Al Davis...

[Angry Pope]

Davis' loyalty makes him royalty when Canton calls
KING OF PRESENTERS FOR PRO FOOTBALL HALL TO INTRODUCE MADDEN

By Dennis Georgatos



When John Madden presented Al Davis for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992, he called the Raiders owner his ``best friend'' and said it would take just one phone call if he ever needed anything.

So when Madden learned in February that he would need a presenter in Canton, Ohio, he didn't think twice.

``I had one phone call to make,'' he said, ``and it was to him.''

Davis now has gotten that particular phone call from nine men, making him the NFL's Great Presenter. Nobody has presented more Hall of Famers at Canton. Paul Brown presented six. Don Shula and Tom Landry presented five each. Davis presented Ted Hendricks (1990), Art Shell (1989), Fred Biletnikoff (1988), Gene Upshaw (1987), Willie Brown (1984), George Blanda (1981), Jim Otto (1980) and Lance Alworth (1978).

For all of Davis' accomplishments, the record number of Hall of Fame presentations is ``perhaps his most singular honor,'' according to his biography in the Raiders' media guide.

``I think it reflects the contributions I've made -- who's done more? -- and the love affair I've had with the game and with these players,'' Davis, 77, said last week.

``We have mutual respect for each other. I think they know what I've done in professional football. Those things go hand in hand, and they would like someone to present them who personifies those things.''

Davis' popularity as a presenter, and the reasons behind it, are no mystery to those who know him.

``It's a loyalty thing,'' Madden said, ``but it's more than just the word; it's the spirit behind the word. With Al, it's a two-way deal.

``It's like if you were a part of his family, you're a part of him and he's loyal to you and you're loyal to him.''

All of the men whom Davis has presented at Canton were Raiders, except the first. Alworth was a Los Angeles Charger, and that too was largely Davis' doing. In 1960, as an assistant to Chargers Coach Sid Gillman, Davis persuaded Alworth to play in the fledgling American Football League rather than sign with the 49ers, who had made Alworth their No. 1 pick.

The signing was only a beginning. Alworth said that Davis' coaching during his first three pro seasons set him on a path to greatness.

``He's responsible, as much as anyone, for putting me in the Hall of Fame,'' Alworth said.

Alworth also never forgot how Davis treated his parents, phoning them periodically and always greeting his mother with the words, ``Hello, this is your favorite coach.''

Last year, when the Chargers retired Alworth's No. 19, the ceremony included a video tribute from Davis.

``I just have an awful lot of respect for him,'' Alworth said. ``Not only because of the relationship we had, but if you had a problem, if you needed help, if you needed a job, he'd find one for you or find a way to help you. I have to laugh sometimes because people hear me talk about him and they think he's just the opposite. But they don't know him. They've never worked for him.''

Shell is in his 29th year of working for Davis, an association that began in 1968 as a player and includes two stints as head coach. Choosing Davis as his Hall of Fame presenter in 1989 ``was a natural,'' Shell said, ``because he's such a great football man.

``It didn't take long for me to make that decision at all. He's just a great owner. The players are treated like men, working in the best facilities he can possibly find. As coaches, he gives us a chance to win by doing what he can to find the best players. He is the organization. He is the Raiders.''

Although Davis has done it more than anybody else, making the presentation doesn't get easier with time, he said. In fact, for Madden's presentation, Davis half-seriously invited the assistance of a sportswriter, suggesting he submit a paragraph to Davis for consideration.

``They're all so great in their own way,'' Davis said of the men he has presented, ``but it can be tough to describe them differently, so you try to come up with something that is apropos.''

Madden has no doubt that he picked the right man for the job.

``I would have chosen him anyway, whether I had presented him or not,'' Madden said. ``He gave me my first NFL coaching job when I was 30 years old and made me the head coach when I had just two years of experience. He's the one who gave me my chance and all the support I ever needed. It's 40 years later, and we're going to be in Canton together.''

