RAIDERS' SHELL RIDE ISN'T OVER.

Byline: TOM HOFFARTH

If Al Davis continues to say his greatest regret was firing Art Shell back in `94 after a 9-7 season, how does the shell-shocked owner rank this mess after rehiring him in 2006 and watching Raider Nation reduced to a third-world franchise?

Is Joe Bugel still available?

Shouldn't the Raiders have to apply for NFL Europe status before they're allowed back in the grand monopoly?

How would a QB like LSU's hefty JaMarcus Russell fit into the Raiders' 2007 plans?

Wait a minute: Kansas City, Philadelphia and the N.Y.Giants made it into the NFL playoffs?

What Gump-chump recruit even thinking about Alabama is going to believe anything that comes out of Nick Saban's mouth?

Why didn't Alabama go after Mike Price again before settling on Nick Saban? Wouldn't the price for Price have been much less expensive?

Were you the one who gave me this book, ``The New Gold Standard: Charlie Weis and Notre Dame's Rise to Glory,'' for Christmas? Didn't we agree on no gag gifts last year?

What did Brady Quinn win again in his four years at Notre Dame?

Haven't we all grown tired of the Phil Jackson-vs.- Shaquille O'Neal pithy retorts?

If Matt Leinart is done rollin' in the desert with has-beens like Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, does that mean his list will eventually get down to Phyllis Diller?

Find yourself watching replays of the Boise State- Oklahoma Fiesta Bowl game just to see if the Broncos actually won it?

Why does any media outlet waste ink, breath or video with stories about Pete Carroll ``considering'' the opening with the Arizona Cardinals? Isn't Norm Chow a better candidate?

Does the ``75'' on the back of Barry Zito's new uniform represent the average age of the San Francisco Giants' outfielders who'll be driving golf carts to chase balls hit into the gap at AT&T Park?

Why shouldn't the Dodgers try to get Adrian Beltre back?

Shouldn't Pat Riley have gotten a second opinion on how to sell season-interrupting surgery - like from Phil Jackson's doc?

Free Mike Tyson? Again?

Does the Big East's 4-0 record in bowl games so far (wins by Rutgers, Louisville, West Virginia and South Florida in the bank, and Cincinnati faces someone in something called the International Bowl today) impress you more than the fact that Ohio State's program has a 4-0 record in BCS games ('99 Sugar plus the '03,'04 and '06 Fiesta)?

So knowing what you now know, how'd USC do against the Blackeyes with a BCS title on the line?

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