FAN FOR HIRE! INQUIRE WITHIN
By John Leon
For more years than I care to admit, I’ve been an Oakland Raider fan. Yeah, I know, they’ve absolutely sucked over the past few years and up until this point, I’ve steadfastly stayed loyal to them.
But after this year’s draft, I can no longer sit back with my 3 Super Bowls and say with absolute confidence that this will turn around.
It’s just not gonna happen and there’s two words as to why. Al Davis.
The man has been: an innovator, Commissioner (AFL but still), an owner that would take scraps from other teams and mold them into winners, taken coaches that no one knew and made them Hall of Famers (see; Madden, John) and been a HOF member himself.
However, time has passed him by, the game has changed, the coaching carousel under his withering hand has become an embarrassment and the vaunted Silver and Black are no longer the Raiders of Stabler, Tatum, Haynes, Hayes, Matuszak and Biletnikoff. The fans are more intimidating at The Black Hole than the team!
They’ve become the joke of the NFL with the ridiculous contracts and drafts they have had over the last few havew benn awful and their fans are more intimidating at The Black Hole than the team!
They’ve become the joke of the NFL with the ridiculous contracts and drafts they have had over the last few years. Jamarcus Russell being the 3rd highest paid player in the League? Passing on Michael Crabtree AND Jeremy Maclin for Darius Hayward-Bey? Drafting a player (Michael Moore) that neither Mel Kiper, Jr. nor Todd McShay had even listed?
I’ve had enough!
So I’m a free agent fan, looking for another team to root for. I will still follow the Raiders but with less passion than before, but I want a team that will spur me to root for them. They will make me WANT to yell at the TV during the season and get upset at the play calling, all the while coaxing them on to the playoffs.
Some teams already off the list for obvious reasons such as Detroit (shocking there), Arizona (although they are getting better), Seattle, SF, San Diego (too far away), Denver (still have horse face Elway imprinted in my brain), Dallas, NY Giants, NY Jets, Washington (obvious reasons), Buffalo (T.O. anyone?), NE (hate Belichek), KC (always hated the Raiders arch rival), Cincinnati (their arrest record is better than their NFL record), Houston (ehh), Minnesota and Jacksonville (no reason just can’t get into them)
So that leaves: Miami, Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Colts, Tennessee, Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay, New Orleans, Green Bay, Chicago and Philly (although I can’t stand Andy Reid, especially his interviews….UGH!)
There’s the challenge everyone, make me want to root for a team and give me solid reasons why. I don’t want to hear about locale or because I should. I want good solid reasons that will make me go out and buy the jersey and get crazy on Game Days. Give me a reason to hope that MY team will rise to the top and become the one everyone talks about.
I’ve already been through the Al Davis funeral. The sad part is he doesn’t know he was in it.
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