Why We Love September, Vol. 612 — Raiders Edition

Why Chris Loves September:

I love football ... Nah, check that ... I love Oakland Raiders football  ... And the wild-and-strange longtime tradition of sports' most unique franchise ... And the future of rookie Darren McFadden.

I love the electricity from one of sports' loudest crowd ... And knowing that's what Al Davis calls "da roar of da Oakland Coliseum” in admiration ... And that NFL renegades often were lost until they finally found a home with the Raiders ...

I love the building fan excitement as they walk closer toward the stadium on game day ... And that mixed smell of propane and barbecue from row after row of tailgaters ... And the sea of black T-shirts and jerseys in the stands ...

I loved the late Bill King, Oakland's eccentric genius in the announcer's booth... And wild man John Matuszak on Bourbon Street wrecking curfews on Wednesday and then Ron Jaworski on Super Bowl Sunday ... And Ted Hendricks weirdly wearing a Halloween mask on the sidelines of Monday night game ...

I love the shadows that creep onto the northwest side of the Coliseum turf just as the drama builds in the 4th Quarter ... And stories of hard-living Kenny Stabler studying the playbook by the light of a bar jukebox ... And the successful but far-too-brief Jon Gruden era ...

I love the countless games that ended so bizarrely they needed to be named:  “Sea of Hands” …and “Holy Roller” ... “Ghost to the Post” ... and “The Heidi Bowl” […
(On the other hand, I do NOT love the “Snow Job” ... And the “Mile High Fumble” ... And the “Immaculate Reception” ... )

I love the stickum-stained but steady hands of Fred Biletnikoff ... And the class of Tim Brown ... and the fire of Rich Gannon ...

I love the nicknames that players and fans have given the Oakland Coliseum: “The Black Hole” ... and “The House of Thrills” ... and “The Li'l Ol' Bullring” ...

I love Super Bowl XI ... And Super Bowl XV ... And Super Bowl XVIII ... and that the Raiders won each of them ...

I love never-ending highlights of Ben Davidson devouring Bob Griese ... And Jack Tatum knocking Sammy White into a daze ... And George Atkinson bringing down Lynn Swann with a single forearm ...

I love ancient NFL Films footage of a burly, bushy-haired coach named John Madden arguing wildly with referees ... And old memories of Art Shell and Gene Upshaw ... And the new ones from JaMarcus Russell and Zach Miller ...

I love being part of the craziest fan base in football ... And knowing that they are much friendlier than their image ... And seeing those same “tough guys” reduced to tears after a big dramatic win ...

I love the Coliseum's infield dirt during baseball season, showing it's one of the last truly old-school stadiums ... And the smell of cigarettes near my seat on a hot September Sunday ... And the tough December chill that always comes with the last regular-season game ...

I love that Cliff Branch and Jim Plunkett should be in the Hall of Fame even though it bugs me they aren't there yet ... And that the team's 49-year-old kicker, George Blanda, is there ... And that it's the one and only California team with a rep for being tough ...

I love the Raiders' theme song titled “The Autumn Wind” ... And seeing September on my calendar ... And the beginning of a new season ... And what can I say, I love the Oakland Raiders.

Next up: Why We Have College Football Envy …