Lasting Echoes of The Autumn Wind
When it comes to remarkable memories, the Oakland Raiders lead the NFL pack. Some of these memories are heartbreaking, such as the Immaculate Deception and the Tuck (rhymes with…) Rule. Most, however, are magnificent. Kenny Stabler falling to his knees, flicking the ball through a Sea of Hands…Jack Tatum separating man from helmet in Pasadena…Bo Jackson running over Brian Bosworth and Seattle Seahawks on Monday night…The list is almost infinite, thanks to our team’s flair for the dramatic. Heck, even last year’s utter defensive beatdown of the Steelers gave us something to remember amid an otherwise radioactive experience.As you know, I haven’t been writing much lately, and for no good reason. I’m as fired up as always about the season, and I even called the team today to check on the status of my season tickets (much to my dismay, they could arrive as late as August 1, which is cutting it a bit too close for my tastes, considering that the preseason begins on August 11). Raider de Coachella, however, shocked me out of my writing stupor by sending an email today suggesting that we take a quick trip down memory lane while we wait for the real action to begin.
It got me thinking not only of the aforementioned epic moments, but my own favorite memories. Sure, we all agree on the big stuff. But what about the less obvious, but equally important, personal moments? Stuff that won’t make a dent in the history books but that, for whatever reason, loom large in our own individual memories?
Following are a few of my favorite moments, and they star some unlikely characters, specifically James Jett and Rick Mirer…What are yours? Maybe it happened in person, or on television, perhaps when you were a child. Maybe it wasn’t even a game, but an off-field encounter with a player. Tell us about your favorite moments in the comments section—and why they personally mattered to you.
I so vividly remember this play for a variety of reasons. A cousin of my wife sent me a pair of his tickets to this game, so it didn’t cost me anything. Better yet, they turned out to be the best seats I’d ever had: Row 5 of Section 127, in the heart of the north end zone, which just happened to be where Mirer went airborne. I thought he might helicopter right into my seat.
The Raider Nation erupted into an ear-splitting roar in appreciation of Mirer’s will to win in the twilight of a lost season. And win he did, joining a masterful defensive effort to help orchestrate one of the few bright spots of the year. I’ll never forget it.
I was atop
Little did I know at the time, but the Raiders were on the cusp of a tremendous run over the next three seasons. In retrospect, this game—with Gannon & Co. gutting out a close victory—was a clear sign of things to come.
posted by Raider Take at 4:01 PM
58 Comments:
I was at that Jets game. You failed to mention the Raiders were down by 20 or so points at one point and came back to tie it, only to win it with Jett's catch. During the comeback, the Coliseum was so loud when the Raiders were on D and it got only louder with every 3-and-out the D forced...I think that's the loudest I've ever heard it. That game rocked.
Awesome! I thought that my memory might have gotten exaggerated over time, but you have verified exactly what I remember, the utter loudness of that game, and especially that touchdown. I was way up on Mt. Davis and I still couldn't hear myself screaming over the chorus of white noise.
Here's one I remember, and it goes back awhile...so far that I had to look up the details of the game.
It was 1984. I was 14 years old, my parents had just gotten divorced the year before and I was stuck at my father's apartment with virtually nothing to do (I'm sure many of you have also been in the infamous no-games-at -the-other-parents-house situation before).
But this weekend was different. The Los Angeles Raiders were going into Miami to play the 12-1 Dolphins. The game was on national TV (at least in the central NJ area) and I was ready to go. It was one of the only Raiders games I ever recorded and I did it on my father's brand new Sony Betamax.
The Raiders won that day 45-34 in hostile territory against the powerful Dolphins in what turned out to be a very exciting game. Although the tape has been lost to the ages...as well of most of the details that I recall...the one play I remember was a typically elusive Marcus Allen TD run and the broadcaster's proclamation of: "Marcus Allen...oh, what a change of direction...touchdown!!" I remember replaying that scene over and over and over again...
RaiderMemories:
There have been so many over the years but it is easy to remember the greatist....
3 "SB" wins were great and even the losses were excitting including the "AssWhooping" we took at the hands of "TB"....the week I was in "SD" with the fans was so much fun....the 10 years I was involved with the Raider Booster Clubs and all the activities with the team....Draft Day Parties sponsored by AlDavis....Trainning Camp activities and being able to work security for the "93" camp in Oxnard.....all the players and coaches I was able to meet and share a beer with some while at the activities....And the great games I attended in LA and in OakTown....But the #1 Greatist memory was a game I did not attend....it was just on TV but it stands out over all the rest in my memory....
"Snake" -v- BretJones in the "DoubleOvertime" "PlayOff" Game.....I don't even remember what year it was or how far we went in the play-offs that year...all I remember is the "Sea-saw" Battle that was fought out on the field....every time the Raiders had a lead BertJones would come out as a "Cocky" Confident "QB" and march down the field for another "TD"....Then in would come the "Snake" and return the favor with a "TD" stike of his own....They went back and forth until the end of the 4th quarter and the score was a tie....my memory says 28-28 but now I need to go look it up to remember....
