Monday, December 4, 2017

Miami Road Trip Rally Party Souvenirs ON SALE!

Hello, Road Trip Rallyers!

We say, "Thank You!!", again for making the 2017 Road Trip Rally Party such a great time for all! There was Fun, Food, and making lots of new Friends! It's so nice to be able to to travel to a place, even if you're on the airplane by yourself, and have an entire hotel full of people ready to share the experience with you!

Those are memories that we all will be able to share. Special times with special people...Raider Nation (and guest Dolphins fans who liked being at a GREAT party) all joining together!

Everyone who signed up for one-or-more of our scheduled activities received an Official Souvenir Pin and Patch. We are happy to report that we have more Pins and Patches available!


The Patch and the Pin! Add To Your Collection!
If you'd like an extra Pin to adorn your favorite cap, or to display in your favorite travel trophy case, then click on the photo here so that you may easily get one sent to you! We are offering for sale BOTH the Pin and the Patch together for only $5.00!  Yes, this custom pin that features the absolutely beautiful image of everyone's inspiration, the renowned Skull Lady! And along with the Patch that can be added to your favorite gear, you can wear these proudly and let people know that you TRAVEL to Raiders games! A total of only $5.00 gets you both of these collectible items!

And yes: we are working on next year's 2018 Road Trip Rally Party as we speak today! There has been such wonderful feedback from each of you, as well as the tremendously favorable response from our vendors there in Florida. There's a LOT of momentum to sweep our group into next year's Rally... we will have a really, really good time!  :-)  Stay tuned!

Yours,
Afro

Monday, November 13, 2017

Photo Gallery for 2017 Miami Road Trip Rally Party is HERE!


Good morning, All!

Just want to let you know that our Official 2017 Miami Photo Gallery is online and ready to view! 

Click to view! 
Click Here for Photo Gallery!


I took the liberty to include photos that you posted here in the group, the photos that you emailed, and some from your own FB walls. 



Our version of the "Double-Dutch Bus" to the game!

I didn't do a "booger check" on any of these photos, so please review. If there's a photo that you prefer NOT be included, just inbox me and I will happily remove it.

Oh, we have some Souvenir Pins and Iron-on Patches remaining, too. If you'd like extra, we will have a link ready today to buy at blowout prices! (hey, I'm a bargain shopper, too!)



Our Saturday Night Party at Hollywood's Whiskey Tango!

Thanks again, Road Trip Rallyers! Please share this Photo Gallery with folks who you think will want to join up with us next year...a picture says a thousand words!

(...bcuz with these awesome pictures you all took, Raider Nation speaks LOUDLY!)

Thanks for making this a wonderful event!

Yours,
Nakita and Ken
Road Trip Rally Party!




When you travel, travel together! :-)




#RNMiami #RoadTripRallyParty #RaiderNation #Raiders #RoadTrip

Friday, November 3, 2017

At Last! The 2017 Miami Road Trip Rally Party is HERE!

Hello, Road Trip Rally Party People!  :-)



After months of planning, from December 2016 if you can believe it! Our 2017 Road Trip Rally Party starts today! And we are GLAD to be here!

We want everyone to have a great time! We are here in on the beach in the absolutely gorgeous Margaritaville Beach Resort, where the white sands beckon!

Lots to do, lots to share. Please load these links into your smartphones and tablets...these will be very useful to you to get updates, start times, and location addresses.


  • LOCATIONS & START TIMES http://www.roadtriprallyparty.com/2017-miami-venues--- vendors-map.html
    • Click on the buttons there on the map to open up addresses, start times, and photos for each event. The legend on the right identifies what the icons/color code will show you.
  •  PHOTOS AND HOT TOPICS: http://www.twitter.com/roadtriprallys
    • Our twitter will have photos of what went on through the day. Follow: @RoadTripRallys. BE SURE TO HASTAG  #RNMiami
  • DISCOUNTS WITH LOCAL VENDORS! The Ft. Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau has generously given us a Convention Badge feature with local shops & restaurants.
    • The participating vendors are highlighted in the Color Gray in our Location Map above.
    • Everyone who has a ticket to one of our scheduled events will receive a badge. Simply show your badge to these vendors to receive a special! Here is the list of participating vendors:

  Our Saturday Night Party at Whiskey Tango, there are tickets available. We don't want anyone to miss out, so please click on this link to purchase. Real Food is included in the price!

