Oakland Raiders fans have a reputation around the NFL. It’s not the best one, either, as painting your face to look like a skeleton while putting two-foot spikes on your shoulders tends to make people think you’re evil or in desperate need of a girlfriend. Is it fair?  Probably not. I mean, sure, Raiders fans are an odd bunch, but just because some of them dress like hooligans it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are.

(Now why would you handcuff and eject these fine, upstanding gentlemen?)

Still, it would seem that the folks at Raymond James Stadium weren’t taking any chances during Sunday’s game. With the Bucs having lost three straight to fall to 9-6 and putting themselves in danger of missing the playoffs entirely after a 9-3 start, it seems the folks at Raymond James wanted to make sure the home team got all the support it could. They didn’t want any of those Raiders fans around letting the Bucs know that they suck, which is probably why they handcuffed one of them and threw him out of the stadium.

Here is the letter that one Raiders fan named Steve sent to the NFL, the Buccaneers, and THE CONSUMERIST:

Good afternoon,

I apologize for the number of individuals included on this communication as I was unsure who to contact about this.

I had a very negative experience at Raymond James Stadium while attempting to attend the Buccaneers/Raider NFL football game. My day started poorly as I was forced to go to three different entrance gates because I was “wearing the wrong colors” before I could obtain admittance with my ticket to the game.

The game went without incident up until the first score of the game by the Raiders. I stood in celebration, and before the extra point was even kicked, I was being led away by stadium personnel. Once out of the stands, I was placed in handcuffs, although I was not resisting the stadium personnel’s requests, or read my rights and placed under arrest. I was lead to a single person holding cell where my possessions were removed, and I was subjected to a full body frisking. After being detained for roughly 30 minutes, I was released outside of the stadium, and informed that I could not return to the stadium.

As a long time fan and supporter of the NFL, I am greatly disappointed by my treatment at today’s game. I feel like I was personally singled out due to my team affiliation, and this was totally unwarranted. I was not intoxicated or found to be in possession of any illegal substances. I was not being verbally or physically abusive to any other fans or players. There were no requests to adjust my behavior prior to this either, which was not causing an issue as multiple witnesses can attest to.

I understand the stadium has the right to remove any attendees as stated on the ticket, but my treatment today was completely unacceptable. I came down to Tampa Bay from New Jersey specifically to see this game, and then was stripped of the ability to enjoy the game. I would like to know if there are any options by which I may file a formal complaint against the personnel at the stadium? I wish I could provide you with more information as to the individuals involved, but they would not provide me with that information prior to my removal.

Any assistance in this matter would be appreciated. Thank you and I hope you all had an enjoyable holiday.

I know, I’m just as shocked as you are. A literate Raiders fan. I had heard they existed, but I thought it was a myth like the tooth fairy and the Easter Bunny, but it seems that we have our first tangible proof that they do in fact live and breath among the rest of us.

Oh, and the fact that he’d be thrown out of the stadium just for being a fan of the opposing team is somewhat surprising as well. I have to admit, though, I do wonder if Steve is telling the whole story here. It just doesn’t make any sense that stadium security would remove a person just because he was wearing the colors of the visiting team. I mean, whether he’s wearing silver and black or pewter and red, his money is still green and worth the same amount as a Bucs fans’ and that’s all that really matters.

Of course, it’s also possible that Steve was taking the rap for something another Raiders fan in attendance may have done. After all, all those Raiders fans look alike to me.