Post by TheShadow on Nov 27, 2003 18:17:19 GMT -5
cbs.sportsline.com
By Anthony Holden
CBS SportsLine Historian
Al Davis may have once been the NFL's archenemy, but he is also one of the
main reasons why the league today is the strongest entity in the world of
professional sports.
Davis was the driving force behind the resurrection of the faltering Oakland
franchise in the early days of the AFL. Davis' first role was the team's
coach and later as its owner. He served as the AFL's commissioner in 1966;
and it was his hard-line approach to dealing with the rival NFL that helped
lay the groundwork and speed up the process for the monumental decision in
1966 to merge the two leagues.
Life has always been black and white -- or, more appropriately, silver and
black -- for Davis. The only thing that matters to Davis is the scoreboard
on a Sunday afternoon. If his Raiders win, all is well with the world. If
they lose, watch out.
"I don't care anything about that," Davis once told linebacker Dan Conners
during a contract negotiation when Conners was making the point that he was
an upstanding citizen off the field and deserved monetary recognition for
that. "It's what you do on Sunday."
In other words, "Just Win Baby."
The Raiders lost 33 of the 42 games they played between 1960-62 and owner
Wayne Valley was desperate for help. Davis was an assistant coach of Sid
Gillman's in San Diego, but it was obvious he deserved a chance as a head
coach. He knew the game like few coaches, proof of which were the numerous
articles he wrote for coaching magazines that detailed particular
strategies. He also had an eye for talent, having signed some of the
Chargers biggest stars including Ernie Ladd, Paul Lowe, Keith Lincoln, Ron
Mix and Lance Alworth.
Valley hired Davis to be his coach in January of 1963 and that first year
the Raiders won almost as many games (10) as they had in their history. They
beat the West-division champion Chargers twice and finished just a game
behind San Diego in the final standings.
Davis brought instant credibility to the franchise, and his positive and
confident attitude was infectious. That first year, he repeatedly instilled
a pride factor that the franchise maintains to this day. "No matter what the
scoreboard says, keep your poise," Davis would tell his players. "Remember,
you're the Raiders of Oakland."
"We wanted to be the most feared team in the game," Davis said. "We wanted
other teams to come into dark, gray Oakland, see those black shirts on the
other side and feel something frightening."
Hall of Fame center Jim Otto, an original member of the Raiders, said Davis
knew how to win, something none of the Raiders understood before he arrived.
"He brought some older athletes in who still had some football left in them
and mixed them with younger guys. And through hard work -- a lot of hard
work -- we started building a team."
The Raiders dipped in 1964 and '65, but they were now a solid team that soon
would become a powerhouse. In '66, Davis left the team to become
commissioner of the AFL, but after the merger was announced, Davis resigned
his post and returned to the team.
He was angered by the backdoor deal to merge the AFL and NFL that was cut by
Lamar Hunt and Tex Schramm, and felt snubbed when it was decided that NFL
commissioner Pete Rozelle would remain at the helm of the new enhanced
league.
So began his tumultuous relationship with Rozelle as Davis went back to
Oakland not as coach and general manager, but as its managing general
partner. Davis and Rozelle would spend the next 15 years feuding, and they
squared off in a landmark court duel over whether Davis could move his
Raiders to Los Angeles in 1982. Davis won, something he had done all his
life.
Upon Davis' return, Oakland won the 1967 AFL title and lost to Green Bay in
Super Bowl II, and then the Raiders won the West in the final two years of
the AFL's existence only to lose the championship games to New York and
Kansas City.
Throughout the 70s and early 80s, with Davis as the franchise's guiding
force, the Raiders were one of football's most dominant teams. They finally
won a Super Bowl in 1976, routing Minnesota. They added a second and third
championship in 1980 and 1983, respectively. During that time they moved
from Oakland to Los Angeles then back to Oakland.
Through it all, Davis remains the lifeblood of the franchise.
By Anthony Holden
CBS SportsLine Historian
Al Davis may have once been the NFL's archenemy, but he is also one of the
main reasons why the league today is the strongest entity in the world of
professional sports.
Davis was the driving force behind the resurrection of the faltering Oakland
franchise in the early days of the AFL. Davis' first role was the team's
coach and later as its owner. He served as the AFL's commissioner in 1966;
and it was his hard-line approach to dealing with the rival NFL that helped
lay the groundwork and speed up the process for the monumental decision in
1966 to merge the two leagues.
Life has always been black and white -- or, more appropriately, silver and
black -- for Davis. The only thing that matters to Davis is the scoreboard
on a Sunday afternoon. If his Raiders win, all is well with the world. If
they lose, watch out.
"I don't care anything about that," Davis once told linebacker Dan Conners
during a contract negotiation when Conners was making the point that he was
an upstanding citizen off the field and deserved monetary recognition for
that. "It's what you do on Sunday."
In other words, "Just Win Baby."
The Raiders lost 33 of the 42 games they played between 1960-62 and owner
Wayne Valley was desperate for help. Davis was an assistant coach of Sid
Gillman's in San Diego, but it was obvious he deserved a chance as a head
coach. He knew the game like few coaches, proof of which were the numerous
articles he wrote for coaching magazines that detailed particular
strategies. He also had an eye for talent, having signed some of the
Chargers biggest stars including Ernie Ladd, Paul Lowe, Keith Lincoln, Ron
Mix and Lance Alworth.
Valley hired Davis to be his coach in January of 1963 and that first year
the Raiders won almost as many games (10) as they had in their history. They
beat the West-division champion Chargers twice and finished just a game
behind San Diego in the final standings.
Davis brought instant credibility to the franchise, and his positive and
confident attitude was infectious. That first year, he repeatedly instilled
a pride factor that the franchise maintains to this day. "No matter what the
scoreboard says, keep your poise," Davis would tell his players. "Remember,
you're the Raiders of Oakland."
"We wanted to be the most feared team in the game," Davis said. "We wanted
other teams to come into dark, gray Oakland, see those black shirts on the
other side and feel something frightening."
Hall of Fame center Jim Otto, an original member of the Raiders, said Davis
knew how to win, something none of the Raiders understood before he arrived.
"He brought some older athletes in who still had some football left in them
and mixed them with younger guys. And through hard work -- a lot of hard
work -- we started building a team."
The Raiders dipped in 1964 and '65, but they were now a solid team that soon
would become a powerhouse. In '66, Davis left the team to become
commissioner of the AFL, but after the merger was announced, Davis resigned
his post and returned to the team.
He was angered by the backdoor deal to merge the AFL and NFL that was cut by
Lamar Hunt and Tex Schramm, and felt snubbed when it was decided that NFL
commissioner Pete Rozelle would remain at the helm of the new enhanced
league.
So began his tumultuous relationship with Rozelle as Davis went back to
Oakland not as coach and general manager, but as its managing general
partner. Davis and Rozelle would spend the next 15 years feuding, and they
squared off in a landmark court duel over whether Davis could move his
Raiders to Los Angeles in 1982. Davis won, something he had done all his
life.
Upon Davis' return, Oakland won the 1967 AFL title and lost to Green Bay in
Super Bowl II, and then the Raiders won the West in the final two years of
the AFL's existence only to lose the championship games to New York and
Kansas City.
Throughout the 70s and early 80s, with Davis as the franchise's guiding
force, the Raiders were one of football's most dominant teams. They finally
won a Super Bowl in 1976, routing Minnesota. They added a second and third
championship in 1980 and 1983, respectively. During that time they moved
from Oakland to Los Angeles then back to Oakland.
Through it all, Davis remains the lifeblood of the franchise.