I just finished his book
Offensive Conduct. I thought it was okay, but I had questions about some of the Patriots stuff he talks about in the book as it was well before my time.
- The 1976 playoff game against Oakland. Hannah claims that officials cost them the game on Oakland's go ahead drive and on the subsequent drive by the Patriots. Can anyone tell me if that holds up or what the game felt like at the time?
- Hannah and Leon Gray held out for better contracts in 1977, missing three games. Was the fan backlash on them as bad as he says?
- Hannah makes it clear throughout that he did not like the Patriots Organization, that he felt that owner Billy Sullivan and his sons hurt his career by not informing him of injuries and screwed over him and other players in terms of salary. How was the fan view of the Sullivan's then and now?
Thanks for any info.
Oakland Raiders Vault: Raiders vs. Patriots, 1976 Divisional Playoffs
Already annoyed by three holding penalties against Bill Lenkaitis – who had not been flagged for holding the entire regular season – the Patriots began to distrust this crew after they failed to flag George Atkinson for breaking Russ Francis' nose earlier in the game. Steve Zabel popped it back in place on the sidelines. Late in the fourth, their mistrust would turn to outrage.
After exchanging punts, the Patriots got the ball back at the Raiders 48 yard line and began to move into scoring position as the clock reached the five minute mark. Sam Cunningham headed out of bounds on a 2nd down run near the first down marker, but in the ensuing scrum, was spotted short of the first down marker. Future Hall of Famer John Hannah would protest that the sideline official had moved the marker, forcing the Pats into a 3rd and 1. On the subsequent 3rd and 1 play, Steve Grogan attempted to draw the Raiders offsides with a long count, but the Raider defense responded by yelling fake snap counts of their own, and drew three Patriots into a false start. Now with six yards to go, Grogan attempted a pass to Russ Francis, who was assaulted by Phil Villapiano right in front of an official. With his two arms held behind his back, Francis was unable to make the catch, the ball bouncing off between the "8" and the "1" on his jersey, prompting him to protest for a holding flag on Villapiano, to no avail. On 4th and 6 from the 38, the Patriots attempted a 50-yard field goal that sailed low, giving the Raiders the ball back at the 38 with 4:12 to go, down by four points.
Stabler moved the ball quickly into Patriot territory, getting the Raiders offense down to the Patriot 21 yard line in seven plays with about 90 seconds left to play before he was sacked by the Patriots’ Mel Lunsford. Attempting to convert a 3rd and 18 play, Stabler was smacked by Patriots defensive tackle Ray “Sugar Bear” Hamilton while attempting a deep pass that was incomplete. Ben Dreith threw a flag on Hamilton for roughing the passer, giving the Raiders a first down and moving the ball to the New England 13 yard line. Hamilton and the Patriots sideline protested wildly as play continued, causing Hamilton to pick up an unsportsmanlike conduct call that would give the Raiders another 1st down down near the goal line. After a run by Pete Banaszak was stuffed at the goalline with 14 seconds to go, Prentice McCray got hit with
another unsportsmanlike penalty, for protesting the home-job spot. Stabler then lined the offense up with the clock winding down and called his own number, rolling left and plunging into the end zone for a 1-yard run with less than ten seconds remaining, putting the Raiders ahead 24-21. The win would be sealed by a Monte Johnson interception of a Steve Grogan pass with seven seconds remaining.
In those days, often the only way for players to be paid fairly was to hold out. Fans are not the smartest or most aware people in the world.
Everybody knew and most really resented the shortcomings of the Sullivans, including local media which unfairly bashes the team to this day, despite it not being their fault. John Hannah is every bit the professional and competitor that Tom Brady is. Just imagine Tom playing his whole career for the Browns.
There's no hiding the blunders of the Sullivans. And, there is no substantive denial in the reality that over thirty-two years, the Patriots on the field were a lovable, often successful if not ultimately championship, good-looking team filled with heroic players and some outstanding coaches, including Dante Scarnecchia who coached John and is still a major contributor on the team. It should be noted that in John's career, after losing seasons in two of his first three, the Patriots had exactly one more losing season in his career. The myth of the Patriots being losers is as much propaganda as calling the Giants a model franchise. The New York Giants are irrefutably the real "laughingstock of football" in the 1970's, with by far the worst record.