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Jim Plunkett turns to Dr. Frankenstein on his career
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00:00Okay.
01:13From 1967 through 1977, the Oakland Raiders won nine division titles, a Vince team in the NFL.
01:23But by the end of the 70s, the silver and black were in decline.
01:27After not making the playoffs in 1978 and 79, Oakland made wholesale changes to compete
01:33for a title in 1980.
01:36Still, most experts picked them to finish last in the AFC West.
01:41Even with 15 new players, the team retained the hallmarks of the Oakland Raiders.
01:47Veteran leadership, embodied by number 63 Gene Upshaw.
01:51Physical intensity, personified by rookie Matt Millen.
01:56And an unlikely reclamation project.
01:59In this case, a former number one pick whose career had hit rock bottom in 1978.
02:05I mean, rock bottom.
02:06Talk about low points.
02:08You know, here I was, first round draft choice, just seven years earlier, you know, out of football.
02:13They talk about depression.
02:14And I didn't know what to do with myself.
02:19Maybe I should quit football altogether and go seek employment elsewhere.
02:24It was a very, very difficult time in my life.
02:26We knew he had talent.
02:28We knew that he could play.
02:30I can remember him being a number one pick out of Stanford.
02:36The Raiders go back to New England to play him in his first game.
02:39And he beats us.
02:43You know, I still felt, you know, I could play football, you know, even though I was down in
02:48the dumps and things weren't going well for me.
02:51And, you know, all I needed is to be given another opportunity.
02:57Plunkett got an opportunity in Oakland, the league's island of lost souls.
03:03It's always a group that's seen as a renegade group, the halfway house of the NFL, guys that
03:11didn't fit in anywhere else.
03:12And they always seem to come to the Raiders and thrive.
03:16And it was a simple reason why it always seemed to work, because Al Davis always gave you a
03:23chance to be you.
03:23And we used to tell all the players, there ain't many stops after you leave here.
03:29Davis gave his new quarterback a simple message.
03:34You know, everywhere you've gone, you've been labeled as a savior.
03:37You know, you've been brought in to help turn this team around.
03:41Well, here, that's, you know, that's not the case.
03:43We want you to sit back, watch and learn our offense, and just get yourself prepared.
03:48Entering the 1980 season, Plunkett was the Raiders' backup behind Dan Pastorini, a former
03:54Northern California high school rival.
03:56And the man selected two spots after Plunkett in the 1971 draft.
04:04I'd have just about had it, you know, two years on the bench.
04:07Stabler was gone.
04:09They were bringing in Pastorini, another strong-armed quarterback.
04:12He didn't like sitting on the bench.
04:14He wanted to get in and play.
04:15Stabler was the guy who traded for Pastorini.
04:17And it's no fun to come to practice every day, to work as hard as you work, and never
04:23get a chance to shoot on Sunday, and to help you win football games.
04:27One player expected to help Oakland win right away was Matt Millen.
04:31The Raiders selected the Penn State linebacker with their second-round pick.
04:34What did I know about the Oakland Raiders?
04:36Heck, not very much.
04:38I knew them by reputation.
04:39I knew they were kind of a rogue outfit.
04:42There was a sign that hung above our old locker room, and it said, the Raider rules.
04:50Raider rule number one, cheating is encouraged.
04:55Raider rule number two, see rule number one.
04:59It was something we said among ourselves when we would be out away from the game.
05:05If we were playing golf, if we were playing shuffleboard, if whatever was going on,
05:10the old saying was, if you're not cheating, you're not trying.
05:14And you laughed about it.
05:16You laughed about it until you realized that what they're saying is, find a way to get it
05:22done.
05:23Find a way to get it done.
05:25If somebody holds you, how do you make them stop?
05:27If you need to talk to the official, fine.
05:30If you need to grab them by the throat, great.
05:32If you need to punch them in the throat, whatever you need to do, get that done.
05:36Is that cheating?
05:38Well, you know, I read Raider rule number one.
05:41Cheating was encouraged.
05:43Is that cheating?
05:44Actually, no, it isn't.
05:45I learned very early.
05:46Every game has its own set of rules, and every officiating crew calls them differently.
05:51Whatever those rules were that day, you learned them fast, and then you learn how to skirt
05:55them.
05:56Whether the Raiders cheated or not didn't matter.
05:59Few thought Open would win in 1980.
06:01I really didn't have very high expectations, because the day I was drafted, I said, are
06:07they any good?
06:08And they said, nah, you guys aren't going to be very good this year.
06:11But in 1980, the only surprise bigger than the Oakland Raiders would be the man who wound
06:16up leading them back to the Super Bowl.
06:20To be an experience you could never forget, because Matt Millen thought every day was game
06:28and he thought they were voting for the Pro Bowl every time he walked on the field.
06:33The guy is coming in full speed.
06:34We don't even have pads on.
06:36He's coming in full speed, going right at Shell.
06:39I'm going to say, what's wrong with this guy?
06:41Where did he come from?
06:43Art Shell and Gene Upshaw, as soon as I got there, they took me under their wing immediately.
06:48I was like their little puppy, probably.
06:50The guy was nuts, and he would have something called arm parties, where he would bring this
06:55bar into the room, and he and a couple of other guys would do curls at night until they
07:00couldn't lift their arms.
07:01He would do this all during training camp.
07:03And they would tell me, hey, you just be aggressive.
07:06You need to get that huddle straightened out over there.
07:09When I stepped into the huddle, they listened to me, and they wanted me to.
07:17They wanted somebody to take over, so hey, I'll take over if nobody else is going to.
