Dear Raider Nation,
Can we talk for a minute? I know you love the Raiders, I can see it in the black and silver paint on your face and the extra rowdy black hole you created today, but what’s with the booing and giving up at halftime?
What booing you ask? Let me refresh your memory. The Raiders were down 17-6 in the first half. They had three turnovers, couldn’t reach the end zone and settled for two field goals. As the team left the field, you booed. I jumped on Twitter and did a quick hash tag search for Raiders and found so many of you writing the team off. Some tweets were about how much the Raiders suck, others used expletives I won’t share, and many more seemed to be giving up on the season. So what’s the deal?
I get it, being a Raiders fan can be frustrating, especially this year. After all, it was supposed to be different. The Raiders have a new head coach, a new offensive and defensive coordinator and new general manager. Gone were the days where we could blame everything on Al Davis. It was supposed to be, to borrow a line from the Raiders, “A New Era of Excellence.” But nearly halfway into the season it feels like the same old Raiders.
Here’s the deal Raider Nation, the team had a bad half. A really bad half. But that doesn’t mean you should give up on them, not yet. Especially since the team ended up coming back. The Raiders were down 14-points and rallied to tie the game in the fourth. Sebastian Janikowski missed a 64-yard field goal to win the game, but ended up nailing a 40-yarder in overtime. And all of you celebrated. You cheered, you jumped, you screamed, even though just a short half ago you were turning your backs on the team.
All I’m asking you to do is keep the faith. Are the Raiders going to win the Super Bowl this year, probably not. But just remember, it takes time to rebuild and it takes time to get used to a new coaching staff. And the Raiders could use your support.
Thanks for the chat,
Melissa
