Should the Oakland Raiders Move to Los Angeles?

For the past few years, it has been well documented that the Oakland Raiders football franchise could potentially be moving to another city. Of course, the latest reports are saying it is inevitable that at least one franchise will be moving to Southern California, where the plans are all laid out for a brand new stadium in Carson, California (just 17 miles outside of Los Angeles).
Whether it is inevitable or not, the real question is: after over 20 years of service, should the Raiders move their franchise away from Oakland? 

All of these other journalists and reporters are spreading rumors and giving their insight why it would be wise and why it wouldn’t be wise for the Raiders to pack their bags. The problem with mass media reports is that they all have some sort of sponsorship, network, audience, and personal influence on their news.

Before I begin my rant: 
1.) I am not affiliated with any network or company
2.) I have been a Raiders fan all my life and personally do not want them to move 
3.) due to my residency in Northern California, I am surrounded with more optimistic Raiders news 
4.) After the Deflategate and recent domestic violence issues, I do not trust the National Football League or Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Personally, I think the Raiders franchise should move to Los Angeles, and let me tell you why.

The Raiders have tremendous support from around the Bay Area, but it’s not enough. The fans are some of the most passionate and energized in the entire National Football League. It is depressing, seeing signs of “Stay in Oakland” fill the stands at O.Co Coliseum each and every game. The fans care and it shows.

From a political standpoint, the city of Oakland wants their team to stay because it is a huge economical boost. Here is the latest of what Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf has to say (via Rachel Swan of the San Francisco Chronicle):

“We are presenting Oakland as an attractive place for the NFL, and we are going to make sure that they know that Oakland is resurgent,” Schaaf told The Chronicle. “And we’re going to make sure the Raiders and the NFL owners know that we want to place the Raiders at the center of a serious effort to get something done.”

With all of this support, one would think they have just as much football support as anybody, but, in fact, they don’t. In a study by Jonathan Kiefer of ESPN, of the 162 areas surveyed in the Bay Area, just eight of them prefer the Raiders over their cross-town rival San Francisco 49ers. Why do I bring this up? Although the Raiders fans are loyal and passionate, the 49ers are too dominating and historical to ever compete with them from an economic standpoint. No matter what they do, the 49ers will always sell the most fan gear and the most tickets.

If Oakland were to move to Los Angeles, they would be the lone professional sports team in Los Angeles Country which has a population of 10.2 million people (pending the Chargers or Rams also moving). This is the second-largest market in the U.S. behind only New York City. Los Angeles would be overjoyed, and the entire area would be flooded with Silver and Black. 

Look, I understand my audience here is a majority of both 49ers and Raiders fans. This article may upset some of you. Heck, it upsets me reading it my own words. However, I am a Raiders fan too, and the logic and economics makes too much sense for the Oakland Raiders would flourish with a move to Southern California. 

It will be hard to swallow, but Raiders fans may need to prepare themselves for the announcement of the move sooner, rather than later. I do not want the Raiders to move, but I do believe they should. 

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*If you have any disagreements, counter-arguments, etc., feel free to comment below or message me on Twitter @dannyvietti17. I guarantee to message or comment back. Join the debate.

*Links to some of the latest news on if the Raiders will move to Los Angeles:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2015/10/29/raiders-owner-mark-davis-attends-oakland-town-hall-meeting/74850852/ 
https://twitter.com/search?q=%23stayinoakland&src=typd
http://fox2now.com/2015/12/08/fox-2-looks-at-final-riverfront-stadium-deal/

Civic Media News Aggregate: Oakland Raiders Potential Move to Los Angeles

Don't Underestimate Mark Davis, or the Oakland Raiders
Written by: Tim Keown
ESPN
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13735322/are-mark-davis-raiders-leaving-oakland

Analysis: In this very entertaining biographical article, Keown goes in depth, not only on the situation of the Raiders potential move to Los Angeles, but particularly the unique like of owner Mark Davis. While the article is not very informative as far as the actual move is concerned, it is very informative on the life and how Davis thinks. It gives a scope and creates an innocent and credible image of Davis.
With so many people critical of Davis because of the 14 year playoff drought of his Raider team, this article gives a scope of why he makes the decisions he does. It talks about his daily routines, his relationship with his father, and much more. This was more of an entertainment article than informative.

Raiders, Chargers Plan Possible Shared NFL Stadium in Los Angeles
Written by: Andrew Dalton
Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/19/raiders-chargers-stadium-los-angeles_n_6718152.html

Analysis: This article by Andrew Dalton gives the political perspectives on the situation. By getting quotes by both the mayor of Oakland, Libby Schaaf, and representatives from the San Diego City Hall, readers get a sense of the fight that is in progress to keep the teams in their respective towns.
While it is interesting to hear from the political leaders, it would have been good to hear the outlooks and plans for each teams' owners. Another perspective that was absent was any representatives of the city of St. Louis, Missouri or the St. Louis Rams. The Rams are the third team that is potentially moving to Los Angeles, but they were, for some reason, not represented in the article.