07:22Miller's ability to lead the defense faced an early obstacle.
07:26I was so proud to have a form-fitted mouthpiece.
07:33I brought it with me from Penn State, and it fit in there perfect.
07:38Ted Hendricks comes walking over to me, and he goes, you got that mouthpiece?
07:42I go, yeah.
07:43He goes, is that one of those form-fit mouthpieces?
07:46And, oh, yeah, it's a form-fitter.
07:49I got it at Penn State.
07:50And he goes, let me see that thing.
07:51And I showed it to him, and he looked at it, and he went, and he threw it.
07:56He threw it and went flying.
07:58I go, what are you doing?
08:00And he goes, I can't understand a damn thing you're saying.
08:04Don't wear any mouthpiece.
08:06Just yell it out.
08:08Okay.
08:09It's the end of my form-fitted mouthpiece.
08:12Known as kick-em-in-the-head Ted, Hendricks was a typical Oakland Raider.
08:18There were always guys who did crazy things, but they just fit right in.
08:23I mean, they might be crazy somewhere else, but they were not crazy for us.
08:28So many people dislike the Raiders.
08:29Why do they dislike the Raiders?
08:31Because you guys are different.
08:33What makes you different?
08:34How do you fit into this whole picture?
08:37Well, you know, that's kind of a...
08:40When you say, I epitomize the Raiders,
08:45and then you say the Raiders aren't very well-liked,
08:49I guess you're trying to say is
08:51that the Raiders, as well as John Matuszak,
08:55have always been
08:59controversial.
09:01John Matuszak.
09:02I didn't know anything about John Matuszak
09:04other than he was supposed to be nuts.
09:09And he didn't disappoint.
09:12It's the closest thing to being a lion or a cheetah or a hawk that there is.
09:21It's the most beautiful, but the most brutal game in the world.
09:28Were they a bunch of guys who liked to have fun?
09:30Absolutely.
09:31They had fun off the field, and they had fun on the field.
09:33But the part that's always missing is they worked.
09:38That was a hard-working team.
09:41That was a group of guys who wanted to get better.
09:46Oakland's head coach was Tom Flores,
09:49who's...
09:49Tom Flores was snuffed from the Hall of Fame for years.
09:54Never got enough respect for coaching the Raiders to two Super Bowl wins.
10:01Low-key approach was a calming influence on the Raiders.
10:05Tom's laid back.
10:06You know, he's a matter-of-fact kind of guy.
10:09He sits back, watches everything.
10:12Doesn't raise his voice very often.
10:14I think what Tom brought to the table was
10:16just that confidence,
10:19that quiet approach to the game.
10:21And we wanted to play for him.
10:23When Tom Flores brought us out on the field,
10:26you wanted to win for Tom Flores.
10:28Flores' team opened the 1980 season
10:31with a new quarterback and six new starters on defense.
10:34It also had to contend with the scorching heat of Kansas City.
10:37It was brutal.
10:39It was probably 110 on the field.
10:41That was an Astro turf field.
10:43And it was hot.
10:45It was almost unbarreled.
10:47It burned the bottom of your feet.
10:48Your feet would...
10:50You could feel literally almost being burned.
10:52In the middle of the third quarter,
10:55they had a beer commercial come on.
11:00And all you heard was...
11:03Across the whole stadium.
11:05And then you heard...
11:08And everybody turned and looked up at the video board,
11:11and Ted Hendricks goes,
11:12They're killing me out here!
11:15They're killing me!
11:17Somebody get rid of that commercial!
11:20Millen was learning the Raider way.
11:22Play hard and have fun doing it.
11:31He began his NFL career by grabbing his first career interception.
11:35You would think Ted Hendricks being born in Guatemala
11:40and growing up in Miami would be used to the heat.
11:47He also received a vital lesson in Raiders etiquette.
11:50A few things I remember about that game.
11:53It was my first game ever.
11:56The first thing was officiating.
12:00At Penn State, we were instructed to whenever you address an official,
12:05you say,
12:06Excuse me, Mr. Official.
12:08And then you ask the question.
12:11Now let's fast forward to the Raiders in the first game.
12:15I didn't know officials knew that kind of language,
12:18and I didn't know you could address them that way.
12:21It was...
12:23I mean, I was literally in shock.
12:25Ted Hendricks started cussing out an official,
12:28and the official turned back and started cussing back at him,
12:31and I was like,
12:32Whatever happens?
12:33Excuse me, Mr. Official.
12:35Pastorini threw for 317 yards and two touchdowns
12:39as Oakland beat Kansas City 27-14.
12:45The retooled Raiders played like a contender,
12:48but it would take six weeks
12:50and another quarterback
12:51before they would finally become one.
12:55To keep your edge,
12:57to keep your timing,
12:59to keep focused on the chance that you will get in.
13:03I was just hoping for, you know,
13:05an opportunity to arise.
13:08The Raiders' play added to Plunkett's frustration.
13:11Oakland split its first four games
13:13as they struggled to adapt to Pastorini at quarterback.
13:17He was a player of the quarterback.
13:21Dan had the habit of
13:23hitting his hand with the ball
13:26before he threw it.
13:27You can actually hear the ball
13:29leave a quarterback's hand
13:30and all of that noise
13:31and all of that crowd,
13:32you can hear it.
13:34You know when the ball's out of his hand.
13:36Well, we would hear Dan
13:37sort of hit that ball with his left hand,
13:40and we would think it's gone,
13:42and he would still have it.
13:43Then there would be a sign.
13:44They beat the piss out of him.
13:47He would stand in there,
13:49and he would see it coming,
13:50and he would just throw it,
13:52and he'd open himself up,
13:53and he would get pounded.
