A Letter To My Fellow Brethren
by Kwester421 on Feb 27, 2010 10:58 PM PST
16 comments
We all sit at the same crossroad... Waiting, hoping, wanting; just a glimmer of hope, a light at the end of the tunnel. Where is our franchise going? Not a one of us knows... Only one man in a wheelchair can answer that question, well, maybe he can, if he knows...
I read all articles on this site, and I understand all of your woes, your thoughts, and your hopes for the future. Through all of life's trials and tribulations (Saint, we all hope and pray for you and your friend, may he rest in peace), in the end we have this site to fall back on. I must say I enjoy reading all takes on our team. From Sons methodical takes to Mike and Rats rants back and forth at each other, we all love this team and hope for it's return to glory.
Let's reflect for a moment, on everything, from 1960 to the present.
There are 10 owners in the hall of fame, Al is one of them. Al marked himself as a young coach with the LA Chargers (that's right SD fans, THE LA CHARGERS) and worked his way into the Raiders whom had a 9-33 record over 3 years at that point. Al led the RAIDERS to a 10-4 record in his first year and was unanimously named coach of the year. Davis then led the RAIDERS to a 23-16-3 record over the next 3 years before being named AFL commissioner. Old Al then started an aggressive campaign against the NFL by signing some of their highly skilled players to contracts knowing that the AFL was superior. Then the AFL and NFL owners (Old Al not inculed) had merger meetings and created what we know now as the NFL. Al was against this, since he Knew the AFL was a far superior league, and it was After this, Al purchased a 10% share in our OAKLAND RAIDERS and was one of three managing parters with Wayne Valley and Ed McGah. He was also named head of football operations.
With Davis in control, the Raiders became one of the most successful teams in all of professional sports. From 1967 to 1985 the team won 13 division championships, one AFL championship (1967), three Super Bowls (XI, XV, and XVIII) and made 15 playoff appearances. Though the Raiders' fortunes have waned in recent years,, they are one of two teams to play in the Super Bowl in four different decades, with the other being the Pittsburgh Steelers. Along with appearing in five Super Bowls, the Raiders have also played in their Conference/League Championship Game in every decade since their inception.
In 1992 Davis was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a Team and League Administrator, and was presented by John Madden. Davis has been chosen by a record nine Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees to present them at the Canton, Ohio ceremony: Lance Alworth, Jim Otto, George Blanda, Willie Brown, Gene Upshaw, Fred Biletnikoff, Art Shell, Ted Hendricks, and Madden. (Yes, this is chronicled info).
Our franchise is like no other. The spoiled diaper babies across the bay can scream 5-0 as much as they want, but their team was not built by blood sweat and tears like ours. They are the product of an owner with a rich mommy and daddy that gave anything that little Eddie wanted. Old Al is a ruthless business man that turned an idea into a reality, a culture, a lifestyle.
The truth is, we have a long way to go. I love my team, and all of my fellow fans. We all may not share the same opinions, but we are lucky that this site exists so we can voice our pains and frustrations with each other. I just ask, as an OAKLAND RAIDER, that we cease and desist with the common crap and focus on the future. The draft is just around the corner, and there does not appear to be a "Heyward-Bey" type of player on the board, so my hopes are once again high.
I hope all members of the nation are doing well... Let's go Oakland...
1 recs |
16 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
Amen, my good Raider man!
Onward ho!
I love how we Raider’s fans always think this year is gonna be our year, time and time again! I’m feeling pretty optimistic right now. We’ll have plenty of reason for bitching, in the future! lol
On the real, tho, I believe I’ve kept what little sanity I have left because of the site, and appreciate it as well, and agree that we all share on common theme: We just want to win, baby! Love Al or hate him, you still have to respect him and realize this great game we’re watching produce bigger, stronger, and faster athletes every year, is what it is today in large part due to Al’s contributions over the decades.
"If your only ambition in life, is to be a better person; well, that's just the best ambition you can have..." Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew
Thanks Kwester421 we need to draw strength periodically from our heritage and keep our dobbers up
the ebb (w/o much flow) of the last decade can be overwhelming, and with diminishing faith in Al’s judgment: be it his propensity for social work, Javon.Walker, or poor coach choices: Callahan who lost a SB before it began by pulling Robbins and forgetting to change audibles & playbook inherited from Gruden, Shell II, and the current buffoon HC; to highly paid underachievers: Green, Kelly, Bey, Russell, Seymour … the negatives add up and obscure the positives. But, I am among those who remain (somehow) optimistic even while on tenderhooks.
We Can't Question Al"s Past
Al was a force back in the day and that"s why I still love The Silver and Black but man, what happened to Al is a question for the ages.This is a stubborn old man who refuses to change and this could be the end of a great era.If it wasn’t for all the great years during the late 60’s,70’s and early 80’s I would have left after his move to L.A..I still love the team but I have to admit I can’t get on board with the things Al has done lately but just as soon as I start thinking of how bad things are ,I think of all the Charger fans who have never experienced a championship season and that my friends makes me smile.
