Al Davis: Visionary, Legendary, Feminist? Yep.

There have been a lot of colorful adjectives used to describe Al Davis over the years – some scathing and others admiring. With his passing this last weekend, people have been reflecting back to see what made this man the extraordinary figure and force that he was for the NFL.

One thing that most might miss: Did you know that in 1997 Al Davis hired the first female CEO in the NFL?  Her name is Amy Trask. And she is STILL the only woman in the NFL with those credentials.

Amy Trask grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from University of California, Berkeley with a degree in political science and a law degree from the USC Gould School of Law. She became a fan of the Oakland Raiders while at Berkeley.

“I did an internship for the Raiders [1983] while I was in graduate school in Southern California. It had long been a dream of mine to work for the Raiders,” Trask has said.

After completing her degree in political science in 1985, she worked for a law firm in L.A. But two years later, she reunited with her Raiders’ and Al Davis, who had remembered the young intern.

In 1997, Davis promoted Trask to the top post inside the Raider Nation. She’s still there today, and all reports indicate she will be for a long time to come.

In interviews, Trask has shared that one of the guiding principles of the Raider organization is that young people should chase their dreams, no matter how ambitious. “I dared to dream. It's a message we should carry to young women everywhere, and even little girls. Take advantage of your opportunities. Don't sell yourself short.”

What  has she said about working for Al Davis?  In an article by Whitney Holtzman, espnW.com, she was quoted as saying, “It's a privilege and an honor to work for him and for the organization.”

Away from football, Trask is an avid animal lover – she even serves on the board of directors of the Animal Rescue Foundation - loves horses and equestrian activities and reportedly, her favorite food is “desert”. This is a woman I want to call my “B.F.F.”  

In a world built by testosterone and in an organization denoted by masculine bravado, to have an inspiring, idealistic woman with a heart at the helm seems like a pretty progressive move by Mr. Davis. I think he should be credited for that.

And if you think about it, that’s who Al Davis was for the NFL: a man who could recognize talent and was willing to bet on it.

From Larry Garcia of RaiderDrive.com, “Al Davis hired Art Shell, the first African-American coach in the NFL; and how about Super Bowl coach Tom Flores, who was the first Hispanic coach in the NFL? John Madden had no head coaching experience, but he took the Raiders to AFC championships, playoffs and a Super Bowl. Gruden turned the Raiders around and made them both a playoff contender and a championship caliber team.”

Thanks to Larry Garcia for this toy box full of great information about Amy Trask. Take a minute to check out the entire article, it’s a great read!

http://www.raiderdrive.com/amy_trask.htm

Let's get this season kicked-off, Mom...

The message said “So, is Arizona this good, or is Denver that bad…I hope you are watching this game!” The agony was palpable - a fan feeling the pain of a pathetic performance by their team in the fourth game of the pre-season. Now, that’s a fan right? Attached to a game that most relate to as meaningless? I mean, this must be someone who really LOVES this game.

The message was from my mom.

And when I heard it, I couldn’t quit smiling. I thought, “And this is how it turns out I love football.”

She was calling me about the 4^th pre-season game between her beloved Denver Broncos, and “my team”, the Arizona Cardinals. It was not going well for the Broncos.

The message meant great news for me – NOT because the Cardinals were winning. It wasn’t that at all. It was a great message for me because it meant football season is here, and I could look forward to many funny, passionate, silly exchanges between my mom and I about this sport that we love so much.

I know most people probably think of sports – and football, especially – as something that men and fathers and sons can connect over.

But, I have to say, I LOVE when my mom and I talk pigskin as much as any other “girlie” thing we might talk about. In fact, it’s kinda nice to talk about something just for the playful, insignificant fun of it.

I think sometimes women find that there are just too many people to take care of, things to worry about, boo-boos to kiss, birthdays to remember, showers to host, to just indulge in fun for the sake of fun.

Mom, I can hardly wait for this season to kick-off.

Love, Heather

Why is this pre-season "Must See TV"?

Question: Why bother taking up space on your DVR and time away from your fading summer to watch pre-season NFL football? 

The average NFL fan knows that the games don’t really predict anything about their favorite team’s season. And there’s no point in paying too much attention to most of the new guys. They’ll more than likely be cut or relegated to the practice squad.

