Since the Raiders won’t hold a big sendoff for Tim Brown, who was released Wednesday, you at home will have to fete Brown’s departure as you see fit.
If you root for the player, you will feign sadness before getting back to cleaning out the garage. If you root for the jersey, you will hail it as another act of brilliance from The Brainiac That Is Al Davis.
Brown met with The Al the last two days in tranquil, warm Napa, home of the early chardonnay harvest and a bunch of fast-food joints, and got the news right down the throat. He is now as free as any 38-year-old pass catcher trying to explain a 29-catch decrease from one year to the most recent one.
Brown’s legacy in Oakland is a slightly confusing one, because though his statistical throw-weight is quite considerable (1,070 catches for 14,734 yards and 99 touchdowns), the Raiders were only slightly better than average in his time, thus making his numbers seem like less than they were.
He was an indisputably fine receiver, one of the best possession men of his era. He is a close call for the Hall of Fame, and that might be the underlying motivation for his desire to continue playing, further gilding his statistical line until it overwhelms even the flintiest of voters’ hearts. He did much to make the Raiders proud, especially when they weren’t bringing much else to the table.
But his time is passing in football, and his time in Oakland has passed entirely.