Jets must overcome 'Black Hole' and rowdy fans-BY ERIK BOLAND | erik.boland@newsday.com October 19, 2008 Alcatraz, just a short distance away, had its famous Birdman. Oakland Alameda County Coliseum - aka the 'Black Hole" - where the Jets play the Raiders today, apparently has its bird woman. Maybe more than one, but two Jets players, speaking three days apart, sure seemed to be describing the same person. They said she's emblematic of what many consider the NFL's nastiest road environment. "One time, we [the Chiefs] were going into Oakland ... and this lady was 75 years old and she was in a wheelchair," fullback Tony Richardson said Monday. "I was thinking she was going to raise her finger up to wave to us and she shot us the bird. I said, 'If at 75 years old you're still shooting birds to the opposing team, that lets you know that fans are passionate.'" Trips to Oakland were an annual occurrence for Richardson when he was a member of the Chiefs from 1995-2005. "It's a fun place to play," Richardson said. "It's going to be rowdy. They know anything about you, and you better believe there is going to be a sign up about you." Jets receiver Laveranues Coles doesn't have nearly as much experience playing in Oakland as Richardson does, but he remembered a bus ride to the stadium for the same reason Richardson did. "I was coming to a game one time and there was this very old lady on a walker pushing her way along, all painted up and everything with an Oakland Raiders uniform on," Coles said Thursday. "And I'm like, 'Aw, look at that old lady, she's a great fan.' And she goes and shoots us the bird. Just one of those things; you know that their fans are real rough fans." Rough enough that not even Jets fans feel comfortable wearing their green-and-white best there. "I will have no Jets stuff on at all, not even my watch," said longtime Jets fan Ira Lieberfarb, who travels to most away games. "Just have to sit and watch the game." Linebacker Eric Barton has some of the best firsthand knowledge of fans whom he called "a spirited group of different individuals." Barton played for the Raiders from 1999-2003 before joining the Jets as a free agent before the 2004 season. "They love football there," Barton said. "It's going to be loud and it's probably going to be the first time a lot of [players] have seen something like this. It's going to be a great experience for most of them." But only if the Jets win, which has proved a difficult task for them in Oakland in the last decade. Since 1999, the Jets are 2-5 in Oakland, though they were successful their last trip, coming away with a 27-24 overtime victory Nov. 9, 2003. That was the start of a three-game winning streak in a series that stands at 21-16-2 in favor of the Raiders. The Jets (3-2) are favored today, but Richardson said the Raiders (1-4) at home are a much different group than on the road. "It's a hostile environment and it gets very, very loud," he said. "We have to be ready to play because it could be a landslide. I've been in some of those games where we were favored to win and we went down there not mentally ready to go and got jumped on early, and never were able to overcome it." JETS AT OAKLAND, 4:15 p.m. TV: Ch. 2 Radio: WEPN (1050) ABOUT THE RAIDERS (1-4) Coach: Tom Cable (interim, 0-1). Last week: Lost in New Orleans, 34-3. The skinny: Cable, who took over for the fired Lane Kiffin Sept. 30, did not have a shock-the-world debut as his team fell rather easily. The Raiders aren't very good, but there are two areas in which they excel: running the ball and rushing the passer. The Raiders feature three ballcarriers - Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas and Michael Bush - capable of breaking off big runs; they rank third in the league in team rushing (141.0 ypg). Oakland is tied for 10th with 13 sacks. But the Raiders are 1-4 for a reason, with their overall offensive ranking (23rd), defensive ranking (24th) and third-down efficiency ranking (30th at 27.5 percent) the primary causes. MEET THE ENEMY DARREN McFADDEN, RB McFadden has battled turf toe all season, though he is expected to be near or at 100 percent this afternoon. The injury has limited McFadden's involvement in the offense, but his effectiveness still has been impressive. McFadden enters today as the team's leading rusher with 302 yards and one TD on 59 carries, a 5.1-yard average. The Jets looked intently at McFadden before last April's draft and likely would have selected the Arkansas running back with the sixth pick had the Raiders not grabbed him at No. 4. INJURY REPORT JETS - Out: K Mike Nugent (thigh). Questionable: WR David Clowney (shoulder), WR Laveranues Coles (thigh), DT Kris Jenkins (back), LB Calvin Pace (foot), LB Bryan Thomas (calf). Probable: CB Justin Miller (foot). RAIDERS - Doubtful: DE Derrick Burgess (triceps), TE Ben Troupe (foot). Probable: CB Nnamdi Asomugha (elbow), LB Isaiah Ekejiuba (shoulder). Copyright ? 2008, Newsday Inc.
Are these the same fans we saw in the playoffs? Even in those years unless it was a primetime or playofpf game they couldn't sell out. The crowd shouldn't play much of a role.
The days of the "Black Hole" being menacing are over. Really, do the players take these fans seriously, I mean, it is like a halloween party.
The Jets need to send me a plane with a uni in so I can get changed in flight, land in the stadium, run straight out onto the field, intercept Russell, run it back for a TD, vault into the so called hole and start handing out $$$ , now go get a wash!!! That why its black, dirty mongrels. Faiders! Commited to choking :beer:
Do Players really hear the fans, and if they do, do they really take much notice??? I mean a s a Pro, surly that kind of stuff should just pass you by.
