I didn't even know this was up for debate, but during his radio show yesterday, Dan Patrick asked recently retired Raiders defensive tackle Warren Sapp if Al Davis was still the puppet master in Oakland. Sapp confirmed what the rest of us just assumed to be true: "Fully. When I went there a few months ago, no doubt about it. Sitting there, talking with him about my plans, right before the last game of the year, watching Randy Moss and Tom Brady go get a 16-0 record. He had a big-screen TV, and we were there watching it," Sapp said. "He's definitely in full control. Don't kid yourself because you see the man in a walker. There's nothing wrong with his brain."Exactly. Just like Stephen Hawking and Charles Xavier, Davis' limitations are strictly physical. If you're looking for a partner in the three-legged race, well, you've come to the wrong place; if you want to clean up in Trivial Pursuit, jackpot. That said, I'm not sure either Hawking or Xavier would've drafted Darren McFadden or re-hired Art Shell.
More interesting, perhaps, is that Sapp, once critical of Randy Moss during his two-year stint with the Raiders, has a different perspective on his former teammate:
Tom Walsh was the offensive coordinator, he hadn't called a play in this league in 12 years," Sapp said. "You know your job would change, and we know the NFL has evolved into something totally different. We didn't even have a three-step drop. C'mon, you know this game is timing, putting the ball in your great athletes' hands and letting them work. It was crazy to watch the man get done like that and make those comments about him."When Patrick asked if Davis should be held accountable since, you know, he's the hands-on owner, Sapp pointed out that, "Al Davis is in charge, but Al Davis don't wake up until we're halfway through practice ... He's on different hours. Al Davis is on Al Davis time." Hmm. Maybe Davis is nothing like Hawking or Xavier.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-03-2008 @ 12:11PM
Dave said...
Ah, I still think Al Davis is nuts but maybe a football genius BUT Warren Sapp is in love with the sound of his own voice and will say anything for attention so I am disapointed that anyone would quote him on anything. If anyone is crazy it's Sapp not Al. Please keep big mouth quotes like the one from Warren Sapp out of the legit press. He's a clueless, huge man who does not know how good he had it in Tampa Bay. That's why he's not a Buc anymore. I'm a Buc fan cause I live here, and a Skins fan cause I was born there. Never have liked Sapp and he's known for his foolish talk. I hope we do not hear from him again here - Nuff Said
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5-03-2008 @ 3:11PM
Charles said...
Warren went from great to good to a Raider, now I hope he doesn't become Sap.
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5-03-2008 @ 10:14PM
George B Vieto said...
The joke from the Raider haters is that Al Davis has the playbook from the days of The Flintstones.
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5-04-2008 @ 1:06PM
stanfordfan said...
I personally like "Dysfunctional Al" better than "Crazy Al." I don't think he could be assessed as "crazy" by a series of psychiatric professionals, but "dysfunctional" - absolutely.
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