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Al Davis (1 Viewer)

'BlackHole said:
How many NFL leagues did he have a HUGE roll in creating? How many strikes did he help the owners avoid? How many times did he break the color barrier in pro sports with his blindness in judging and giving a man a chance regardless of skin color? How many other owners lead the way to stave of the USFL in court? How many things does he not get credit for from most...waaaaay too many to count.BTW, the original PSL holders, which I am one of, got a great deal compared to ALL of the other teams in the NFL that have been doing PSL's. I am paying LESS ( a few dollars, but less) then I did 12 years ago for my seats. Al did that, after taking over ticket sales from Oakland/Alameda county a few years ago, Oakland/Alameda lead the PSL's your complaining about BTW.

'pettifogger said:
Not to throw a stink bomb but I can't think of a public figure I despised more. He moved to L.A betraying Oakland fans after 16 straight years of sellouts. Moved back and gave no consideration to former season ticket holders -- just the right to buy PSLs with everyone else. How many coaches did he stiff for salary, how many business partners did he sue? I lost count.
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Yes, you are both right. You take the good with the bad. Now in this time of grieving is not the time to focus on the bad.
 
Thank you, Al. You brought three championships and countless joy to the fans.

RIP to a great man.

ETA: The things you don't hear all the time is how much he helped his former players and their families who are going through tough times, physically and financially. "Once a Raider, always a Raider." This is a very sad day but I look forward to the future.

 
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Sad day for all fans of the game, not just Raider fans.

RIP Mr. Davis. You were always a rebel. You were the soul of the Raiders. You'll be missed.

 
Never been a Raiders fan, but I've always respected people who forged their own path and truly didn't care what other people thought. Davis wasn't afraid of public opinion, the NFL, conventional wisdom or consequences. He wanted to do something-- he did it.

We hear and talk about the phrase "No regrets." Al Davis is one of the very few people who seemed like he lived his life that way.

The era of the brash, maverick owner is over. Jerry Jones can't hold a candle to Al Davis and Steinbrenner. He might have been a headache to the league, but it's worse off without him. RIP Al.

 
RIP Al - thanks for making the AFL a relevant league and fun to watch...thanks for saving the AFL teams - like here in Denver. While I wasn't a fan of your teams I respect what you did immensely.

 
'Garrett said:
Al did it his way.RIP
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:goodposting: Raiders always had an identity. They may go on and do great things, better things than Al could do over the last 20+ years, but when they do, they'll be just another team that got a good coach and good players and made a run. But when they did good things, since 1963, they were done the same way. In paranoid secrecy. :excited: RIP Big Al.
 
The thing I appreciated about Al Davis in my lifetime, besides the obvious, he appeared to be truly colorblind. He didn't need no stinking Rooney rule. He just picked the best person for the job.

Yes, yes, then he told them what to do without regard to race, creed or color.

 
big guy.You were ahead of your time and you will be missed. Thank you for the memories and the legacy.

 
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Nice piece here. :thumbup:

