Raiders Fan 101

I’ll never forget my first game back after the Raiders returned to Oakland. The Coliseum lot was nearly full and we were having a tough time finding a parking spot, until some dude jumped out and waved us down. He and his buddies promptly cleared their barbecue and chairs out of the way so we could park. That’s the kind of neighborly Raiders fan story you read in the media every day, isn’t it?

Fast forward to last week. My cousin and I ended up parked next to a guy and his teenage son. They had driven up from San Bernardino County. They were cool cats. They gave us hot dogs off their grill. I could go on with similar stories…My point is that you may be reading Raider Take as a curious observer, and not necessarily a member, of the Raider Nation. You may have never heard the good news. You may have been fed so much propaganda that you are afraid to attend a Raiders game. You may have read this recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle, which tries, yet characteristically fails, to be positive. You may be on the fence, unsure and uncertain. Well, it’s time to get off the fence. It’s time to join the Raider Nation. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Check your baggage at the door. You have no doubt absorbed many lies and exaggerations about Raiders fans, whose passion and intensity are too often mistaken for crudeness and criminality. This misimpression has been perpetuated by lazy sportswriters and commentators who don’t like to let research get in the way of an easy deadline or a cheap laugh. Leave this baggage behind, open your mind and see for yourself. You will be pleasantly surprised.

2. The Coliseum is perfectly safe. That said, don’t look for trouble in any crowd of 50,000, because you can always find it. That’s not a Raiders issue, it’s a common sense issue. It applies to 49ers games, Britney Spears concerts or wherever. On the off chance that trouble finds you, take it easy and walk away. Swallow your pride, not your teeth.

3. Have fun and be yourself. At last week’s game, my cousin and I met three Raiders fans from England. One was dressed in a long white and red Anglican smock, and he was stoked about having just met Gorilla Rilla. That must have been a sight. The point is that you can come in a t-shirt or dressed as a space alien. As long as you bleed silver and black, the Raider Nation embraces you.

4. Learn as you go. Raiders fans are passionate about their heritage, which includes frequent arcane references to things like the Sea of Hands, Mad Stork and Immaculate Reception. Don't worry if you don't have a clue about this stuff. There are no pop quizzes here. As Raiders fans, we are proud of the past, but we consider you part of our future, even if you’ve never heard of Heidi.

In closing, consider yourself cordially invited to join the unparalleled fans of the greatest team in the National Football League. We'll see you at the game.