Post by TheShadow on Oct 11, 2008 7:35:15 GMT -5
mvn.com
By Patrick Patterson
This is a dark time for the Raider Nation, as we have become a Nation divided upon ourselves. Some are furious at Al Davis for firing Lane Kiffin, whilst others are firmly in the Davis camp. The Nation is fed up with all the losing, and even moreso with the drama emanating from 1220 Harbor Bay Parkway in Alameda. Umer Waris says that its time for the Raider Nation to remember what makes us the greatest fan base in sports.
To Define a Member of the Raider Nation
Many are viewed as thugs, criminals and simply as low lives with nothing more than beer and drugs as their livelihood. Fans, who through the pirate with the patch, express their gang activity and find with the team, a lone island of cast offs.
That’s not why I’m a fan and I’m sure its the same for other Raider fans (Fanatics) everywhere around the world.
My journey into the Black Hole began with my uncle. He worked as the Security Director for Sheraton Hotel down in LA from 1988-1994. A time when LA was the home turf for the Raiders. With Sheraton being the only five-star hotel at the time, the Raiders would always rent a whole floor for their team. My uncle loved the passion that emanated form this group of guys, and he loved Raider football. He still does immensely. He pushed me into it as well and the more I indulged myself with Raider Football, the more love I had for the game of football.
To me, football was the Raiders.
To me, the Raiders have their own distinct personality. This is a personality only shared between the brothers and sisters of the Raider Nation. Al Davis has always been different and its his desire to be that renegade is what defines the Raiders and makes us Raider fans. The reason I believe the Raiders have such die-hards in their fan base is simply because the Raiders have a personality of their own. A personality that meshes into those only destined to be forever Raiders, win or lose; A personality of defiance, struggle and ultimately victory through that hard effort.
Being a Jewish man, Mr. Davis was denied many prominent positions in his early football coaching career. When he became the owner of the Raiders, he modeled the team around himself: Persevering until you reach the top. In short, a Commitment to Excellence in wanting to Just Win , Baby.
In the words of the late yet always great, Gene Upshaw in the 1980 Raiders America’s Game:
“We always told each other that guys, there aren’t many stops after Oakland… The reason the Raiders thrived so well is because Al Davis let players have a second chance and let them be who they were… Even with all those unique, distinct group of guys we all came together for one goal to Just Win, Baby!”
Why is the Autumn Wind a Raider… because its cold, its ferocious and its mean and it will never stop blowing on the land or the sea. That’s what Raider Nation and the Raiders are all about. We are all Raiders and the Autumn Wind. Never giving up, putting in your best and getting the fruit of your labor through your own determination and commitment.
These have been some tough time my Raider Brothers and to finish this article, I will copy a few lines that I posted as a comment in one of articles earlier.
I know a lot was expected from this team coming into this season.
The fact is that the way this offseason was progressing, the way Mr. Davis went into free agency and got Hall & Walker and the way Russell & McFadden were to be the next Bo & Gannon in the same time era, alot was simply expected from this team.
From all that went on in the combine to the mini camps to the draft and finally in the training camp, a lot of optimism was for the Raiders….. and the Haters felt it too, you guys. With those two last minute, humiliating, gut-thrashing, (Brother screaming in your face telling you how your team sucks and his Chargers are better), embarrassing losses to the Bills and Chargers only compounding our miseries for a team we love so dearly… it just hurts and I know you all fell the same as well. Nonetheless, our ties we share are of the same Silver & Black blood that gushes in our veins and with that, we are all family and we will never sever our allegiance to our Oakland Raiders!
There is no fan like a Raider fan and the evidence lies in the passion we share on gameday, on this website of TFDS and the bonds we hold as common brothers in the Nation of Raiders!
FORVER UNITED IS THE RAIDER NATION!
Umer Waris is a regular contributor to Thoughts from the Dark Side.
By Patrick Patterson
This is a dark time for the Raider Nation, as we have become a Nation divided upon ourselves. Some are furious at Al Davis for firing Lane Kiffin, whilst others are firmly in the Davis camp. The Nation is fed up with all the losing, and even moreso with the drama emanating from 1220 Harbor Bay Parkway in Alameda. Umer Waris says that its time for the Raider Nation to remember what makes us the greatest fan base in sports.
To Define a Member of the Raider Nation
Many are viewed as thugs, criminals and simply as low lives with nothing more than beer and drugs as their livelihood. Fans, who through the pirate with the patch, express their gang activity and find with the team, a lone island of cast offs.
That’s not why I’m a fan and I’m sure its the same for other Raider fans (Fanatics) everywhere around the world.
My journey into the Black Hole began with my uncle. He worked as the Security Director for Sheraton Hotel down in LA from 1988-1994. A time when LA was the home turf for the Raiders. With Sheraton being the only five-star hotel at the time, the Raiders would always rent a whole floor for their team. My uncle loved the passion that emanated form this group of guys, and he loved Raider football. He still does immensely. He pushed me into it as well and the more I indulged myself with Raider Football, the more love I had for the game of football.
To me, football was the Raiders.
To me, the Raiders have their own distinct personality. This is a personality only shared between the brothers and sisters of the Raider Nation. Al Davis has always been different and its his desire to be that renegade is what defines the Raiders and makes us Raider fans. The reason I believe the Raiders have such die-hards in their fan base is simply because the Raiders have a personality of their own. A personality that meshes into those only destined to be forever Raiders, win or lose; A personality of defiance, struggle and ultimately victory through that hard effort.
Being a Jewish man, Mr. Davis was denied many prominent positions in his early football coaching career. When he became the owner of the Raiders, he modeled the team around himself: Persevering until you reach the top. In short, a Commitment to Excellence in wanting to Just Win , Baby.
In the words of the late yet always great, Gene Upshaw in the 1980 Raiders America’s Game:
“We always told each other that guys, there aren’t many stops after Oakland… The reason the Raiders thrived so well is because Al Davis let players have a second chance and let them be who they were… Even with all those unique, distinct group of guys we all came together for one goal to Just Win, Baby!”
Why is the Autumn Wind a Raider… because its cold, its ferocious and its mean and it will never stop blowing on the land or the sea. That’s what Raider Nation and the Raiders are all about. We are all Raiders and the Autumn Wind. Never giving up, putting in your best and getting the fruit of your labor through your own determination and commitment.
These have been some tough time my Raider Brothers and to finish this article, I will copy a few lines that I posted as a comment in one of articles earlier.
I know a lot was expected from this team coming into this season.
The fact is that the way this offseason was progressing, the way Mr. Davis went into free agency and got Hall & Walker and the way Russell & McFadden were to be the next Bo & Gannon in the same time era, alot was simply expected from this team.
From all that went on in the combine to the mini camps to the draft and finally in the training camp, a lot of optimism was for the Raiders….. and the Haters felt it too, you guys. With those two last minute, humiliating, gut-thrashing, (Brother screaming in your face telling you how your team sucks and his Chargers are better), embarrassing losses to the Bills and Chargers only compounding our miseries for a team we love so dearly… it just hurts and I know you all fell the same as well. Nonetheless, our ties we share are of the same Silver & Black blood that gushes in our veins and with that, we are all family and we will never sever our allegiance to our Oakland Raiders!
There is no fan like a Raider fan and the evidence lies in the passion we share on gameday, on this website of TFDS and the bonds we hold as common brothers in the Nation of Raiders!
FORVER UNITED IS THE RAIDER NATION!
Umer Waris is a regular contributor to Thoughts from the Dark Side.