Sports have always had a way of breaking your heart. A disappointing season; a painful loss; a favorite player being traded or moving away via free agency. There are myriad ways it can happen. And, perhaps because of the way we are wired as humans, we remember those moments far more than we remember the good times. As a fan of Bay Area teams for most of my life, I've got nothing to complain about - five Super Bowl championships for the 49ers, three World Series championships for the Giants, a similar number for the Athletics and Raiders back when I was a kid and rooted for all the Bay Area teams equally.
And while those were great moments, none of it completely washed out the memory of the 2002 World Series (dear Lord, please don't let him face another batter), the 1983 NFC Championship Game (that was NOT pass interference!), or the 1990 NFC Championship Game (Jeez, Roger Craig, just hold on to the ball, and we win - is that really too much to ask?). It's not logical, it's not rational - but it is what it is.
But the worst way to break the heart of a sports fan is for an entire team to leave. Just ask fans of the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Seattle Supersonics, the Los Angeles Rams, the St. Louis Rams, the St. Louis Football Cardinals, the Montreal Expos...
And the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers.
Back in 1980, the Raiders and the Chargers were the two best teams in football. They played an AFC Championship game that year which was much more memorable than the Super Bowl that was played two weeks later. There were nine future Hall of Famers on the field that day: Gene Upshaw, Art Shell, Ted Hendricks, Dave Casper, Ray Guy, Dan Fouts, Kellen Winslow, Charlie Joiner, and Fred Dean. Also on the field that day were two players that won the Heisman Trophy: Jim Plunkett and John Cappaletti. Pro Bowl players on the field that day included Mark Van Eeghen, Cliff Branch, Bob Chandler, Raymond Chester, John Matuszak, Matt Millen, Lester Hayes, John Jefferson, Louie Kelcher, and Gary Johnson. The coaches were Tom Flores and Don Coryell.
Two landmark teams. Two landmark franchises. And soon, both to be gone, perhaps forever.
The Raiders and the Chargers played a game last night. The Chargers now play in Los Angeles, but Troy Aikman called them "San Diego" at least once. And that's only right - because for those who believe in fairness and justice, they will always be the San Diego Chargers. It may have been the best game of the season, so far. It was far from perfect. But it had the atmosphere of the greatest games - an atmosphere that you rarely see in the regular season. It was glorious.
And, barring a postseason appearance, it was the last prime time game that will ever be played at the Oakland - Alameda County Coliseum. And that is a shame. And there is plenty of shame to go around: the families that own the teams, the greed-based mindset that guides the NFL in the 21st Century. Since there is no fan base for the Chargers in Los Angeles, I doubt that I'm offending anyone by suggesting that L.A. does not deserve this team. And while I'm sure there are many fine, dedicated football fans in Las Vegas, they do not deserve the Raiders.
For me, they will always be the OAKLAND Raiders and the SAN DIEGO Chargers. Perhaps in my lifetime, they will be again. After all, it happened once before. This time, I'm not holding my breath.
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