Three NFL to Los Angeles takeovers, after Owners' meetings
Written by: Pete Camarillo
FanSided-Just Blog Baby
http://justblogbaby.com/2015/12/02/three-takeaways-about-the-nfl-to-los-angeles-after-owners-meetings/

Analysis: A slideshow of the takeaways from the Owners meetings were overall informative, but it was obvious to see the affirmation. FanSided and Just Blog Baby is a fan-run site, which intrigues me as a reader. More often than not, the ethics and norms are thrown out the window because these writers are very young and passionate. Passion and care leads to bias, but I respect it as a reader.
In this article, it seems to tell the readers that the Raiders are unlikely to move, when in reality, this is not true. There are a lot of tweets posted in the article, but none of the tweets were from the actual owners, NFL representatives, or political leaders.

Civic Media News Aggregate: Arts & Culture
Katherine Achterman

Arts & Culture articles from various sources:

No Tie-Dye Required: Bay Area Millenials Are Flocking to Communes

By Sheila Marikar 

The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/12/fashion/Bay-Area-millenials-intentional-communities-communes.html?_r=0

Analysis: In a well-researched article spanning a wide range of San Francisco communes, Marikar here paints the world of communal living in the Bay Area fairly. While touting the benefits like cheaper rent and enviromental impact, she questions the obvious negatives that arise in community living in the city: male-dominated homes, gentrification, and a tech-bias. 

    As a reader, this article is extremely well-written. It deftly pairs direct quotes with anecdotes and facts, and seems to depict the scene accurately. Though Marikar does a good job of maintaining journalistic objectivity, it seems that ultimately she feels slight distain for communes, and she easily influences her audience to feel similarly. 

Another San Francisco Art Commune Battles Eviction, Guess Who They're Up Against?

By Dieter Holger

Huffington Post 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dieter-holger/another-san-francisco-art_b_6951832.html

Analysis: A rather poorly written article that make little attempt towards objectivity, this HuffPo entry tells the tale of an art commune in the midst of losing their Tenderloin space due to rising rent costs. This is really less about the value of art and communal living, and more about the politics of gentrification and legislation surrounding rental laws in San Francisco. However, it brings up legitimate debate surrounding the dying art scene in the city due to high expenses. 

Why I Loved and Left the Commune

By Emily Chew

The Bold Italic 

http://www.thebolditalic.com/articles/3582-why-i-loved-and-left-the-commune

Analysis: A personal account of one woman's experience living at The Convent, one of San Francisco's most famed communes, located in Lower Haight. Written linearly, this article walks the reader through Chew's journey and all of the emotions associated with each stage of the communal process. An entertaining read that offer's an insider perspective, as opposed to the more business-like approach of the first two articles. 

Civic Media News Aggregate: Arts & Culture
Katherine Achterman

TYP: Art for All

SAN FRANCISCO—I make my way through a nondescript doorway, leading me through a graffitied wall in SOMA. I’m immediately met with ribcage rattling tones of experimental electronic music and the scent of burning palo santo—a South American tree used for mystical purification, apparently.

            I’ve just arrived at the winter TYP Artist Collective showcase, a celebration with offerings spanning from visual art, live music, zines, and, as the event bill touts, “dopeness.” This is their last party of the year, and they’ve pulled out all the stops: in one room, a clown performs. In another, I see a man practicing sound healing with gongs.

            TYP is the latest and well-lauded creation of Bay Area artists Rio Garcia and Katya Bitar, both USF graduates. TYP is “a San Francisco based artist collective,” according to Garcia, and one that is unique in that it is intentionally anti-theme. “The goal for us is to bring all of these different artists with all of their different mediums and all of their different personalities and experiences, the goal is to bring them together and with that, all of their people, so we get a mix of diversity,” says Garcia. We just want people to be inspired from people who make art that’s completely different from their own.”

            At this point, TYP generally manifests as art shows, gatherings, collective sharing of art in one-off celebrations. Such was the case the winter night that I wandered into the showcase, which took place at Merchants of Reality, a communal artist studio, residence, and gallery. Because TYP doesn’t have a brick and mortar location, for now, their shows take place in spaces like this: they collaborate with existing artist collectives to inspire and create together. Says Garcia of the collaboration, “I went to Merchants of Reality one night, met one of the directors of the space, and we just really liked each other. I told him we wanted to throw a show here, and he just said ‘okay. Let’s do it.’” The results of this conversation came to fruition in a show that included art as varied an interactive time machine and a homemade liquor bar.

