Allen "Al" Davis (July 4, 1929 – October 8, 2011)

I've been a Raider fan for my entire life- 33 years. I've always seen Coach Davis as a true Godfater. I say Godfather for exactly as the word is meant- behaving as a father for those he was not even related to. Many people don't know the things Coach Davis has done to help others both on and off the field. He was the only owner to bend over backwards for his players. I've never encountered an owner, in any profession, that always acted in the best interest of his employees. This was especially important after his players retired- the time when they're most vulnerable. He even helped out with medical treatment for non-Raider employees.

He was also the pioneer in minority hiring- years before the NFL mandated the 'Rooney' rule. He recruited the first black quarterback at USC, Willie Wood. He also hired the first Latino coach in the NFL, Tom Flores (who was also a QB for the Raiders) and the first Black coach in the NFL, Art Shell. Coach Davis also hired the first woman in the front office of an NFL team, Amy Trask, who is still there doing a great job.

Coach Davis was also unafraid of youth. He was never afraid to take a chance and give young people their first opportunity to coach an NFL team. The names include the great John Madden, Art Shell, and John Gruden.

Outside of the immortal George Halas, no other person has had more influence on the game of football than Coach Davis. Just look at the names of football greats who were either coached, managed or influenced by Coach Davis: John Otto; Jack Tatum; Art Shell; Willie Brown; Michael Lombardi; John Madden; Bruce Allen; Marcus Allen; John Matuszak; Ray Guy; Ken Stabler; Bo Jackson; Cliff Branch; Jerry Jones; George Atkinson; Tim Brown; Lance Alworth; Darryle Lamonica; Lyle Alzado; Lester Hayes; Jim Plunkett; Mike Haynes; Howie Long; Ted Hendricks; Dokie Williams; Todd Christensen; Gene Upshaw; and Fred Biletnikoff.

Sure, Coach Davis was not perfect- but then again, who the heck is!? He did far more good than he has done harm. Maybe its me, but I honestly see him as the actual eye-patched Raider on the logo. He lived in true Raider style. This lifestyle is represented by his three famous quotes:

"Pride and Poise; Commitment to Excellence; and Just Win Baby!" - A. Davis

May he rest is Raider glory.

Timmy Time?

First of all, Denver Bronco quarterback Tim Tebow is a great guy. He's a good Christian who does a lot for the community- especially for the young and disabled. I'd love to have him as a teammate. Simultaneously, he is far, far from being an NFL, starting quarterback. Its definitely not his time.

On one hand, most quarterbacks are not ready to start in their rookie year anyway. Often, they're not even ready to start in year two. Many quarterbacks had to sit and study for awhile before adapting to the schemes, and especially the speed, of the NFL's turbo-charged defenses. Some quarterbacks like John Elway, Troy Aikman, Brett Favre, and more recently, Phillip Rivers and Matt Schaub struggled, or were even reserves to start their careers. Who's to think Tebow should be thrusted into a starting NFL position simply on the strength of his college performance?

When you look at his career with the Florida Gators, he rarely, if ever, threw more than 15 or 20 times a game. Far from a Sam Bradford. The Gators always had a balanced attack with a solid running game and stand-outs at every position to help Tim win games. Of course, that's not to say he may not eventually develop into a solid, if not good or even great NFL quarterback. I just cannot say he's anywhere near that right now. Especially when compared to the Denver Bronco's current starting QB Kyle Orton.

Orton has been more than servicable since his time with the Chicago Bears. I can easily put him in the top 15 in the NFL at this point. Many teams would be vastly improved with him at the helm (the Dolphins, 49ers, and Jets for example- yes the JETS!). Denver is surely included in that group.

Its difficult to articulate Tebow's short-comings with the written word but it basically has to do with accuracy. Unfortunately, Tim lacks in this department- which happens to be the most critical requirement of an NFL QB. His arm motion is amazingly wide, and drags through the throwing zone. Sure, Vince Young and Phillip Rivers also had unique motions, but they made up for it with quickness and they were much more compact.

In Tim's favor are his toughness and durability which easily translate into leadership. I just don't think that's enough to take Orton's job. On the otherhand, it may be pleanty to serve as a back-up QB or even a fullback or tight-end.

Again, Tebow is a fantastic teammate and is great for the community, but its simply not his time to become a starting NFL QB. Without some major changes, I'm not sure his time will ever come.