The Raiders sweet tasting training camp - Ingles

Just vin, baby.

This is California wine country (the French word for wine is vin). The Marriott Napa Valley Spa and Resort also is the training camp home of the Oakland ("Just win, baby'') Raiders.

From their housing and meeting rooms in the rear wing of the resort, the Raiders can walk out the back door to two practice fields located adjacent to the Redwood Middle School.

On the railroad tracks located across the street in front of the resort, the Napa Valley Wine Train rolls by, providing dining and a tour of the valley in vintage rail cars. Inside the resort, the Raiders meet in rooms with names such as Merlot, Cabernet and Zinfandel.

Raiders safety Michael Huff still is developing his appreciation for wines.

"I've been trying to pick it up lately. I like white wines more than I like red wines. So I'm trying to, I guess, acquire the taste," says Huff. " … I'm still not a red guy yet."

But he is completely sold on the Raiders' training camp set-up, which is a departure from the traditional college-based camps still used by some teams around the NFL.

"This has to be the best training camp in the whole league. … We've got great weather (not too hot). We've got a nice hotel we're staying in. You can't beat it," says Huff.

Raiders cornerback Stanford Routt agrees.

"It's definitely one of the positives to training camp, not being in a dormitory like at some old college or something like that," says Routt. "The living quarters, they are definitely a little more upscale than other teams.''

The resort is about 50 miles north of Oakland. The Raiders have trained here since returning to Oakland in 1995 after a stint in Los Angeles (1982-1994). In their pre-1982 time in Oakland, the Raiders held their camps at the El Rancho Motel in Santa Rosa, Calif.

When the Raiders were planning their return here in 1995, John Herrera, the team's senior executive, was given a mission by team owner Al Davis: Find a place similar to the El Rancho, which was no longer available.

"I looked at 50-60 sites before I stumbled on this one," Herrera said this week on the practice field. "I just drove up one day and saw the Marriott. So I drove around behind and climbed the wall and looked over to see what was on the other side of it.''

One the other side was a large, open area located between the resort and the middle school.

"This was all weeds, vegetable gardens from the school, portable classrooms, all that kind of stuff, and a lot of land," said Herrera.

"I said, 'Holy cow' and very quickly got a hold of the school district, got a hold of the middle school, got a hold of the Marriott people, got a hold of the mayor of Napa, put everybody together very quickly. It took us about month to make a deal. We were at warp speed trying to put the camp together in time for training camp.''

Herrera said the camp fits Davis' requirements.

"Since Al came in 1963 and found the Santa Rosa El Rancho Motel site, he has believed in putting the team in a hotel where everything is taken care of, they're comfortable, they have air conditioning and the facilities," said Herrera.

There is no signage outside or inside the resort announcing the presence of the Raiders. In the lobby, other guests not connected with the team plan their day's activities in wine country. At one end of the lobby, there are black curtains with a sign that says, "Private Event."

Behind those curtains, the Raiders go about their business.

The team says that due to limited space for bleachers, as well as parking, fan access to camp is accommodated by invitations to youth groups, military groups, sponsors, suite holders and others. "It is open to the many, many groups we invite. We simply can't fling the gates wide open, due to space and logistics," says Mike Taylor, public relations director.

But when the Raiders break camp, the fields will be put to other uses.

"They've used these fields for youth football and youth soccer," says Herrera. " … That's why in May every year, we have to shut that down so that we can rehab the field so that we can have it ready for us.'' (source USA Today)