Tickets still available!

   **PLUS**  Whiskey Tango will show the "UFC 217 Fight - Michael Bisping against Georges St. Pierre" to everyone in our Rally Party WITH NO COVER CHARGE! Yes, your ticket to Whiskey Tango gets you Food! DJ Dancing! AND MMA CHAMPIONSHIP COMPETITION! Who can ask for anything more!

Special thanks to all of our vendors, venues, and certainly to every one of you!
  
So, come on over! The water is fine!

  Thanks,
               Nakita & Ken

Friday, September 29, 2017

The Miami 2017 Road Trip Rally Party...Sign up NOW!

Hello, Road Trippers!

I want to remind you: THERE'S JUST ONE MORE WEEK TO SIGN UP FOR THE 2017 ROAD TRIP RALLY PARTY!

Please read on for info on what this event is, as well as how you can sign up. 

**Our deadline for sign-ups is Thursday, October 5th, 2017**

We don't want anyone to be disappointed. Please be sure to reserve your spot now!

Definitely, we have found a good range of activities for you to do, all to give you a good feel for the local vibe there!

I should mention that our discounted tickets to the football game, Raiders vs Dolphins, are sold out. 

**November 2nd -thru- November 5th, 2017 is when it all happens!**

Our Hotel, the Margaritaville Resort, is right on the beach! And all of our plans for you are within a short walk or a 2-minute Lyft/Uber ride away. Hey, we even have big tour buses available to bring you to the Raiders vs Dolphins game on Sunday!

Check out the infographic here for details. Clicking it will link you directly to our website where you may purchase tickets for these events. Raider Nation from all across the country have attended our annual Road Trips for the past several years, and you are certainly welcome to come join in with us!

Come join in! We will all have a great time together!


** (NOTE: The Bus-To-Game transportation is currently sold out) 

Our hotel, "The Margaritaville Resort", is located right there on the beach in Hollywood, Florida. And it is pretty AWESOME!

This resort hotel will also serve as our group's gathering place where we will have buses set up to take you our scheduled events, and also to the game at the Dolphins' Hard Rock Stadium. 

This resort hotel is in a beautiful location and just mere STEPS AWAY from the beach! Also, a host of restaurants and bars are nearby along the Boardwalk. 

To reserve a room:


Call Margaritaville's Reservation Center: call (954)-874-4444 to make your reservation. You will have to reference Road Trip Rally or RAL1103 to obtain our Road Trip Rally Party group rate. 



Margaritaville Resort, our amazing host...and it's right on the beach!
There's LOTS of night life in our hotel's area, as well as the dazzling Hollywood Blvd nearby where you can find sizzling hot dance shows and great food. We worked with both Convention Bureaus of Ft. Lauderdale and Miami to put this package together for you all. You will not be disappointed!  :-)

Raider Nation...your Florida vacation awaits! Let's show them how it is when Raider Nation fills up every restaurant in town and shakes more booty in the dance clubs than they've ever seen before!


We are also doing a day trip to the beautiful BAHAMAS on Thursday, November 2nd, 2017. If you can believe it, there's a Raider Nation member who lives on the island there who is ready to host us and show us a great time!

For those who would like to sign up for the BAHAMAS DAY TRIP on Thursday, November 2nd, the Tour Operator is handling the ticketing for this. 

The high-speed boat will take us to FREEPORT, GRAND BAHAMAS ISLAND.


The High-Speed Ferry gets us to the Bahamas in style!


