Badasses

This weekend I finished reading "Just After Sunset" a collection of short stories by the King, Stephen King. Once I finished it I grabbed a book called Badasses: The Legend of Snake, Foo, Dr. Death and John Madden's Oakland Raiders from off my shelf.
My veteran Fearless Readers will know that I bleed Silver & Black. Somehow this Canadian fell more in love with the gridiron warriors than the bladed beasts of the NHL. I was browsing through the bookstore one day late last summer and I came across this book and it caught my attention. The cover adorns an old football helmet, the patched pirate emblem shows significant wear and tear. The crossed cutlasses seem more literal than a part of the logo design. The helmet itself has a long and devilishly curved gash running along its side. I picked the book up without hesitation and took it home where it lay dormant on my shelf for a few months. Then NFL.com had a poll where fans could go online and vote for the team they thought was the GOAT (greatest of all time). The 1976 Raiders were the dark horse winner with the Raider faithful voting them through all the way to a narrow victory over the 2000 Ravens.
Once I saw the enthusiasm there was for the '76 team I knew that I had to work 'Badasses' into my reading schedule, and fast. I'm two-thirds of the way through and I cannot hold back my glowing endorsement for this book. It's an absolute must read for any member of the Raidernation and definitely an interesting read for anyone who has an interest in sports history or football. The story is one of the birth of a team whose dominance stretched from 1965 to 1986 those twenty-one years included three Superbowl championships, bitter rivalries, the best winning percentage of any team during the 1970's (the supposed decade of the Dolphins, Steelers and Cowboys), and not a single losing season.
For years the Raiders epitomized the 'dark side'. They were the anti-Cowboys. Bizarro version of America's Team. The team you loved to hate, unless you loved the way they played the game, with a zest, intensity and violence that hasn't been seen since and may never be seen again. These were the days before the NFL and the teams of the league were about business and dollar signs. Al Davis' famous motto of "Just win, baby!" was all that mattered to every Raider whether you were the head coach or the punter, the quarterback or a defensive tackle. And win they did.
In present memory that Raiders lost a pivotal playoff game on a controversial call. The infamous Snow Bowl launched a Patriots dynasty and began Oakland's descent to the basement of the NFL. The team is now a laughing stock, 'Commitment to Excellence' doesn't seem to stand for much when the last ten years have yet to bring a single winning season (2010 and 2011 both ended in disappointing 8-8 finishes).
The Badass team of the 70's also lost a controversial playoff game, what Steelers fans and the NFL calls the Immaculate Reception. What we call the Immaculate Deception. But instead of sending the team spiraling to redundancy and a head coaching/quarterback extravaganza (see 2001-2011 Raiders), it sent the Raiders on a climb to their ultimate destiny, a long deserved Superbowl victory. Years of losing in the conference finals to the Dolphins and hated Steelers eventually saw the '76 Raiders reach the promised land where they destroyed the Minnesota Vikings to capture their first Superbowl.
As a fan, I long for the days of the Badasses to return to my beloved Bayside brawlers but who would have the balls, the daring, the guts and the sheer will to win at absolutely any cost? Who could lead a team of men to victory while appearing to be their equal in order to gain their respect, love and ultimately, their hearts and blood out on that field?
I don't have the answer. But I do know that whether they were rushing through you, perfecting the forearm shiver, letting you catch the ball just to jack you up, smashing your line into oblivion or picking apart a defensive secondary with the fastest receivers and a deadly accurate quarterback, the Badasses were sure to do one thing. Win.
I think we could all learn something from these Badasses (whether we want to or not!). Fearless Readers and Raidernation, I salute you! And remember...just win, baby!