Harris:
FROM 1967 THROUGH 1977, THE OAKLAND RAIDERS WON
NINE DIVISION TITLES, A VINCE LOMBARDI TROPHY, AND THE REPUTATION OF BEING
THE MOST FEARED TEAM IN THE NFL. BUT BY THE END OF THE '70s, THE SILVER AND BLACK
WERE IN DECLINE. AFTER NOT MAKING THE PLAYOFFS
IN 1978 AND '79, OAKLAND MADE WHOLESALE CHANGES
TO COMPETE FOR A TITLE IN 1980. STILL, MOST EXPERTS PICKED THEM
TO FINISH LAST IN THE AFC WEST. EVEN WITH 15 NEW PLAYERS, THE TEAM RETAINED THE HALLMARKS
OF THE OAKLAND RAIDERS -- VETERAN LEADERSHIP, EMBODIED BY NUMBER 63,
GENE UPSHAW; PHYSICAL INTENSITY, PERSONIFIED
BY ROOKIE MATT MILLEN. AND AN UNLIKELY
RECLAMATION PROJECT. IN THIS CASE,
A FORMER NUMBER-ONE PICK WHOSE CAREER HAD HIT ROCK BOTTOM
IN 1978. TALK ABOUT LOW POINTS. HERE I WAS, A FIRST-ROUND DRAFT
CHOICE JUST SEVEN YEARS EARLIER, OUT OF FOOTBALL. TALK ABOUT DEPRESSION. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO
WITH MYSELF. MAYBE I SHOULD QUIT FOOTBALL
ALTOGETHER AND GO SEEK EMPLOYMENT
ELSEWHERE. IT WAS A VERY,
VERY DIFFICULT TIME IN MY LIFE. Upshaw: WE KNEW HE HAD TALENT.
WE KNEW THAT HE COULD PLAY. I CAN REMEMBER HIM BEING A
NUMBER-ONE PICK OUT OF STANFORD. THE RAIDERS GO BACK
TO NEW ENGLAND TO PLAY HIM IN HIS FIRST GAME,
AND HE BEATS US. YOU KNOW, I STILL FELT
I COULD PLAY FOOTBALL EVEN THOUGH I WAS
DOWN IN THE DUMPS AND THINGS
WEREN'T GOING WELL FOR ME. AND, YOU KNOW, ALL I NEEDED IS TO BE GIVEN
ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY. Harris: PLUNKETT GOT
AN OPPORTUNITY IN OAKLAND, THE LEAGUE'S
ISLAND OF LOST SOULS. IT'S ALWAYS A GROUP THAT'S SEEN
AS A RENEGADE GROUP. THE HALFWAY HOUSE OF THE NFL. GUYS THAT DIDN'T FIT IN
ANYWHERE ELSE. AND THEY ALWAYS SEEMED TO COME
TO THE RAIDERS AND THRIVE. AND IT WAS A SIMPLE REASON
WHY IT ALWAYS SEEMED TO WORK -- BECAUSE AL DAVIS ALWAYS GAVE YOU
A CHANCE TO BE YOU. AND WE USED TO TELL
ALL THE PLAYERS, "THERE AIN'T MANY STOPS
AFTER YOU LEAVE HERE." Harris: DAVIS GAVE HIS NEW
QUARTERBACK A SIMPLE MESSAGE. Plunkett:
"EVERYWHERE YOU'VE GONE, "YOU'VE BEEN LABELED
AS A SAVIOR. "YOU'VE BEEN BROUGHT IN TO HELP
TURN THIS TEAM AROUND. "HERE THAT'S NOT THE CASE. "WE WANT YOU TO SIT BACK,
WATCH AND LEARN OUR OFFENSE, AND JUST GET YOURSELF PREPARED." Harris:
ENTERING THE 1980 SEASON, PLUNKETT WAS THE RAIDERS' BACKUP
BEHIND DAN PASTORINI, A FORMER NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
HIGH SCHOOL RIVAL AND THE MAN SELECTED TWO SPOTS
AFTER PLUNKETT IN THE 1971 DRAFT. I'D JUST ABOUT HAD IT. TWO YEARS ON THE BENCH.
STABLER WAS GONE. THEY WERE BRINGING IN PASTORINI, ANOTHER STRONG-ARMED
QUARTERBACK. HE DIDN'T LIKE SITTING
ON THE BENCH. HE WANTED TO GET IN AND PLAY. AND IT'S NO FUN TO COME
TO PRACTICE EVERY DAY, TO WORK AS HARD AS YOU WORK, AND NEVER GET A CHANCE
TO SHOW IT ON SUNDAY AND TO HELP YOU WIN
FOOTBALL GAMES. Harris: ONE PLAYER EXPECTED
TO HELP OAKLAND WIN RIGHT AWAY WAS MATT MILLEN. THE RAIDERS SELECTED
THE PENN STATE LINEBACKER WITH THEIR SECOND-ROUND PICK. WHAT DID I KNOW ABOUT
THE OAKLAND RAIDERS? HECK.
NOT VERY MUCH. I KNEW THEM BY REPUTATION. I KNEW THEY WERE KIND OF
A ROGUE OUTFIT. THERE WAS A SIGN THAT HUNG
ABOVE OUR OLD LOCKER ROOM. AND IT SAID, "THE RAIDER RULES." "RAIDER RULE NUMBER TWO:
SEE RULE NUMBER ONE." IT WAS SOMETHING WE SAID
AMONG OURSELVES WHEN WE WOULD BE OUT
AWAY FROM THE GAME. IF WE WERE PLAYING GOLF.
IF WE WERE PLAYING SHUFFLEBOARD. WHATEVER WAS GOING ON,
THE OLD SAYING WAS, "IF YOU'RE NOT CHEATING,
YOU'RE NOT TRYING." AND YOU LAUGHED ABOUT IT. YOU LAUGHED ABOUT IT
UNTIL YOU REALIZED THAT WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS,
"FIND A WAY TO GET IT DONE." FIND A WAY TO GET IT DONE. IF SOMEBODY HOLDS YOU,
HOW DO YOU MAKE THEM STOP? YOU NEED TO TALK
TO THE OFFICIAL, FINE. IF YOU NEED TO GRAB HIM
BY THE THROAT, GREAT. IF YOU NEED TO PUNCH HIM
IN THE THROAT... WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO,
GET THAT DONE. IS THAT CHEATING? WELL, YOU KNOW,
I READ RAIDER RULE NUMBER ONE. CHEATING WAS ENCOURAGED. IS THAT CHEATING?
ACTUALLY, NO, IT ISN'T. I LEARNED VERY EARLY EVERY GAME HAS
ITS OWN SET OF RULES, AND EVERY OFFICIATING CREW
CALLS THEM DIFFERENTLY. WHATEVER THOSE RULES WERE
THAT DAY, YOU LEARNED THEM FAST AND THEN
YOU LEARNED HOW TO SKIRT THEM. Harris: WHETHER THE RAIDERS
CHEATED OR NOT DIDN'T MATTER. FEW THOUGHT OAKLAND WOULD WIN
IN 1980. Millen: I REALLY DIDN'T HAVE
VERY HIGH EXPECTATIONS BECAUSE THE DAY I WAS DRAFTED,
I SAID, "ARE THEY ANY GOOD?" THEY SAID, "NAH.
