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Eighteen years after the Raiders made kicker Sebastian Janikowski a surprise first-round draft pick http://www.chiefsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-armani-watts-jersey , his career in Oakland has come to an end.

The team told Janikowski this week that he won’t be brought back when he becomes an unrestricted free agent next month.

”The Raider Nation salutes Sebastian Janikowski as the sun sets on his illustrious career with the Oakland Raiders,” owner Mark Davis said in a statement Thursday. ”He joined the team as a surprise first-round pick in the 2000 Draft and finishes his time in Oakland as one of the greatest or perhaps the greatest kicker in pro football history. His powerful left leg produced an NFL-record 55 field goals of 50-or-more yards. The motto `Once a Raider, Always a Raider’ has never been more true as his 18-year career makes him the longest-tenured player in Raiders history.”

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Davis’ father, Al, made the stunning decision in 2000 to take Janikowski with the 17th overall pick. The only other kicker taken in the first round since the start of the common draft era in 1967 was Steve Little, who went 15th to the Cardinals in 1978.

Janikowski’s successful career made him the Raiders all-time leader in games played (268) and points scored (1,799). His 55 field goals from at least 50 yards are the most in NFL history. The only other player from the 2000 draft still on his original team is Tom Brady, who was picked 199th by New England.

Janikowski, who turns 40 on March 2, missed all of last season with a back injury. His agent, Paul Healy, said in an email that Janikowski is too young to retire.

Janikowski said last spring that he hoped to still be with the Raiders when the team moved to Las Vegas in 2020. But that didn’t happen after the back injury sidelined him before the start of last season and Giorgio Tavecchio took over as kicker.

There was some thought that new coach Jon Gruden might give Janikowski another chance since he was Oakland’s coach when Janikowski was drafted and for his first two seasons. Janikowski is one of five players who were on NFL rosters last season who have played at least one game for Gruden, joining punter Shane Lechler, kicker Matt Bryant http://www.chargersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-justin-jones-jersey , cornerback Aqib Talib and Raiders left tackle Donald Penn.

Janikowski’s departure leaves long snapper Jon Condo as the only player on the Raiders with the team before Al Davis died in October 2011. Condo is eligible to be an unrestricted free agent next month and his long-term status with the franchise is unknown.

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Adds: BBO–ADVANCE SCOUTING for Friday, June 30.

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THURSDAY, June 28

HKN–HURRICANES-BRIND’AMOUR’S HOME

RALEIGH, N.C. -Rod Brind’Amour came to Carolina in 2000- and never left. He worked his way up from key trade acquisition to captain of a Stanley Cup-winning team to the front office to assistant coach and, now, head coach. Along the way, he became as much a part of North Carolina’s landscape as NASCAR and barbecue – even coaching his son’s T-ball and youth hockey teams in his spare time without drawing much attention. He’s also one of only four coaches in the four major pro sports to earn the top job of the team with which he won a championship as a player. By Joedy McCreary. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos by 3 a.m. Thursday.

BBN–METS MELTDOWN-NOW WHAT?

NEW YORK – With the New York Mets sinking fast toward the bottom of the National League standings http://www.chargersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-kyzir-white-jersey , baseball operations were turned over Tuesday to a trio of Sandy Alderson’s assistants when the general manager made the stunning announcement that he was stepping down because his cancer has returned. John Ricco, J.P. Ricciardi and Omar Minaya have decades of front office experience between them, both in New York and elsewhere around the majors. But it might take all three of them to clean up this mess – and time is of the essence. By Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos by noon Thursday.

FRIDAY, June 29

BBO–ADVANCE SCOUTING

OAKLAND, Calif. – Buck Showalter receives regular calls from veteran, out-of-work scouts looking for jobs. Longtime baseball men who once hit the road ahead of their clubs to offer detailed insight of upcoming opponents are largely no longer as advance scouting for many teams has turned to technology: video and analytics. Showalter’s Baltimore Orioles don’t have an advance scout working in the ballpark. Same for World Series champion Houston, Minnesota and Oakland. Advance scouting may not be a thing of the past, but the methods have changed dramatically. ”Advance scouting by humans is history,” said Mets scout Shooty Babitt. By Janie McCauley. UPCOMING: 900 words, photos by 2 a.m.

SATURDAY, June 30

SOC–WCUP-WOMEN IN THE BOOTH

MOSCOW – Fox’s Aly Wagner and Telemundo’s Viviana Vila are the first women match analysts for a men’s World Cup on U.S. television. Katy Sparks is filling a similar role in Britain, which led to a flap when former England captain John Terry said he watched a match with no volume. As Beth Mowins and Jessica Mendoza have broken through to become national play-by-play broadcasters, women have become more prominent on sports airwaves. By Ronald Blum. UPCOMING: 1 http://www.dolphinsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-kalen-ballage-jersey ,000 words, photos by noon Saturday.

MONDAY, July 9

CAR-ARCA-GIRL POWER

NEWTON, Iowa – Venturini Motorsports made history in Chicagoland Speedway in late June when it started three female drivers in an ARCA race – a first for a stock care event. But it wasn’t that big of a shock that team owner Bill Venturini, who once won a title in the series with an all-female pit crew led by his wife and current co-owner Cathy, was behind the move. By Luke Meredith. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 3 a.m. Monday, July 9.

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