"Al Davis vs. The NFL" aired for the first time on ESPN Thursday night, and it did not disappoint.
The film, directed and produced by Ken Rodgers, detailed the legendary rivalry between late Raiders Owner Al Davis and the former NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle. The rivalry was sparked in the early 1970s while the Raiders were trying to climb the ranks of the NFL after the AFL merger, culminating in the unbelievable heights of three Super Bowl wins across stints in Oakland and Los Angeles.
Here are some of the most epic soundbytes from the stellar NFL film.
Howard Cosell on Al Davis:
"Al Davis is a gutter fighter. Al Davis will do anything to beat you. He'll muscle ya, he'll crowd ya. He'll fight like Roberto Duran in his prime."
Al Davis on the frozen field at the 1975 AFC Championship Game:
"Pete Rozelle said to me, 'Well, it's the same for both sides.' I said, 'Goddammit, Pete. You don't even understand what you're talkin' about. It's not the same for both sides.'"
Pete Rozelle's initial thoughts on Al Davis' desire to move Raiders from Oakland to Los Angeles:
"I think it places us in a difficult position, where in the future others that don't like the rule will say, 'Well, you know, I'm not gonna follow it. I'm either gonna do this or do that, regardless of what the league says.' And that would present a form of anarchy that I would hope we could avoid."
Al Davis on the Raiders' public image going into Super Bowl XV:
"The league wanted to see us lose that game, to see us representing the Super Bowl would just have been about the worst thing that they could imagine, that Pete (Rozelle) would have to present us with the Super Bowl trophy.
Howie Long on Washington ahead of Super Bowl XVIII:
"They're looked upon as being the best team in professional football, maybe the best team ever. And I hope they're looked upon that way. Because the bigger they look, the bigger we'll look when we beat them."
Al Davis to his team after their Super Bowl XVIII victory:
"Well, two years ago when we came to Los Angeles, I really believed that the greatness of the Raiders would be in its future. And with all the great teams we've had, not only in my opinion are you the greatest Raider team of all time, I think you're ranked with the great teams of all time that have ever played any professional sport.
Mark Davis on his late father's feud with Pete Rozelle:
"They were two different people. And my father's vision of what the National Football League should be and Pete's vision of what the National Football League should be were diametrically opposed. But both of them loved the league and both of them wanted it to succeed, and sometimes you need to have that Cold War. You need to have that type of friction between people that creates progress."
Al Davis' thoughts on death:
"I used to fear it. I don't fear it anymore. But I can't dominate it."
View photos of Mr. Davis' legacy with the Silver and Black as Head Coach, Owner, Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee and the architect of the Raiders' Commitment to Excellence.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 as a team and league administrator, Al Davis helmed the Raiders to 29 winning seasons and 3 Super Bowl victories.