===============================================
TO SIGN UP FOR OUR BAHAMAS DAY TRIP:


  • Contact CINDY at (800)991-0623, extension 101. Be sure to tell her that you want to be on the ROAD TRIP RALLY PARTY's boat on Thursday, November 2nd, 2017.
  • The price is $132.76 (one hundred & thirty-two dollars & seventy-six cents) per person, which includes all port fees & taxes.
  • You may upgrade to a first-class seat if you wish. Cindy will let you know the price to do this.
  • Cindy will ask you for your Passport number because...
       ...this is an INTERNATIONAL boat trip. You are traveling to another country. You will need a valid passport , one that does not expire within the 6 months of our trip (before June 2018.)
  • U.S. CITIZENS: You may use an original copy of your birth certificate (no photo copies) along with a valid government I.D. If you do this, you will need to present both of these documents together...one without the other will prevent you from boarding the boat.
  • NON-U.S. CITIZENS: You may be required to use the passport of your home country and/or a visa. Cindy can let you know; you will not be allowed to board the boat in Florida if you do not have the correct documentation/permission to re-enter the United States.
  • The Bahamas Ferry is a high-speed boat that will get us there in about 2.5 hours (photo above)...we have to show up at the Ft. Lauderdale terminal at 6am for passport processing.
  • The boat departs at 8:00am and returns to the U.S. at 11:00pm.

Raider Nation...international !!
================================================
Lots of things to do on the island. This promises to be a really cool thing that we can do together.  :-)

See you in November! And thanks!!

~Afro



Monday, September 11, 2017

NFL Season Begins! Raiders vs Titans Game Report!

Welcome, Raiderfans!

So, the Raiders are back in action! I'm here at Ricky's Sports Theater, famous for being the home of Raider Nation! And the place is packed out with folks cheering on the Silver & Black.

The Titans tried a little trickery to start out the game, but it failed miserably. The Raiders went straight to score a touchdown, and it looked like this would be another victory in Nashville.

However...

The Raiders' defense is struggling. Once the jitters left Titans QB Marcus Mariota, he put on a clinic in efficiency. He was 5-for-7 in 3rd down conversions, and he ran the bootleg without fear. 

Meanwhile, Raiders' QB Derek Carr had a 2nd-quarter drive where he was sacked twice in the same series. There is no doubt that the Titans want a victory in their home opener...they've suffered Raider Nation taking over that stadium in vast numbers the past two years and clearly want to give the Nashville locals something to feel good about.

RB Marshawn Lynch had a couple of good runs. WR Michael Crabtree looks great today, but the other Raiders' receivers & tight ends aren't making an impact in this game at all. They had some dropped balls...as in "plural" dropped balls.

Stats from the 1st-Half of this game: 



Ricky's is where Raider Nation watches games in Oakland!
The second half went kinda slow, but it was clear that the Raiders figured out how to shut down the Titans. After moving the ball so well earlier, the Titans never again saw the end zone as they had to settle for field goals the rest of the way.

Amari Cooper found better control of his hands, and Marshawn Lynch posterized an opposing defensive lineman Jurrell Casey that made you think of LA Clippers' Blake Griffin's monster dunk on Kendrick Perkins...that Marshawn dude is strong!

But hey, don't take my word for it! See for yourselves here from this tweet the NFL released: 


 "Definitely a shot to myself and my pride with Lynch coming up in here and running up and down on us like that," Casey said." (source: Adam Vingan, of the USAToday newspaper)


Seth Roberts got a touchdown (the Raiders are 10 wins-0 loses when he catches a touchdown pass) and the defense stepped up in the second half, limiting Mariota to 2-8 in 3rd-down efficiency in after halftime.

So, for the second year in a row, the Raiders open the season with a victory! And that is a very good thing!

No doubt the future placekicker for the Raiders made his debut today. Giorgio Tavecchio booted not one, but TWO 52-yard field goals today! Some kickers can't make that distance at all, but this guy did it twice!

Final stats from today's game:

Next week, the NY Jets come into Oakland. There was an infamous game where former Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez blew out the Raiders 38-0, and was so bored with his mastery over the Raiders that he ate a hot dog on the sideline while the game was still in progress. Well, let's see who's gonna eat it now!  :-)

Thanks for talking with me. And of course, I welcome your thoughts on the game!

Before I go, here's a little peek into the vibe here at Ricky's today:


Thanks for your valuable time, Raider Nation! See you next week!