            This kind of collaboration is reflective of the aims of TYP as a whole—it is, at its core, radically inclusive. The inclusiveness manifests in membership, in attendance, and in how expression of creativity abound. “At each of our shows, we’ve had artists whose art we didn’t even see prior,” says Garcia. “We just liked them and wanted them to feel included.” Contributions are not held to any set of criteria, nor do they have to go through an approval process. “We’re not here to judge, we’re here to give you a wall. We’re not here to be selective, that’s what we’re against.”

            This non-selectivity was borne initially of the friendship between Garcia and Bitar. The two describe each other as, to quote, “best fucking friends. A ride or die, until the end, love each other forever type of friendship.” The relationship seems crucial in forwarding TYP’s message of inclusiveness. “It comes so easily, and it’s so much fun,” says Garcia. “It’s not work because we love each other. We want to keep the artist community alive, we want to keep people inspired. We intend to let people know that they don’t have to audition for anything and they don’t have to be any particular type of special, and they don’t have to look a certain way and their art doesn’t have to be a certain way. We give them that wall, and that’s fucking rad. We’re going to stick with it because it feels pretty good, and it feels pretty right.”

            Garcia thinks this push towards uniqueness extends to TYP’s name as well, though that wasn’t the original intention. Originally a zine created by Bitar and friend Paul Krantz, when the idea of the art collection came into fruition, the name stuck. Originally standing for ‘Transcendental Yogi Partiers,’ as it stands, TYP the acronym is open to interpretation by the user. Some examples include Turnt Young Philosophers, Tickle Your Pickle, Talented Young People, and Tantalizing Yummy Peaches. “The term artist collective can be a little intimidating sometimes,” says Garcia. “This helps.”

            When questioned about the ultimate motive of her creation, Garcia was adamant—“I just want everyone to know, you don’t have to be an artist to come kick it with you. You don’t have to be anything. Anybody and everybody is welcome at anything we throw, ever. Without question nor doubt. We’re just here trying to make people really fucking happy.”

            If you would like to learn more about TYP, you can follow them on Instagram @typ.artistcollective

News Aggregation - Sports

Critique of three articles about USF basketball:

I. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865641305/West-Coast-Conference-basketball-preview-and-predictions-Expect-Gonzaga-and-BYU-to-be-on-top-again.html?pg=all

Considering the low expectations for USF basketball this season, it makes sense to give minimal coverage to the team. However, Steele does a good job analyzing the lack of returning players and the criticism that Rex Walters has faced recently.

II. http://bustingbrackets.com/2015/11/29/san-francisco-dons-beats-uc-riverside-rice-loses-fresno-state-uc-santa-barbara-round-ball-showcase-games/

Harvill looks at recent games and the upgrades that are in store at Memorial Gym. She takes an optimistic look at the team, which was reasonable considering the way they scraped out a win against UC Riverside. Last year's team was extremely poor in close games, so to win on a night where the team had trailed almost the entire way is reason to be positive. Still, she ignored the concerning trend of slow starts that continued over to the UC Santa Barbara game, where the slow start prevented a comeback. With all of that considered, Fansided isn't typically the most reputable source, so it's encouraging to see decent coverage of a mid-major team there.

III. http://www.sfgate.com/collegesports/article/Michigan-State-jumps-to-top-of-college-basketball-6682341.php

The San Francisco Chronicle gives a very brief recap of Monday's win over Cal State Northridge. This article's brevity is a reflection of the current state of USF basketball. What was once one of the top programs in the nation is nothing more than a footnote. A poorly played game between two unremarkable teams isn't deserving of any more than a short recap, and that's what this game got. As someone who attended the game, I can say that it was one of the worst displays of basketball I've ever witnessed. At other games this season, the on-court product was generally decent. Monday's game was nearly unwatchable. USF didn't so much win as much as they managed to be slightly less inferior than their competition. If USF basketball was more noteworthy at this time, the team's performance would've deserved harsh criticism because it was a lousy performance bailed out by an even poorer opponent.

USF Men's Basketball

It’s a rebuilding year for the San Francisco Dons men’s basketball team. Picked to finish tied for 7^th in the West Coast Conference, expectations aren’t particularly high for this season’s team. A young, inexperienced squad will have to battle in a very competitive West Coast Conference, with development as the main goal this season. Individual wins and losses will be secondary to how this team improves and gears up for the following two years as their core gains experience.

This year’s team is a far cry from the past two years. Although only four seniors graduated from last year’s team, more than half of this year’s roster is made of fresh faces. In addition to the seniors who finished their education at USF, Mark Tollefsen had a year of eligibility left and looked to be one of the team’s leaders this season, but he transferred to Arizona. Matt Christiansen had developed as one of the Dons’ best defenders last season, but he decided to forgo his final year of eligibility, return to his home state and finish his education at Oklahoma, though he opted not to continue playing basketball. Corey Hilliard had become one of the better guards on the team and was one of the bright spots on a team that didn’t live up to expectations, but he is no longer enrolled at USF. Frankie Ferrari is now attending community college and plans to transfer to another program. Four other players, including big men Derrell Robertson and Nick Loew, chose to stop playing basketball, though they remain in school. Robertson and Loew would have been extremely useful to defend against some of the bigger players in the WCC this season.

