There’s a New Sheriff in OakTown…His Name: Mark Davis

The Al Davis Oakland Raiders can be summed up in a few words: mystique, majesty, commitment to excellence and a will to win. For 50 plus years those are phrases that defined Al and his Raiders. Al Davis passed away on October 8, 2011 and the Raiders were without a leader and a face of the organization.

First year Head Coach Hue Jackson became the face and leader as he guided this year’s Oakland Raiders without Mr. Davis. Mark Davis, son of Al, took over as the majority owner of the team and few had an idea of the direction the team would move in to continue the legacy of Al and the traditions from eras gone by.

These two men, Jackson and Mark Davis, would carry the banner for the Raider the entire year and “Win for Al.” The tragedy of Al’s passing combined with key injuries and poor play in crucial times derailed the winning and playoff hopes as the Raiders 4-2 start ended in a disappointing 4-6 finish.

Plagued by missing the playoffs yet again, poor personnel decisions and poor coaching, a change was needed. That change came in the form of hiring a General Manager for the first time in 30 years. Mark (Davis) did his research and consulted former Raiders GM Ron Wolf and Coach John Madden for the right man to make the right personnel decisions to give his team a great base to win. That man: Reggie McKenzie.

McKenzie, a former Raider Linebacker, NFL veteran and Director of Player Personnel for the Green Bay Packers, has an eye for talent and can assemble the right guys to win. As McKenzie’s first act as GM, Hue Jackson was the first the casualty. 8-8 in his first year as Head Coach having the most undisciplined team in NFL history and a host of other stats no NFL Owner, GM or Coach should be proud of, McKenzie had to make the change.

It seems though that the new “Mr. Davis” learned from his father well: No nonsense, no tolerance for mediocrity and indiscipline. Maintaining the Will to Win and Commitment to Excellence, Mystique and Majesty of the Oakland Raiders. Just now it seems a Davis will be in the background pulling the strings instead of front and center, but the same message is clear: There’s a new sheriff in town who’s out to clean up and restore order…his name Mark Davis and with his deputy Reggie McKenzie that’s how the (AFC) West will be won…and maintained.


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