There once was an NFL team that struck fear into the hearts of opposing teams, a team with the best coach in football, John Madden, and players with nicknames like “The Snake”, Ken Stabler and “Hitman”, George Atkinson.
That team was the Oakland Raider’s and the year was 1976. That year Madden guided the Raider’s to a 13-1 record and beat the Minnesota Viking’s.
Fast forward to 2009
Since losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneer’s in Super Bowl XXXVII, The Raider’s have had five different Head Coaches who have combined for a record of 24 wins and 72 losses in the regular season.
This season the Raider’s are 4-8. You might be thinking, why is this team so awful?
Let’s go back to 1963.
In 1963 the Raider’s, then part of the American Football League, made Al Davis ,then an assistant coach for the San Diego Charger’s ,their Head coach and General Manager.
Since becoming GM Davis has had a history of controversy, part of this is Davis’ tendency to overrule head coaches. From 1963-1965 Davis took the Raider’s to a 23-16-3 record before being named Commissioner of The AFL.
On Showtime’s “Inside The NFL”, former All-Pro Defensive Tackle Warren Sapp said, "All the preparation that goes into a week of work is there, the practicing that you have to put in order to do these things, sometimes [Al Davis] messed with that part of it and that's what kills you,"
Davis has been accused of undermining coaches such as Mike Shanahan and Art Shell.
In 1988 only four games into the season Davis fired Shanahan, who later won two Super Bowls with the Denver Bronco’s, because players complained about Shanahan’s rules concerning team discipline.
As GM, Davis has had a history of Drafting players like QB Todd Marinovich in 1991, who was the worst bust in NFL history prior to Ryan Leaf, overpaying Free Agents such as cornerback Larry Brown and getting over-the-hill players like defensive tackle Ted Washington in 2004.
In 1982 Davis angered fans by moving the team from Oakland to Los Angeles in pursuit of more money.
After beating the Washington Redskin’s in Super Bowl XVIII, the Raider’s have made the playoffs a total of seven times in 25 years?
On May 14. 1992 former Raider’s Defensive end Lyle Alzado died of brain cancer.Alzado had been one of the first players to admit to using anabolic steroids.
Alzado’s death along with the drug problems of Marinovich contributed to the Raider’s image as criminals & malcontents. In 1995 the Raider’s moved back to Oakland but since then Davis has been at odds with Alameda County over the lease agreement to use the Oakland coliseum.
In 2002 family members of the late Ed McGah, an original owner of the Raider’s filed a lawsuit charging Al Davis with mismanagement of the team and sought to fire Davis.
Douglas MacCarther once said, “old soldiers never die, they just fade away.”
Perhaps aging owner’s die but in Oakland, Al Davis and his grasp on reality have already faded away.
Dec 6, 2009
Dec 5, 2009
America's Controversial Comedian
“This is not a book for the faint of heart, or the Politically correct, or the weak, or the extreme right wing or the left of center leftist Democrat or nuns or any member of any organized religion or New York Yankee’s fans.” --- Denis Leary about his book “Why We Suck”.
So start’s Leary’s Satirical treatise on 21 century American life.
Born in Worchester, Mass in 1957, Denis Leary is perhaps America’s top Comedian.
On route to a career which has included roles in such movies as: “Demolition Man”, True Crime” and “The Thomas Crown Affair.” Leary staked out his claim as George Carlin’s heir apparent with the 1993 CD “No Cure for Cancer” and his no b---s--- style of humor.
In 2005 Leary won a Golden Globe Award for his role as Tommy Gavin on his hit show “Rescue Me” on FX; which is in its fifth season. That same year Leary was honored with a PhD. from Emerson University, Leary’s alma mater.
“Why We Suck: a feel good guide to staying fat, loud, lazy and stupid” is brutally frank.
On the back cover Leary has several priceless quotes:
“If I could read a book, I’d definitely read one of yours.” --- Paris Hilton, upon meeting an author on the red carpet.
“Whenever I watch TV and I see those poor, starving kids all over the world I can’t help but cry. I mean, I would love to be skinny like that, but not with all the flies and death and stuff.”--- Mariah Carey
In his book Leary states, “Responsibility, research and actual factual thinking have gone out the window. If most people in this country see something on TV it must be true/news/necessary/important. Therefore, when things go wrong — how can the innocent citizen/TV watcher be at fault? “
Leary’s book drew criticism from actress Jenny McCarthy. In an Interview with Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush, McCarthy, the former Playboy Playmate and host of MTV’s “Singled Out”, blasted Lear’s book.
McCarthy, who’s son has autism, said, “This community has been through so much and to compare and use the world ‘dumb-a** lazy’ with autism, it’s just not fair.”; However McCarthy said, “I have not read his (Leary’s) chapter that he ( Leary) has said, he has been misunderstood.”
