“The Autumn wind is a pirate, blustering in from sea. With a rollicking song he sweeps along, swaggering boisterously. His face is weather beaten, he wears a hooded sash. With a silver hat about his head and a bristling black moustache. He growls as he storms the country, a villain big and bold. And the trees all shake and quiver and quake, as he robs them of their gold. The Autumn Wind is a raider, pillaging just for fun. He'll knock you 'round and upside down and laugh when he's conquered and won.”
Introduction
“There are few teams that breed utter contempt and admiration and devotion in equal measure. The Raiders are one of those teams. We have never been liked by the rest of the NFL and that suited us just fine, we weren't meant to be to everyone's taste. Being part of the Raiders is like being part of a cult, everyone and anyone is accepted into the madness that is Raider Nation and that was the way it should always be. The rebirth of the Raiders was due in part to equal parts tragedy and that take on all comers attitude that personified the Raider Nation. The new millennium ushered in a new dawn for the NFL, and we know that the 2000's belonged to two teams primarily; the Patriots & the Raiders.” -Tom Hanks from ESPN's 30 for 30 special “Commitment To Excellence”
“I guess if I had to say where the foundations of what the media dubbed us the New World Order of the national football league would be the 1999 post season before entering the 2000 draft. Coach Gruden upped sticks and went to Green Bay and Hell a lotta guys wanted to go with him. Not me though, too cold for my liking and too small, ain't nothing fun up there. But that left us without a guy running the ship. Left us with a couple of draft picks though cause what Al Davis wants Al Davis got..sometimes.” - Charles Woodson, Raiders safety
“Oh sure everyone in the NFL knew that Gruden was gonna go. When you run that West Coast offense and you have the chance to coach THE gunslinger Brett Favre. Who wouldn't take that chance. You'd have to be insane. It was the logical choice and I don’t think anyone blamed Gruden for wanting to jump ship. Anyone but Al really. But he pulled that ship back on course with the hire of Pete Carroll.... and then the 2000 draft happened and that was the beginnings of the New World Order of football” - Tim Brown, former Raiders wide receiver
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The post season for the 1999 Raiders was less than ideal. Number one target Dan Marino had opted to end his career as a Dolphin stating “I'm lucky to have played for one team and one team alone in my professional career and I couldn't have been more happy and proud to have been a Miami Dolphin”. And by the time Al's quest to land Marino had ended the number two choice Rich Gannon had gone down the California coast to San Diego and signed a four year deal to be the Chargers starting quarterback replacing the bust that was Ryan Leaf. Jim Harbaugh who had been at the Chargers the previous year was released and made the move up the coast to Oakland where he signed a two year deal to be the man in Oakland... at least for now.
It wasn't meant to be long term. With the hire of Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh under centre the Raiders had lots of work to do. Carroll cleaned house and wanted to bring his own guys in and create a new atmosphere in Oakland. For too long had the Raiders stagnated and he knew and Al knew something had to be done. Bringing in unknowns and underrate guys like Mike Tomlin to be defensive backs coach and Gus Bradley from North Dakota State to be his defensive coordinator and Steve Sarkisian coming in from El Camino college as offensive coordinator in series of moves many in the sports media dubbed 'The Purge”.
“Was I harsh in culling the staff when I came in. Maybe I was, didn’t mean I liked it though. Those guys went onto join Gruden in Green Bay and went on, for the better part to have careers everywhere else so I don't buy into the whole Pete 'The Culler' Carroll idea that some critics had dubbed me” - Pete Carroll, from his autobiography “Good Guys Wear Black”
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Chapter One: The Hire
Chapter One: The Hire
From the autobiography of former Raiders head coach Pete Carroll “Good Guys Wear Black”
When I had the call from Al Davis I was already on my way to California and down to USC to discuss taking over their football operations. After being fired by the Patriots I had a bitter taste in my mouth for professional football and I was seen as collegiate level coach, too bubblegum for this level and in some respects maybe I was but I get the call and think to myself why not, it couldn't hurt to consider the offer and meet with Al. Either way I was happy to meet with him.
“Thank you for your time Pete. I know you are a busy guy. And I know about the interest from USC so I'm gonna cut to the chase. I like you. I like what you did for the guys up in Massachusetts and I want you to bring that here”
I was shocked, especially when he said he liked what I had done up in New England. Many had called my time there a waste despite my record but I still was shocked. I wasn't the type of guy he would usually go for. Al was a radical, he was for lack of a better term and I use this term lovingly of the guy; insane. He wasn't your usual owner but I guess that's why he wanted me because why not buck the trend of hiring either yes men or argumentative types.
“I don't know what to say... you'll have to understand I will have to think about this with my wife and family”
“Oh of course. You have an hour”
An hour... an hour is all he gave me. That definitely cemented my idea that he was insane. But he had his methods and I had my own. I got on the phone to my wife Glena and told her about the offer and without hesitation she told me to go for it. That was a bigger shock than Davis' ultimatum. But I took her advice and I could see the look on Al's face when I went back into his office. It was like Christmas to the guy. He had his man and I had my new job. I had joined the dark side but I had my own terms and he agreed to them all... this felt too easy and well I was gonna be proven right.
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I will be working on this every single chance I get. As a Patriots fan it gives me the chance to make them look good whilst turning the perennial sick man of the 2000's the Raiders into something to be feared again.
