The Raiders can change cities.
asserted
Raiders → change → cities
They can change stadiums.
asserted
They → change → stadiums
They can put hundreds of miles between themselves and Los Angeles.
asserted
They → put → themselves
Getting Southern California to stop loving them?
asserted
California → get → them
Yeah, that is never going to happen.
asserted
that → go → ?
Every year, the Raiders’ trip to SoFi Stadium proves the point.
asserted
trip → prove → point
The schedule calls it a road game.
asserted
schedule → call → it
The sea of silver and black tells a different story.
asserted
sea → tell → story
“To have the fans there, supporting us, it’s fantastic,” said veteran left tackle Kolton Miller.
asserted
Miller → support → us
Which makes their recurring inability to reward that loyalty at SoFi Stadium all the more maddening.
asserted
inability → make → Stadium
Since the stadium opened in 2020, the Raiders are 1-7 there, including seven straight losses.
asserted
Raiders → open → losses
Their only win came during the pandemic, when fans weren’t allowed inside.
asserted
fans → come → pandemic
In other words, the faithful have packed the place every chance they’ve gotten.
asserted
they → pack → place
The Raiders return Sunday to face the Chargers in a building that, once again, should feature a sizable contingent of fans wearing silver and black.
asserted
that → return → silver
For some, it will be a short drive to see the team they never stopped calling their own.
asserted
they → see → team
Others will travel from Las Vegas and beyond, turning another road game into something that sounds and feels much more welcoming.
asserted
that → travel → something
“We know the fans over there in L.A. are heavy, for sure,” said Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby.
asserted
Crosby → know → L.A.
“We appreciate all the love and support.”
asserted
We → appreciate → love
The familiar question is whether the Raiders will finally give them a reason to celebrate afterward.
Coming off a convincing season-opening win over the Dolphins, the Raiders can leave Los Angeles at 2-0 while burying a division rival in an 0-2 hole after the Chargers’ opening loss to the Cardinals.
And reward a Southern California fan base that has never stopped showing up for them.
asserted
that → give → them
Their fans have held up their end for decades.
asserted
fans → hold → decades
Sunday is a chance for the Raiders to hold up theirs.
asserted
Raiders → hold → theirs
“It’s a division game.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
I know how our fans travel,” said Miller.
asserted
Miller → know → ?
Their Southern California following has never needed much explaining.
asserted
following → need → explaining
The Raiders called Los Angeles home from 1982 through 1994, playing at the Coliseum and winning a Super Bowl along the way.
asserted
Raiders → call → way
Thirteen seasons were enough to establish a bond that survived their return to Oakland and, eventually, their move to Las Vegas.
asserted
that → establish → Vegas
Parents passed it to their children.
asserted
Parents → pass → children
Neighborhoods kept it alive.
asserted
Neighborhoods → keep → it
The uniforms remained part of the city’s sports identity long after the franchise packed its moving trucks.
asserted
franchise → remain → trucks
The Raiders left town.
asserted
Raiders → leave → town
Plenty of their fans stayed right where they were.
asserted
they → stay → fans
And a decade ago, there was a real possibility the team would come back.
asserted
team → be → ?
Throughout 2015, the Raiders and Chargers pursued a shared stadium project in Carson, competing with Rams owner Stan Kroenke’s vision for Inglewood.
asserted
Raiders → pursue → Inglewood
Then the NFL chose a different future.
asserted
NFL → choose → future
In January 2016, owners approved the Rams’ return and the Inglewood project that became SoFi Stadium.
asserted
that → approve → return
The Chargers received the first option to join them, leaving the Raiders behind their division rival in the Los Angeles pecking order.
asserted
Chargers → receive → order
Los Angeles got two teams.
asserted
Angeles → get → teams
The Raiders got another city.
asserted
Raiders → get → city
But allegiances were never going to rearrange themselves as neatly as the league’s relocation plans.
asserted
allegiances → go → plans
The Chargers ultimately took that opportunity.
asserted
Chargers → take → opportunity
…and 29 more, not listed.
The Aporia