Yours,
Ken

p.s. Yes, CBS Sports: we know that this Tavecchio guy probably spells the end of long-time Raiders placekicker Sebastian Janikowski's tenure with the team. But still, we didn't need your cameras to keep going over to catch Jano's reaction to each successful kick that Tavecchio made. Let the man be.

Monday, May 15, 2017

Raiders Season Ticket Members Get An Official Conference Call

Any questions? Any answers?

Well, the Oakland Raiders are inviting the former, and in return they promise the latter. 


The Oakland Raiders are calling YOU tomorrow!


An email to season ticket holders arrived late last week to announce a team conference call. Here is what it said:

"(name), got questions? We've got answers.

It has been an exciting off-season so far, and it's time to share our enthusiasm with our loyal fans. Included as a benefit in your Season Ticket Member package,we will be hosting a post-draft conference call with General Manager Reggie McKenzie and Head Coach Jack Del Rio.

The exclusive Season Ticket Member conference call is scheduled forTuesday, May 16, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. PST.

As a Season Ticket Member, you have the unique opportunity to interact by asking questions and receiving insight into our plans for the 2017 season.

For your convenience, you will receive a phone call next Tuesday evening from (this phone number)

When you answer the phone, stay on the line and you will be instantly connected to the conference call.
We look forward to your participation as we prepare for another great season of Raiders football.

Thanks and Go Raiders!"

Questions on the team's prospects for the upcoming season? Questions on hiring a new Offensive Coordinator after the guy who who had brought Carr to MVP levels in 2016 was let go?

Answers on making sure a new Carr contract will not "Flacco" the team's future prospects?
Answers on what priority (if any) the current long-term season ticket holders will have in choosing the best seats in the new Stadium over the residents of Las Vegas?

This type of customer outreach by the Oakland Raiders is to be commended, certainly. We can hope that the information given is truly informative and candid...for example, it might not be helpful to hear the generic statement, "We're just concentrating on what happens on the field", when a season ticket holder on this conference call asks about the Vegas move. 

Tickets cost too much money, and with the expensive expectation from everyone in Nevada that Oakland folks will travel to Vegas for 3-day weekends eight times every year to support that stadium's financing, it would be considered a personal dereliction to not ask these questions at tomorrow's Raiders conference call. 

You can be a true fan without being a rah-rah. Oakland Raiders fans are respected nationwide for our knowledge, and our knowledge about football goes beyond what happens on the field.

Here's to tomorrow's call. 

Yours,
Afro

Monday, May 8, 2017

The Denver Broncos Put The Hammer On Their Season Ticket Holders


 Hello, Readers!

 As you all know, it isn't much of a road game if we can't get tickets to watch that game.

 The Denver Broncos seem to have an answer for all the visiting fans looking to watch their own favorite team play the Broncos. Here's what they are doing!

 We work with the Ticket Offices of the Oakland Raiders' opponents to secure group seating for everyone in our Road Trip Rally Party. Depending on that team's number of season ticket holders, we are sometimes able to secure field-level seats. And at other times, we are able to get 2nd-Deck Club seats for everyone.

 On those road games where the opposing team's Ticket Office does not offer group seats, we have encouraged everyone to find the best seats possible via the online ticket services, such as Stubhub, VividSeats, etc. We identify an area of the stadium where we'd like everyone to sit, and then we turn that area into our very-own Raider Nation group seating!


On-site cash transactions aren't done anymore; it's all online now.
                                                       
 The point being: these online ticket services can be vital to our Road Trip plans.

 Online ticket services allow season ticket holders to sell seats to games that they are unable to attend themselves. This is great for the seller, because they otherwise would have to eat the cost of that ticket (NFL teams do not re-purchase unwanted tickets from season ticket holders), and that could be a complete waste of money for people.

 Please read here on how the Broncos have decided to deal with their season ticket holders who choose to sell their tickets online rather than attend games.


    Yours,
              Afro

Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Hi, Road Troopers!

We're at the Miami Airport. Not much time to write, so please accept this "video edition" of our Road Trip Rally Party blog!