In the first overtime the teams became conservitive....each one affraid to make a mistake which would give the game away....so many times it looked like the Raiders would take it and than it looked like we would loose it....the emotions were so high for so long it was just unbelievable....
In the second "OT" the raiders came out and took the game away....I believe it was a field goal by Blanda or EarlMann that finished the game....I remember I could no longer control my emotions....I was all over the place with excitement that lasted for days on end.....
I can't remember anything that excited me more that that one game....I know I was young....sometime in my "20"s....but if I could relive that moment in time I would go back in a second....
Does anyone know if it is posible to purchase DVD's of games like that, I am ready to spend my money on it, let me know if it is available....
PantyRaider....GreatistMemories!!!!
I could not find a Re-Cap at Raiders.com but found it at another site.....I was wrong about the score and how the game was won.....but it was 30 years ago so my mind has lost something with time....Growing old is so painful....From "27" to "57".....
On Dec. 24, 1977: The Raiders were on the other end of a classic playoff game, this time beating the Baltimore Colts 37-31 in double overtime. The game see-sawed back and forth, with the Raiders methodically moving the ball and scoring while the Colts thrilled the home crowd with big plays, including a long interception return and a kickoff return for touchdowns. Both teams bogged down in the first overtime and couldn't get into scoring position. In the second overtime, Oakland's Ken Stabler found receiver Dave Casper in the end zone on the famous “Ghost to the Post” play, which was Casper's third touchdown of the day. It was the third longest game in NFL history. Oakland lost to Denver the following week in the AFC Championship game.
PantyRaider....HurtsToRemember!!!!
OK....Now I can relax...I have not lost all my memory.....the field goal was at the end of the game to send it into "OT"....
On third and long, with less than one minute on the clock, the Raiders called for a play referred to as "The Ghost to the Post" in the Raider's playbook. Casper ran a deep post pattern, and Stabler threw a high, arching pass that looked well over thrown. It was Casper's memorable chase and athletic catch that became the signature moment for the game. Casper went down at the 14-yard line, setting up a Errol Mann field goal that tied the game and sent the game to overtime
PantyRaider....HeadFeelsBetter!!!!
Hey PantyRaider, you should get yourself ESPN Classic and a DVR (like TiVo). I just plug in "Raiders" and it records every program that has that word in it. I get classic games and season recaps recorded on a regular basis.
Clarification: for the most part, the "classic" games are edited down to 30 or 60 minutes shows...not the full game.
Doobi:
Thanks for the info....I found it on DVD and ordered it....I will be on "CloudNine" soon when I get to watch it again....What a way to "KickOff" the "07" season....Watching the greatest game from the "77" season 30 years ago.....
http://www.cbssportsstore.com/sm-warner-brothers-history-of-oakland-raiders-dvd-collection--pi-2429176.html
PantyRaider....Doing"FlipFlop"s!!!!!
Raidertake,
you are so right when you say the Raiders lead the league in memorable moments.
it's hard to pick just one, but my fave game of all time was the "mistake by the lake" playoff road win vs Cleveland.
the field was icey, the air was cold, the crowd hostile, and the "cardiac" Browns played tough.
we all remember Mike Davis intercepting Brian Sipe in the final moments to win the game.
what i always think is that the Raiders became the first wild card team to win the SB. it was their 2nd overall SB win, and coach Flores' first.
but it all never would have happened if not for Davis' clutch play.
There are 3 games that stick to me the most that I've been too. My first game ever was in 1984, the 30-14 schlocking in the AFC Championship game against the Seahags. I sat behind the endzone with the LA Coliseum columns behind us.
Let's not forget that it was 20-0 at halftime. Marcus had 154 yards rushing, caught 7 for 62 yards, and 2 TD's that game. I remember standing in the bathroom at halftime, and the line was so long, we missed the first 2 drives of the 3rd Quarter. Somebody yelled, "Hey, let's all go piss on the Seahawks!" To which was a nice roar of laughter.
The second game that comes to mind is 1987, the last game of the season, and the last regular season game for Walter Payton, and Tom Flores; the Raiders lost 6-3, but I still have pictures of Walter Payton.
The 3rd game to come to mind, 1995 Week 4, Raiders vs Eagles. It was the first year back in Oakland, and Ricky Waters returned to the bay area after leaving the 49ers. The Eagles went up 17-0 at the end of the 1st Quarter, and the Raiders came back and won the game 49-17.
1) I was at the Jets game when Timmy got #1,000 and Jerry Rice caught a TD on the next play. Good seats right near that play. The rest of that game from that point on, for the most part, was like being inside of a rocket engine. That place was so loud. By far the most exciting game I've had a chance to attend so far.
2)I was like 9 or 10 years old in L.A. and I remember doing the wave a couple times. Then at some point I look way down at the field (nose-bleed seats) and see this guy running faster than I'd ever imagined a guy could run. I think it was like 88 yards in no time at all. I wasn't sure who it was until they announced Bo Jackson's name, I should've known. I think that was the run where he got caught by the shoe string on the 1, but my memory is cloudy. All I remember is how fast he was.
