Not enough available brains to eat? http://news.yahoo.com/photos/file-jan-18-2011-file-photo-oakland-raiders-photo-150504046.html
Basically the Steve Jobs of the NFL, master innovator... complete a-hole when he needed to be, always a step ahead until about 2003 when the game finally passed him by. Thanks for the legacy Al, your last great decision was hiring Hue Jackson.
Man, people don't realize how much of a G you guy Al Davis was. As hardcore an owner and a businessman as the NFL has ever seen. The ridicule(some brought on by him) over the latter years of his reign in Oakland was unfortunate so hopefully folks remember the good he did for the NFL.
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I always remember everything Al Davis was to the AFL and then the NFL. He took the fledgling AFL and as commissioner his maverick style of trying to lure NFL Players over to the AFL with big contracts made the eventual merger a necessity. The guy loved football more than any of us. Forgot more about football than any of us. The only person to work as personnel assistant, scout, assistant coach, head coach, general manager, commissioner, team owner/CEO. I know sometimes during the Norv Turner, Kerry Collins, Lane Kiffin, Jamarcus, DHB days I would often tastelessly wish for this day to come. Now that it is here, I just kind of feel like the Raiders aren't the Raiders anymore.
Oh, oh - the Raiders are now going to be good again. Sorry for the crass remark but Al should have retired over 10 years ago. Nonetheless, he was a true legend and innovator and he did do things his way even if that meant it was comically inept (to the delight of fans of the other AFC West teams). RIP, Al.
I like this short write-up on him http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/08/al-davis-did-it-his-way/ If only he'd stepped away after the Gruden or Callahan period.
1. Pretty sure the Texans are in for a serious challenge now. 2. I hope his family has the ability to keep the team or not get burned on the taxes.
i don't think al davis owns most of the team, not even a large pct, i think he's just the general partner
Yeah I believe CaseyH is correct. Prior to 2005 I think you'd have been correct. He was the general partner with full or complete voting rights and owned a majority stake post 2005. I figure Moe's can correct if wrong, or whomever knows a bit more about the Raiders.
RIP Al. I don't think my generation will ever fully grasp the impact he had on making the NFL what it is today.
yeah, wiki confirms that, since 2005 he's been the majority owner. it says he sold 150 Million of share in 07 but i believe that doesn't decrease your share that much in today's values of nfl franchises.