Enjoy!
~Ken

Monday, May 1, 2017

Yes, Miami/Ft. Lauderdale is ON! - The Road Trip Rally Party Blog!

Hello, Readers!

We've been here in Florida this past week! We're looking at many of the offerings that the Miami and Ft. Lauderdale regions offer, from restaurants to hotels, from tours to hot dance clubs (keyword: "HOT"), to the amazing beaches that stretch across the coastline, we came here to see how all of it can help make our Road Trip Rally Party event a a great time for everyone!




We met with the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau on Thursday, in quite possibly the most beautiful office perched on the 27th Floor of one of the stunning skyscrapers in the city! A view of the Bay, the River, and the Ocean, all greeted us as we sat in their big conference room to discuss our plans with the very-capable Sales Representatives who met with us.



We gave them our Power Point illustrated handouts, containing an outline of our event's history and people, as well as a list of activities and services that the City of Miami can help us to secure for our event.




A very nice meeting; you can be sure that the Convention Bureau is working to help everyone see all the wonderful things that a vacation in Miami offers!

We contacted the Greater Ft. Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau to gather information about the offerings there. Ft. Lauderdale is north of Miami, and the Convention Bureau there also manages the vibrant city of Hollywood, Florida. We dicussed options for our event there, as these cities are located closer (geographically) to the Miami Dolphins' Hard Rock Stadium.                                                        

(yes, that's my thumb)

So, what did we find in Miami and Hollywood, you ask? We'll summarize our experience in this way:
  • Little Havana, a historic district in Miami, has lots of things for us to do.
  • Winwood, a new arts & restaurants district in Miami, has lots of things of things for us to do.
  • Miami Beach, the city across Biscayne Bay from the city of Miami, has lots of things for us to do.
  • South Beach, a district in the City of Miami Beach, has lots of things for us to do.
  • Hollywood Blvd, the main strip in the City of Hollywood, has lots of things for us to do.
  • Hollywood Beach, the beach in the City of Of Hollywood, has lots of things for us to do.



Nakita and I are putting this all this together to construct a wonderful package of lodging, activities, and FUN for you all! We will have it all ready for you in a few weeks from now. The entire region will be represented, and you will see just how great the cities of Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and Hollywood are! 


So, we do another round of interviews and follow-ups today. We'll get started at 9am, and we'll continue to go all-out for you on this last day!


Thanks, Road Trippers! This is shaping up to be A BLAST!!

                                                                (kids dig road trips)
Yours,
Afro

Friday, April 28, 2017

The Raiders Select A Sensation, Or A Distraction?

Hi, all!

How is everyone? Did you watch yesterday's 1st Round of the NFL Draft?

We can discuss later how the Chicago Bears made the 49ers' neophyte rookie GM look like a Hall Of Fame negotiator. For now, here are some thoughts on the Raiders' pick: Gareon Conley of Ohio State University.

Gareon Conley of Ohio State University, selected in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders.
An extremely talented player, Conley has 1st Round skills. He also has baggage, and it's not clear if the Raiders, a team with a lot of distracting things surrounding them already, can deal with even more distractions that a high-profile rookie brings into the building. This is not to say the allegations are true; rather, the Raiders have a lot on their plate right now with:

  •  the move to Las Vegas, 
  • dealing with a home crowd season ticket base that has not given assurances it will support the Raiders during the 2-3 year lame-duck period, and 
  • the players being questioned by reporters constantly about how relocation will affect them and their families. 

Someone coming on board bringing his own "extra" for constant scrutiny and post-game questions, that probably isn't a good thing for the Raiders to have to add onto their list.

Secondly, there seems to be this soft spot for defensive-back players who are in risk of falling out of the first round due to their personal situations. DJ Hayden was one whose near-death injury in college gave teams pause to select him, yet the Raiders did anyway.

Hayden rarely played up to his draft position in his years with the team.

"Rescuing" players may sometimes be a bad idea. Some folks say it's not a risk, as they tout the investigative skill of professional NFL Security personnel to find out hidden things about players. But these are also the same professional security people who couldn't find the Ray Rice Elevator Video...something the TMZ television show was able to find quite easily.