In chapter six, called - “Autism Shmautism” - Leary describes how he believes that many people who claim to have Asperger’s syndrome ( a high functioning form of autisim) are “Stupid or Lazy or both.”
Leary describes how autistic children “… Have individual talents and abilities that would lay your empty little tyke’s video game-addled soul to waste.”
As someone who has a friends with Asperser’s, I should take offense as McCarthy did, however the caustic critic Leary does separate those with autism.
Leary sites talents such as memorizing historical dates and song lyrics; However Leary’s description of autistic children is limited to what would be considered an Autistic Savant.
“ I recently heard an interview with the brother of acclaimed author Augusten Burroughs (John Elder Robison).” ,said Leary.
--- Robison was a sound technician with Pink Floyd and Kiss who designed the trademark exploding- guitar used by Gene Simmons. Later Robison went on the Oprah Winfery show to discuss his battle with asperger’s syndrome ---
Leary - “ Odd? Yeah- you became a roadie for a rock band that dresses up in superhero costumes and wears twenty-seven pounds of makeup? Where and when is that normal. AND you made money at it? Sorry, pal You don’t get to make guitars blow up for a living and then stake a claim as some kind of social retard. Lucky? Yes. Rain Man? No. Not on my planet.”
While Leary may be wrong in his criticism of Robison and of Aspergers, it is refreshing to know that there is at least one voice out there, who is willing to question politically correct thinking.
So start’s Leary’s Satirical treatise on 21 century American life.
Born in Worchester, Mass in 1957, Denis Leary is perhaps America’s top Comedian.
On route to a career which has included roles in such movies as: “Demolition Man”, True Crime” and “The Thomas Crown Affair.” Leary staked out his claim as George Carlin’s heir apparent with the 1993 CD “No Cure for Cancer” and his no b---s--- style of humor.
In 2005 Leary won a Golden Globe Award for his role as Tommy Gavin on his hit show “Rescue Me” on FX; which is in its fifth season. That same year Leary was honored with a PhD. from Emerson University, Leary’s alma mater.
“Why We Suck: a feel good guide to staying fat, loud, lazy and stupid” is brutally frank.
On the back cover Leary has several priceless quotes:
“If I could read a book, I’d definitely read one of yours.” --- Paris Hilton, upon meeting an author on the red carpet.
“Whenever I watch TV and I see those poor, starving kids all over the world I can’t help but cry. I mean, I would love to be skinny like that, but not with all the flies and death and stuff.”--- Mariah Carey
In his book Leary states, “Responsibility, research and actual factual thinking have gone out the window. If most people in this country see something on TV it must be true/news/necessary/important. Therefore, when things go wrong — how can the innocent citizen/TV watcher be at fault? “
Leary’s book drew criticism from actress Jenny McCarthy. In an Interview with Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush, McCarthy, the former Playboy Playmate and host of MTV’s “Singled Out”, blasted Lear’s book.
McCarthy, who’s son has autism, said, “This community has been through so much and to compare and use the world ‘dumb-a** lazy’ with autism, it’s just not fair.”; However McCarthy said, “I have not read his (Leary’s) chapter that he ( Leary) has said, he has been misunderstood.”
In chapter six, called - “Autism Shmautism” - Leary describes how he believes that many people who claim to have Asperger’s syndrome ( a high functioning form of autisim) are “Stupid or Lazy or both.”
Leary describes how autistic children “… Have individual talents and abilities that would lay your empty little tyke’s video game-addled soul to waste.”
As someone who has a friends with Asperser’s, I should take offense as McCarthy did, however the caustic critic Leary does separate those with autism.
Leary sites talents such as memorizing historical dates and song lyrics; However Leary’s description of autistic children is limited to what would be considered an Autistic Savant.
“ I recently heard an interview with the brother of acclaimed author Augusten Burroughs (John Elder Robison).” ,said Leary.
--- Robison was a sound technician with Pink Floyd and Kiss who designed the trademark exploding- guitar used by Gene Simmons. Later Robison went on the Oprah Winfery show to discuss his battle with asperger’s syndrome ---
Leary - “ Odd? Yeah- you became a roadie for a rock band that dresses up in superhero costumes and wears twenty-seven pounds of makeup? Where and when is that normal. AND you made money at it? Sorry, pal You don’t get to make guitars blow up for a living and then stake a claim as some kind of social retard. Lucky? Yes. Rain Man? No. Not on my planet.”
While Leary may be wrong in his criticism of Robison and of Aspergers, it is refreshing to know that there is at least one voice out there, who is willing to question politically correct thinking.
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