The players – the ones who have contracts and rosters spots in place already – want little to do with it. After all, each pre-season snap increases their chance of injury and it’s not really “worth” their time. Players only make a few thousand dollars during the preseason. The big bucks only kick in once the regular season starts.

These teams haven’t had any offseason meetings, no OTAs (offseason training activity) no minicamps, nothing. Many of these guys only met their coaches for the first time just a few days before training camp started. So, what we’ll see for the most part is sloppy football from lack of practice.

So, why watch?

I’ll tell you why: This preseason might be the most important in the history of the NFL.

At least for rookies and guys on the “bubble” this year who only have 4 games and stunted training camps to “wow” coaches. That’s a tiny window of time to either grab a roster spot or find themselves back at work at the carwash in Muncie, Indiana. 

To quote comedian Jay Mohr’s post on Twitter, before the Jets played the Texans on Monday, “I am freaking pumped for JETS football tonight. Love 4th qrt in preseason. 1 missed tackle is 1 lost career.”

And there you have it – watch because during the 3^rd and 4^th quarters of these games, you just might catch some pretty fantastic football. Remember, each player in the NFL was one of the BEST players and athletes on any college football team and they have their lives – at least their life’s ambitions – at stake. To me, that’s a game worth playing and worth watching.

Maybe female fans need a uniform code...





During a game, if an NFL player's socks are not pulled up to the "mid-point of the lower leg", touching the bottom of his pants, he gets fined $5,000. An un-tucked Jersey will cost him up to $10,000. During the playoffs a uniform violation can set a fella back $75,000.

So, if your sitting next to this guy during the game, should he pay a fine?

                                                                      

I have to say, I would love to share season tickets in the same section as this guy versus the wanna-be-gold-diggers at the stadium - "kickin' them daisy's", their thongs showing whenever they sit down or raise their arms.

Watching them teeter through the crowded concourse on stilettos leaves me embarrassed - for them. I refuse to post pictures and give them the attention their daddy never did.

I consider myself a huge fan, and I make it to every home game to see my team play. I have jerseys and girly gear of all kinds sporting my allegiance. I'm there to experience the awesome energy of live NFL action and cheer for my favorite players. I'm not interested in playing the role of "eye candy" to a rowdy crowd of inebriated men with testosterone levels in the danger zone.

So, I'll see you at the game - in my Chuck Taylor's and my Adrian Wilson jersey.

"Shake it off!" What great advice...

How many times have you heard - or said - "shake it off", referencing some misfortune on the football field - or some misfortune in life?

I know for me and other people, it's become a sort of running gag when something bad happens to say this to someone, knowing full well the "something" we're talking about won't be easily shook.

This week though, when I was watching the Monday night game between the Packers and the Bears, something hit me. After every snap, any professional football player who wants to be one of the best , who wants his team to win, really does have to  "shake it off".

"It" could be throwing an interception, blowing a tackle, comitting a stupid penalty, or getting lit up like a Christmas tree by a Pro-Bowl linebacker.


Regardless, if that player wants the next snap to have any chance of resulting in success, he's got to let "it" go - and fast! In most cases, the player has all of about a minute to take his mind off the last play to prepare for the next.
 
And can't you tell when he doesn't? Isn't it so obvious when the opposing team is able to get "in a player's head," and his play suffers throughout the rest of the game?
 
Get ready. I'm about to get philosophical.

Here's my thought: What if I was able to "shake off" every poor result in my life in less than a minute? What if I could look at each mistake, each failed attempt, and disappointment and recognize that it was just one "play" in a very long game?

Of course, I am the only one who could say what "winning" my game would look like when the clock runs out. But how much more likely - and much more quickly - would I be able to accomplish the win just by letting go of what didn't work?

And even if I "lost", what would the experience of playing the game be like?

It seems to me, it would be exhilarating, intense, inspiring because it would have been all of me in the game all the time. I would still go back and "watch the tape" to really get my mind around what didn't work, but there would be no time to wallow or luxuriate in it.

As a matter of fact, wouldn't it even be great to shake off a win, too? Think of the players who have been so in love with their own talent and accomplishments that the game, and his team, took second place to his own ego. (Can you say, T.O.?)

And what is the game of my life - of your life - worth when compared to a 60-minute football  game?

