These Raiders Are Silver and Back

In Oakland, they are no longer casting envious looks across the San Francisco Bay.

OK, so maybe the food and wine connoisseurs still do so, but certainly not football fans.

Why would they?

The silver and black is back, the Raiders are almost as fierce and menacing as their fans.

Meanwhile, in San Francisco, the talk is of Joe Montana’s enshrinement in the Hall of Fame, Steve Young’s appearance at the Republican National Convention and the Giants’ chances in the playoffs.

And the 49ers? Nobody talks much about a dynasty in ashes. And nobody uses the word genius in connection with Bill Walsh anymore.

They came out 62,000 strong to Oakland’s Network Associates Coliseum last Sunday to cheer their unbeaten Raiders against the Denver Broncos, led by Coach Mike Shanahan, still an evil figure to the Oakland faithful.

Talk about evil figures. Raider fans streamed in with their capes and their eyepatches, their swords and their sneers, football pirates awash in a sea of silver and black.

It was the first Raider sellout in three years, the team finally seen on its home turf in Oakland households after 24 consecutive television blackouts.

No court battles this day. No charges and countercharges between Raider officials and those of the city. No whispered threats of a move.

Just smash-mouth Raider football like the good old days.

“Right now, the 49ers are struggling a little bit,” Oakland tight end Rickey Dudley told the San Jose Mercury News, “and we’re doing pretty well, so it looks like we have the momentum.”

On the field, that momentum came to a crashing halt. The Raiders fell behind to Denver, 17-0, in the first quarter, put on a furious rally and left the field tied at the half only to get shut out in the final 30 minutes of a 33-24 loss.

That elicited much hand-wringing from those who wondered if the Raiders had blown their opportunity to resurrect interest on the home front.

Not to worry.

What Sunday proved was that the fans aren’t influenced by the politicians or Raider officials. They don’t care about promises made or contracts broken.

Like Raider owner Al Davis once said: Just win, baby.

The fans have stayed away in masses because the team hasn’t been a bonafide contender since its return five years ago.

This season, Oakland won its first two games, showed it has talent on both sides of the ball, and the fans poured back in as they did in the glory days of Daryle Lamonica and Ken Stabler.

Keep winning and the fans’ cheers may drown out the politicians’ groans.

Who knows? Davis may decide he actually likes it in Oakland.

Who knows? We might actually want the Raiders back in L.A.

Just win, baby.

THE SURVIVOR

It was amazing to watch Tim Brown catch the nine-yard touchdown pass from Rich Gannon last Sunday that enabled Brown to surpass Fred Biletnikoff and become the Raiders’ career leader in touchdown receptions with 77.

It’s not amazing that Brown was able to accomplish the feat. He has been a quality receiver since the day he arrived from Notre Dame with sure hands, deceptive speed and a keen sense of the field.

What’s amazing is that Brown is still catching balls in a Raider uniform.

Brown had two strikes against him. He was a good friend of Marcus Allen and a staunch defender of former coach Art Shell. That put Brown on a collision course with Davis, who had a long-running feud with Allen and fired Shell.

“Nothing is going to change,” Brown said after Shell was removed. “They could bring in Superman and he couldn’t coach this team if the hierarchy doesn’t change its philosophy. . . . I think Al should be the coach. . . . At least that way, we would get it from the horse’s mouth.”

Brown made those remarks almost six years ago, yet he’s still a Raider.

Amazing.

BUTTERING THEM UP

Some players try to intimidate the opposition with trash talk. Keyshawn Johnson has decided to try loving kindness.

Johnson is in his first season as a wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who’ll play the New York Jets, Johnson’s former club, in Tampa on Sunday.

Johnson planned to take 10 of his former teammates to dinner after they arrived. The group was to consist mostly of defensive players, the ones who will get a shot at Johnson on the field.

Trying to smooth over any lingering hard feelings?

“Everybody on the defense, I can guarantee you, loves me,” Johnson said. “For the most part, you’re not going to find a whole lot of people in that locker room that are going to say something negative about me.”

How about his new locker room, where teammate Warren Sapp says he doesn’t want to hear about Johnson’s relationship with the Jets?

“This ain’t no soap opera,” Sapp said. “Nothing Keyshawn says or my wife says or anything anybody else says is going to win or lose this ballgame. It’s going to be won out there on the field for 60 minutes. That’s what it’s all about. If you want a soap opera, go home and turn on ABC and watch ‘General Hospital.’ We’re going to go out and play football.”

Does that mean Sapp wasn’t interested in a free dinner?

FREE ADVICE FOR COACHES

To the Dallas Cowboys’ Dave Campo: Yes, quarterback Troy Aikman led the team to three Super Bowls. But at this time on this team, Randall Cunningham, the spring back in his legs, seems to get more out of the offense. This isn’t about concussions. It’s about completions. It’s about opening up the offense. It’s about closing down opponents. Leave Cunningham as the starter.

To the Washington Redskins’ Norv Turner: Bench Brad Johnson. Start Jeff George at quarterback. What have you got to lose? Your job if you don’t do it.

To Denver’s Shanahan: I’m sure you’ve already thought of this because you always seem one step ahead of everybody else. When Terrell Davis returns from his ankle injury, any chance of keeping Mike Anderson in the backfield at fullback? That would give you a running game that could bulldoze you all the way to the Super Bowl.

To Tampa Bay’s Tony Dungy: No advice is necessary. You seem to have it all covered.