Today, the 2nd Round of the NFL Draft begins. Let us see how other needs of the Raiders are addressed.

Yours,
Afro

Thursday, April 27, 2017

We're On A Road Trip...To Plan The Road Trip! - Road Trip Rally Party Blog!



Hi, all!

Nakita and I are in Miami, Florida! Enjoying the sunny skies, the great food, the cool people, we're here to do some first-hand evaluation of the recommendations for vendors and activities for our upcoming Road Trip Rally in November.

 We flew in yesterday, and our Raider Nation friend Tone', who lives in Hollywood, took us around the Hollywood Strip, and to the Hollywood Beach last night to check out the some prospects that she knows personally. We did a few hours of walking and popping into the venues, and it's interesting to note: for a Wednesday night, that entire strip was ALIVE!

 Live music, dancing, the business owners all around were definitely having a good night. Tone' said that when the weekend comes, the whole space will be a sea of humanity out having fun!

 Our first meeting today is with the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. A few months ago, the nice folks there gave us a list of recommended venues to host our event. We'll meet with them to see what our possibilities are.



 Anyway, here are pictures and videos of what we did last night. We'll check out the South Beach recommendations later this afternoon. And you can best believe, the two of us will go all-in to do follow-up visits EVERY NIGHT this weekend!




btw, I'm a whiz at Connect Four! Let's play! 😊  


Yours,
           Afro

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

TV Networks Deciding If Raiders Will Be Vegas' Home Team - The Road Trip Rally Party Blog!

Hello, Readers!

 The NFL designates a geographic area surrounding a team's home as the Primary Market for that team. This means that, for example, the Denver Broncos will have its games broadcast in the Denver TV market with no opposing game being broadcast in competition for viewers.


NFL Teams are assigned to cities (markets) beyond a team's own home city.
 You won't find the Broncos game on the city's CBS station while simultaneously there is a Cowboys game being shown on the Fox station. The Broncos get that all to themselves.

 Then there is what the NFL calls the Secondary Market. This means that, say in another city in another state, the market there is also designated as belonging to the Broncos. Those folks would be unable to watch the Cowboys on Fox because the Broncos are considered to be "their team" as if they all lived in Denver, too.

 With that in mind, the NFL has not decided if Las Vegas will be considered a Secondary Market for the Raiders. As of this linked Five-ThirtyEight.com story that uses the 2015 season to demonstrate the NFL's rule on this, it was the Dallas Cowboys who were shown most to Las Vegas viewers, followed by the New York Giants.

  Will the new folks in Las Vegas be allowed to start building an attachment to the Raiders? Will the NFL, or the Cowboys, insist that the Vegas market should keep showing other NFL teams until the Raiders actually move there? Well, here's what the NFL has to say about it as of now.

  What do you think? Should Oakland Raiders games start showing up in Las Vegas? Should Cowboys games in Vegas be done away with so that there's no TV competition against the Raiders' broadcasts?

  Thanks,
               Afro

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Schedule Makers Treated Them Like A Dog?!! The Road Trip Rally Party Blog!

Hello, all!

There's been a great deal of scrutiny directed toward the 2017 NFL Schedule. ESPN wrote about it, and it's definitely causing some discussion. Some things that are brought up:


  • The NFL was really smarting over the poor play of many teams featured on big night games
  • The NFL is now showcasing teams that were good in 2016, going all-in with them 
  • Two teams that are perennial losers, Jacksonville and Cleveland, get no national games at all, not even Thursday Night Football.

Eleven games with only 6 of the opponents having a winning record. Then comes five consecutive games vs powerhouses.

 And your Oakland Raiders? Well, the league believes that they are worthy to be showcased nation-wide this year for an astounding FIVE GAMES! Sunday Night Football (3 times), Monday Night Football on Christmas Day, and Thursday Night Football. 

 There have been many years in recent history where the Raiders did not get a single nation-wide game. But now, the NFL is with the Raiders. The tide has turned, definitely!

