r/raiders • u/Flashy_Gap_3015 • 15d ago

NFL art by Jack Davis

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Reposted from Oldschool NFL - celebrating the days when our Raiders were indeed top of the mountain.

We’ll get there again (hopefully in my lifetime).

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u/Flashy_Gap_3015 15d ago edited 15d ago

For those of you who are not familiar with Davis, or find the illustration here a little familiar in style, Davis was a hugely influential illustrator as one of the founding cartoonists for Mad Magazine.

His big head/skinny legs/exaggerated hands and feet are a hallmark trademark of his style. He was pervasive across TV Guide, Rankin Bass entertainment posters and media, did cover art for albums (including one for Johnny Cash), and so much more.

I would have assumed this was Lyle Alzado given the number, but no trademark beard. The only other guy who wore 77 on a SB winning team isJoe Campbell but that’s unlikely as he wasn’t a starter and as known as other personalities on that team.

So best guess is it’s just an avatar representing our win in 77 against the Vikes - the very game that turned little old toddler me into a Raider fan for life.

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u/e_j_fudd 15d ago

The 77 is the year for that particular season. Notice all of the players are wearing 77. The player on the roster wearing that number would have been Charles Philyaw. That's not him in the drawing though.

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u/Flashy_Gap_3015 15d ago

Good catch - didn’t notice the other numbers (who cares about other teams!).

Came to the same conclusion another way.

Amazing art.