm having nightmares that I bet on A-Rod and he chokes in the Kentucky Derby. -- I hear A-Rod is dating Kate Hudson and Rachel Alexandra . -- The readers pile on: Phantom Sports Babe: "If Al Davis fires Cable this week after what happened last season, the Raiders are going to start calling this bye-bye week." ... Simon Bolivar, on the Raiders' claim that they are victims of an ESPN campaign of lies: "The only falsehood by ESPN is in referring to the Raiders as a Football team." ... Damu, on a rumor that the Giants are interested in Darrius Heyward-Bey : "New York needs a new man to drop the ball on New Year's Eve." ... Ben Woods, on Cable's comment that he can see the top of the mountain now: "Maybe he's talking about Mount Davis." -- Want to watch real sports tonight? Go see "Bright Circle," an indie film about the history of American Indians in athletics. It's the brainchild of former NFL offensive lineman Russ Bolinger . The movie tripleheader including a Jim Thorpe documentary starts at 7 at Landmark Embarcadero Center Cinema, part of the Native American Film Festival. -- Local paper's headline on Nov. 2: Carmelo " Anthony 's MVP start continues." Three games into the season and we're crowning an MVP? -- Meb Keflezighi is the first American man to win the New York Marathon since 1982. Lesser-known fact: He's also Line 7 on many eye charts. -- What's the difference between Manu Ginobili and Ryan Howard ? Ginobili is more dangerous with a bat in his hands. KNUCKLEHEAD OF THE WEEK: Donald Sterling The Clippers' owner and designated anchor was ordered by the government to pay $2.73 million to settle allegations that he refused to rent apartments to Hispanics, blacks and families with children.Sterling is longtime best pals with Al Davis, who has always been a leader in providing top-level opportunities for minorities.Apparently Davis does the same thorough background checking of his pals that he does of his head coaches.