13:55He comes back the next week,
13:56and he did the same thing,
13:59and they got him.
14:01Yeah, well, good for the team.
14:03They got him.
14:04No offense.
14:07Three touchdowns,
14:07eight interceptions,
14:08pass rating of 43.
14:10His next three starts.
14:12Yeah, he had a good game against the Chiefs
14:14like when anybody could have a good game
14:16against the Chiefs.
14:20Get him out of there.
14:23They broke him.
14:25In week five,
14:26Pastorini suffered a broken leg.
14:29Plunkett now had his chance.
14:31In his first substantial action of the season,
14:34Plunkett did little to help the Raiders.
14:39I hadn't played in almost two and a half years.
14:43I did throw a couple of touchdown passes,
14:45but threw quite a few interceptions,
14:47but, you know, we're behind.
14:47I'm trying to get back in the football game.
14:49I was disappointed.
14:51You know, I'd hoped to have played better right away,
14:53but I didn't.
14:55The loss to Kansas City put Oakland's record
14:57at two and three.
14:59The Raiders were outwardly confident,
15:01but could see their season slipping away.
15:08Losing was not something you got used to in Oakland
15:11under no circumstance.
15:12We had gotten hammered.
15:14We had lost our quarterback,
15:16and we were now going into this unknown.
15:18But we also felt that together,
15:21we still had enough talent to win this thing.
15:24With Pastorini out for the season,
15:26the team's hopes now teetered
15:28on the right shoulder of Jim Plunkett,
15:31a man who had never led a team to the playoffs,
15:33let alone the Super Bowl.
15:35But nobody had any doubts that Plunkett could do it.
15:38I looked back on it.
15:41When he ran onto the field,
15:42it was like, all right, Plunkett will take over.
15:44We'll be fine.
15:45You know, I was a little apprehensive,
15:46but, you know, in the back of my mind,
15:49if I don't do well with this opportunity,
15:52you know, I might be out of football again.
15:54Once again, Al Davis told Plunkett
15:56that he was part of a team,
15:57not the focus of it.
16:00He came up to me Friday before the game
16:03in the locker room and said,
16:06you know, it's not important
16:08that you play well.
16:09It's important that we win.
16:12And I kept telling myself,
16:13stay in the pocket.
16:14You know, hold the ball
16:15to the last possible fraction of a second
16:16before you get rid of it.
16:17Don't look to run too soon.
16:19I mean, I'm telling myself mentally,
16:21these are the things I've got to do
16:23in order to be successful.
16:25I try to be conservative in one aspect,
16:28but I also was looking for my opportunities
16:30to throw the ball down the field.
16:32Plunkett revived the Raiders' offense.
16:36Plunkett will try to get him rolling from the 11.
16:38And object King, outside left tackle
16:40into the secondary,
16:41takes off to 50,
16:41and the 20, it's a great break to the 30.
16:44Here comes Shaw, 40, 50.
16:47Shaw gets a piece of it,
16:47misses it to the 30,
16:49to the 20, to the 10.
16:50It's the Raiders!
16:53Holy Toledo!
16:54We take on the San Diego Chargers
16:56who are acknowledged as the best
16:58and highest scoring team
17:00in the National Football League,
17:02and we whip them.
17:04And what comes with a good whipping
17:06for a team that's struggling
17:09is the great equalizer,
17:11confidence.
17:14And here I am as a young kid,
17:16and I'm looking around the room,
17:17and these guys are starting to believe
17:19that we have a chance.
17:20And so,
17:21we finally start to show
17:23that we're starting to define ourselves.
17:26And Plunkett was
17:27the main cog.
17:31Monday night,
17:33and you know,
17:34with the Raiders,
17:35I learned fast.
17:36When the lights turn off,
17:38we turned on.
17:47There was a lot of electricity,
17:49and we were back in the Steel City
17:51on a Monday night.
17:53The criminal element was still there.
17:55You had the Oakland Raiders,
17:57and you had the Pittsburgh Steelers.
18:01We were down 20 to 7 early in the ballgame.
18:04Had to fight and claw our way back in.
18:08A certain down-and-distance situation,
18:10they went into a certain defense
18:13that allowed Cliff to be covered one-on-one
18:15as soon as I saw it.
18:18Audible to it,
18:19and you know,
18:19there he goes for a long touchdown.
18:21We put a beating on Terry Bradshaw
18:23because we got after the passer.
18:26Willie Jones had a big night.
18:27We knocked Bradshaw down,
18:29I can't tell you how many times.
18:30Terry was laying on the ground,
18:32and everybody was out.
18:33And I was talking to Jack Hamm,
18:34and I go,
18:35jeez, I hope he's all right.
18:36He said,
18:36what, are you kidding me?
18:37It's Monday night football.
18:38He knows there's good camera time.
18:40Ha, ha, ha, ha.
18:41I think that was the game
18:43where we knew
18:45that, you know what,
18:46we got a chance
18:47because we just beat
18:49the defending Super Bowl champions
18:51in a game they needed to win
18:53on a Monday night
18:54in front of a national audience.
18:57Do you get confident
18:58because you're winning,
18:59or do you start winning
19:01because you're confident?
19:02And it's something that
19:07I pray about now
19:09with my Detroit Lions
19:12because we need confidence.
19:17He was a terrible GM.
19:20And that team found it.
19:22Behind Jim Plunkett,
19:24Oakland won six straight games.
19:27The man who was out of football
19:29just three seasons earlier
19:30was now the league's
19:32comeback story.
