“End of an era” is a phrase that gets thrown around loosely
but Sunday in Oakland, CA will mark the last game the
Oakland Raiders will play at the Oakland-Alameda County
Coliseum before moving to Las Vegas.
The Raiders, who are 6-7, are still in the AFC playoff hunt
but are a longshot to reach the postseason as they host the
4-9 Jacksonville Jaguars. The Raiders finish the season with
road games at the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos.
The reasons behind the move to Las Vegas and fans view it
were discussed in this space two years ago:
To add context, I am a lifelong San Francisco 49ers fan but
spent 18 years as a sports reporter in the newspaper industry,
mostly for Napa Valley Publishing, based out of Napa, CA,
where the Raiders make their training camp home. In addition
to NVP, I also had the opportunity to become a contributing
freelance writer for a Raider fan magazine, Silver & Black
Illustrated. I took many slings and arrows from friends and family
who are 49er fans but being a professional, how could I resist
that opportunity?
As an 8-year old child, I vaguely remember rooting for the
Raiders in Super Bowl XV against the Philadelphia Eagles. I
even remember wearing a Raiders hat, as in the trucker mesh
variety. Then, the 49ers greatness began and the Raiders
decided to move to Los Angeles, where they called home from
1982-1994. Boo, hiss. In Northern California, we were taught at
an early age to despise Southern California teams. So, my
passion turned toward the 49ers and I loathed the Raiders in
their Los Angeles years. However, if the team moved back to
Oakland, I would not give up my 49er fan roots but I could get
behind supporting the Raiders in the interest of Bay Area
solidarity.
From 1999-2004, I put that hatred aside and became a
professional. It was easy from 1999-2002 because the Raiders
were a fun team to cover. Four straight playoff appearances,
two AFC Title game appearances and one Super Bowl
appearance. Then, 2003-2004 happened, the team became
an old and decaying one. I resigned in training camp 2005
because American Sports Media, which owned SB&I, was
forgetting one small thing -- paying me on time. However, I am
eternally grateful for senior writer Michael Wagaman for reaching
out to give me the opportunity that was great for five years.
The Coliseum has a very Candlestick-ian feel -- as in Candlestick
Park, which was both the home of the 49ers and Major League
Baseball’s San Francisco Giants. The Coliseum remains the
last multi-purpose stadium and will be the home of MLB’s
Oakland Athletics for the foreseeable future. Like Candlestick,
the Coliseum is a dump in an era of modern facilities. To
Raiders fans, however, it was their dump just like Candlestick
was their dump to 49er fans.
The common narrative is that the shiny new facility in Las
Vegas will not bring the home field advantage that Oakland
had. While it is true that winning will bring fans, there is no
way Las Vegas will love the team like Oakland did. The
team is also rebuilding, which is just as likely to become empty
promises as it is a bill of goods. The Black Hole can relocate
there but it will not be the same. Las Vegas is also just as likely
to be a place where fans from cold weather climates buy up
tickets to support the opposing team.
Before I make my next point, I want to make one thing entirely
clear, I think fans should do what feels right for them. If you are
a Raider fan over age 45, I ask you one question. You are old
enough to have seen your team leave twice. If you are steadfast
in remaining a Raiders fan, I ask -- why? I just find it strange
how the Golden State Warriors, who played in Oakland for 48
years before moving to the Chase Center in San Francisco
scorn the move but still see the Raiders leaving Northern
California as no big deal. Keep in mind, many Raider fans
support the Warriors. Then, the same fans sardonically refer
to the 49ers as the Santa Clara 49ers. Granted, these are
segmented examples but my point is, at least the 49ers and
Warriors did not leave Northern California.
When I see the Raiders moving to Las Vegas, I hearken back
to 1992 as a San Francisco Giants fan. The Giants had one
foot out the door on their way to Tampa Bay. I was only 20
years old in 1992 and had only been a Giants fan for ten
years. I thought little of it then, “I’ll cross that bridge when I
come to it.” Thankfully, that reality never came to fruition
thanks to Peter McGowan and Barry Bonds.
Oddly enough, in light of the Raiders moving to Las Vegas,
I think of my plight as a Giants fan more often. Would I have
remained a Giants fan? At the time, my thought was “I’ll cross
that bridge later.” Right now, I say no. I probably would have
adopted another National League team.
While people besmirch bandwagon fans, my argument is that
it’s harder to stay loyal when teams and even coaches and
players do not have loyalties.
If you are a Raider fan, enjoy the last chapter at the Coliseum
but if being done with the team feels right for you, do it with no
guilt. If continuing to root for them feels right, I don’t understand
it but do it no guilt anyhow.
No comments:
Post a Comment