RAIDER NATION, are you ready for some FOOTBALL?!? Now, even though that means something very different here across the pond, there is no question that the Raiders, the Raiderettes, and Raider Nation have taken over London! Everywhere you look, Silver and Black paints this famous city.
After traveling for over 20 hours, we had an early call time for the day's festivities.
This morning, my teammates Kelly, Michelle, Jaclyn D., Monica B., and I had the opportunity to represent the Raiders and the Raiderettes on the London morning show 'Soccer AM;' think part Good Morning America, part The Man Show, and part NFL AM. We had the honor of opening the program with one of our sideline dances, 'Turn Down for What,' a Raider Nation favorite at our home games at O.Co Coliseum.
As the show progressed and continued through it's various segments, my sisters and I cheered on game participants, chatted with the show's hosts and guest star David Mills, rallied with a local futbol team as they sang their fight songs. We closed the show with a second sideline routine, and even had a surprise guest dancer in Jordan from Rizzle Kicks who unexpectedly jumped into the line! Though he wasn't able to master the high kick, I guess you can't knock him for trying.
Today was full of so many special moments! Raider Nation is present and strong here in London this week, and I cannot wait to get on Wembley Field and bring in a W.
As always, thank you Raider Nation for the fluid and on-going support I'll see you from the sidelines tomorrow night!
Cheers,
Bess
Hi Raider Nation, Melanie representing Line 3 here!
Today Courtney R., Noelle, and I woke up extra early to catch a glimpse of Buckingham Palace before our day of appearances and rehearsal began. It's amazing to see such historic sites in person. We took the tube to the park and ate breakfast at a local cafe for the true London Town experience - cheers!
After that Courtney R. and I headed to an appearance at Foot Locker with three of our linemates to take pictures with fans and sign autographs. Legendary Raiders WR Tim Brown was with us too! I'm blown away at how excited everyone over here is about "America football." There were so many elated European fans proudly rocking their Raiders gear. It's so cool to see that the Raider Nation is strong worldwide!
Then the five of us used our time in between events to get a little peek at the big NFL festival on Regent Street. The whole street was decorated with NFL and Raiders gear and it was absolutely packed with fans! We even ran into a few super fans who we usually see cheering us on from The Black Hole. We also enjoyed the rare chance to see some of our teammates perform - it was so fun cheering them on alongside other fans!
- Melanie
Good evening Raider Nation!
It has been a great day here in London! We kicked the morning off with Line 1 and Line 4 going to Regent Street. The streets were filled with NFL fans and many activities for fans to participate in along Regent Street. The Raider Nation had a great turn out and it really pumped me up to see so many Raiders fans in London. We performed four times in different areas of Regent street. Line 1 did two dances and Line 4 did two different dances. We even made it on the big NFL screen! It was so exciting to be up close with the fans and to interact with them. The energy was amazing and everyone was so excited to see us.
After Regent Street we were off to Wembley Stadium for a practice on the field. We all cheered as we pulled up to the stadium because it was decked out with Raiders banners. Walking onto the field for the first time was incredible. The stadium is huge. It was exciting just to practice there today, so I can't imagine the excitement that we will feel tomorrow at the game. We went over every last detail for our pregame routine with Def Leppard. Then we headed back to the hotel for some relaxation before the big day! Looking forward to the game and a Raiders win! See you back in the states Raider Nation!
- Kim
Good Day Raider Fans!
This is Ashley and Althea in London. Today was an exciting day! In the morning, the rest of our teammates arrived in London. We couldn't wait for them to see the beautiful city that we all have fallen so in love with over the last few days. With the game fast approaching, we practiced all of our routines and perfected the 11-minute pre-game production that we will be preforming live with Def Leppard We are extremely excited to have the opportunity to cheer on the Raiders at Wembley Stadium, so the pregame performance with the famous rock band Def Leppard is the icing on the cake.
Before our rehearsal, a group of girls had a live radio appearance at the BBC Asian Network. They spoke about the upcoming game and performed a few routines. As they were leaving the studio, they "bumped" into the British artist Ellie Goulding. One of her top hits is "The Lights."
In the evening, some of our teammates took on the town to explore the sights. While others went to the Raiders reception held at the Grosvenor hotel. Before the reception, a group of us stopped at Regent Street and Piccadilly Circus for photos. The street was all done up for the NFL block party that will take place on Saturday. Strings of flags were hung from building to building to highlight the approaching game. It was an amazing site to see and pumped us all up for the game. It was "Brilliant!" A word we hear often. We even saw a handful of double-decker red buses with big logos saying "THE RAIDERS ARE COMING." We're still trying to find the right opportunity to get a photo of ourselves and the bus! The buses are on the go, so timing is everything. The reception was beautiful and had delicious selections of appetizers, entrees and desserts. The dessert table had so many options, we didn't know what to do with ourselves!