Mark Purdy - Mercury NewsI have to admit, toward the end, I really did feel sorry for Al Davis. He kept his physical ailments quiet over the past few years, even as his physical appearance deteriorated. He had a right to do that. But he was clearly not in a good way. It hurt to see a once-vigorous and roguish man in that condition.It had to be an adjustment for him, most of all, as he understood what was happening. Of all human beings on earth, few were more in control of their own destiny.Davis created his team, the Raiders, in his own image -- and essentially created his life. Nothing was more important to him. He deserved every piece of credit for the team's spectacular achievements (five Super Bowl appearances, three victories) and its immense failures (the fitful wreckage and non-winning seasons since 2003).As anyone who worked for the team can tell you, Davis and the Raiders were one and the same. He maintained total control over the entire operation. Davis did not merely have the final say on everything. He had the only say.Heck, in the last years of his life according to one or two people who heard him say the words, Davis mentioned that he planned to take the Raiders with him "to his grave." I am not sure how that could be accomplished. Perhaps his last will and testament, when it is read, will require the team to change its nickname? Or change its logo? Is that possible? Nothing would surprise me.Not that I had an intimate relationship with the guy. Years would go by--literally--when I would make eye contact with Davis and he wouldn't acknowledge my presence. Then, suddenly on a random occasion, he might look over and say: "Hi, Mark. Good to see you."And I would think: "What does he mean by that?" Which is exactly what Davis wanted. No one was better at keeping you guessing.I'll tell you the people for whom I did feel sorry: The younger followers of Davis' team who primarily remember the last 10 years. Their vision of him of the strange and bitter man who obsessed on and had trouble putting a NFL playoff team on the field. It is too bad they never knew the Davis of 30 or 40 years ago, when he was great and terrible and unforgiving and relentless and dashing.Yes, I said dashing. That image became harder and harder to remember in the last few years of Davis' life. By then, he could only move his feet with the aid of a walker and was reduced to uttering his bravura statements through watery eyes and thinning hair. He missed the road game at Buffalo last month and attended last Sunday's home game in a wheelchair, sitting in the back of his private box. There were also rumors of dementia, although I never saw a sign that Davis had lost his brains or his ability to make a bold decision.But it was so different from 30 or 40 years ago. Look at those pictures of Davis from the early 60's, when he first took over the Raiders. He was practically James Dean with a coaches' whistle. To put a twist on the Warren Zevon lyric, Davis' hair wasn't perfect. But his snarl was.In those days, the standard pro football owner was usually a patrician rich guy who dabbled in football as a hobby. The exception was Art Rooney of Pittsburgh, who essentially won the Steelers in a card game. The most savage and relentless man in football at that point was Vince Lombardi — who coached for a publicly-owned franchise in Green Bay.Compared to that club, Davis dove into the business and played it for keeps. Everything was acceptable as long as it led to Sunday domination. Winning pretty much excused anything. He proudly identified and found players--some from out-of-the-way places, including a non-college graduate named Otis Sistrunk who claimed to be from "The University of Mars"--to fulfill his vision.Also, without any real calculation, Davis created the edgy image and texture of the Raider franchise. It led to a dogged and brash fan loyalty unlike any seen before.Eventually, other owners caught up. They either hired smart people or became smarter themselves about locating talent. And they began marketing their own teams more aggressively.Something else happened, too. The renegade players that Davis loved to have on his teams in the 60's and 70's don't really exist any more. Those rebels did indeed have a cause. They wanted to beat the other guy to prove physical dominance. They wanted victory more than fancy cars or clothes. The "renegades" of the last 15 years have been more about promoting themselves and creating their own brand names. Davis never did seem to grasp that. It led to a series of bad decisions that would lead to losing.But before all that happened, Davis was tough to beat. And I think the NFL, which fought him continuously in court, still appreciated him in a big way. I was in the Superdome locker room for the Super Bowl XVI trophy presentation ceremony after the Raiders beat the Eagles. There was some tension involved. In those days, Davis and NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle were near mortal enemies. During the week, as Rozelle was at the podium addressing, one of Davis' lawyers had interrupted the proceedings to present the commissioner with a subpoena.After the Raiders won the game, I was in the locker room, close enough to see Rozelle's expression when he handed Davis the trophy. As Davis grabbed it with a huge smile, Rozelle winked at him.That's right. Winked.Why? Rozelle understood that Davis, for all of his troublemaking, was fabulous for the NFL. He created interest. His team sold tickets, drew millions of television eyeballs.I was thinking of that trophy-presentation scene in 2006, during a poignant moment with Davis in a far different setting. The Raiders opened their exhibition season in Ohio, at the Hall of Fame Game. John Madden was inducted that weekend in Canton. Davis presented him. He couldn't climb steps so he walked up a ramp to the stage. Slowly, but he walked.The next night, before kickoff time, NFL officials made another special accommodation for Davis. The stadium in Canton — normally used for high school games — had no private boxes or luxury suites. The cramped press box was not easily accessible. But the field was below ground level. So as a solution, the stadium staff erected a small platform on the rise above one end zone. A three-sided tent was built around the platform so that Davis could view the field with shelter around him.And that's where Davis sat, the whole evening, with a spectator walkway just beneath him. People paraded past the tent all night. Many didn't notice Davis. But some did and performed a classic double-take. Wait, is that . . . it is! It's Al Davis! And then they would point and wave or make a fist.Davis waved back, uncomfortably, as if some potentate reviewing the armies he had created, both on his side and the enemy's side. It was kind of funny. It was definitely touching. Although I was sad that in some cases, people seemed to be laughing or scoffing at him more than smiling with him. That wasn't right or respectful. Not for someone who had helped make the NFL into America's most overwhelming sports presence.I also couldn't determine if, sitting there on that makeshift platform, Davis was mostly sad or mostly happy. It probably depended on if the Raiders were making first downs.But whatever he was feeling that night in Canton, Davis also knew this as he gazed across the field toward the Hall of Fame building. Inside, there was an Al Davis bust, alongside the busts of every other pro football legend. Davis had earned that bust, many times over. So let some people scoff and laugh. The hell with them. He had won. In what mattered most to him, he had beat them all.
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RIP AL Davis

what a great character and he will be missed.

