Kenny "The Snake" Stabler, former quarterback of the Oakland Raiders, has died at the age of 69.
Kenny "The Snake" Stabler
- Thread starter Goremageddon
- Start date
-
This message board permanently closed on June 30th, 2020 at 4PM EDT and is no longer accepting new members.
Heard this this morning. What an awful way to go.
He was an original that's for sure. Bet John Madden is sad today too.
RIP
He was an original that's for sure. Bet John Madden is sad today too.
RIP
Oh, absolutely. Here is a quote from Madden that I copied from espn.
"I was head coach of the Raiders the entire time Kenny was there, and he led us to a whole bunch of victories, including one in Super Bowl XI," former Raiders coach John Madden said in the team release. "I've often said, if I had one drive to win a game to this day, and I had a quarterback to pick, I would pick Kenny. Snake was a lot cooler than I was. He was a perfect quarterback and a perfect Raider. When you think about the Raiders you think about Ken Stabler. Kenny loved life. It is a sad day for all Raiders."
Patriots fans (if there are any) will remember Stabler drawing that phantom "roughing the passer" call the kept New England out of the Super Bowl in 1976 . . . but I digress.
Stabler was one of those "larger-than-life" guys at a time when it wasn't as easy to be larger than life as it is today.
When I lived down south, my best friend was an Alabama alum (as was Stabler) and he used to tell these incredible stories about Stabler's . . . ummmmm . . . antics. He was a notorious drinker and womanizer and all-around hell-raiser in a time -- if you can believe it -- when such things were considered badges of honor.
A hero, to some.
But really, I'm not thinking about any of that today.
Today I'm thinking: 69 . . . that seems too young.
Stabler was one of those "larger-than-life" guys at a time when it wasn't as easy to be larger than life as it is today.
When I lived down south, my best friend was an Alabama alum (as was Stabler) and he used to tell these incredible stories about Stabler's . . . ummmmm . . . antics. He was a notorious drinker and womanizer and all-around hell-raiser in a time -- if you can believe it -- when such things were considered badges of honor.
A hero, to some.
But really, I'm not thinking about any of that today.
Today I'm thinking: 69 . . . that seems too young.
He could throw a precision drop 1st down pass through a herd like it was grease on a cut rope, my second favorite Kenny QB, after Anderson.
HUT-HUT in peace, Mr.Stabler.
HUT-HUT in peace, Mr.Stabler.
...awwww man!...I'll raise a cold one to him.....
I got his autograph. Was really sad to hear of his passing. I'm not a Raider fan by any means, but I am an Alabama fan and it was so cool to get an autograph from a player that played for Bear Bryant.
Win or lose, he was in a lot of classic games for the Raiders: The Sea of Hands, The Holy Roller, the Immaculate Reception, the Ghost to the Post... Definitely games worth revisiting for any fan of the sport.
However, his most famous moment as far as Alabama fans (either those of us that like to research such things or those old enough to remember them) are concerned is probably the "run in the mud" against Auburn in 1967 that beat the tigers by a score of 7-3.
On a side note, I always thought it was funny how both Stabler and Namath played at Alabama. Alabama, a state known for being so conservative and even more so at that time (with the idea of the desegregation in the athletics squad still being a rather far-fetched), still produced two of the hardest partying quarterbacks to ever play the game at any kind of level. Weird.
Win or lose, he was in a lot of classic games for the Raiders: The Sea of Hands, The Holy Roller, the Immaculate Reception, the Ghost to the Post... Definitely games worth revisiting for any fan of the sport.
However, his most famous moment as far as Alabama fans (either those of us that like to research such things or those old enough to remember them) are concerned is probably the "run in the mud" against Auburn in 1967 that beat the tigers by a score of 7-3.
On a side note, I always thought it was funny how both Stabler and Namath played at Alabama. Alabama, a state known for being so conservative and even more so at that time (with the idea of the desegregation in the athletics squad still being a rather far-fetched), still produced two of the hardest partying quarterbacks to ever play the game at any kind of level. Weird.
A little late to the party here, but I was sad to hear of it too.
If you were raised in the old AFC West, especially for the Broncos, and weren't a Raider fan, you were a Raider hater. But I couldn't hate The Snake (unlike some of the more notorious members, from Al Davis on down). He was too much of a finely honed, huge-heart warrior.
Thank you for the years of viewing enjoyment, Mr. Stabler.
If you were raised in the old AFC West, especially for the Broncos, and weren't a Raider fan, you were a Raider hater. But I couldn't hate The Snake (unlike some of the more notorious members, from Al Davis on down). He was too much of a finely honed, huge-heart warrior.
Thank you for the years of viewing enjoyment, Mr. Stabler.