THE LAS VEGAS Raiders are returning to Southern California ... not that you've heard much, if anything, about it.
Triumphant horns and exuberant strings will not emote "The Autumn Wind" to announce their arrival. Nor will silver and black confetti fall from the sky to celebrate their return.
The Raiders, who called Los Angeles home from 1982 through 1994 and maintain their massive popularity in SoCal, are heading to Costa Mesa in neighboring Orange County for 18 days of training camp, with veterans reporting Tuesday and breaking on Aug. 9. Yet because of NFL policy, the Raiders cannot promote their presence.