Al Davis to Win!: A Firsthand Account of Silver and Black Greatness Paperback – September 26, 2024

In 1973, the author parlayed a summer internship into a camp job and then a full time position with the Oakland Raiders based greatly on his relationship with Al Davis. This account of their relationship and how Davis led the most dynamic organization in professional sports is a joyful memoir of as one critic wrote reads like, "Huck Finn meets Al Davis."Al Davis to Win chronicles the Raiders drive to win their first Super Bowl and the challenge that Davis declared, "Maintaining greatness is tougher that first achieving it."This book captures Davis' maniacal methods at the height of his power and influence in the National Football League.Part memoir, part history, Al Davis to Win is a fascinating study of some of the most prominent people in the National Football League. This is an inside story from the perspective of a young worker who was privy to some of the most influential occurrences that molded the NFL into what it is today.How the American Football League gained traction within a decade of its inception to merge with the long-established NFL is revealed though the actions of Al Davis, Lamar Hunt, Tex Schramm and Pete Rozelle. These four men are worthy of placement on an NFL equivalent of Mount Rushmore.Al Davis to Win does not fictionalize the Raiders and their influence on professional sports, but rather offers accurate insights through the words and actions of some of the league's most renowned figures. In addition to a deep dive into the methods utilized by Davis, this book offers unique character studies of Howard Cosell, John Madden, Tom Flores, Jim Otto, Ken Stabler, Ron Wolf, Curt Gowdy and Johnny Unitas. Read more