A story that could only come from Da Raiders:
Howie and Al
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Saturday, April 26th, 2008 at 6:35 am in
Oakland Raiders.
There have been a few offhand references to “bad blood” between Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long and Raiders owner Al Davis in recent draft stories which in theory would prevent Chris Long from wearing the same uniform as his father should he be available this afternoon with the No. 4 overall pick.
Six hours from now, it will probably be a moot point, with Chris Long likely to be snapped up before the Raiders are on the clock.
But let’s say Long somehow slips to No. 4, with the St. Louis Rams taking Glenn Dorsey and the Atlanta Falcons going for quarterback Matt Ryan.
If the Raiders didn’t opt for Long, it won’t be because of a rift between Howie and Al.
It is pretty clear Howie Long does not have the same reverance for Davis as many former Raiders players. For what it’s worth, here’s one version of how their relationship became strained.
Long made his eighth Pro Bowl in 1993 at age 33. That same year, third-year defensive end Anthony Smith, a first-round pick from Arizona in 1991, had his third consecutive season with 10 or more sacks. With 36 sacks over three years, Smith _ who was either a free spirit or a bit of a nut case, depending on your perspective _ was awarded a new contract which paid him more than Long.
Long, the story goes, wanted one more dollar than Smith. Long found out what so many have before or since _ Davis does not respond to ultimatums. Ever. So Long, nearing the end of his career anyway, retired and made a fortune in television and movies and never looked back. When Long made the Hall of Fame, he thanked Davis early in his speech, but chose defensive line coach Earl Leggett to give his presentation speech.
Smith played four more seasons with the Raiders and had 21.5 sacks. Twice he disappeared from the team for unexplained reasons and once was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team. He was out of the league after 1997 at age 30.
Long has been a booster of Marcus Allen, who feuded with Davis after a contract issue. He also attempted to talk Chester McGlockton through his contract squabble with the owner.
While playing it cool where Davis is concerned, Long has never paid him any public disrespect. It’s also worth noting that Chris Long visited the Raiders, attending a San Francisco Giants game with defensive coordintor Rob Ryan, line coach Keith Millard and linebacker Kirk Morrison, and allowed himself to be interviewed on television about the visit.
Surely if the Longs wanted to send any sort of “keep away” message to the Raiders regarding the draft, they could have declined the visit.
Chris Long said at the combine one of the best things about his father was that he has stepped aside and allowed his kids to make their own way. I’m assuming that would include allowing the son to make his own decision about where to play his professional career.
Howie Long ended up making considerably more money out of football than he ever did playing it. He might even take some delight in seeing his son cash in a multi-million dollar bonus check with Al’s signature on it.
The bottom line is
if Chris Long is on the board at No. 4, and Davis thinks he is the best player for the Raiders, any 15-year-old issues with Howie Long aren’t going to affect the selection.
Mully :cheers: