Al Davis WAS one of the greatest football minds ever. He built the Raiders from the ground up and for the better part of 30 years they were a model franchise. His maverick impulsive style made the Raiders feared but respected. Commitment to Excellence was indeed a reality.
The problem is that Davis should have relinquished control of the Raiders about a decade ago. Now this generation of young fans who have no clue who Al Davis was and how brilliant he was, just perceive him as an old senile man who has no clue or understanding how to build and maintain a competitive franchise. It's a real shame.
Now to compare Dan Snyder and Jerry Jones is ridiculous. The only thing the two men have in common is that they are both multi millionaires. Jerry Jones understands football. He took a model franchise in the Cowboys, one that had finally reached the end of the Tex Schramm/Gil Brandt/Tom Landry dynasty, and re-built them into a 3 Time Super Bowl Champion. (granted, I would have handled the Landry dismissmal a little differently than just firing a legend, but Jones can do what he wants) Yes, Dallas has struggled recently in terms of playoff wins. But their roster is always one of the best and strongest; and that is due to the football acumen of Jerry Jones.
What has little Danny Snyder accomplished other than spend money? He too has a model franchise and yet has no clue how to build a football team. He is constantly looking to make that big splash instead of trying to build a franchise from the core. Perhaps with the hiring of Mike Shannahan and Bruce Allen, Danny will meddle a little less in the football operations.
My opinion is that the mark of good owner is one that meddles less (think Dan Rooney...you dont see him standing on the sidelines at games) and hires good people to run the franchise. But as long as its "their candy shop" you will always have hands on men like Jones and Synder.
-- Modified on 3/31/2010 7:04:14 AM
-- Modified on 3/31/2010 7:10:19 AM
Jerry Jones of the Cowboys
or
Dan Snyder of the Redskins?
(Sorry, lol, saw Chengster's comment below and had to post this. Needless to say but neither team is mine.)
I would have to say Jerry Jones. I met retired Cowboy, Bob Lily at an event in Vegas a couple of years ago and had a good discussion with him. He said that most of the retired players of his era, cannot stand Jones, aka "The Asshole from Arkansas". Mainly because of the way he treated Coach Tom Landry, when he stole the team. Lily says that rubbed everyone the wrong way, and they have no love or respect for him. I told him that I knew of many people who think the same. Just my 2 cents.
The NFL is a league of what have you done for me lately. Landry was 17-30 in his last three years with the Cowboys. That kind of record will definitely get a coach fired. Mike Shanahan also won 2 Super Bowls but was 24-24 his last three years with the Broncos before getting fired.
Landry was a good coach in his day but like Davis the game passed him by. He deserved to be fired.
Cowboys will always hold a place in the heart of my childhood. Renfro, DD Lewis, Randy White, Calvin Hill, Robert Newsom, Dorsett, Staubach, The Doomsday Defense, the Shotgun, Pearson, et al are the best.
The Cowboys of today, I don't recognize them. The Cowboys used to be a system team built on a great defense and a ball control offense that had flair, innovation and supberb execution.
Al Davis WAS one of the greatest football minds ever. He built the Raiders from the ground up and for the better part of 30 years they were a model franchise. His maverick impulsive style made the Raiders feared but respected. Commitment to Excellence was indeed a reality.
The problem is that Davis should have relinquished control of the Raiders about a decade ago. Now this generation of young fans who have no clue who Al Davis was and how brilliant he was, just perceive him as an old senile man who has no clue or understanding how to build and maintain a competitive franchise. It's a real shame.
Now to compare Dan Snyder and Jerry Jones is ridiculous. The only thing the two men have in common is that they are both multi millionaires. Jerry Jones understands football. He took a model franchise in the Cowboys, one that had finally reached the end of the Tex Schramm/Gil Brandt/Tom Landry dynasty, and re-built them into a 3 Time Super Bowl Champion. (granted, I would have handled the Landry dismissmal a little differently than just firing a legend, but Jones can do what he wants) Yes, Dallas has struggled recently in terms of playoff wins. But their roster is always one of the best and strongest; and that is due to the football acumen of Jerry Jones.
What has little Danny Snyder accomplished other than spend money? He too has a model franchise and yet has no clue how to build a football team. He is constantly looking to make that big splash instead of trying to build a franchise from the core. Perhaps with the hiring of Mike Shannahan and Bruce Allen, Danny will meddle a little less in the football operations.
My opinion is that the mark of good owner is one that meddles less (think Dan Rooney...you dont see him standing on the sidelines at games) and hires good people to run the franchise. But as long as its "their candy shop" you will always have hands on men like Jones and Synder.
