AL DAVIS: I LEFT MY HEART IN OAKLAND

(4/11/01) Al Davis admitted Wednesday under heavy cross-examination that he never made any formal commitment to the proposed Hollywood Park stadium project in suburban Los Angeles.

The Raiders are suing the NFL for allegedly "destroying" their Hollywood Park deal and forcing the team back to Oakland in 1995. However, Davis testified today that Oakland was his city of choice for the 1995 season -- and that he actually tried to return there in both 1990 and 1994. He admitted that, having announced plans to move to Oakland in 1990, it was "very difficult to go back and play" in Los Angeles.

NFL attorney Allen Ruby showed Davis documents sent by Raiders personnel to the Commissioner’s office in early 1995 identifying Oakland as the team’s first choice for home games that season. That request was made at the same time that the Raiders were in "negotiations" with Hollywood Park for a long-term deal.

Davis admitted that in 1994 he wanted to play in Oakland rather than stay in Los Angeles where an earthquake had damaged the Los Angeles Coliseum. Davis testified that the League refused to schedule the Raiders in northern California that year. Veteran courtroom observers noted the irony, i.e., Davis complained in 1994 when the League refused to allow the team to vacate Los Angeles but then sued in this current litigation on the grounds that the League "forced" the team out of Los Angeles just one year later.

It was clear throughout Davis’ testimony today that his return to Oakland in 1995 was based on two primary factors: 1) an up-front cash payment of $54 million (plus $10 million for a practice field) and 2) the security of returning to a city that he had abandoned in 1982 after more than 10 consecutive sellout seasons.

The smiling, relaxed Davis who first took the stand Monday has evolved into a witness who quibbles with nearly every question under cross-examination. For example, Davis, who coined the phrase "Commitment to Excellence," today had difficulty even defining the word "commitment." He fenced with Ruby regarding the difference between "commitment" and "assurance" and added that "a commitment may be looked at in a different vein by different people."

Davis reluctantly admitted that in 1995 he never made a commitment to the NFL that he would definitely sign the Hollywood Park contract if the League provided the assistance he sought. "No, I didn’t make a commitment in the way you say it, Mr. Ruby, but we would have made the deal."

Davis this morning contradicted prior sworn testimony that he had given in the case. He denied in court that the city of Inglewood was contributing to the 1995 Hollywood Park stadium deal. However, after Davis was shown his earlier sworn affidavit where he stated that Inglewood was, indeed, giving money, Ruby asked him if the affidavit contained the truth. "It’s not the truth as you would expect it to be," Davis said.

The Raiders have argued that the team was shut out of negotiations between Hollywood Park and the NFL regarding a second team option at the proposed stadium. However, Davis acknowledged today that he was in communication by phone virtually every day with Hollywood Park and the League office and that he was informed of the negotiations over the option.

With respect to the amount of assistance the League was providing to the stadium project, Davis admitted that the Raiders "were getting more in our Hollywood Park package from the League than any other club had ever received before." Rather than take that package, Davis returned home to Oakland where he currently is embroiled in separate litigation with East Bay authorities.

Davis will be the only witness Thursday, which is the last court session of the week.

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