ND Sux

October 8th, 2011 at 10:34 AM ^

and recall the days when they played tough D and won a couple SB's, but I've felt for a long time that Davis was the problem. 

Zany guy for sure, bur RIP sir. 

Broken Brilliance

October 8th, 2011 at 10:37 AM ^

RIP Al...he. With all crypt keeper jokes aside, he was a very influential owner and coach in his day. I do have faith the Raiders are on the right track now with Hue Jackson at head coach.

randyfloyd

October 8th, 2011 at 10:47 AM ^

He was a little off in the last several years, but I do respect what the man did in his lifetime.  The only jersey I ever owned and wore, of a team I didn't care about, was my Raiders Woodson jersey.  RIP AL!

markusr2007

October 8th, 2011 at 10:49 AM ^

A cantakerous old man to be sure. With all of the mergers, anti-trust issue, idiot player behavior, incompetent coaches and greedy NFL org execs, I really think Al Davis was the only one who ever displayed any real balls.

I'll never forget when the USFL filed an anti-trust suit against the NFL.  Davis, an NFL owner, stood shoulder to shoulder with the tweeny USFL.

Weird yes, but took a long list of wealthy, arrogant people in that "industry" to the carpet, which I find admirable.

 

MGoCooper

October 8th, 2011 at 11:42 AM ^

He may have been a cruel, delusional, malicious, villainous, hateful, unpleasant, repulsive, loathsome, nefarious, destructive, and baneful man. But in the end......yeah that pretty much covers it.

MGoCooper

October 8th, 2011 at 11:57 AM ^

I have respect for the man for what he's done for the NFL. The man was a bastard, plain and simple in his personal and professional life. It made him successful, infact, Al Davis would tell you himself he was a bastard. To lie about who someone was in their life when they die, is a disrespect to his memory and his family. My sympathies to his family for certain, but to lie about who the man was, or some kind of homage to him when I didn't believe it in his life, would be the worst thing I could possibly do.

snowcrash

October 8th, 2011 at 11:52 AM ^

He stuck with his old methods long after most of the rest of the league caught up to them and then surpassed them, but up until about the mid-80s they made the Raiders one of the best organizations in the league. He built a consistent winner largely with undervalued castoffs. He was also one of the few owners to come from a football background instead of an old-money background.

jethro34

October 8th, 2011 at 12:19 PM ^

This is what happens when a team uses a supplemental pick on Terrelle Pryor.  He dies before Pryor's suspension has been served.  Somehow that makes perfect sense.

superstringer

October 8th, 2011 at 12:44 PM ^

The man was part of the fabric of football. Win at all costs, vertical offense, gimme your refuse, fumbling on 4th down, steroids and amphetamines.... the Raiders are part of the lore of football and Al WAS the Riaders. I wasnt his fan but he will be missed. So not OT.

bwlag

October 8th, 2011 at 1:12 PM ^

I'll be curious to see what impact new ownership has on the team over the next couple of years. He seemed to loosen his grip somewhat recently, but having an owner with a less hands-on approach will have a big impact

 

bronxblue

October 8th, 2011 at 1:37 PM ^

He wasn't the best person by any means, but he helped to innovate the stale NFL years ago with the vertical passing game, the mystic of the Raiders in popular culture, and voicing his opinion when most owners tend to just pay the bills and keep quiet.  I don't expect his passing to be lamented in all corners, but he did quite a bit for the game.  I do expect the Raiders to be run far more consistently, though, with his departure.