Professor

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_659011...nclick_check=1

Raiders No. 1 draft pick JaMarcus Russell has bought a house in the Oakland hills and is scheduled to arrive as soon as today, a friend confirmed Thursday.

That's the word coming from Cal wide receiver Robert Jordan, anyway. Jordan said Thursday that Russell spent two months at his house this summer, but left when the Raiders' training camp started July 26.

Russell turned 22 on Thursday but still is waiting for the one thing that figures to make him happier than any birthday cake: a long-term, multimillion-dollar contract from the Raiders.

Even so, Jordan said, Russell isn't fazed by the delay in him joining the Raiders in Napa.

"He's the most cool, under-control dude," Jordan said. "He's not panicking about anything."

Jordan didn't divulge what Russell's intentions are once he returns to the Bay Area. He did say that Russell won't move into his new house until he signs with the Raiders.

As it stands, Russell missed his 19th practice Thursday. Oakland's first exhibition is Saturday night against the Arizona Cardinals. The regular-season opener is four weeks from Sunday.

The Raiders and Russell's agent, Eric Metz, have talked numerous times since the Raiders selected the quarterback with the top pick of the NFL draft in April. Those talks, by all accounts, have been more contentious than productive.

Raiders Coach Lane Kiffin said Wednesday that Josh McCown will start against the Cardinals, with Andrew Walter and Daunte Culpepper following in that order.

Kiffin also said that none of the three quarterbacks has separated himself from the others in the competition to replace deposed veteran Aaron Brooks as the starter, and that Russell is falling further behind with each missed practice and meeting.

Russell could not be reached for comment.

A year after special-teams meetings at the Napa Marriott were run with rigid discipline, Raiders players are instead working for a coach who is passing out candy in class.

It's one of the tricks used by Brian Schneider, the 36-year-old special-teams coordinator hired by Kiffin to breathe life into a bitter, unproductive unit that couldn't wait for a chance to play under a new coach after a one-year battle of wills with former coordinator Ted Daisher.

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