OAKLAND, Calif. - A Hail Mary attempt to keep the Raiders in Oakland moved forward Tuesday as county officials gave the go-ahead to negotiate with Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, and the Oakland City Council followed suit Tuesday night.
Lott's proposal is probably Oakland's last shot at keeping its storied franchise from leaving again, but even if officials sign off, questions remain whether it will pass muster with the Raiders and the NFL owners, who will decide the team's ultimate fate. The NFL's point person on stadium plans indicated in an interview with USA Today that he was unimpressed with the Lott plan.