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View Full Version : RIP Al Davis

Bearcat729
10-08-2011, 09:40 AM
Oakland Raiders (http://www.raiders.com/)

He was a great owner, and without him we might not have the NFL we have today.
jeff061
10-08-2011, 09:41 AM
As much as I mock the guy, it's truly sad to see him go.
cody8200
10-08-2011, 09:42 AM
As much as I mock the guy, it's truly sad to see him go.

He was an individual and truly unique. Sad to see him go. RIP.
Kozure
10-08-2011, 09:46 AM
a true legend of the game, regardless if his reputation isn't squeaky clean, or particularly nice.
Dutch
10-08-2011, 09:53 AM
Hall of Fame or Hall of Shame? Either way...a true NFL guy. He will be missed.
Toddzilla
10-08-2011, 09:54 AM
I can't imagine how sanitized, corporate, or boring the NFL would have been without Al.

Well, more sanitized, corporate, and boring.
Raiders Army
10-08-2011, 10:10 AM
The Raiders Organization, the NFL, and the United States lost a great man today.
MrBug708
10-08-2011, 10:19 AM
He was quite the visionary, but now the Raiders can go back to being a great organization
Chief Rum
10-08-2011, 10:25 AM
Football lost a great persona in its arsenal.
Matthean
10-08-2011, 10:28 AM
He was quite the visionary, but now the Raiders can go back to being a great organization

+1.
Lathum
10-08-2011, 10:31 AM
yeah, the football world suffered a big lose today
stevew
10-08-2011, 10:34 AM
I'd pay to see reaction shots of this news for the following: 1. Mike Shanahan. 2. John Gruden 3. Bill Callahan 4. Rizon 5. Tom Cable.
Alf
10-08-2011, 10:37 AM
Sail high, Raider man !
Senator
10-08-2011, 10:40 AM
Raiders looking great in post-season.

Seriously, he was key in the early days of the merger.
MrBug708
10-08-2011, 10:43 AM
I'd pay to see reaction shots of this news for the following: 1. Mike Shanahan. 2. John Gruden 3. Bill Callahan 4. Rizon 5. Tom Cable.

No love for Lance Kiffin?
Matthean
10-08-2011, 10:50 AM
I'd pay to see reaction shots of this news for the following: 1. Mike Shanahan. 2. John Gruden 3. Bill Callahan 4. Rizon 5. Tom Cable.

I bet Hue Jackson secretly breathes a little easier.
Grammaticus
10-08-2011, 10:51 AM
Yep, innovative, visionary and a huge positive contributor in the early days of the NFL. He should have stepped away some time ago.
hawk4669
10-08-2011, 11:05 AM
Wow. This really caught me off guard this morning. Not a Raiders fan, but RIP to a true legend of the game.
MacroGuru
10-08-2011, 11:06 AM
RIP Al,

As much as he was a take charge kind of guy, he was instrumental to football and the growth.
molson
10-08-2011, 11:10 AM
It's too bad so many people only knew him as a meddling owner that said silly things. I guess though with his passing there will be more talk of his accomplishments out there.
Rizon
10-08-2011, 11:34 AM
I'd pay to see reaction shots of this news for the following: 1. Mike Shanahan. 2. John Gruden 3. Bill Callahan 4. Rizon 5. Tom Cable.

:lol:

I'll keep my comments to myself!
azjoe_02
10-08-2011, 01:02 PM
It's too bad so many people only knew him as a meddling owner that said silly things. I guess though with his passing there will be more talk of his accomplishments out there.

+1
Ben E Lou
10-08-2011, 01:04 PM
The quarterback must go down, and he must go down hard.

/pours out 40
Jughead Spock
10-08-2011, 01:39 PM
I quit rooting for the Raiders some years ago because Al had obviously lost touch (and a special FU for how he treated Marcus Allen). So I have a team again!

But yes, he was absolutely key in the success and evolution of the NFL. Can't take that away, nor overlook his accomplishments.
Buccaneer
10-08-2011, 04:36 PM
I quit rooting for the Raiders some years ago because Al had obviously lost touch (and a special FU for how he treated Marcus Allen). So I have a team again!

But yes, he was absolutely key in the success and evolution of the NFL. Can't take that away, nor overlook his accomplishments.

I'm curious, no doubt of his accomplishments in the 1960s and 1970s but what about the past 30 years?
dawgfan
10-08-2011, 04:44 PM
I'm curious, no doubt of his accomplishments in the 1960s and 1970s but what about the past 30 years?
3 Super Bowl wins?
Matthean
10-08-2011, 04:53 PM
If he steps down in the last 10-15 years, then I think people would have a vastly better opinion of him.
Rizon
10-08-2011, 04:58 PM
I'm kinda bummed I have to retire my Al Davis Season Generator :(
M GO BLUE!!!
10-08-2011, 05:03 PM
No matter what many people thought of him, the NFL lost one of its great men today. Rest in Peace, Mr. Davis.

