Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Las Vegas Raiders Draft Thread

Hello, friends. It's been a while. Too long, in fact. Since my last take, the Oakland Raiders have officially become the Las Vegas Raiders, and a global pandemic has swept the world. Time flies.

About this Las Vegas Raiders thing. It's a bitter pill to swallow for someone who grew up in the Bay Area rooting for the original Oakland Raiders, and who was elated when they returned to their rightful land in 1995. It should have been forever.

I can't begrudge the City of Oakland for not giving public funds to a billion-dollar enterprise. That said, I can't begrudge Mark Davis for accepting hundreds of millions of dollars in free money for a modern stadium. I will say, if the Raiders were going to move out of state, I cannot think of a more fitting destination than Las Vegas, with its proximity to California and its own brand of renegade spirit. But a little part of me died when they officially left Oakland this winter.

Regarding the pandemic, I think it's time to start ramping things back up where it's regionally appropriate. Yes, we need to be careful. Yes, this virus can be virulently lethal (see New York City). That said, the despair, joblessness, stress, loneliness, depression and fear of seeking medical attention for other issues is its own mounting health crisis. This isn't an either/or equation. It's a balancing act. Not every region is affected equally. Screaming "science" when the science is different every day isn't the answer, either. The response needs to be measured and thoughtful, with the knowledge that risk tolerance is nothing new, but something we live with every day.  

Anyhow, back to the draft. This promises to be a draft day for the ages, precisely because it will be so unique and watched by so many. It's truly the only game in town, and it will be interesting to see what Mayock and Gruden do, especially in the first round. Will it be one of the big three WRs? If Tua falls will they be tempted? Or, in true Vegas fashion, will they deal a wild card?

Grab your popcorn. It's going to be fun, and I look forward to your predictions and takes! I hope that you and yours are all well, thanks for sticking around these parts.