| Al Davis | |
|---|---|
 Al Davis (right) with Ed McGah and F. Wayne Valley in 1968 |
|
| Date of birth | July 4, 1929 |
| Place of birth |  Brockton, Massachusetts |
| Position(s) | Owner Head Coach General Manager Commissioner |
| College | Syracuse |
| Career Highlights | |
| Career Record | 23-16-3 |
| Super Bowl Wins |
1976 Super Bowl XI 1980 Super Bowl XV 1983 Super Bowl XVIII |
| Championships Won |
1967 AFL Championship 1976 AFC Championship 1980 AFC Championship 1983 AFC Championship 2002 AFC Championship |
| Stats | |
| Coaching Stats | Pro Football Reference |
| Coaching Stats | DatabaseFootball |
| Team(s) as a coach/administrator | |
| 1963-1965 1966 1966-1969 1970-Present |
AFL Oakland Raiders AFL Commissioner AFL Oakland Raiders NFL Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders |
| Pro Football Hall of Fame, 1992 | |
Allen "Al" Davis (born July 4, 1929 in Brockton, Massachusetts) is an American football executive, who currently serves as the owner (formal title: President and General Managing Partner) of the NFL's Oakland Raiders. Events 836 - Pactum Sicardi, peace between the Principality of Benevento and the Duchy of Naples Year 1929 ( MCMXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Brockton is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with Corporate titles are titles conferred on individuals as a means of identifying their function in the Organization. The National Football League ( NFL) is the largest professional American football league. The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in the city of Oakland California.
Contents |
Biography
Born into a wealthy Jewish family,[1][2][3] Davis grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and attended Erasmus Hall High School. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Erasmus Hall Campus High School is a three-year Public high school in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, operated as part of the New [4]
He attended Syracuse University, where he played baseball and football. Syracuse University (SU is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York. Upon graduation, he began his coaching career as the line coach at Adelphi College from 1950 to 1951. Adelphi University is a private Nonsectarian university located in Garden City, in Nassau County New York. Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January From there Davis served as the head coach of the U. S. Army team at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia from 1952 to 1953. Fort Belvoir is a United States military installation and a Census-designated place (CDP in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. His next coaching assignment was as the line coach and chief recruiter for The Citadel. History On December 20, 1842, the South Carolina Legislature passed an act establishing the South Carolina Military Academy with the original mission From 1957 to 1959 Davis was a line coach at the University of Southern California. Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The University of Southern California (commonly referred to as USC, SC, Southern California, and incorrectly
Davis' first coaching experience in professional football came as the offensive end coach of the Los Angeles Chargers from 1960 to 1962. The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego California. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In 1963, at the age of 33, and known then and now for his slicked-back hair, Brooklyn-tinged speech, dark glasses and ferocious competitiveness , Davis became the head coach and general manager of the AFL's Oakland Raiders. Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Note There were three earlier and unrelated major American professional football leagues of the same name One in 1926, one in 1936-1937 and one in 1940-1941 The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in the city of Oakland California. He was the youngest person in the history of professional football to hold these positions. Prior to Davis' arrival, the Raiders had compiled a 9-33 record in their first three years of existence. Davis led the team to a 10-4 record in 1963 and was unanimously named the American Football League Coach of the Year.
Davis compiled a coaching record of 23-16-3 in three seasons as head coach in Oakland. In April 1966 he was named the American Football League Commissioner. Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. Note There were three earlier and unrelated major American professional football leagues of the same name One in 1926, one in 1936-1937 and one in 1940-1941 He immediately commenced an aggressive campaign against the NFL and signed several of the NFL's top players to AFL contracts. Other AFL owners held secret meetings with the NFL, and in July the AFL and NFL announced that they were merging. The AFL-NFL merger of 1970 was the merger of the two major professional American football leagues Because of the compensation AFL teams were required to pay the NFL, and because he believed the AFL would be the superior league if allowed to remain separate, Davis was against the merger. He chose to return to the Raiders as general partner and head of football operations (along with seven other co-owners), rather than remain as commissioner until the end of the AFL in 1970. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
Once he rejoined the Raiders organization, Davis ruthlessly attempted to gain power within the club. In 1972, while managing general partner Wayne Valley was attending the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Davis drafted a revised partnership agreement that gave him near-total control of team operations. Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. F Wayne Valley (1914-1986 was an American Businessman philanthropist and football player The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event held in Munich, in what was Munich (München; Minga is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. Valley sued to overturn the agreement once he returned to the country, but was unsuccessful. Valley sold his interest in 1976, and no other partners have had any role in running the club since. Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. This was despite the fact that Davis didn't acquire a majority interest in the Raiders until 2005, when he bought the shares held by the family of Ed McGah, the team's last original general partner. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He now owns approximately 67 percent of the interests in the partnership through his company, A. D. Football, Inc. In addition to serving as owner, Davis effectively serves as his own general manager.