19:34It was a different area
19:37of the football team
19:38contributing to our victories
19:39week after week.
19:41You know, our defense
19:41for the first half of the season
19:44literally was giving up
19:45like 27, 28 points a game.
19:48And right after that
19:49Pittsburgh game,
19:50all of a sudden
19:51they cut that almost in half.
19:53There were no blowouts
19:54in that stretch.
19:55None whatsoever.
19:56And it was amazing
19:58that that stretch
19:59lasted as long
20:00as it did.
20:07The great thing
20:08that happens in teams
20:10is you win
20:11and you don't feel good
20:12about it.
20:13I think that's the best thing
20:15in all of pro football.
20:17To win a game,
20:20know you won
20:21and you didn't play
20:22your best
20:22because that's where
20:23you really get good.
20:31The Raiders took an 8-3 record
20:33into Philadelphia
20:34to take on the Eagles,
20:35the best team
20:36in the NFC.
20:38Well, I remember
20:39going into the vet
20:41as the vet is.
20:42And that place
20:43was a dump.
20:44It had seams
20:45in the AstroTurf.
20:45AstroTurf.
20:47It was hard as a rock.
20:49It was bad.
20:50But when it was cold outside,
20:52it was even worse.
20:54It was a great game.
20:56And I remember
20:56the game was real physical.
20:58No way the guy
21:00from Penn State
21:00is complaining
21:01about conditions
21:03in the state
21:05you're playing in.
21:07He should be used
21:08to Pennsylvania weather.
21:13Defensive coordinator
21:14Charlie Sumner
21:15gave Millen
21:15special instructions
21:17for the Eagles'
21:18biggest weapon.
21:21Before the game,
21:22he said to me,
21:22listen,
21:23Harold Carmichael
21:24is 6'8".
21:26The first time
21:27they run
21:28a deep end,
21:30you go hit him
21:31in the middle
21:32of the chest
21:33and don't worry
21:34about the flag.
21:35We'll handle the flag.
21:36So the first time
21:37he ran that deep end,
21:39the ball was overthrown.
21:41I just tried
21:42to kill him.
21:44I tried to hit him
21:45as hard as I could.
21:46And I went to hit him
21:47and I caught half of him
21:49and half of our guy.
21:51And I think
21:52I hurt our guy.
21:55The Eagles
21:56didn't hurt Plunkett.
21:57They just pressured him
21:58all day.
22:00It was very inhospitable
22:02to me in particular.
22:04Eight sacks.
22:04They could have had
22:05more sacks.
22:06No, they stymied us.
22:07Bart Schell felt
22:08I was dropping back
22:09too far
22:09so the cup
22:10wasn't defined as well
22:12because of where
22:13I was winding up.
22:14And I was probably
22:15doing that partly
22:16because of the rush
22:16and trying to give myself
22:18more time.
22:21There was a point
22:22in that game
22:22where we thought
22:23we had a one
22:23and they came back
22:24and beat us.
22:25When Philly scores
22:27their touchdown
22:27one of our linebackers
22:29has Jaworski
22:30in his grasp
22:30and he ducks
22:31and he slides over the top
22:33and Jaworski
22:34makes the play.
22:43So although we lost
22:44the football game
22:45we went on the road
22:46in the cold
22:47against a good
22:48young team
22:50and we're right
22:52there with them.
22:54I took out of that
22:55that we were
22:55in pretty good shape
22:56because if that's
22:57what the best
22:58the NFC had to handle
22:59we'd be able
23:00to handle it.
23:02Above all else
23:03he is football.
23:05He would come
23:05to practice
23:06and he'd mention
23:08things to you
23:08about a specific game
23:10or something
23:11of your game
23:12that you had
23:13to get better at.
23:14It was all
23:14X's and O's.
23:16Davis' combative style
23:17often put him
23:18at odds
23:18with the rest
23:19of the league.
23:20Ever since I
23:21joined the Raiders
23:23in 78
23:23there was always
23:24some controversy
23:25surrounding the Raiders
23:26and Mr. Davis.
23:27And we took on
23:28his battles
23:29and he didn't want us
23:29to take on his battles
23:30from time to time.
23:31As much as he tried
23:32to keep them away
23:33from us
23:33it just didn't work
23:35that easily.
23:37He just wanted us
23:38to play football.
23:39After failing
23:39to extend the Raiders
23:40lease in Oakland
23:42Davis began
23:43preliminary plans
23:44to move his team
23:44to Los Angeles
23:45for the 1981 season.
23:48And then he said
23:49to me
23:50I am seriously
23:51thinking about
23:52moving to Los Angeles.
23:56And I said
23:57well if you are
23:58if you decide
23:59you want to pursue
24:00it further
24:00let me know
24:01and I'll schedule
24:03a league meeting
24:04and it will be reviewed.
24:05He said
24:06if I decide
24:07to move
24:07I do not intend
24:09to ask for a league vote.
24:12And I said
24:14that clearly
24:15that was against
24:16the Constitution
24:16and that would put
24:18us on opposite sides.
24:20And it was
24:21Al Davis
24:21deciding
24:22that he felt
24:23that he should
24:24have a right
24:25if his lease
24:25was up
24:26to go to
24:27a better facility
24:28in another city.
24:28and he ended up
24:31suing the NFL
24:32and they spent
24:33several years
24:34in court.
24:35I think they still
24:36in court.
24:37I felt strongly
24:38that Al was correct.
24:39I also felt strongly
24:41that the Coliseum
24:42were not up
24:43to the same standards
24:45as some of the fields
24:47in the National Football League.
