Is this a good way to describe former Raiders owner Al Davis? he would rather lose his way than win someone elses way?

Question

That was a major reason, why the Raiders became a disaster in his last decade he was the boss of the Raiders, and why he dealt Jon Gruden away after the Tuck Rule game. It still feels like the Raiders haven't recovered from the mess he made, even though he died almost a decade ago.

I read this somewhere:

"Al’s biggest mistake was running Jon Gruden out of the organization and failing to groom a talented young football mind to succeed him. It could have been Gruden and I think Jon wanted it to be him but Al’s ego wouldn’t let it happen.

At the end, Al wound rather lose his way than win someone else’s way."

Answer 1

He had an approach to how he wanted Football played and it would work in this era if you had the right personnel. He crafted the Raiders in his image and The Raiders followed his Philosophy.

Answer 2

Al was a dinosaur.He still wanted to play 'Raider football' ,taking a lot of stupid penalties.

Answer 3

Yes, that's pretty accurate.

Answer 4

A more accurate way of saying it would be:  "Win or lose, I'm doing it my way."  In the AFL, and during the first couple of decades following the merger, his way was pretty successful.  

Answer 5

yup, damn straight, no question about it.

Answer 6

Yes, that pretty much sums it up.

Answer 7

No.  I don't agree.  But I do think that as Al got older he lost his knack for the game.  Davis feasted off of the guys that other teams passed on because they were oddballs or didn't perfectly fit the NFL mold.  In the days before free agency, there were enough of those guys that Al could scoop up that it wasn't an issue.



But when free agency arrived, Al had to compete for talent more.  It is true that he was addicted to a formula for winning that was outdated and emphasized downfield passing and beating people up.  Jon Gruden did build a contender in spite of Davis. 



But it's worth noting that Jon Gruden didn't win a Super Bowl with the team HE built...or go to one.  Bill Callahan took his team to the Super Bowl.  And Gruden beat that team with the team Tony Dungy built.  Gruden is a bit overrated.



Al Davis though was definitely a huge drain on the franchise in his last couple decades.  But I don't think he would rather lose his way.  I think losing bothered him a lot.  He just wasn't capable of adapting.  Which is true of ALOT of football guys.