Can an NFL Team Change?

Can an NFL team change? 

When a similar question was posed during the first day of a class at a community college in Texas, an older man about 55 years old raised his hand.  He answered, "Yes."

I asked him to come to the front of the class.  He had a baritone voice, a trace of a swagger, and a full, round face.  He told his story.  I was surprised at the details.

He shared, with confidence, "I used to be a user of "crack."  I thought, "Oh, my goodness, I did not expect this type of content."

He said, "I gave it up, after having a very unusual experience in Fifth Ward in Houston, Texas." He continued, "Now I am clean, and I am trying to get my associates degree."

He looked like an NFL fullback. He was recently honored at a TRIO banquet.  He was pictured, positively, with a Harris County Sheriff.

The reason he was free to share his story is because of the atmosphere I try to establish at the two year college.  You see, I believe people can change.  Do you?

Since I am a Raider fan, and since there are conversations shared over the years about different behaviors, allegations and reputations, I generalize the question, in my mind, and I asked myself, Can a team change?

This morning I did research on a player who sued someone for tagging him with "criminal behavior."  The former Raider lost the lawsuit, which charged a person with defamation.

I, again, thought: This Raider had a strong constitution and strong reaction to the labeling.  Others may need to do the same thing, because there are so many unfounded blogs and conversations about the negative side of historical stories.

A more tangible and documentable focus would be to ask the question, "Can a team change, and begin, again, a winning streak?"

The 2009 data will certainly document the answer to the question.

I say, yes, in anticipation.

What do you say about the Oakland Raiders?