Schaddy
03-20-2006, 01:40 PM
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The NFL's Greatest Rivalries Part One
Denver Broncos vs. Oakland Raiders
by kve820
Pure disdain is the subject here; and I'm talking rivalries.
Oakland Raiders and the Denver Broncos to be exact.
Not unlike the Muhammad Ali super bouts of the seventies when Ali fought George Foreman and Frazer and even Leon Spinks The Oakland Raiders have had many rivalries but the one they have with the Denver Broncos is as intense as you can get.
It really didn't start until 1977, thats when the Denver Broncos finally became good and competitive. That year Denver won in Oakland and it finally became a true rivalry, because it meant something to the Raiders. ESPN's Tom Jackson was a Bronco then and after the game his comments were directed at the Raiders coach John Madden, "It's Over Fat Man"! Jackson said it was the heat of the moment comment and I'm sure we all could relate to that. The Broncos and Raiders have fought each other since 1960 with Denver taking the first ever meeting between the two clubs, but after the first couple of seasons (1960-61) Denver held the edge against the Raiders 4-2, but that wouldn't last long, Denver was just about to get introduced to Al Davis.
Al Davis came to the Raiders and everything changed. He took a failing franchise and turned them into the winningest team of all time. During that time Davis and the Raiders owned the Broncos. This is when the rivalry became important to the Broncos, but not the Raiders, not yet. After enjoying a 4-2 advantage over the Raiders from 1960-1962, after that the Raiders enjoyed the next 17 wins out of 18, with the 18 being a tie. Totally dominating the Broncos during that spand. One team was heading up to the top and the other heading for the cellar.
http://www.candidcritic.com/images/davis.jpg
In the 1970's the NFL and AFL merged and both Denver and Oakland were kept in the Western Division together keeping the rivalry together that had been started. The Raiders were still dominating the Broncos then taking season sweeps many times agaisnt the Broncos. Denver was clearly a Oakland dormat. Although during that time the Broncos played hard and there were more fights during the games than you could shake a stick at. But try as hard as they could, it just seemed when it came to the Raiders, there just was no hope in beating them.
Then came October 16th 1977 as mention before. The Broncos beat the Raiders at Oakland and later on beat the Raiders in the AFC title game to advance to Superbowl 12, this from a play simply known as the Faux fumble, till this day is a sore subject for Al Davis and John Madden. And Rightly so, it was a fumble that was recovered by Oakland and returned for a Touchdown only to have the ref's take it away and call a no fumble, the Broncos won 20-17. This is when the Raiders became aware that the doormats they called the Broncos, had caught up to them and it was "a True Rivalry" from then on till today. These teams not only hate each other on the field but many times it has carried over from the field to the front offices and from coaches to owner's. It is about as heated as it can be between these clubs.
http://www.denverbroncos.com/resources/custom/WYSIWYG/shanahan_081803.jpg
Who could forget when Al Davis hired Mike Shanahan away from the Broncos, and made him the head coach of the Raiders. Only to fire him a year and a half later. And then told Shanahan that if he went back to the Broncos he would not pay him the rest of his contract. $250,000 to be exact. Well Shanahan went back to Denver and Al didn't pay Mike. Mike filed a grievance with the league and won, but Al hasn't paid Mike Shanahan to this day. Then there was a time in San Francisco when Mike was the offense cordinator with the 49er's, and was accused of asking Elvis Grbac to throw a football at Al Davis head during warm up's. Mike Shanahan's reply to the question was "Would I do something like that"? I don't see anything that says no or yes so I guess we may never no the truth about it but who know's.
Al Davis and the Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen have had a few interesting comments for each other as well. Al Davis has accused the Broncos of salary violations and that Pat Bowlen should be suspended for it. Pats Reply to AL Davis was sort of low key, "When he points his finger in my direction, I just sort of laugh. I guess that's his excuse for the fact he hasn't been able to beat us." As time goes on it is sure to get much more interesting.
http://i.a.cnn.net/nascar/2005/news/headlines/cup/07/21/local.look.pocono/tim.brown.193.jpg
The time Denver had offered Raiders reciever Tim Brown a contract only to have the offer matched by Al Davis. Other players have played with both Denver and Oakland, Hall of famer Willie Brown, Rich Jackson probably the best defense lineman in Broncos history and then Lyle Alzado. How about the latest big name of Bill Romanowski and who could forget his duel with Shannon Sharpe on Monday night football. Coaches aren't excluded either, The Raiders tried to hire John Teerlinck from the Broncos, Denvers pass rush coach at the time during the Orange Crush years. Al was always trying to hurt the other teams in the division by hiring away their staff or players.
