RIP Al Davis

I've always thought that Martin Short would be perfect to play Al Davis in a movie.

Al Davis passed this morning. Few people in the history of the NFL have done more. Love him or hate him, the game is better as a result of his presence in it. Perhaps more than anything else, Al Davis encouraged diversity long before the NFL said they should. Tom Flores, Art Shell and Amy Trask are all examples of Davis having no agenda beyond quality. He'll be missed. It's fitting that in his last days his Oakland Raiders were again showing some life.

Al Davis presented a record nine individuals for induction into the Professional Football Hall of Fame. There was even a Charger in the group. Receiver Lance Alworth may have been the greatest player in the history of the American Football League. Davis coached him for only one year. That one year certainly made a difference as Alworth chose Davis to present him. Raiders greats Jim Otto, George Blanda, Willie Brown, Gene Upshaw, Fred Biletnikoff, Art Shell, Ted Hendricks and John Madden all chose Al Davis to present them for this great honor. This may be the greatest testament to Davis' impact. Al Davis, in turn, chose John Madden to present him for induction in 1992. Considered by many to be difficult to coach for, Davis and Madden seem to have gotten along just fine.

The one Hall of Famer that got away is Marcus Allen. It's the relationship between Allen and Davis that's the greatest mystery to me. Davis would always claim that a Raider is a Raider for life. Nothing that I have ever heard or seen of Marcus Allen strikes me as anything remotely close to the cancer that Davis claims. Their relationship makes little sense. I wish that it could have been mended.

George Halas, Paul Brown and Al Davis were the only NFL owners to truly understand the game. Together, the three have spanned the entire life of the league. There is a void now.

RIP Al Davis