RealGM

I do realize that this is off topic but in a way its a fans (Which is me) is coming to his end of supporting and rooting for a team he has loved well over 30 years of his life.
Well here it is folks.
As of today I have washed my hands with the Oakland Raiders and their Org. Period.
I have been a loyal fan well over 30 years since I was a little boy.
The same love and passion that I have had for both of my only two profesional teams I have ever cheered for rooted for and supported most of my life.
I have rooted for the Raiders since Lyle Alzado, Jim Plunkett, Marcus Allen, Howie Long, the one and only and my favoirte player ever in the game of football, BO Jackson.
I actually cried when Alzado died from Cancer, or when Bo retired, just like Majic left the Lakers
The silver and black, the Raiderettes, I think Im going to miss them more than the whole team.
I have supported the move from Oakland to LA and back to Oakland, but lately (4 years) I have been very disappointed in the F.O and mainly at Al Davis.
I think the problem is Al Davis in General.
He is very cheap and his only concern is MONEY and as a fan I think he has distroyed this team that I have loved so long as a true fan since he took them out of LA.
He has no idea who to draft and who to have as a coach.
Lets look at histroy.
Every player that ever played for the Raiders org. that moved on has been successful (Randy Moss) Every coach that ever coached for him that has moved on has been successfull (Norv turner).
I mean these are only a couple of examples but personally I think the whole Raiders Org. is a bust.
They have had the top draft picks every year, but havent really been wise about there selection and choices.
Im not selling out my team, I have been at so many games when I was young, I have met Ron Brown Marcus Allen, Sapp, Bo Jackson, I have all their Jerseys Auth and I wear them at every game or event that NFL related but I have had my heart broken year after year.
Its sad and I am disguted about this team now and I will no longer root for any other team.
I am not leaving the Raiders for another teams , that would only make me a bandwagon jumper, but I will stop rooting for the Raiders and only be a fan that cheers for the game and not a team in General.
So I wanted to share that with you guys and see what your reaction wouldve been if this was the Lakers, or any other team you are a fan of, and please dont reply that " I would never stop rooting for my team" or " I bleed blah blah blah"
If you guys know me as a Laker fan then thats how I was as a Raiders fan.
I have gotten in serious brawls at certain places for Repping the Raiders. I have been at games when it was pouring rain and everyone left while my team was down by 25 points. I have had many personal realtionships with some of these players since I was a little boy.
I have played Basketball with Bo Jackson many many times at Coto De Casa and we use to play on certain days and he would invite all of us to a lot of his events he use to host and a few games.
I have had some of the most wonderfull memories as a child as a Raider fan but those days have long come and gone.
And now I have come to the end of the road as a fan for my favorite team.

Skip Al Davis and his Commitment To Excellence................ What a Freaking Joke.

Nah man, there has to be fan accountability on the part of the owners. If a franchise screws you over enough it's fair. Al is probably either senile, on drugs, or both. He's not fair and if he's about "just win baby" he's forgotten that you have to set yourself up to win and not just demand results from thin air.

A-I'm sorry your team crapped on your fanship

B-I would jump on the Seahawk bandwagon... interesting storyline this year despite their media non-coverage. http://www.realgm.com/boards/viewforum.php?f=177

Bo Jackson in my mind is the best pure running back to ever play the game. However, back in 1995 when both the raiders and the rams left L.A. My heart was broken . Both teams can suffer as long as I live, along with the NFL!

to answer your question, yes.

I was a Raider fan as well, I was tired of the fans nearly as much as the team. So many Raider fans thinking they are part of a big gang, and acting a fool. The last straw was that Raider fan that shanked that Charger fan down in San Diego. I'm now a passionate Ravens fan.

I've always been a Raiders fan.

Even as a kid.

But I was more influenced by my hood than their game-play or culture.

I liked their uniforms and BJ. (pun acknowledged, not intended)

I never liked Al Davis though.

Never liked his vibe, and didn't ever like what he did with his team (via direction, planning, etc - what Tony said)

So yeah, if you feeling like your team can't get you off, then it's time to move on to better things!

IE- You can focus that energy and be a bigger Laker fan or make diss-songs about Al Davis.

And no, you're not a bad fan.

Everyone's different.

In fact, I just picked up some (Black&Grey Reebok) Raiders' kicks.

I think you're still a Raiders fan - you just got problems with the ppl in charge. (I can relate, believe me, hehe)

Well since we're both venting, F'k that old fart A-Davis.

Rox_Nix_Nox wrote:to answer your question, yes.

Okay I can except that answer only if you care to explain.

He's a post-padder.

Verbal wrote:He's a post-padder.

Well he said Im a bad fan, I seriously like to know why he felt that way.

tony

cubs fans..

He's a post-padder.

i'll be a post-padder..that's cool i can accept that, it's not a bad thing... better than someone writing some boring/all ready said paragraph about their view on the lakers SF position..

While I can't imagine the circumstances it would take to get me to quit following the Lakers and the Vikings, the only people on this earth that I am blindly loyal to are my family and a few select friends.

Can't take Rox_Nix_Nox too seriously.

At least I can't.

Well, Tony.

I feel your pain ( kinda) and here is why. I grew upa DIE hard Rams fan. In the 80's I couldnt tell you who I loved more. The Rams or the Lakers ( and the Rams were not very good) I still have hauting memories of the 79 superbowl againsts the Steelers where the Rams had the lead only to blow it. Vince Farragamo, Jack Youngblood, Henry Ellard, Erick Dickerson -- my childhood football heros'

Well after the BLEEP BLEEPIN BLEEP-Hole Georgia moved the team to St Louis I was shocked, crushed , saddend , devasted -- I went into Football hiatus. Yes, they were Superbowl contenders shortly afterwards, but I gave up. I couldnt root for a team from St. Louis and I couldnt root for Georgia. I was done.

