Blitz Special Edition – 3/28/17 – Raiders Relocation

Blitz - Raiders relocation

Yesterday the NFL  said “Adios Oakland” and “Viva Las Vegas,” leaving many long-time Oakland Raiders fans in turmoil.  This special edition of the Blitz is dedicated to them.  As such, I’ve tried to round up some of the best articles and tweets of the day, which capture the range of sentiments expressed as well as the blatancy of the NFL in its never-ending quest for the ever-higher profit margin and the level of hypocrisy it continues to expose.

Before moving through a timeline of the day’s events, I’ll start with what I feel was the best piece to come out on the story via Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman:

The morning was tense as everyone awaited news from the owners meeting.  Derek Helling posted at Fansided in an objective attempt to make sense of the conflicting messages.

In the meantime:

Michael Abromowitz did some digging.

Media kept a watchful eye on the owners’ meeting.


Brandon Marshall contemplated how Sin City might overwhelm young players.

Then news emerged.


An unlikely hero.

There are times when words seem inadequate – but I felt I needed to say something.  I’m glad my words were taken in the right spirit.


Some reminisced.

In whatever the NFL might hope to gain (and may perhaps ultimately loose) by this move, their hypocrisy regarding gambling is in full display.  A sports league, who in conjunction with other leagues, continues to battle in court, the taxpaying voters of New Jersey in opposition to their right to legalize sports betting has now placed a team in the gambling and sports book capital of the United States; all the while maintaining the line that they continue to oppose sports gambling.  Their audacious ( and so far successful) circumvention of states’ rights and voters’ ability to decide their own laws is staggering.   Robert Kraft and Jerry Jones have invested in DraftKings.  The NFL has no problem in accepting DFS advertisements or the revenue for the same.  The bumbling and awkward manner in which Roger Goodell has addressed this would be laughable if not for the fact that people are being disregarded.  And that is never funny, even though the powerful impose their will regardless, typically in the quest for more power and ever higher profit.

If any good does come from this move, it will be that the NFL will not for much longer, be able credibly maintain its position on the evils and dangers of legal sports betting.  Here are some good analyses of the likelihood that placing an NFL franchise in Las Vegas might pave the way for other people in other states to enjoy the benefits of legalized and regulated sports gambling.  Here’s some good content in that regard.


Chargers Joshua Perry managed to find a silver lining for the players


Michael McCann and Robert Raiola explain.

Observations.

Parting thoughts . . .

As a Patriots fan, if there’s one thing I learned during Deflategate, it’s that the NFL will manipulate anything it can to its advantage.  (Okay – two things . . . ) And that when people who typically support other teams come to bat for your team it means a lot.  I hope that all of the Patriots fans reading will support the Oakland fans (and San Diego fans and St. Louis fans) who’ve recently had their teams torn from their cities.  Tax payers should not be forced to finance the NFL’s ambitions, especially while that same NFL seeks to thwart the efforts of the tax-paying voters of New Jersey.  If we can all learn to root for our teams on the field and enjoy friendly rivalries, but when the chips are down, unite with and support each other against a tyrannical league – one that exploits its players past and present as well as fans, perhaps we can find a way to restore true integrity to professional football.

⚡️The Blitz 3/28/17 regular edition with all the rest of the news.

Permanent link to this article: https://advocacyforfairnessinsports.org/2017/03/28/blitz-raiders/