Plenty of big-name NFL owners paid tribute on Tuesday to the late George Steinbrenner, the baseball owner to whom Raiders owner Al Davis is most often compared. Both born on the Fourth of July only one year apart, the team issued a statement on Wednesday in which Davis praised the late Yankees owner by breaking out one of the Raiders’ best-known catch phrases.
“He was a friend and a warrior,” Davis said. “We not only shared a birthday, but
also an unyielding will to win and an unparalleled commitment to
excellence.
“I judge sports figures based on individual achievement, team
achievement and contributions to the game. George was
right up there with me at No. 1 — bright, aggressive and, most of all,
not afraid.”
Wow. “Right up there with me.” Are we sure they weren’t Irish twins?
“When the Yankees were going through the lean times in the ’80s and
after we beat the Redskins in the Super Bowl in Tampa, George and I
would talk and I would pep him up,” Davis said. “Later on, he did the
same for me when Tampa beat us in the Super Bowl.”
Since then, the Raiders and the Yankees have gone in different directions. The best honor the Raiders could give Steinbrenner would be to make 2010 the year they finally get back to the postseason.
When the God father speaks, SHUT UP!, listen, and learn. All hail Al Davis! and all Hail THE RAIDER NATION!!!! Rip George
Get ready to eat crow Flowerio
Wow, Mike! Only one classes jab at the Raiders in your post. Must have been hard for you. It was a tribute post anyways, I guess you had to hold back. Good for you!
You may not want to admit it, but Al Davis has done a ton for the game to make it the number one American sport it is.
Glad to see the haters haven’t made it in yet. Without Mr. Davis, the NFL is nowhere near the #1 sport in America. The Super Bowl does not exist. Al Davis has always been a visionary and while his physical tools are starting to fail, his mind is as sharp as a blade’s edge. For any doubters, ask just about any Hall of Famer and he will be glad to inform you.
Glad to see the hatters haven’t made it in yet. Without Mr. Davis, the Oakland Raiders would be nowhere near the #1 laughingstock of pro football in America. The Super Bowl does not exist as a destination for the Raiders anymore, unless they buy tickets to the game. Al Davis has failed to be a visionary and while his physical tools are past the pale, his mind is as sharp as a butter knife. For any doubters, ask just about anyone how Al thought it was a good idea to not only draft JaMarcus Russell, but also prop him up for a few years.
Just finished watching Americas Game “Oakland Raiders” 1980. Al Davis is the man. It will be a sad, sad day for not only Raider Naton, But the NFL as well when he passes.
“For any doubters, ask just about any Hall of Famer and he will be glad to inform you.”
I don’t think Marcus Allen would agree with you…
Damn you, Florio. I’m a diehard Raider fan and can’t stand the way you always attack the Raiders and never praise them. You’re part of the inbred media elite that fails to see greatness of Raiders. How dare you fail to praise a team that has among the worst records in the NFL in the past 8 years? Or among the poorest drafts during the same period? Or one of the most shameful free agency stretches in memory ?
P.S. I bleed Sliver and Black. My loyalty, however, does not cause blindness. Wake up fellow Raider fans….your blind loyalty to Al Davis is an embarrassment to you and your children.
Yankees and Raiders are the most hated teams in Sports. atleast top2
Al Davis is a legend.
I mean without Al Davis, we are left with Jerry Jones, Snyder, Polin and all the crappy boring owners.
He is what Elvis was for Rock & Roll.
The Men
Yeah, “right up there with me.” Like it or not Florio, Al Davis has earned that sort of credibility – Steinbrenner and Davis were peers. Remember this, Davis has had chunks in his stool more significant to the NFL than you Mr. Florio.
@ Ijasfahted says: July 14, 2010 10:29 PM
______________
Refreshing post.
So there are actually Raider fans that are objective.
Al Davis is about as current as the music of Perry Como.
Only difference between Al and George was George knew when to call it quits and hand over control of the team, Al on the other hand just keeps driving his further and further into the ground.
Al Davis is simply paying his respects to his friend and this is not the time for you (Florio) to take a shot at him. Try to show some class.
it’s pretty simple for most, you’re not a Raiders fan if you think badly of Al Davis. Al Davis’ style is why I’m a Raiders fan and when he passes, so will the Real Oakland/LA Raiders.
No matter how badly he runs the team into the ground or back to greatness, the oakland Raiders are Al Davis.
The End.
Can we get a two for one?
# Ijasfahted says: July 14, 2010 10:29 PM
P.S. I bleed Sliver and Black. My loyalty, however, does not cause blindness. Wake up fellow Raider fans….your blind loyalty to Al Davis is an embarrassment to you and your children.
—————
You should be bleeding brown, because you’re full of crap. Most Raider fans aren’t blindly loyal to Davis. They merely give him credit for his body of work. You should do the same.
Gotta love it. He’s referencing the ’83 Superbowl. The Superbowl which was won on the back of Superbowl MVP Marcus Allen. Same Marcus Allen that was benched for like the last four years of his contract.
