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Raiders fans implore Al Davis to hire a GM … via billboard

By ArtieFufkin

Following the successful example set by Buffalo Bills fans earlier this season, a group of Oakland Raiders fans have taken the next logical step in trying to appeal to Al Davis’ sense of reason: billboards.  The guys at MessageToAl.com spent $5,500 on this billboard (pictured above) near Oakland Alameda County Stadium, begging Davis to hire a General Manager to run the Raiders.

But wait, there’s more!  They’ve also started a petition that goes along with the billboard, asking 4 things from Davis:

1. Step down as General Manager
2. Hire a new GM
3. Hire a Super Bowl caliber coach
4. Agree to refrain from intervention in personnel or football operational matter

The petition has over 25,000 signatures so far, with donations for the billboard being collected via their website.  22-year-old Jared Staszewski of Erie, Pennsylvania – who must have suffered immeasurably lo those many years – is leading the effort on behalf of Raiders fans everywhere.

He had this to say in the group’s press release:

“We have nothing but respect for Mr. Davis and what he has done for the team over the years,” Staszewski said. “But that effort and our championships are in the past. I have been a loyal fan since 1993 and in those 16 years we (the Raiders) have only had four playoff appearances. We are now on track for our seventh losing season in a row and we believe something has to change,” he said.

“We believe in the organization and we hope that Mr. Davis might become inspired to ‘do the right thing.’

So, assuming Al can still read (or even see more than 5 feet in front of his face) the idea is that he will see this message on his way to work one day, and finally, at long last, realize that the game has passed him by. Because some punk kid told him so?

Ummm, yeah … good luck with that.

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