Failing to learn from history...
In 1977, Jim Plunkett was the source of every problem the 49ers ever had, according to the local press. He was the worst acquisition in the history of the franchise. He was signed to take the 49ers to the promised land after several losing seasons. While he had been a Heisman trophy winner, his professional career had remained suspect. He failed to be the option Quarterback that New England had envisioned when they drafted him, lacking the speed to be a running Quarterback. But San Francisco picked him up believing that he still had a strong arm, and bringing him home might just reignite his career, so long as he had the courage to stand in the pocket and throw deep balls. Unfortunately the 49ers lacked any semblance of an offensive line, and they had fired three coaches in three years. On any typical passing play, Plunkett would take the ball from under center, take about two of his three or five steps back, duck, and then get swarmed over by the defense. The local press burned that in order for the 49ers to get any better, Plunkett would have to go. So Plunkett was released, and he sat out of football for the next year. His career was over. He was just another Heisman washout.
In 1978, Al Davis, a constant admirer of Jim Plunkett's throwing arm, invited Plunkett to come join the Raider's franchise with the season in progress. Davis didn't ask Plunkett to play, he asked him to sit on the bench and watch. Meanwhile there was an outcry in Raiderland that Al Davis had done something really stupid. There was talk of friction between Davis and Kenny Stabler, and the fear in Raiderland was that Al might be considering replacing Stabler with a washed out loser. In 1978 the Raiders missed the play offs for the first time in over a decade. It seemed that everything was about to crumble in Raiderland, and that Plunkett was about to oversee the destruction of both Bay Area franchises. The news got worse when John Madden resigned for health reasons. Tom Flores, the former Raider Quarterback and then Quarterbacks coach took over. Flores, the first Hispanic head coach in the NFL, was relatively unknown. Flores duplicated Madden's last year (1978) by going 9-7 (in 1979) and missing the playoffs again.
Davis' problems with Stabler came to a head prior to the 1980 season, and Davis solved his problem by trading straight across with Houston for Dante Pastorini, the strong armed and scrappy Oiler. But Raiderland was indeed crumbling. Due to interference from the NFL, negotiations of a new contract for the Oakland Coliseum collapsed, and Davis announced that March that the franchise would be moving to Los Angeles in 1981. With the team in disarray, a new coach and quarterback, and everything dangling in uncertainty, the Raiders began the 1980 season 1-3. Then something remarkable happened. Dan Pastorini broke his leg, and Jim Plunkett came off the bench.
We all know the rest. Jim Plunkett engineered one of the most remarkable comebacks in the history of professional sports, as he led the Raiders to a Super Bowl win that year - and then again in 1983. And thus a Bay Area pariah was transformed into a national hero. Thus, another "stupid" Al Davis acquisition became hailed for its brilliance.
"It's a precaution for us to bring a guy like that in because you can lose a quarterback, and then, when you lose one, you have to have somebody ready to go. Even if he doesn't stick with us, there'll be somebody out there that knows a little bit about our system." This is very similar to what the organization was saying about Jim Plunkett in 1978, but it is currently what Art Shell has to say about the acquisition of Jeff George, current Bay Area pariah, while the Bay Area is clamoring about another "stupid" Al Davis acquisition.
There is much to the downside of Jeff George, just as there was much to the downside of Jim Plunkett. But men of such remarkable talents always have the potential to accomplish something seemingly miraculous. I am a life long Raider fan largely because Al Davis has the courage to make these kinds of moves. I ask all of those who are currently on the side of the "another stupid Al Davis acquistion" ledger, what will you say if Jeff George finds an opportunity with the Raiders to prove his talent, to accomplish a miracle? Will you disregard the accomplishment because you "were right about Jeff George all along" in blaming him for the debacle of 1997?
People change. They discover things as they get older. George has said his return reminds him of Vince Evans. He said the team always refered to Evans as the old man, and George never wanted to be that old man. And now he is. According to reports, George destroyed his own career by being arogant and aloof. But listen to him now. "(Shell) just said, 'Hey, come in here and be yourself, come out here and throw the ball like we know you can, and just do what we tell you to do,' and that's all I wanted, whether they put me fourth-, third-string, second-string, whatever I have to do. I keep saying, I'm just thankful to be back in the league and given the opportunity to prove that I belong."
