Why I?m An Oakland Raiders Fan?-I'll Tell Ya

When I was a kid I was brought up to be a 49ers fan, which is my father’s favorite football team. My mother tried to dress me in Redskins gear when I was young, but I didn’t like them. As years went by, I started to realize I was just kind of rolling on the bandwagon because everyone around me besides one friend (who is a Raiders fan) was a 49ers fan.

So instead of not watching the Oakland Raider games at all (my Mom just didn‘t like them), I went over to my friend Diego’s house to watch them beat the 49ers (when Chucky was coaching) and all of the sudden, I had made a change. At the time of the change, I believe I was about ten years old and really didn’t know much about football. Seeing that old man walk the sidelines from time to time, make gestures, be seen up in his personal booth, wearing his stylish silver & black gear also made me want to be a fan of <b>his</B> team. So I started to watch the Raiders more & more, and started learning their glorious and hard-hitting past by checking out their history on the net. Three years ago, for a high school project in my HTML class, I looked up their past again, and made a website tribute towards the Oakland Raiders.

I started at the beginning, that’s right, the VERY beginning. It took me a few weeks to put all 7 pages (not double spaced with some pictures) into my website which also featured a HOF gallery, Raiders Greatest Moments, All Coaches Bio‘s, and a six page story of our Superbowl wins & losses. I don’t regret one word written or typed. Although it was a rough project, I enjoyed every minute and I’d do it again.

I’ll tell you something, there’s nothing better than waking up on Sunday’s during football season. Whether I’m on my way to Oakland Coliseum to watch them live or sitting on that couch at home, the Raiders give me another reason to live. The excitement of Raiders Football compares to nothing in my book.
I do think sometimes that I may be or become the biggest Raiders fan of all time, but how cruel would that be to single out the rest of the Raider Nation who bleeds that silver & black and still comes out to show their love for the best team in the world on Sundays? The truth is, there is no “biggest” or “best” fan, no matter how much you know, or how much you spend, I’m sure every player of the Oakland Raiders would be happy to have you and I as fans.
Al Davis is a a great man. He started it all, from coaching to owning, he bleeds that silver & back for sure. I admire him and he was also one of the factors that made me want to be a Raider fan. Say what you want about him, but in some cases he could be even viewed as a God. As a matter of fact, he is a God. Only a God would provide someone with so much joy and excitement. He may not answer all of your "Please trade ____", "Hire _____", Start _____", and "Draft _____" prayers, but he has done enough for his beloved Raider Nation. I thank him for that.

Every monday is a fresh, new, Raider Week. After I have screamed, thrown stuff at the T.V., cheered, ate, and stomped on Sunday, I go to a great place to spread my thoughts on the day's game by sharing with the rest of the Nation. I go online to this message board, and I also get on the radio KSFO 560 (my handle is AJ-my real name) and share my thoughts and ideas there as well. after the crazy hours of raider football, the week starts all over again and I pick up every day's paper, and read every article of every day about The Raiders. I go on this message board <U>every day</U>, it it a part of my life now. Talking, sharing ideas, or even asking for some fantasy advice/giving fantasy advice great.

My school knows me as the biggest Raiders fan of all time. One time, someone asked me or actually told me: "You don't bleed silver & black", and I said: "Oh, yes I do." Nobody wanted to prove me wrong, so I just kept on doing my thing. I guess I rep my silver & black a lot, but why not? I don’t even notice sometimes that I wear Raiders stuff (not the same shirts/jerseys, different ones) three days in a row. I know this team in & out, I know their weaknesses and I know their strengths. Even though we haven’t had the best Win & Loss total since 2002, I still commit to watch every second of Raiders Football. Whether they are losing 100 to nothing, Al Davis, Lane Kiffin, the Raiders and the Raider Nation should know, I’m behind this team 110%. Although I will admit it has been very hard at times being a Raiders fan, especially showing up to school every day to hear the same damn thing.

I try to ignore the people at my school who tend to cheer mostly for the 49ers, I say “You just wait, we’ll return to greatness, because I have hope, and I can still say I am proud to be an Oakland Raiders Fan”. I love this team, I love the fans, I love Raider Football. The excitement of when you get your ticket checked and our walking into the coliseum…it is the greatest. It is my home away from home. I can be with all my brothers and sisters and cheer for our favorite team. Walking up that ramp, blood pumping, adrenaline mounting, “RAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDDDDDDDDERRRRRRRSSSSSSSSSS ”. Everyone thinks I’m obsessed and that’s why I live, talk, breathe, eat, and sleep Raiders Football, but obsessed isn’t the word, no, I am PROUD.

Why am I an Oakland Raiders fan? Well, I think I already answered that question.