Al Davis often stated, “It is more difficult to maintain excellence than it is to first achieve it.”
Now, he may have been saying that in the 1970’s while I was working for him and his Oakland Raiders because the Silver and Black had already achieved greatness. They were facing the challenge of maintaining their lofty standards. And while that may be true, what he was saying was also accurate.
The reason for this in the National Football League is success is first tied to talent. Winning carries with it a lower position in the draft. Davis hated that incompetence and failure was rewarded with the top picks in the draft. So, physical capabilities were offered an enhanced position for teams with the worst record. In 1974, I asked Raiders Personnel Director Ron Wolf what team had the best talent in the NFL?
Wolf sat back in his chair, seemed to be making some calculations in his head, and then said, “The Houston Oilers.”
His answer was totally unexpected. The Oilers had completed the previous season with the worst record in football, one win and 13 losses. Since they merged with the NFL in 1970, coming over from the now defunct American Football League, their combined three-year record was 8-32-2.
Ron saw my jaw drop on his answer, and followed it up with these words, “You didn’t ask me what the best team was, your question was ‘who had the best talent,’ and that is the Oilers.” Last place finishes consistently had the Houston organization picking early in the draft, and they accumulated a lot of college blue chip talent. Players who excelled in college, had the ability to play at the professional level, but had not yet been with a coach and organization that took full advantage of their abilities.