Every college basketball team has some degree of turnover on a year-to-year basis. It’s the four players who left the team but chose to remain at school, and Christiansen, who turned down a likely starting role, that should raise eyebrows. It’s not like Robertson, Loew and the two others who opted to leave the team would’ve been stars, but they would’ve provided depth and experience. The decision not to play basketball should act as a red flag. It should be seen as an indicator of the coaching and the negative responses to Rex Walters and his staff. Walters is one of the more animated coaches in college basketball, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s the negative and angry vibe he gives off that seems to turn players away from his program. As a result, USF has a completely new team this season accompanied with low expectations.

These problems are compounded by last season’s shortcomings. The 2013-14 Dons finished second in the WCC with a 13-5 record. They reached the semifinals of the WCC Tournament and earned a trip to the NIT. A nearly identical team returned the following season, with just two regulars departing – one transferred, one graduated. The 2014-15 team failed to live up to the expectations that the previous year’s group had set, going just 7-11 in the WCC and 14-18 overall. The frustrations mounted with a series of narrow losses due to poor free throw shooting and lackadaisical defense, the latter of which had been an issue for the team in previous years. Perhaps the most aggravating part of the 2014-15 team was their failure to live up to their potential. They won both matchups with a very solid Pepperdine team and pushed Gonzaga to the limit in two of three meetings.

It wouldn’t be hard to assume the program would be in a completely different place right now had some of last season’s games gone in the team’s favor. Perhaps Tollefsen and Christiansen stay on board if the team finishes towards the top of the WCC and leaves hope to contend in 2015-16. Perhaps some of the other players who left the program trust the process as well on the heels of a winning season. Instead, it’s back to the drawing board.

However, it’s not all negatives for USF. Consider the big picture. Rex Walters inherited a program that had not only struggled on the court, but off it as well. Players were constantly struggling in the classroom and getting into legal trouble. Walters has certainly lifted the program up from the depths, and he’s done so while bringing in players that represent the university in a positive light.

As for the young team on the court this year, sophomore point guard Devin Watson is averaging 19.7 points per game through the first seven contests this season and appears to be one of the top young players in the conference. Sophomore forward Chase Foster, who battled injuries throughout his freshman year, has started all seven games and is averaging seven points per game. A new group of freshmen, led by Tucson native Nate Renfro, have also given plenty of reason to hope for the future. Dont’e Reynolds, a community college transfer from North Carolina, has replaced the physical presence of Kruize Pinkins, another former community college player who graduated after last season. If all the pieces click, USF could make a run at a conference title and an NCAA Tournament bid in the next year or two. But will those pieces click? It requires the Dons to avoid the mistakes that they made in 2014-15. A team that should’ve been a contender failed to live up to expectations, and there were signs of dissent as much of the team departed. Walters and his staff will have to buckle down in order to ensure that those problems don’t manifest themselves again.

That coaching staff has a new face. Frank Allocco, who led Concord’s De La Salle High School to three Northern California titles and two state championships, is Walters’ newest assistant. Allocco is a defensive mastermind and could shore up the program in an area that it has been greatly lacking for years. He also provides a connection to East Bay recruits. Jordan Ratinho, one of Allocco’s prodigies at De La Salle, has already signed on for next season.

In addition to more East Bay recruiting, the Dons have stepped up their recruiting on the international level as well, patterning themselves after Saint Mary’s. With five NCAA tournament trips in the last ten years, including a Sweet 16 run in 2010, emulating the Gaels is certainly a solid move. Saint Mary’s has built most of their success on players from Northern California, such as Omar Samhan and Rob Jones, and from outside of the country. Australia has been a hotbed for basketball talent in recent years. Patty Mills played for Saint Mary’s and now plays for the San Antonio Spurs, and fellow Australian Matthew Dellavedova played at Saint Mary’s and has become one of the top defensive players for the Cleveland Cavaliers. USF hopes that 6’9 freshman Matt McCarthy creates a link to Australia that the Dons can feed off of for years to come.

Although this season looks to be a step back, there is certainly reason to have hope for the future of USF basketball. However, this team appeared to be ready to take that step forward last season, and it all fell apart. Can Walters and his staff ensure that history doesn’t repeat itself, and avoid the same mistakes? The future of this program hangs in the balance. Should this young core reach its full potential, USF could return to being one of the top teams in the WCC. If those expectations aren’t met, the current regime could be shown the door and the entire program would have to rebuild from the ground up. While there is uncertainty in the air, those questions will be answered over the seasons to come.