3) Bad day, but memorable. Driving to Oak from L.A. I became deathly sick with like menengitis fever or something. By tail gate time the next day I could barely walk. I somehow managed to down a 40oz. and had to be helped to my seat, which was the worst seat in the house, at the very top corner of the upper deck on the south side. I didn't know stadiums could be so dark up there, or loud. With a splitting headache a guy pounded on the top rail the entire game. And the icing on the cake.....Brett Favre had his best game ever, throwing for like 4 TD's and 400 yds the day after his dad died.
Psycho
My best memory is of an inconsequential game in like 79 or so. Monday night against the great Archie Manning led Aints.(possibly heading to their first playoffs) The whole pregame was about Manning followed by Al Michaels saying "and of course the Raiders will be led by Ken Stabler" Raiders got down 21-0 at the half. Opened the second with a kickoff runback TD but then allowed N.O. to score again. Somewhere late in the third Stabler got hit late, was shaken and replaced by Plunkett. Before Plunkett could call one play Stabler got back on the field, grabbed Plunkett by the back of the jersey and pointed him to the sideline. Stabler then proceeded to torch N.O. for something like 5 more TD's. All the while with his pattened gunfighter glare going.I've never seen a secondary more snakebit than that.
These stories are great! It's really cool to view these events through the lens of other Raiders fans. Keep 'em coming!
Many great (and some bad) memories for sure. My first live game action was at Shea Stadium where the Richard Todd-led Jets played against Snake-led Raiders. Naturally, the Raiders won. We sat second row to the top of the stadium which, for a little kid, was like sitting on top of the Empire State Bldg.
Many of you, Raider Take included, live close enough to make seeing live Raider football your life. I’ve been to many games in NJ, Buffalo, NY and Cinn., but by far my best live game experience was 2002 for the home opener in Oakland (vs Seattle). Spent a week in the Bay area, went to season-opening parties in Oakland and at Ricky’s, tailgated on gameday in a sea of silver and black, then witnessed the carnage of the Raiders crushing the Seadogs. Sweet to the very end!
The anticipation of that cross-country trip was delayed from 2001 to 2002 due to 9/11. I had tickets to the Jets game which was canceled. So, given the circumstances, the Seadogs game almost a year after my scheduled visit to Oaktown was ultra-meaningful to me.
Far too many more memories to list!
RAIDERNATE:
You are so funny!
That game against Chicago my baby brother and I went to see it, (it was my first game ever for me at a stadium) man I was 23 and being in LA and in that side of town for sure we were sh*&ing our pants, we were sitting nose bleeds at the oposite end of the arches, we were sitting all quiet at the very last row against the wall, we actually got to see all 5 field goals go thru the uprights on our side, to be perfectly honest with you this was one of the most borings games I have ever seen, but I do agree with you 100% it was MR. Payton's last regular season game and I remember that people repected him and cheered for him at that game, I remember that it was all field goals a total of 5 field goals, I think that this was actually the next season after the Bears won the superbowl!?
My most memorable moment in Raider's history and it bothers me that mediots and such never mention the play when Marcus Allen went around in a complete circle at the middle of the field to score a touchdown and eventually win the superbowl against the heavy favored Redskins.
My second favorite performance would be Rich Gannon against the doncos when he broke the record of consecutive passes (I believe that the record was held by elway)that has been in my eyes a performance that should stand the test of time, a lot of people say that as an individual performance the #1 is farves I personally disagree and say that the single individual performance belongs to Gannon, in my eyes this performance was as big as Mark Mcwire and Sammy Sosa breaking the single season homerun record.
raiderdecoachella
Psycho-
Didn't Farve also have an injured hand in that game, or was that another game that he torched us?
Farve is a stand-up guy, and it was tough to cheer against him on that day. And it wasn't as if our D played so bad, he couldn't miss all day. Like he had paranormal assistance from his dad or something.
NJ
I think Favre might have had a broken right thumb at the time, but I'm not sure either. Yeah much respect, even if it sucked at the time.
Coachella
Gannon's streak of consecutive completions was actually more than that official stat. You guys might recall the refs blowing a call, they called an incomplete when our guy obviously got his feet down. The record should be like 29.
Psycho
I still remember a recent obscure game. It was one of those years that all the QBs were going down, I think the year Gruden arrived. A horrible game, SD was winning 6-0 on a pair of field goals. We had no running game, no passing game, and with about a minute and a half left Wade Wilson, who had come off the bench, hits his only pass of the day, a 60/70 yard bomb to Jett for the touchdown and the win. Instant pandemonium . . .
NY Raider, I remember the Favre game differently with regard to our secondary. The way I saw it, Favre was flinging virtual Hail Marys into the sky, and our DBs were running around like beheaded chickens. I thought our defense deserved as much credit as Favre for that debacle.
A BlandaRocked twofer:
I was in high school during Blanda's MVP season. One Sunday we were all playing touch football in the park, but someone had brought along a radio, so we were all listening to Bill King in the background.
It was 1970. Blanda had been cut in pre-season, but was resigned. Over a five game span, he came off the bench to either throw the winning TD pass or kick the winning field goal.
