R.I.P. Al Davis (1929-2011)
Al Davis, legendary NFL owner, commissioner and deal-maker, passed away last week. The tributes to the stoic pro football mainstay have flooded into ESPN, Fox Sports and many blogs. But we have also heard about the not-so-nice side of Al Davis. As a man who “demanded excellence” from players and personnel, he did not seem to demand the same from himself as the Raiders had merely merely a handful of winning seasons in the last 20 years. The team’s facilities were also among the worst in the NFL.
What good can be said about Al Davis? Well, for one, he was an innovator who had a great eye for scouting up-and-coming talent like Jim Plunkett, who Davis scooped up after the San Francisco 49ers released him in 1977. Most importantly, in my view, he was color-blind in his hiring practices during a time when most NFL owners were rich old white men who thought diversity belonged only belonged on the field. Davis hired the first Latino and African-American coaches, and first female CEO in the National Football League.
But as loyal as he was to his team, he could also turn on you in the blink of an eye. An old curmudgeon, Davis often berated players and members of the press for no specific reason – he had a cantankerous personality and was quick-tempered. Bill Belichick shows more joy and emotion than did Al Davis.
Despite misgivings about him, we should remember the contributions he made to the game, and the league as a whole. After all, he played an interesting role in the AFL-NFL merger – an absolutely fascinating story if you have the time.
On Sunday, the Oakland Raiders beat the Houston Texans 25-20 in an emotional victory that rang true to Davis’ famous demand, “Win, baby win.”
Week 6 NFL Power Rankings
NFL Week 5
Bills - 31 Eagles - 24
Chiefs - 28 Colts - 24
Cardinals - 10 Vikings - 34
Seahawks - 36 Giants - 25
Titans - 17 Steelers - 38
Saints - 30 Panthers - 27
Bengals - 30 Jaguars - 20
Raiders - 25 Texans - 20
Bucs - 3 49ers - 48
Chargers - 29 Broncos - 24
Jets - 21 Patriots - 30
Packers - 25 Falcons - 14
Bears - 13 Lions - 24
Take a look at these final scores and read more for Craig's Power Rankings and all the Latest News about your favorite NFL Team!