Who takes over ownership of the team now? does he have children involved with the raiders?

 
'need2know said:
RIP AL Daviswhat a great character and he will be missed. Who takes over ownership of the team now? does he have children involved with the raiders?
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Mark Davis has been involved with the Raiders I believe, but it is unknown at this time if he will run the Team like Al did or if he will hire a GM at some point.
 
There's a lot I don't like about Al Davis. I personally know some business owners in Irwindale who were taken advantage of through tax dollars, though some may argue that was their own fault for being foolish. I was always a fan of Marcus Allen and I didn't like how he was treated.

But there's no question he had a remarkable career. He was an extraordinary character who will be missed.

 
He alienated a lot of people but the fact is he had a major impact on modern football. I don't know if Oakland fans are truly sad today but it will be interesting to watch the morning shows this weekend.

 
Al Davis, RIP: I can’t imagine the Raiders–or the NFL–without himPOSTED BY TIM KAWAKAMI ON OCTOBER 8TH, 2011 AT 8:07 AM | CATEGORIZED AS 49ERS, NFL, RAIDERSRaiders.com announced this morning that Al Davis has died.I can’t and won’t get into anything too deep right now because I’m about to get in a flight to Houston for the Raiders game there Sunday–and now obviously that game and this weekend will be loaded with emotions.Incalculable emotion over losing the man who embodied the spirit of a franchise more than any man in sports.Al dominated it, even while his health deteriorated. That’s a symbol of incredible strength–and at the end, it resulted in incredible isolation.Couple of quick thoughts, as a billion things come to all of us who spent any time around this unique man…* The last few years were a testament to Davis’ will. His body was telling him to stop working. His body waa screaming it. If you ever saw Davis moving from place to place, you knew how difficult this was.And Davis kept working. He was at Sunday’s game in Oakland. He wasn’t going to stop trying to make the Raiders great again.* This is one of Davis’ best teams in a decade, and built to his specifications–big, fast, super-fast, just plain amazingly fast.Good offensive line, great defensive line. This is a Classic Raiders team (except for a few problems in the secondardy and at QB).I’m glad the last team Al saw was one he could be proud of.* Control of the team passes to Al’s son Mark.We don’t know what Mark will do–I’m sure he’ll keep things the same for the rest of the season, then maybe bigger decisions will be made.There’s no GM: Al was the GM.There’s no player-personnel director: Al was the PPD.There’s no plans for a new stadium.CEO Amy Trask has been taking on a larger portion of public and inside duties, and there’s no question she could and probably should be the key person in the transition.But for now, everything is on pause. Al was a complicated, at times quarrelsome, but always fascinating man. He was old-fashioned, he could be profane, and he was always himself.Man, was he always himself. Total respect for that. 1,000% respectHe’s unforgettable. We’ll never see his kind again. Rest in peace, Al.
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from one of his journalist adversaries, RIP AD.
 
My friend just sent me a text: "You could tell he was getting closer to death because the Raiders were winning."

edit to add: he wasn't joking! And he's got a point. The less Davis was involved, the better the Raiders played.

 
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'Chadstroma said:
As a lifetime Raider fan... this hurts. It is not unexpected as he visibly has not been in good health for a while. Scout, Coach, General Manager, Owner and Commish- no single person has had as much of an influence on the league as Al. Just win baby. Commitment to Excellence. You don't adjust, you just dominate. Once a Raider, always a Raider.
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Well put...just a huge figure in the league and on the Mt. Rushmore for NFL influence.
 
As a Bronco fan I despised him while he was alive but never wanted to see him die. Hell, half the fun of beating the Raiders was sticking it to Al Davis. To me, and probably a lot of us older fellas, Al Davis was the Raiders. I can honestly say I already miss him - although I never thought I would.

Sad to see him pass along, although in the state he was in maybe it was time. God speed, Al.

And to all you people bashing Al or discussing how much better "value" his players will have now - can you have some tact and take it to another thread, please?

*Edited* I called some people a "twit" and I shouldn't have. Took that part out and cleaned up what I was trying to say.