Late in the season, the Raiders needed to beat or tie the Browns in order to keep their playoff hopes alive. Late in the game Lamonica went down with an injury, and the Raiders trailed by 7 points. There was no overtime in the league yet, except in post season games. The cross bar of goal posts were over the goal line, and not the end line.
As every thing was being dramatically described by King, Blanda came off the bench and quickly move the Raiders down the field to throw a TD pass. "Holy Toledo! Blanda brings the Raiders back for the fouth consecutive game!"
After the kickoff the Raider defense held, and Blanda took over after the punt with time running out, but the drive stalled at the Browns' 46. This is from memory, from 36.5 years ago.
KING: "It's fourth down now, and the Raiders have to decide whether to take the tie and punt, or to try and go for it on 4th down. Blanda's still on the field, Ray Guy hasn't come in.
"It's the field goal unit. This would be a 53 yard field goal which would be an NFL record [Dempsey (New Orleans) kicked a 60+ yarder later that same day].
"This will almost certainly be a fake. I don't think anybody in this stadium really expects the field goal which seems to be out of the old man's reach.
"The teams are set, and here's the snap. They are going to kick it! It's up! High enough, but does it have the distance? (Long pause - then the sound of pandimonium at the HOT. One could barely hear King throght the noise.)
"It's good!! It's good!! Holy Toledo, the Raiders win! The Raiders are collectively swarming off the bench and surrounding Blanda! Blanda has been elected KING OF THE WORLD by the Oakland bench!! Holy Toledo!!"
Whew! That tired me out. I'll come back and tell you about the other one sometime later.
Man! Too bad you can't have the Raiders' theme music in the background on your comments page.
Raidercoachella,
I hear ya about $h!tting your pants down there. My dad and I had to park in an alley 5 miles from the Coliseum and walk to the gates. He told me, we may not have a car when we get back, but we're going to see the Raiders!
I was 13 (my 3rd NFL Game), and I was scared, and talking about it with my dad, he was too. Think about it, 2 white guys walking the streets of downtown LA.
We enjoyed the game to the last minute. Even the bomb to Mervyn Fernandez that was ruled out of bounds in the final seconds, and cost us the game. Then we made our trek to our car. Not only did 2 white guys walk downtown LA, 10 miles from the Raiders' game (round trip), our car was still there complete with tires, and we lived to tell about it. LA was a crazy place for games, and I'm glad they are out of there.
After the '76 championship, the Miller Brewing co ran a commercial that is STILL my fav. 4 gigantic men walk into a bar. They are wearing black turtlenecks, black leather jackets, black pants, black boots, & championship rings. One loud mouth guy in the bar is yapping as he plays pool. The 4- Tooz, Otis, Tatum & the Stork- walk over to the pool table, & in an ingratiating voice ask:
"Hey, can we play too?"
Loudmouth guy: "o..k..." (obviously in fear for his safety.)
At that moment, (& with a ferocious snarl) Otis Sistrunk picks up the pool table, tilts it on it's side until all the balls drain into the corner pocket.
"We WIN!".
"B-b-but you ch-cheated...".
"SO?!"
Also, there was a poster after the '84 season of Mike Haynes, Lester Hayes, Mike Davis, & Vann McElroy standing beside Black & Chrome Harleys at the side of the LA expressway with a caption that read "NO PASSING".
Those are merely 2 of my more nostalgic memories from the past. If I were to list all my fav GAME situations, I wouldn't know where to start! I have a small scar on the knuckle of my left hand from accidentally punching thru a light fixture on the ceiling when Plunkett hit Branch for 99 yds & a TD vs the defending champs. That scar reminds me of the time I whacked my noggin (the same way) when Blanda hit that 53 yard fg!
Bama7
Don't remember exact dates with these, but here are my top obscure wins:
#1 in 76 or 77 we were at Chicago and they were playing us tough... had to wait on Bear's kicker Bob Thomas (Notre dame star) to shank a field goal at the end to preserve a tight win. I remember this one cuz all my friends in the neighborhood were waiting on the game's ending in my living room so we could go play football outside. From then on a Seinfeld-like catchphrase with my neighborhood pals was born "You cannot rely on Bob Thomas".
#2 In the early 80's we were down 0-24 on Monday night to San Diego and Todd Christensen helped an incredible comeback win.
#3 One of my favorite raider games... Ty wheatley romps over the Chiefs at arrowhead to put us back on the football map. We officially lost our temporary AFC west "bitch" status with that smack down.
Another favorite game memory of mine was in 1990, Raiders v Steelers in LA, I was 16. The game where someone pummelled a Steelers fan, and put him in a coma. Anyway, my dad and I arrived 2 hours before the game started when everyone was out on the field warming up. We sat on the 10 yard line by the player's tunnel. The gate from the stands to the field was open, and Al Davis was walking the track around the Coliseum. My dad says, "Nate! There's Al Davis, go get his autograph!" I jumped and went down through the gate and on the track, and Al is watching me coming the whole time. He says, "Hey young man, how are you doing?" I said, "I'm great Mr Davis, and you?" He said, "I'm ready to kick some Steelers' ass." Which we both started laughing, and I continued to walk by, and got the autographs of 7 Raiderettes, but not Al Davis'. I still kick myself for that, but not too much.
