Four observations from Oakland Raiders HBO Hard Knocks Episode 1

Family first

It there was one theme that I felt was a constant in Episode 1, it was the fact that the Raiders organization is one big family. In fact, Gruden ended his first meeting with the team by stating that, “Once a Raider, always a Raider.”

Whether the focus was on the team’s family day, or the Raiders alumni dinner, the show certainly keyed in on the fact that this organization is special. In the saddest moment of the program, the focus then shifted to Cliff Branch, a member of the Raiders family who died unexpectedly this past weekend in his sleep at age 71.

Raider Nation is an incredibly tight-knit group, from the celebrity fans, to the thousands of people who came out to watch this team kick off training camp this past week. The emphasis was put on the fact that the Raiders take care of their own, and those who do not want to be a part of it, can leave (Ronald Ollie).