24:48I've had three
24:49different owners
24:50I've had the commissioner
24:51I've had league officials
24:52come to me
24:52and say
24:53if you stay
24:54in Oakland now
24:54whatever
24:55it was always about
24:56let's get the Raiders.
24:58While Oakland fans
24:59rallied to save
25:00their team
25:01the Raiders
25:02were racing
25:02toward the playoffs.
25:05Oakland won
25:06three of their last four
25:07to clinch
25:08their first
25:08playoff berth
25:09since 1977.
25:16key to the Raiders
25:17resurgence
25:18was
25:18the judge
25:19cornerback
25:20Lester Hayes
25:22Hayes
25:23who tied an NFL
25:24record in 1980
25:25with 13 interceptions
25:26had four more
25:27he didn't tie
25:28the NFL record
25:29the NFL record
25:30was 14
25:31with Nitrate Lane
25:32but including playoffs
25:34he probably had
25:35the most interceptions
25:37which is better.
25:39called back
25:40because of penalty.
25:44Lester Hayes
25:45had a year
25:48in 1980
25:49that was arguably
25:51the greatest year
25:53a corner
25:54has ever had.
25:55He just
25:56took the game over.
25:58This is before
25:59Deion was doing that.
26:01On the field
26:02Hayes play
26:03spoke volumes.
26:04Off the field
26:05he struggled
26:06with a speech impediment.
26:08Seems like you have
26:09fantastic jumping ability.
26:13What was he saying?
26:14What was he saying?
26:17Like
26:17I was in high school
26:19like I was
26:19a 5'10 postman
26:21and I was on
26:22a state championship.
26:23His stuttering.
26:24Lester
26:25approached
26:27that problem
26:28the same way
26:29he did everything else.
26:30He attacked it
26:31straight on.
26:33And
26:33he didn't make you
26:35feel uncomfortable
26:35with it
26:36because he knew
26:37that you saw
26:38that he was struggling
26:39through a word
26:40or whatever it was.
26:42He knew that.
26:43And
26:44but he just
26:45stayed with it
26:46and he expected
26:47that you would
26:48stay with it too.
26:49Hayes worked tirelessly
26:51to improve his speech
26:52and use stick-em
26:53to help his hands.
26:57Hayes put stick-em
26:58everywhere
26:59and stuck to
26:59opposing receivers
27:00like glue.
27:04Stick-em.
27:05Stick-em is no longer
27:06allowed in a
27:07national football league.
27:10There were so many
27:11things that happened
27:12that year
27:12with a stick-em.
27:13If you touched him
27:14you would just
27:15stick-em.
27:16That's how you got
27:16all those interceptions.
27:17Raider rule number one.
27:20Cheating is encouraged.
27:23So
27:23was it cheating?
27:24What Judge was doing
27:25was he was taking
27:26a rule
27:27and something
27:27that was allowed
27:28and he was pushing it
27:30as far as it could go.
27:31You knew
27:32that if you need
27:32stick-em doing the game
27:33you didn't have to
27:34go to the bench.
27:35If Lester's on the field
27:36you can just go to him.
27:38And I used to tell him
27:38just stay away from me.
27:40You can imagine
27:40guys in a pileup
27:41and all of a sudden
27:42they get out
27:43and they got all of this
27:45stick-em all over them
27:46and that's the way
27:47Lester was.
27:48Every stinking play.
27:49We were playing
27:50the Houston Oilers
27:51and they had a center
27:52by the name of Carl Monk.
27:54They were getting ready
27:55to kick a field goal.
27:56They were in the huddle
27:56Judge comes walking out
27:58takes a big hunk
27:59of stick-em
27:59walks by the ball
28:00kind of nonchalantly
28:02slaps it on the ball
28:03and walks out.
28:04The Oilers come up
28:05and Carlos reaches down
28:06and grabs the ball
28:07right on the stick-em.
28:09And the veins
28:12pop out of his neck
28:13and he's like
28:15stuttering
28:15son of a bitch
28:16did something to the ball
28:18and he's screaming
28:18at the officials
28:19and they're like
28:19hey hey hey
28:20come on down
28:20calm down.
28:22Well we came off the ball
28:24Carlos snapped it
28:25over his head.
28:27He snapped it
28:28over his head
28:28and I always wondered
28:29how much the stick-em
28:31had to do with that.
28:32In the wild card
28:33playoff game
28:34Oakland-Sac-Former
28:35Raider Ken Stabler
28:36seven times
28:37and cruised to
28:38a 27-7 win.
28:57in the fourth quarter
28:59the judge
29:00delivered his
29:01final verdict.
29:16one step
29:17and only give us
29:18the right to play
29:19next week
29:20that's all.
29:21We gotta do
29:21something about it.
29:22We gotta do
29:23something about it
29:24next week.
29:24We gotta go to work
29:25one o'clock tomorrow.
29:27Everybody on time.
29:31Just remember
29:32how cold it was.
29:34Cold.
29:35It was
29:37freezing
29:37and Dave Dalby
29:39or Sanders
29:39out there
29:40in a t-shirt
29:40why I'll never know.
29:43Listen up now.
29:44Hey listen up.
29:45We're gonna go regular
29:46and kick it right
29:47and make sure
29:48with those heated
29:48benches over there
29:49if you see anybody
29:50asleep
29:51kick them in the ass.
29:54The ground
29:54was completely
29:55You would think
29:56Pennsylvania native
29:58Matt Miller
29:59would be used
30:00to cold weather.
30:02It's the state
30:02right over.
30:04Frozen.
30:05The showers
30:06didn't work
30:07and that wind
30:08was ferocious
30:09coming off the lake.
