The man who once helped spearhead the AFL’s historic merger with the NFL is now just old, and out of his freaking mind

BRAD CLARK
Special Contributor

(Clark started and writes for NFLsFuture.com)

In a week where the Super Bowl contenders were determined and a QB’s toughness was questioned, Al Davis went relatively unnoticed.  Al Davis is an enigma and I am in the majority when I say it’s time to hang it up, Al.  In my daily scouring of NFL news, I found a story from a Raiders press conference last week.  I was able to retrieve the transcript from the press conference where Al Davis spoke on many unusual and at times strange comments about the organization, Tom Cable, and new HC Hue Jackson.  What took the cake for me was a comment made about Calvin “Megatron” Johnson.

A little background before we delve into the comment: in the 2007 NFL draft, the Raiders chose the much maligned JaMarcus Russell.  Russell will go down as one of the biggest draft busts of all time.  Ironically, the man selected right behind Russell was All Pro receiver Calvin Johnson.  It goes without saying that the Raiders have to question whether they made the right decision.  Calvin Johnson vs. JaMarcus Russell, hmmm.  To further this debate, Al Davis and Co. selected Darrius Heyward-Bey with the 7^th pick two years later.  We see how well that has worked out.

Al Davis, resident curmudgeon of the NFL, unleashed his feelings about Johnson when asked about the success of the Raiders last two drafts.  His response:

I think we’ve been very successful the last four.  I think we’re always pretty good.  The thing that hurt, is the question someone asked, JaMarcus hurt a great deal.  But the ones they wanted to take instead of JaMarcus, Brady Quinn, hasn’t played yet.  There was some talk of Calvin Johnson.  But you can take a look at Calvin up at Detroit.  How many games did they win this year.  Detroit, do you know?  Six?  Yeah.  But up until now, Calvin hadn’t done anything for them.

WOW, did he really say that.  Johnson just finished his second 1000 yard, 12 touchdown season and he is only 25 years old.  Not to mention he did that with Drew Stanton and Shaun Hill throwing to him most of the year.  Johnson is arguably one of the best receivers in the league and if you were starting a franchise today he would undoubtedly be the first receiver chosen.

Al Davis is right about one thing, Detroit is not exactly a pillar of winning but you can’t blame Johnson’s effort for the lack of wins.  Johnson has caught 33 touchdown passes since entering the league while the entire receiving corps for Oakland has combined for 36.

By using Al Davis logic (those three words should never go together), Adrian Peterson and Joe Thomas really stink, too.  Oh by the way, they are also in the 2011 Pro Bowl and on teams that won six or fewer games.  Al, it has been real but come on its time.

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