Monday, January 24, 2011

"GIVE IT UP"...AL.

Oakland Raiders logoImage via Wikipedia
Before taking the plunge to join the multitude of Al Davis haters campaigning for his retirement or death, which ever comes first for the Oakland Raiders team owner--you must know a few facts about this writer.
I became a die-hard Raider fan in the Summer of 1967, just prior to entering the 4th grade, a month after Al's 38th birthday, upon which he'd graduated from the team's head coach and general manager, to bying highly into its ownership group.  
Back then he was the savior-genius, both of the Raiders, and, of the National Football League...helping push through the AFL-NFL merger--much responsible for the league's billion-dollar success today!
 Those first 20 years I watched the Raiders win 75-percent of their games, sweating, bleeding and weeping through the agony of close-call championship game losses, to miracle comebacks, to the ecstasy
of winning three Superbowl Championships...which helped vault King Davis into the Pro Football Hall of Fame!
Amazingly, the King could have won more Super Bowl rings, but things rapidly turned sour when Davis began spending more time in legal court, manuevering lawyers to bury his enemies, then on managing his team's throne, and leading the Raiders to victory!
Hence, the Raiders winning percentage shrunk almost as fast as Davis's popularity, alienating him from the press, the league, and many of the fans, myself not included.  Somehow I stayed loyal, even through these past seven losing seasons!(Finally going 8-8 this year)
I guess I've just always compared  Al Davis to money, in that, people talk about him all the time, without Al ever having to say a word...at least not publically.
But, unlike money, the talk about Al rarely rewards his raw reputation these days which ranges from selfish, egotistical, maniacal, vindictive tyrant....to mysterious, innovative, brilliant genius!
I always seemed hell-bent on defending him by using those latter definitions, but following his latest stunt at a rare press conference this week to promoting his hiring of new head coach Hue Jackson, even I see Mr. Davis as he actually looks...damn old at age 81!
During Wednesdays press conference in Alameda, Al spent more time blow-torching Tom Cable's reputation (The head coach he fired) than on promoting incoming Jackson!
Al bashed Cable in order to explain why he held back $120,000 of the ex-coach's paycheck, a ploy used  to protect the Raiders from possible legal costs from suits aimed at Cable while he was at the helm.
Now, Cable wants his money, and I think he should get it!  But, NO!  Davis will fight him to the end in court...and most lilely win.  You see?  It's more of the same court time and legal maneuvering!
The same thing happened when Davis short changed Lane Kiffin a few pay checks after Al fired him in 2008...and Kiffin lost in court trying to get his money! 

The same thing happened in 1988 when Al fired Coach Mike Shanahan and docked him $200,000 in salary for skipping to the rival Denver Broncos. (Shanahan never got paid, but did manage to boat-race the Raiders in 90-percent of their games over the next 7-years!)
The same thing happened a few years earlier, when Davis benched and black-balled his superstar Hall of Fame running back Marcus Allen for some mysterious mis-deed that Allen crossed King Davis with.
Whatever it was, Marcus never played against the best defenses in the league, who openly and publically feared having to stop Allen on the field, but never had to because King AL wouldn't allow it!
Allen was eventually traded to the Kansas City Chiefs, and helped them face-pump the Raiders in 80-percent of their games for another 7-years, instead of helping the Raiders win a few more Super Bowls just as he did in 1984!
And of course, the same thing happened with more, mega-court time and legal maneuvering that beat Commissioner Pete Rozelle and the NFL..allowing the Raiders to move to Los Angeles after the 1981 season. 
They did return to Oakland in 1995, but during those 13-years down south, Davis spent too much time fighting the LA Coliseum Commission, mostly in court again, and things just never really panned out in LA, other than the one World Championship.
That was the Raiders last hurrah, January 22nd, 1984!  A 38-9 pummeling of the Washington Redskins in Tampa Florida at Super Bowl 18--27 years ago TOMORROW!! 
When will those glory days return for the Raiders?  Does big AL have to die or step aside?  Can the new head coach Hue Jackson spark new winning ways?
Perhaps he can, however, I feel it will take the current "BossMan" Mr. Al Davis to eitherstep down, or step aside and leave the vindication of his enemies to younger souls.
Then, and only then will the Silver and Black lay new claim to "Pride and Poise", and a 'Committment to Excellence' that we of the true Raider Nation so passionatly miss.
Step aside a while, Al....and GO RAIDERS!!
Thanks, and stay logged on to www.Streetwisesd.com
Sincerely, PeteCam4
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Saturday, January 15, 2011

MLK Day Around The Bay

3. Martin Luther King, Jr., a civil rights act...Image via Wikipedia


Dr. Martin Luther King is one of our great American heroes; he stood for equality for all people no matter what color they were. Dr. Martin Luther
King believed in serving his community. On this three day weekend MLK Day let’s honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by participating in our community.
There are events around the Bay Area that you can check out. In San Francisco there are a number of things you can do.

