Al Davis

It was at the last Raiders home game where that looked like a blunt.

He confirmed it lol

Thought this was an interesting piece of Chiefs Raiders history that many may not know.

Link: /www.sfgate.com/raiders/tafur/amp/Al-Davis-A-heart-as-big-as-anyone-I-ve-ever-2326559.php?client=safari (mobile sorry)

Quote from 06/04 presser: “You know, often times you find that different teams do it different ways. I, on one hand, believe in it because of the fact that these men, whatever level, obviously there are no pro coaches here, but colleges, high schools, I think it’s incumbent upon us to give these guys an opportunity to come in and kind of see how we do, what we do. I was a young coach in 1981 I think it might have been. I used to go visit pro teams during the summer. Some pro teams wouldn’t let you in. One team that I had heard would let me in was the Oakland Raiders. I called, Al Davis let me come in and he spent three days with me. He walked around with me personally. I was coaching the defensive backs at that time trying to find out about bump-and-run coverage. There were two teams that were playing great bump-and-run coverage in the pros – Kansas City Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders. You had Lester (Hayes) on the corner out there and Mike Haynes and all those guys that played well. I think Jack Stanton might have been the secondary coach, but he took time with me, walked me around at practice. He never left my side at practice. We’d walk over there with drill work, go through it and at night time he’d come back in at night and he and I would watch film from 10 o’clock at night until the wee hours of the morning. Go back to the hotel, get some sleep, come back and do it all over again. Three days in a row, and this was a guy who was running the whole operation. So, from that experience I really believe in allowing guys to come in and see what we do. I think that’s the way it should be. It helped me out tremendously in my career.”

edit*** I guess reads reddit. Sup bro.

Al Davis liked certain types of players on the field including guys who were constantly in trouble on and off the field and WRs with a lot of speed or other workout warriors. What current players fit that mold?

I can't pull up the exact link. Twitter is blocked at work. If someone leaves the link in the comments I can edit it into the post.

I realize the immense irony of a Pats fan posting this, but it's the offseason and this topic warrants some interest from .

edit: seasons* title error

We saw Al's son post about his journal entries. Translated them for readability and some more history about this amazing man. Awarded the DFC at only 19 years old. Truly the greatest generation.

"Albert was the waist gunner on the Thomas E Murphy crew, who went to England in the 100th original cadre. Al’s pilot, Ole’ Murph, as he was called, was a well loved by all and his crew went through a lot together. Al had flown two missions on another crew and had completed his missions and was on leave in London when Murphy decided to fly the Bremen mission on the 8th of October; he was killed along with the CP, and the crew became POWs. They flew one of the 8th's famous aircraft, “Piccadilly Lily”.

Al was heartbroken by the loss, and 60-plus years later, he still had tears in his eyes when he talked about his crew and his pilot. Al continued to serve in the military for 37 years, retiring from the Air National Guard in 1984. His list of medals is long and distinguished. He married the love of his life, Adonna. They were married 44 years until her death. He was proud of his service to his country and the 100th. We will miss his laugh and spontaneity."

Journal entries from AL translated with AI

History from 100th bomb group foundation. He was on leave in London for completing 25 missions during the raid to Bremen we saw in Episode 4.

ALBERT DAVIS AND EMMETT EVANS, HAVING COMPLETED TOURS, WAS REPLACED ON THE 8 OCT 43 BREMEN MISSION BY DERRELL PIEL (ROG OF CREW #26) AND ELDER DICKERSON, THE REGULAR WG OF CREW #25.

BOTH PIEL AND DICKERSON (ON HIS 25TH MISSION) WERE KILLED BY FLAK. JARVIS'S PLACE IN THE BALL TURRET WAS TAKEN BY S/SGT REED A. HUFFORD, WHO BECAME A POW. MICHAIL ROTZ, HAVING BEEN HOSPITALIZED FROM INJURIES SUSTAINED IN A JEEP/TRUCK ACCIDENT WAS REPLACED BY S/SGT AARON A. DAVID, WHO WAS KILLED. THERE IS CONFUSION AS TO WHETHER DAVID WAS BLOWN OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT A CHUTE OR HIS CHUTE FAILED TO OPEN.

THIS CREW LED THE 100TH ON THE MISSION TO BREMEN AND CAPT ALVIN L. BARKER. 351ST OPERATIONS OFFICER, FLEW IN THE RIGHT SEAT. MARSHALL LEE THE REGULAR CO-PILOT FLEW AS BTG TO ISSUE REPORTS TO MURPHY AND BARKER. LEE WAS APPARENTLY KILLED AFTER LEAVING THE BALL TURRET IN HOPES OF RENDERING AID TO THE TWO PILOTS, BOTH OF WHOM WERE ALSO KILLED.

SOON AFTER BOMB RELEASE THE PICCADILLY LILY WAS HIT BY FLAK NEAR THE NAVIGATORS STATION CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FLIGHT DECK AREA AS WELL. THIS SHELL OR OTHERS STARTED A FIRE IN THE #3 ENGINE AND DESTROYED THE SHIPS OXYGEN SYSTEM. WITNESSES INDICATE THE LILY ENTERED A NEAR VERTICAL NOSE-DOWN ALTITUDE AND EXPLODED WITH ONLY FOUR CHUTES OBSERVED.

In memory of Al and all these great men.

I saw an advertisement for an upcoming 30 for 30 called Al Davis vs the NFL. It is from a bygone era. But could we ever see an owner who fights with the league itself? Who does things his or her own way? Or is the NFL's brand too much about cohesion between franchises to allow this? Would such an owner be good or bad for the NFL?