YOU GUYS AREN'T GONNA BE
VERY GOOD THIS YEAR." Harris: BUT IN 1980, THE ONLY SURPRISE BIGGER
THAN THE OAKLAND RAIDERS WOULD BE THE MAN
WHO WOUND UP LEADING THEM BACK TO THE SUPER BOWL. A LINEMAN IN COLLEGE, MATT MILLEN HAD SIX WEEKS
OF TRAINING CAMP TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY
MIDDLE LINEBACKER. RIGHT AWAY,
MILLEN MADE AN IMPRESSION. Upshaw:
MATT MILLEN IN TRAINING CAMP. THAT HAS TO BE AN EXPERIENCE
YOU COULD NEVER FORGET. BECAUSE MATT MILLEN THOUGHT
EVERY DAY WAS GAME DAY. HE THOUGHT EVERY PLAY
WAS A GAME. AND HE THOUGHT THEY WERE VOTING
FOR THE PRO BOWL EVERY TIME HE WALKED
ON THE FIELD. THE GUY IS COMING IN FULL SPEED.
WE DON'T EVEN HAVE PADS ON. HE'S COMING IN FULL SPEED,
GOING RIGHT AT SHELL AND MYSELF. WE SAID, "WHAT'S WRONG
WITH THIS GUY? WHERE DID HE COME FROM?" ART SHELL AND GENE UPSHAW,
AS SOON AS I GOT THERE, THEY TOOK ME UNDER THEIR WING
IMMEDIATELY. I WAS LIKE
THEIR LITTLE PUPPY PROBABLY. Upshaw:
THE GUY WAS NUTS. AND HE WOULD HAVE SOMETHING
CALLED "ARM PARTIES" WHERE HE WOULD BRING THIS BAR
INTO THE ROOM, AND HE AND A COUPLE OF OTHER
GUYS WOULD DO CURLS AT NIGHT UNTIL THEY COULDN'T LIFT
THEIR ARMS. HE WOULD DO THIS
ALL DURING TRAINING CAMP. Millen: AND THEY WOULD TELL ME,
"YOU JUST BE AGGRESSIVE. YOU NEED TO GET THAT HUDDLE
STRAIGHTENED OUT OVER THERE." WHEN I STEPPED
INTO THE HUDDLE... THEY LISTENED TO ME. AND THEY WANTED ME TO. THEY WANTED SOMEBODY
TO TAKE OVER. SO, HEY, I'LL TAKE OVER
IF NOBODY ELSE IS GOING TO. Harris: MILLEN'S ABILITY
TO LEAD THE DEFENSE FACED AN EARLY OBSTACLE. I WAS SO PROUD TO HAVE
A FORM-FITTED MOUTHPIECE. I BROUGHT IT WITH ME
FROM PENN STATE, AND IT FIT IN THERE PERFECT. TED HENDRICKS COMES WALKING
OVER TO ME, AND HE GOES, "YOU GOT THAT MOUTHPIECE?"
I GO, "YEAH." HE GOES, "IS THAT ONE OF THOSE
FORM-FIT MOUTHPIECES?" [ CHUCKLES ] "YEAH. IT'S A FORM-FITTER.
I GOT IT AT PENN STATE." HE GOES,
"LET ME SEE THAT THING." AND I SHOWED IT TO HIM. AND HE LOOKED AT IT,
AND HE WENT... AND HE THREW IT.
[ LAUGHS ] IT WENT FLYING. AND I GO,
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" AND HE GOES, "I CAN'T UNDERSTAND
A DAMN THING YOU'RE SAYING. DON'T WEAR ANY MOUTHPIECE.
JUST YELL IT OUT." OKAY. THAT'S THE END OF
MY FORM-FITTED MOUTHPIECE. Harris: KNOWN AS
"KICK 'EM IN THE HEAD TED," HENDRICKS WAS
A TYPICAL OAKLAND RAIDER. THERE WERE ALWAYS GUYS
WHO DID CRAZY THINGS, BUT THEY JUST FIT RIGHT IN. I MEAN, THEY MIGHT BE CRAZY
SOMEWHERE ELSE, BUT THEY WERE NOT CRAZY FOR US. Man: SO MANY PEOPLE DISLIKE
THE RAIDERS. WHY DO THEY DISLIKE
THE RAIDERS? 'CAUSE YOU GUYS<i> ARE</i> DIFFERENT.
WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT? AND HOW DO YOU FIT
INTO THIS WHOLE PICTURE? WELL, THAT'S KIND OF A... WHEN YOU SAY I EPITOMIZE
THE RAIDERS AND THEN YOU SAY THE RAIDERS
AREN'T VERY WELL LIKED, I GUESS YOU'RE TRYING TO SAY
IS THAT THE RAIDERS, AS WELL AS JOHN MATUSZAK,
HAVE ALWAYS BEEN, UH... ...CONTROVERSIAL. JOHN MATUSZAK. I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING
ABOUT JOHN MATUSZAK OTHER THAN HE WAS
SUPPOSED TO BE NUTS. AND, UH... HE DIDN'T DISAPPOINT.
[ LAUGHS ] IT'S THE CLOSEST THING TO BEING
A LION OR A CHEETAH OR A HAWK THAT THERE IS. IT'S THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
BUT THE MOST BRUTAL GAME IN THE WORLD. Millen:
WERE THEY GUYS WHO LIKED FUN?
ABSOLUTELY. THEY HAD FUN OFF THE FIELD,
AND THEY HAD FUN ON THE FIELD. BUT THE PART THAT'S ALWAYS
MISSING IS, THEY WORKED. THAT WAS A HARDWORKING TEAM. THAT WAS A GROUP OF GUYS
WHO WANTED TO GET BETTER. Harris: OAKLAND'S HEAD COACH
WAS TOM FLORES, WHOSE LOW-KEY APPROACH
WAS A CALMING INFLUENCE ON THE RAIDERS. Plunkett:
TOM'S LAID-BACK. HE'S A MATTER-OF-FACT
KIND OF GUY. HE SITS BACK,
WATCHES EVERYTHING. DOESN'T RAISE HIS VOICE
VERY OFTEN. I THINK WHAT TOM BROUGHT TO THE
TABLE WAS JUST THAT CONFIDENCE, THAT QUIET APPROACH TO THE GAME. AND WE WANTED TO PLAY FOR HIM. WHEN TOM FLORES BROUGHT US
OUT ON THE FIELD, YOU WANTED TO WIN
FOR TOM FLORES. Harris: FLORES' TEAM
OPENED THE 1980 SEASON WITH A NEW QUARTERBACK
AND SIX NEW STARTERS ON DEFENSE. IT ALSO HAD TO CONTEND WITH THE
SCORCHING HEAT OF KANSAS CITY. IT WAS BRUTAL. IT WAS PROBABLY 110
ON THE FIELD. THAT WAS AN ASTROTURF FIELD. AND IT WAS HOT. IT WAS ALMOST UNBEARABLE.
BURNED THE BOTTOM OF YOUR FEET. YOUR FEET YOU COULD FEEL
LITERALLY ALMOST BEING BURNED. Millen: IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE THIRD QUARTER, THEY HAD A BEER COMMERCIAL
COME ON. AND ALL YOU HEARD WAS... [ IMITATES BEER CAN OPENING ] ACROSS THE WHOLE STADIUM. AND THEN YOU HEARD...
