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In a wide-ranging press conference that can be seen in its entirety here at this page (just click on the link at the top of this column or here), Davis explained a need to return to a time when the Oakland Raiders understood that teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Diego Chargers hated the Raiders. And that -- more than anyone else -- Art Shell understood the need to have a hunger for victory over its opponents and more than anyone but a few like "Mr. Raider" Jim Otto, Art Shell was a Raider.
"Tradition, history, excellence, leadership is wrapped up all in one when you mention the name Art Shell; there is no question about that," said Davis. "And here we are here today, still with great records, still with great tradition, great history, but we're going to do more for it than we've ever done in the past. The guy that I'm tapping, that the Raiders are tapping to lead us back - and we will be back - is Art Shell, the 15th head coach of the Raiders."
During the press conference, Davis took time to explain at length how the media picks head coaches for him. From ex-Detroit Lions Head Coach Steve Mariucci to the afforementioned Wisenhunt, to former Houston Texans Head Coach Dom Capers -- "They had him picked for me," Davis said.
Finally, it was NFL Executive Mike Haynes who made the call to Davis explaining that he should re-hire Art Shell. Davis and Shell talked during Super Bowl week, and Shell was officially hired late Friday, Feburary 10th.
Personally, I think this is the best organizational decision the Raiders have made in several years. The Oakland Raiders are essentially the creation of and persona of one man: Al Davis. With that comes several pluses and minuses. Amoung the pluses are organizational continuity: "On some teams," Davis said, "when they hire the head guy, he gets to bring in every one; we don't believe in that. We still have the same trainers, equipment managers, and some coaches." Prominent in the minuses is a lack of total control: "I want to see us get back to tough running," Davis said, "not this reach blocking. This guy (gesturing to Art Shell) knows what I mean...not Zone Blocking." the negative is that for any prospective coach who's an expert at Zone Blocking or the Indianapolis Colts' Strech Running Play, you can't run your system with the Raiders so long as Mr. Davis is the head of the organization.
In hiring Art Shell, the Raiders finally have a person who truly understands and values the Raider way, and that -- understanding the culture of a business -- is the first key to success.
Shell Says He Will Build A Tough Team
Art Shell first became head coach, and the first African American head coach in the NFL's Modern Era, on October 3, 1989, four games into the season. Shell took over a team that had struggled to a 1-3 start and led them to a 7-5 record in the final 12 games of the year. In 1990, Shell's first full season as head coach, the Raiders went 12-4, capturing the AFC Western Division crown for the first time in five years and won the franchise's first playoff game since Super Bowl XVIII.
When all eyes turned to Art Shell, he started his talk with explaining how thankful he was to have the opportunity to come back and push the organzation back to the level of greatness it had known in years past.
"It's coming home; it's coming home to finish what I started," said Shell. "It's like going out into the wilderness and you travel around, you learn, you gather experience and new ideas, but yet you evolve as a person and as a coach, and I think I've done that.
"I just can't tell you how I feel about being a part of the Raider organization again. There are certain standards that are very high and expectations are high. I understand that. The players have to understand that, the coaches have to understand that, and of course the whole building has to understand that.
The eight-time pro bowl player and NFL Hall of Fame Legend possessing three Super Bowl Rings remarked that he will develop a team that can "strike from anywhere on the field" and possess a power running game. He said -- in a key to what to expect this year -- that the St. Louis Rams under Dick Vermiel and Mike Martz ran a passing game which contained "what we used to do at the Raiders."
Shell, a diabetic, said he was in "good health" in response to a question on this matter.
Shell was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 5, 1989, becoming the sixth Raider to be enshrined. After the conclusion of his illustrious playing career in 1983, Shell joined the Raiders coaching staff under Tom Flores and helped coach the team to victory in Super Bowl XVIII. He was named offensive line coach in 1984 and remained in that position until his promotion to head coach in 1989.
Shell coached the offensive line for Kansas City from 1995-96 and for Atlanta from 1997-2000. For the past five years, Shell has worked as the Senior Vice President for Football Operations and Development in the National Football League office. He has also served on the USA Football Board of Directors.
Arthur Shell, Jr. was born November 26, 1946 in Charleston, South Carolina. He attended Bonds-Wilson High School in North Charleston, where he was an All-State center and defensive tackle on the football team and an All-State center on the school's basketball team. He was named to the South Carolina Hall of Fame in 1990.
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