Review Of Badasses

I just finished reading Peter Richmond's Badasses: The Legend of Snake, Foo, Dr. Death, and John Madden's Oakland Raiders. This is the story of the Oakland Raiders in the 1970's and the book culminates with the Oakland Raiders finally winning the Super Bowl against the Minnesota Vikings in 1978.

First of all, I have always hated the Oakland Raiders. I thought they played dirty, were a bunch of cheap shot artists, and every call seemed to go their way. I am sure that author Peter Richmond and every Raider fan of that era would disagree with me as he points out with the "Immaculate Reception" that happened at the end of a Playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. I would have to counter that with the "Holy Roller" at the end of a San Diego Chargers game in 1978.

The Oakland Raiders were a team full of characters in the 1970's. Ken Stabler, Fred Biletnikoff, Marv Hubbard, Pete Banaszak, Phil Villapiano, the Soul Patrol Defensive Backfield, and later John Matuszak and Ted Hendricks. This cast of characters was hand picked and assembled by Al Davis and coached by John Madden. They partied hard off the field and played even harder on the field. John Madden allowed them to be characters as long as they showed up to play on Sundays.

Badasses is not going to make me like Al Davis, John Madden, or the Oakland Raiders any more but it was still a good sports read and well researched. I did find it interesting that several of the players declined to be interviewed for the book and others delighted in retelling their stories. It is all about molding all of the characters and personalities into a championship winning team. After several close calls they did manage to win it all in 1978.