The Oakland Raiders’ Last Game There (Notes)

Today’s very likely, meaningless, as far as the upcoming playoffs, Jacksonville Jaguars at Oakland (Raiders) game, will be the last home game in Oakland for the Raiders, as they will play in Las Vegas, Nevada, starting in the 2020 season.

Oh the memories of the storied Raiders’ franchise, just in games at the Oakland Coliseum, where once the Raiders’ shield adorned the yard lines.

Oakland won games there that punched Super Bowl tickets, before losses in the S. Bowl  to Green Bay in 1967 and current coach Jon Gruden’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in ’02.

Most glorious, they won such games before Super Bowl victories, the games that gained the Raiders Super Bowl entry, vs the two time and great champion, Pittsburgh Steelers in 1974 and Seattle Seahawks in 1983.

The magnificent, exciting and denied Hall of Fame entry while alive, Raiders’ quarterback, Ken Stabler threw the winning touchdown to Clarence Davis in a classic division round win, vs another great two time champion, Miami Dolphins team in 1974.

However, Raiders’ coach John Madden and many thought they had won it all, that was not the case.

The next week in the AFC Title game also at The Coliseum, Chuck Noll’s Steelers made them and as I recall, me pay, winning the Coliseum title tilt the following week.

Many recall Tom Brady and the Patriots, obviously another great team, getting their start with another chance, in a snowy division round game in New England vs the Raiders, in 2001.

Twenty five years earlier, it was ruled Ray “Sugar Bear” Hamilton roughed Stabler and eventually Mr. Stabler rolled in for a dramatic touchdown and win vs the Patriots, in another classic late Saturday afternoon, Curt Gowdy broadcast, division round game.

That year, the Raiders won it all for the first of three times, none since 1983.

Again the memories flash, late games piped into television markets with Curt Gowdy and Charlie Jones broadcasting, Fred Belitnikoff, Art Shell and Jim Plunkett, (he was the quarterback on 2 Raiders’ title teams coached by Tom Flores) among so many others, playing. Al Davis the maverick owner. (“Commissioner” to Mr. Rozelle, accepting Super Bowl trophies–perhaps they are watching today).

It WAS great!

Ken Stabler scores the winning touchdown in what I think was the most important moment, among many exciting ones, in the 1976 division round win vs the New England Patriots.

That season, Oakland ended years of frustration and won their first Super Bowl.