"Al Davis must die"

[Fricke-on-Fox]

I said that. On the air. National radio. More than once.

Sadly, I also mean it.

What I said exactly was "the Raiders will not be competitive again until Al Davis dies".

Now I do not wish Al Davis dead, I have only had passing professional interchanges with him, mostly just post-game or press box and it's been awhile since that has happened.

It's too obvious that Al is the problem with the Raiders. There have been reports out of bay area newspapers that there might be a coup being planned within the Raiders organization, an attempt to overthrow the king.

Now the NFL needs to step in.

Al Davis is an anti-hero to many football fans. A man who stood alone in taking on the league in the 1980's and beating them in court to prove that he as an owner has the right to run his franchise as he sees fit and not as a pawn of the league at large.

He was a solid coach, a man who built himself into one of the most powerful people in sports by working his way up through the ranks. His story is remarkable.

But he is also, for lack of a better term, whacked out of his mind.

So much so NFL commissioner Roger Goodell needs to invoke whatever is within his power to try and force Davis from his majority role with the Raiders and allow the minority partners the power to overthrow him and allow the franchise to flourish again.

Because, it will not with Davis at the helm. Worse, this man who built a spors dynasty is going to be remembered not for his greatness but for his insanity. Very sad.

His calling out of Lane Kiffin in the news conference, showing the media the internal letter - that act alone (aside from the 100's of others he has done over the past 5 seasons and more) should give the league all it needs to do what it needs in the best interest of the NFL.

It's one thing to be so whacked as to say publicly (paraphrasing) that "Jamarcus Russell is a great player" - something only Al and JR's mom believe and the other 6-billion of us? Not so much.

It's another to do what Davis did to begin with. This should be a move that triggers a masssive fine and suspension from the league. Of course the league won't do any of this because the commish serves at the behest of the owners and no other owner is about to take on Al Davis (for fear that he could be the next target).

Lane Kiffin will sue and he will win. He will also have multiple opportunities to succeed in the game. He is just the next version of Mike Shanahan. The similarities are spooky.. both fired w/o pay for 'cause' for lying when they were 1-3 after game-4 of the season.

Davis was always his own bird but now he's gone entirely batty. The news conference was one of the worst moves by an owner or administrator in the history of sports. It was truly despeciable.

Al Davis is the responsible party for the downfall of the Raiders and worse he is the impediment to its return to any sense of pride let alone success.

Raiders fans need a new mantra... "Just leave baby" might be a good one, but Davis won't leave. Ever. Well 'ever' being the date he dies.

To watch a great man melt down into this kind of mania is hard to witness.

Al Davis is a car wreck happening in not-so-slow-motion.

Lane Kiffin will be fine.. he is no longer tied to the madness of King Al.

The fall of the House of Davis can be traced to one man and one reason. Raiders fans must now know the only thing they can do is wait. Wait for the end to come.

This franchise will not be competitive or respected until the eulogy is read for a man who once earned respect from those who both loved and hated him. Now is he is just laughed at.

I can stop saying that the Raiders will get good againe once Al dies. Because that cutting edge and - correct - statement is now an obvious one.

Harsh? Yes. True? Sadly.

[HoosierTJ]

The guy is a total loon. Does he know how we all laugh at him?

[bobmerc]

The whole problem is that Al DOESN'T CARE what anybody thinks of him...this whole scenario with Kiff was a set-up slanderous joke. You don't drag in-house business out in front of the press. I thought he was an a*s*s* for letting Gruden go even though he got very well compensated for it from Tampa Bay...but Gruden ended up hoisting the hardware in the end...against the very team who gave up on him. That must have felt so good for Gruden!

[Robert]

I feel bad that I actually rooted for the Raiders during that Super Bowl...but now I know more about Al Davis I regret doing so...and wish I had pulled for the Bucs.

Al Davis might as well just coach the team himself. The Head Coach is only an assistant coach on the field anyways...it wouldn't make a bit of difference.

I honestly think deep down Al Davis would rather coach the team himself, anyways. Lest we not forget he did for a few years back in the 60's before becoming AFL Commish. He'll just fire every coach every other year until he dies.

[Ackos]

"the Raiders will not be competitive again until Al Davis dies".

Harsh but true.

[CrnhskrBob]

I have only seen one person stick up for Al. Forget her name, but she is on "First Take" (espn) once in a while. She is the black (journalist) gal. She is so gullible, she believes the entire, concocted letter by Davis that he read on tv!

[jikastew]

Al Davis is directly responsible for the Callahan fiasco at Nebraska.

[Raider Fan Howard]

Al go into the light the light is good plz just go Why wont you go you love torturing me and my team dont you are a selfish S.O.B

[freakfan]

Originally Posted by Raider Fan Howard

Al go into the light the light is good plz just go Why wont you go you love torturing me and my team dont you are a selfish S.O.B

you know its bad when raiders fans are now rooting for the same thing. this guy built a dynasty and is now set on destroying it.

we all bitch and moan when athletes overstay their welcome and get remember too much for the end of their careers and not the best of times...

davis is doing that. which is a shame really. he will be inducted into the HOF but what will younger fans think when they see that? Why is the nutball who drove the raiders into extinction being honored????

[PewterPower]

Al Davis is a classic case of a once-savvy individual suffering a fatal overdose of his own ego.
He hires coaches, the bristles when they don't shuffle along and say, "Yessir, Mr. Davis. Absolutely, Mr. Davis. Whatever you say, Mr. Davis" to every single aspect of the football team.
He hires Lane Kiffin, a quality coach who made some mistakes in the learning process at the NFL level, then runs him off and tries to weasel out of paying him.
I guess the pursuit of excellence doesn't include honoring your word.
He can't even look in the mirror and see who's truly at fault. Look at the record of coaches he's had since he fired Flores. There were some disasters (Art Shell Mach II) and when he did have good coaches (Shanahan, Gruden), he ran them off.
Sadly for Raider fans, I have to agree. Until Davis dies of natural causes or becomes completely incapacitated, the same old circus will continue.
Somehow, it doesn't seem fair that in the same week Paul Newman, who personified class and cool, dies and Al Davis is still around to have that weasel-ish press conference where he threw Kiffin under the bus, then drove the bus over him repeatedly.