Most Raiders to Stay Out; Hawkins Crosses

About 30 of the striking Raiders met for 2 1/2 hours Tuesday night in an El Segundo union hall amid the usual speculation that they were about to vote to go back in.

They say they didn’t vote and they aren’t going back in, either.

“We’re still together as a team,” said James Lofton, a member of the National Football League Players Assn. executive committee. “There were no votes, no hand-raising. There was a lot of talking.

“We’re about the same place we were a week ago--with the exception of the rumors that we’re going in every week.”

Earlier in the day, fullback Frank Hawkins, who had been sitting home in Las Vegas, popped into the Raider facility. Had he rejoined the team or was he just getting the keys to his car that he had loaned to Ethan Horton?

Hawkins is significant, since he is generally considered one of the team’s more influential members. Raider Coach Tom Flores said he thought Hawkins was coming back. Hawkins said nothing. However, he attended the strikers’ meeting, and again said he had no comment.

The one crosser Tuesday was rookie offensive lineman John Gesek, a 10th-round draft pick from Cal State Sacramento whom the coaches liked in training camp and wound up on injured reserve.

“For me it was strictly monetary,” Gesek said. “I’m a 10th-round pick. I didn’t get a $300,000 bonus. I’m getting married this June. I’m totally in agreement with the union but I stayed out as long as I could financially afford it.

“I talked to (player-representative) Sean Jones. He just said, ‘John, you got to do what you’ve got to do.’ He’s understood my situation from day one.”

How did the substitute Denver Broncos get 204 yards rushing against so many real Raiders, when the real Broncos never get close to that many against the silver and black?

Was it an awful day for Howie Long and Bill Pickel?

“Well, Long and Pickel can’t cover the whole field,” Flores said Tuesday. “They got outside a lot and we didn’t contain real well.”

The Broncos ran away from Long, wherever he lined up, and double-teamed Pickel all night. The big Raider disappointment was their linebackers, which had been supposedly shored up by the additions of Keith Browner and Ronnie Washington.

Just in case: the Raiders have re-signed halfback Zeph Lee, who was cut in camp, and last week cut in Denver, and cornerback Willie Teal, a seven-year pro who was cut in camp this season.