At the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and Gardens at 701 Mission Street San Francisco, CA 94103 there is “Sustaining the Dream: Through Community and Service”. The Contemporary Jewish Museum
736 Mission Street San Francisco, CA 94103 they have activities for families and all ages. The Museum of the African Diaspora open free to the public 685 Mission Street San Francisco CA 94105 you have WHAT IS YOUR
DREAM? That’s what’s going on in San Francisco.

 Oakland has also has things to do on MLK Day. At the Scottish Rite Theater at 1547 Lakeside Dr., Oakland, CA, 94612, there is In The Name of Love Musical Tribute honoring Dr Martin Luther King, JR. At the Martin
Luther King Jr. Shoreline at 198 Swan Way Oakland CA 94601, you have New
Moon Planting at Save the Bay’s Native Plant. You can click on the link for other activities in Oakland.

Come out to Eden Landing Ecological Reserve on Saturday January 15, 2011
at 9:00 am at Eden Landing Rd, Hayward, CA 94540 to volunteer. San Jose
has “Green Talk” at the Martin Luther King Library at 150 E. San Fernando St., San Jose, CA, 95112. Santa Clara has Jazz Has a Dream at Santa Clara
University Music Recital 500 El Camino Real Building 222, Santa Clara, CA,
95053.

There are a lot of events going on this three day weekend. I am going to try to get to at least one of the activities. If you don’t know how important Martin Luther King Jr., was and how powerful his beliefs still
are. You better ask somebody!

LM

http://www.bayareaonthecheap.com/mlk-day-san-francisco-bay/

http://calendar.insidebayarea.com/oakland-ca/events/martin+luther+king+events+around+the+bay

http://calendar.insidebayarea.com/hayward-ca/venues/show/3108665-eden-landing-ecological-preserve

http://events.mercurynews.com/san-jose-ca/venues/show/4526-martin-luther-king-library

http://events.mercurynews.com/santa-clara-ca/venues/show/1155224-santa-clara-university-music-recital-hall
open free to the public at
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Wednesday, January 12, 2011

ANOTHER SENSELESS SHOOTING IN TUCSON ARIZONIA

TUCSON, AZ - JANUARY 8:  Kish Finnegan, 48, of...Image by Getty Images via @daylifeOn January 8, 2011, eight days into the New Year Tucson, Arizona will never be the same. Jared Loughner a disturbed individual went on a shooting rampage killing six people and seriously injuring eight. Among the six people he killed was federal Judge John Roll. This senseless act by Jared Loughner has left a community grief stricken. Jared Loughner’s main goal was to assassinate Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford. What is so sad a nine years old girl was killed Christina Taylor Green.
Christina was at the event because she was interested in government. She was recently elected to the student council at her school. It is so sad that Christina will not get to see how far she could have gone in the government, if that was her path. She could have possibly been the President of the United States, we will never know. When Christina was born, she was featured in a book called “Faces of Hope” that chronicled one baby from each state born on September 11, 2001.


 Jared Loughner is a coward and a sick individual; he needs to be put out of his misery! I do not care what excuse he gave. I do not like what the government officials are doing most of the time and many other people fill the same way, but were not going on a shooting rampage killing innocent people. I hope and prayer Jared Loughner is tried a convicted swiftly and so the people of Tucson can start healing. My prayers go out to the community of Tucson Arizona.


LM


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_congresswoman_shot;_ylt=AoGtkNbEY.EUsCAb_IOto7Os0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNsMm5ramdpBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTEwMTEwL3VzX2NvbmdyZXNzd29tYW5fc2hvdARjY29kZQNtb3N0cG9wdWxhcgRjcG9zAzEEcG9zAzMEcHQDaG9tZV9jb2tlBHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcnkEc2xrA2Z1bGxuYnNwc3Rvcg--
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