Super Bowl XXVII : THROUGH THE YEARS : Footnotes To History : XV : ROD MARTIN : OAKLAND RAIDERS

It has been more than 10 years, and Rod Martin still doesn’t buy it.

To him, there is only one thing more unbelievable than a Super Bowl-record three interceptions in one game.

“How can the person who intercepted those passes not be named the MVP?” Martin said. “I still can’t understand it.”

Martin’s record-setting feat helped the Raiders defeat the Philadelphia Eagles, 27-10, in Super Bowl XV. But voters, who cast their ballots before Martin’s third interception, were more impressed with Jim Plunkett, who was named MVP after throwing three touchdown passes.

“We could have at least shared the award, and I think Jim even feels the same way,” said Martin, who also recovered a fumble. “But see, I wasn’t a name player back then.”

Martin said that the snub affected his career in two ways. It hurt his future earnings, but it may have made him a better player.

“Abso-

lutely, it cost me money in the long run,” said Martin, who owns Rod Martin’s Rib Rack in Manhattan Beach. “But it made me, a little 12th-round draft choice, want to play harder and prove everybody wrong.”

He indeed played hard until he retired in 1989 as one of the best linebackers in Raider history. He was voted AFC defensive player of the year in 1983, and made the Pro Bowl in 1983 and ’84.

“I think I did prove to everybody that what I did in that Super Bowl was no fluke,” he said.

Ron Jaworski, the Eagles’ quarterback, would probably agree that Martin’s performance was no fluke.

“I haven’t talked to Ron since that day, but I would like to,” Martin said. “After all, I was his leading receiver.”

Martin picked off all three passes in front of Eagle receivers who tried to run past him.

“I don’t know if the record will ever be broken, but I know it will not be broken by a linebacker,” Martin said. “And for a defensive back to break it, they would have to keep throwing in his direction, which they wouldn’t do if he was picking off all of their passes.”

* 1981 AT NEW ORLEANS

Oakland 14 0 10 3 -- 27 Philadelphia 0 3 0 7 -- 10

Oak--Branch 2 pass from Plunkett (Bahr kick)

Oak--King 80 pass from Plunkett (Bahr kick)

Phi--FG Frankliln 30

Oak--Branch 29 pass from Plunkett (Bahr kick)

Oak--FG Bahr 46

Phi--Krepfle 8 pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick)

Oak--FG Bahr 35

A--76,135

Winning Coach--Tom Flores

MVP--Jim Plunkett