Does anybody remember a home game vs the Giants in the '92 season? Nearing halftime, the Raiders had a 10-3 lead. Giants were driving late, tho. They manage to get a big gain down to the Raider 5 yd line, & call their 2nd time out w 11 seconds or so left in the half.
Hand off to Ottis Anderson. Townsend & Golic stop him inside the 2. It looked like Townsend grabbed a facemask in the process. Simms is calling for a facemask flag.
FLAG!
"Facemask, 93 defense. Half the distance to the goal. 1st down". Half the distance was less than 1 yd!
7 seconds left. 1st & G on the ONE yd line. Next play, Simms had to throw it away. 4 seconds left.
Simms is trying to run a play quickly because Townsend is out of position in the Giant's backfield after the play. Rather than get trapped on the play (lol) Townsend pushes Simms out of the way and GETS UNDER CENTER & STARTS CALLING SIGNALS AS IF HE WERE THE QB! LOL.
FLAG! "Delay of game 93 defense. Half the distance to the goal. 1st down"...on the ONE! The Giants had advanced as far as they could anyways, & you just KNEW they weren't getting in.
The next play, Long, Golic, & Townsend all jump offside & start pointing to the Giants C, Bart Oates.
FLAG!
"Encroachment. 75 defense. Half the distance to the goal. 1st down" ...ON THE ONE! lol. At this point, with 4 seconds left, AND 1 T.O. The Giants were totally out of synch. The TV camera shows Parcells CURSING like a maniac on the sidelines! You could read his lips: "F*CK IT!...FG team!"
They got the FG, but the Raiders won the game.
Doobie,
I have the 1984 Raiders vs Dolphins game that you talked about on DVD. You are correct, it was an awsome game. If you like, I can send you a copy...just let me know.
azraider63
Doobie,
Clarification on the 1984 Raiders vs Dolphins DVD, it is the full game broadcast converted from a VHS or Beta recording.
azraider63
Mrmres:
Also, there was a poster after the '84 season of Mike Haynes, Lester Hayes, Mike Davis, & Vann McElroy standing beside Black & Chrome Harleys at the side of the LA expressway with a caption that read "NO PASSING".
Yes...I loved that poster and I still quoat from it today....in my first post at "Silver-n-BlackFoever" I use it to discribe what I hope our "07" "D" backfield becomes today....always remembering what we had back then......I would call it the "NO-PassingZone"....
RaiderNate75
The game where someone pummelled a Steelers fan, and put him in a coma.
Yes...I was also at that game and the police only had about 200 officers in the joint and they got their asses kicked when they tried to come in and make an arrest...I was also at the following home game when they took away our beer and the police were everywhere...about 10 deep...even outside the stadium on Horseback playing crowd control before and after the game....I was dressed in a "DarthRaider" head with a wooden sword with red paint looking like blood on it and a cape that said "WD Champs" and my "Black" wife was at my side...(She died a few months later)..The mounted cops took one look at me after the game and started their attack but my young wife steped in front of me and than I had to take off the helmet and put down the sword....The excitement level was more that I could stand....we were just trying to celibrate as "RaiderFans" but the cops were looking for "PayBack"....
Woooo!!!...Too many memories!!!!
PantyRaider....
Nate75
I was at that Steeler game too. I remember seeing a lone Steeler fan about 5 rows in front of me. Gang bangers were throwing bottles at him and telling him to get the f out of our section. At half time he way gone. Coma maybe?
Man those LA games were crazy. We used to park in people's front lawns for $5 and have crack heads jumping on the hood while driving down the street.
Psycho
RT, I'm sure you're right about our D in the GB game. It would seem impossible not to at least partly blame a secondary that gets torched for 400+/- yards. I just remember Farve on fire in that game, throwing perfect passes off his back foot... and thinking "is this guy for real."
My favorite memory is an entire season. I had lived in New England, stationed there in the Army, from 73 through 76. I saw Jim Plunkett booed off the field after he came back from a separated shoulder too early and tried to salvage a bad season for the Patriots. At that point I hoped New England never had any success.
That is background. I have been a Raiders fan since the tender age of 14 and Al Davis was the coach. I was extremely angry when Ken Stabler was traded to Houston and I had never liked Dan Pastorini, but I was a fan of Jim Plunkett.
After game five of the 1980 season I was informed by people I worked with that the Raiders were dead. I predicted they would make the playoffs with Plunkett. He did not disappoint. Every Monday I came to work, the first thing I would say is “How ‘bout them Raiders.”
I still say that any player who won the Heisman Trophy, Rookie of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, Super Bowl MVP and two Super Bowl Championships as a Quarterback should be in the Hall of Fame.
I live in the east and one day, after all these years, I hope to venture to Valhalla and sit in the Black Hole.
I remember Vann McEloy running all ove the field making ala "Lott" tackles and never got the recognition that he deserved, a few years later the always injured seahorn (to me was not any better than Schwagert) was getting all the recognition in the world because as they said "this is not a position that a white man plays in football" they went as far as calling him unique in his talents.