But the biggest and I do mean the Biggest thing that could have changed this rivalry forever was the 1983 draft. Why? you ask. That was the year John Elway was drafted by the Colts. Long story short Elway did not want to play for the Colts and was traded to Denver, BUT there is alot more, Al Davis thought he had a 3-way deal with the Chicago Bears and Baltimore Colts and his Raiders to bring John Elway to Oakland, yes that's right Bronco fans, Elway was almost a Raider, almost. To this day Al Davis feels that former Commissioner Pete Rozelle talked owner George Halas of the Bears to back out of the deal which let the Denver Broncos land Elway not the Raiders. I shutter to think if it had went the other way.
http://espn-i.starwave.com/i/abcsports/mnf/2001/1031/photo/s_elway_i.jpg
The Oakland Raiders lead the all time record agaisnt the Broncos with a 53-35-2 record. But with Mike Shanahan since 1995 taking over the reins in Denver, the Broncos have closed the gap A little. Mike is 16-5 against the Raiders and its just getting hotter and more intense between these clubs again because now the pendulum has swung the other way but as history shows a pendulum swings back and forth and that is not going to change anytime soon.
With these clubs the "hate" runs deep, not just with the teams but fans as well. Who could forget the night in Denver in the snow with alot of Denver fans throwing snow balls at the Raiders and some of the Raiders were fighting back, literally fighting back! This is what makes this Rivarly great. It doesn't get any better, when a team has a Raiders week twice a year you know its going to be a tough hard fought game. When all the mumble jumble of stats and comments and everything in between it all boils down to the players and coaches during the games. We fans feed off of it and so it means so much more than just another win, it is a win agaisnt a division rival. Whether a Raider fan or Bronco fan you look to see when and where the games are going to be when the schedule comes out, we all mark down the dates waiting for it to happen, I can hardly wait.
These teams have played alot of overtime games together and during the Eighties these teams margin of victory is very small. Denver and Oakland have met on Monday Night Football more than any other teams in the league, because its always going to be a great ball game. Year after year it is always fun to watch. In my opinion, there is no better rivalry in today's game, yes there are many with longer years played and such and there are great ones for sure, but with these two clubs its personal, we wouldn't have it any other way.
.....................................
This is part one of a multi-issue look at the NFL's greatest rivalries. Look for more articles in the coming weeks, all brought to you exclusively by Pigskinheaven.com's Writing Team.
http://www.pigskinheaven.com/gallery/files/7/oaklandraid.png
The NFL's Greatest Rivalries Part One
Denver Broncos vs. Oakland Raiders
by kve820
Pure disdain is the subject here; and I'm talking rivalries.
Oakland Raiders and the Denver Broncos to be exact.
Not unlike the Muhammad Ali super bouts of the seventies when Ali fought George Foreman and Frazer and even Leon Spinks The Oakland Raiders have had many rivalries but the one they have with the Denver Broncos is as intense as you can get.
It really didn't start until 1977, thats when the Denver Broncos finally became good and competitive. That year Denver won in Oakland and it finally became a true rivalry, because it meant something to the Raiders. ESPN's Tom Jackson was a Bronco then and after the game his comments were directed at the Raiders coach John Madden, "It's Over Fat Man"! Jackson said it was the heat of the moment comment and I'm sure we all could relate to that. The Broncos and Raiders have fought each other since 1960 with Denver taking the first ever meeting between the two clubs, but after the first couple of seasons (1960-61) Denver held the edge against the Raiders 4-2, but that wouldn't last long, Denver was just about to get introduced to Al Davis.
Al Davis came to the Raiders and everything changed. He took a failing franchise and turned them into the winningest team of all time. During that time Davis and the Raiders owned the Broncos. This is when the rivalry became important to the Broncos, but not the Raiders, not yet. After enjoying a 4-2 advantage over the Raiders from 1960-1962, after that the Raiders enjoyed the next 17 wins out of 18, with the 18 being a tie. Totally dominating the Broncos during that spand. One team was heading up to the top and the other heading for the cellar.
http://www.candidcritic.com/images/davis.jpg
In the 1970's the NFL and AFL merged and both Denver and Oakland were kept in the Western Division together keeping the rivalry together that had been started. The Raiders were still dominating the Broncos then taking season sweeps many times agaisnt the Broncos. Denver was clearly a Oakland dormat. Although during that time the Broncos played hard and there were more fights during the games than you could shake a stick at. But try as hard as they could, it just seemed when it came to the Raiders, there just was no hope in beating them.
