The Las Vegas Raiders are playing "Rocky IV" this training camp.
No distractions. No fans. No family. Just the Raiders.
The Raiders are currently holding training camp in Costa Mesa, California, roughly 270 miles away from home.
Raiders coach Antonio Pierce sees the experience as a beneficial opportunity.
"The key thing is, when you go to training camp and you go away, it's a brotherhood. It's us against the world. The good thing about it, can't have fans here, right? So, we're going to have to entertain one another. And sometimes, it's a good thing. When you're in training camp at home, you get to run to mom and dad and the family and the kids and the wife. Well, when they get to that hotel, it's each other, it's one another. Same thing for the coaches.
"I think it's going to be really critical for our team to become the tightest unit possible. It's all peaches and cream right now, right? The sun's bright. There's going to be some dark moments and some dark days, and we're going to have to be ready to go through some adversity together."
While he's far from his current home, Costa Mesa is not far from where it all started for Pierce.
"I love it," the Compton native said. "30 miles from where I grew up. When the plane hit the tarmac, I smiled. It felt good for me to be home. I'm excited. Excited for our players to be here and have a great opportunity to enjoy some nice weather and get away for a little bit. For 17 days until we go back to Vegas."
While training camp is a long, strenuous process, in regards to what Pierce and the Raiders are hoping to get out of it, it's all rather simple.
"Bonding, competition, physicality, creating the Raider identity, and then really putting our stamp on what we want to have our play style look like, both on offense, defense and special teams," Pierce said.
The Raiders' final day in Costa Mesa will be Aug. 7. Their first preseason game will be just three days later.
