Oakland Raiders: Raider Nation, it is time to rise up
September 23, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders fans celebrate after a fumble recovery against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter at O.co Coliseum. The Raiders defeated the Steelers 34-31. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
There’s a wind blowing in from the Pacific Ocean, and you can feel it in the air. The players roll onto the practice field with a swagger not seen in many, many years. It’s early, very early for sure, but Oakland Raiders Training Camp is different this year. It’s different from the last 10 years, because there’s a new attitude that’s got Raider Nation riveted to their seats. The Fan’s can’t take their eyes off the players practicing on the field, and others can’t get enough news or updates from the internet, television, etc…
Another way that shows Raider Nation that things are different is the way that other team’s fans treat us. If you haven’t seen the video of the Oakland Raiders fan at the Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp, watch it. What you’ll see is ignorance. A Chiefs fan decides to ridicule the Raiders fan. He goes on and on about this and that, ranting and raving about how good his Chiefs are and how bad the Raiders are. Then he makes the comment that stood out the most for me. He asks the Raiders fan when the last time his team was relevant. Of course we all know the answer to that one, 2002-2003. Then he has the gumption to ask when was the last time the Raiders were in the playoffs, duh! The Chiefs fan says, “When was the last time the Chiefs were in the playoffs?” Come on man, really!
Ignorance, that’s what Raider Nation deals with every year, every month, every day, every hour, and every second. Still, we stand on our own two feet. We hold our heads up high and take all the banter. Throw anything you want at us, we can take it. The Raiders fan at the Chiefs camp just stood his ground and let the other guy go on and on and on and on. It just shows how stupid the rest of the world really is.
Our team is on the rise, but other fans are going to try to beat us down before they see it on the field. This tells me one thing, the other fans are scared of the Raiders. They’re scared of the unknown. Nobody really knows how good or bad the Raiders are going to be this year, except Raider Nation. The other fans see or hear Raider Nation getting excited for the 2014 season and it scares them. The pirates are blowing in from sea, and they will be pillaging just for fun, and this scares the other fans. I love it!
Raider Nation knows that the last time the Chiefs were relevant, other than last year, was 2010 (knocked out of the playoffs), 2006 (knocked out of the playoffs), 2003 (knocked out of the playoffs), and on down the line. Did you know, the Chiefs have never won a Conference Championship since the NFL/AFL merger in 1970. You know what that means, that’s right, they don’t have any Super Bowl wins or appearances.
The Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders have won 5 Conference Championships, and they have taken home the Super Bowl trophy 3 times. That’s more than the Chiefs. The Chiefs have been in the playoffs 17 times, and the Raiders have been there 21 times. The Chiefs have 8 Division Championships, while the Raiders have 15 Division Championships. As a matter of fact, there is only one category that the Chiefs can actually say that they have us beat in. The Chiefs have 4 AFL Championships, and the Raiders only have 1 AFL Championship (prior to 1970).
So, of course, other teams fans want to beat us down before we are up. Yet, Raider Nation is beginning to stand again. So rise up! Rise up and be heard. Be proud that your team, the Oakland Raiders, is on the move to destiny once again. Be proud that the team is coming together and impressing their critics. Be proud to wear your colors anywhere and everywhere and pay no attention or heed to the blasphemers. All they are, all they’ll ever be, all they can be, are windbag’s full of hot air.
Rise up Raider Nation and start the chant; Raiders… Raiders… Raiders… Raiders… Raiders… Raiders! Raiders! Raiders! Go Raiders! Let me tell you all something, we will win, we will “Just Win Baby!” The Raiders will “Come and Get It!” Raider Nation is the best and we forget the rest!