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This story is part of ESPN The Magazines Oct. 31 NBA Preview Issue. Subscribe today!Oakland RaidersOverall: 85 Title track: 41 Ownership: 104 Coaching: 24 Players: 48 Fan relations: 69 Affordability: 54 Stadium experience: 119 Bang for the buck: 86 Change from last year: +20The Oakland Raiders last trip to the playoffs -- let alone their last winning record -- came when quarterback Derek Carr was 11 years old, in sixth grade and watching his older brother David get sacked 76 times as the NFLs No. 1 overall draft pick. In other words, it was in 2002. Raiders fans are betting on the younger Carr having learned from the struggles of his older brother to get this proud franchise back up and running ... wherever its future home is, be it Oakland, Las Vegas, Los Angeles or parts unknown.Whats goodThe much critiqued plan of owner Mark Davis and general manager Reggie McKenzie appears to be coming to fruition, and fans judged this new-and-improved roster a vast upgrade, boosting it 51 spots in the players category (to 48th). All it took was two years of deconstruction and two more building back up. Oakland has finally again become a destination for sought-after free agents like OL Kelechi Osemele, LB Bruce Irvin, CB Sean Smith and FS Reggie Nelson. And McKenzies recent drafts, selecting the likes of Carr, receiver Amari Cooper and defensive end Khalil Mack, have given Oakland a strong, young nucleus around which to build a competitive team -- and give fans hope for the immediate future.Whats badWas it merely karma that on the 50th anniversary of the September day the Oakland Coliseum opened, the Raiders laid a silver and black egg in a deflating loss to the Falcons? The Coliseum is not quite quaint, not yet old enough to be seen as historic and, well, it has severe and well-publicized plumbing issues. In these standings, the Raiders placed second-to-last in sports in having a great stadium (the only team worse? Uh, the As). The narrow concourse areas are exercises in claustrophobia for fans during games and, as the lone remaining facility to still host NFL and major league baseball games, the torn-up grass and baseball dirt infield is not pleasurable for players in either sport in the crossover months of August and September. Football players have to deal with losing traction -- and skin on their elbows and forearms -- on the slippery dirt. Still wondering why the Raiders want (and need) a new stadium?Whats newEveryone knows the denizens of Raider Nation are among the most loyal in all of sports. Theyd have to be, given what theyve endured since getting thumped in Super Bowl XXXVII -- the team has gone a combined 63-145 (.303) since. So its a testament to the fans and front office that fan relations is up 22 spots since last year, thanks in large part to coach Jack Del Rio, in his second season in Oakland, who has changed the culture and is a major reason why the excitement and optimism surrounding the team feels different. And Las Vegas move be damned: The fans have bought in, selling out season tickets and parking passes this season. Thats loyalty.Next: Philadelphia Eagles?| Full rankings Cole Hamels Jersey . -- Aaron Murray threw for 408 yards and three touchdowns, ran for another score, and led No. Cole Hamels Cubs Jersey . Inter president Erick Thohir says in a club statement on Wednesday that Vidic is "one of the worlds best defenders and his qualities, international pedigree, and charisma will be an asset. http://www.thecubsteamshop.com/Cubs-Addison-Russell-Kids-Jersey/ . The Lightning are 2-0 so far on a four-game road trip, giving the club five straight wins as the guest and improving Tampas away record this season to 11-8-2. Brad Brach Cubs Jersey . -- Ohio States Urban Meyer has never had any issue acclimating to the biggest stages in college football. Brandon Morrow Cubs Jersey . Tracey comes to the Blue Bombers after spending over a decade with Queens University. Most recently he was the schools assistant football coach.JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- South Africa scored nine tries to emphatically open its Rugby Championship with a 73-13 win over Argentina on Saturday, avenging a surprise draw between the teams in their last meeting a year ago with the biggest win ever in the southern hemisphere competition. The Springboks took control at FNB Stadium in Soweto from a 30th-minute penalty try, and crossed seven times in the second half to keep Argentina winless in seven games in this competition. South Africa also moved powerfully to a seventh straight test win under coach Heyneke Meyer, with flyhalf Morne Steyn kicking 28 points and landing 12 out of 13 attempts. South Africa surpassed its own points tally in a 61-22 win over Australia in Pretoria in 1997 and also the competitions previous best 45-point margin when the Springboks beat Australia 53-8 at Johannesburg in 2008, all on a day of national celebration and dedicated to South African icon and former president Nelson Mandela. "I think that the team talk was simple," Meyer said. "I said to the players, I really want a special performance. We really wanted to make our country proud." The No. 2-ranked Springboks also responded to New Zealands six-try, 47-29 win over Australia earlier Saturday to open the tournament, with the top-ranked, world champion and southern hemisphere champion All Blacks undoubtedly rugbys pace-setters. South Africa had eight different try-scorers after the penalty try and kept a meek Argentina scoreless from the 23rd minute until their only try through captain Felipe Contepomi in the last minute. Contepomi had all Argentinas points with a try, conversion and two penalties, but the South Americans were left ragged and completely dispirited after coming close to a maiden win in the championship in their debut season in 2012 several times, and then going down by 60 points in their 2013 opener. "Last year we struggled a bit, this year we struggled a lot," Contepomi said. "Its hard when you take a shot like that ... we have to learn, and fast." It was only 9-6 after nearly half an hour when the Springboks forged ahead with their penalty try, a telling double blow for the Argentinians as theey also lost hooker Eusebio Guinazu to a sin-binning for knocking down a pass that would have put Ruan Pienaar clear in the left corner.dddddddddddd No. 8 Leonardo Senatore was yellow-carded in the second half. Centre JJ Engelbrecht collected a kick through three minutes after the penalty try and ran 50 metres for the second, a breakout from near the Springboks line set up by Steyn, who passed to fullback Willie le Roux to chip ahead. With a 26-6 halftime lead, the Boks blew the Pumas away in the second to score 47 points and concede only seven. Hooker Adriaan Strauss try from a rumbling maul early in the second effectively ended what was left of any contest. "We are very disappointed," Argentina coach Santiago Phelan said. "First half we didnt take control of the ball, we were under pressure everywhere. In the second half we were broken." Flanker Willem Alberts secured the four-try bonus point as early as the 54th as the Boks repeated the lineout and mauling move that put Strauss over. A minute later, skipper Jean de Villiers intercepted and burst clear and Argentina began to fade away badly under an onslaught. World Cup-winning scrumhalf Fourie du Preez bolted over for the sixth minutes after returning to international rugby as a replacement following a two-year absence. Wing Bryan Habana scored his South African record-extending 51st test try, and No. 8 Duane Vermeulen and replacement hooker Bismarck du Plessis also crashed over. Contepomi ended a counterattack with his try in the last act of the game, but that didnt hide the ruthless rugby lesson for the Pumas, who can still recover some pride with the return match in Mendoza, Argentina next weekend as they did in that 16-16 draw last year. "I think it will be a totally different beast playing in Mendoza," South Africa captain De Villiers said. "Theyll be hurting going back home." ------ Scores: South Africa 73 (JJ Engelbrecht, Adriaan Strauss, Willem Alberts, Jean de Villiers, Fourie du Preez, Bryan Habana, Duane Vermeulen, Bismarck du Plessis, penalty tries; Morne Steyn 8 conversions, 4 penalties), Argentina 13 (Felipe Contepomi try, conversion, 2 penalties). HT: 26-6. ' ' '