RIP Gene Upshaw

[pawpaw]

j_rud, you're right about draft/internal development first, free agency to supplement - I certainly won't argue with you about that. I think that JaMarcus Russell may prove to be a worthy pick, and he certainly filled a need on the team. Darren McFadden, while an exciting prospect, shows Al's weakness for offensive speed. They could've used that pick on their defensive secondary or to shore up the offensive line. The Raiders should take a cue from their Coliseum stadium-mates, the A's, and follow Billy Bean's lead.

Look, I'm a Raiders fan, and we've had some hard years. We've known for a long time the way Al operates, and up until 5 years ago, it worked pretty well. I will say though, I'm optimistic about this year. If Russell can continue to improve, and Al lets coach Kiffin do his job, I see the start of good times again in Oakland.

I feel bad for Raider fans. Davis just cant help but meddle in aspects of the game that have just passed him by. Thats what I love about the Mara and Tisch families (Giants owners): they ask to be kept informed of team and personnel matter but interfere in no way. Jerry Reese has been given the wheel and they let him steer the ship. Its worked out alright recently, with 3 straight playoff appearancs, a division title, conference title, and Super Bowl title.

Speaking of football, and since this is an MMJ board, how insane is this 3 day span: MMJ in DC Wednesday, Giants opener Thursday against the 'Skins, MMJ in Philly Friday.  Thats going to be EPIC ;D

That is an epic three days!

Check out the attached article on Al Davis (then check out the whole site, it's pretty cool): http://www.oaklandish.org/TALES/davis/index.html

"This makes Davis the last practitioner of a classical style of sports management you might call personality-driven football. As perfected by Paul Brown of the Cincinnati Bengals and George Halas of the Chicago Bears, personality-driven football is the psychological joining of owner and team. Davis flouted league decorum in the front office; the Raiders flouted it on the field. But in the new N.F.L. — which, in his charmingly out-of-time way, Davis has likened to I.B.M. — teams tend to be owned by captains of industry and are no more an extension of their owners' personalities than their fast-food franchises or theme parks or used-car empires. Davis, on the other hand, has no other business. "We're not a club where the owner was in the widget business," says Amy Trask, the Raiders' C.E.O. Davis pours everything he has into the Raiders."

Now, this style of running a team puts a lot of faith in your owner, and for a long time, Al's way worked (winningest team from '63 to '02). At the end of those unprecedented four decades, Al ran Gruden out of town, we lost in the Super Bowl to Gruden's Bucs the following season, and we've been in a Davis-ego-induced-tailspin ever since.

It amazes me to see the blind trust and adoration that SO many Raiders fans still give Al Davis. I personally can't wait until he steps down, and while I certainly don't wish him dead, I think that's the only way he'll ever give up control of his team. But Al loves the Raiders, and with his old-school, 25 years too late mentaility, he does what he thinks he should do to help them win...and you're right, it hasn't amounted to much recently.

(cue "The Autumn Wind")

But we'll be back...