Anyone seen Al Davis?

[East Bay Grease]

Hey, Phil and crew...Merry Christmas! Hope today is providing some festive respite from the dreary season.

Sorry to post for the first time on such a potentially sad subject, but I have a question for you guys, a concern that's been growing over the past few days among many Raider fans online on other boards: Did Al Davis fall ill last Friday?

We all know he was fine (or as fine as he's been of late) when he made his rare post-game lockerroom appearance after the Ram debacle last week. Then came this Friday, when Al was scheduled to speak at Run Run Jones' funeral. A friend of Kevin's was there. According to him, and to various written accounts on various other boards I've checked out, Al didn't deliver a eulogy after all, and some have it that he didn't even attend. What would explain this? Well, two posters say it was because he was rushed to the hospital from Raider HQ, just before the funeral began.

Pretty alarming thought, but obviously the stuff of unfounded rumors.

But then during the KC game on Saturday night, that traditional TV staple shot of Al sitting next to Jim Otto in the owner's booth was conspicuously missing. A friend who attended said he too was unable to see Davis in his box. WTF? Al not at a Raider game? Did any of you see him?

So is The Dark Lord MIA? You'd think this question might merit comment in the media, but I've seen nothing about any of it. It does seem bizarre that he'd fail to attend services for a Raider icon like Jones, AND not be seen at the team's final home game of the year. Needless to say, we're worried. Should we be? Is there a story here? Or is there an explanation? Any light any of you could shed would be most welcome.

Thanks, guys. And again, Merry Christmas.

BTW I sent the preceding info (with slight variations) as a letter, to SFGate's blogging team, Jerry MacDonald at The Tribune, and Ira Miller (ex-Chronicle and Examiner writer who now blogs on the NFL). I'll certainly let y'all know what, if anything, comes of it.

This sure is weird.

 

[Crossbones]

Hey, Phil and crew...Merry Christmas! Hope today is providing some festive respite from the dreary season.

Sorry to post for the first time on such a potentially sad subject, but I have a question for you guys, a concern that's been growing over the past few days among many Raider fans online on other boards: Did Al Davis fall ill last Friday?

We all know he was fine (or as fine as he's been of late) when he made his rare post-game lockerroom appearance after the Ram debacle last week. Then came this Friday, when Al was scheduled to speak at Run Run Jones' funeral. A friend of Kevin's was there. According to him, and to various written accounts on various other boards I've checked out, Al didn't deliver a eulogy after all, and some have it that he didn't even attend. What would explain this? Well, two posters say it was because he was rushed to the hospital from Raider HQ, just before the funeral began.

Pretty alarming thought, but obviously the stuff of unfounded rumors.

But then during the KC game on Saturday night, that traditional TV staple shot of Al sitting next to Jim Otto in the owner's booth was conspicuously missing. A friend who attended said he too was unable to see Davis in his box. WTF? Al not at a Raider game? Did any of you see him?

So is The Dark Lord MIA? You'd think this question might merit comment in the media, but I've seen nothing about any of it. It does seem bizarre that he'd fail to attend services for a Raider icon like Jones, AND not be seen at the team's final home game of the year. Needless to say, we're worried. Should we be? Is there a story here? Or is there an explanation? Any light any of you could shed would be most welcome.

Thanks, guys. And again, Merry Christmas.

BTW I sent the preceding info (with slight variations) as a letter, to SFGate's blogging team, Jerry MacDonald at The Tribune, and Ira Miller (ex-Chronicle and Examiner writer who now blogs on the NFL). I'll certainly let y'all know what, if anything, comes of it.

This sure is weird.

First off Welcome East Bay grease. For those who don't know this man he is a long time friend (over 10 years) who is not only a great Raiders Fan but a witty MFer and smart as hell IMO...a very good addition to our board if we can convince this guy to stick around.

As for the question you raise Grease...at this point there has to be some concern but here is an exchange I had with hawaiianboy earlier in the wek. HBoy gave me this scoop on Friday and there hasn't been a peep since.

Heard this a couple of hours ago but haven't been able to confrim it.... Supposedly Al was rushed by ambulance to the hospital just before the services for Run Run Jones... Take it for what it's worth...

As a follow up to this, and please don't bitch at the messenger (yeah I'm talking to you old man), Al supposedly was absent from both Run Run's service and yesterdays game... Other than the time his wife was sick, I don't think Al has ever missed a home game...

As a follow up to this, and please don't bitch at the messenger (yeah I'm talking to you old man)...

Really I'm not shooting the messenger by any means (really). Just sayin' this seems one of Stepper's INTERNET RUMORS. How is it possible for this to go down and not be reported by a single news agency in over three days? Just doesn't seem possible. But yeah it does seem weird that the NFL Network didn't show a single shot of Al sitting in his box...but then that network is so lame they probably didn't think of it.

I wish there was a way to confirm what's up. I hope I'm not proven wrong on this one cuz as Dr. Lee would say, something wong.

_________________________________

I'm just not sure what to make of this story (Internet Rumor at this point). Clearly some things aren't adding up but I will reiterate that it seems improbably nay impossible that this kind of event could elude the media since last Thursday afternoon without as much as a two line blurb in the SF Chronicle. Dunno.

 

[Banter]

I hope the old man is ok.

I am worried about the immediate future. We got some big decisions that need to be made following Sunday's game. If Al isn't able to make decisions who the hell is (I hope we're not in paralysis mode)? If its Mark Davis I heard he wanted to can Turner after his 1st season. I've also heard he didn't want Petrino and he's ok with Shell. I'm always skeptical of the motives of the child that doesn't show any interest in the family business their entire life and then show up at the very end.