 
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'hutchins929 said:
Raiders will make it to the playoffs for sure now! I'll be rooting for them as my AFC team this year!
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'Joe Summer said:
My friend just sent me a text: "You could tell he was getting closer to death because the Raiders were winning."

edit to add: he wasn't joking! And he's got a point. The less Davis was involved, the better the Raiders played.
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Really? Really??

If you take his entire career as a whole then you really think his involvement was bad for the team? And if not - if you're just taking a small portion of his time when he was losing his grip on life - and using that to point out his flaws near the end... why?

I just don't understand people, sometimes. I'm not the "tact police" though, so I'll stop ranting. It just seems useless to me to point out a man's flaws after he's died especially when the flaws being pointed out are such a small portion of the whole.

 
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'Hoss Style said:
As a Bronco fan I despised him while he was alive but never wanted to see him die. Hell, half the fun of beating the Raiders was sticking it to Al Davis. To me, and probably a lot of us older fellas, Al Davis was the Raiders. I can honestly say I already miss him - although I never thought I would.

Sad to see him pass along, although in the state he was in maybe it was time. God speed, Al.



And to all you twits discussing Fantasy value of players and the team - can you have some tact and take it to another thread, please?
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Agree 100%! I mean...it is not as if this is a fantasy board or anything like that.

Oh wait....

RIP Al Davis....but I do not come to a fantasy board to mourn the loss of NFL icons.

 
'Hoss Style said:
As a Bronco fan I despised him while he was alive but never wanted to see him die. Hell, half the fun of beating the Raiders was sticking it to Al Davis. To me, and probably a lot of us older fellas, Al Davis was the Raiders. I can honestly say I already miss him - although I never thought I would.

Sad to see him pass along, although in the state he was in maybe it was time. God speed, Al.

And to all you twits discussing Fantasy value of players and the team - can you have some tact and take it to another thread, please?
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:thumbup: As a life-long Raiders fan, I felt the same way when Elway retired. Hated him, year in and year out, but when he retired I missed the hell out of him. The rivalry was dull for me for a while as I was actually sad to see him go.

 
'Joe Summer said:
My friend just sent me a text: "You could tell he was getting closer to death because the Raiders were winning."edit to add: he wasn't joking! And he's got a point. The less Davis was involved, the better the Raiders played.
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1. Give it one day. Let's have one day that people aren't taking shots at him. It really isn't too much to ask.2. You and your friend have no idea how much Davis was or wasn't involved before he passed away.
 
'Underachievers said:
'Hoss Style said:
As a Bronco fan I despised him while he was alive but never wanted to see him die. Hell, half the fun of beating the Raiders was sticking it to Al Davis. To me, and probably a lot of us older fellas, Al Davis was the Raiders. I can honestly say I already miss him - although I never thought I would.

Sad to see him pass along, although in the state he was in maybe it was time. God speed, Al.



And to all you twits discussing Fantasy value of players and the team - can you have some tact and take it to another thread, please?
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Agree 100%! I mean...it is not as if this is a fantasy board or anything like that.

Oh wait....

RIP Al Davis....but I do not come to a fantasy board to mourn the loss of NFL icons.
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I don't either, but if I come across a thread where someone chooses to I sure as s*#t don't stick my 2 cents in if I don't agree. You don't go tons of places to run into tragedy but if you find some do you toss out disparaging remarks because "I didn't come here to see this"? I need to drop this. I can't win. You either understand or you don't, and I'm actually contributing to this thread going astray.
 
'BlackHole said:
Perhaps I'm reading it wrong. Good for football, after saying he is now officially rooting for the Raiders sends a message that it is good for football that Al died. If I am misinterpreting it, then my bad, but I've read it multiple times and it sure seems this is what he means.

'PizzaDeliveryGuy said:
'BlackHole said:
RIP AL.

LHUCKS, I've been lurking for over a decade on these boards and thought your antics amusing, but 90% of the board is correct....you are an ###. Take your antics elsewhere and show some respect.

'LHUCKS said:
RIP AL

What a legacy.

Officially rooting for the Raiders now. I hope the new owner maintains the the Raider image...good for football.
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Say what?
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Somebody needs to give you an ### stamp....right after a few tutoring lessons in reading comprehension.
 
'Hoss Style said:
'Underachievers said:
'Hoss Style said:
As a Bronco fan I despised him while he was alive but never wanted to see him die. Hell, half the fun of beating the Raiders was sticking it to Al Davis. To me, and probably a lot of us older fellas, Al Davis was the Raiders. I can honestly say I already miss him - although I never thought I would.

Sad to see him pass along, although in the state he was in maybe it was time. God speed, Al.