Looking forward to Sunday! It's going to be a busy day filled with appearances and performances for the whole team. It will be "loads" of fun. London's ready for us - LET'S GO RAIDERS!
Cheers!
Ashley and Althea
Good morning Raider Fans!
Yesterday was Day Four of our London excursion, and it was Media Day. We started bright and early with an interview and mock practice session for BBCNewsbeat.
After practice we headed off to different appearances for the day promoting Sunday's Raiders game at Wembley Stadium. Kelly and Brittany were featured on Sky Sports, the British equivalent of ESPN, to teach our famous touchdown celebration, "The Autumn Wind." Althea and I were interviewed for an article about the real life experience of a Raiderette beyond game day. Our remaining teammates filmed a comedy segment in which they were tested on British trivia. The winning duo was rewarded with a traditional afternoon tea.
Once all of our work was done, we headed back into the city for a few last looks before the excitement and celebration of the weekend begin. Ashley and I took a quick stroll through Regents Park, only a few steps away from our hotel door. It was breathtaking and lovely. We easily imagined ourselves moving to London and picnicking on the weekends along the Avenue Gardens. We also made a quick stop in front of the London Beatles store and Sherlock Holmes museum.
We reconvened as a team, and navigated the Underground once again, to visit Platform 9 ¾, the Tower of London, and Tower Bridge. The city illuminated at night is truly spectacular.
We have all fallen deeply in love with London, and I wish this experience never had to end. Can't wait until the rest of our team arrives tomorrow morning, and we are able to give the NFL UK Fans a real taste of how we do it in Oakland.
Until Next Time,
Brandi
The Raiderettes on @BBCNewsbeat with Steffan Powell
Ello Americans!
Thursday Marcy, Michelle, Erica, Chanel, Ashley and I kicked off our afternoon with some British pop culture trivia, and I can say that we all had a very hard time! After partnering in groups and being filmed for a TV show, we found out that the winners of five correct questions were Michelle and Marcy (boo!). They enjoyed their "victory tea party" while the losers watched with envy. This event will be combined with questions asked to the Raiders players as well.
After our scheduled appearances for the day it was goodbye to the Muggle world and off to the land of Death Eaters and Witchcraft to visit our friend Harry Potter at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We took the tube to Kings Cross Station to catch our train at Platform 9 and 3/4 and let me say it was as magical as expected!
Don't expect to see us in the States anytime soon, we will be finishing our year as Gryffindor students at Hogwarts and switching over from NFL Cheerleaders to Quidditch players! See you next summer!
Wingardium Leviosa,
Cassie
Ello Raider Nation,
This is Erica checking in from the UK. Each day we spend here is unforgettable. On day three Michelle, Kelly, Chanel, Britney and myself had a photo shoot on the famous Regent Street, known for it's shopping to tourists and locals alike. Think of it as our Santana Row or Rodeo Drive...only bigger. I wouldn't expect anything less as we're in one of the fashion capitals of the world!
I'm truly in awe, The street is decked out with NFL flags and decor to celebrate the international series. Even the red doubledecker buses have billboards announcing the arrival of the Raider Nation! We met with photographers and team at their trendy PR office that was super posh, it almost reminded me of an office I'd see in the television series, Mad Men. We posed for photos with players from London's American Football League. The shoot was so much fun and the photos have already been published in local newspapers here in London!
After the shoot our appearance group headed over to Tesco for a meet and greet promoting the game this Sunday. Following the appearance we met up with our other teammates to celebrate our sister Marcy's birthday golden birthday! Each day keeps getting better and better it's truly a dream come true.
Cheerio,
Erica
Good morning Raider Nation! This is Marcy checking in on the most important day of the year, a.k.a. my birthday!
We started the day off right with a hearty English breakfast at the Marylebone Sports Bar & Grill across the street from our hotel. The bacon here is delicious and a lot thicker than American bacon. Breakfast also comes with "brown sauce" which is the UK's version of barbecue sauce. Our food was scrumptious and filling for our busy day ahead.
My appearance group had a long drive to Milton Keynes which is about an hour and a half outside of London. We all took a little nap on the bus and awoke to a beautiful English countryside.
