As the Athletics could be heading to Las Vegas, two Raiders legends, Tim Brown and Charles Woodson, weighed in on what’s transpiring in Oakland. Needless to say, they sympathize with the Bay Area on this one.
Oakland was the home to three professional sports franchises. However, only the Oakland Athletics remain, and they might not be looking to stay long-term in the Bay Area. The Golden State Warriors were the first to exit as they left for Chase Center in San Francisco. After the “Dubs” packed up and departed, it was the Raiders’ turn as they found a home in Sin City.
Tim Brown is shocked to see Oakland potentially have zero sports franchises
Brown spent nine of his 16 seasons with the Silver and Black in Oakland. Obviously, the Pro Football Hall of Famer had an opportunity to be familiar with the city. The 56-year-old recently spoke with NBC Sports California and shared his surprised reaction to the situation.
“In the world we live in, no, because we live in a crazy world right now that up is down and down is up,” Brown said when asked about Oakland possibly having no sports franchise.
“But you could have never convinced me when I left there in 2004 that 20 years later, this city would be void of a sports franchise… But that’s hard to understand, man. Unfortunately, that’s the way it goes these days.”
Brown’s best individual season in Oakland came in 1997 when he grabbed 104 receptions for 1,408 receiving yards. The season in which the ex-Raiders wide receiver scored the most touchdowns during his time in the Bay Area came in 2000. Brown found the end zone on 11 occasions.
As for the best season that Tim Brown had in Oakland, that’s obviously the 2002 season. The Raiders went on to reach Super Bowl XXXVII but would fall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Charles Woodson left confused over Oakland’s pro sports situation
Brown wasn’t the only Raiders legend commenting on what’s transpiring in Oakland with the A’s possibly leaving town. Woodson also spoke with NBC Sports California. He remembered what the area was like when the A’s, Raiders and Warriors were neighbors.
“It’s hard to fathom riding over there to the stadium on Sundays,” Woodson said. “You know that you had the Warriors that played in a building next to you. You played and shared the stadium with the A’s, and there was always something going on. There were games and basketball, baseball, football, and it was like a little mecca of sports right there in that little area in Oakland.”
With Woodson recalling the buzz in that area when multiple teams were playing, it led to a perplexed feeling knowing that if the A’s leave, none of those franchises will ever call Oakland home again.
“And to see that there may not be one professional sports franchise still in Oakland is mean,” Woodson continued. “I don’t know how that happens, especially such a short amount of time that it’s going to happen.
“So I hate it for the city of Oakland because you know how passionate they are about the sports, in particular the Raiders, and they’ve gone. And so, man, that’s tough for the city.”
The Pro Football Hall of Famer spent all of his 11 seasons with the Raiders in Oakland. It should surprise no one that Charles Woodson likely had a deep connection to spend that amount of time there. As a result, he sympathizes with the city.
As for Woodson’s best season in Oakland, that was his rookie season in 1998. The cornerback would register five interceptions, one pick-six, and two forced fumbles. Woodson won the AP Rookie of the Year award and was named to his first Pro Bowl.
*Top Photo: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
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