30:11There were about
30:11between 80 and 90
30:13passes thrown
30:14in that game.
30:15Very few were
30:16completed against
30:17the wind.
30:18Ron Bolton's
30:19interception return
30:20put Cleveland
30:21out front.
30:24The Raiders
30:25stayed with the
30:26Browns
30:26and Mark
30:27Van Egan's
30:28touchdown
30:28with nine
30:29minutes left
30:29gave Oakland
30:30a two-point lead.
30:35They were known
30:37through that
30:38whole period
30:39of two-minute
30:41offense
30:41to cardiac
30:43kids
30:43and here they
30:44come again.
30:45And they started
30:46marching down
30:47the field again.
30:48And all we
30:50could do
30:50is stand there.
30:52and the Raiders
30:53are in very,
30:55very difficult
30:56positions.
30:57And I'm
30:58standing there
30:58thinking we've
30:59come this forward,
31:00we fought this hard
31:01and I can tell you
31:03I never felt so
31:04low in my life.
31:06They're going
31:06into the open
31:07end zone
31:08where the dog
31:09pound was.
31:09We had already
31:10blocked one field
31:11goal going in
31:12there.
31:13And we look at
31:14their bench
31:15and we keep
31:15thinking
31:15another field goal
31:17and another
31:17PAT.
31:18Cockroft
31:19couldn't kick.
31:21That ball
31:22could not be
31:23kicked.
31:24They're going to
31:24kick and that's
31:25going to be it
31:25and we're going
31:26to lose
31:26blah, blah, blah.
31:27Well, they go
31:28back for one
31:29more pass.
31:31That's what
31:31affects the 88.
31:33I just could
31:34not believe it.
31:35I don't think
31:35anyone on our
31:36sideline could
31:37believe it.
31:38And I don't
31:38blame the play
31:40call.
31:40I mean,
31:41that's,
31:42you know,
31:42you're taking
31:42a chance.
31:43Cockroft
31:43already missed
31:44two extra points.
31:45They were afraid
31:45he was going
31:45to miss the
31:45field goal.
31:46The ball on
31:47the 13-yard
31:48line of the
31:48Raiders,
31:48but with
31:49Cleveland
31:49needing only
31:50a field goal,
31:51the Browns
31:51appear to be
31:52in the
31:52driver's seat.
31:53They came
31:53out on the
31:54play and
31:56nobody thought
31:57they were
31:57going to
31:57throw.
31:58Logan to
31:59the left,
31:59Rucker to
32:00the right,
32:00Sykes is
32:01going back
32:01to pass,
32:02wants to
32:02take a shot
32:02into the
32:03end zone.
32:03He looks,
32:04he throws,
32:05and it's
32:06a great play
32:06that may have
32:07been intercepted
32:08and the
32:09Cleveland Browns
32:10call the
32:10foot spot
32:11once to
32:12offense.
32:13Holy
32:14it was
32:15Mike Davis
32:15who made
32:16the big
32:16interception.
32:17Mad Dog
32:17didn't catch
32:18the ball
32:18very well.
32:19Could not
32:20catch a
32:20cold in
32:21Alaska
32:21barefooted,
32:22but he
32:22made a
32:23phenomenal
32:23catch.
32:25So you
32:26go from
32:27as low
32:28as you
32:28could possibly
32:29be,
32:29and in
32:30one snap
32:31of the
32:31ball,
32:32you go
32:32to the
32:33height and
32:34as high
32:34as you
32:35could
32:35possibly
32:35be.
32:37Also,
32:38I could
32:38not believe
32:39that Mike
32:40Davis
32:40actually caught
32:41the ball
32:41because I'm
32:42telling you,
32:43he had
32:44absolutely
32:44the worst
32:45hands in
32:46that secondary.
32:47For the
32:48AFC
32:48championship
32:48game,
32:50Oakland went
32:50from the
32:50Cleveland
32:51cold to
32:51the San
32:52Diego
32:52sun.
32:54We knew
32:55that going
32:56into the
32:57conference
32:57championship
32:57game that
32:59we were
32:59going to be
32:59playing our
33:00old rivals.
33:01We knew
33:01it was going
33:02to be at
33:02their place,
33:03but we were
33:04destined.
33:05We thought
33:06we outplayed
33:07them the
33:07first time.
33:08We did
33:08outplay them
33:09the second
33:09time,
33:09so we
33:10approached the
33:11game with
33:11a lot of
33:11confidence.
33:13Against the
33:14NFL's highest
33:15scoring team,
33:16Plunkett went
33:16to the air
33:17early and led
33:18Oakland to a
33:1928-7 first
33:20half lead.
33:29San Diego
33:30responded with
33:3117 unanswered
33:32points.
33:33Entering the
33:34fourth quarter,
33:35Oakland was
33:35worried.
33:36team.
33:41You're
33:41getting back
33:42in the
33:42ball game,
33:43and Ted
33:43Henricks
33:44grabs me
33:44by the
33:45jersey,
33:46and she
33:47starts shaking
33:47me and
33:48says,
33:48keep scoring,
33:49we can't
33:49stop them.
33:50All we
33:51had to do
33:51was hold
33:52on to the
33:52ball, run
33:53out the
33:53clock, control
33:54it, and
33:55we're there.
33:56We were
33:58just minutes
33:59away from
34:00the Super
34:00Bowl, and
34:01for many of
34:02us, this is
34:03an opportunity
34:03we weren't
34:03going to let
34:04slip away.
34:06That game,
34:07though, in
34:07the end, when
34:09all was said
34:09and done, came
34:11down to our
34:12offensive line
34:12and Mark
34:13Van Eden.