 

[R4Life]

Al Davis is ranked #20 out of 32 owners by SI

Sheesh.
One ahead of Georgia Frontiere of the rams and behind such notables as:
Clark Hunt of the Chiefs (in his 1st year) is better than Al Davis
Arthur Blank of the Falcons (really?)
Steve Bisciotti, Ravens
Really guys, considering what the dark lord has given to the nfl and Raider fans, this is pretty far off. Looks like he just went by combined wins/loss over the past 5 years.

whole article: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/
Al Davis here: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/michael_silver/06/27/ownerrankings/5.html

SI can pound sand

 

[Byron2112]

I agree, ranking a guy who hasn't even been an owner yet(Hunt) is a fucking joke.

I don't expect much from the media when the subject is Mr. Davis though so I don't really get outraged or surprised...

 

[Crossbones]

Al Davis has nothing to prove. People want to rag on him because he is a renegade. Fine. Whatever. But he's done more for pro football than almost all those owners put together. It's so easy for people to forget. Is Al a little unorthodox? Sometimes. But that's what attracts a lot of us to Raiders football.

Screw the rest of 'em. Just Raider On, Baby!

 

[BigTron]

I didnt bother reading that shit, because the only list that matters is the Superbowl winners list, and he is around the top of that one. So all these teams without one can have their lists, ill take the trophy's. Al Davis will be appreciated only after all these media terds die and poeple look back objectively about who did alot for the NFL. Didnt Al make a very inspiring speech a few years back when there was talk of a possible strike. I think i remember him being instrumental in solving that problem? Last time i checked the Raiders were the last team in the SB in the AFC west, had the most SB wins and best winning % in the AFC west all time, and had a shitload of great players in the HOF. I guess thats not a good resume for an owner. Good luck to the team that picks Blank over Al. Your QB will be more successful at illegally fighting dogs than throwing passes or throwing out the middle finger to your paying customers. Or Dan Snyder can spend all that money Skins fans pay on a player like Adam Archuleta, so he can sit on the bench and be one of the highest paid safety's, while the team has had obvious holes in the D-Line for 5 years.

 

[Angry Pope]

Here is just one story about Al since it is his birthday...old article..

History of the Super Bowl


The year was 1966, and war was raging in professional football. It was a bidding war for talent and it had been going on since the American Football League came onto the scene in 1960 to challenge the National Football League, 40 years its senior.

At first, the battles were for college players, and the AFL scored an early victory when a court ruled in favor of the Houston Oilers over the NFL's Los Angeles Rams after both clubs had signed Billy Cannon, the Heisman Trophy winning halfback at Louisiana State.

Although the leagues agreed to a "no tampering" rule on existing player contracts, the stakes became high for college talent. Bonuses went sky-high. The AFL's New York Jets signed Alabama quarterback Joe Namath in 1965 to a $400,000 contract, the largest amount ever for a collegian. In 1966, the NFL's Atlanta Falcons gave Texas linebacker Tommy Nobis a $600,000 package and the Green Bay Packers forked over $711,000 to Texas Tech running back Donny Anderson.

Meanwhile, veteran players were settling for small raises on relatively small salaries. For example, John Brodie, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback, received $35,000 in 1965 and was asking for a raise to $65,000 after leading the NFL in completions, completion percentage, yardage and touchdown passes.

Then came a back-breaker. Buffalo placekicker Pete Gogolak, who had played out his option in 1965, signed with the NFL's New York Giants. The "no tampering" code had been broken. The conflict was in the open, and it was time for action.

On April 7, 1966, peacemaker Joe Foss resigned as AFL commissioner and the next day Al Davis, general manager of the Oakland Raiders, took over. Davis was a hawk in regard to the NFL, and he had a plan.

Davis organized an AFL war chest and urged owners to start talking to established NFL stars. The NFL had bragged of its superiority because of the caliber of its quarterbacks. Davis wanted to sign those quarterbacks for the AFL.

The Raiders quickly signed Los Angeles quarterback Roman Gabriel to a commitment starting in '67. Houston offered the 49ers' Brodie $75,000, spread over 10 years, to sign a five-year deal with the Oilers. Reportedly, eight of the NFL's starting quarterbacks were dickering with the AFL.

