One Fan's Take on the Raiders' Slow Times

Lucky.

In a way, I think I'm in a better position, being a fan of the Raiders.

How so?

Well, a couple things are different now. Back in the 80's, for example, most of the information came to people, how? Newspapers, or on TV. So, if you were stuck in a local cycle, with nothing but hearing the negative writers, you'd get depressed, pretty quick.

In this day and age, there's a lot of outlets, for fans to gain information.

Take a typical week, I can look at Yahoo, SI.com, Bleacher Report, Raiderfans.net, Silverandblackpride.com, and a personal favorite, theraidercast.com.

There's a vast assembly, of knowledge to dig through, sift through, and collect.

A few things, that can also shed some light, for some writers, like Rob Johnson, who seems to do nothing but hate.

First of all, not every single Raider fan, is a ranting drug addict, or a sociopath, or a killer. Lawyers, business owners, even tax attorneys make up the Raider Nation.

Secondly, they come in probably every color, but you could say, people love the rebel nature. After all, how many thought Darth Vader was cooler than Luke?

Thirdly, not every single person in the Raider Nation, will follow bootstep with the Raider choices, year in and year out.

A couple examples, to speak of, was when we snagged Michael Huff. Personally, I thought Vince Young could have done more for us. Or Matt Leinhart, since Young was gone.

As well, picking up Kerry Collins, I felt, was a step backwards in terms of QB ideas. I would have loved to seen what Kurt Warner could have done, as a Raider.....imagine him, and Tim Brown getting together.

Also, when we had the mistake of getting Aaron Brooks. I was originally on the boat for Culpepper, one season early, but considering that year, we didn't have an offensive line, Culpepper probably would have finished the season in a wheelchair, rather than being shut down by the Dolphins.

Part of being a Raider fan, is also knowing of your team's history. Relishing the good times. After all, who would have guessed, that Jim Plunkett, who was riding the bench when we swapped off Stabler, would come into the season, beat Stabler in the post season, and go on to win 2 super bowls?

Go ahead, do the odds.

You might have the odds, somewhere around playing minigolf, using a sand wedge, shooting the ball across the street, hitting a caddy on the adjacent course, and dropping it in, for a hole in one.

Or, simply, no one saw it coming.

The Raiders, have those habits, of finding things that work. Like grabbing up a Willie Brown from the Broncos, who was unhappy. Or finding Ray Guy, and taking him in the first round, shocking a lot of people. Or using a 3rd time around QB named Plunkett has a fallback, and having it pay off in rings?

Sure, the Raiders have had a hard time, these last few years.

Every club goes through them.

But if you want to fold up your tent, due to a bad period, you seem to give up real quick.

After all, how many fans left the Dolphins, who haven't been back to the Super Bowl since 1984?

Or how many fans, have left the Chiefs, since their last Super Bowl season, was in 1969....almost 40 years ago.

One thing, I have learned around here, in the Dakotas, is the trademark, of the Raiders.

Even when the team is doing bad, the fans, stay loyal, and faithful.

Not many teams, can claim to have fans that devoted.

Either that, or the other team's fans, aren't truly faithful.

Raider Nation.....we are strong.