34:15Burgess
34:15Owens and
34:17I were
34:17standing on
34:18the sideline,
34:20and he'd
34:21say, how
34:21did we do?
34:21I said, we
34:21picked up
34:22six.
34:24Two more
34:25first downs.
34:27One more
34:28first down, and
34:30the game is
34:30ours.
34:31And he
34:32said, what
34:32happened?
34:33And I
34:33said, we're
34:35going to
34:36the Super
34:36Bowl, and
34:37he was
34:38like, he
34:38was beside
34:39himself.
34:41The total
34:42research into
34:43the silver and
34:43black, New
34:44Orleans, here
34:45come the
34:46Raiders.
34:47Oh, it's
34:48like any
34:48locker room
34:48with a big
34:49win.
34:50Uppy was,
34:50you know, he
34:51was the
34:51philosopher.
34:52Well, this
34:53was a lot
34:53sweeter, because
34:54in 77, I
34:55guess everyone
34:56kind of expected
34:56us to go.
34:57This year, no
34:58one said we'd
34:59go.
34:59Kick'em was
35:00matter of
35:00fact.
35:01Yeah, they
35:01got their
35:02game rolling,
35:03and they
35:03had the
35:03momentum
35:04going with
35:04them, but
35:06we did some
35:07changes in
35:07there, and
35:08we shut
35:08them down, and
35:09then let our
35:10offense take
35:10over, and
35:10they had a
35:11magnificent
35:11game.
35:12There's some
35:13did John
35:14show up late?
35:15Yeah, he
35:15showed up late.
35:16Was he out in
35:17the town?
35:17Yeah, he was
35:17out in the
35:18town.
35:18He was going
35:18to do that
35:19regardless.
35:20If it was a
35:20regular season
35:21game, that's
35:21what he was
35:22going to do.
35:22Now, this is a
35:23Super Bowl
35:24game, and
35:25everything's a
35:26lot different
35:26when it comes
35:27to Super
35:27Bowl.
35:29A lot of
35:29things tighten
35:30up.
35:31You know what I'm
35:31talking about
35:32things tighten
35:33up.
35:34Glutus
35:35Maximus
35:36tightens up.
35:37I read the
35:40description of
35:41Matuszak,
35:431976 to
35:4482.
35:45He already
35:46had a ring.
35:50Would it
35:50really matter?
35:52Maybe.
35:56You can't
35:57even get a
35:57blade of
35:57grass up
35:58there.
35:59Some people.
36:00Matuszak was
36:01referring to
36:01Eagles coach
36:02Dick Vermeule.
36:03Vermeule publicly
36:04criticized Matuszak's
36:06off-field behavior
36:07and put strict
36:08team rules in
36:09effect.
36:09They could not
36:10go to Bourbon
36:11Street.
36:11They couldn't go
36:12into the French
36:13Quarter.
36:14They couldn't do
36:15anything.
36:15We also heard
36:16that there were
36:16curfews, and we
36:18also heard there
36:19were mandatory
36:19meetings at night.
36:21There was a
36:21tremendous amount
36:23of pressure on
36:24the Raiders,
36:25because the Eagles
36:27were known for
36:28how they could not
36:29go and do
36:30things and have
36:31fun.
36:32We felt we had
36:33the burden of
36:34all the other
36:35teams to knock
36:36them off that
36:37perch, because if
36:38they had won, we
36:39all would have
36:39been doing that.
36:40The first night,
36:42as Tom gave us
36:44no curfew, I
36:45believe, and let
36:47us go out and
36:47get it out of
36:48our system, but
36:50quite a few of
36:51the guys that we
36:51had had large
36:52systems, and it
36:53took a few days
36:54to get it out of
36:55their systems.
36:55The first night
36:56of curfew, there's
36:58no Matuzak.
37:00He staggers on
37:01the bus as we're
37:02leaving to go to
37:04the press conference,
37:06and we asked
37:08Tuz, where have
37:09you been?
37:10He said, I was
37:11out, and he
37:12looked like it.
37:13And so we asked
37:13him, Tuz, after
37:14all of this
37:15discussion we had
37:15in practice, and
37:16we all decided it's
37:17time to get serious,
37:18we've got work to
37:19do, this is a
37:20business trip, and
37:21you go out.
37:21His response
37:22was, I went
37:24out to make sure
37:25no one else was
37:26out there.
37:27That was what he
37:27said, and he sat
37:28down, and that
37:29was that.
37:31Tom Flores
37:32tolerated the
37:33late nights, as
37:34long as the
37:35Raiders performed
37:36at practice.
37:37Our practices
37:38down in New
37:39Orleans, they were
37:39brutal.
37:40They were brutal.
37:42And I happened
37:43to be one of the
37:43guys that got
37:44into a fight with
37:46one of the
37:46defensive players
37:47because I thought
37:49he was going a
37:51little bit harder
37:51than he should
37:52be going.
37:52I got into a
37:53fight with
37:54Mickey Marvin.
37:55I tried to kill
37:55him.
37:57I head-butted him
37:59into oblivion.
38:00I was letting
38:00everything out.
38:01It felt so good
38:02to be on the
38:04field.
38:05By game day, not
38:06even world events
38:07could shake the
38:08Raiders' focus.
38:12We drove to the
38:13Superdome, and it
38:14was a big yellow
38:15ribbon around the
38:15Superdome.
38:16I'm like, what the
38:16heck is that on
38:17there for?
38:18They said, well,
38:19the hostages are
38:20free.
38:20I'm like, hostages?