After a few years, I decided it was time to start over --- so I went with my first req. Southern California. I have been a Charger fan ever since.

Sometimes things/people can really F-up your fandom -- and we as fans have no control.

Now that the BLEEPING BLEEP BAG Georgia is passed away - I dont feel some much angst. At this point I will always be a Charger fan for life. However, if the Rams want to move back to LA then I would be a dual football fan. In fact, I have proposed an idea in my head for over 10 years. Send the AZ Cardinals back to St Louis and give LA back the Rams! I guess nobody is listening..

Anywho, I understand you man. Al Davis has meant alot to the NFl and Raider fans over the years... but the past 10-20 years have been patheticlly run and he has literally turned the Raiders and the Raider Nation into a Black Hole. He should have never let Bruce Allen leave ( to Tampa with Gruden) and his recent and consistent moves ( Kiffin) is further proof that the Raiders will only get past this , when AL Davis is gone and NEW management assumes control.

Good Luck my friend--- you will have the Lakers and the Dodgers to keep you busy!

Phil_2.0 wrote: I still have hauting memories of the 79 superbowl againsts the Steelers where the Rams had the lead only to blow it.

Ahhh...............one of the best days in my childhood, my Steelers blastin the Rams. Loved every minute of it even when we we're trailing I had faith in my boys to pull if off.

Sorry Phil

DEEP3CL wrote:

Phil_2.0 wrote: I still have hauting memories of the 79 superbowl againsts the Steelers where the Rams had the lead only to blow it.

Ahhh...............one of the best days in my childhood, my Steelers blastin the Rams. Loved every minute of it even when we we're trailing I had faith in my boys to pull if off.

Sorry Phil

The last Steeler Super Bowl win was a controversial one vs my Seahawks... I'm gonna go back and see if that lame ass pair of calls was by Ed Hochuli. What a waste of Alexanders mvp year. So I guess you got one on me too.

Oh I thought this was B-scotts topic when I first read. Oops

It's too bad they fired Lane Kiffin. Now, none of us will know what happened behind the scenes, but he had them being steered in the right direction.

The Raiders are going to be better. JaMarcus is a good player and they need to hire a young co-ordinator around the league, looking for a shot.

I hate using the Falcons as an example, but look at Wade Smith and the philosophy he's brought in after all that went on last year. He's going to be a good coach. They need someone like him.

Most of all, I think Al Davis needs to step back and take a "back seat" approach. He's near 80, and he should start letting the GM and the new coach make the football decisions. He's putting a lot of pressure on everybody in the organization, just by him being there.

To answer your question.. I would not say your a bad fan.

I came into loving the NFL the day the Falcons beat the Packers years ago in the playoffs in Lambeau after watching Michael Vick do this thing. Here was this fresh, young quarterback.. giving the NFL some life to me. The CFL (Canadian Football League) is more of a passing game, wider field, etc.. and that's always been more "exciting football" to me. It's what I grew up watching, and I couldn't find the same love with an NFL team. My brother is a Packers fan (My brother and I are Edmonton Eskimo fans in the CFL, and if you look at them, they have similar colours to the Packers, which is why he chose them).

So watching that playoff game that one night made me a fan of Michael Vick and the Falcons. I did not know if I was a Falcon fan or a Michael Vick fan, but all I knew, was that I was checking the Falcons daily newspapers, and dreaming of them winning a Superbowl so Vick could hold it in the air. Now, with what's gone on with him and the dog fighting issue and the Falcons taking a "distance" role with him, I haven't been a fan of them. I haven't watched much of their games, just check the box scores and stuff.

Was I a bad fan for that reason? I don't know to this day, but all I know.. is that once I'm loyal to something, I can't seem to give it up. Even though Michael Vick's gone through a hell of a lot, and a lot of people hate him now, I'm still waiting for him to get out of jail and hopefully do his thing again. Maybe Oakland will be the one to sign him in July when he gets out? If JaMarcus keeps struggling, I think Al Davis would be the one person crazy enough to just try it.

So maybe people could comment on my "NFL situation."

Rox_Nix_Nox wrote:tony

cubs fans..

whats wrong with cubs fans

To clear things up a bit.
Its not like I just woke up yesterday morning and decided that Im giving up on the Raiders.
Not at all.
My first initial problem I had was when Gruden left for Tampa, not that I cared but if you recall that was the year the Raiders went to the Superbowl, well lets just say I went to Vegas and placed a huge amount of money of my bloved Radiers.
I recieved numorous phone calls of certain people I know that were invited to that game in San Diego, these are some high people in the sports world and all the calls to me was a warning not to bet on the Raiders since Gruden was basically running his Defense to play the Raiders Offense.
And guess who the coach of the Raiders was............Yup the protoje of Gruden the guy who was the assistant coach of the Raiders, and guess what the Raiders did..........not a dam thing, they still ran the same offense that was basically built and designed by Gruden..............WTF.
So anyhow after that and all the disappointment of year after year finishing in the Last palce or second to the last palce or the bottom of the pile made me realize that this team and the way the F.O and the way they draft has lost it winning edge and they will never be as domintainting as the were in the past.
Dont get me wrong I am pissed and Im upset but deep inside I still have love for the silver and black............but like Verbal said..............SKIP AL DAVIS........... as long as he is involved with this Org, they will never become winners again.

I just saw Al Davis on ESPN.

Wow...

It looks like he's slippppppin-into-darknesssss!