Rolando McClain: I'll talk if we sell out.

[steeldevil]

ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Oakland Raiders rookie middle linebacker Rolando McClain briefly broke his long silence to the media to make a plea to Raiders fans to come out to this week's game.

McClain has not done an interview with the local media since the season opener against Tennessee on Sept. 12. He has declined numerous requests since then. When asked Monday if he had time to talk, McClain said he wouldn't give an interview until the Raiders sold out a game.

Read more: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5752958


AMAZED to read that there were only about 35,000 people at the Raiders game yesterday. WOW. I would be pissed too as a player...

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Tell him to use some of his signing bonus to buy underpriviledge kids and their cash strapped families some tickets to a game.........then everbody wins.

[silver & black]

ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Oakland Raiders rookie middle linebacker Rolando McClain briefly broke his long silence to the media to make a plea to Raiders fans to come out to this week's game.

McClain has not done an interview with the local media since the season opener against Tennessee on Sept. 12. He has declined numerous requests since then. When asked Monday if he had time to talk, McClain said he wouldn't give an interview until the Raiders sold out a game.

Read more: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5752958


AMAZED to read that there were only about 35,000 people at the Raiders game yesterday. WOW. I would be pissed too as a player...

The players can get over it. They are at least half of the problem the last 7 years. When you have no desire to get better... play with no heart... yuck it up on the sidelines with your divisional rivals... and basically just show up for a paycheck, you have no room to blame the fans for staying away.

That said... it seems that this team may have finally gotten tired of losing and developed a bit of backbone. We shall see if being a real NFL team continues, or if the last 2 games were just a fluke.

[steeldevil]

silver & black that is true for most of the players. McClain is a rookie though and has won as many games as he has lost.

[silver & black]

silver & black that is true for most of the players. McClain is a rookie though and has won as many games as he has lost.

And being a rookie gives him the right to be pissed about the fans not filling the stadium? I couldn't care less if he's a rookie... this team has been absolutely atrocious for the better part of a decade. The fans are tired of supporting a franchise that wallows in it's own self inflicted misery. From Al Davis on down to the water boy, this franchise deserves everything it gets in the form of jokes, media lambastings and fan disapproval.

By the way, Rolando McClain hasn't been anything to write home about... yet. He's been less than impressive and downright pitiful in a few games. He should just shut up and get better at playing MLB before he worries about the fans filling the stands.

[steeldevil]

And being a rookie gives him the right to be pissed about the fans not filling the stadium? I couldn't care less if he's a rookie... this team has been absolutely atrocious for the better part of a decade. The fans are tired of supporting a franchise that wallows in it's own self inflicted misery. From Al Davis on down to the water boy, this franchise deserves everything it gets in the form of jokes, media lambastings and fan disapproval.

By the way, Rolando McClain hasn't been anything to write home about... yet. He's been less than impressive and downright pitiful in a few games. He should just shut up and get better at playing MLB before he worries about the fans filling the stands.

Can't really say I disagree with you on any of that. I think he is just trying to get the fans more interested now that they look pretty good. I was not aware that he was playing poorly... I'm sure he will turn it around.

[silver & black]

Can't really say I disagree with you on any of that. I think he is just trying to get the fans more interested now that they look pretty good. I was not aware that he was playing poorly... I'm sure he will turn it around.

Like you said, he's a rookie. I'm not by any means labeling him a bust. I was ecstatic with the pick. Saban says McClain is the smartest player he has ever coached. I'm sure he will come around and be the player all of us Raiders fans are hoping for.

[NCSteeler]

Does this mean he has been getting a weekly 25, 000 dollar fine , like Moss?

[Galax Steeler]

I think he will break the silence before they sell out not alot of teams sell out anymore. People just don't have the money to do alot of thing anymore.

[steelreserve]

Completely apart from the team's failures, going to a Raiders game in person is a miserable experience. The stadium was designed for about 40,000 people, and now they try to jam in almost 65,000 in what basically amounts to temporary seating. You're packed shoulder-to-shoulder anywhere you go, the line for the john is half an hour long, and half of the seats suck. Plus, everyone there is an asshole. It's no wonder people don't show up.

This is not a new problem, by the way. Even when the team was good, something like 60% of their home games were blacked out. The year they went to the Super Bowl, they sold out 5 of 8 home games. Pretty much everything about it is fail.

[silver & black]

Completely apart from the team's failures, going to a Raiders game in person is a miserable experience. The stadium was designed for about 40,000 people, and now they try to jam in almost 65,000 in what basically amounts to temporary seating. You're packed shoulder-to-shoulder anywhere you go, the line for the john is half an hour long, and half of the seats suck. Plus, everyone there is an asshole. It's no wonder people don't show up.

This is not a new problem, by the way. Even when the team was good, something like 60% of their home games were blacked out. The year they went to the Super Bowl, they sold out 5 of 8 home games. Pretty much everything about it is fail.

Yea, most of the people I talk to on my Raiders forums say the same thing. Other than the tailgateing, the stadium itself is just not conducive to making for a good game experience. The Raiders need a new stadium, but they will never get one in Oakland.