RAIDERS OWNER AL DAVIS DEAD AT 82
One of pro football's most colorful owners. Al Davis, passed away this morning, he was 82. Davis was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992. Along with Chiefs' owner, the late Lamar Hunt, Davis was instrumental in the old American Football League & NFL coming together in the merger that built professional football as we it know today.
Davis was hired to coach the fledgling Raiders in 1963, later became a minority partner & by 1966, the majority owner. Hunt knew if the league was to survive, they would need to merge with the well established NFL. To do that, the AFL would need a commissioner who would scare the old guard in the NFL. Hunt suggested Al Davis become commissioner, in 1966, after war hero Joe Foss stepped down as commissioner, Davis was elected. Between his steely stewardship & Hunt's back channel negotiations with Dallas' Tex Schram, the AFL & NFL worked out an agreement to have a common draft the following year & merge their schedules in 1970. Just over a year as commissioner was all that was needed, Davis & Hunt had accomplished the junior league's goal, be a part of the league that had initially shunned them. Hunt's dream championship game, the Super Bowl, featured the Chiefs & Raiders in the 1st two games that would become the biggest unofficial holiday in our country. The Super Bowl has been won 12 times by those old AFL teams. Davis hired the first African-American coach in former player Art Shell & the first Hispanic coach in Tom Flores. Like Hunt, he was truly colorblind as an owner. Their franchises were the first to mine the obvious talent in small, predominantly black colleges, giving many players a chance they never would've been given to play professional football.
He battled the NFL for decades while moving his franchise to Los Angeles & then back to Oakland. He & NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle had an adversarial relationship until Rozelle's death, but Rozelle presented Davis with 3 Super Bowl Championship trophies. Davis coined the phrase "Just Win Baby" while his franchise used "Commitment to Excellence" in their marketing. Whatever is said or written about Al Davis, the word "Winner" has to be part of the conversation.
Sadly Al Davis had become a somewhat of a joke in his later years, firing head coaches at will, drafting players strictly for their speed & a source of outrageous quotes. But in the end he will be remembered for his fondness of the vertical passing game & his ability to acquire the players to run such an offense. One more thing I have to mention, Davis' behind-the-scenes loyalty to his former players, it was a loyalty that knew no bounds. If you played for the Raiders, you were a member of the Raider family for life. Davis was the patriarch of that family. His football legacy will be debated somewhat, but the loyalty for his football family will never be questioned, he was a very special man.
Al Davis, 1929-2011
Davis was hired to coach the fledgling Raiders in 1963, later became a minority partner & by 1966, the majority owner. Hunt knew if the league was to survive, they would need to merge with the well established NFL. To do that, the AFL would need a commissioner who would scare the old guard in the NFL. Hunt suggested Al Davis become commissioner, in 1966, after war hero Joe Foss stepped down as commissioner, Davis was elected. Between his steely stewardship & Hunt's back channel negotiations with Dallas' Tex Schram, the AFL & NFL worked out an agreement to have a common draft the following year & merge their schedules in 1970. Just over a year as commissioner was all that was needed, Davis & Hunt had accomplished the junior league's goal, be a part of the league that had initially shunned them. Hunt's dream championship game, the Super Bowl, featured the Chiefs & Raiders in the 1st two games that would become the biggest unofficial holiday in our country. The Super Bowl has been won 12 times by those old AFL teams. Davis hired the first African-American coach in former player Art Shell & the first Hispanic coach in Tom Flores. Like Hunt, he was truly colorblind as an owner. Their franchises were the first to mine the obvious talent in small, predominantly black colleges, giving many players a chance they never would've been given to play professional football.
He battled the NFL for decades while moving his franchise to Los Angeles & then back to Oakland. He & NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle had an adversarial relationship until Rozelle's death, but Rozelle presented Davis with 3 Super Bowl Championship trophies. Davis coined the phrase "Just Win Baby" while his franchise used "Commitment to Excellence" in their marketing. Whatever is said or written about Al Davis, the word "Winner" has to be part of the conversation.
Sadly Al Davis had become a somewhat of a joke in his later years, firing head coaches at will, drafting players strictly for their speed & a source of outrageous quotes. But in the end he will be remembered for his fondness of the vertical passing game & his ability to acquire the players to run such an offense. One more thing I have to mention, Davis' behind-the-scenes loyalty to his former players, it was a loyalty that knew no bounds. If you played for the Raiders, you were a member of the Raider family for life. Davis was the patriarch of that family. His football legacy will be debated somewhat, but the loyalty for his football family will never be questioned, he was a very special man.
Al Davis, 1929-2011
As far as player loyalty goes, it didn't appear to extend to Marcus Allen. KC fans everywhere thank Mr. Davis for that.
Reply to this