Another sign of change for Raiders: 1,000 fans attend training camp practice
FS Michael Huff is in his seventh training camp with the Raiders since being drafted in the first round out of Texas in 2006.
But when he took the field Friday afternoon for practice at Napa, he saw something he had never seen before in camp. Around 1,000 fans -- almost all them dressed in silver and black --packed bleachers.
The Raiders have had small groups of ticket holders and sponsors attend training camp practices in the past. But this year they gave out more than 1,000 tickets to fans to attend afternoon practices on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
“I could get used to this,” Huff said. “I wish we could have it every day. Just having the fans out here to kind of see what we go through, kind of see the work we’re putting in. I definitely think it helps the fans and it helps us.”
Consider it one more sign of change for the Raiders under GM Reggie McKenzie, coach Dennis Allen and new owner Mark Davis.
“I thought it was good,” Allen said. “I thought the fans were great. I thought the players reacted well to it. At the end of the day, this league is what it is because of the fans, so our ability to do something to give back and give them an opportunity to come and check out what we’re doing here, there’s a lot of excitement around here. I thought it was a good situation for the fans and for us as an organization.”
Huff said he “loved the energy” that the fans provided, “even though there was a little offensive bias. Every time the offense catches the ball, you know the crowd goes wild. But you know we love the fans out here, especially these dog days of camp. They all kind of seem monotonous, kind of like the same day. It’s especially good to have them out here yelling and screaming for us.”
Despite the large and vocal group of fans, the Raiders, for the most part, kept their minds on the task at hand. They concentrated on work, not interacting with or showing off for fans.
“We know the fans are here, we know we have their support, but we still have to do our job and focus down and do everything that we need to do,” FB Marcel Reece said. “And that’s what it’s about. These things are for the fans because we owe them so much for all their support for us. But, as for us, it’s the same old practice and getting down to it, getting more intense. We got the pads on. You hear it. It’s louder. It’s a little more intense for us. We’re just out there having fun and trying to learn.”
As for Huff’s assertion that the fans are biased toward the offense?
“Listen, listen. Huff will say anything to get more fans for the defense,” Reece said. “They’re not biased. We make plays. We make plays. They’re not biased. They’re cheering for what they love.”
Rookie WR Rod Streater loved what he heard.
“They were cheering at everything,” Streater said. “It was a great environment. I love the fans. It’s pretty cool to hear them cheering when you make a catch. I like it.”
“They’re loud. These are the best fans in the world. They’re always hyped. It was great. It was a great day. I can’t wait for preseason now.”
Follow Raiders reporter Eric Gilmore on Twitter: @CBSSportsNFLOAK.
