How Mark Davis Screwed Over Greg Papa with $500K Raiders' Broadcast Gig; Papa 'Lifer' Position with Al Davis Ultimately 86ed; Musburger Hire Ultimate Middle Finger to Eastbay Fans; 415 Media Broadcast Inside Analysis

Mark Davis

NOW EX-RAIDERS BROADCASTER, Greg Papa --replaced by the young and ebullient  79 year-old Brent Musburger-- was aced out of his gig by Mark Davis, the imbecile managing partner who's been battling Papa for over a decade.

As I reported here, Papa was beloved by the late Al Davis; Mark's father had a quasi "Raider lifer" arrangement with Papa that was essentially broken by the petulant younger son.

Papa was so close to Al that at one point senior Davis had considered giving him a non-broadcast, football-oriented job to Papa because he thought highly of Pop's football intellect. It never materialized because Papa was clearly not qualified.

The broadcast booth was another story. Papa thought all along that once the team was headed to Vegas he would have the green light to join them even though he'd been battling several personal issues of late including a divorce, a case of severe vertigo and his ongoing argument with Mark Davis. Papa didn't really want Vegas; sure, like Bill King, the late, great Eastbay broadcaster, took the LA gig because, like Vegas, it's only an hour plane ride from the Bay Area, and he could still handle his A's duties and be near the Raiders. Of course Al Davis was alive back then and like Papa, loved Bill King and wanted him to remain with the organization.

Greg Papa

Mark Davis and Greg Papa were another story. Mark had no love for Papa; hated him. Papa didn't have any respect and detested the younger Davis. In fact, Papa used to tell Raiders' officials behind the scenes that Mark was an unintelligent fool. I'm paraphrasing but it was, and is, the truth.

And now with the hiring of Musburger Davis has effectively won the power play over Papa. And now Papa is out; how big a gig? Papa was paid nearly $500,000 a year to broadcast Raiders' games. For a guy like Papa with a lot of overhead that's a lot of money to suddenly kiss goodbye.

Brent Musburger

So now Davis has once again given a middle finger to Oakland fans with the hiring of the antiseptic and old Musburger and the heave-ho of one of the team's most legendary broadcasters. The Black Hole and Eastbay broadcast scene is mourning and Greg Papa is no longer a "Raider lifer." Mark Davis ultimately sacked the last remnant of authentic, Oakland Raider radio.