Going back to McElroy to me this guy was an awesome tackler, loved playing football and personified everything that the Raiders stand for, in my eyes he is the best safety we have had as a guy that played most of his carrer with the Raiders.
I remember Vann McEloy running all ove the field making ala "Lott" tackles and never got the recognition that he deserved, a few years later the always injured seahorn (to me was not any better than Schwagert) was getting all the recognition in the world because as they said "this is not a position that a white man plays in football" they went as far as calling him unique in his talents.
Going back to McElroy to me this guy was an awesome tackler, loved playing football and personified everything that the Raiders stand for, in my eyes he is the best safety we have had as a guy that played most of his carrer with the Raiders.
raiderdecoachella
First, I used to go to games in LA all the time. Never had a problem. My doctor had season tickets, and since I was a big fan he took me to about five games a season for a few years. I found that the folks in the surrounding neighborhood used to watch out for the folks going to the games. Since the LA Coliseum had almost no parking, the people in the surrounding neighborhoods made money from the games by allowing people to park on their lawns. In exchange for the ticket, I always volunteered to drive and buy the beer. Never had my car touched, I was never threatened, not once. The folks in the neighborhood always wanted to talk to me about the game when I was coming back to the car. They were friendly and big time Raider fans.
Yes, you can find anecdotal information to the contrary, just as you can find it virtually anywhere.
As for story number two...
When I was down in LA (this was during Shanarat's first season), a friend introduced me to one of his other friends. When he introduced us he told the other guy that I was a Raiders fan, and me that the other guy was a donkey fan. Fine! I never thought I'd ever see him again.
Monday night football - fourth week of the season. I'm at home with the answering machine on, in the bedroom with the TV turned up loud. End of 1st quarter - donkeys lead 21-0. The phone had been ringing off the hook, and the answering machine had been dutifully picking up messages.
I checked the messages at half time and it was the idiot donkey fan. He'd called my friend to get my number, and every time the donkeys made a play he'd call with his "nanner, nanner, nanner" bullshit.
I pulled the tape from the answering machine and went back to the game, to watch the Raiders overcome a 24 point deficit in the 2nd half, and go on to win it in over time.
I called my friend and got the home address of the donkey fan. I dropped the tape from my answering machine, without any explanation, into and envelope and mailed it to the idiot. Funny thing, I never heard from him again.
My favorite Raider Memory comes from the only live Raider game i was able to attend. It was i think about 3 years ago in Denver during a monster snow storm. No one expected us to win. I have a buddy who has season tickets in the south stands(equvilant to the black hole but weaker) It was freezing and everyone around me was just bad mouthing and cursing me the whole game.
This is the game where chump got burnt by porter and Gabs about 6 times. We were down with about 5 minutes to go in the fourth BOOM porter burns chump for a long one. Then im not sure if it was for a touchdown or a two-pointer but it was that AMAZING catch by Curry one handed in the back of the endzone, which happened to be the endzone i was in. I went balistic we had just taken the lead with about 1:20 left in the game. Donks get the ball and drive into field goal range, time for the last play of the game Elam comes out and i have very little hope because elam never misses. The snap, the kick, BLOCK, Walker BLOCKS the kick RAIDERS WIN RAIDERSS WIN!!!!!
I couldnt have asked for a better time to see my raiders beat my most hated rivals and on their home turf. I proceeded to talk smack to everyone around me as they filed out heads down, not many had anything to say. I was able to purchase the game on DVD and because of this will have no choice to go and watch it again tonight to get my facts straight. Great idea sharing these stories i enjoyed reading all of them.
EKGRAIDER
Kiffin returning Plunkett type character back to the Raiders!
"Isaiah Kacyvenski started from humble beginnings. The youngest of five children growing up in upstate Endicott, N.Y., his family lived in a tent for three months when he was a young child. He sometimes had to eat out of trash cans. When he was nine years old, he stated, "Let no one out work you today."'
He's the only college player to ever start every game for which he was eligable to play.
BlandaRocked:
I hope Isaiah Kacyvenski gets an opertunity to play more than just special teams as was reported in the Tribune....did not know much about the guy as a "SeaChicken" but what I reed now makes me believe in him....Good Raider Attitude....
Psycho:
It is interesting to see that so many of us were at the same games together but did not know the other fans....but we all meet here and share those moments again....I was usually at the "RaidersBoosters" TailGate party in the parking lot....I was with the "SanDiegoCountyRaidersBoosters" and the "OriginalSanDiegoRaidersBoosters"....We had Bar-B-Q's and the big screen TV and BoosterClub shirts....Many differant clubs would show up...."InlandEmpire"...."Bakersfield"...."Annihime"..."Oxnard"....and each club had it's own Raider "Art" Shirt representing that club....A real family gathering....
I agree with BlandaRocked....I never had a problem in the area from the locals....Sometimes I would take the bus to LA and hop a local bus to the area around the stadium....I always had to walk thru the local area but was never given any trouble....several times I parked my car with locals and everything was OK....It was $20-$25 to park at the USC lot but only $13 for a game ticket so I never parked there....
The only trouble I ever had was from the "COP"s at that one game because they were looking for "PayBack" opertunities....I also never had any problems at any of the Oakland games...