If we keep on this path
they’ll make it there before we do again.
Win, Lose, or Tie, Raiders til I die!
Thank you so much.
I’ve been saying this for the longest. I’m tired of the arguing and such. I love this team, because of its history, and how it represents itself: Oakland vs. the World. I became a fan in 06 because of the play of the pass Defense, and I learned to love this team because nobody wants us to win, and when we do, it’s some of the best feeling in the world. Being from NYC, I catch hell from the Giant fans because hey know they’re on track, and these idiot Jets fans because they’re as stupid as Bronco fans. But I still love the silver and black, and I’m ready to move forward, in whichever direction.
by NFLanalyzerfromhome on Feb 28, 2010 12:22 PM PST reply actions
There are things I am happy about when it comes to this team
the history, the great players, great games, and the image. However, there doesn’t seem to be much thought as to where this team should go from the management standpoint. How do you have new head coaches just about every other year unless you lack a clear direction (or common sense). As the team has struggled the organization has circled the wagons so to speak by allowing for fewer and fewer outsiders to hold important roles (like a GM) in decision making. Every team has down periods and draft busts, but this team seems to make the same bad decisions year in & year out.
From a business standpoint, their return to Oakland was very shortsighted, to the point where it has hurt both the Raiders and A’s. No one is happy with the Coliseum and Al Davis should have ensured a new stadium prior to leaving Oakland back in 1981, much less when they returned. Almost 30 years later and we still don’t have a new stadium in Oakland or L.A. So now we have a piss poor product with an outdated stadium and the options going forward look as bleak as they do on the field.
Go Raiders!
No more raining on Bruins Nation's rainy parade, they took their ball and went home.
The Stadium is Okay and has nothing to do with low attendance
When we pass the .500 mark you’ll see that. I like the old stadium with its long ramps and history … though it could use a couple of decent monitors and better quality beer at the concession stands.
by Sons-of-Blanda on Mar 1, 2010 11:17 AM PST up reply actions
Sure it's okay
doesn’t mean it’s not outdated or too small for an NFL stadium. You may be right about it not leading to attendance issues, that may be a whole new discussion about how the team has been marketed since the team returned.
For you and I, and probably most of the fans who frequent S&BP, Okay is good enough, and maybe even better than a new stadium at a certain level. To the casual football fan in the Bay Area, good enough is not going to get it. As much as it kind of sucks to have fans who come in their new brand new white jerseys who don’t know jack about the game, their money is still green and is needed to play players. Maybe the lack of a GM & decreased scouting department is a result of cutbacks the team has to make. When the Cowboys can drop over 100k into their stadium and at most the Coliseum holds 63k, there is quite a difference in revenue. The Cowboys can afford to pay their assistant coaches more that we pay our head coach.
Maybe they just need some minor improvements that could be done with the A’s getting a new stadium somewhere (hopefully in San Jose). Like you said, new video boards, more open concorces with better options (although I must say I do like the Widmer stand behind my seats). Added seats for higher attendance would be great too.
No more raining on Bruins Nation's rainy parade, they took their ball and went home.
Yes. Add capacity, but let's address filling the capacity we have now, by winning some games!
"If your only ambition in life, is to be a better person; well, that's just the best ambition you can have..." Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew
The stadium would sell out...
If the team was consistently winning. To compare the revenue to that of the Cowboys is unfair however just looking at the ridiculousness of their stadium. I’m sure if the A’s were consistently in playoff contention instead of using themeselves as the best developmental team for pitching prospects the revenue would increase dramatically for both clubs.
Another reason
I cant stand the Cowboys.. Just looking at that stadium pisses me off. It ridiculous! The fucking jumbo screen is bigger than my town!
If winning isn't everything, why do they keep score?
- Vince Lombardi
The A's have been playoff contenders for much of the decade
and when they finally got to the ALCS a couple of years ago, they had the upper deck tarped off because they can’t draw. I agree that the Raiders games would sell out with a better product. It’s hard to sell the idea that JaGantus Russell is the face of your franchise and Cable is your head coach and expect great results at the gate. I also don’t think it’s unfair to compare the Raiders to any other team since they have to play in the same league (which points out the difference between the league’s most valuable franchise and its least valuable). The Cowboys turned their financial success and reinvested it into a monstrocity which will be a cash cow going forward, and ultimately that’s what you have to compete with.
No more raining on Bruins Nation's rainy parade, they took their ball and went home.
Its our year
I can just feel it in the air. Its only March, but, I can already hear the Autumn wind…
Its march already?
Damn! I forgot Febuary was a short month haha
If winning isn't everything, why do they keep score?
- Vince Lombardi
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