38:23Oh, that's right.
38:24There were some
38:25hostages.
38:26I was so focused
38:28on what was going
38:28on.
38:29I didn't have a
38:30clue what was
38:31going on in the
38:31world.
38:32Some would listen
38:33to that and say,
38:34well, that's great
38:35concentration, and
38:36others would listen
38:36to that and say,
38:37the kid needs a
38:39little perspective.
38:40But we were there
38:41to play one more
38:42football game, and
38:43to go to that game
38:44and not to be
38:45prepared to play
38:47would have just
38:48been awful for what
38:49we had already
38:50accomplished.
38:50It wouldn't have
38:51meant anything.
38:52Super Sunday,
38:53what a day.
38:53I can't believe it.
38:55I can't believe it.
38:56It's like a dream
38:57come true.
38:59It's unbelievable.
39:00Yes, and we're
39:01going to win.
39:02We are going to
39:03win, no question.
39:06It was a great
39:07feeling.
39:07I was so proud to
39:08run out there.
39:10It was kind of like
39:11a storybook finish
39:11all coming to a
39:13head.
39:13In some ways,
39:15the Super Bowl
39:18was anticlimactic
39:19because the best
39:22team in football,
39:22we felt, were the
39:23San Diego Chargers.
39:24We knew the Eagles
39:25had beat us.
39:26We knew we could
39:27beat them.
39:28We knew that if
39:29they came in the
39:30way that they came
39:31into that game we
39:33played them in the
39:33season, we could
39:34beat them.
39:36You know, I was
39:36ready once I stepped
39:37on that field.
39:38I still had something
39:39to prove to myself
39:40and to whoever else.
39:41Plunk it on a
39:42straight drop back.
39:43Here comes the
39:43rush.
39:44Steps up.
39:44Can't find anybody
39:45yet.
39:45Titch off running
39:46to the left.
39:47Rolls on the move.
39:48And it's caught
39:48by King at the 40.
39:49King takes out
39:50of the 50.
39:51Get out of the way.
39:51And they knew it.
39:54He's a 20.
39:55He's a 10.
39:56And a third.
39:57Touchdown Raiders.
39:59Plunk is eating
40:00us alive.
40:03In just three
40:04months, Jim Plunkett
40:05had gone from
40:06Heisman bust to
40:07Super Savior.
40:09Three touchdown
40:09passes capped one
40:10of the greatest
40:11personal comebacks
40:12in NFL history.
40:21Jim Plunkett had a
40:22masterful game.
40:23Rod Martin had a game
40:25for the ages.
40:30He was everywhere.
40:33He was everywhere.
40:34He had three
40:35interceptions.
40:36He wasn't Bobby
40:37Chandler.
40:39But with a little bit
40:40of stickum, he could
40:42hang on to the thing.
40:43That was probably
40:43compliments of the
40:44judge.
40:45It's a shame.
40:48Martin passed less than
40:49a month ago.
40:51So, uh...
40:54So, uh...
40:55So, uh...
41:15everyone else.
41:15But it meant a lot to
41:17him to be the guy
41:18that led us through
41:19that Super Bowl.
41:20It's a great feeling
41:21to finally accomplish
41:23something that
41:23everybody who ever
41:24gets in the NFL
41:25wants to do.
41:26The only suspense
41:28that remained was
41:29whether the tension
41:29between Roselle and
41:31Davis would affect
41:32the presentation of
41:33the Vince Lombardi
41:34trophy.
41:36No, we'll forget
41:37him telling us,
41:39we beat these guys,
41:41we go in that
41:41locker room,
41:42you be gentlemen,
41:43you show respect,
41:45and that's the way
41:47we will approach
41:47this.
41:48I think it's a great
41:48credit to you for
41:50putting this team
41:50together.
41:51You've earned it.
41:52Congratulations.
41:53Thanks very much,
41:54Commissioner.
41:55This was our
41:56finest hour.
41:57This was the finest
41:58hour in the history
41:59of the Oakland Raiders.
42:00To Tom Flores,
42:01the coaches,
42:02and the great
42:03athletes, you were
42:04magnificent out there
42:05today.
42:07I had a very
42:08surreal moment.
42:11We won the Super
42:13Bowl.
42:13We all flew out
42:15back to Oakland.
42:17They were going to
42:18have a parade.
42:19I wanted to get
42:20home.
42:21I sat in my mom's
42:23living room,
42:23and I turned the
42:24news on, and
42:26there were my
42:26teammates having a
42:28parade, and I sat
42:30there, and I
42:31thought, was I even
42:33there?
42:33Did you even play
42:35that game?
42:36Because it just, it
42:37didn't seem real.
42:38It just, everything
42:39happened so fast, and
42:41you don't really
42:42appreciate it.
42:43I really think it
42:44should be mandatory
42:45for every team that
42:46wins the Super Bowl
42:48to take one day, and
42:52just the team, nobody
42:54else, just the team,
42:55the players and the
42:55coaches, and go back
42:58to their facility, get
43:00a bunch of food, sit
43:02down, and watch the
43:03film together as a
43:05group, so you can
43:06just enjoy what you
43:07just did.
43:08And I think if you
43:09did that, it would be
43:10awesome, because that's
43:12the one time you don't
43:13have to worry about the
43:14next game.
43:15You don't have to worry
43:16about, hey, you did
43:18it.
43:18You finally did it.
43:21That's everything we
43:22planned on doing, all
43:23the work that goes into
43:25it, all the sacrifice
43:26that goes into it, and
43:27just take one time to
43:29enjoy it, and I think
43:32that would be great.
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