No, the best honor the Raiders could give Steinbrenner would be to not put Al and George in the same sentence.
Yes Florio, right up there with HIM. In fact, you could say Davis, Steinbrenner, Paul Brown, Connie Mack and Paul Halas, were all cut from the same fabric.
Al is classic. Vintage quote.
@Dave
Couldn’t have said it any better.
As for the kind words, here’s hoping Al can tell George in person before many more Raider’s seasons go down the old sh*tter.
Which goes to prove the old saying, “Only the almost completely evil die younger than the truly and hopelessly evil.”.
Again, Florio proves he’s the all-time greatest Douche Bag.
I told you yesterday you couldn’t go more than 10 days without Raider Hating. You gonna prove me right again?
Hey Florio, What have you ever accomplished? What will you be remembered for? NOTHING!!!
This season is truly Al’s last chance to prove he still has it. He knows it, we know, and everyone knows it. Here’s a little stat to display his dominance and futility over the 47 seasons he’s been in charge.
21 winning seasons in his first 23 years with the Raiders.
16 consecutive winning seasons
31 playoff games
19 playoff wins
15 champisonship games played in
7 afl, conference, and world championships
3 super bowls
Since 1986
7 winning seasons
12 playoff games
6 playoff wins
4 championship games played in
1 afc championship
0 super bowls
Al Davis is truly pathetic.
Al Davis, for a guy who supposedly ignores the media, never misses a chance to aggrandize himself.
ALL HAIL AL DAVIS!! JUST WIN BABY!!
http://WWW.WISESHOPPER247.COM(FREEINSQUOTESANDMORE)
I’m sure “The Boss” is now resting in peace knowing that the “Bumbling Idiot” in Oakland is by his side!
Al should give up that SB Ring from 1976-77 and give it to Sugar Bear Hamilton.
Just saying…
Well George must have been doing a lot of propping up of Al in recent years. Hey, that explains him looking like a puppet.
I love my team. Al Davis is…what he is and has become. He may do some really, really stupid things these days but the fact remains that he wants nothing more than to win – and for that I have to give respect (although it often is cause for all sorts of dread.) While that old bastard may be little more than a consistently fading legend, he’s still earned enough respect to say things like this.
Fact is: those who cannot do always find plenty of time to tear down those who not only can but HAVE done. So…hate on, haters. You’ll still never in your life know what greatness means. Better to have had and lost than to never have had at all. This will be all the more satisfying if the team turns it around – at least the One Nation will know they stuck by their team, you NEVER WAS flakes. Eat it!
Dave says:
July 14, 2010 11:02 PM
Only difference between Al and George was George knew when to call it quits and hand over control of the team, Al on the other hand just keeps driving his further and further into the ground.
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Actually, Old Al is starting to drive his team back up the mountain this year… watch and see…
Al then immediately signed George’s corpse to play defensive end, calling George “stout” and “unmoveable”.
Yeah, he’s right up there with you Al. In crazy la la land.
Although his supporters are right – Al is a big reason why the NFL came to be, even if he is no longer relevant.
its like a ageing player hanging on and making a fool of himself on the field when he should hang it up,thats Al Davis,hanging on way past his prime,when he can let other people run the show and he can enjoy the game, THATS THE DIFFERENCE IN HIM AND GEORGE ,george knew win to hang them up
If only Al was in Tampa last week, he could have bitten George and let him live forever. He just would have been able to only go to night games and no garlic on the calzones either, but you have to give a little to get a lot.
Al Davis is a crazy old coot
# forthelove says: July 14, 2010 11:43 PM
Gotta love it. He’s referencing the ’83 Superbowl. The Superbowl which was won on the back of Superbowl MVP Marcus Allen. Same Marcus Allen that was benched for like the last four years of his contract.
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Way to listen to the media like a sheeply stooge. Fact is, Allen wasn’t benched. He was moved to a 3rd down role and still got playing time. Despite what many like to believe, the guy wasn’t the best back on the team during those years. Yes, he and Al had their issues, but his playing time was reduced for more reasons than that.
PFT is trying to surpass BSPN as the mecca of Raider Hatred. Always have to take a jab or two at Al, or the raiders, while at the same time get out the knee pads for cheap owners like Kraft and Rooney.
Ant there is not a raider fan out there who knows the raiders have to beat the refs every single time they play…….and now even worse the booth upstairs.
Haha, well I’m sure Al Davis would love to not have a salary cap.
Cerberus says:
July 14, 2010 11:52 PM
Yes Florio, right up there with HIM. In fact, you could say Davis, Steinbrenner, Paul Brown, Connie Mack and Paul Halas, were all cut from the same fabric.
I can only assume you meant George Halas?
Al Davis couldn’t carry Steinbrenner’s jockstrap.
Al Davis was used by Lamar Hunt, who actually pulled the strings along with Pete Rozelle, to force the merger.
Al Davis has NEVER been able to get the Raiders a modern stadium.
When the Raiders were great, decades ago, Ron Wolf was the chief personnel guy.
Raiders757 says:
July 15, 2010 10:24 AM
……..