[ IMITATES BEER POURING ] AND EVERYBODY TURNED AND
LOOKED UP AT THE VIDEO BOARD. AND TED HENDRICKS GOES,
"THEY'RE KILLING ME OUT HERE! "THEY'RE KILLING ME! SOMEBODY GET RID
OF THAT COMMERCIAL!" Harris: MILLEN WAS LEARNING
THE RAIDER WAY -- PLAY HARD
AND HAVE FUN DOING IT. HE BEGAN HIS NFL CAREER BY GRABBING HIS FIRST
CAREER INTERCEPTION. HE ALSO RECEIVED A VITAL LESSON
IN RAIDERS ETIQUETTE. Millen: A FEW THINGS I REMEMBER
ABOUT THAT GAME. IT WAS MY FIRST GAME EVER. THE FIRST THING
WAS OFFICIATING. AT PENN STATE,
WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO, WHENEVER YOU ADDRESS
AN OFFICIAL, YOU SAY,
"EXCUSE ME, MR. OFFICIAL." AND THEN YOU ASKED
THE QUESTION. NOW LET'S FAST-FORWARD TO
THE RAIDERS IN THE FIRST GAME. I DIDN'T KNOW OFFICIALS KNEW
THAT KIND OF LANGUAGE, AND I DIDN'T KNOW YOU
COULD ADDRESS THEM THAT WAY. IT WAS -- I MEAN,
I WAS LITERALLY IN SHOCK. TED HENDRICKS STARTED
CUSSING OUT AN OFFICIAL, AND THE OFFICIAL TURNED BACK
AND STARTED CUSSING BACK. I WAS LIKE, "WHATEVER HAPPENED
TO 'EXCUSE ME, MR. OFFICIAL'?" Harris: PASTORINI THREW
FOR 317 YARDS AND TWO TOUCHDOWNS AS OAKLAND BEAT KANSAS CITY
27-14. THE RETOOLED RAIDERS PLAYED
LIKE A CONTENDER, BUT IT WOULD TAKE SIX WEEKS
AND ANOTHER QUARTERBACK BEFORE THEY WOULD FINALLY
BECOME ONE. DURING THE SEASON'S
FIRST FIVE WEEKS, PLUNKETT REMAINED
ON THE OAKLAND BENCH WITH NO OPPORTUNITY IN SIGHT. I WAS DISAPPOINTED.
BUT I STILL HAD A JOB TO DO. IT'S DIFFICULT TO KEEP
YOUR EDGE, TO KEEP YOUR TIMING, TO KEEP FOCUSED ON THE CHANCE
THAT YOU WILL GET IN. I WAS JUST HOPING
FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO ARISE. Harris: THE RAIDERS' PLAY ADDED
TO PLUNKETT'S FRUSTRATION. OAKLAND SPLIT
ITS FIRST FOUR GAMES, AS THEY STRUGGLED TO ADAPT
TO PASTORINI AT QUARTERBACK. Upshaw: DAN HAD THE HABIT OF
HITTING HIS HAND WITH THE BALL BEFORE HE THREW IT. YOU CAN ACTUALLY HEAR THE BALL
LEAVE A QUARTERBACK'S HAND. IN ALL OF THAT NOISE,
IN ALL OF THAT CROWD, YOU CAN HEAR IT. YOU KNOW WHEN THE BALL'S
OUT OF HIS HAND. WELL, WE WOULD HEAR DAN SORT OF HIT THAT BALL
WITH HIS LEFT HAND, AND WE WOULD THINK IT'S GONE. AND HE WOULD STILL HAVE IT.
THEN THERE WOULD BE A SACK. THEY BEAT THE PISS OUT OF HIM. HE WOULD STAND IN THERE,
AND HE WOULD SEE IT COMING. AND HE WOULD JUST THROW IT,
AND HE'D OPEN HIMSELF UP. HE WOULD GET POUNDED. HE COMES BACK THE NEXT WEEK,
AND HE DID THE SAME THING. AND THEY GOT HIM.
AND THEY BROKE HIM. Harris: IN WEEK 5,
PASTORINI SUFFERED A BROKEN LEG. PLUNKETT NOW HAD HIS CHANCE. IN HIS FIRST SUBSTANTIAL ACTION
OF THE SEASON, PLUNKETT DID LITTLE
TO HELP THE RAIDERS. Plunkett: I HADN'T PLAYED
IN ALMOST 2 1/2 YEARS. I DID THROW A COUPLE
OF TOUCHDOWN PASSES. BUT THREW A FEW INTERCEPTIONS.
WE'RE BEHIND. I'M TRYING TO GET BACK
IN THE FOOTBALL GAME. I WAS DISAPPOINTED. I'D HOPED TO HAVE PLAYED BETTER
RIGHT AWAY, BUT I DIDN'T. Harris: THE LOSS TO KANSAS CITY
PUT OAKLAND'S RECORD AT 2-3. THE RAIDERS
WERE OUTWARDLY CONFIDENT BUT COULD SEE THEIR SEASON
SLIPPING AWAY. Upshaw: LOSING WAS NOT SOMETHING
YOU GOT USED TO IN OAKLAND. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE. WE HAD GOTTEN HAMMERED,
WE HAD LOST OUR QUARTERBACK, AND WE WERE NOW GOING
INTO THIS UNKNOWN. BUT WE ALSO FELT THAT, TOGETHER, WE STILL HAD ENOUGH TALENT
TO WIN THIS THING. Harris: WITH PASTORINI
OUT FOR THE SEASON, THE TEAM'S HOPES NOW TEETERED ON THE RIGHT SHOULDER
OF JIM PLUNKETT -- A MAN WHO HAD NEVER LED A TEAM
TO THE PLAYOFFS, LET ALONE THE SUPER BOWL. Millen: BUT NOBODY HAD ANY
DOUBTS THAT PLUNK COULD DO IT. I LOOK BACK ON IT... WHEN HE RAN ONTO THE FIELD,
IT WAS LIKE, "PLUNK WILL TAKE OVER.
WE'LL BE FINE." Plunkett:
I WAS A LITTLE APPREHENSIVE, BUT IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, "IF I DON'T DO WELL
WITH THIS OPPORTUNITY, I MIGHT BE
OUT OF FOOTBALL AGAIN." Harris: ONCE AGAIN,
AL DAVIS TOLD PLUNKETT THAT HE WAS PART OF A TEAM,
NOT THE FOCUS OF IT. Plunkett: HE CAME UP TO ME
FRIDAY BEFORE THE GAME, IN THE LOCKER ROOM, SAID... YOU KNOW, "IT'S NOT IMPORTANT
THAT YOU PLAY WELL. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE WIN." AND I KEPT TELLING MYSELF,
"STAY IN THE POCKET. "HOLD THE BALL TILL THE LAST
POSSIBLE FRACTION OF A SECOND "BEFORE YOU GET RID OF IT. DON'T LOOK TO RUN TOO SOON." I'M TELLING MYSELF, MENTALLY, THESE ARE THE THINGS
I'VE GOT TO DO IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL. I TRIED TO BE CONSERVATIVE
IN ONE ASPECT, BUT I ALSO WAS LOOKING
FOR MY OPPORTUNITIES TO THROW THE BALL
DOWN THE FIELD. Harris: PLUNKETT REVIVED
THE RAIDERS OFFENSE. Announcer: PLUNKETT WILL TRY
TO GET IT ROLLING FROM THE 11. HAND-OFF TO KING.
OUTSIDE LEFT TACKLE. INTO THE SECONDARY.
TAKES OFF TO THE 15! IT'S A FOOTRACE!
TO THE 30! HERE COMES SHAW!
40! 50! SHAW GETS A PIECE OF HIM.
MISSES AT THE 30! TO THE 20!
