The San Antonio Raiders? (Or, dickhead coaches)

Re: The San Antonio Raiders?

If you believe Mike Silver, Hue Jackson's ouster had to do with Mark Davis clearing the decks of everyone who witnessed his father's repeated humiliation of him around team headquarters,

 

Re: The San Antonio Raiders?

You mean Al wasn't Father of the Century? Shocking.

About a decade ago, I was at the owner's meetings and I ran to the bathroom before Tagliabue's press conference, and when I barged through the door, I came within inches of knocking Davis over. It scared the shit out of me. He was so small and frail and still so scary looking. Even then, he probably still had more of a presence than any other owner at the time. He was one of those guys where he would walk into a room and everybody would go silent.

There aren't many guys like that left, as coaches, GMs, owners. When there is some mix of respect, intimidation, fear.

 

Re: The San Antonio Raiders?

I ran into him about 20 years ago and had the same feeling.
I was a very young man but he was the kind of guy that would make you stammer.
The league was just more fun with him in it.
I miss the crazy bastard, miss the antics.

 

Re: The San Antonio Raiders?

I'm trying to think how many athletes, coaches, GMs, or owners still have that kind of presence. Being a little (or a lot) nuts doesn't hurt.

Saban is debatable. I only dealt with him at LSU and in Miami, it wouldn't surprise me if he's like that now. It might be the same way for Urban Meyer. I only dealt with him before Alex Smith was drafted. He didn't strike me as being that intimidating.

Belichick, Spurrier, Popovich. Knight, Dean Smith, obviously Jordan. Jim Brown is like that. John Wooden would make a media room go silent.

 

Re: The San Antonio Raiders?

All grown up.

 

Re: The San Antonio Raiders?

Bold talk from somebody like me, but if I had been Al Davis' heir, I'd have sold the damn franchise at the reception after the funeral. No way it does anything but blight my life.

 

Re: The San Antonio Raiders?

 

Re: The San Antonio Raiders?

I interviewed Pat Summerall and asked him about playing for the Giants when Vince Lombardi coached the offense and Tom Landry coached the defense. He played both ways at the time (he was an offensive and defensive end as well as a kicker), so he attended all the offensive and defensive meetings.

He told me when Landry tried to get a meeting started, nobody paid attention -- everyone was laughing and cutting up while Landry was yelling for people to be quiet.

When Lombardi walked into a room to start a meeting, he said, the place fell silent immediately. He didn't have to say a word.

 

Re: The San Antonio Raiders?

I never got that sense from Dean. He was a great coach, and maybe he was like that with his players, but I never got the sense of command-the-room presence from him.

Knight is another matter.

Parcells is like that, too.

 

Re: The San Antonio Raiders?

I've only been in one head coach press conference in my professional life where no one wanted to ask the first question. Bobby Knight was the coach.

 

Re: The San Antonio Raiders?

Jim Boeheim!

 

Re: The San Antonio Raiders?

Whatchoo talkin' about Baron?