  Another gift to the Tennessee Titans' ownership, as well. With Raider Nation making Nashville a favorite destination (and buying-up otherwise unwanted tickets to Titans games), the NFL schedulers put that game in Nashville for the 3rd-consecutive year. 

  Raider Nation, take a bow! No doubt, you are a shot-in-the-arm to help cure the ticket sales problems of that team! The hotels and restaurants in Nashville, and the taxpayers who may be saddled with that stadium's construction debt in the face of unwanted PSL's collecting dust on the shelves, they all say in advance, "Thank you, Raider Nation!!"  :-) 

 Anyway, the NFL's schedule makers have decided that the Raiders should bunch up all their tough opponents together. Check out the graphic; there will be a length of games, if the opponents' 2016 prowess holds up, that will present quite a challenge to the Raiders. Hopefully, the Raiders will show these perennial playoff teams that they, too, belong in that elite status and have every intention to stay there.

 Our Road Trip Rally Party will be at the Raiders vs Dolphins game, the 9th game of the season. A bye week follows, and then this big five consecutive-game stretch of powerful opponents. We will have an enjoyable time in Miami at the Rally, recharged and re-energized to cheer on the Raiders when play resumes. 

 As you all know, we had considered going to Philadelphia for our 2017 Road Trip Rally Party. The schedule shows that this game is on Christmas Day, a big holiday certainly. We've done a Rally during the Thanksgiving weekend back in 2014, and there's no doubt all of you could make a "Raider Nation Christmas in Philly" work out really well. But for this year, we're onward to Miami!

(we will certainly call the Philadelphia Convention Bureau to thank them for all the work they done on our behalf)

Finally, we should mention: the opponents, with the exception of 2 AFC teams who finished their division standings in the same position as the Raiders did, are all pre-selected years in advance. There was no conspiracy with this schedule...
 "other than perhaps moving the Patriots game away from Oakland so that Tom Brady will not have to risk false starts and bad snaps and other personal mishaps caused by the intensity that only the Raider Nation can bring down on his head but Tom Brady got rescued from having to face all of that because his owner gets his way even when it hurts the integrity of this game like asking one of the Raiders to drop a pass on purpose"  (but I digress) ...to pile onto the Raiders' schedule with all these teams who had winning records in 2016. It just works out that way sometimes that the other divisions are playing really good when the rotation happens to bring them your way.

Anyway, please be sure to read the ESPN article linked above. And thanks so much for your time here right now!

Yours,
Afro

Friday, April 21, 2017

There's A Reason You're "Agog", says the Road Trip Rally Party Blog!

Hello to all our "Blogees!"

There is excitement in the air! Not just excitement...there's ANTICIPATION! There's HAPPINESS! There's, there's, there's...well, I got a feelin' like I've never-ever-ever felt before, whoa-whoa...I get revealing, yeah!

(now watch me dance!)

Ok, the reason for all this positive vibe going on, you ask? Well, the NFL has released its 2017 Schedule at last! We now know the specific dates that the Oakland Raiders will be on the road, and we can say with certainty what you all have been eagerly waiting to hear: 

Our Road Trip Rally Party in Miami will be held on SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH!!

Yes, a late-Fall season game in beautiful, sunny Miami, Florida. But wait: did you know that we will be able to enjoy the sunny weather there for the entire game day before kickoff? Did you know that this game will be a nationally-televised SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME ON NBC!! 

Not only will our Road Trip Rally Party event be in town, we will be there for the exclusive, every-television-in-America-tuned-in Showcase Game Of The NFL! Sunday Night on NBC is not just a football game. Rather, games here are presented to America as the BEST that the NFL offers! It is an honor for a team to be selected to play on Sunday Night Football. The Oakland Raiders should feel proud!

...and even more proud!! Because the Oakland Raiders will be on Sunday Night Football a total of three times in 2017! America will get to see all that the Raiders are becoming, their continued rise into the ranks of the NFL elite. Combined with an ESPN Monday Night Football game on Christmas Day to take on the Philadelphia Eagles, and a Thursday Night Football game vs the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs, the Raiders will be on national television a total of FIVE TIMES!

