Posted by Rich DeLeo on 12/9/2003, 11:00 am
Board Administrator

I made the trip to Pittsburgh on Sunday to catch my beloved Raiders against the dreaded Steelers. (Dreaded by me only). Not only did the game suck from my perspective, but the Raiders totally embarrassed themselves and the many thousands of Raider faithful who came out in the sub-freezing temperatures to catch their act. And I wouldn't go so far as to call their play and act, because it was that bad! I thought when they scored first to take the lead, it was going to be a good ballgame, but they simply packed it away after that one lone drive for a touchdown. The Steelers were determined that they were not going to be pushed around on their home field, again, by the Raiders. The Steelers showed plenty of heart, a team that wants to finish the season strong. While the Raiders look like a team that just wants to finish the season. This lackluster performance will peobably cost Bill Callahan his job after just two seasons, because Al Davis will not let this team slip below mediocrity, and he will not stand for losing like they are, without any effort whatsoever. They looked like a team that didn't want to be bothered on Sunday, while the Steelers took pride in their game, and played a solid 4 quarters. Back in the glory days, when the Silver and Black showed up to play, some teams feared them because they were the intimidators, with their Black and Silver image, their bad guy persona, the guys that other teams cast aside, and they were reborn with the Raiders. But unfortunately, that mystique is gone. They are not feared, nor are the revered. No team fears the Raiders, in fact, the way they are playing this year, I'm sure that every team would love to have them on the schedule. But only 13 do! Gone are the pride and poise boys, the commitment to excellence, and "just win, baby" is hard to do these days. They are old, tired, injured and really don't care anymore about this season. And their performance aginst Pittsburgh should send a clear signal, that it is time for a youth movememt in Oakland, start to build a team for the future that can compete. To sum it all up, once a Raider fan, always a Raider fan! I, like many others around the nation, the Raider Nation, will go down with the ship, with the Super Bowl memory just that, a memory. Things can only get better next season. Then again, they keep saying that in Detroit too!!