Derek Carr’s comments from Monday won’t endear him to a large sect of Raiders fans. Reflecting on the franchise’s upcoming relocation from Oakland to Las Vegas, the star quarterback said he thinks fans who won’t continue rooting for the franchise after the move are not “true Raiders fans.”
From The Mercury News:
“We’re not going to split up like you’ve seen other cities do,” Carr said. “We’re not going to do things like that. For the ones that do, I don’t really believe that they are true Raider fans. I feel their hurt. I’m with you. I hurt too. But at the same, we’re all in this together and we’re just going to do it together.”
“Out of 1,000 people, you’re going to get one or two that have something to say. And that’s with everything. It doesn’t matter if you throw four touchdowns or three picks, you’re going to get it both ways. I expect that, but if something happens, it’ll be the 1 percent. Hopefully ya’ll don’t focus on that kind of stuff because there’s the 99 percent that are loyal, faithful fans that are going to ride with us wherever we’re at.”
Can you really blame “true” fans for switching allegiances when their team switches cities? If an Oaklander wants to root for the Las Vegas Raiders, that’s great. But if they are furious that the franchise left them, their diehard fandom from years past shouldn’t be discounted. And that’s exactly what Carr is doing.
While it’s not Carr’s decision, the Raiders will move to Las Vegas by 2020. After months of speculation, the NFL voted nearly unanimously in favor of the move in March. If anything, the franchise did not stay true to its fans, who stuck with the team through years and years of atrocious football.
And that’s why you can understand why some longtime Raiders fans are especially upset considering the timing. For the first time in a long time, the Raiders are actually a relevant NFL team. They went 12-4 last season, making the playoffs for the first time since 2002, and could have been even better had Carr not broke his leg in Week 16.
So while Oaklanders can still enjoy at least one more season of contending in the AFC West, soon enough it won’t matter.
Although the Raiders had been a joke of a franchise for over a decade before last season, they have a deeper history in Oakland including two Super Bowl victories. John Madden, who won the 1976 Super Bowl in Oakland and made five other AFC Championship games, has already voiced his concern that the legacy could get wiped out.
There’s nothing wrong with staying true to the city instead of the franchise.
I love Derek Carr. But his short life span in the NFL thus far leaves him with nearsightedness when it comes to loyalty. For him to say True Raider Fans will stick with the team when they move to LV shows lack of history in Oakland. Simply put the true Raider fans that took it in the ass when they moved to LA and stuck with them. They showed up in force when they moved back. Now the Raiders are moving again for the sole purpose of lining Marc Davis’s pockets. Marc in a recent interview said it’s not about the money it was about preserving his dads (AL Davis) legacy Bullshit! That legacy that includes inside maneuvering to wrestle control of the team from then owner Wayne Valley who hired Davis as head coach in 1963. Now in most circles this was judged to be legal however Al , knew what he was doing when he set up Mr. Valley. Legal is legal and Chicken shit is chicken shit. Now per Mr. Carr we are supposed to bend over again for the third time and show some sort of loyalty like a flock of sheep and if we don’t were are not true Raider fans? No Derrick we are just tired of getting screwed by the big money interest in the NFL.…Bahhh, Bahhh Bah Bah. Translation “ Just turn them off Baby”
Carr doesn’t understand. Many of those fans he thinks should follow the team in Vegas are paying for Mt. Davis with their taxes. I’m done with the team now. Mark got his welfare, no leave! Hopefully the city counsel will find a way to send them packing sooner rather than later.
This kid will switch allegiances with his next paycheck—-so do I care what he thinks? As a Bills’ fan, I am sad that the Raiders are going to another city. Our founder, Mr. Ralph Wilson, Jr. voted against every relocation in his history with the NFL….sad that other owners don’t share his concept of loyalty to a fan base.
I LOVE MY DENVER BRONCOS!!!….If they packed up and left Denver, I’m sorry, I’d PROBABLY treat them as an EX and wouldn’t want anything to do with them…. Hell, I guess I’d start rooting for the Raiders!!!! lol….So, You Oakland football lovers aught to start writing ELway and tell him you want a “scary” team to root for and ask him to change our colors to ORANGE AND BLACK….COLOR CHANGE ain’t gonna happen – lol…but hey, We Denver fan’s feel for you, I can’t Imagine losing my Broncos….START ROOTING FOR DENVER, CAUSE WE LOVE BEATING THE RAIDERS!!!!