Tag: National Football League

Raiders Globalization

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Earlier this season the Oakland Raiders announced they will play a home game in London. Last week they announced that they will be hosting the Miami Dolphins.

A few weeks ago, I read a report via Bleacher Report that said Al Davis would never consider forfeiting a home gome in favor of traveling across continents to Europe. The article talked about how the NFL pays the home team the same amount as if it were a sold out home game, but from a competitive standpoint it gives the Raiders only seven actual home games.

My thoughts are, what organization outside of the Raiders has an iconic logo and reputation? There are few organizations who have had as much influence on popular culture as The Raiders. We’ve seen rappers, actors, and all kinds of people have been seen rocking Raider gear as signs of Fashion rather than fan ship. Even on a smaller scale, the Raider logo has become a symbol of rebellion, and a statement of being unique. The fact is, like them or hate them, you know who the Raiders are.

Since Mark Davis became the face of the Raiders he has said that he is not his father. He has done everything he can to propel his Raiders into the times. Having a game in London is just another way Davis is showing he is committed to expanding the Oakland Raiders. He is also showing the NFL world, that this is not the closed market Raider team that your parents new. Rather this is the same Raider team in a global economy.

which brings me to my point, As a brand why wouldn’t you want to globalize such an iconic piece of the NFL and American culture. The Raiders represent a piece of NFL and iconic history. From a business perspective, the NFL needs to bring a rich piece of their history and brand into the globalization, so why not start with the Raiders? We have already seen the league make it a point for teams to do Hard Knocks, so it is only a matter of time before an overseas team becomes mandatory for teams. So if it is going to be any one, it mine as well be the Raiders.

As a bonus, expanding the Raiders brand can only help them appeal to the city of Oakland in their quest for a stadium. Or if they decide to opt for a stadium in The media capital of the world, Los ANgeles, well having a foundation in London can only make their franchise more appealing for Los ANgeles.

The Raiders already have two UK natives in Jack Crawford and Manelik Watson. The Raiders are already a symbol of popular culture in America. So why not build the foundation for fans in London. The Raiders brand is already a huge national brand, and now it is time to expand it to a global platform. Global Populations have already become familiar with the Raider logo from movies and music, so now its time to give those people a chance to buy into the brand of the Raiders. In the process, they might just become fans and followers. Either way this can only be a good thing for the Oakland Raiders and their brand.

Oakland Raiders Culture

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Since the passing of Al davis last year, the Oakland Raiders franchise has gone through dramatic changes in culture and on the field. GM Reggie Mckenzie came from a prestigious Packers Franchise and was installed to bring the franchise back to its winning ways.

First, lets not get things twisted, in the NFL there is one goal, and that is to sell tickets and merchandise. The only way to do that in sports is to win games, and put a product on the field that fans are going to buy into. Insert Reggie Mckenzie. Mckenzie has a philosophy of drafting and acquiring blue collar, hard nose, and smart football players. It is a philosophy that has brought many championships to green bay, but the Raiders are not green bay.

You see, there is a special ora about the Raiders. There is a reason why the team has one of the most reliable fan bases despite being irrelevant for over a decade. The Raiders are the Raiders because they are the gritty, underdogs. The Raiders have been the team renown for their toughness, explosiveness, and even recklessness. It is a reputation that has caused many people to hate the raiders, but many others to love the team.

The Raiders logo represents a grittiness and toughness in itself, so much that gangs and rappers have affiliated with the logo. I don’t see too many people in green bay affiliating with the packers. The packers are an organization partly owned by its citizens, it is a franchise build on heritage and tradition, but it is mainly an organization dedicated to the blue collar hard working meat packers of Wisconsin.

Thats the biggest difference between the Raiders and Packers historic organizations. The magic of the Raiders is found in the minority fan base that has claimed the team as its own. Besides being the logo for urban youth around the country the Raiders were the first team to have minority coaches, and executives. This organization is built on a culture of reckless, so if Reggie McKenzie hopes that fans will be patient while he “builds things the right way,” then he has another thing coming. Raiders fans want to see a product that reflects the recklessness and rebellion in themselves. The reality is they don’t care about hardworking smart football players. Raiders fans want to see deep balls, big runs, big hits, and mostly they want to see them win.

Raiders fans love the raiders because they reflect an enigma in our society. The idea that someone can win and be successful doing things their own way and not caring what others think is something that resonates with the hearts of Raiders. The Markets of Los Angeles and Oakland are both huge minority fan bases that love the Raiders. You see, the white collar fans have teams, in northern California those fans can see 9ers games, and in the south they have chargers games. But for everyone else, all the bad asses and people who don’t give a fuck, those are the people the raiders are built for. It is a totally different fan base than the Wisconsin folk who will live and breath green bay football regardless of how good it is. See in California, we have so many other choices as sports consumers that we dont have to follow all of the mediocre free agent signings that McKenzie has made. All we want to do is see wins, so if McKenzie keeps anything from the previous regime it should be “Just Win Baby!”

Will Jamarcus ever play again?

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Jamarcus Russell’s comeback story has gained interest because the former number 1 pick has lost 50 lbs. since he first started training for the NFL again. At 265lbs, Russell is at the same weight he was at the NFL scouting combine where he was able to capture many eyes including the late Al Davis.

Even though he has been out of the league for three years, Russell is still an intriguing prospect because he is only 27 years old. The guy did not exit the league because of his god given size, mobility, or arm strength. Rather Russell has been labeled one of the biggest busts ever after weighing in at over 300lbs and falling asleep in meetings. However, in his comeback attempt Russell and his trainer Jeff Garcia want league representatives to know that this is not the same Russell. They went on to say that Russell is willing to sit behind and learn from another veteran QB in the NFL if their is a team willing to have the new and improved student.

Garcia has documented Russells comeback in a series of videos. In the videos Garcia constantly tests Russell’s mind by watching film with the young player and going over NFL plays/terminology.

As a Raider fan who has watched Russell’s documented comeback, I can say I would like to see this guy put on the pads. I am not saying that he should be given a roster spot, but you can’t tell me there are many guys who look like a defensive linemen but are able to move like him. I have trouble convincing myself that john doe from a small school has a better shot at making an NFL roster than Jamarcus Russell. Scouts who seen this guys Pro Day will testify that he has god given ability and arm strength that can not be taught. Even though Russell had minimal success in the NFL, he was able to compete at the highest level of amateur football in the SEC, and he was able to beat out current Raiders QB Matt Flynn at LSU.

The fact of the matter is some guys just are not ready for the NFL out of college. I am not using his struggles with weight, purple drink, or illness in the family as a cop out for his lack of success. Frankly, I am still bitter because he should still be the franchise qb of my Oakland Raiders.  But If it took being labeled one of the biggest busts of all time to motivate Russell, than fine, but at least he finally starting to get it. He is finally addressing his questionable motivation and work ethic and trying to put his tools to use and redeem his name. I only hope there is a franchise out there willing to give this guy a shot, because now a days so many teams would rather stay away from circuses. If not there is always the CFL or AFL who would probably love to give him a shot.

Russell says he would be willing to give the CFL a shot too. Either way, America is a place that loves second chances and comeback stories. So if Jamarcus is successful in his, I’m sure there will be plenty of people showing him support. I just hope for his sake, his comeback has more success than Ryan Leaf, another catastrophic bust whose in jail.