My Rant on Al Davis - Commitment to Arrogance

Once upon a time, Al Davis was a symbol of the Raiders' legendary greatness. It was in these days that fans could use phrases like "Just Win, Baby" and "Commitment to Excellence" without everyone within earshot erupting into fits of laughter.

Those days are obviously long gone. And the reason for the Raiders' decline, ironically enough, is also Al Davis. As if anyone had doubted it, the 2006 season confirmed this sad fact. Rob Ryan had finally built up one of the League's top defenses, and yet the offense couldn't even average a touchdown per game.

Now, you can blame it on the painfully uncoordinated line, the "stop, drop, and roll" tactics of the QBs, or the butterfingered receivers. You can blame it on bad attitudes, Art Shell, or innkeepers. But the fact of the matter is that last year's pitiful excuse for an offense was orchestrated by Mr. Davis himself. In the Raider organization, every draft pick, free agency acquisition, trade, and coaching hire goes through him - and he just can't stop making all the wrong decisions.


This is all because Al Davis is a sad, arrogant old man. He believes that because he has succeeded by doing things his way once or twice in the past, he will eventually succeed again by doing everything exactly the same way. And if it doesn't work? Well, he fires someone. He points his bony little finger at Turner, Shell (twice), or Lombardi, ignoring the fact that they had only been acting as his puppets all along.

You may be wondering where the hell this is coming from. Well, I am simply frustrated and outraged by the latest mistake being made by this creepy, neurotic, corpse of a man. Jamarcus Russell, a young quarterback with a real "laser rocket arm", is the only 1st round pick that still hasn't signed.

And (anyone noticing a pattern here?) it's all Al Davis's fault. Rather than taking a talented young quarterback, showing him that the team wants to invest its time, money, and energy in him, and proving to him that maybe one day the Raiders offense won't play like a bunch of 8-year-old girls, he gives Jamarcus and his agents the "my way or the highway" bit. Oh, and if you don't sign, we'll just bring in Daunte Culpepper. Because we've done really well in the past with former Vikings stars.

Al Davis's inability to compromise, admit to his outdated methods, and relinquish at least some of his power to the coaching and personnel staff will continue to plague this team until he is out of the picture. I would love to be optimistic about 2007, but no matter what kind of talent is dressed in Silver and Black on the offensive side of the ball this year, Mr. Davis will find a way to make them fail miserably.