News and Notes
Raiders Celebrate 50th Season
In February, The Oakland Raiders, the Team of the Decades, unveiled a logo that will commemorate the organization's 50th year of professional football during the 2009 season. The logo will be used on the team's media platforms throughout the year in celebration of the franchise's exciting history.
The Raiders' 50th season logo merges the franchise's glorious history with an eye toward the greatness that lies in its future. It features professional sports' most recognizable mark, the Raiders' shield, at the top of a crest displaying the "Commitment to Excellence" word mark that echoes the organization's philosophy. The number 50, commemorating the team's 50 seasons, is beveled in silver and white, and is shaped to resemble the sleeve numbers on the team's 1963 era jerseys. The years 1960 and 2009 mirror the font used for the team's 1963 helmet numeral decals. Three large diamonds commemorate the team's three World Championships, earned in Super Bowl XI, Super Bowl XV, and Super Bowl XVIII; while two smaller diamonds signify
the AFL and AFC Championships that led to berths in Super Bowl II and Super Bowl XXXVII. Finally, a lighting effect at the top of the logo represents the organization's focus on its future.
The Raider Nation will be an integral part of the 50th season celebration. The Silver and Black's ardent fans will have the opportunity to share Raider memories through interactive features online and participate in numerous other activities throughout the year.
On January 30, 1960, the city of Oakland was awarded the eighth franchise in the newly formed American Football League (AFL). The team's first preseason game was played against the Dallas Texans, with the first regular season game against the Houston Oilers on September 11, 1960.
The Raiders franchise struggled on the field for three seasons before the 1963 hiring of Head Coach and General Manager Al Davis, who pledged to build the finest organization in professional sports. The Raiders thundered to a 10-4 record in Davis' first season, despite going just 1-13 in 1962, a feat that still represents the greatest single-season turnaround in pro football history.
In five memorable decades - the 1960s, '70s, '80s, '90s, and 2000's — the Raiders have won an AFL Championship, four American Football Conference Championships, three World Championships of Professional Football, participated in five Super Bowls, played in 14 Championship Games, won or tied for 17 Division Championships, had 21 playoff seasons, finished 33 seasons at .500 or better, and played in 40 postseason games.
The Raiders are the only team to have been in Super Bowls in the '60s, '70s, '80s, and the 2000s and have won the most games of any original AFL franchise.
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