TO THE 10! TOUCHDOWN, RAIDERS! HOLY TOLEDO! Millen: WE TAKE ON
THE SAN DIEGO CHARGERS, WHO ARE ACKNOWLEDGED AS THE BEST
AND HIGHEST-SCORING TEAM IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. AND WE WHIPPED THEM. AND WHAT COMES
WITH A GOOD WHIPPING FOR A TEAM THAT'S STRUGGLING
IS THE GREAT EQUALIZER -- CONFIDENCE. AND HERE I AM AS A YOUNG KID,
AND I'M LOOKING AROUND THE ROOM. THESE GUYS ARE STARTING TO
BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A CHANCE. AND SO WE FINALLY START TO SHOW THAT WE'RE STARTING
TO DEFINE OURSELVES. AND PLUNKETT WAS THE MAIN COG. WE HAD JUST BEATEN WHAT WE THOUGHT
AND WHAT THE LEAGUE THOUGHT WAS THE BEST YOUNG,
HIGHEST-SCORING TEAM IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE,
WITH DAN FOUTS AND CREW. AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO PLAY
THE DEFENDING WORLD CHAMPIONS ON MONDAY NIGHT. AND WITH THE RAIDERS,
I LEARNED FAST -- WHEN THE LIGHTS TURN OFF,
WE TURNED ON. [ "MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL"
THEME MUSIC INTRO PLAYS ] THERE WAS A LOT OF ELECTRICITY. WE WERE BACK IN THE STEEL CITY.
ON A MONDAY NIGHT. THE "CRIMINAL ELEMENT"
WAS STILL THERE. YOU HAD THE OAKLAND RAIDERS AND YOU HAD
THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS. WE WERE DOWN 20-7
EARLY IN THE BALLGAME. HAD TO FIGHT AND CLAW
OUR WAY BACK IN. A CERTAIN DOWN-AND-DISTANCE
SITUATION, THEY WENT INTO A CERTAIN DEFENSE THAT ALLOWED CLIFF TO BE COVERED
ONE-ON-ONE. AS SOON AS I SAW IT,
AUDIBLED TO IT. AND THERE HE GOES
FOR A LONG TOUCHDOWN. Millen: WE PUT A BEATING
ON TERRY BRADSHAW. 'CAUSE WE GOT AFTER THE PASSER. WILLIE JONES HAD A BIG NIGHT. WE KNOCKED BRADSHAW DOWN
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES. TERRY WAS LAYING ON THE GROUND,
AND EVERYBODY WAS OUT. I WAS TALKING TO JACK HAM. I GO, "JEEZ.
I HOPE HE'S ALL RIGHT. HE SAID, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
IT'S 'MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL.' HE KNOWS THERE'S
GOOD CAMERA TIME." [ LAUGHS ] I THINK THAT WAS THE GAME
WHERE WE KNEW THAT, "YOU KNOW WHAT?
WE GOT A CHANCE." 'CAUSE WE JUST BEAT THE
DEFENDING SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS, IN A GAME THEY NEEDED TO WIN, ON A MONDAY NIGHT IN FRONT
OF A NATIONAL AUDIENCE. DO YOU GET CONFIDENT
BECAUSE YOU'RE WINNING OR DO YOU START WINNING
BECAUSE YOU'RE CONFIDENT? AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT... ...I PRAY ABOUT NOW
WITH MY DETROIT LIONS. BECAUSE WE NEED CONFIDENCE. AND THAT TEAM FOUND IT. Harris: BEHIND JIM PLUNKETT,
OAKLAND WON SIX STRAIGHT GAMES. THE MAN WHO WAS OUT OF FOOTBAL
JUST THREE SEASONS EARLIER WAS NOW THE LEAGUE'S
COMEBACK STORY. Plunkett: IT WAS A DIFFERENT
AREA OF THE FOOTBALL TEAM CONTRIBUTING TO OUR VICTORIES
WEEK AFTER WEEK. OUR DEFENSE, FOR THE FIRST HALF
OF THE SEASON, LITERALLY WAS GIVING UP
27, 28 POINTS A GAME. AND RIGHT AFTER
THAT PITTSBURGH GAME, ALL OF A SUDDEN,
THEY CUT THAT ALMOST IN HALF. THERE WERE NO BLOWOUTS
IN THAT STRETCH. NONE WHATSOEVER. AND IT WAS AMAZING
THAT THAT STRETCH LASTED AS LONG AS IT DID. Millen: THE GREAT THING
THAT HAPPENS WITH TEAMS IS, YOU WIN AND YOU DON'T
FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT. I THINK THAT'S THE BEST THING
IN ALL OF PRO FOOTBALL -- TO WIN A GAME... AND KNOW YOU WON
AND YOU DIDN'T PLAY YOUR BEST. BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE
YOU REALLY GET GOOD. Harris: THE RAIDERS TOOK
AN 8-3 RECORD INTO PHILADELPHIA TO TAKE ON THE EAGLES --
THE BEST TEAM IN THE NFC. I REMEMBER GOING INTO THE VET,
AS THE VET IS. THAT PLACE WAS A DUMP. THEY HAD SEAMS IN THE ASTROTURF. IT WAS HARD AS A ROCK.
IT WAS BAD. BUT WHEN IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE,
IT WAS EVEN WORSE. IT WAS A GREAT GAME. AND I REMEMBER THE GAME
WAS REAL PHYSICAL. Harris: DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
CHARLIE SUMNER GAVE MILLEN SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS
FOR THE EAGLES' BIGGEST WEAPON. Millen: BEFORE THE GAME,
HE SAID TO ME, "LISTEN... "HAROLD CARMICHAEL IS 6'8". "THE FIRST TIME THEY RUN
A DEEP IN, "YOU GO HIT HIM
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CHEST "AND DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE FLAG.
WE'LL HANDLE THE FLAG." SO THE FIRST TIME THEY RAN
THAT DEEP IN, THE BALL WAS OVERTHROWN. I JUST TRIED TO KILL HIM. I TRIED TO HIT HIM
AS HARD AS I COULD. AND I WENT TO HIT HIM AND I CAUGHT HALF OF HIM
AND HALF OF OUR GUY. AND I THINK I HURT OUR GUY. Harris:
THE EAGLES DIDN'T HURT PLUNKETT, THEY JUST PRESSURED HIM ALL DAY. Plunkett:
IT WAS VERY INHOSPITABLE, TO ME IN PARTICULAR. EIGHT SACKS.
THEY COULD HAVE HAD MORE SACKS. THEY STYMIED US. ART SHELL FELT
I WAS DROPPING BACK TOO FAR. SO THE CUP
WASN'T DEFINED AS WELL BECAUSE OF WHERE
I WAS WINDING UP. I WAS PROBABLY DOING THAT
BECAUSE OF THE RUSH AND TRYING TO GIVE MYSELF
MORE TIME. THERE WAS A POINT IN THAT GAME
WHERE WE THOUGHT WE HAD IT WON, AND THEY CAME BACK AND BEAT US. WHEN PHILLY SCORES
THEIR TOUCHDOWN, ONE OF OUR LINEBACKERS
HAS JAWORSKI IN HIS GRASP, AND HE DUCKS. HE SLIDES OVER THE TOP,
AND JAWORSKI MAKES THE PLAY. Millen: SO ALTHOUGH WE LOST
THE FOOTBALL GAME, WE WENT ON THE ROAD IN THE COLD
AGAINST A GOOD YOUNG TEAM AND WE WERE RIGHT THERE
WITH THEM. I TOOK OUT OF THAT THAT WE WERE
IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE. BECAUSE IF THAT'S WHAT THE BEST
THE NFC HAD TO HANDLE, WE'D BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT. IF I WAS TRYING TO SUM
THE OAKLAND RAIDERS UP IN JUST A COUPLE OF WORDS,
IT WOULD START WITH "AL DAVIS." HE IS THE OAKLAND RAIDERS. HE IS WHAT THE TEAM
IS ALL ABOUT. Plunkett: HE WANTED TO WIN
AS BAD AS ANYBODY IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE,
IF NOT WORSE. HE'D WORN A LOT OF HATS. BEING A COMMISSIONER.
