Becky's Seahawk Family Album

Raider Haters!!!

It was Monday Night Football and Seattle was playing the Raiders in the Kingdome. It was team colors night and I was surrounded by blue and white clad people as they flooded towards the southwest gates. People were chanting "Raider Busters" "Raider Busters!" and there was excitement in the air. Seahawk fans hated the 80's Raiders with a passion.

As I looked ahead towards the dome I saw someone coming towards me against the flow of the fans. It was the former Raider Ben Davidson. He was pretty far away but he stood head and shoulders over everybody around him. The crowd just parted as he walked through them in a flapping trench coat with a regular sized player in his wake. The guy was HUGE.

The crowd was still buzzing and not paying attention to much more than having a great time and chanting away when Ben stopped right in front of me. I must have been within 25 feet of the guy. I had angled my way in his direction because I wanted to see him up close. I got a treat.

All of a sudden this giant man with a huge mustache stops, flexes his arms and bellows "Go Raiders! Yeah! " in a big gravelly voice. It was great. The startled crowd went silent and the parting grew into a circle as people shied away from him, eager to avoid eye contact. Folks jumped when he shouted. Some cowered. Everybody noticed. It was quite a pregame show for me.

What I saw later in game during a commercial break was almost as funny. I was watching Kenny Easily through binoculars. He was standing idle along with everyone else on the field waiting for play to resume. He was standing across the line of scrimmage from the guy he was about to cover. Suddenly Kenny head slapped the guy. He just reached right out and slapped him while the ref had his back turned. I could hear it clearly above the crowd noise. The Raider went nuts and went for Kenny. Flags flew. Penalties were assessed. Unsportsmanlike conduct against the Raiders.

We ended up winning the game and chanted "Bronco Busters" as we exited the facility. A fight broke out on the ramp and a Raider fan tackled another Raider fan. The cops were looking for him as he dashed and darted amongst the happy crowd. It was exciting. I am amazed that after all the years since that game and all the King beers during it that it remains so vivid in my mind.

-Steve Oakes

PS: I was checking out the crowd at a Thunderbirds game a few years later and noticed Seahawk great Norm Johnson across the ice. Just as I pointed him out to my wife a puck flew into the stands and Norm reached out and barehanded it. Just like that. I watched him put it in his pocket like it was a normal thing to do. I noticed he wouldn't give it to the kid sitting next to him when the kid asked for it.


From: mightyoakes1@juno.com Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 10:16 PM Subject: Raider haters Want a jersey graphic like the others on this page? Send us your story! Please specify whether you want the throwback jersey or the new style.		Previous \| Next Raider Haters!!! It was Monday Night Football and Seattle was playing the Raiders in the Kingdome. It was team colors night and I was surrounded by blue and white clad people as they flooded towards the southwest gates. People were chanting "Raider Busters" "Raider Busters!" and there was excitement in the air. Seahawk fans hated the 80's Raiders with a passion. As I looked ahead towards the dome I saw someone coming towards me against the flow of the fans. It was the former Raider Ben Davidson. He was pretty far away but he stood head and shoulders over everybody around him. The crowd just parted as he walked through them in a flapping trench coat with a regular sized player in his wake. The guy was HUGE. The crowd was still buzzing and not paying attention to much more than having a great time and chanting away when Ben stopped right in front of me. I must have been within 25 feet of the guy. I had angled my way in his direction because I wanted to see him up close. I got a treat. All of a sudden this giant man with a huge mustache stops, flexes his arms and bellows "Go Raiders! Yeah! " in a big gravelly voice. It was great. The startled crowd went silent and the parting grew into a circle as people shied away from him, eager to avoid eye contact. Folks jumped when he shouted. Some cowered. Everybody noticed. It was quite a pregame show for me. What I saw later in game during a commercial break was almost as funny. I was watching Kenny Easily through binoculars. He was standing idle along with everyone else on the field waiting for play to resume. He was standing across the line of scrimmage from the guy he was about to cover. Suddenly Kenny head slapped the guy. He just reached right out and slapped him while the ref had his back turned. I could hear it clearly above the crowd noise. The Raider went nuts and went for Kenny. Flags flew. Penalties were assessed. Unsportsmanlike conduct against the Raiders. We ended up winning the game and chanted "Bronco Busters" as we exited the facility. A fight broke out on the ramp and a Raider fan tackled another Raider fan. The cops were looking for him as he dashed and darted amongst the happy crowd. It was exciting. I am amazed that after all the years since that game and all the King beers during it that it remains so vivid in my mind. -Steve Oakes PS: I was checking out the crowd at a Thunderbirds game a few years later and noticed Seahawk great Norm Johnson across the ice. Just as I pointed him out to my wife a puck flew into the stands and Norm reached out and barehanded it. Just like that. I watched him put it in his pocket like it was a normal thing to do. I noticed he wouldn't give it to the kid sitting next to him when the kid asked for it.