With Davis in control, the Raiders became one of the most successful teams in all of professional sports. From 1967 to 1985 the team won 13 division championships, one AFL championship (1967), three Super Bowls (XI, XV, & XVIII) and made 15 playoff appearances. Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) professional American football, the Super Bowl is the Championship game of the National Football League (NFL Super Bowl XI was an American football game played on January 9, 1977 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena California to decide the Super Bowl XV was an American football game played on January 25, 1981 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans Louisiana to Super Bowl XVIII was an American football game that was played on January 22, 1984 at Tampa Stadium in Tampa Florida to decide Though the team's fortunes haven't been as great in recent years, the Raiders are the only team other than the Pittsburgh Steelers to play in the Super Bowl in 4 different decades. Along with appearing in 5 Super Bowls, the Raiders have also played in their Conference/League Championship Game in every decade since their inception.
In 1992 Davis was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a Team and League Administrator, and was presented by John Madden. Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the Hall of fame of the National Football League (NFL John Earl Madden (born April 10, 1936) is a former National Football League player a former head coach with the Oakland Raiders, a football Davis has been chosen by a record nine Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees to present them at the Canton, Ohio ceremony: Lance Alworth, Jim Otto, George Blanda, Willie Brown, Gene Upshaw, Fred Biletnikoff, Art Shell, Ted Hendricks, and John Madden. Lance Dwight Alworth (born August 3, 1940) is a former American football Wide receiver. James Edwin Otto (born January 5, 1938 in Wausau Wisconsin) is a former American football center for the Oakland Raiders of the George "The Fossil" Blanda (born September 17 1927, Youngwood Pennsylvania) is a former American football Placekicker and William Ferdie Brown (Born December 2, 1940, in Yazoo City Mississippi) is a retired American Football Cornerback and is currently Eugene Thurman Upshaw Jr (aka Uptown Gene ( August 15, 1945 – August 20, 2008) was an American football player for the Frederick S Biletnikoff (born February 23, 1943) is a former American football Wide receiver and coach Arthur "Art" Shell (born November 26, 1946) is a former American football player in the National Football League (NFL and two-time Theodore (Ted Paul Hendricks (born November 1, 1947) is a former American football Linebacker who logged 15 seasons for the 1969 to 1973
Davis is also credited for the catchphrases "Just win, baby!", "Commitment to Excellence", "The Will to Win","The Greatness of The Raiders" and "Pride and Poise".
Davis is known for judging his employees by their ability to win, rather than skin color. For example, he hired the first Latino head coach in NFL history, Tom Flores, in 1979. Thomas R "Tom" Flores (born March 21, 1937 in Fresno California) is a retired American football Quarterback and coach Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) In 1989, he hired the first African American head coach in league history, Art Shell. Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa Arthur "Art" Shell (born November 26, 1946) is a former American football player in the National Football League (NFL and two-time He has also placed a woman, Amy Trask, as president of the club, in a far higher position than any other NFL owner or executive has placed a woman.
Legal battles
Davis has long been considered one of the most controversial owners in the NFL and has been involved in multiple lawsuits involving Los Angeles, Oakland, Irwindale and the NFL. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Oakland (ˈoʊklənd founded in 1852 is the eighth-largest city in the U Irwindale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The National Football League ( NFL) is the largest professional American football league. In 1980 he attempted to move the Raiders to Los Angeles but was blocked by a court injunction. Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) In response Davis filed an anti-trust lawsuit against the NFL. In June 1982 a federal district court ruled in Davis' favor and the team officially relocated to Los Angeles for the 1982 NFL season. Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) When the upstart United States Football League filed its antitrust suit in 1986, Davis was the only NFL owner who sided with the USFL. For the proposed "New USFL" see United States Football League (2010. Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar)
In 1995 Davis moved the team back to Oakland. Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Davis said that there was nowhere to go but up at a press conference during the pre season. Davis then sued the NFL, claiming the league sabotaged the team's effort to build a stadium at Hollywood Park in Inglewood by not doing enough to help the team move from the antiquated Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to a new stadium complete with luxury suites. History The track was opened in 1938 by the Hollywood Turf Club. Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports Stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles California at Exposition Luxury box or luxury suite is the North American term for a special seating section in Arenas Stadiums and other sports venues The NFL won a 9-3 verdict in 2001, but Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Richard Hubbell ordered a new trial amid accusations that one juror was biased against the team and Davis, and that another juror committed misconduct. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Los Angeles County is a county in California and is by far the most populous county in the United States. In Common law systems a superior court is a Court of general Competence which typically has unlimited Jurisdiction with regard to civil and A state appeals court later overturned that decision. The case was thrown out July 2nd, 2007 when the California Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the verdict against the Raiders stood. Events 310 - Pope Miltiades is elected 626 - In fear of assassination Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival The Supreme Court of California is the State supreme court in California. This was the last of several lawsuits the Raiders had outstanding against the league and its stadium landlords. [5]