BEING A HEAD COACH. AL DAVIS, ABOVE ALL ELSE,
HE IS FOOTBALL. HE WOULD COME TO PRACTICE, AND HE'D MENTION THINGS TO YOU
ABOUT A SPECIFIC GAME OR SOMETHING OF YOUR GAME
THAT YOU HAD TO GET BETTER AT. IT WAS ALL X's AND O's. Harris: DAVIS' COMBATIVE STYLE
OFTEN PUT HIM AT ODDS WITH THE REST OF THE LEAGUE. EVER SINCE I JOINED
THE RAIDERS IN '78, THERE WAS ALWAYS
SOME CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THE RAIDERS
AND MR. DAVIS. AND WE TOOK ON HIS BATTLES. HE DIDN'T WANT US TO TAKE ON
HIS BATTLES FROM TIME TO TIME. AS MUCH AS HE TRIED
TO KEEP THEM AWAY FROM US, IT JUST DIDN'T WORK
THAT EASILY. HE JUST WANTED US
TO PLAY FOOTBALL. Harris: AFTER FAILING TO EXTEND
THE RAIDERS' LEASE IN OAKLAND, DAVIS BEGAN PRELIMINARY PLANS
TO MOVE HIS TEAM TO LOS ANGELES FOR THE 1981 SEASON. AND THEN HE SAID TO ME, "I AM SERIOUSLY THINKING
ABOUT MOVING TO LOS ANGELES." AND I SAID, "IF YOU ARE, "IF YOU DECIDE YOU WANT TO
PURSUE IT FURTHER, LET ME KNOW, "AND I'LL SCHEDULE
A LEAGUE MEETING AND IT'LL BE REVIEWED." HE SAID,
"IF I DECIDE TO MOVE, I DO NOT INTEND TO ASK
FOR A LEAGUE VOTE." AND I SAID THAT, CLEARLY, THAT
WAS AGAINST THE CONSTITUTION AND THAT WOULD PUT US
ON OPPOSITE SIDES. Upshaw:
AND IT WAS AL DAVIS DECIDING THAT HE FELT
THAT HE SHOULD HAVE A RIGHT, IF HIS LEASE WAS UP, TO GO TO A BETTER FACILITY
IN ANOTHER CITY. AND HE ENDED UP SUING THE NFL. AND THEY SPENT SEVERAL YEARS
IN COURT. I THINK THEY'RE STILL IN COURT. I FELT STRONGLY
THAT AL WAS CORRECT. I ALSO FELT STRONGLY THAT THE COLISEUM WERE NOT
UP TO THE SAME STANDARDS AS SOME OF THE FIELDS
IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. I'VE HAD THREE DIFFERENT OWNERS.
I'VE HAD THE COMMISSIONER. I'VE HAD LEAGUE OFFICIALS
COME TO ME AND SAY, "IF YOU STAY IN OAKLAND NOW, WE'LL GET YOU
WHATEVER YOU WANT." BUT I MADE A COMMITMENT,
AND IT'S TOO LATE. THERE WILL BE REPRESENTATIVES
FROM 14 OR 15 TEAMS WHO WERE AT THAT MEETING WHOSE STORY
WILL SHARPLY CONTRADICT THE STORY
AL DAVIS TOLD TODAY. THE IMPLICATION
OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT AL DAVIS LIED
UNDER OATH. I SAY IT'S UP FOR THE JURY
TO DRAW THEIR OWN INFERENCES. Upshaw: BUT IT GOT TO BE
SUCH A PERSONAL ISSUE. THROUGH ALL OF THAT, HE ALWAYS
TRIED TO INSULATE THE TEAM. IT DIDN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN
THAT WAY. IT WAS EASY TO SAY THAT, BUT
IT WAS NOT EASY TO LIVE THAT. BECAUSE WE FELT THAT EVERYTHING
THAT WE DID -- THE PENALTIES ON THE FIELD,
THE RULE CHANGES, WHATEVER -- IT WAS ALWAYS ABOUT,
"LET'S GET THE RAIDERS." Harris: WHILE OAKLAND FANS
RALLIED TO SAVE THEIR TEAM, THE RAIDERS WERE RACING
TOWARD THE PLAYOFFS. OAKLAND WON THREE
OF THEIR LAST FOUR TO CLINCH THEIR FIRST
PLAYOFF BERTH SINCE 1977. KEY TO THE RAIDERS' RESURGENCE
WAS THE "JUDGE," CORNERBACK LESTER HAYES. HAYES, WHO TIED AN NFL RECORD
IN 1980 WITH 13 INTERCEPTIONS, HAD FOUR MORE CALLED BACK
BECAUSE OF PENALTY. Millen:
LESTER HAYES HAD A YEAR IN 1980 THAT WAS ARGUABLY THE GREATEST
YEAR A CORNER HAS EVER HAD. HE JUST TOOK THE GAME OVER. Harris: ON THE FIELD,
HAYES' PLAY SPOKE VOLUMES. OFF THE FIELD, HE STRUGGLED
WITH A SPEECH IMPEDIMENT. SEEMS LIKE YOU HAVE
FANTASTIC JUMPING ABILITY. UH... WAS JUST SAYING, LIKE,
W-WAS ON MY... JUST SAYING, LIKE...
UH...UH... LIKE, WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL,
I WAS A 5'10" POST MAN. I WAS ON
THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP... Millen:
HIS STUTTERING. LESTER APPROACHED
THAT PROBLEM THE SAME WAY HE DID
EVERYTHING ELSE. HE ATTACKED IT STRAIGHT ON. AND HE DIDN'T MAKE YOU FEEL
UNCOMFORTABLE WITH IT. 'CAUSE HE KNEW THAT YOU SAW THAT HE WAS STRUGGLING THROUGH
A WORD OR WHATEVER IT WAS. HE KNEW THAT.
AND... BUT HE JUST STAYED WITH IT, AND HE EXPECTED THAT YOU
WOULD STAY WITH IT, TOO. Harris: HAYES WORKED TIRELESSLY
TO IMPROVE HIS SPEECH AND USED STICKUM
TO HELP HIS HANDS. HAYES PUT STICKUM EVERYWHERE AND STUCK TO OPPOSING RECEIVERS
LIKE GLUE. Upshaw: STICKUM. STICKUM IS NO LONGER ALLOWED
IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. [ CHUCKLES ] THERE WERE SO MANY THINGS
THAT HAPPENED THAT YEAR WITH THE STICKUM. IF YOU TOUCHED HIM,
YOU WOULD JUST STICK. THAT'S HOW HE GOT
ALL THOSE INTERCEPTIONS. RAIDER RULE NUMBER ONE:
CHEATING IS ENCOURAGED. SO WAS IT CHEATING? WHAT JUDGE WAS DOING WAS
HE WAS TAKING A RULE AND SOMETHING THAT WAS ALLOWED, AND HE WAS PUSHING IT
AS FAR AS IT COULD GO. YOU KNEW THAT IF YOU NEED
STICKUM DURING THE GAME, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO GO
TO THE BENCH. IF LESTER'S ON THE FIELD,
YOU CAN JUST GO TO HIM. I USED TO TELL HIM,
"JUST STAY AWAY FROM ME." IMAGINE GUYS IN A PILEUP, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN
THEY GET OUT, AND THEY GOT ALL OF THIS STICKUM
ALL OVER THEM. AND THAT'S THE WAY LESTER WAS
EVERY STINKING PLAY. WE WERE PLAYING
THE HOUSTON OILERS. AND THEY HAD A CENTER
BY THE NAME OF CARL MAUCK. THEY'RE GETTING READY TO KICK
A FIELD GOAL. THEY'RE IN THE HUDDLE.
