by Jeremy Kahn

ALAMEDA–On the Raiders podcast a discussion on the recently suspended linebacker Aldon Smith who says he’s ready to get started with rehab for substance abuse. The question is can he overcome it and stay with it in 2016 when he returns? Smith says he’ll be a changed man after rehab and says he’s looking forward to getting back to work with the Raiders.

Former Oakland Raider the late Gene Upshaw whose widow Terri Upshaw and sons have no contact with their father or grandfather former owner of Tadich Grill Steve Buich because according to Terri her father says she married a black man. Upshaw and she were cut out from the family. Buich released a statement to the San Francisco Chronicle saying the family breakup between his daughter and him was not over race but because of Upshaw’s “character”.

Terri insists it was race and that Buich doesn’t even want to meet his grandsons. Terri has said that the only contact that she’s had with her family is just with cousins on facebook. Meanwhile Terri’s brother Michael says the parties who are having this problem are neither owners of Tadich Grill in San Francisco or Washington and that the grill doesn’t practice discrimination. Terri brought this issue up about being banned by the family after Tadich expanded their business to Washington recently as Terri lives in nearby Arlington Virginia.

Terri thought it was about time to bring up the fact that her father Steve banned her from the family because Upshaw was black and that she was no longer welcome in the family. Terri has attempted once to try and communicate with the family but says they will not speak to her even to this day.

Jeremy Kahn covers Oakland Raiders football at http://www.sportsradioservice.com and does the Raiders podcast each week

Bing photo: Gene and Terri Upshaw