Post by TheShadow on Jun 12, 2008 4:52:05 GMT -5
mvn.com/
By Patrick Patterson
The associated press is reporting that Oakland Raider legend John Rauch, the man who succeeded Al Davis as head coach of the Oakland Raiders has passed away. He was 80. Despite the fact that its been decades since Rauch has coached the Raiders, it was his teams that kicked the run of Oakland Raiders dominance into overdrive.
Al Davis hired Rauch as his assistant in Davis’s first year with the team. He served as an offensive coach under Davis until All was named the commissioner of the AFL, and Davis convinced then owner Wayne Valley to promote Rauch to the top job.
Rauch led the Raiders to a 33-8 record in his three years in Oakland, which includes the AFL championship in 1967 which led to a loss to the Vince Lombardi led Green Bay Packers. He was on the sidelines when the Raiders had their famed comeback against the New York Jets in the Heidi Game.
In his tenure in Oakland, Rauch had two future hall of fame assistant coaches in his eventual successor in John Madden and Bill Walsh. It was Al Davis’s return to Oakland after the position of AFL commissioner was dissolved that set the stage for Rauch’s eventual exit. It has been speculated that Rauch chaffed under Davis’s leadership. Other speculation has it that Davis wanted him out. Either way it finally came to a head when Rauch made a deal with the Bills to become their head coach and left the Raiders.
The problem was not Al letting Rauch coach, as has been speculated of Al in recent years. In Rauch’s own words, “I and the staff made the game plan up and we gave the game plan to the players–although I’m sure Al got a copy of it, since the secretaries all had extra copies.”
The final act played out with Rauch finally having enough:
“He had some comments about ‘we never should’ve lost,’” Rauch said. And so this was running through my mind and I just knew I had to get out. I had three different opportunities to go someplace, and even though I was still under contract to the Raiders I got things squared away with Buffalo to be their head coach.”
Thats when he went to Al–an indentured servant risen against the lord of the manor.
“Al, I’m leaving,” Rauch said.
“You can’t do that,” Al told him. “You’re under contract.”
Rauch stiffened, then–with a line he had dreamed of someday using–calmly pronounced, “Al, if you stand in my way, I’ll tell everybody what I know about you.”
Rauch recalled that sublime moment as deliverance. “He looked at me a minute and then he said, ’say no more. Do what you wanna do.’”
And what did Rauch have on Davis? Even while backing off, Rauch tantalized the senses.
“I don’t even want to reveal it,” he decided. Then, with an elusive grin: “but like so many things he did back in those days, like business stuff, make Watergate seem like child’s play.”
Quote from Slick: The Silver and Black life of Al Davis by Mark Ribowsky
Rest in Peace, coach Rauch.
By Patrick Patterson
The associated press is reporting that Oakland Raider legend John Rauch, the man who succeeded Al Davis as head coach of the Oakland Raiders has passed away. He was 80. Despite the fact that its been decades since Rauch has coached the Raiders, it was his teams that kicked the run of Oakland Raiders dominance into overdrive.
Al Davis hired Rauch as his assistant in Davis’s first year with the team. He served as an offensive coach under Davis until All was named the commissioner of the AFL, and Davis convinced then owner Wayne Valley to promote Rauch to the top job.
Rauch led the Raiders to a 33-8 record in his three years in Oakland, which includes the AFL championship in 1967 which led to a loss to the Vince Lombardi led Green Bay Packers. He was on the sidelines when the Raiders had their famed comeback against the New York Jets in the Heidi Game.
In his tenure in Oakland, Rauch had two future hall of fame assistant coaches in his eventual successor in John Madden and Bill Walsh. It was Al Davis’s return to Oakland after the position of AFL commissioner was dissolved that set the stage for Rauch’s eventual exit. It has been speculated that Rauch chaffed under Davis’s leadership. Other speculation has it that Davis wanted him out. Either way it finally came to a head when Rauch made a deal with the Bills to become their head coach and left the Raiders.
The problem was not Al letting Rauch coach, as has been speculated of Al in recent years. In Rauch’s own words, “I and the staff made the game plan up and we gave the game plan to the players–although I’m sure Al got a copy of it, since the secretaries all had extra copies.”
The final act played out with Rauch finally having enough:
“He had some comments about ‘we never should’ve lost,’” Rauch said. And so this was running through my mind and I just knew I had to get out. I had three different opportunities to go someplace, and even though I was still under contract to the Raiders I got things squared away with Buffalo to be their head coach.”
Thats when he went to Al–an indentured servant risen against the lord of the manor.
“Al, I’m leaving,” Rauch said.
“You can’t do that,” Al told him. “You’re under contract.”
Rauch stiffened, then–with a line he had dreamed of someday using–calmly pronounced, “Al, if you stand in my way, I’ll tell everybody what I know about you.”
Rauch recalled that sublime moment as deliverance. “He looked at me a minute and then he said, ’say no more. Do what you wanna do.’”
And what did Rauch have on Davis? Even while backing off, Rauch tantalized the senses.
“I don’t even want to reveal it,” he decided. Then, with an elusive grin: “but like so many things he did back in those days, like business stuff, make Watergate seem like child’s play.”
Quote from Slick: The Silver and Black life of Al Davis by Mark Ribowsky
Rest in Peace, coach Rauch.
