A friend of mine had an East Bay public access Cable TV sports program in the early 80's. He was an avid 49er fan so he tried getting a 49er to come on the show for an interview. The 49ers basically blew him off; told him to send a letter regarding the program blah blah. So he calls the Raiders, tells the guy on the phone a little about the show. Within 3 minutes he committed an Oakland Raider for the program. A few weeks later another Raider appeared. He found out later Al Davis paid those players for appearing. Mind you this was a small potatoes public access show. Al Davis was all about helping others; rewarding effort regardless of status..
Heard an interview with him from 2010. It was bizzare, the poor guy all he did was recite the percentages of victories of da RAIDERS..& explained in a strange way his "team of the decades" phrase. He sounded like he was on auto-pilot, in spite of talking to Gil Brandt, there was no conversation just a reading of stats in a way which for the most part favored the Raiders. Although he did admit da RAIDERS had slipped of late, kind of sad. It would have been more interesting to hear something besides something the PR flacks had written in his last interview.
I think Tim Kawakami should lay off the Al Davis tributes..one was enough. Its getting like Tim is doing soul searching for all he has written. It wasn't more then a couple of years ago he was the ripper of the Raiders org not over losing like the rest of us,it was PERSONAL..the Raider HQ was Looneyland (Like drafting McFadden,etc) and then capped it I thought with calling into question new owner Mark Davis sanity because as Kawakami wrote "It was a nutty for him to send me email once a month asking me why I talk about his dad".. Tim may be a changed man-his whole column avoids controversy now,and he seems to spend his time finding the "up and comers"..that's nice,but not what he did for a decade here. Oh well,I guess I shouldn't lay into him too much for the hypocrisy. He could announce tommorow he's got berry-berry disease,and then wouldn't I look like an ass?..
One of a kind.
His picture says it all!
ReplyDeleteLove him or hate his guts, his impact on the NFL (and American sports) in the last 50 years can never be in question. R.I.P. Al.
ReplyDeleteNFL icon. Just win, baby!
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine had an East Bay public access Cable TV sports program in the early 80's. He was an avid 49er fan so he tried getting a 49er to come on the show for an interview. The 49ers basically blew him off; told him to send a letter regarding the program blah blah. So he calls the Raiders, tells the guy on the phone a little about the show. Within 3 minutes he committed an Oakland Raider for the program. A few weeks later another Raider appeared. He found out later Al Davis paid those players for appearing. Mind you this was a small potatoes public access show. Al Davis was all about helping others; rewarding effort regardless of status..
ReplyDeleteHeard an interview with him from 2010. It was bizzare, the poor guy all he did was recite the percentages of victories of da RAIDERS..& explained in a strange way his "team of the decades" phrase. He sounded like he was on auto-pilot, in spite of talking to Gil Brandt, there was no conversation just a reading of stats in a way which for the most part favored the Raiders. Although he did admit da RAIDERS had slipped of late, kind of sad. It would have been more interesting to hear something besides something the PR flacks had written in his last interview.
ReplyDeleteremember all the naysayers about Plunkett to Marcus Allen???? Al knew better..boy did he..pure magic..rip.
ReplyDeleteI think Tim Kawakami should lay off the Al Davis tributes..one was enough. Its getting like Tim is doing soul searching for all he has written. It wasn't more then a couple of years ago he was the ripper of the Raiders org not over losing like the rest of us,it was PERSONAL..the Raider HQ was Looneyland (Like drafting McFadden,etc) and then capped it I thought with calling into question new owner Mark Davis sanity because as Kawakami wrote "It was a nutty for him to send me email once a month asking me why I talk about his dad"..
ReplyDeleteTim may be a changed man-his whole column avoids controversy now,and he seems to spend his time finding the "up and comers"..that's nice,but not what he did for a decade here.
Oh well,I guess I shouldn't lay into him too much for the hypocrisy. He could announce tommorow he's got berry-berry disease,and then wouldn't I look like an ass?..