The Road to Mediocrity Is Paved with Good Intentions

1984, I remember it like it was yesterday.

That year, the Apple Macintosh went on sale for the first time—remember the hammer throwing commercial—Michael Jackson’s Jerry Curl lit up like a Tiki torch, and Geraldine Ferraro became the first woman to run for VP in the USA.

Those were the days.

Cliff, Clair, Rudy and the gang made their debut on network TV as the Cosby Show hit the airwaves, stone washed jeans were cool, and the U.S. Olympic team was preparing to dominate the Summer Games in Los Angeles with a bouncy teen named Mary Lou and the fastest, coolest, sprinter in the world, Carl Lewis.

It was a golden year.

The main reason I look back at 1984 and smile is because that was the year that the then Los Angeles Raiders crushed the Washington Redskins, 38-9, in Super Bowl XVIII. Marcus Allen earned MVP honors with a 209 totals yards, including that brilliant 74-yard touchdown run – in my eyes one of the greatest plays in Raiders history. 

I was 12, Lester Hayes was my hero and my non-Raiders fans friends avoided me like I had herpes. I loved my team and was quick to point out how dominate “we” were to anyone within spitting distance.

Just win, Baby...shoot, Just won, Baby. We were the bad boys on the block, penalties and all, screaming a rebel yell and led by or no-nonsense leader, Al Davis.

Little did I know, but I wouldn’t feel that pride—at least not as heavy a prideful load—again for the next 24 years. Don’t get me wrong, there has been some great games, years and players in Raiders’ history over the past 24 years, but I think even Al Davis would agree, the last quarter decade has been a huge disappointment.

So why the quick turn from a happy stroll down memory lane to an unhappy sourpuss in the span of one paragraph?

This morning I read that the Raiders organization is interviewing Al Saunders for their offensive-coordinator opening, that Oakland lost linebackers coach Don Martindale to conference rival Denver, and that we still haven’t told Tom Cable if he is head coach or not.

Ugh.

I hoped–fingers, toes, legs and eyelashes crossed–that the 2009 offseason would be the one in which Al Davis stepped aside, let someone like Mike Haynes, Rich Gannon, or Tim Brown take over as GM and turn our losing ways into better days.

Not.

Instead, the Raiders don’t have a head coach, defensive coordinator, offensive coordinator and even the Raiderettes are starting to look a little haggard.   

Al-friggin-Saunders? The man who was just fired from the Rams OC job and who’s claim to fame is using the "Air Coryell" passing game? Note to the Oakland Brass. The "Air Coryell" type of offense works when you have weapons such as Kellen Winslow, Wes Chandler, Charlie Joyner, and John Jefferson.

It doesn’t work when you can’t block for you quarterback and your best wide receiver is Johnnie Lee Higgins (22 catches, 366 yards and four scores.)

And how does Al Davis hope to trick a head coach to come lead the Raiders when he is hiring everyone on the Oakland staff prior to the most important coach?

He can’t.

That said, I say we stick with Cable and hope for the best. The last 24 years have been long and bumpy–sans a couple of fun years and watching Bo Jackson demolish defenders–but the last two games of the season, wins over Houston and Tampa Bay–have me hoping for great things in the near future.

It was Cable’s coaching job (I think) that helped us win those two games and put a smile on my face so give him the job already.

In George Orwell’s novel 1984, Orwell wrote:

"We are not content with negative obedience, nor even with the most abject submission. When finally you surrender to us, it must be of your own free will.”

Mr. Davis, I know that you love this franchise and have the best intentions. Your renegade attitude has made the Oakland Raiders the strong, loved and hated football team that it is, but it is time for you to step down and let some new blood run the show.

Thanks for the memories, Al, now please go away.