Post by TheShadow on Nov 27, 2003 20:18:55 GMT -5
www.raiders.com
Q: Who were some of your favorite teammates?
Daryle Lamonica: I played with some really great athletes and I think Jim Otto was one of the greatest centers that ever played the game. Art Shell and Gene Upshaw are also Hall of Famers. Willie Brown was one of the best defensive backs that has ever played in the NFL so I got a chance to throw against him ever day in practice which made me stay on my toes. Raymond Chester at tight end was a great, we had some great athletes and winning ways so that was the reason for it.
Q: Do you still keep in touch with any of your teammates?
Daryle Lamonica: We get together at the golf tournament. It is kind of like a Raider reunion each year when we come back. We all get together and tell some stories and it brings back a lot of good memories.
Q: Are there any former teammates of yours that you feel should be in the Hall of Fame?
Daryle Lamonica: There will be several. We’ve got quite a few as it is now and you know the Raiders always have players getting in there. I think Tim Brown will be in the Hall of Fame and we’ve got a lot of great players that have played over the years and you know there are only so many we can get in.
Q: What was the most memorable game for you when you played for the Raiders?
Daryle Lamonica: I have had some great ones. We had some really tough battles against the Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Jets. The famous “Heidi” game because we were behind and we didn’t know they took us off national television and I’d just thrown a long touchdown pass to Charlie Smith. It was called back because one of my wide receivers was in motion and Jonny Sample, their left cornerback comes up and pats me on the back and says “nice pass Lamonica, better luck next year”. That fired my temper up and the defense held and we got the ball back with about a minute and 28 seconds left. I hit Charlie Smith going up the middle and he went in for a 60 or 65-yard touchdown. We kicked off and they fumbled the ball and we recovered it in the endzone and we ended up scoring 14 points in nine seconds. That was the most memorable game because that one play changed the networks around now so they cannot take games off national television until it’s entirety.
Q: Is there one play that you can remember from your career?
Daryle Lamonica: I guess it would have to be a game against the New York Jets. We were behind by four points and it was the last play of the game. I was throwing into the end zone to Warren Wells, the ball was in the air, the gun went off and Warren made a great catch in the end zone for a touchdown.
Q: Which team did you like playing against the most?
Daryle Lamonica: I was fortunate. We played against the L.A. Rams when they were at their peak. Also the Dallas Cowboys with Bob Lilly and his crew. The Pittsburgh Steelers and the steel curtain so I was able to play against some great teams. The Vince Lombardi era and we played the Green Bay Packers. I had a lot of respect for those teams and the players and when we see one another now we realize the respect we’ve built up for on another.
Q: What was your favorite stadium to play in, other than home?
Daryle Lamonica: The Coliseum at home was my favorite. I always like Shea Stadium, the wind blew a lot but certain stadiums you liked, you had a good feel other stadiums and the crowds. Candlestick was pretty windy, the wind would be blowing with you one quarter and blowing in your face ten minutes later, you just never knew. I just liked to compete wherever we were.
Q: Can you compare today’s game to your playing experience?
Daryle Lamonica: I’ve heard a lot of people say that the game has changed, and the players are a little bigger, a little stronger but the game hasn’t changed. I think the philosophy and the coaching staffs have changed a little bit, everybody is a specialist now. When we played the players that were at the top of their game could compete on the same level as players today. You can only put 11 over on defense and I can only attack it with 11 on offense and the field is the same length and width there is a little more speed but we had a lot of speed. Technique and all of the fundamentals that make the game what it is today was the same when we played.
Q: What are your impressions of Raiders fans both past and present?
Daryle Lamonica: Without a doubt that was our twelfth person on the field. That’s who you really represent, you represent your city that you play for and the organization. The Raiders have always had a strong organization, but our fans were special. They came out to support us and they know football. They know if what you’re doing on the field is right of wrong and they’ll let you know. Nothing makes you feel better when you hear cheering when you are doing something right and conversely when things aren’t going as well you feel really bad not only for yourself but for the fans and your teammates. We didn’t have to many of those years because we had a lot of quality athletes.
Q: Can you describe what it was like playing for coach Madden?
Daryle Lamonica: John was a great coach during the week. He would give us a lot of leeway and the entire offensive squad was able to contribute to the offense. If I had an idea I could tell coach and we’d work that and incorporate that in so it was a collective thinking of everybody. During the games John had one of those excitable types of personalities.
Q: What do you currently do?
Daryle Lamonica: I host a national fishing show on Fox Sports Net called “Outdoors with the Pros”. It gives me the chance to travel around the country. I just got back from Costa Rica and the Bahamas, it was beautiful down there and we had some great fishing. I caught a sailfish while we were down there and in the Bahamas we caught barracudas. It’s very exciting and a lot of fun.
