Thoughts on Al Davis - The Raiders Great Man
It has been a couple of weeks sense Al Davis passed away. It has given me some time to think about it and put my thoughts in perspective.
Oddly enough the Saturday Night before he died I was talking football with a friend and he joked with me that because Al Davis's mother was alive and over 100 we would probably be stuck with Al in charge of the Raiders for some time.
Although when a person dies it is typical to remember the good and forget the bad. Truly Al Davis was a man of mixed emotions.
He took a beloved local team to LA and back. In my opinion the Raider Fans sense the return of of a different character than those from before he left. Before they were true fans, now I often thing they are just a gang looking for a cause (this is a big generalization as I know there are a great number of true fans out there).
Although a Football Genius at one time he also stuck us with an offense stuck in the 1960's and losers such as Marcus Russel. He was slow to admit mistakes.
He did give as the AFL and is largely responsible for the modern NFL we know and love. He truely loved the game of Football and did all he could to promote it. Certainly Football has in turn had a huge impact on American Culture.
People talk about how Al Davis promoted women, blacks and Hispanics; and this is all true. But I don't think Al saw himself as promoting women, black and Hispanics so much as he saw himself getting the best people for the job and not letting things like race and sex get in the way.
My dad once told me that one reason the Raiders were so good in the 60's and 70's is that they would go to Black Colleges and recruit where other NFL teams would not go. He helped move an All Star Game out of Houston because Black Players faced discrimination at Hotel Rooms. He also took on Black Players that were deemed militant by other NFL teams.
However, this was not affirmative action - quotas on Al's part. If a person could not do a job they did not have a job (Art Shell).
I think his greatness is bigger than the mistakes he may have made.
As I have studied history I find all great men also have great flaws. As time passes we often forget or over look the flaws and focus on the greatness. I already see this happening with Al Davis and he deserves the praise he is getting.
Home Point Real Estate works with Home Buyers, Home Sellers, and Investors in East Contra Costa County and Beyond.
East Contra Costa County includes Brentwood, Antioch, Oakley, Pittsburg, Bay Point, Discovery Bay, Bethel Island, Knightsen and Byron.
Home Point Real Estate Works with Buyers, Sellers, and Real Estate Investors.
Right now is one of the Best Times to Invest in Real Estate – Click here for the Free Book of Real Estate Investing.
Find out the 19 Things You Need to Know to Short Sale Your Home or What do you need to Know to Buy a Short Sale Home.
Get all the information you need on Bank Owned Homes.
Free On-Line Home Evaluations!
Search Homes on Line Now! Let us know what you want in a home and we will send you the information you need and a List of Homes by E-mail
Lic # 01492725
Subscribe to Gene Riemenschneider's East Contra Costa Home Blog by Email
