Why do the Oakland Raiders have the reputation of Criminals?

Question

I understand the image of playing rough and receiving more penalties for a number of years but if you refer to my Micheal Vick Question a lot of people believe that they have criminals on their team. Give examples of Criminals if you can.

Answer 1

I think it has more to do with the fans then the team itself. It seems like wherever the Raiders decide to play their fans cause trouble. It's almost guaranteed that whenever the Raiders play an away team in San Diego, Denver, or Kansas City rowdy Raiders fans will show up and cause trouble in the stands. Quite often at least one Raiders fan will be arrested for starting a fight during a game, and in the past fans have gotten stabbed or shot. This is, of course, not a reflection on all Raiders fan, but it does seem to happen a lot than games involving others teams.

It's probably also a by-product of the bad boy image that the Raiders impose upon themselves. If your team colors are silver and black and you call yourself the Raider one would expect to be labeled a bad boys team.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

The rep is from their hard-nose playstyle of the 70s. People keep saying the fans are rude and get arrested every game but at the SF/Raider game this preseason it was the niner fans starting the fights and filling the holding cells. As for the stabbing a few years ago another poster quoted I believe it happened at a charger game and it was a charger fan that stabbed someone. Yeah we are crazy fans but no crazier than most ie. packers and bears fans in sub 0 weather in only shorts with their whole bodies painted( thats just insane).
As for criminals on the team...I dont think they had anyone in the preseason/off season get in trouble. Cinci is the home for the crimminals and before anyone jumps up and say " but you take all the troublemakers ie.moss " its funny how we take him and his a troublemaker.....the Pats pick him up and hes a golden boy agian. Romonowski..yeah he hit hard and had some anger issues but alot of players do. In the last 5 years there have been a few times a player has been hurt by a hard hit or cheap shot from a defensive player. People paralyzed...broken legs ( cant remember the team think SF where they showed the hit for weeks) and helmet to helmet hits that knock people out. Funny how we play dirty but you never see Raiders in the headlines for these hits or being fined for illegal shots. Stop hating for something that happened 30+ years ago and was considered the norm back then and come out to the game sunday and enjoy SOME FOOTBALL.

Answer 4

I think the reputation is affected slightly by gang bangers and thugs wearing the team apparel because it looks cool and intimidating, which gives the impression that all fans are that way. All teams have bad fans. Raiders fans are fanatical, which in my opinion is not a bad thing. Dressing up as a pirate or a skeleton should not lead to a bad rep. I think the overarching factor is that the Raiders are the bad boys of the league, so the team will always be seen as the dirty team.

Answer 5

Well let's see in the 70s their feud with the Steelers spilled into the COURTROOMS. Actually during that time is when they got the reputation and the fans keep it up to make their team look good, they need something. As to how dirty they were consider this, when Madden was going in the Hall of Fame his PLAYERS were on TV doing interviews and admitting he taught them if you aren't cheating then you aren't trying hard enough. Well criminals break the law and cheaters break the rules. So easy to say if you are a cheater you are likely a criminal.

Answer 6

They don't. They have a reputation of being outcasts, malcontents and all around cheaters. Recently, Romanoski was notorious for using whatever dirty tricks he could muster. I think he paralyzed a teammates eye muscles when he was with the broncos. But their Reputation goes back to the 70s when Al Davis constantly fought with the NFL. It didn't help that he took players that where so hard to get along with that nobody else wanted them. During this time Madden was his coach, who is probably the dirtiest coach to ever play the game. He used to get 12 men in the field, If he was facing a team known for speed he would wet the field etc.
But anyways if you are thinking of criminals you probably mean the Bengals.

Answer 7

Its an exaggeration that has taken on a life of its own. The 70s Raiders started it all. The John Madden team that won the Super Bowl was full of characters like: John Matuzak who would stay out drinking until hours all hours, Ted Hendricks was a big, mean, nasty dude and Jack Tatum who paralyzed a guy during an exhibition game. After that team won the super bowl, Al Davis took more chances on players that other teams considered dangerous or washed up. Over time it has become the last stop for troubled players on their way out of the league.

Answer 8

ALL NFL teams have had players who have had run-ins with the law. Too bad pro athletes don't take their position as role models more seriously.

As for the fans, Oakland has to have some of the worst in the league (Eagles as well). I think a major reason many of the fans wear Darth Vader masks to the games is so the cops won't recognize them!!! ;-)

Answer 9

Funny you ask that, because Cincinnati has had more criminals on their roster in the past year than Oakland. Maybe it does have something to do with their fans, who aren't even the most disrespectful in the AFC West (that honor belongs to the Chefs, whose fans disrespect the National Anthem - which I find VERY offensive - on a weekly basis).

Answer 10

Its just an image that some fans and some media like to propagate. The players themselves are no more "criminal" than other teams.

Actually the Raider organization might not mind the distinction themselves, it adds to the mystique and ticket sales.

However, the team did have a rouge image years ago and fans are trying to rekindle that now.