And to all you twits discussing Fantasy value of players and the team - can you have some tact and take it to another thread, please?
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Agree 100%! I mean...it is not as if this is a fantasy board or anything like that.

Oh wait....

RIP Al Davis....but I do not come to a fantasy board to mourn the loss of NFL icons.
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I don't either, but if I come across a thread where someone chooses to I sure as s*#t don't stick my 2 cents in if I don't agree. You don't go tons of places to run into tragedy but if you find some do you toss out disparaging remarks because "I didn't come here to see this"? I need to drop this. I can't win. You either understand or you don't, and I'm actually contributing to this thread going astray.
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You did not find me criticizing Al Davis in any way, shape or form. But this is a fantasy board and I replied to a question on the fantasy impact of his death. Sorry if that bothers you, but like I said, this is a fantasy board.
 
'Underachievers said:
'Hoss Style said:
'Underachievers said:
'Hoss Style said:
As a Bronco fan I despised him while he was alive but never wanted to see him die. Hell, half the fun of beating the Raiders was sticking it to Al Davis. To me, and probably a lot of us older fellas, Al Davis was the Raiders. I can honestly say I already miss him - although I never thought I would.

Sad to see him pass along, although in the state he was in maybe it was time. God speed, Al.



And to all you twits discussing Fantasy value of players and the team - can you have some tact and take it to another thread, please?
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Agree 100%! I mean...it is not as if this is a fantasy board or anything like that.

Oh wait....

RIP Al Davis....but I do not come to a fantasy board to mourn the loss of NFL icons.
Click to expand...
I don't either, but if I come across a thread where someone chooses to I sure as s*#t don't stick my 2 cents in if I don't agree. You don't go tons of places to run into tragedy but if you find some do you toss out disparaging remarks because "I didn't come here to see this"? I need to drop this. I can't win. You either understand or you don't, and I'm actually contributing to this thread going astray.
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You did not find me criticizing Al Davis in any way, shape or form. But this is a fantasy board and I replied to a question on the fantasy impact of his death. Sorry if that bothers you, but like I said, this is a fantasy board.
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Go away.
 
'cmv5 said:
The thing I appreciated about Al Davis in my lifetime, besides the obvious, he appeared to be truly colorblind. He didn't need no stinking Rooney rule. He just picked the best person for the job. Yes, yes, then he told them what to do without regard to race, creed or color.
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Well said, CMV. So very, very true. Growing up loving the Raiders (even though I lived in DC), 4 p.m. was RAIDER time, to watch Curt Gowdy and Al DeRogatis call a Raiders-Chiefs or Raiders-Steelers matchup. Didn't get any better than that.
 
Of course I knew this day was coming, but it's really weird now that he's gone. It's not a stretch to say that I probably wouldn't even be a Raiders fan (growing up in NJ that is) if not for what Al did for the franchise.

Rather than rewrite what I've said elsewhere, I'll shamelessly plug my site post on Al for those interested.

 
RIP AL.

Al Davis was one of my heroes and one of the reasons I became a raider fan. His "commitment to excellence" damn the consequences, I'm gonna do it my way, style, was inspirational and shocking to watch at the same time. He unquestionably did what he thought was best for his team. And he stuck to his guns until it was proven to him , and only him, that he had made a bad decision(jamarcus) He was the very definition of a maverick He changed the face of the football, and was instrumental in creating the NFL as we know it This is a sad day for all of football.

:poursout40:

RIP AL.

 
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'-jb- said:
Rest in peace, Al. Time to go vuhtical.
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Gave me a chuckle. It's been so long since I've gotten to hear him actually talk about football that I forgot how he used to really sound. Good stuff.
 
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The future:

His son inherits the team, Mark. But he is not a football guy, and has made it clear he will mot be hands on. The most likely person to run the team will be CEO Amy Trask, who will probably make the final decision on a personnel director, GM, whatever.

I hope she gets first crack at it, seems the way it will go. Having a woman run the team: Al is an innovator, even in death.

 
I'm surprised by his passing. I know he was up there in age, but I guess his larger than life personality made him seem immortal to me. The impact he made in the NFL during his time was huge, and I respect how he marched to the beat of his own drum even when others thought that drum was out of tune. He will be missed. RIP Slick

 
A legend? Yes.

And I mean no disrepect, because he was a legend and he helped make the game what it is today, so for that, my props. But I am also one of those that thinks he should have been out of the league years ago. I don't think he was good for the league for at least the last decade.

 
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