Then came October 16th 1977 as mention before. The Broncos beat the Raiders at Oakland and later on beat the Raiders in the AFC title game to advance to Superbowl 12, this from a play simply known as the Faux fumble, till this day is a sore subject for Al Davis and John Madden. And Rightly so, it was a fumble that was recovered by Oakland and returned for a Touchdown only to have the ref's take it away and call a no fumble, the Broncos won 20-17. This is when the Raiders became aware that the doormats they called the Broncos, had caught up to them and it was "a True Rivalry" from then on till today. These teams not only hate each other on the field but many times it has carried over from the field to the front offices and from coaches to owner's. It is about as heated as it can be between these clubs.
http://www.denverbroncos.com/resources/custom/WYSIWYG/shanahan_081803.jpg
Who could forget when Al Davis hired Mike Shanahan away from the Broncos, and made him the head coach of the Raiders. Only to fire him a year and a half later. And then told Shanahan that if he went back to the Broncos he would not pay him the rest of his contract. $250,000 to be exact. Well Shanahan went back to Denver and Al didn't pay Mike. Mike filed a grievance with the league and won, but Al hasn't paid Mike Shanahan to this day. Then there was a time in San Francisco when Mike was the offense cordinator with the 49er's, and was accused of asking Elvis Grbac to throw a football at Al Davis head during warm up's. Mike Shanahan's reply to the question was "Would I do something like that"? I don't see anything that says no or yes so I guess we may never no the truth about it but who know's.
Al Davis and the Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen have had a few interesting comments for each other as well. Al Davis has accused the Broncos of salary violations and that Pat Bowlen should be suspended for it. Pats Reply to AL Davis was sort of low key, "When he points his finger in my direction, I just sort of laugh. I guess that's his excuse for the fact he hasn't been able to beat us." As time goes on it is sure to get much more interesting.
http://i.a.cnn.net/nascar/2005/news/headlines/cup/07/21/local.look.pocono/tim.brown.193.jpg
The time Denver had offered Raiders reciever Tim Brown a contract only to have the offer matched by Al Davis. Other players have played with both Denver and Oakland, Hall of famer Willie Brown, Rich Jackson probably the best defense lineman in Broncos history and then Lyle Alzado. How about the latest big name of Bill Romanowski and who could forget his duel with Shannon Sharpe on Monday night football. Coaches aren't excluded either, The Raiders tried to hire John Teerlinck from the Broncos, Denvers pass rush coach at the time during the Orange Crush years. Al was always trying to hurt the other teams in the division by hiring away their staff or players.
But the biggest and I do mean the Biggest thing that could have changed this rivalry forever was the 1983 draft. Why? you ask. That was the year John Elway was drafted by the Colts. Long story short Elway did not want to play for the Colts and was traded to Denver, BUT there is alot more, Al Davis thought he had a 3-way deal with the Chicago Bears and Baltimore Colts and his Raiders to bring John Elway to Oakland, yes that's right Bronco fans, Elway was almost a Raider, almost. To this day Al Davis feels that former Commissioner Pete Rozelle talked owner George Halas of the Bears to back out of the deal which let the Denver Broncos land Elway not the Raiders. I shutter to think if it had went the other way.
http://espn-i.starwave.com/i/abcsports/mnf/2001/1031/photo/s_elway_i.jpg
The Oakland Raiders lead the all time record agaisnt the Broncos with a 53-35-2 record. But with Mike Shanahan since 1995 taking over the reins in Denver, the Broncos have closed the gap A little. Mike is 16-5 against the Raiders and its just getting hotter and more intense between these clubs again because now the pendulum has swung the other way but as history shows a pendulum swings back and forth and that is not going to change anytime soon.
With these clubs the "hate" runs deep, not just with the teams but fans as well. Who could forget the night in Denver in the snow with alot of Denver fans throwing snow balls at the Raiders and some of the Raiders were fighting back, literally fighting back! This is what makes this Rivarly great. It doesn't get any better, when a team has a Raiders week twice a year you know its going to be a tough hard fought game. When all the mumble jumble of stats and comments and everything in between it all boils down to the players and coaches during the games. We fans feed off of it and so it means so much more than just another win, it is a win agaisnt a division rival. Whether a Raider fan or Bronco fan you look to see when and where the games are going to be when the schedule comes out, we all mark down the dates waiting for it to happen, I can hardly wait.
These teams have played alot of overtime games together and during the Eighties these teams margin of victory is very small. Denver and Oakland have met on Monday Night Football more than any other teams in the league, because its always going to be a great ball game. Year after year it is always fun to watch. In my opinion, there is no better rivalry in today's game, yes there are many with longer years played and such and there are great ones for sure, but with these two clubs its personal, we wouldn't have it any other way.
.....................................
This is part one of a multi-issue look at the NFL's greatest rivalries. Look for more articles in the coming weeks, all brought to you exclusively by Pigskinheaven.com's Writing Team.