JUDGE COMES WALKING OUT. TAKES A BIG HUNK OF STICKUM.
WALKS BY THE BALL. KIND OF NONCHALANTLY SLAPS IT
ON THE BALL AND WALKS OUT. THE OILERS COME UP. CARLOS REACHES DOWN
AND GRABS THE BALL -- RIGHT ON THE STICKUM. AND HIS -- THE VEINS POP OUT
OF HIS NECK. AND HE'S LIKE,
"THAT STUTTERING SON OF A BITCH DID SOMETHING TO THE BALL!" HE'S SCREAMING AT THE OFFICIALS.
THEY'RE LIKE, "CALM DOWN." WELL, WE CAME OFF THE BALL. CARLOS SNAPPED IT OVER HIS HEAD. HE SNAPPED IT OVER HIS HEAD. AND I ALWAYS WONDERED HOW MUCH
THE STICKUM HAD TO DO WITH THAT. Harris:
IN THE WILD-CARD PLAYOFF GAME, OAKLAND SACKED FORMER RAIDER
KEN STABLER SEVEN TIMES AND CRUISED TO A 27-7 WIN. [ "THE RAIDERS" PLAYS ] THE END IS NEAR, BABY! THE END IS IN SIGHT
FOR THEIR ASS. Harris:
IN THE FOURTH QUARTER, THE JUDGE DELIVERED
HIS FINAL VERDICT. THAT'S THE FIRST ONE,
TOM! Upshaw: ONE STEP. IT ONLY GIVE US THE RIGHT
TO PLAY NEXT WEEK. THAT'S ALL.
WE GOT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. WE GOT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT
NEXT WEEK. WE GOT TO GO TO WORK.
1:00 TOMORROW. EVERYBODY ON TIME. AMEN. YOU GUYS SHOULD HAVE GOT
ASSIGNED TO THE ATLANTA GAME. IT'S ONLY 50 DEGREES DOWN THERE. Upshaw:
WE HAD TO GO TO CLEVELAND. AND I CAN RECALL
WE HAVE TO PLAY THIS CRAZY GAME. I JUST REMEMBER
HOW COLD IT WAS. C-C-C-COLD. IT WAS FREEZING. AND DAVE DALBY, OUR CENTER,
IS OUT THERE IN A T-SHIRT. WHY?
I'LL NEVER KNOW. LISTEN UP, NOW.
HEY. LISTEN UP. WE'RE GONNA GO REGULAR
AND KICK IT RIGHT. AND MAKE SURE, WITH THOSE
HEATED BENCHES OVER THERE, IF YOU SEE ANYBODY ASLEEP,
KICK THEM IN THE ASS. LET'S GO.
LET'S GO. ALL RIGHT, SAM! Millen: THE GROUND
WAS COMPLETELY FROZEN. THE SHOWERS DIDN'T WORK. AND THAT WIND WAS FEROCIOUS
COMING OFF THE LAKE. THERE WERE ABOUT
BETWEEN 80 AND 90 PASSES THROWN IN THAT GAME. VERY FEW WERE COMPLETED
AGAINST THE WIND. Harris: RON BOLTON'S
INTERCEPTION RETURN PUT CLEVELAND OUT FRONT. THE RAIDERS STAYED
WITH THE BROWNS. AND MARK van EEGHEN'S TOUCHDOWN
WITH 9 MINUTES LEFT GAVE OAKLAND A 2-POINT LEAD. THEY WERE KNOWN,
THROUGH THAT WHOLE PERIOD, OF 2-MINUTE OFFENSE. THE KARDIAC KIDS.
AND HERE THEY COME AGAIN. AND THEY STARTED MARCHING
DOWN THE FIELD AGAIN. AND ALL WE COULD DO
WAS STAND THERE. Announcer:
AND THE RAIDERS ARE IN VERY,
VERY DIFFICULT POSITION. Upshaw:
AND I'M STANDING THERE THINKING, "WE'VE COME THIS FAR.
WE'VE FOUGHT THIS HARD." AND I CAN TELL YOU,
I NEVER FELT SO LOW IN MY LIFE. Millen: THEY'RE GOING
INTO THE OPEN END ZONE WHERE THE DAWG POUND WAS. WE HAD ALREADY BLOCKED
ONE FIELD GOAL GOING IN THERE. AND WE LOOK AT THEIR BENCH. AND WE KEEP THINKING
THEY'RE GOING TO KICK AND THAT'S GOING TO BE IT
AND WE'RE GOING TO LOSE. WELL, THEY GO BACK
FOR ONE MORE PASS. RED SLOT RIGHT
HALFBACK STAY 88. I JUST
COULD NOT BELIEVE IT. I DON'T THINK ANYONE ON
OUR SIDELINE COULD BELIEVE IT. Plunkett: AND I DON'T
BLAME THEM -- THE PLAY CALL. I MEAN, THAT'S --
YOU'RE TAKING A CHANCE. COCKROFT HAD ALREADY MISSED
TWO EXTRA POINTS. THEY WERE AFRAID HE WAS
GONNA MISS THE FIELD GOAL. Announcer: BALL ON THE
13-YARD LINE OF THE RAIDERS. BUT WITH CLEVELAND NEEDING
ONLY A FIELD GOAL, THE BROWNS APPEAR TO BE
IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT. Millen:
THEY CAME OUT ON THE PLAY. AND NOBODY THOUGHT
THEY WERE GOING TO THROW. Announcer: LOGAN TO THE LEFT.
RUCKER TO THE RIGHT. SIPE IS GOING BACK TO PASS. WANTS TO TAKE A SHOT
INTO THE END ZONE. HE LOOKS.
HE THROWS. AND IT'S A GREAT PLAY!
