... you'll have hard times; sometimes good times.

I started respecting Al Davis and the Oakland Raiders more than 38 years ago. There are several reasons for this respect and support.

Davis took some chances on some NFL players who other folks denied opportunity. He came under criticism then; he comes under criticism now.

He seemed to defy the odds. And most times, he won. In fact, the history of the Oakland Raiders franchise is so strong, that the win-loss ratio is still above teams like San Diego, and others.

My generation of professional football players did not make the kind of money that is made by the young players in the 21st century. The support system was not even strong in the past.

Raw talent is what most o...

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