The NFL had no choice. On June 8, 1966, two months after Davis became the AFL commissioner, a merger agreement was announced. There would be a common draft starting in 1967, interleague preseason games starting in '67 and regular-season play combining the leagues in 1970. Territorial indemnification of $18 million was to be paid to the 49ers and Giants over a 20-year period.

Most important, from the standpoint of football fans, was the immediate establishment of a championship game between the leagues. This was the AFL-NFL World Championship Game -- which was popularized as the Super Bowl from its inception.

Gabriel never went to the Raiders and Brodie never left the 49ers, but Brodie collected a million dollars on the agreement he had made in his talks with Houston.

Davis resigned as AFL commissioner a month after the merger. He clearly had won his battle.

 

[R4Life]

Al's birthday (without lawyers)
Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on Wednesday at 9:33 am

Al Davis, an American original, turns 78 today.

A nation will celebrate with barbecues and fireworks.

The only question is whether the Raiders P.R. department will connect the dots on that coincidence and assume it's just one, big party featuring red, white, blue, silver and black.

Davis awakens to a world in which the Raiders are the NFL's worst team over the past four years, his free-agent acquisition at running back will be unavailable for the first four games of the season and his kid coach was sanctioned by the NFLPA.

One thing is very different. As far as anyone can tell, and admittedly you never know with the Raiders, no one in a suit is filing briefs, appeals or writs and pitting the franchise against the city, the county, the NFL or any mom and pop memorabilia outlet selling Raider gear.

When the California Supreme Court ruled Monday a 2001 verdict agains the team and its lawsuit against the NFL would stand, the Raiders did what comes naturally _ they blamed the officials.

Raiders general counsel Jeff Birren called the decision "incomprehensible."

As Oakland Tribune reporter Paul Rosynsky reported, the ruling ended any litigation the team has in the court system for the first time in 20 years.

Twenty years ago, the Raiders, Davis was 58 years old, the Los Angeles Raiders were four years removed from their last championship, Jim Plunkett had just completed his last season at quarterback, offensive lineman John Clay was selected in the first round of the draft and Tom Flores was going into his last season as coach before giving way to Mike Shanahan.

Lane Kiffin was 12 years old.

In those 20 seasons, the Raiders have had 13 seasons at .500 or below with seven winning records. In the 23 seasons before that, since Davis arrived in 1964, the Raiders had were at .500 or below three times.

True, battling with Oakland over moving to Los Angeles didn't prevent the Raiders from winning their last title, with Davis winning both in the court room and on the field.

But now the Raiders have the undivided attention of the man who shaped the franchise for the first time since it returned to Oakland in 1995. The Raiders' reputation has hit bottom.

With the last four years as a backdrop, events of the past few weeks _ the NFLPA sanction, an over-the-top response to being omitted by an NFL Network Top 10 piece and Rhodes' suspension _ will evoke a certain amount of "same old Raiders" sentiment.

The sanction, however, was a slap on the wrist which may have been worthwhile for Kiffin to prove a point to his new team regarding intensity and work ethic. He's got some experienced coaches on staff and no doubt knew what he was doing.

As for Rhodes suspension, it was a matter of public knowledge before the Raiders signed him he could end up being suspended. He had a domestic violence incident in 2002 on his record which could have conceivably counted for a strike.

Why else did he sign for two years and get a relatively smallish contract of $7.5 million when others were getting considerably more? Because everyone knew he could end up being suspended.

For Rhodes, the problem isn't missing four games. It's that if he fouls up again, he's gone for a year.

As for the Raiders response to being left out of an NFL Network Top 10 list, it's the sort of righteous indigination the Raiders have been famous for in both good times and bad.

All are non-issues in the big picture.

As he turns 78, Davis has no courtroom distractions. It's all football, all the time.

Davis used to be pretty good at that.
http://www.ibabuzz.com/raidersblog/