Post by TheShadow on Jul 29, 2006 13:20:47 GMT -5
www.mercurynews.com/
KING OF PRESENTERS FOR PRO FOOTBALL HALL TO INTRODUCE MADDEN
By Dennis Georgatos
Mercury News
When John Madden presented Al Davis for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992, he called the Raiders owner his ``best friend'' and said it would take just one phone call if he ever needed anything.
So when Madden learned in February that he would need a presenter in Canton, Ohio, he didn't think twice.
``I had one phone call to make,'' he said, ``and it was to him.''
Davis now has gotten that particular phone call from nine men, making him the NFL's Great Presenter. Nobody has presented more Hall of Famers at Canton. Paul Brown presented six. Don Shula and Tom Landry presented five each. Davis presented Ted Hendricks (1990), Art Shell (1989), Fred Biletnikoff (1988), Gene Upshaw (1987), Willie Brown (1984), George Blanda (1981), Jim Otto (1980) and Lance Alworth (1978).
For all of Davis' accomplishments, the record number of Hall of Fame presentations is ``perhaps his most singular honor,'' according to his biography in the Raiders' media guide.
``I think it reflects the contributions I've made -- who's done more? -- and the love affair I've had with the game and with these players,'' Davis, 77, said last week.
``We have mutual respect for each other. I think they know what I've done in professional football. Those things go hand in hand, and they would like someone to present them who personifies those things.''
Davis' popularity as a presenter, and the reasons behind it, are no mystery to those who know him.
``It's a loyalty thing,'' Madden said, ``but it's more than just the word; it's the spirit behind the word. With Al, it's a two-way deal.
``It's like if you were a part of his family, you're a part of him and he's loyal to you and you're loyal to him.''
All of the men whom Davis has presented at Canton were Raiders, except the first. Alworth was a Los Angeles Charger, and that too was largely Davis' doing. In 1960, as an assistant to Chargers Coach Sid Gillman, Davis persuaded Alworth to play in the fledgling American Football League rather than sign with the 49ers, who had made Alworth their No. 1 pick.
The signing was only a beginning. Alworth said that Davis' coaching during his first three pro seasons set him on a path to greatness.
``He's responsible, as much as anyone, for putting me in the Hall of Fame,'' Alworth said.
Alworth also never forgot how Davis treated his parents, phoning them periodically and always greeting his mother with the words, ``Hello, this is your favorite coach.''
Last year, when the Chargers retired Alworth's No. 19, the ceremony included a video tribute from Davis.
``I just have an awful lot of respect for him,'' Alworth said. ``Not only because of the relationship we had, but if you had a problem, if you needed help, if you needed a job, he'd find one for you or find a way to help you. I have to laugh sometimes because people hear me talk about him and they think he's just the opposite. But they don't know him. They've never worked for him.''
Shell is in his 29th year of working for Davis, an association that began in 1968 as a player and includes two stints as head coach. Choosing Davis as his Hall of Fame presenter in 1989 ``was a natural,'' Shell said, ``because he's such a great football man.
``It didn't take long for me to make that decision at all. He's just a great owner. The players are treated like men, working in the best facilities he can possibly find. As coaches, he gives us a chance to win by doing what he can to find the best players. He is the organization. He is the Raiders.''
Although Davis has done it more than anybody else, making the presentation doesn't get easier with time, he said. In fact, for Madden's presentation, Davis half-seriously invited the assistance of a sportswriter, suggesting he submit a paragraph to Davis for consideration.
``They're all so great in their own way,'' Davis said of the men he has presented, ``but it can be tough to describe them differently, so you try to come up with something that is apropos.''
Madden has no doubt that he picked the right man for the job.
``I would have chosen him anyway, whether I had presented him or not,'' Madden said. ``He gave me my first NFL coaching job when I was 30 years old and made me the head coach when I had just two years of experience. He's the one who gave me my chance and all the support I ever needed. It's 40 years later, and we're going to be in Canton together.''