This is a lonnnng way from the Jamarcus Russell days, baby!  

Join us in our next blog as we discuss a bit about the opposing teams on the schedule, and the toll, if any, that having most of the national games being played in the respective opponent's stadium will have on the Raiders' players.  But in the meantime, let's all take time to revel in the fact that the beaches of Miami await the Raider Nation!  We're going to have a big 4-day weekend for our Road Trip Rally Party there in Miami, so please be sure to join our Contact List for updates and information on our own Schedule of Events for that game! It.Is.Gonna.Be.FUN!!! 

'til next time, my friends! 

Yours,
Afro

Behold! The 2017 Schedule of the Oakland Raiders!


Wednesday, April 19, 2017

The Stadium Leaders Say, "Let's Deal With This Fog." Here's Today's Road Trip Rally Party Blog!

Hello,

  There's lots going on with the Las Vegas Raiders (will one ever get used to saying that?) this week. On Thursday, April 21st, the Las Vegas Stadium Authority will meet with the Raiders' executive brass to begin hammering out all the details required to get the new stadium going.

  The vote of the NFL owners that took place, that vote simply said, "Yes, Mark Davis, you can move your team." NOW comes the hard part: convincing the city & state leaders what a fair arrangement for all the details will be.

  A short article. Please feel free to read and become..."enlightened."

     Thanks,
                  Afro


Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Let's Get This Ball Rolling!

Yes, Yes, Yes!

 I found a word, "dawg" that rhymes with, "blog!"

 The Road Trip Rally Party has ventured out into new territory! We actually have a BLOG!

  "blog" - noun, abr web + log; an online space for subscribers and interested readers to view written thoughts, videos, and other musings of an individual or group.

   We want to make sure that our Road Trip Rally Members stay informed with the latest details surrounding our upcoming Miami Road Trip. We will have details posted here, as well as a means for you readers to respond. We welcome all opinions!

   Come join our mailing list! We will have a monthly newsletter beginning in May 2017. Join now to receive a free entry to win a great, fully-licensed, really cool Raiders item! If you've been to our road trips, you know we don't give away cheap prizes...get on in and maybe you can WIN!
(your contact info kept confidential, of course. info is not sold, traded, nor given away to anyone)

   Our Road Trip Rally Party has taken us to many different cities. We've met so many wonderful people, many of whom had never been to a "live" Oakland Raiders game ever. Our goal has always been to bring the Raider Nation Experience to people, to have them see what it's like on a weekend of a Raiders' home game.

   There's always a pre-game big bash at the main Raiders sports bar, "Ricky's Sports Theater", in San Leandro, CA...just south of Oakland. Ricky's was once voted the #2 Sports Bar in America by Sports Illustrated Magazine (it really was the No.1 sports bar, but a Boston bar won the title instead due to the recent championship of its local, and utterly nameless NFL team), and Ricky's is the renowned headquarters of all things Raider Nation. ESPN, Fox Sports, CBS, NBC, Sirius Satellite Radio, local TV stations, they all know where to come to tap into the local fanbase of all the sports teams.

   And fans of other teams, are they welcome at Ricky's? Hey, it's like a Terry Bradshaw/Tony Romo/John Elway/DaBears convention in there! A United Nations of NFLdom!

DETROIT 2015

LONDON U.K. 2014

INDIANAPOLIS 2013

NEW ORLEANS 2016

  We want that same Ricky's Saturday night excitement to show at each of our Road Trip Rally Party events. That is why we have a Saturday Night Rally when we are on the road. Music, food, prizes, everyone decked out in Raiders gear & costumes...that is what we want EVERYONE to experience!

   We have something really nice planned for Miami. We have to see about the local city ordinances and the like, but we want everybody to know that we will make the supreme effort, the strongest push, to make this 2017 Miami road trip into something that you will be glad to be a part of!

   See you soon. And spread the word! Don't leave your friends in a fog, tell 'em about our blog!

    (the rhymes just freestyle...after awhile)

        Yours every day,
                                   Nakita and Ken