i know the NFL would love to see him sell the team. although, i can't see Al Davis selling.
Kawakami: Keeping up with Raiders' Al Davis
By Tim Kawakami
Mercury News
Al Davis and Matt Millen, president of the Detroit Lions, talk during a break in the National Football League's owners spring meeting in Denver on Tuesday, May 23, 2006.Short-attention-span reading, and writing . . .
The Raiders are not for sale and won't be sold, no matter how many former NFL chieftains, ex-49ers or wannabe Voldemorts line up to bid for Al Davis' franchise, now or until the end of the world.
So why is the grapevine alive with chatter about Eddie DeBartolo and Carmen Policy, Brent Jones and Steve Young, and innumerable Los Angeles interests measuring bids for possible future control of the Raiders?
My guess: It's a delicate time in Raiderland because Davis, who hasn't taken on a new partner in decades, could use additional cash flow after buying out the McGah family last year and as he plans to hand over the team to his son, Mark.
Which means Al is listening to possible minority bids for the first time. Which has piqued interest from mega-millionaire studs who have staked out the Raiders' post-Davis future and are not so sure that the handoff from Al to Mark is set in stone.
``If the right match exists, we might take a look at that,'' Amy Trask, the team's chief executive, said Thursday.
``But such an individual investor would become a passive investor in the team. It would not affect control of the team; that won't change.''
• Trask, Davis' No. 1 lieutenant, stressed that Davis isn't actively seeking investors and that ``there's no sense of urgency.''
Trask, for instance, said that there have been no discussions with Jones' group. Anyway, you'd have to believe that Jones and Young have zero interest in a powerless percentage.
``Al Davis has had control, does have control and will continue to have total control of the Oakland Raiders,'' said Trask, who I'm sure has a major role in the planned transition to Mark Davis' ownership. ``And total control of the Oakland Raiders will always remain in the Davis family.''
• But there's no doubt in my mind that Davis wants new partners. And new partners usually lead to a new balance of power, whether or not your name is Al Davis and you've done everything in your power to make sure Mark can take over without terrible tax burdens and deficits.
Even The Al has to pay the bills.
• A Chris Mullin Nightmare Scenario in Sacramento: The Kings hire his buddy Mario Elie as coach, Elie hires Eric Musselman as lead assistant, Elie motivates Ron Artest to season-long greatness, the Kings win 50 games next season, and the Warriors muddle along in status quo purgatory.
Maybe Elie needs another year of seasoning as an assistant coach with the Warriors, maybe not. But he's Mullin's buddy. Elie has San Antonio roots and massive credibility.
If Elie's ready to be a head coach, Mullin should be the first guy to recognize it. And if he recognizes it but lets Sacramento get to Elie first because Mullin's too stubborn to replace Mike Montgomery, that's a fiasco.
• Nobody listens, but if it's up to me: With the ninth pick of the 2006 NBA draft, the Warriors select 7-foot Bradley center Patrick O'Bryant.
J.J. Redick? They've got guys who can't defend. Rodney Carney? Don't need another forward. Adam Morrison? They'll take him if he drops that far, but he won't.
• It's not too soon for the A's and Giants to start assessing the trade market for impending free-agent aces Barry Zito and Jason Schmidt.
Of course, Billy Beane started thinking about and planning for it two years ago. And Brian Sabean probably won't allow himself to think about it until it's too late.
By Tim Kawakami
Mercury News
Al Davis and Matt Millen, president of the Detroit Lions, talk during a break in the National Football League's owners spring meeting in Denver on Tuesday, May 23, 2006.Short-attention-span reading, and writing . . .
The Raiders are not for sale and won't be sold, no matter how many former NFL chieftains, ex-49ers or wannabe Voldemorts line up to bid for Al Davis' franchise, now or until the end of the world.
So why is the grapevine alive with chatter about Eddie DeBartolo and Carmen Policy, Brent Jones and Steve Young, and innumerable Los Angeles interests measuring bids for possible future control of the Raiders?
My guess: It's a delicate time in Raiderland because Davis, who hasn't taken on a new partner in decades, could use additional cash flow after buying out the McGah family last year and as he plans to hand over the team to his son, Mark.
Which means Al is listening to possible minority bids for the first time. Which has piqued interest from mega-millionaire studs who have staked out the Raiders' post-Davis future and are not so sure that the handoff from Al to Mark is set in stone.
``If the right match exists, we might take a look at that,'' Amy Trask, the team's chief executive, said Thursday.
``But such an individual investor would become a passive investor in the team. It would not affect control of the team; that won't change.''
• Trask, Davis' No. 1 lieutenant, stressed that Davis isn't actively seeking investors and that ``there's no sense of urgency.''
Trask, for instance, said that there have been no discussions with Jones' group. Anyway, you'd have to believe that Jones and Young have zero interest in a powerless percentage.
``Al Davis has had control, does have control and will continue to have total control of the Oakland Raiders,'' said Trask, who I'm sure has a major role in the planned transition to Mark Davis' ownership. ``And total control of the Oakland Raiders will always remain in the Davis family.''
• But there's no doubt in my mind that Davis wants new partners. And new partners usually lead to a new balance of power, whether or not your name is Al Davis and you've done everything in your power to make sure Mark can take over without terrible tax burdens and deficits.
Even The Al has to pay the bills.
• A Chris Mullin Nightmare Scenario in Sacramento: The Kings hire his buddy Mario Elie as coach, Elie hires Eric Musselman as lead assistant, Elie motivates Ron Artest to season-long greatness, the Kings win 50 games next season, and the Warriors muddle along in status quo purgatory.
Maybe Elie needs another year of seasoning as an assistant coach with the Warriors, maybe not. But he's Mullin's buddy. Elie has San Antonio roots and massive credibility.
If Elie's ready to be a head coach, Mullin should be the first guy to recognize it. And if he recognizes it but lets Sacramento get to Elie first because Mullin's too stubborn to replace Mike Montgomery, that's a fiasco.
• Nobody listens, but if it's up to me: With the ninth pick of the 2006 NBA draft, the Warriors select 7-foot Bradley center Patrick O'Bryant.
J.J. Redick? They've got guys who can't defend. Rodney Carney? Don't need another forward. Adam Morrison? They'll take him if he drops that far, but he won't.
• It's not too soon for the A's and Giants to start assessing the trade market for impending free-agent aces Barry Zito and Jason Schmidt.
Of course, Billy Beane started thinking about and planning for it two years ago. And Brian Sabean probably won't allow himself to think about it until it's too late.
