When I was a weee lad, about 7 years old, I had a 5 foot plush columbia blue snake thing. At that point I did not understand why he was not good, I just liked him 'cause snakes were cool. He was cool. All our moms thought he was cool.
Kenny & his family & friends will be in my thoughts & prayers. I learned to hate him during his 1st 2 years as the Raiders starter when he player the Chiefs with Len Dawson & Hank Stram (ex Boilermakers). Then I learned to love his as an Oiler. Loved the references to the differences in the huddle with Snake's alcoholic breath & Giff's milk mustache. On a personal note, Kenny died at the age of 69 on the day I turned 69. 69 is awfully young to die.
I don't know if Ken Stabler-types would be tolerated by modern NFL coaches. A lot less room for personal initiative and play-calling (as Bernie Kosar learned from Bill Belichick) and perhaps a little more scrutiny regarding drugs and alcohol by GMs, the league and press as a whole. On the flip side, had he been drafted in the first round, he wouldn't have held out for an eight-figure signing bonus or to be traded to the team of his choice. Funny that he and Namath probably gave Bear Bryant heatburn between both their partying and Joe's fighting with other players about integration. McMahon was probably the last guy who could maintain that lifestyle and still win on Sundays.
Sadly, the only thing I really remember about Stabler was that him getting traded to Houston was the beginning of the end of Luv Ya Blue.
As a Steelers fan growing up in the 70s, I despised Kenny Stabler and the Raiders but appreciated what he accomplished. Anyone else remember his 30-yard TD run against the Steelers with a minute left before the "Immaculate Reception"? That was before his knees went bad.
