Better to Reign in Hell

The silver-and-black-clad Oakland Raiders fans are the most notorious in American professional sports, with a mythic reputation for cursing, drinking, brawling, and generally wreaking mayhem. The devotion of the teamOCOs multiracial, largely blue-collar supporters runs deep, creating a profound sense of community. As Jim Miller and Kelly Mayhew reveal in this hair-raising and entertaining new book, the self-described Raider Nation, smitten with its outlaw mystique, provides a gritty alternative to CaliforniaOCOs sunshine-and-granola image.

Over the course of the harrowing 2003 season, Miller and Mayhew explored the reality behind the myth and interviewed legions of rabid Raiders fansOCofrom suburban families to bikersOCowhile attending games in the ?Black HoleOCO (the rowdiest section in OaklandOCOs stadium), frequenting sports bars, and crashing tailgate parties. Featuring the extraordinary photography of Joseph A. Blum, "Better to Reign in Hell" is both a rollicking tale of obsessive fandom and a fascinating study of the intersection of class, race, gender, and community in professional sports. "