THAT MAY HAVE BEEN INTERCEPTED! AND THE CLEVELAND BROWNS CALL
THE CHUTZPAH ONCE TOO OFTEN! HOLY TOLEDO! IT WAS MIKE DAVIS WHO MADE
THE BIG INTERCEPTION. Millen: MAD DOG DIDN'T CATCH
THE BALL VERY WELL. COULD NOT CATCH A COLD
IN ALASKA, BAREFOOTED. Millen:
BUT HE MADE A PHENOMENAL CATCH. Upshaw: SO YOU GO FROM AS LOW
AS YOU COULD POSSIBLY BE, AND IN ONE SNAP OF THE BALL YOU GO TO THE HEIGHT AND AS HIGH
AS YOU COULD POSSIBLY BE. ALSO, I COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT MIKE DAVIS
ACTUALLY CAUGHT THE BALL. BECAUSE, I'M TELLING YOU, HE HAD ABSOLUTELY THE WORST
HANDS IN THAT SECONDARY. Harris:
FOR THE AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, OAKLAND WENT FROM THE CLEVELAND
COLD TO THE SAN DIEGO SUN. WE KNEW THAT GOING INTO THE
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE PLAYING
OUR OLD RIVALS. WE KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE
AT THEIR PLACE. BUT WE WERE DESTINED. WE THOUGHT WE OUTPLAYED THEM
THE FIRST TIME. WE DID OUTPLAY THEM
THE SECOND TIME. SO WE APPROACHED THE GAME
WITH A LOT OF CONFIDENCE. Harris: AGAINST THE NFL'S
HIGHEST-SCORING TEAM, PLUNKETT WENT TO THE AIR EARLY AND LED OAKLAND
TO A 28-7 FIRST-HALF LEAD. SAN DIEGO RESPONDED
WITH 17 UNANSWERED POINTS. ENTERING THE FOURTH QUARTER,
OAKLAND WAS WORRIED. Plunkett: THEY'RE GETTING BACK
IN THE BALLGAME. TED HENDRICKS GRABS ME
BY THE JERSEY AND STARTS SHAKING ME, SAYS, "KEEP SCORING.
WE CAN'T STOP THEM." ALL WE HAD TO DO
WAS HOLD ON TO THE BALL, RUN OUT THE CLOCK, CONTROL IT,
AND WE'RE THERE. WE WERE JUST MINUTES AWAY
FROM A SUPER BOWL. AND FOR MANY OF US, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY WE
WEREN'T GOING TO LET SLIP AWAY. THAT GAME, THOUGH, IN THE END, WHEN ALL WAS SAID AND DONE, CAME DOWN TO OUR OFFENSIVE LINE
AND MARK van EEGHEN. BURGESS OWENS AND I
WERE STANDING ON THE SIDELINE. HE'D SAY, "HOW DID WE DO?"
I'D SAY, "WE PICKED UP 6." "TWO MORE FIRST DOWNS." "ONE MORE FIRST DOWN
AND THE GAME IS OURS." AND HE SAID, "WHAT HAPPENED?" AND I SAID,
"WE'RE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL." AND HE WAS BESIDE HIMSELF. Announcer: THE TOTAL RESURGENCE
OF THE SILVER AND BLACK. NEW ORLEANS,
HERE COME THE RAIDERS! IT'S LIKE ANY LOCKER ROOM
WITH A BIG WIN. UPPY, HE WAS THE PHILOSOPHER. THIS ONE'S A LOT SWEETER
BECAUSE IN '77, I GUESS EVERYONE
KIND OF EXPECTED US TO GO. THIS YEAR, NO ONE SAID WE'D GO. KICK 'EM WAS MATTER-OF-FACT. YEAH, THEY GOT
THEIR GAME ROLLING. THEY HAD THE MOMENTUM GOING
WITH THEM. WE DID SOME CHANGES IN THERE,
AND WE SHUT THEM DOWN AND THEN LET OUR OFFENSE
TAKE OVER, AND THEY HAD A MAGNIFICENT GAME. THERE'S MUSIC ON.
GUYS WERE DANCING. EVERYBODY'S FEELING PRETTY
DARN GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES. I'M PROUD OF YOU.
WE DID IT. NEW ORLEANS, HERE WE COME!
WE LOVE IT! [ CHEERING ] WE'RE NUMBER ONE. IN THE SHOWER! IN THE SHOWER! SHOWER! Harris: NEW ORLEANS
DURING SUPER BOWL WEEK IS FILLED WITH DISTRACTIONS. FOR THE OAKLAND RAIDERS,
IT WAS BUSINESS AS USUAL. EVEN IF BUSINESS AS USUAL
FOR JOHN MATUSZAK MEANT BREAKING CURFEW. DID JOHN SHOW UP LATE?
YEAH, HE SHOWED UP LATE. WAS HE OUT ON THE TOWN?
YEAH, HE WAS OUT ON THE TOWN. HE WAS GOING TO DO THAT
REGARDLESS. IF IT WAS A REGULAR-SEASON GAME,
THAT'S WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO. THIS IS A SUPER BOWL GAME. AND EVERYTHING'S A LOT DIFFERENT
WHEN IT COMES TO THE SUPER BOWL. A LOT OF THINGS TIGHTEN UP.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? THINGS TIGHTEN UP? GLUTEUS MAXIMUS TIGHTENS UP. YOU CAN'T EVEN GET
A BLADE OF GRASS UP THERE -- SOME PEOPLE. Harris: MATUSZAK WAS REFERRING
TO EAGLES COACH DICK VERMEIL. VERMEIL PUBLICLY CRITICIZED
MATUSZAK'S OFF-FIELD BEHAVIOR AND PUT STRICT TEAM RULES
IN EFFECT. Upshaw: THEY COULD NOT GO
TO BOURBON STREET. THEY COULDN'T GO
INTO THE FRENCH QUARTER. THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING. WE ALSO HEARD
THAT THERE WERE CURFEWS. AND WE ALSO HEARD THERE WERE
MANDATORY MEETINGS AT NIGHT. THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT
OF PRESSURE ON THE RAIDERS BECAUSE THE EAGLES WERE KNOWN FOR HOW THEY COULD NOT GO
AND DO THINGS AND HAVE FUN. AND WE FELT WE HAD THE BURDEN
OF ALL THE OTHER TEAMS TO KNOCK THEM OFF THAT PERCH. BECAUSE IF THEY HAD WON, WE ALL
WOULD HAVE BEEN DOING THAT. ON THE FIRST NIGHT, TOM GAVE US NO CURFEW,
I BELIEVE, AND LET US GO OUT
AND GET IT OUT OF OUR SYSTEM. BUT QUITE A FEW OF THE GUYS
THAT WE HAD HAD LARGE SYSTEMS, AND IT TOOK A FEW DAYS TO GET IT
OUT OF THEIR SYSTEMS. THE FIRST NIGHT OF CURFEW,
THERE'S NO MATUSZAK. HE STAGGERS ON THE BUS
AS WE'RE LEAVING TO GO TO THE PRESS CONFERENCE. AND WE ASKED TOOZ,
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" HE SAID, "I WAS OUT."
AND HE LOOKED LIKE IT. WE ASKED HIM, "TOOZ,
AFTER ALL OF THIS DISCUSSION
WE HAD IN PRACTICE "AND WE ALL DECIDED
IT'S TIME TO GET SERIOUS -- "WE GOT WORK TO DO,
THIS IS A BUSINESS TRIP -- AND YOU GO OUT." HIS RESPONSE WAS, "I WENT OUT TO MAKE SURE
NO ONE ELSE WAS OUT THERE." THAT WAS WHAT HE SAID. AND HE SAT DOWN
AND THAT WAS THAT. Harris: TOM FLORES TOLERATED
THE LATE NIGHTS AS LONG AS THE RAIDERS PERFORMED
AT PRACTICE. OUR PRACTICES
DOWN IN NEW ORLEANS, THEY WERE BRUTAL. THEY WERE BRUTAL. AND I HAPPENED TO BE
ONE OF THE GUYS THAT GOT INTO A FIGHT WITH
ONE OF THE DEFENSIVE PLAYERS BECAUSE I THOUGHT HE WAS GOING A LITTLE BIT HARDER
THAN HE SHOULD BE GOING. I GOT INTO A FIGHT
WITH MICKEY MARVIN. I TRIED TO KILL HIM. I HEAD-BUTTED HIM INTO OBLIVION. I WAS LETTING EVERYTHING OUT. IT FELT SO GOOD
TO BE ON THE FIELD. Harris: BY GAME DAY, NOT EVEN WORLD EVENTS
COULD SHAKE THE RAIDERS' FOCUS. Millen:
WE DROVE TO THE SUPERDOME. THERE WAS A BIG YELLOW RIBBON
AROUND THE SUPERDOME. LIKE, "WHAT THE HECK
IS THAT ON THERE FOR?" THEY SAID,
"THE HOSTAGES ARE FREE." I'M LIKE, "HOSTAGES? OH, THAT'S RIGHT.
