1967. My Dad brought his 6 year old son to the Oakland Coliseum to see his first professional football game. I don't remember much of the game, but my Dad pulled some strings (from his old sportscaster days) and got us into the catacombs of the stadium. I was introduced to a bunch of really big guys whom I didn't know. They showed me all around the player areas and invited my Dad and I to have dinner with them at Ricky's Hyatt House.
Since that day. I have been a Raider fan. We lived in a modest middle class neighborhood 4 houses down from Jim Otto. (Football didn't pay very well then). Sometimes during the season, the entire Raider team would be at Mr. Otto's house (as well as all the neighbor kids). They were extremely friendly, in putting up with a bunch of wide eyed kids, and usually ended up in an impromptu scrimmage in the middle of the block.
Those were innocent times, away from multi million dollar contracts, when football was pure and was played for love of the game and not love of the money. I look at my Raiders as a team made up of a bunch of cast-offs, mostly veteran, no massive ego-millionaires. Some of the guys could have a better past. Some should probably look at retiring soon. But the overall feel I get for the Raiders is that they play for the love of the game still. There are a couple exceptions but not very many, or they wouldn't last long on the team. They get the job done. Sometimes these old dogs have a few dirty tricks up their sleeves.
Always and forever a Raider fan. Good times, bad times, L.A. or Oakland. I'll always root for them.
