OAKLAND, Calif. -- Every facet of the Silver and Black stood together one last time to honor Raider Nation's deceased king, Al Davis.
Fans decked out in spikes, war paint and bandanas. Former players and coaches gathered in suits and sweats. Rappers Ice Cube and MC Hammer stood along the sideline in traditional Raiders garb.
Photo gallery: Al Davis remembered
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All stood united at O.Co Coliseum again to honor the late owner with a simple two-letter message supplanted on the Raiders shield, spreading across helmets, shirts, posters, pins and programs: "AL."
"We're just delighted at the way everybody has come together to honor him," Davis' older brother, Jerry, told The Associated Press. "Whether to say he was a great man or wasn't a great man, the turnout says it all. While he might not have always looked it, Al's mind was sharp right until the end."
A video presentation of Davis' life began playing 20 minutes before kickoff and continued throughout the game against the Cleveland Browns, the first at home since Davis died last week of an undisclosed illness. A moment of silence was held before former Raiders offensive lineman Henry Lawrence sang the national anthem.
As former Raiders gathered around the symbol of the shield painted at midfield during the halftime celebration, Hall of Fame coach John Madden lit a caldron in an upper corner of the stadium. The public-address announcer said the fire will "burn forever" for fans to remember Davis.
Coaches, players and team employees wore T-shirts with "AL" supplanting the Raiders shield. Fans came with signs that read "R.I.P. AL" and "King AL." Most simply carried handmade posters and ironed out shirts with the owner's most coveted phrase, "Just Win, Baby."
"It's like losing a family member," said a fan with 6-inch spikes attached to his pads who wanted only to be identified by the name "Violator," which was taped to the back of his black No. 57 jersey.
Davis turned the Raiders into one of the NFL's premier franchises with a "Commitment To Excellence." The franchise won Super Bowls after the 1976, 1980 and 1983 seasons -- the last one in Los Angeles, where the franchise moved in 1982 after protracted court fights before returning to the Bay Area in 1995.
Past and present Raiders took flights from all over the country to stand along the sidelines in respect.
Jim Plunkett, Jim Otto, Ted Hendricks, George Atkinson, Greg Biekert, Morris Bradshaw, Cliff Branch and Bill Romanowski were among those at the game. Madden was expected to be in Davis' suite.
"A lot of people knew him as an antagonist. But if you were a Raider, you were a Raider for life," said Plunkett, a Hall of Fame quarterback who played for the franchise from 1978 to 86. "Al was unquestionably loyal."
Ice Cube and MC Hammer enjoyed hugs with each other before the game and with Raiders coach Hue Jackson, CEO Amy Trask and Davis' son, Mark, who is expected to run the franchise along with the late owner's wife, Carol.
"Al was like an uncle to many fans growing up," said MC Hammer, an Oakland native. "Just had to show my respects."
People carrying flowers, flags, silver and black pompoms, jerseys, helmets and other cherished memories have stopped by Raiders headquarters since Davis died to pay tribute to the longtime owner.
For others, Sunday was the first -- and perhaps final time -- to say goodbye.
"He was a man's man," said Hendricks, a Hall of Fame linebacker for the Raiders from 1975-83. "It's a sad day for Raider Nation. But the Raiders will live on. And so will Al's memory."
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