I agree with Keith Olbermann?!?! Anyone hear...did Hell freeze over?

Never thought I'd hear myself say this, but here it goes: "You are right Keith! Preach on, brother!"

Keith Olbermann was commenting on the alleged "harassment" of Azteca "reporter", Ines Sainz, when she was in the New York Jets locker room Monday.

Olbermann said, "She undermines every hard working woman sports reporter who knows the game."

I could not agree more. Ines Sainz is nothing more than a piece of eye candy for Azteca and everyone knows it - including her.

Listen, as I woman, I know what reaction I'm trying to elicit or what impression I'm trying to create when I put myself together every day. There are certainly different "themes": job interview, baby shower, beach day, date night....girls night out. Each theme has a different make-up application. Some call for stilletos and thigh-highs, others call for a ball cap and sneakers.

I'd be willing to bet Ms. Sainz has pondered over these kinds of choices, as all women do.

So, you tell me: what reaction...response...impression....was she trying to create when she made the choice to wear this?

As I heard one woman say on a call-in sports show this morning, "She dressed to get attention and attention is what she got!" Exactly.

Ms. Sainz made a choice when she painted those jeans on - and choices have consequences.

Would any reasonable, rational person - even a reasonable, rational feminist - expect a locker room full of intense and competitive men, coming down from an adrenalized testosterone high, to "mind their manners"?

I think it is a shame that the Jets players chose to react the way they did to this calculated choice by Ms. Sainz (and her producers) to show up for "work" dressed this way. The players could have made a choice to treat her like any pudgy, middle-aged male reporter in the locker room.

Which brings up another good point by Olbermann: "Ultimately, what the hell are reporters doing in locker rooms anyway?"

What upsets me the most about this? I had to agree with Keith Olbermann. Damn.

I vote "NO!" on 18

I think my "girly" side is kicking in again - trumping my love of the game.

It looks like, inevitably, the regular NFL season is going to be extended to 18 games. I hate this idea. Hate it.

Sounds crazy, right? Here I am, sitting on the couch, writing a blog about football and saying "no more football" - but hear me out.

Adding two more games to the regular season means that my favorite players will be subjected to two more punishing and dangerous battles each year. I think it's reasonable to think that this could very well shorten their careers, and even worse, impact the quality of their lives after football.

As it is now, the average player only lasts in the NFL for about 3 seasons. Think of that...everything you've worked for your whole life used up in 3 years.

I know...I know, "Don't feel sorry for them! They make more in those 3-4 years than I will make in my lifetime!"

Here in middle-class-ville, it's easy to imagine that the money would make it worth it. But does it?

Most of these guys start their careers in the NFL still so young that they believe they are invincible, immortal - with pockets full of cash. They can barely see past tomorrow, much less 10, 20, 30 years into the future. Could you at 22?

But does the fact that they get paid obscene amounts of money to "play a game" make it right to capitalize on their talents for our entertainment until their bodies are pulverized?

Something about that just seems "off" to me.

Am I the only one?

"What about Brett Faverer?"

Ok, I am SO SICK of this story line.

To me, he has completely tarnished what was an incredible reputation and fan following with his self-indulgent, attention seeking, dramatic "will-he-won't-he" production.

And the worst part: If he is coming back to the league this year (Magic 8-ball says, "It is decidedly so"), then we will have to go through this all over again at the end of this season! Unless of course, his 41-year old body takes a beating he can't recover from at some point during the season.

Maybe the 2011 lock-out over the collective bargaining agreement will give him the "closure" he needs to retire. Do I think there'll be a lock-out? Magic 8-ball says, "Signs point to yes."

Pretty Pigskin: For women who love football. Welcome!

You know, I can't even put my finger on it. Why I love the NFL so much...

I know that these guys inspire me. Really. When you think of how many kids step on to a football field each year, how many play Pop Warner, then on to high school and college, there is a lot of competition and a lot of talent out there.

So, what's different about the guys who win the "fight for 53" to be on an NFL roster. For some, it has mostly to do with physical gifts.

But, if you are a true fan, you know that most of the time for a man to rise to stardom in the league, it has more to do with heart, determination, and hard work - not just physical talent.

Watching football always make me want to try harder - at everything.

What about you? Why do you love football? What do you love about it?