I hope Madden does the eulogy... "You know, Al Davis was the owner of the Raiders. And the Raiders played football. Brett Favre never played for the Raiders, but if..."
Eaglesfan27
10-08-2011, 05:49 PM
No love for Lance Kiffin?

Lane had a very classy statement today, "I was very saddened this morning to learn of the passing of Al Davis. He was an iconic figure in the history of professional football and built a truly legendary franchise with the Raiders. I consider myself fortunate to have known him and to have been a part of that Raiders history. Even though our relationship did not end the way I would have liked, I have nothing but the greatest respect for Mr. Davis and I truly appreciate the opportunity he afforded me and so many young coaches, players and staff. My thoughts go out to his family and to the family and fans of the Raiders past and present."
molson
10-08-2011, 07:49 PM
I'm curious, no doubt of his accomplishments in the 1960s and 1970s but what about the past 30 years?

Aside from the 3 super bowl wins, why don't the 60s and 70s count? He was perhaps only "above average" in terms of on-the-field success since then (and I believe far above average off the field as far as the brand and making money), but why is that so damning of his career? Nobody talked about John Wooden accomplishing nothing since 1975 when he died.
Buccaneer
10-08-2011, 08:00 PM
molson, I think my point was that his superb accomplishments were all in the 60s and 70s (and that's HOF-worthy alone). He has won SBs since then but I think in the last 30 years, he was alike of other owners (in branding and making money), not to mention being a nuisance, a laughingstock and distraction to the league since then.
Glengoyne
10-09-2011, 03:18 PM
He was quite the visionary, but now the Raiders can go back to being a great organization


Here is where I am.

I can now consider being a raider fan again.

All of the things people above have said are true. He was a visionary and a true old school football guy. He built a great franchise and tradition, and then tore down the same.

Football history indeed lost a legend, but the Raiders Of today just got better.
TroyF
10-09-2011, 03:56 PM
Here is where I am.

I can now consider being a raider fan again.

All of the things people above have said are true. He was a visionary and a true old school football guy. He built a great franchise and tradition, and then tore down the same.

Football history indeed lost a legend, but the Raiders Of today just got better.

I agree with most of this. . . but it all depends on who steps in, doesn't it? As idiotic as he was the last couple of decades, you never know who gets in.

Just like with Stenbrenner, I love how most of the media drones on and on about how terrific he was while brushing by his ridiculousness as if it was minor.

For his family and friend, my prayers are with them. I'm saddened a man with his accomplishments has passed on. I'm even more saddened that a man with his accomplishments allowed them to be whitewashed by stupid, petty, horrific behavior.
Danny
10-09-2011, 04:58 PM
Davis was the Raiders. The game did pass him by, but he was one of the legends of football.

On a separate note, while no offense is meant, I hope "fans" don't come back. The Raiders don't need fair weather fans.
Glengoyne
10-09-2011, 05:40 PM
Davis was the Raiders. The game did pass him by, but he was one of the legends of football.

On a separate note, while no offense is meant, I hope "fans" don't come back. The Raiders don't need fair weather fans.


No offense taken. I understand the sentiment. After all I rooted for Gruden and Tampa Bay in the superbowl, and I think the tuck rule call was a great call.

I was a fan back in the seventies through the early ninties, when Al Davis essentially made it his priority to end Marcus Allen's career on the bench. I'll argue in an effort to keep him out of the hall of fame. From then on I was done with Davis, and by extension the Raiders.

I'm a fairly serious football fan without a team for nearly two decades. I just couldn't root for the team when their success would have been Davis'. today I actually wanted them to win.
molson
10-09-2011, 07:22 PM
He was quite the visionary, but now the Raiders can go back to being a great organization

What makes them an inherently great organization? Doesn't all that past success go back to Davis?
cthomer5000
10-10-2011, 12:09 AM
Football lost a great persona in its arsenal.

Agreed.

he was key in the early days of the merger.

True dat.

It's too bad so many people only knew him as a meddling owner that said silly things. I guess though with his passing there will be more talk of his accomplishments out there.

True on all accounts.


The quarterback must go down, and he must go down hard.


Hell yes.

Davis was the Raiders.

Occasional greatness, crazy as shit most the time, but a breed apart from the rest of the league.

One of the most compelling NFL personalities ever, IMHO.
DaddyTorgo
10-10-2011, 12:21 AM
Davis was the Raiders. The game did pass him by, but he was one of the legends of football.

On a separate note, while no offense is meant, I hope "fans" don't come back. The Raiders don't need fair weather fans.

It's not up to you to determine what constitutes a "fair weather" fan. You're not the arbiter of who is what type of fan.
britrock88
10-10-2011, 10:29 AM
My only hope is that the Raiders will remain "weird"...
JediKooter
10-10-2011, 10:32 AM
RIP Al. You will always be a Charger first.