In 2007 Davis and Pete Rozelle and the NFL were voted number 1 as the greatest rivalry in sports histoy on NFL Network's Top Ten Rivalries as they would go on to feud with each other for almost half a century. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Alvin Ray "Pete" Rozelle ( March 1 1926 – December 6 1996) was the commissioner of the National Football League (NFL The National Football League ( NFL) is the largest professional American football league. NFL Network is an American television Specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League (NFL and is also shown in Canada
Recent History
Following a series of uncharacteristic losing seasons, Al Davis hired Jon Gruden as head coach. Jon D Gruden (born August 17, 1963 in Sandusky Ohio) is the current head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL. The Raiders would later succeed by going as far as the AFC Championship game, under a primarily foreign offense than that of Davis' 'vertical game'. The American Football Conference Championship Game, otherwise known as AFC Championship Game, is one of the two Semi-final matches of the National Football League At the end of the 2001 season, which ended on a loss to the New England Patriots amid a controversial call now known as the 'tuck rule', Al Davis "traded" Jon Gruden to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League. The New England Patriots, commonly called the " Pats " by sports writers and fans are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston The tuck rule is a rule in American football, currently used only by the National Football League (NFL The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (often shortened as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa Florida. A year later, those same Buccaneers would beat the Bill Callahan-coached Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII. Bill Callahan may refer to Bill Callahan (coach, American football coach Bill Callahan (musician, American singer-songwriter Super Bowl XXXVII was an American football game played on January 26, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego California to decide
The next season, the Raiders fell to 4-12, and Callahan was fired. The 2003 season of the National Football League (NFL was the 84th one played by the major professional American football league in the United Next in line in 2004 was another offense-minded coach, Norv Turner. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Norval Eugene Turner (born May 17, 1952 at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina) is the Head coach for the National Football League In his two seasons, the Raiders would go 5-11, and then 4-12, basically resulting in no improvement from Callahan's embattled 2003 season.
In 2006, the Raiders wound up bringing back Art Shell, whom Davis fired in 1994, in hopes that a Hall of Fame player could instill discipline amongst his players. The team did not respond and ended up finishing the 2006 season with a franchise-worst 2-14 record. The 2006 season of the National Football League (NFL was the 87th one played by the major professional American football league in the United Shell was fired almost immediately after the 2006 season.
The following offseason, Davis hired Lane Kiffin in January 2007. Lane Kiffin (born May 9, 1975, in Bloomington, Minnesota) is the former Head coach of the Oakland Raiders of the Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Kiffin, protege to offensive mastermind Norm Chow, had previously coordinated the offensive juggernaut at USC. The University of Southern California (commonly referred to as USC, SC, Southern California, and incorrectly At 31, he is the youngest head coach in the NFL and the youngest head coach in the modern NFL era. Lane Kiffin is the son of Monte Kiffin, the defensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Monte Kiffin (born February 29, 1940 in Lexington Nebraska) is an American football coach in the NFL. The offense, particularly the running game, improved significantly under Kiffin, and although the team only managed a 4-12 record, Davis's young defensive draftees, in addition to rookie quarterback JaMarcus Russell, gave Raider fans something to look forward to for the future. JaMarcus Russell (born August 9 1985 in Mobile Alabama) is an American football Quarterback who plays for the Oakland Raiders of the National
In 2007, Davis sold a minority stake in the Raiders for $150 million[6] and said that he would not retire until he wins two more Super Bowls. [7]
See also
References
- ^ Davis, Al : Jews In Sports @ Virtual Museum
- ^ Jews in Football
- ^ Just Live, Baby! - New York Times
- ^ Boyer, David. The following is a list of men who played for the American Football League (AFL 1960-1969 as well as AFL coaches administrators and contributors "NEIGHBORHOOD REPORT: FLATBUSH; Grads Hail Erasmus as It Enters a Fourth Century", The New York Times, March 11, 2001. Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Accessed December 1, 2007. Events 800 - Charlemagne judges the accusations against Pope Leo III in the Vatican Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
- ^ http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-newswire3jul03,1,7429747.story Raiders lose long-standing suit against NFL
- ^ Davis sells minority stake in Raiders for $150M - San Francisco Business Times:
- ^ Al Davis: two Super Bowls or bust (I’m betting on bust) - Morning Buzz - San Jose Mercury News Sports blog
Further reading
- Mark Ribowsky, Slick: The Silver and Black Life of Al Davis (biography) - Sept 1991
- Glenn Dickey, Just Win, Baby: Al Davis and His Raiders (biography) - Sept 1991
- Ira Simmons, Black Knight: Al Davis and His Raiders (biography) - Oct 1990
External links
- Al Davis biography at the Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Al Davis biography
- ESPN Classic bio
- [1]*
- Raiders coach under fire
| Preceded by Red Conkright |
Oakland Raiders Head Coaches 1963–1965 |
Succeeded by John Rauch |
| Preceded by Joe Foss |
American Football League Commissioner 1966 |
Succeeded by Milt Woodard (President) |
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