Al Davis vs the NFL: The incredible story
ESPN will debut its latest 30 for 30 documentry, Al Davis vs. the NFL, at 9 p.m. ET. Once the documentary premieres, it will immediately be available at the network's streaming service.
The documentary is a prominent Raiders' history lesson, and there are striking clips of the team's greatness. While it's not an exciting Raiders game, it will make a fascinating documentary.
The legendary feud between former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle and late Raiders owner Al Davis has paved the way for the NFL to grow into what it is today. The billion-dollar industry is larger than a national pastime; The documentary delves into the rivalry between the 2 men
The cunning owner of the Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders filled most of his career coercing down a league that built its foundation on intimidation. He coaxed and bullied his way across fields, courtrooms, and executive suites, attaining three Super Bowls along the way. Al Davis was a force to be reckoned with.
Al Davis was a rebellious boy from Brooklyn; by the time he was 34, he took control of the Raiders back when Oakland was still an AFL member.
The first change Davis made was to institute the iconic silver-and-black colors.
Al Davis and Rozelle laid the foundations for the modern day NFL
The Raiders and the rest of the AFL went headfirst into the NFL, which initially ignited the feud between Davis and Rozelle. Davis's rebellious instincts were shown from the start, which triggered the loyal "company man" Rozelle.
The steadfast Rozelle tried to maintain order and grow a league. Al Davis pulled his team up and down I-5 over decades, infuriating many California cities and NFL owners.
The documentary will be presented as deepfake clips of Davis and Rozelle roaming through an empty Allegiant Stadium with voiceover actors telling the two men's stories.
Technology has come a long way, and the documentary presentation is a realistic representation of Davis and Rozelle's relationship. Davis is shown wearing his trademark white warmup suit, as the voiceovers give a good impression of the voices.
Al Davis and Rozelle together have tiled the floors that is today's unified, all-encompassing NFL. While the documentary can't possibly show the thrilling details of what exact effect the duo had, it does bring their story to an end.
The documentary shows the most prominent real-life moments that led to the end of the film and feud between the two men: When Rozelle's tearful resignation was announced to the league's owners, with the changed Al Davis there to embrace him.