THERE WERE SOME HOSTAGES." I WAS SO FOCUSED
ON WHAT WAS GOING ON, I DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE
WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE WORLD. SOME WOULD LISTEN TO THAT
AND SAY, "THAT'S GREAT CONCENTRATION." OTHERS WOULD LISTEN TO THAT
AND SAY, "THAT KID NEEDS
A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE." BUT WE WERE THERE TO PLAY
ONE MORE FOOTBALL GAME. AND TO GO TO THAT GAME
AND NOT TO BE PREPARED TO PLAY WOULD HAVE JUST BEEN AWFUL FOR WHAT WE HAD
ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED. IT WOULDN'T HAVE MEANT ANYTHING. Hayes: SUPER SUNDAY.
WHAT A DAY. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.
IT'S LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE. IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. YES.
AND WE'RE GONNA WIN. WE ARE GONNA WIN.
NO QUESTION. Plunkett:
IT WAS A GREAT FEELING. I WAS SO PROUD
TO RUN OUT THERE. IT WAS KIND OF LIKE A STORYBOOK
FINISH ALL COMING TO A HEAD. Millen:
IN SOME WAYS, THE SUPER BOWL... IT WAS ANTICLIMACTIC BECAUSE... THE BEST TEAM IN FOOTBALL,
WE THOUGHT, WERE THE SAN DIEGO CHARGERS. WE KNEW THE EAGLES HAD BEAT US.
WE KNEW WE COULD BEAT THEM. WE KNEW THAT IF THEY CAME IN THE WAY THAT
THEY CAME INTO THAT GAME WE PLAYED THEM IN THE SEASON,
WE COULD BEAT THEM. Plunkett: I WAS READY
ONCE I STEPPED ON THAT FIELD. I STILL HAD SOMETHING TO PROVE
TO MYSELF AND TO WHOEVER ELSE. Announcer: PLUNKETT
ON A STRAIGHT DROPBACK. HERE COMES THE RUSH.
STEPS UP. CAN'T FIND ANYBODY YET.
TAKES OFF RUNNING TO THE LEFT. THROWS ON THE MOVE. AND IT'S CAUGHT BY KING
AT THE 40. KING TAKES OFF AT THE 50!
HE'LL GO ALL THE WAY! NOBODY NEAR HIM! TO THE 20! TO THE 10!
TO THE 5! TOUCHDOWN, RAIDERS! PLUNKETT'S EATING US ALIVE. Harris:
IN JUST THREE MONTHS, JIM PLUNKETT HAD GONE FROM
HEISMAN BUST TO SUPER SAVIOR. THREE TOUCHDOWN PASSES CAPPED ONE OF THE GREATEST PERSONAL
COMEBACKS IN NFL HISTORY. Millen: JIM PLUNKETT
HAD A MASTERFUL GAME. ROD MARTIN HAD A GAME
FOR THE AGES. HE WAS EVERYWHERE.
HE WAS EVERYWHERE. HE HAD THREE INTERCEPTIONS. HE WASN'T BOBBY CHANDLER, BUT WITH A LITTLE BIT
OF STICKUM, HE COULD HANG ON TO THE THING. THAT WAS PROBABLY COMPLIMENTS
OF THE JUDGE. HE PLAYED AS GOOD A SUPER BOWL
AS ANY DEFENDER HAS EVER PLAYED. DID NOT GET THE MVP.
JIM PLUNKETT GOT THE MVP. JIM DESERVED IT, BUT ROD
DESERVED IT JUST AS MUCH. Upshaw: I FELT REALLY,
REALLY GOOD FOR JIM BECAUSE HE HAD PAID HIS DUES
JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. BUT IT MEANT A LOT TO HIM
TO BE THE GUY THAT LED US
THROUGH THAT SUPER BOWL. IT WAS A GREAT FEELING. FINALLY ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY WHO EVER GETS
IN THE NFL WANTS TO DO. Harris:
THE ONLY SUSPENSE THAT REMAINED WAS WHETHER THE TENSION
BETWEEN ROZELLE AND DAVIS WOULD AFFECT THE PRESENTATION
OF THE VINCE LOMBARDI TROPHY. NEVER WILL FORGET HIM TELLING
US, "WE BEAT THESE GUYS. "WE GO IN THAT LOCKER ROOM,
YOU BE GENTLEMEN. "YOU SHOW RESPECT. AND THAT'S THE WAY
WE WILL APPROACH THIS." Rozelle:
IT'S A GREAT CREDIT TO YOU FOR PUTTING
THIS TEAM TOGETHER. YOU'VE EARNED IT.
CONGRATULATIONS. THANKS VERY MUCH,
COMMISSIONER. THIS WAS OUR FINEST HOUR. THIS WAS THE FINEST HOUR IN THE HISTORY
OF THE OAKLAND RAIDERS. TO TOM FLORES,
THE COACHES, AND THE GREAT ATHLETES, YOU WERE MAGNIFICENT
OUT THERE TODAY. YOU REALLY WERE. I HAD A VERY SURREAL MOMENT. WE WON THE SUPER BOWL. WE ALL FLEW OUT
BACK TO OAKLAND. THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE
A PARADE. I WANTED TO GET HOME. I SAT IN MY MOM'S LIVING ROOM
AND I TURNED THE NEWS ON, AND THERE WERE MY TEAMMATES
HAVING A PARADE. AND I SAT THERE AND I THOUGHT,
"WAS I EVEN THERE? DID YOU EVEN PLAY THAT GAME?" 'CAUSE IT DIDN'T SEEM REAL. EVERYTHING HAPPENED SO FAST, AND
YOU DON'T REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I REALLY THINK
IT SHOULD BE MANDATORY FOR EVERY TEAM
THAT WINS THE SUPER BOWL TO TAKE ONE DAY -- AND JUST THE TEAM.
NOBODY ELSE. JUST THE PLAYERS
AND THE COACHES. AND GO BACK TO THEIR FACILITY,
GET A BUNCH OF FOOD, SIT DOWN, AND WATCH THE FILM
TOGETHER AS A GROUP SO YOU CAN JUST ENJOY
WHAT YOU JUST DID. I THINK IF YOU DID THAT,
IT WOULD BE AWESOME. BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONE TIME YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT THE NEXT GAME. YOU DON'T
HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT -- HEY, YOU DID IT.
YOU FINALLY DID IT. THAT EVERYTHING
WE PLANNED ON DOING, ALL THE WORK
THAT GOES INTO IT, ALL THE SACRIFICE
THAT GOES INTO IT, AND JUST TAKE ONE TIME
TO ENJOY IT. AND I THINK
THAT WOULD BE GREAT. <i> FOR ADDITIONAL VIDEO CONTENT,
PHOTO GALLERIES,</i> <i> AND MORE FROM "AMERICA'S GAME,"
VISIT nfl.com/americasgame.</i>
You really think Iām gonna watch this shit for 75th time at 12 at night... you damn right I am!