They’re Gone, but Not Forgotten

I am going to remember Raider center Don Mosebar, mixing together carrots, broccoli, vanilla ice cream and weight-gain powder, then drinking it right out of the blender.

I am going to remember Raider defensive back Lester Hayes, applying stickum to his fingers and saying: “On behalf of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda, may the Force be with you.”

I am going to remember Raider tight end Todd Christensen saying of Hayes’ stick-to-it-ness, “I remember Lester intercepting one pass when the ball stuck to his helmet .”

I am going to remember Raider running back Bo Jackson, saying, “I have hired Col. Oliver North to be my media consultant. He told me to answer your questions this way: ‘I love my country, the documents have been shredded and I know nothing.’ ”

I am going to remember Bo appearing on “Sesame Street” and singing a song that went: “Wubba wubba wubba wubba, woo woo woo. Wubba wubba wubba and a-doodly-doo.”

I am going to remember Raider defensive end Lyle Alzado vowing before Super Bowl XVIII, “I’m gonna rip off Joe Theismann’s head,” to which Washington quarterback Theismann replied, “Down deep, I’m sure Lyle is a very fine fellow.”

I am going to remember Raider tackle Bob Golic walking on the Coliseum grass and crying his eyes out, an hour after his final Raider game.

I am going to remember Raider lineman Howie Long saying the next day, “Golic, crying? Golic cries if the sun comes out.”

I am going to remember Raider special teams captain Derrick Jensen blocking a punt in Super Bowl XVIII, falling on it for a touchdown and saying, “The Redskins were so concerned about Lester Hayes and Odis McKinney, they kinda forgot about me.”

I am going to remember Raider receiver Cliff Branch looking young Redskin cornerback Anthony Washington in the eye on the line of scrimmage and saying, “Better get some help. You know you can’t cover me.”

I am going to remember Raider linebacker Jack Squirek intercepting a pass, scoring and saying later, “I couldn’t believe it until everybody started pounding me in the end zone.”

I am going to remember Raider tailback Marcus Allen making a 74-yard touchdown run in that Super Bowl and saying, “I really screwed up that play,” because he was supposed to follow Mickey Marvin’s blocking and didn’t.

I am going to remember Raider quarterback Jeff Hostetler slapping a sticker on Steve Wisniewski’s car bumper that read: “Try and catch me, cops.”

I am going to remember Raider quarterback Todd Marinovich once meeting President Reagan and saying, “He gave me his phone number. Told me if I was ever in Bel-Air to stop by.”

I am going to remember Mosebar’s wife saying that after a heavy meal, Don usually likes to eat a large pizza.

I am going to remember Long and Bill Pickel calling room service in Seattle, sending $200 worth of food to Jackson’s hotel room, signing Bo’s name and room number, and Jackson screaming at a hotel official: “Ask the waiter! Ask the waiter if anyone in the room was black! I am black, you know!”

I am going to remember Mike Shanahan, brought in from Denver to be Raider coach, telling Christensen to watch film of Bronco tight end Clarence Kay running a route, and Christensen muttering to himself, “Yeah, right. I got your Clarence Kay right here.”

I am going to remember Shanahan asking players to wear their uniform jerseys to Stacey Toran’s funeral because he thought some of the players didn’t own suits.

I am going to remember Art Shell becoming the coach and recalling the words of an old linebacker named Dan Birdwell, who once told him, “Arthur, you’ve got to play this game like the guy across from you just hit your mom with a 2-by-4.”

I am going to remember Eddie Anderson returning an interception 102 yards at Miami (Dec. 14, 1992), remember Greg Pruitt returning a punt 97 yards at Washington (Oct. 2, 1983), remember Jim Plunkett passing 99 yards to Cliff Branch at Washington (same game as Pruitt), remember Jeff Jaeger kicking a field goal 54 yards versus the Giants (Oct. 4, 1992).

I am going to remember the Raiders.

The Los Angeles ones.