Post by TheShadow on Mar 20, 2006 21:09:17 GMT -5
www.lasvegassun.com
By Ron Kantowski
It is hard to believe a quarter century has passed since Jim Plunkett rose from the NFL scrap heap to lead the Oakland Raiders to a 27-10 victory against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XV and was named most valuable player of pro football's biggest game.
It was the greatest accomplishment of a roller-coaster career for the former Heisman Trophy winner from Stanford, who experienced the highest of highs (two Super Bowl championships with the Raiders) - but only after enduring the lowest of the lows (seven uneven and injury-riddled seasons in New England and San Francisco).
Raised in San Jose, Calif., by blind parents, Plunkett learned traits such as humility and perseverance at an early age. At 58, he still looks fit enough to hit Cliff Branch on a deep post pattern.
Dressed in Raiders' all-black (he remains a member of the team's broadcast team and extended family and also owns a beer distribution business), Plunkett made the rounds at a reception for Executive Star Limousine of Las Vegas. He talked about upsetting Woody Hayes and Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, the ups and downs of his NFL career ... and the frustration of having John Barr, the
What brings you to Las Vegas?
I've done a lot of conventions over the years. My favorite is the CES show. The last few years I've come out for Al Davis' birthday, so I've gotten to see a lot of old friends and old players and that's always a kick. Very seldom do I come on my own. When I was younger, me and my buddies would just hop in a van, come out, and have three days of sobriety. Then we'd go back home.
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Is Art Shell the right man to lead the Raiders back to prominence?
I certainly hope so. I know Art will do a good job. He did a good job the first time around. He's a guy who demands respect and he will get those guys to do it fundamentally.
Do you believe it has been 25 years since you were MVP of the Super Bowl?
I sure can't. I was back for the 40th Super Bowl in Detroit. It was an exciting time and it was great seeing the game and I certainly had a great time being there. I just wasn't sure anybody would remember me, you know?
You've never been one to blow your own horn but you have said that first Super Bowl victory was kind of special. Do you still feel that way about it today? Was that the best achievement of your career?
In my NFL career, certainly. I was out of football for a couple of weeks after I was let go by the 49ers. I was desperate. It was depression, really. My God, I was a first-round draft choice eight years earlier and out of football already? And not having come close to the goals that I had expected? So it was great that the Raiders gave me another opportunity that enabled me to end my career on somewhat of a high note. I owe the Raiders a lot.
Do you ever see Dave Humm, the Las Vegas native who was one of your backups with the Raiders?
You know, I do. I call him every once in a while. He's a good guy and a good friend.
Dave has had a tough go of it (with health problems) but you have been exposed to that, with both of your parents being blind. I would assume that when it comes to a career inspiration, your parents were the biggest?
Absolutely. There's nobody bigger than my parents. Raising three kids, sacrificing everything for their children ... one of the things I always say is that between my wife and I, we have four good eyes and we raised two children and that was hard enough. Can you imagine not being able to see and raising three kids?
Heisman Trophy and Super Bowl rings? Different things?
Different things. Both great accomplishments. We did great things at Stanford. We beat a team (Ohio State) that had seven first-round draft choices in the Rose Bowl. Most of our guys went into medicine and law school and business school. So that was a great accomplishment. Plus, we had set a goal when we got there. We were going to get back to the Rose Bowl and get Stanford back on the football map; there had been talk about dropping football entirely or going to an Ivy League-type schedule.
I can't say enough about our guys. If we would have played Ohio State 10 times, they probably would have won nine.
Did Woody Hayes congratulate you after the game?
Oh no, no. He probably wanted to punch me.
Is John Barr, the local car dealer with whom you appeared in that commercial, as dopey as he appears on TV?
(Laughing) I wouldn't use the word "dopey," but he's a lot of fun. I felt sorry for the guy. It was 110 degrees and he's got to run patterns over and over, because we did a lot of takes, and he's got to intentionally drop the ball, although that part was not a problem for him.
Did you really throw the football right through him?
No, they did that in post production. (Snickering) But I could have done it.