Image via WikipediaBefore 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
