2 years ago
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Photos by Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal
Moments earlier the Raiders instrumentality the tract earlier each location game, arsenic the lights dim and the players stitchery successful the passageway moving themselves into a frenzied state, 1 of the champion known hype videos successful NFL past begins with the celebrated phrase, “The autumn upwind is simply a pirate.”
The stadium erupts. A oversea of metallic and black, known astir the satellite for their colorful, often intimidating dress, aggravated attitudes and a single-minded dedication to 1 team. They are Raider Nation.
Wayne Mabry, AKA “Violator,” a caller Hall of Fans inductee, is 1 of Raider Nation’s astir well-known figures. He has been coating his look and slipping connected spiked enarthrosis pads astatine 4 a.m. for the past 30 years.
“We’re a clump of misfits from each walks of beingness … doctors, lawyers, teachers,” said Mabry. “But connected crippled time we’re agreed nether 1 shield.”
Mabry has inspired generations of caller Raider Nation followers, including Kevin Guilford, AKA “Mob Boss.” Guilford, donning a reflective metallic mask, Raiders chapeau and achromatic blazer covered successful colorful squad patches, said his persona was created to grant his precocious begetter who religiously took him to Raiders games arsenic a child.
“Raider Nation is simply a generational enslaved for galore of us,” said Guilford. “Win suffer oregon tie, we’re Raiders until we die.”
For immoderate Raider faithful, that motto has taken connected an wholly antithetic level of seriousness. A subordinate of Raider Nation known arsenic “Raider Rita” was precocious diagnosed with bosom crab and has utilized the level to propulsion the women of Raider Nation to docket aboriginal screenings.
“With the enactment of Raider Nation, I cognize I volition propulsion done and bushed this,” she said.
The taxable of household wrong Raider Nation is undeniable, and seems to enslaved radical of each walks of life.
“While others spot a tailgate, Raider Nation sees a household reunion,” said Deadpool Raider. “It’s each astir giving back; from raising wealth for charities, helping the little fortunate, to embracing a newcomer connected crippled time oregon putting a grin connected a kids face.”
So the adjacent clip the Raiders sprint onto the tract astatine Allegiant Stadium with the timeless words “The autumn upwind is simply a pirate,” hardly audible supra the screams of 65,000 impassioned fans, cognize that 1 of those fans, Roger Leon, dressed to the nines arsenic a ghostly oversea captain, besides goes by the sanction “Autumn Wind.”
And helium is conscionable 1 successful the misfit service known arsenic Raider Nation.
Top image: While others spot a tailgate, Raider Nation sees a household reunion, says Deadpool Raider, who is from Dallas.
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