LA was very crazy in that stadium....I even saw one guy who jumped off the top and landed on his ass outside the stadium....he was not getting up and was totally stoned so I don't think he understood what had happened....he was just sitting there with this stupid look on his face....
At one "Donk-0"s game when we won in overtime the energy in the stadium was so radical that the security came out in force and surounded the field in preperation for a riot....I think that if we had lost that game all hell would have broken out....I have never felt such energy before....some fans tore a jursey off a "Donk-0" fan and burned it at the end of the game in the stadium....
Such Great memories...we could go on-n-on and remind each other of the past events....it's a joy to sit back and read all the comments....Great Take "RT"....
PantyRaider....JoyfulPast!!!!
AZRaider, you're the man! Email me at doobie77_at_gmail.com (email cleverly disguised to avoid spambots)
to me the LA Coliseum was actually a friendly place to go and watch Raider games, but believe me when you are practically a kid with a 12 year old next to you (my brother)and being from a town of 12,000 people any town over 50K looks like a metropolis, the first time I went to watch that Raider game I was scared and rightfully so, I went to many Raiders games in LA (I am only 100 miles away from the staduim)I loved the games at the old stadium and I was a loud fool (always respecting other people)
My greatest memory from the LA coliseum was actually a game against the donkos, we were up by god knows how many points and our defense was holding strong, with under two minutes and with four downs and at the one yard line our defense held elway and the doncos (I want to say that we pitched a shout out against them that game)I remember in one of those plays elway went flying like a helicopter and ended at the 1 yard line, no forward progress, the crowd just went wild, I was at what they called the pirate section (basically high school bleachers at the east end zone)
raiderdecoachella
Yeah I always felt safe in L.A. as a kid just knowing all those crazy bastards were on my side. It had to be scary for fans of the other teams. Good times.
Psycho
oh don't mistake that we parked in a front lawn. because we didn't, we parked in an alley, away from the USC Campus (which is why there was no parking), on the LA Airport side (the west side) of the town.
I was never scared inside the stadium, because I felt like Psycho, these crazies were on my side. Why would I ever go to a game like that rooting for the opponent?
But man, once outside the stadium, that was the different story. I don't even want to think what it would be like if they were still there. I'm glad they're back in Oakland, and I hope they stick around.
1) Super Bowl XI - Not only my introduction to the Silver & Black but my introduction to football. It's a love affair that's never wavered.
2) Raiders vs. Chefs (1978?) The first time I ever saw the Raiders in person. I remember in pre-game warm-ups everyone was stretching except for one guy, Otis Sistrunk. He was standing near mid-field staring the chefs down. I remember how mean he looked. I also remember my all time fav Raider, Freddie B, catching a pass.
3) My two year old son seeing a Raiders jersey (Huff) hanging on the rack in a store and saying "Go Raiders".
I wouldn't mind at all if the Raiders move back to the L.A. Col since I now live about 5 miles from USC. But the games in Oakland are worth the drive, and it feels like 'home' when you walk around the HOT.
Psycho
Change of subject real quick; Trask got into it with the head official last week at some meeting. I hate refs even more now, this was a low blow! I thought these guys were supposed to be impartial, what happened? We get singled out by their head guy, and he goes into areas that shouldn't concern him. He justified screwing us by saying we had 6 turnovers, then mocked us for having 4 bad years.
****************
Pereira, talking about the complaints he gets on Monday mornings, said, "One time last year I really got blown up over a pass-interference call we missed at the end of a game that may have cost a team a victory. I was really tempted to mention the six turnovers earlier in the game."
Said Trask: "That's so not the point. After 59 minutes and you are in position to win a game …"
Interjected Pereira with a laugh: "And you haven't been in that position a lot the past four years."
*************
Well sh*t, if we didn't have biased ass holes like this calling games maybe we'd win more! Attitude reflects leadership, unfortunately.
Psycho
I wonder how NFL refs feel about being the only amature refs in pro sports.
These guys should earn enough money to work on their craft year round - just like umpires and basketball refs.
I've always felt that these guys were ripe to be bribed. I don't believe for a second that bribes are rarely offered. And I don't ever remember a prosecution. I have to believe that game officials have been offered bribes, have accepted, and never been caught.
Going off on another tangent, here's an interesting snippet from a Lane Kiffin article today.
"He bagged a football scholarship to Fresno State, where quarterback Trent Dilfer had just become an NFL first-round draft pick.
Lane was strong-armed, mobile and never took a game-day snap. He was stuck behind future NFL quarterbacks Billy Volek and David Carr when Jeff Tedford, then the offensive coordinator, gave Lane a bright idea."
He could spend 1997, his senior year, as the scout team quarterback, or he could get a new day job as a volunteer graduate assistant.
I find this interesting in the aspect that, prior to draft day, people were discussing David Carr as a potential option at starting QB. Although possibly a long shot here, you have to wonder if Kiffin's and Carr's relationship at Fresno State had any impact in the decision making (or, perhaps more accurately, NON-decision making) for seeking David Carr's services.
I'm proud to say haven't missed a game in over 8 years.