Way to listen to the media like a sheeply stooge. Fact is, Allen wasn’t benched. He was moved to a 3rd down role and still got playing time. Despite what many like to believe, the guy wasn’t the best back on the team during those years. Yes, he and Al had their issues, but his playing time was reduced for more reasons than that.
——————————————————–
Take the blindfolds off and get your facts straight. His first year after leaving the Raiders to play for the Chiefs, Marcus Allen was voted “Comeback Player of the Year”. Not because he made a comeback, but because he finally got to play again. AD stuck him in backup duty and largely benched him his final year so that Allen’s name wouldn’t be etched in every record book.
And who are these stud RBs that beat out Allen on the depth chart? Nick Bell and Napoleon McCallum? Please! Then AD brought in an aged Roger Craig (’91) and Eric Dickerson (’92) – who didn’t even do as good (in their one year each) with the Raiders as Allen did his first year with the Chiefs.
Get your facts straight. You’re talking to a Raider fan who knows his ish and isn’t blindfolded by success the Raiders had 30 years ago.
# forthelove says: July 15, 2010 4:31 PM
Raiders757 says:
July 15, 2010 10:24 AM
……..
Way to listen to the media like a sheeply stooge. Fact is, Allen wasn’t benched. He was moved to a 3rd down role and still got playing time. Despite what many like to believe, the guy wasn’t the best back on the team during those years. Yes, he and Al had their issues, but his playing time was reduced for more reasons than that.
——————– ——————– —————-
Take the blindfolds off and get your facts straight. His first year after leaving the Raiders to play for the Chiefs, Marcus Allen was voted “Comeback Player of the Year”. Not because he made a comeback, but because he finally got to play again. AD stuck him in backup duty and largely benched him his final year so that Allen’s name wouldn’t be etched in every record book.
And who are these stud RBs that beat out Allen on the depth chart? Nick Bell and Napoleon McCallum? Please! Then AD brought in an aged Roger Craig (’91) and Eric Dickerson (’92) – who didn’t even do as good (in their one year each) with the Raiders as Allen did his first year with the Chiefs.
Get your facts straight. You’re talking to a Raider fan who knows his ish and isn’t blindfolded by success the Raiders had 30 years ago.
___________________
I think he was speaking about Bo Jackson…Bo Jackson beat out Marcus Allen… Remember??
“MrSalamander says:
July 15, 2010 6:48 AM
I love my team. Al Davis is…what he is and has become. He may do some really, really stupid things these days but the fact remains that he wants nothing more than to win – and for that I have to give respect ”
If Al wants to win so badly, then he should know the game passed him by long ago and he should yield the reins to others. A good owner can be involved but cannot undermine his coaches.
# Tabdanger says: July 15, 2010 6:41 PM
I think he was speaking about Bo Jackson…Bo Jackson beat out Marcus Allen… Remember??
Davis never seemed to care much for Allen. Didn’t like his attitude, I think. After a game against the Eagles when the Raiders were just moving the ball to the left hash for a field goal try, Marcus coughed it up, and it was returned for a score. Davis came into the locker room and called him a fumbling f**k, or a f**king fumbler, something like that. No love lost there. He sat Allen, made him block for Bo, and farted in his general direction. Allen was damn pretty in that Super Bowl against the Redskins, though, even if Theismann did hand them the win.
hey tabdanger, remind me when bo beat out marcus please? bo played 4 years, his first 2 he was a fb, rushed for less yards than marcus, was never a threat receiving in his career. his last 2 years he rushed for more yards than marcus. in one year allen played 8 games and got outrushed by @700 yards. bo’s 4th year marcus got outrushed by 16 yards.
and to the ‘error’, al loves people who win and can play, that is pretty obvious. but he will also screw you over if he doesnt like you. marcus fit the bill on both accounts, just at different points in his career
and at you again ‘error’, theismann handed them the game? getting stomped 38-9? really? please, next time you comment make sure your submission doesnt have any errors
@Tabdanger – “I think he was speaking about Bo Jackson…Bo Jackson beat out Marcus Allen… Remember??”
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Bo wasn’t even there for the final year’s of Allen’s tenure in LA. Those were the years Allen was relegated to backup. Check the stats for the years before that, they mostly split duties. If you watched the games you’d remeber Allen’s final years in LA he rode the bench even though he still had it in him. Much respect to him though, he took it like a professional. Gave it back to us every chance he got once he played for KC, too.
@justthefacts – the year Allen played 8 games (’89) was the year he got injured.
comment_submission_error says: July 15, 2010 7:58 PM
…………Allen was damn pretty in that Super Bowl against the Redskins, though, even if Theismann did hand them the win.
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Yeah good point. Allen racked up >200 all purpose yards that game. Theismann just couldn’t make a tackle.
bottom line mike, Your still pissed the raiders knocked your steelers out of the playoffs. And guess what the raiders will dominate the FC and your steelers again this year. L DAVI IS A LEGEND! He made the NFL. If it wasnt for King Davis You wouldnt even have a job right now. So remember that next time you bash the greatest Sports team in History!