LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — There are many words to describe Raider Nation.
Passionate, fun, loud, but the word 'Notorious' sticks out in particular.
"The Raiders…it's a way of life," one Raiders fan said. "You live or die with the Raiders. That's the only one I can tell you. Coming here to a game, being in a tailgate, going to Oakland…driving to Monterrey to Oakland…doing all that…It's a culture."
But that isn't the only thing that makes Raider Nation unique.
Along with being a team rich in tradition, the Raiders have historically had one of the biggest Latino fan bases in the NFL.
So much so that Chicano culture and the Raiders go almost hand in hand, and it all started with two Latino men who broke barriers: head coach Tom Flores and Quarterback Jim Plunkett.
Once that team, filled with larger-than-life characters that moved to Los Angeles, Latinos everywhere called the Raiders theirs.
It starts with the heritage man," Raiders fan Carlos Mendoza said. "You got a coach…and Plunkett. Quarterback, won two Super Bowls...we just embraced that"
And that’s just here in America.
The love and passion for the Silver and Black goes well beyond any border.
"It's a family tradition....from my dad," one Raiders fan from Mexico said. "It stayed with me and all my kids, the whole group from Mexico. We are Raiders."
It might not be the most popular sport among Latinos, but the love is there for "Futbol Americano."
"The Autumn Wind will play and I get goosebumps," Cisco Ortega, the President of the Las Vegas Black Hole Chapter said. "That's a fan....you're in. You really can't put into words. It's who you are. It may sound strange, but it's who we are."
There’s an old Spanish saying.
Aquel que no espera vener, ya esta vencido. He who does not expect to win, is already defeated.
Like I said…there’s a lot of words to describe Raiders fans, but one thing you must agree they are, is passionate.
And if you ask any Latino fan, that passion will never be defeated.
