The musical score of Sam Spence hits…the booming voice of John Fascenda commences…the timeless words of Steve Sabol are recited…the hair on my arms stand on end. Every. Single. Time.
The Autumn Wind is a pirate, Blustering in from Sea, With a rollicking song, he sweeps along, Swaggering Boisterously. His face is weather beaten, he wears a hooded sash, With a silver hat about his head, and a bristling black mustache. He growls as he storms the country, a villain big and bold, And the trees all shake and quiver and quake, as he robs them of their gold. The Autumn Wind is a Raider, pillaging just for fun, He’ll knock your round and upside down and laugh when he’s conquered and won.
From the very first time I heard the NFL Films poem, the Autumn Wind, I have felt those words in my soul. Nothing epitomizes the Raiders more.
Swaggering Boisterously…
The Raiders lost their swagger following a soul crushing loss in Super Bowl 37. The 20+ years that ensued have been a pathetic, laughable existence, marred by 16 losing seasons, 0 playoff wins, countless wasted draft picks and a revolving door of coaches who could not figure out how to restore the Raider Way.
Just Win Baby. Commitment to Excellence.
Those mantras of the Silver and Black became nothing more than empty words.
Just Win Maybe. Commitment to Mediocrity.
That was what Raider Nation had become accustomed to. What once was the proudest of organizations had become a laughing stock and a shell of its former self.
Enter Antonio Pierce…
Pierce sat at his introductory press conference when he was announced as the Interim Head Coach and had me hanging on every word. The man exudes nothing but swagger. Every word he spoke, I felt it. I felt it the same way I felt the Autumn Wind the first time I heard it. I had never seen anything like it.
A lot of people have come to the Raiders over the years and talked about how they’ve always wanted to wear the Silver and Black. Many times it’s genuine…many other times it’s clear they are just trying to say the right thing.
However, what Pierce had to say felt nothing short of sincere. He talked about growing up in Compton…rolling with NWA…and rocking Raider Hats. When he spoke this truth about himself…again the hairs on my arm went up. I felt it.
Pierce then proceeded to lead this team to a 5-4 record that was highlighted by a dominant win over the Giants in his debut, an absolute demolition over the Chargers on Thursday Night Football and then a physically imposing, Christmas miracle over the Chiefs in Arrowhead.
The locker room galvanized…the defense became a dominant force…Raider Nation awakened and the Silver and Black once again resembled a proud franchise.
The Raiders regained their swagger.
Pierce is not shy with his words…he says exactly what he means. He constantly speaks of the Raider way. He speaks of Pride, Poise and Passion…the will to win. He speaks of Violence and ill intent. The vision in which the Raiders will move forward is clear with Pierce at the helm…
He growls as he storms the country, a villain big and bold And the trees all shake and quiver and quake, as he robs them of their gold. The Autumn Wind is a Raider, pillaging just for fun. He’ll knock your round and upside down and laugh when he’s conquered and won.
This is the Raider Way.