We performed and did a meet-and-greet at Tesco, which is a grocery store similar to Wal-Mart. I think we converted a lot of UK people to Raider fans!
After the appearance, we decided to have a spontaneous birthday tea party! We enjoyed English breakfast tea paired with finger sandwiches, cakes, and scones served with clotted cream and strawberry jam. Apparently, afternoon tea used to be only for royalty and high society, so of course we drank our tea with our pinkies up.
Back at the hotel, my teammates surprised me with a birthday cake, flowers, and my new favorite brown sauce! It's a Raiderette tradition to dance in the middle of the circle while the girls sing Happy Birthday. I did my birthday dance but all the while had tears in my eyes because I can't believe that I'm celebrating my birthday with my best friends in London!
I'm so grateful for this trip of a lifetime. It still feels surreal, even on Day 3. I'll never forget my very special birthday in London. Thank you Raider Nation for celebrating with me! Cheers!
- Raiderette Marcy
Hello Darlings,
This is Brittany and Michelle here! We are now well rested and ready for day two in the UK! Play 60 was our first international appearance held near Gillford, a small city South of London. We teamed up with Raiders players to encourage local school kids to live a healthy and active lifestyle. As we approached "the pitch," the football field as we call it, we could sense the excitement from the little squeals and claps of the kids.
We kicked off the event by making a tunnel for them to run through just like we do on game day for the players. After that we split into four groups to cheer on the young athletes at each station, which included agility, flag football, and passing and receiving drills.
Each area was filled with laughter, a little sweat, and lots of fun in the English sun. Besides cheering on the kids, one of our favorite things was interacting with them. We fell in love with their adorable accents and English idioms, and were especially impressed by how polite and friendly they were. We even met a Raiderette in training who showed off her turns and back flips. After all groups completed each activity, we took a group photo where we were smothered by love and hugs! We walked away with huge grins, full hearts and an experience we'll never forget.
Later that day, we traveled to the famous Abbey Road with Brandi and Kelly for a quick photo shoot. Since it was rush hour, timing was everything! Once the crosswalk light was illuminated, and a red double-decker bus set the perfect backdrop, it was go time! We ran into the crosswalk, set our stance "Raiderette style" for a quick picture, and that was a wrap. Standing in the same place as the Beatles was unforgettable.
After our work was done, it was time for some evening entertainment - we attended our first football match, or as we know it - soccer. We watched Arsenal take on South Hampton at Emirates Stadium. On the way, we found Silver and Black shirts that stated "AFC - North London's Finest." In London, AFC stands for Arsenal Football Club, and of course AFC is the Raiders football conference - it was the perfect souvenir! We walked into the stadium to a sea of red Arsenal fans, chanting various fight songs throughout the entire game to cheer on their team. It reminded us of home and the Raider Nation.
The night was full of laughs, fish and chips, and learning loads about the game. We had a "smashing" time at our first football match! Time for beauty rest!
Laters,
Raiderettes Brittany and Michelle
The Raiderettes have arrived in London and they're taking over!
Good morning Raider Nation,
This is Chanel and Kelly checking in from 5,360 miles away "across the pond" here in London! We are joined by our teammates Althea, Ashley, Brandi, Brittany, Cassie, Erica, Marcy, Michelle and our director Jeanette in the United Kingdom representing the Oakland Raiders to promote the NFL International Series.
The 10 of us will attend promotional NFL events, charity functions, and host athletic camps for kids. The rest of our squad will be joining us Friday. The game will take place Sunday at Wembley Stadium.
We took off from San Francisco and could barely sleep due to the anticipation. Directly after our 10-hour flight we dove straight into rehearsal to make sure our routines were spot on. After practice we spent our first full day sightseeing and being extreme tourists.
The first meal we encountered was the world-renowned fish and chips, and let us tell you, it was life changing!
We headed over to Buckingham Palace where we toured our future home. We stood in awe of the palace admiring the historical artwork, lush gardens, and grand chandeliers. We made a request to have tea and crumpets with the Queen herself, but unfortunately, she had royal duties to attend to.
With the queen away we thought the guards would like to play. We tried to break their stoic manner by performing one of our hip-hop sidelines "Turn Down For What" right in front of them. We managed to get a wink and a head nod in approval and considered that a success! We then took pictures at Big Ben, the red "dog and bone" (aka telephone booth), and the London Eye.
After 35 hours of no sleep, our beds are finally calling our names. Tune in this week for more updates as we takeover London!
Cheerio,
Chanel and Kelly!
