Game 06. NFL Week 1. Chargers 24-20 Raiders, Oakland Coliseum.

After driving 800 miles through the night from Seattle to Oakland we got to Oakland’s Coliseum at 1pm for a 7pm kick off. Kingsford Kirk, the head of “Tailgaters Barbecue Party” tailgate team, had been there since 7am and had Puerto Rican rice waiting for us.

By 2pm over 200 people were at Kirk’s tailgate, hosting many extreme Raider fans with names such as Toozak, Violator and Raider Jerry, the latter was sporting his new silver and black contact lenses that freaked me out just a little.

Before long Guy Fieri, the famous BBQ chef from the food network came swinging by on a golf kart, with none other than Raider legend; Ken “The Snake” Stabble! Ken looked like a movie star with his jet white hair.

It was T.V time and the Food Network began filming Kirk’s amazing tailgate set up and Guy and Ken tasted his food, which included soy ginger chicken, ribs, Teriyaki salmon, pulled pork, tri-tip steak, beef, red skin potatoes and more! Enough food to feed over 200 people! Everyone was incredibly friendly and the chefs; Barbecue Bob and Stan did not stop cooking until after the game, that’s 14 hours of cooking!

A pimped out S.U.V Raider truck bounced by the tailgate on hydraulics that looked like it had come straight out of a rap video. The 100 grand paint job was all Raider helmets and skulls and it looked great. Until my image was ruined slightly when the door was opened and there was a pair of $5 Raider fuzzy dice hanging from the rear view mirror.

Jay’s cousin got us a game ticket that was worth $75 each. Jay and myself rushed over to the stadium and made our way to our section. The crowd were loud and proud and the venue has great urban grit. Jay got a call from Guy who was in a suite and asked us to join him in there with his entourage.

After asking several members of staff how we get to the suites we were finally let in. I have never been in a suite before and I was really amazed. The Raiders were all ready a touchdown up and the audience was getting excited. A win against their divisional rivals, the Chargers who are a great team, would be awesome for these fans.

The suite had its own mini kitchen with a couch, cupboards and drinking glasses. There was oddly no food or drink as you are supposed to organise that in advance. I sat down on the plush seats in front of Guy Fieri and next to Ken Stabble and his wife. Ken was getting really into the game. I asked him if he ever come to London, would he like to play for my flag football team, this was his response:“That’s sounds like a lot of fun, I’ve still got it”, he then made a snake image with his arm! The Chargers got back into the game, before the Raiders scored a touchdown.

Although it got over turned for an apparent fumble, which I, Ken and the rest of the stadium was in shock by. Still The Raiders had stopped both Charger running backs: LaDanian Tomlinson and speedster Darren Sproles.

At half time we all received print outs of the first half stats and that was a nice touch. Although the suite was great, it really just felt like I was in a fancy lounge in someone’s house, watching the game on a huge flat screen HD T.V. The big glass window did slide open in the middle and I could hear the noise of the crowd, especially as I was hanging over the famous black hole and their loud fans. But I still felt I was not IN the stadium, as the suite was so calm and swanky. Although it was amazing to actually sit in a suite and a great experience, for me it’s all about sitting with the real fans; shouting and screaming!

The Raiders had played great football, but the air was taken out of the Raider fans lungs when Charger QB, Philip Rivers found wide receiver, Jackson just outside the end zone who ambled it in for Charger 17-13 Charger lead.

Raider’s QB, JaMarcus Rusell, who I think is a rather heavy footed clumsy player, went down with an injury. He gingerly came back a drive later. With just a couple of minutes to go the Raiders were 4th and 15 on their own 40. We thought it was game over so we decided to leave and beat the traffic. As we got out of the Coliseum we heard a huge roar. The Raiders must have scored, and indeed they did. Russell threw a massive ball and to his receiver and the Raiders got a TD. We ran back to Kirk’s tailgate where we knew some of his crew would be watching the game on their large outdoor flat screen in the car park.

The Raiders were back in the lead. Then up steps Philip Rivers again and made a great 70 yard drive. Then Darren Sproles who had been stopped all night punched his way into the end zone. The Raider fans around me were gutted. Sure they were a poor team last season, but they had nearly tasted victory. They told me they were proud of how their team has improved this year and they can take a lot of confidence in the way they played against a good team. The atmosphere was a lot more charged than last year and that maybe because it was a Monday night game, season opener, divisional rival and the raiders played good football, well at least for 59 minutes.

After the game Raider Jerry came by with Mario Henderson’s girlfriend (Raider left tackle). Jerry gave me and two others a wrist band that allowed us to get into the player’s car park. We rushed over and watched several players walk past and hop into their huge Escalades.

Mario came out and chatted with Raider Jerry and his girlfriend before I was introduced to him. He was a really nice guy and expressed his thanks when I told him the Raiders played so well. I also asked him if he came to London, would he play on my flag team, that now I have Ken Stabbler on board? He said he would love to play. Soon I will have so many star players, there won’t be any room for me!