-- Modified on 3/31/2010 7:04:14 AM
-- Modified on 3/31/2010 7:10:19 AM
I love the pic, BTW-smile-I'll give #2 on the worst owner list to JJ, but only by a hair over little Danny Snyder-Jimmy Johnson would have continued to keep the 'Boys at the top of the heap, brought them 3 championships and was a superstar in the coaching ranks, IMHO-however, Jones canned him and continues to meddle with the team-The always bewildered appearing Wade Phillips is naught but a yes man for Jerry, who obviously makes the major decisions for the team. Nice stadium though-but the Cowboys will never return to their former greatness until he lets the coaches coach and stay out of it-which isn't likely to happen given this guy's massive ego.
Snyder is another guy with more money than sense
and my now hapless Redskins plainly suck with little hope for improvement-sigh. The ill fated Spurrier experiment, followed by some sad player and coaching picks have doomed the 'Skins to less than mediocrity. Snyder once refused to let a kicker who missed a big FG to fly back to DC with the team from Tampa. What a jerk! So in response to the subject I'll go with JJ behind Crazy Al and then Snyder-but only by the narrowest of margins. Good topic. 1rob...OUT
-- Modified on 3/31/2010 7:12:36 AM
man, the lawsuits he filed against Redskins season ticket holders who did not pay their bills, the star blinded signings of Deon Sanders and Bruce Smith when they were past their prime, his ill fated attempt to charge the hard core fans who sit in 100 degree weather to watch practice for this privilege, the serial hiring and firing of coaches which requires rebuilding each time a new coach arrives, and that's just the beginning. If you think the skins were bad this year, wait till you see next year.
Sorry Rob, but on body of work, Dan wins hands down.
The way he has mismanaged his teams with poor executive decisions & overbloated contracts to past-their-prime "stars" it is no wonder why neither the Knicks or Rangers will win a championship in the next 5-10 years.
Dear Pajada:
That is a real disservice to Al Davis. Let us remember at one time this was a functional and coherent coach and manager who was prescient and aggressive in positioning himself for a part of his league to continue to exist in perpetuity for quite some time. He diminished the available resources that the NFL could draw from and made the league economically viable and a legitimate competitor when bidding for top collegiate talent. Let us be real ,if he doesn't become the president of the AFL,Joe Namath doesn't sign a 400,000 dollar contract in 1965. He really was the impetus to making the AFL a viable option and a real competitor to the NFL. Considering his age, the game and the times have passed him by and it is indicative with respect to his teams performance. However, who is going to make him an offer to buy him out as managing general partner of the Oakland Raiders. As for MR. Dolan, although he founded the wiz, which was a retail outlet where he could sell and market his optimum online products he did not have the same impact on a league and never will. Al Davis just got like this in the last ten years while James Dolan has been in this state of retrogressive development and futility during the course of his ownership of the New York Knicks. I can imagine the discussions Magic Johnson had with him when he was contemplating being the General Manager of the Knicks. I can also think of several stipulations that Donnie Walsh had when he initially interviewed with Dolan with respect to his interaction and role when he was initially considered the position. Mr. Dolan has been vituperative for an extended period of time and probably almost repulses Clyde Frazier when he does the broadcast of the games. I can imagine what Marv Albert would think of him as well.
I think the owner of the LA Clippers is generally acknowledged as the worst around. What's his name, Donald Sterling?
of the Clippers? Sterling is more interested in making the team profitable than he is winning. Look at the list of players he's had over the years and you have to shake your head at what might have been.
I lived in DC when Snyder took over the team and immediately alienated most of the locals by charging people to come out and watch the practices (just like Jerry did). He did absolutely nothing to endear himself to the fans and to this day most detest him.
While I am a lifelong Cowboys fan much to most on this boards dismay, I think Jones has done much of hte same for the local fan base as well. He charges for everything. Hell he is even charging $25 per car to come out and watch the implosion of the old stadium next weekend. I do think it is going to charity but you can be damn sure it will be in the name of Jones somewhere and he will get the write-off. He is money motivated and everyone sees through that.
with Tusayan that Tom Landry needed to be fired-though it was done in a heavy handed way-yet, I know of no easy way to tell the legendary coach to hit the road. Also, Big M-Re Dan and Jerry-Dan took a team that was less than mediocre and took them to the pits and Jerry took a bad team and hit the heights with good help and returned them to a lst round playoff loser-in general- with his interference. I believe they'll stay there as long as he maintains his meddling status quo. So, as Dan has never seen the mountain top and likely never will and Jerry has, I'll agree with you that he is suckwad #2 on the bad NFL owner's list. The 'Skins are in the quicksand and going down fast. Later, Gang, 1rob
His son Michael has done a good job the last 2 years, but for all the years the old man called the shots he was pathetic.
They own the Cable Vision empire in the NY area, and have trashed the Knicks and Rangers over the past decade. Thankfully, the Steinbrenner's didn't sell out to them...
but daddy gave Madison Square Garden and it's teams to little Jimmy to run. And what a mess he has made of them. It is all on James Dolan, the worst owner in NYC sports history.