Q: Who were some of your favorite teammates?
Daryle Lamonica: I played with some really great athletes and I think Jim Otto was one of the greatest centers that ever played the game. Art Shell and Gene Upshaw are also Hall of Famers. Willie Brown was one of the best defensive backs that has ever played in the NFL so I got a chance to throw against him ever day in practice which made me stay on my toes. Raymond Chester at tight end was a great, we had some great athletes and winning ways so that was the reason for it.
Q: Do you still keep in touch with any of your teammates?
Daryle Lamonica: We get together at the golf tournament. It is kind of like a Raider reunion each year when we come back. We all get together and tell some stories and it brings back a lot of good memories.
Q: Are there any former teammates of yours that you feel should be in the Hall of Fame?
Daryle Lamonica: There will be several. We’ve got quite a few as it is now and you know the Raiders always have players getting in there. I think Tim Brown will be in the Hall of Fame and we’ve got a lot of great players that have played over the years and you know there are only so many we can get in.
Q: What was the most memorable game for you when you played for the Raiders?
Daryle Lamonica: I have had some great ones. We had some really tough battles against the Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Jets. The famous “Heidi” game because we were behind and we didn’t know they took us off national television and I’d just thrown a long touchdown pass to Charlie Smith. It was called back because one of my wide receivers was in motion and Jonny Sample, their left cornerback comes up and pats me on the back and says “nice pass Lamonica, better luck next year”. That fired my temper up and the defense held and we got the ball back with about a minute and 28 seconds left. I hit Charlie Smith going up the middle and he went in for a 60 or 65-yard touchdown. We kicked off and they fumbled the ball and we recovered it in the endzone and we ended up scoring 14 points in nine seconds. That was the most memorable game because that one play changed the networks around now so they cannot take games off national television until it’s entirety.
Q: Is there one play that you can remember from your career?
Daryle Lamonica: I guess it would have to be a game against the New York Jets. We were behind by four points and it was the last play of the game. I was throwing into the end zone to Warren Wells, the ball was in the air, the gun went off and Warren made a great catch in the end zone for a touchdown.
Q: Which team did you like playing against the most?
Daryle Lamonica: I was fortunate. We played against the L.A. Rams when they were at their peak. Also the Dallas Cowboys with Bob Lilly and his crew. The Pittsburgh Steelers and the steel curtain so I was able to play against some great teams. The Vince Lombardi era and we played the Green Bay Packers. I had a lot of respect for those teams and the players and when we see one another now we realize the respect we’ve built up for on another.
Q: What was your favorite stadium to play in, other than home?
Daryle Lamonica: The Coliseum at home was my favorite. I always like Shea Stadium, the wind blew a lot but certain stadiums you liked, you had a good feel other stadiums and the crowds. Candlestick was pretty windy, the wind would be blowing with you one quarter and blowing in your face ten minutes later, you just never knew. I just liked to compete wherever we were.
Q: Can you compare today’s game to your playing experience?
Daryle Lamonica: I’ve heard a lot of people say that the game has changed, and the players are a little bigger, a little stronger but the game hasn’t changed. I think the philosophy and the coaching staffs have changed a little bit, everybody is a specialist now. When we played the players that were at the top of their game could compete on the same level as players today. You can only put 11 over on defense and I can only attack it with 11 on offense and the field is the same length and width there is a little more speed but we had a lot of speed. Technique and all of the fundamentals that make the game what it is today was the same when we played.
Q: What are your impressions of Raiders fans both past and present?
Daryle Lamonica: Without a doubt that was our twelfth person on the field. That’s who you really represent, you represent your city that you play for and the organization. The Raiders have always had a strong organization, but our fans were special. They came out to support us and they know football. They know if what you’re doing on the field is right of wrong and they’ll let you know. Nothing makes you feel better when you hear cheering when you are doing something right and conversely when things aren’t going as well you feel really bad not only for yourself but for the fans and your teammates. We didn’t have to many of those years because we had a lot of quality athletes.
Q: Can you describe what it was like playing for coach Madden?
Daryle Lamonica: John was a great coach during the week. He would give us a lot of leeway and the entire offensive squad was able to contribute to the offense. If I had an idea I could tell coach and we’d work that and incorporate that in so it was a collective thinking of everybody. During the games John had one of those excitable types of personalities.
Q: What do you currently do?
Daryle Lamonica: I host a national fishing show on Fox Sports Net called “Outdoors with the Pros”. It gives me the chance to travel around the country. I just got back from Costa Rica and the Bahamas, it was beautiful down there and we had some great fishing. I caught a sailfish while we were down there and in the Bahamas we caught barracudas. It’s very exciting and a lot of fun.