I will not complain or argue with anyone Al Davis puts on the Raider bench. He owns that right, but more, he has earned that right with the acquisition of Jim Plunkett among others. I don't know if Jeff George will ever have his "Jim Plunkett moment," but what if he does? Davis has a considerable record for presenting me with that kind of entertainment. So welcome, Jeff George. Make yourself comfortable on the Raider bench. Watch what we're doing here now. Perhaps your moment will come. Maybe it won't. If it does, you will have my complete attention.
It is said that those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it. Mr. Davis, keep failing to learn the lessons from the history of James Jett so that you will continue to be condemned to repeat the history of Jim Plunkett.
In 1978, Al Davis, a constant admirer of Jim Plunkett's throwing arm, invited Plunkett to come join the Raider's franchise with the season in progress. Davis didn't ask Plunkett to play, he asked him to sit on the bench and watch. Meanwhile there was an outcry in Raiderland that Al Davis had done something really stupid. There was talk of friction between Davis and Kenny Stabler, and the fear in Raiderland was that Al might be considering replacing Stabler with a washed out loser. In 1978 the Raiders missed the play offs for the first time in over a decade. It seemed that everything was about to crumble in Raiderland, and that Plunkett was about to oversee the destruction of both Bay Area franchises. The news got worse when John Madden resigned for health reasons. Tom Flores, the former Raider Quarterback and then Quarterbacks coach took over. Flores, the first Hispanic head coach in the NFL, was relatively unknown. Flores duplicated Madden's last year (1978) by going 9-7 (in 1979) and missing the playoffs again.
Davis' problems with Stabler came to a head prior to the 1980 season, and Davis solved his problem by trading straight across with Houston for Dante Pastorini, the strong armed and scrappy Oiler. But Raiderland was indeed crumbling. Due to interference from the NFL, negotiations of a new contract for the Oakland Coliseum collapsed, and Davis announced that March that the franchise would be moving to Los Angeles in 1981. With the team in disarray, a new coach and quarterback, and everything dangling in uncertainty, the Raiders began the 1980 season 1-3. Then something remarkable happened. Dan Pastorini broke his leg, and Jim Plunkett came off the bench.
We all know the rest. Jim Plunkett engineered one of the most remarkable comebacks in the history of professional sports, as he led the Raiders to a Super Bowl win that year - and then again in 1983. And thus a Bay Area pariah was transformed into a national hero. Thus, another "stupid" Al Davis acquisition became hailed for its brilliance.
"It's a precaution for us to bring a guy like that in because you can lose a quarterback, and then, when you lose one, you have to have somebody ready to go. Even if he doesn't stick with us, there'll be somebody out there that knows a little bit about our system." This is very similar to what the organization was saying about Jim Plunkett in 1978, but it is currently what Art Shell has to say about the acquisition of Jeff George, current Bay Area pariah, while the Bay Area is clamoring about another "stupid" Al Davis acquisition.
There is much to the downside of Jeff George, just as there was much to the downside of Jim Plunkett. But men of such remarkable talents always have the potential to accomplish something seemingly miraculous. I am a life long Raider fan largely because Al Davis has the courage to make these kinds of moves. I ask all of those who are currently on the side of the "another stupid Al Davis acquistion" ledger, what will you say if Jeff George finds an opportunity with the Raiders to prove his talent, to accomplish a miracle? Will you disregard the accomplishment because you "were right about Jeff George all along" in blaming him for the debacle of 1997?
People change. They discover things as they get older. George has said his return reminds him of Vince Evans. He said the team always refered to Evans as the old man, and George never wanted to be that old man. And now he is. According to reports, George destroyed his own career by being arogant and aloof. But listen to him now. "(Shell) just said, 'Hey, come in here and be yourself, come out here and throw the ball like we know you can, and just do what we tell you to do,' and that's all I wanted, whether they put me fourth-, third-string, second-string, whatever I have to do. I keep saying, I'm just thankful to be back in the league and given the opportunity to prove that I belong."
I will not complain or argue with anyone Al Davis puts on the Raider bench. He owns that right, but more, he has earned that right with the acquisition of Jim Plunkett among others. I don't know if Jeff George will ever have his "Jim Plunkett moment," but what if he does? Davis has a considerable record for presenting me with that kind of entertainment. So welcome, Jeff George. Make yourself comfortable on the Raider bench. Watch what we're doing here now. Perhaps your moment will come. Maybe it won't. If it does, you will have my complete attention.
It is said that those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it. Mr. Davis, keep failing to learn the lessons from the history of James Jett so that you will continue to be condemned to repeat the history of Jim Plunkett.
posted by BlandaRocked at 12:07 PM
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