Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Who was the genius GM in New Orleans that allowed Ditka to trade his entire draft for Ricky Williams? Ricky Williams was a good player in the NFL but you don't trade your entire draft for a single player, particularly when you have as many holes as the Saints had at that point in time.
That would be Bill Kuharich, son of the former head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles of the mid 1960's Joe Kuharich. I might do an overview on Joe, longtime Eagle fans are aware of him. The ultimate dumpster fire.
Who was the genius GM in New Orleans that allowed Ditka to trade his entire draft for Ricky Williams? Ricky Williams was a good player in the NFL but you don't trade your entire draft for a single player, particularly when you have as many holes as the Saints had at that point in time.
Bill Kuharich who (according to wiki)..."on May 20, 2014, Kuharich was named Executive Chief of staff by the Cleveland Browns. Kuharich plays a pivotal role in the organization's personnel's moves, including the college and pro scouting departments, serving as a key cog in all facets of the Brown' process of evaluating and acquiring talent.He will also assist GM Ray Farmer in key decisions in the team's overall strategic vision as well as decisions involving NFL league matters.
Bondurant is right. Age wasn't very kind to Al Davis in his last years of his life. He was however, a big figure in Raider history in its earliest beginnings. In 1962 the Raiders hit bottom with a 1-13 record under Eddie Erdelatz. At the time Davis was an assistant coach under Sid Gilman with San Diego. In 1963 the Raiders finished with a 10-4 record. You can't have much more of a turnaround than that. While he was with Gilman, he helped form a team that was in the AFL Championship game four out of its first five seasons.
Both men were color blind and had similar mindsets. San Diego was way ahead of the game regarding treating players fairly. The Chargers established a natural forming of the players with pairing players according to position when players roomed together on the road. Example: Running backs:Keith Lincoln was white and Paul Lowe was black. Tight end Willie Frazier was black and Jacque McKinnon was white. In their earliest years teams like the Chargers had a number of black players on their squad and in the NFL sadly there were still a few clubs that were woefully short regarding this situation. Sid Gilman faced discrimination pretty much his whole life, said Jack Kemp, who spent ten years as an AFL quarterback before getting into politics. And there was a reason for it. Sid Gilman was Jewish. So was Al Davis. Kansas City thought the same way. They drafted Buck Buchanon out of Grambling, drafted him #1. The first African American player to be drafted as a #1 draft pick. By 1969, eight out of the starting 11 players on KC's defense were black.Kansas City, San Diego, and Oakland were the three most successful franchises in the American Football League's history.
Al Davis was colorblind? If that's true, then I never knew that.
I thought they both had an astigmatism which they compensated for with those dark sunglasses
Actually Sid might have had an inkling for movies. In fact, IIRC his parents WERE involved in Fox Movietone and Paramount. Yep, he loved those sunglasses on the sidelines too!
Al Davis was colorblind? If that's true, then I never knew that.
Color blind as in equal opportunity. Davis hired the first Hispanic coach in 1979-Tom Flores. Flores took the Raiders to Super Bowls in 1980 and 1983, winning them both.
Davis also hired the first African American coach in 1989-Art Shell. In 1990 Shell took the Raiders to the 1990 AFC Championship game.
In 1968 Davis made a move that surprised his peers to say the least. He drafted an African American quarterback out of Tennessee State #1 that year (25th pick)-Eldridge Dickey. What was surprising is what came later. He drafted Ken Stabler #2. It was only the previous year that Daryle Lamonica led the Raiders to a 13-1 season. And also Davis acquired George Blanda from the Houston Oilers primarily for kicking reasons but eventually Blanda was 15/38/285 yds as a backup. Stabler IIRC spent the year on the taxi squad.
Dickey complained he didn't get a fair shot at the job. The Raiders head coach was John Rauch and he and Davis bumped heads on several occasions regarding personnel. But Dickey was sold on the fact that he played for the club who gave opportunity to the black man. He looked at the starting squad and here's what he found regarding African Americans who started;
Offense-Warren Wells, Gene Upshaw, Art Shell, Hewritt Dixon, Clem Daniels, Charlie Smith
Defense-Willie Brown, Nemiah Wilson, George Atkinson, Dave Grayson, Alfonse Dotson, Ike Lassiter, Carlton Oats.
6 starters on offense, 7 starters on defense. Mind you, this was 47 years ago. This was the 1968 season.
Color blind as in equal opportunity. Davis hired the first Hispanic coach in 1979-Tom Flores. Flores took the Raiders to Super Bowls in 1980 and 1983, winning them both.
Davis also hired the first African American coach in 1989-Art Shell. In 1990 Shell took the Raiders to the 1990 AFC Championship game.
In 1968 Davis made a move that surprised his peers to say the least. He drafted an African American quarterback out of Tennessee State #1 that year (25th pick)-Eldridge Dickey. What was surprising is what came later. He drafted Ken Stabler #2. It was only the previous year that Daryle Lamonica led the Raiders to a 13-1 season. And also Davis acquired George Blanda from the Houston Oilers primarily for kicking reasons but eventually Blanda was 15/38/285 yds as a backup. Stabler IIRC spent the year on the taxi squad.
Dickey complained he didn't get a fair shot at the job. The Raiders head coach was John Rauch and he and Davis bumped heads on several occasions regarding personnel. But Dickey was sold on the fact that he played for the club who gave opportunity to the black man. He looked at the starting squad and here's what he found regarding African Americans who started;
Offense-Warren Wells, Gene Upshaw, Art Shell, Hewritt Dixon, Clem Daniels, Charlie Smith
Defense-Willie Brown, Nemiah Wilson, George Atkinson, Dave Grayson, Alfonse Dotson, Ike Lassiter, Carlton Oats.
6 starters on offense, 7 starters on defense. Mind you, this was 47 years ago. This was the 1968 season.
Equal opportunity. That's what I meant.
Okay I get the point. Plus Davis hired Art Shell the second time who only lasted one year before Davis fired Shell again.
I disagree Millen never led the Lions to the playoffs and was fired in 2008 at their bye in week 4.
Plus no team went 0-16 like the Lions. The Lions fired Millen after going 0-3. Millen is still worse.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.