Though the cause remains uncertain, the effects of acquiring players from the Deep South are typically disastrous for the Oakland Raiders. A brief review of the current Raider roster and player salaries reveals two significant facts:  first, most of our weakest starters are the highest (>$1M/yr) paid and, second, those same players (without exception) came out of the Deep South.  

2009 Oakland Raiders Salaries

The Deep South is comprised of 5 states [Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina] - they are marked in deep red on the map below. Northern Florida (the panhandle across) and Eastern Texas are also considered to be in the Deep South because those regions share the same distinct cultural characteristics.

A tree is known by its fruits and a cause can be known by its effects. What is certain is this, the performance of those starters who came from the Deep South is consistently rotten. These players comprise about 33% of our first team rosters and the positions they play correspond uncannily to our vulnerabilities. The noble efforts of the rest of the team is diluted by their rotten play. Any hope of winning more than 5-6 games with them on the team is unwarranted. Bad trees don't produce good fruit.

Many might respond: But the Deep South produces players who often do well in college football and go on to the NFL. True, but once the Raiders pay these players a lot of money their play drops off, their motivation to play even remotely close to their potential evaporates. I believe the Deep South's distinct, unique and relatively monolithic culture is responsible for producing players whose performance is not driven by the right motive. The Great Raiders were always motivated by the desire to be great, to distinguish themselves and the Raiders - of which they are a part. Whoever does not already have "commitment to excellence" as his primary motive for playing football will never do anything significant here. With those whose motivation is money: football is merely the means to acquire it; but once money is gotten (and Al is rarely stingy) a comfort-zone of complacency sets in and these same players immediately decline and fail to to reach anywhere near their potential. JaMarcus Russell is a paradigm example of someone playing the game for the wrong reason, pragmatic, crass - money. It is impossible that money can drive performances such as we witnessed in the SB contenders this season. Except for occasional poor tackling, the players on those two teams played with the spirit and will to conquer that money can never provide.

So, from its effects, I believe the Deep South's sickness is essentially a perversion of motivation - an apathy for excellence. The pure desire to be a great player - for its own sake - just isn't one of the attributes imbued into Dixie's young men - as proven by, at least, Oakland's experience.

Finally, I realize there are exceptions, such as HOF CB Willie Brown who grew up in Mississippi and played for Grambling. But if you look at all the data, specifically Raiders who went to Pro Bowls, you'll discover that most did not grow up in the Deep South or go to college there. Those who were drafted from the Deep South and amounted to something were usually from somewhere else and were recruited by Deep South colleges. 

NB. This investigation is based on the Raiders' rosters going back to the beginning and no other NFL teams.

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