With Rich Gannon Slight: The Raiders Continue To Alienate Their Fans

Rich Gannon, the last Raider Quarterback to start in a Superbowl and continues to be a favorite of fans was once again dissed by the Raiders organization when he offered his help to right a few of the many wrongs going on in Oakland.  There is no need to go over it in any detail, but to put it simply.  Gannon offered to help the Raiders anyway he could.  John Herrera came back and said "you need help" not us.  Gannon's ego was bruised and he said never again. What the Raiders don't see is simple things like this continues to push an already strained fan base farther away. 

The first problem here is Raider fans continue to love and embrace Gannon as the last great Raider Quarterback. A Quarterback that took this once great franchise to its last Superbowl.  Gannon embodies everything a Raider fan looks for in a Quarterback.  He's tough, scrappy, strong willed, strong minded and lastly, he was written off as a career backup before coming to the Raiders where he flourished and became a pro-bowl caliber player.  The Colosseum would sell out again if fans found out an ageing Gannon was re-hired and starting in the place of JaMarcus Russell.

When fans hear that Gannon is offering his help to bring back a franchise that has for too long now lingered on the brink of being insignificant, they get excited.  That excitement builds as fans day dream of Gannon lending his skills to make Bruce Gradkowski the next Raider starter, or JaMarcus Russell into a quality back-up.  But those day dreams are quickly dashed as the Raiders organization responds the worst way possible.

This brings us to the second part of the problem.  The Raiders parade out John Herrera to verbally assault Gannon and tell him the Raiders want nothing to do with him.  Does Mr. Herrera think that he's continuing the "Raider Mystique" or simply trying to seem tough by bad mouthing a Raider great?  Most Raider fans will side with Gannon over John Herrera. 

This sends a couple clear messages to the Raider Fan base:

1) The Raiders have stopped caring about their legacy.  They are more then willing to turn their back on a former player who is still loved across the fan base.  This isn't the first time.  Last year Tim Brown made a similar offer to the Raiders to help in anyway he could.  At least then, John Herrera didn't come out and tell Brown to mind his own business.  Brown was simply ignored.  Fans were still dismayed though, that Brown wasn't brought into the organization again in at least an advisory roll.

2) The Raiders will do very little to bring the Fans back on board.  It is Als way or the highway.  If the fans don't want to wait for Al Davis and John Herrera to fix the Raiders, then please, take a hike!

I think Raider Fans would like Rich Gannon to know one thing though.  Thank you for the offer Rich! Thank you very much.  It is good to know there is someone out there in professional sports that wants to make the Raiders great again.