Go Black, All Black, Go Rugby

I really wish American Football teams still carried the passion and loyalty of the place they represent and the fanatics that wear the colors and root for them unconditionally, win, lose or tie.  That's why whenever I see footage of the All Blacks, New Zealand's national rugby team, I get pumped. 

You can see the love the players have for their country and home.  In a game against France, an All Blacks player is shown shuddering with tears during the national anthem, so moved by his love for country and the opportunity to represent it on the rugby field. Rugby is an intense sport, but the All Blacks make it Super-Intense just by stepping onto the field, dressed in black.

American football has lost this type of honor mostly due to free agency and corporate sponsor contracts.  But in the minds of us Oakland Raiders fans, our team will one day recapture that old Raiders mystique that saw players in silver and black shedding tears before games, excited to take the field and represent one of the toughest and winningest teams in professional football. 

We hold dearly to those memories of old and look forward to each and every season with hope of maybe this being that return to glory season. And what better organization to compare our team loyalty to than the All Blacks rugby team of New Zealand, a champion in Black.

Its 2013 and the Oakland Raiders are still the team I hold nearest and dearest to my heart.  They're the only team that's ever brought tears of pride and joy to my eyes by just stepping onto the field.  Many of today's sports fans get pumped and fanatical only when their team is in the playoffs or championship game(s).  Raider fans get emotionally hyped just by meeting another fan wearing silver and black, or hearing the Autumn Wind fight song anytime, anywhere. As I once heard one old, white-haired Raiders fan say about our fight song before a game, "now that's a fight song that makes you wanna kick some a$$!"

Yep, it's 2013 and I can't wait to get inside the Oakland Coliseum and leak passion and loyalty as the Raiders step onto the field dressed in black.  In the meantime, there's nothing wrong with watching a match between the All Blacks and France while counting down the days to NFL football. Haka Haka Y'all!