He was a colorful character that will be missed.
He was a colorful character that will be missed.
He and the Steelers weren't exactly friends, but it's worth saying, as you guys have mentioned, that he was a big part of the NFL in the 70s. He just never adapted or changed his ways.
If memory serves, I think Ralph Wilson is the only other person alive who was an owner at the time of the merger (I know Dan Sr was there but the Chiefs was still the guy).
Rest in peace Al.
While it sucks to loose someone who meant a lot to the NFL and its history...as most have said...it could be a could thing for the organization...to finally start making smarter/better decisions/etc...and maybe bring the Raiders back to glory or close to it. They were already slightly heading in the right direction before...so hopefully for them that train will increase its speed so to speak. But of course i dont want them to become too good and beat out the Steelers/etc...just sayin, hahah.
As a Steeler fan I loved to hate him. That being said, I have nothing but respect for him because he always stood for what he believed and he never wavered from his vision. He, like the Rooneys, has always been one of the iconic faces of the NFL. This is a sad day for football. RIP Mr. Davis
No matter where you go, there you are.
R.I.P
Agree.
I feel sorry for Al. He didn't have a close enough personal relationship with anyone, so there was nobody who could tell him it was time to step aside and let someone else run the show. Which caused him to go out on a nearly decade-long losing streak. The older fans will remember the winners of the '70s and '80s, and the good teams from about 10 years ago.
Good call.
I had my fair share of criticism for Al over the years, and I'm not going to take any of it back, but I will say this: He was crazy, but he wasn't stupid. There IS a difference.
R.I.P.
Fire Goodell
"A man's got to know his limitations."
Maybe he meant that it was unexpected that he would live this long?
Fire Goodell
‘Mean’ Joe Greene remembers legend Al Davis
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slu...l_davis_100811
As I and the rest of my Pittsburgh Steelers teammates prepared that week in late December 1974, we knew one thing: The road to the Super Bowl in the AFC went through Oakland.
To achieve your dreams as a team, you had to slay the Oakland Raiders. They were the barometer of what it took to be a championship team. They were the embodiment of Al Davis’ hard-driving style, nurtured by his devotion to them and their reciprocation. They were together in the very essential meaning of the word “team,” joined in purpose the way you design an organization.
To beat them, you had to be that same kind of force as a group.
That is what I admire most about Mr. Davis and his leadership of the Raiders. He may have passed away Saturday, but his imprint on the NFL is forever. As much as the Steelers and the Raiders spent the better part of a decade battling for supremacy in one of the fiercest rivalries in the history of the game, I have a place of admiration and appreciation in my soul for Mr. Davis. You may not have liked him, you may not have agreed with him, but you damn sure needed him.
With Mr. Davis, you knew the most important thing was the game. Yes, he had his team and he wanted to win. Ultimately, however, he was doing what was in the best interests of the game, of the NFL. Sometimes you need that contrarian, that person who pushes you because he’s not afraid to say what he thinks.
Lengthy article, worth reading. Gives you some perspective of an insiders view of the greatest rivalry in sports through the 70's.
"A man's got to know his limitations."
Great read. Thanks for posting it.
What he said in that article, is the reason I follow the Steelers, and come to this forum. Just like you guys are definitely not Raiders fans, I'm definitely not a Steelers fan... but, I remember those days.... I was fortunate enough to see those days unfold.... and experience those games between our teams. Those of us fortunate enough to have lived it, will never see anything like it again in the modern NFL.
I have many friends that are die hard Steelers fans. They all lived that era along with me. None of them ever make fun of me for being a Raiders fan, or the Raiders for their decade of losing.
I guess I march to the beat of a different drummer, but I can never be anything other than a Raiders fan.... and I'm proud to be one.
1 of my friends through high school was a Raiders fan. There was a mutual respect and uncertainty with each game played. It would be nice to see the Raiders rise up once again.
The Raiders have always been my wild-card team. If something goes wrong with Pittsburgh, i'm pulling for the Raiders. But, not to worry, we're always the team NO ONE want's to meet in the playoff's
"A man's got to know his limitations."