The Las Vegas Raiders do not need to look anywhere else but to Champ Kelly as their next permanent General Manager.

Las Vegas is commonly referred to as “Sin City,” but in the case of Interim GM Champ Kelly and the Las Vegas Raiders, it should be called the place where dreams come true.

The Las Vegas Raiders are riding a wave of emotion as under the “Interim” leadership of Kelly, they have been able to save a season, and the organization is finally showing signs of what the Raiders were in their past and tangibly are becoming today.

But there is an adage about success. It took many years to get there for it to have happened suddenly.

That is true for the Raiders, who have struggled for decades to return to the real Raiders Way, and for Kelly, who has patiently awaited his chance to lead an organization.

But one mistake people have made for years with Champ Kelly is underestimating him.

His mild demeanor masks a highly competitive and shrewd evaluator of talent. He doesn’t have to make you feel inadequate to get his point across, but don’t let the smile that beams from ear to ear fool you; he is as tough as anyone and as competitive as can be.

Being a Raider is a lot of things, but one thing that embodies the Raider Way is tough. He may not be boisterous like Antonio Pierce and Lyle Alzado, but Champ Kelly is tough and intelligent and constantly finds himself the most competent man in the room.

One AFC Executive who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he didn’t feel his employer would appreciate him talking about Raider personnel issues, told me for this article, “Champ is so humble, but he doesn’t walk into a room where he may not be the only one, but no one is ever smarter. He is the most prepared and smartest person in the room. He doesn’t have to tell you.”