Through good times and bad..When we beat the Titans to go to the Superbowl..When Timmy caught #100..when the James Jett caught his only TD ever against in the Punt Game against SD & when Shannon Sharpe ran by Dorsett and that fat fucker knocked Gannon out of the game with an illegal hit..i was there... I share many of the same memories...Here is one that stands out. Against the Niners a couple years back, a Niner friend got my dad and I two tickets to join them in SF.
I remember thinking we were going to get harassed all game, but instead was surprised to see so many Raider fans tailgating and harrassing the niner fans in their own house. It was an exciting tailgate with Raider and niner fans taunting each other all day.
I had made a $100 bet, although i am not condoning gambling or drinking and gambling-worse.
The Raiders were about to lose, when the niners lined up for an easy FG. My friend was like pay up, pay up. With one hand on my money, i replied it's not over yet.
Anyways they missed the FG and Tim Brown caught a TD in OT.
That was a GREAT DAY!!!!
Psycho,
wow, i read this too and just couldn't believe it.
Pereira seems to admit that NFL officials will use their own perception of who is a winning or losing team, to call games.
using Pereira's logic, you can screw a team with less wins because it doesn't matter.
AMAZING. i hope coach Kiffin is ready for all the bulls*it that is about to come his way via NFL officials.
Blanda
Good point on the refs being amature part-timers. Maybe if they got paid like profesionals they'd act like it!
Raider00
Yeah I think we need to write this one down (Trask/Pereira) for future reference and add it to the list of proof that officials are biased. We need like a 'Raider Bible' or something full of Raider related facts & quotes.
I know Trask & Pereira never got along. Mainly because Trask brings up stuff like the Snow Job & other things every chance she gets, but this zebra showed his true colors this time. And it 'aint silver & black! Maybe that's what Trask wanted? Push the guy's buttons until he snaps?
Psycho
"ZebraThought"s.....
As was noted there has never been any action taken against the "Zebra"s for their flagrant actions...therefore....as fans what can we do...
Could we claim financial loss due to corupt "Zebra"s...leagle gambling losses...
Could we claim "Torment-n-InHumain Treatment"....
Could we claim emotional stress which has caused sleeplessness and alchohal addiction....
Could we claim.....
Why can't we just get together as "Fan"s and file a class action suit against the bastards....whether we win or loose is not important...it would put them under stress and take away the "Anti-Favoratism" because it would all be evedence to support the suit....every bad call that is very obvious and called against us would be held up and scrutinized under a leagal magnafing glass...that ota make the "Zebra"s change their practices....
PantyRaider....Open-to-Sugestions-n-Willing!!!!
The analisys starts....
http://www.ibabuzz.com/raidersblog/2007/07/17/position-group-analysis-special-teams/
Things are starting to get interesting...
PantyRaider...Hopeful!!!!
There are a lot of great things to remember about Raiders games, but I'm going with a pair of obscure memories that have stuck with me for a long time.
1982, strike year, the playoffs vs the Jets. Raiders are marching down the field at the end of the game, obviously going to win. Plunkett hits Branch on the sideline, Branch gets his feet down, and a DB hits him right on the ball. Ball pops straight up in the air as Branch falls out of bounds. Another Jet snags the ball out of the air for the pick, and the Jets go on to win. Miserable.
Next is a few years later, Cincinnati wide out is running down the sideline with the ball, Hayes is running him down from behind, and Vann McElroy is closing from the center of the field. Sideline camera is following the WR. Just as the WR passes the camera, filling the entire screen, Hayes shoe-string tackles the guy and he falls. The WR drops out of the pic and McElroy, already airborne to take the WR apart, flies over the fallen WR and pounds the camera -- facemask into the lens. Camera rolls -- sky ground sky ground sky ground sky.... ground. Awesome.
PS
From: azraider63
Doobie,
For some reason I cannot send to your email address at:
doobie77_at_gmail.com
Still want to send you the 1984 Raiders vs Dolphins game on DVD.
Any suggestions?
Being born and growing up in England I didn't have any exposure to American Football or the Raiders until the early 80's. Then one run by Marcus Allen and a Superbowl victory, plus a bad boy image, turned me into a Raider fan for life.
Of course we didn't get much TV coverage. Just one highlight show a week and they would concentrate on the East coast teams. Even after live games started up it was rare to see the Raiders given the time difference.
However I remember many Sunday nights as a teenager laying in bed know I had to go to school in the morning but tuning in to Armed Forces Radio on the AM waveband to see if they were covering the Raiders game from Midnight to 3am. You had to twist and turn the radio to get the best signal as I believe it was being broadcast from Germany.
I heard many games that way but the one that stood out was Bo Jackson's 230yd "can't be stopped" game against Seattle.
all of the super bowl victories were memorable, but being a Raider here in DC I don't get to see them play live too often. However, two years ago the black and silver rolled into town and handed the Deadskins a defeat in front of 90,000 fans. I remember the opening play of the second half when Jerry Porter caught like a 75 yard TD from Collins that shut the whole crowd up. The Raider Nation stood tall that day while the Deadskin faithful sat in disgust.
Good day !.
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