Raider World

"Jim, Jim, hey ya doing?." Al said

"Hi Al, doing great thanks." Jim said, hair wet, wet leaving the locker room after a tough practice.

"Hey that guy, the uhh, nose tackle, what's his name? Al asked. "You know guy that looks like a redwood stump."

"Krumrie, Al." Jim told the owner of the Raiders the Bengals All Pro nose tackle's name.

"Wow, tough blocking a Redwood, yeh a Redwood with quick feet, Jim, Can you handle him?  Ain't like playing for Joe, is it?" Al asked, Jim being a Penn Stater.

"I will do my best Al, probably make him cry after a few series." Jim joked.

"Hey what's he do on his pass rush? What kind of moves?" Al asked, dark eyes showing he knew the answer and that Jim had better know it too. 

Al Davis

I played for the Raiders for 4 seasons back in the 80's. I wish it had been longer but one black Tuesday saw me traded to the bottom dwelling Houston Oilers. While a Raider I lived in El Segundo. About 2 miles from the Los Angeles Raider's practice facility in south California. I used to pass the facility on the way home after dinner and a few beers with the guys most days. And most days Al was there working with the offensive staff of the Los Angeles Raiders. Al's sleek, black limo sat in he parking lot. The stretch and it's driver, in no hurry, waiting for the boss late into the night.

I played for 2 other teams after being plucked into Raider World from Penn State out of the 82' draft. Being a Raider was the best. Al was a terrific owner. I loved being around him. Al is a football guy, gritty and tough. He lives the "Just win baby," mantra. He burned with the need to win. His body, wrapped in his silver and black workout outfit, vibrated with intensity. Al was a regular at Wednesday and Thursday practices. Not on the field, but in the hallway outside of the locker room. He touched each player as they left, always with an encouraging word. Most NFL owners don't show at practice, but Al shut the facility lights off most lights. The commitment to Excellence engraved on Raider Super Bowl rings, meant commitment to excellent preparation and the boss did this right long with the staff and the players.

To Win Games and to Win Sales Deals you....

Steps must be Precise rofessional football is an exacting game. To a the gal watching the game, just to hang out with the football loving guy, the game looks like a mess. Big guys jamming heads into each-other, melee after each play, guys on the round and ball in the air. To the trained eye the 340 offensive lineman's feet are a beautiful thing, he moves with the precision of a dancer, to he beat of the music, left foot, than right, than a longer step while dropping the hips, done faster than a guy that size should be able to move. Precision.

Excellent Preparation Wins Games and Sales Deals

With precision lineman hurl into blocks, running backs explode into lanes and receivers glide through routes. All
planned and executed to perfection. professional sales is similar. Consider sales qualification, the planning sales
steps, knowing and blocking competitive moves before they happen. Each sales cycle like a football game: a
beginning, a middle game, and game end. Sales cycle steps are like plays, running or passing: there are coming out strategies, plays run between the twenties, and plays that crash the goal line.