Take A Bow Oakland Raiders, You Deserve It!

The Oakland Raiders have a long tradition of excellence. From the classic teams of the 1970's and 1980's, to the playoff teams of the early 1990's, to the most recent 2002 Super Bowl team; the Raiders have a storied past that speaks volumes in the history of the NFL.

Though the past seven years have been absolutely brutal, the recent losing seasons do not diminish the glory that is the Oakland Raiders.

What other franchise in the NFL can earmark so many significant games that had meaning beyond just the franchise itself? Not many, if any. The Oakland Raiders are synonymous with big games, storied plays, and charismatically famous players.

The list of accolades for the Raiders is long, and like Madonna, Prince, or Jordan the Oakland Raiders are well-known for their famous players known by one name only. Madden. Stabler. Tatum. Howie. Bo. The list goes on.

The Raiders changed the way NFL games are officiated and the rules associated with the game. Take the Holy Roller against San Diego for example. The Raiders also have more famously known games than any other franchise: The Heidi game, The Sea of Hands game, the Immaculate Reception, The Ghost to the Post game, Black Sunday, The Tuck.

A lot of people and historians look at the Raiders and see a bunch of renegades and mavericks that joined together on one team over the years and played their butts off. These assumptions would be correct!

The bigger the maverick the more he would fit in with the Raiders. You were a renegade? You have a home in Oakland. Even when they went to Los Angeles, the Raiders became the talk of the town. They took over Los Angeles.

Hip Hop artists and people of all varieties wore the silver and black colors as the Raiders became the toast of Los Angeles. The Oakland Raiders were like celebrities wherever they went. A winning team filled with players that had star qualities on and off the field fueled the Los Angeles area with passion, pride, and excitement.

Every other team in the NFL likes to play the Raiders and try to beat them because of their long and storied tradition. Each team in the AFC West has what they call "Raider Week" in anticipation of the coming game against Oakland.

When the Raiders moved back to Oakland for the 1995 season, a part of their glorious past returned with them. Though there have been some tough times for the Raiders in recent years, they will return with a vengeance starting this coming season.

The NFL needs the Raiders to be good and winning games. They want the Raiders to be winners, the Raiders are one of the most recognizable and famous of all sports teams, not just football.  The Raiders sell merchandise, have a strong following, and have the most loyal fans in all of football.

Take a bow Oakland Raiders players both past and present, as well as the organization; and fans alike. You have earned a place in history as an important part of sports culture; and we look forward to many great players, games, and memories in the coming seasons.

"Just Win Baby."