No Raider Holdouts: Allen Calls, Christensen Reports
The press corps covering the Raiders went on a Marcus watch Thursday, waiting to see if Marcus Allen would report with the other veterans or hold out for renegotiation.
Allen didn’t make it for the official reporting time, the 7:30 p.m. meeting. But at 6, with most of the team assembled and dining at a welcoming barbecue, he did call ahead. Coach Tom Flores said he’d probably be excused. No holdout.
That left in question tight end Todd Christensen, who caught 80 passes last season after holding out for 33 days in the summer. The renegotiation of Christensen’s contract is still incomplete, and there was speculation that he might not show.
At 6:51, while Flores was talking about the progress of the Christensen negotiations--”I thought they were going to be done. I still think it will be done. It’s a matter of when”--Christensen walked in behind him.
“Welcome Todd,” someone said.
“Thanks,” said Christensen, usually a man of more words than that.
“See how excited Todd is to be here?” Flores said.
No holdout there, either. The Raiders expect to have 100% attendance at their first workout this afternoon.
Allen and his agent, Ed Hookstratten, were meeting with a Raider official, probably Al Davis himself since Davis has done most of the work on Allen’s contract. Allen is on the last year of his present contract and is to receive $250,000 this season.
Flores: “Marcus will be here later on tonight. He said he was coming, but he couldn’t make it by 7:30. . . .
“I can’t say (contract) terms were met or accepted, but he called. What else we talked about was between he and I.”
Will Allen suit up?
“I assume that’s why he’s coming to camp.”
Would he be fined?
“If I fine him, I’d have to fine everyone, wouldn’t I? (Three other Raiders had called ahead to say they’d be late.) These things have happened. Guys call to say they’ll be late for whatever reason. I think this is a legitimate reason. . . .
“I had heard there was a possibility (that Allen might not report Thursday). But there are always rumors. I don’t put any credence in those till it happens. Marcus is the type of guy who doesn’t like to do that type of thing. So he didn’t.
“It’s nice to have everybody here, or know where they all are. Now we can get on with our business. We’re here, the players are here, and we’re ready to go.”
Raider Notes
Previously excused were wide receiver Malcolm Barnwell, who missed his plane from Richmond, Va.; offensive tackle Bruce Davis, whose wife went into a hospital, and cornerback Lester Hayes, who had a class to attend. . . . The Raiders cut 11 more rookies and free agents--running backs Tony Boddie of Montana and the Express and Courtney Griffin of Arizona; tight end Greg Rutter of Fairleigh Dickinson; offensive linemen Randy Norvelle of Wyoming, Steve Wahl of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Rex Burningham of BYU and Mark Palyo of Richmond, and defensive linemen Elton Cummings of Houston, Matthew Teague of Prairie View A&M;, Ralph Darnell of Texas and Lorenzo King of Alcorn State.