NFL » Los Angeles Coliseum http://www.nfl4all.com National Football League, Playoffs, Teams, Games, Articles, News and Match Analysis Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:06:09 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Oakland Raiders http://www.nfl4all.com/oakland-raiders/oakland-raiders.html http://www.nfl4all.com/oakland-raiders/oakland-raiders.html#comments Sun, 28 Sep 2008 03:08:18 +0000 Neal http://www.nfl4all.com/?p=108 George BlandaThe Oakland Raiders became an AFL team in 1960. Oakland was a replacement for the Minneapolis franchise which became an NFL team. Oakland had problems right from the start when there was no home field for the Raiders to play on, they had to at Candlestick Park in San Francisco and Kezar Stadium, Oakland Coliseum wasn’t open until 1966. The first three season for the Raiders were awful, compiling a 9-33 record, one of the worst in the entire league. Their average home attendance was only 11,000 also one of the worst in the entire AFL. The Raiders first winning season came in 1963 with a respectable 10-4 record.The Raiders found themselves one of the better team as the 1960′s went on, the Raiders would win the AFL Championship defeating the Houston Oilers 40-7. The Raiders could not beat Vince Lombardi and his Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl II losing 33-14. Regardless, that marked the turning point in the Raiders franchise for more success to come after there impressive 13-1 record in 1967. Over the next twenty seasons from 1966-1985 the Raiders would make the playoffs eighteen times with three straight appearances in the AFL Championship game from 1967-1969 and twelve AFC Western division titles. The Raiders won Super Bowl XI defeating the Minnesota Vikings in a blow out 32-14. The Raiders would make their second appearance in Super Bowl XV defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 27-10 and their third appearance for the Raiders came in Super Bowl XVIII defeating the Washington Redskins in another impressive victory 38-9. The Raiders are the only NFL/AFL to play in a Super Bowl in 1960′s, 1970′s and 1980′s. In 1982 the Oakland Raiders became the Los Angeles Raiders moving to the Los Angeles Coliseum. After twelve seasons in Los Angeles the Raiders moved back home to Oakland.

After a long period without a Super Bowl appearance the raider were in Super Bowl XXXVII against the Tampa bay Buccaneers. The game didn’t go as the Raiders planned losing in a noncompetitive game 48-21. It was a bitter sweet season with Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon winning the Most Valuable Player award throwing for nearly 5,000 yards and twenty-six touchdown passes Since there Super Bowl appearance the Raiders have been technically the worst team in the NFL with the most losses since 2003.

The Raiders have had numerous great players put on the silver and black which include running back Marcus Allen, quarterback George Blanda, defensive end Howie Long, guard Gene Upshaw, center Jim Otto, and head coach Jon Madden, all in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Owner Al Davis has been apart of the Raiders organization since 1963 as either a coach, managing general partner, and now owner. Davis emphasized “Commitment to Excellence” to bring out the best in all his players at all times. The Super Bowl wins seem like a distance memory the Raiders have a mountain of work to do before they are one of the elite teams.

Despite the failures of the Oakland Raiders the last few seasons the fans, or better known as “Raider Nation” with the “Black Hole” still support the team and hope one day they can turn the page and start their winning ways again.

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