Ken Stabler

Kenneth Michael Ken Stabler (born December 25,1945), nicknamed The Snake, is a former Americanfootball quarterback in the National Football League forthe Oakland Raiders (197079), Houston Oilers (198081), and New Orleans Saints (198284). He played col-lege football for the University of Alabama.

1 Biography

1.1 High school career

Stabler became a highly touted football player at FoleyHigh School. He led Foley to a win-loss record of 291over his high school careerthe only loss coming againstVigor High School. He was an all-around athlete in highschool, averaging 29 points a game in basketball and ex-celling enough as a left-handed pitcher in baseball to re-ceive minor-league contract oers from the Houston As-tros and New York Yankees. During his high schoolcareer, he earned his nickname the Snake[1] from hiscoach following a long, winding touchdown run.

1.2 College career

Stabler was recruited by legendary head coach BearBryant at Alabama, joining the team in 1964. Due toNational Collegiate Athletic Association regulations atthe time, freshmen were ineligible to play; therefore, Sta-bler would sit out during the 1964 season. In that season,the Crimson Tide won the National Championship withquarterback Joe Namath.In the 1965 season, Stabler was used sparingly as a back-up to Steve Sloan at quarterback,[2] following Namathsdeparture to the AFL. That year again, the Crimson Tidewon their second consecutive National Championship,nishing the season with a record of 9-1-1. The teamdefeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Orange Bowl,3928.As a junior in 1966, he took over the quarterback posi-tion full-time. He led the team to an undefeated, 110season which ended in a 347 rout of Nebraska in theSugar Bowl. Despite the unblemished record, the Tidewas snubbed by the polls, nishing in third behind NotreDame and Michigan State.Expectations were high in Stablers senior season, thoughthose expectations would not be completely fullled. The

oense often struggled, and the defenses performanceslipped. During the season, Bryant kicked Stabler othe team for cutting class and partying, though he wasgiven a second chance.[3] The Tide nished with an 821 record, including a loss to rival Tennessee. Thoughthe season was lackluster, Stabler would provide a mem-orable moment in the Iron Bowl. Trailing 30 in a gamedrenched by rain, Stabler scampered through the mud fora 53yard, game-winning touchdownwhich gave the Tidea 73 victory over rival Auburn at Legion Field. The playis commonly referred to as the Run in the Mud in Al-abama football lore.Stabler nished his career at Alabama with a 2832record as a starter.

1.2.1 Career statistics

1.3 NFL careerStabler was drafted in the second round of the 1968 NFLDraft by the Oakland Raiders. He didn't get a chanceto play until 1970, and during 1968-69 spent time play-ing with Spokane in the Continental Football League.[4]Stabler rst attracted attention in the NFL in a 1972 play-o game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. After enteringthe game in relief of Daryle Lamonica, he scored the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter on a 30-yardscramble. The Steelers, however, came back to win ona controversial, deected pass from Terry Bradshaw toFranco Harris, known in football lore as the ImmaculateReception.After suering severe knee injuries, Stabler became lessa scrambling quarterback and more a classic, drop-backpasser, known for accurate passes and an uncanny abil-ity to lead late, come-from-behind drives. During thepeak of his career, he had a receiving corps consisting ofsprinter and multiple Hall of Fame nalist Cli Branch,Hall of Fame receiver Fred Biletniko, and Hall of Fametight end Dave Casper. The Raiders philosophy was topound teams with their running game, then stretch themwith their long passing game. Although Stabler lacked re-markable arm strength, he was a master of the long passto Branch, and accurate on intermediate routes to Bilet-niko and Casper. As a starter in Oakland, Stabler wasnamed AFC player of the year in 1974 and 1976, and wasthe NFLs passing champion in 1976. In January 1977he guided the Raiders to their rst Super Bowl victory,a 32-14 win over the Minnesota Vikings. In the 1977AFC playos against the Baltimore Colts, Stabler com-

1

2 1 BIOGRAPHY

pleted a legendary fourth-quarter pass to Casper to set upa game-tying eld goal by Errol Mann. This play, dubbedthe "Ghost to the Post, sent the game to overtime; theRaiders won 37-31 after Stabler threw a 10-yard touch-down pass to Casper.After subpar 1978 and 1979 seasons in which the Raidersfailed to make the playos- primarily due to the retire-ment and departures of key contributors during the SuperBowl run in 1976 (most notably head coach John Mad-den, George Atkinson, Clarence Davis, and Fred Bilet-niko - Stabler was traded to the Oilers for Dan Pastoriniprior to the 1980 season, after a lengthy contract hold-out. Stabler left the Raiders as their all-time leader incompletions (1,486), passing yards (19,078), and touch-down passes (150). The Oilers, in turn, saw Stabler asthe missing ingredient that could nally get them past therival Steelers and into the Super Bowl. However Houstonlacked the exceptional talent on oense that Stabler hadthrived with in Oakland, as Earl Campbell and Casper-who was also acquired in a trade from the Raiders- werethe few potent weapons they had. Meanwhile, Pastorinilost the starting job in Oakland to Jim Plunkett after aninjury, and Plunkett then led the Raiders over Stabler andthe Oilers in the playos. Bum Phillips was red shortlyafter the season. Without the popular head coach that re-juvenated an otherwise woeful Houston franchise, Stablerhad amediocre season in 1981 but re-joined BumPhillipsby signing with the Saints in 1982. By this time, however,the 37-year-old Stabler was no longer in his prime and theSaints were also a dismal franchise. After 3 unsuccessfulseasons that were plagued by injuries and a quarterbackcontroversy with veteran Richard Todd, Stabler retired inthe middle of the 1984 season.Stabler was known for studying his playbook by the lightof a nightclub jukebox and for his anity for female fans.As Hall of Fame guard Gene Upshaw said, When wewere behind in the fourth quarter, with our backs to ourend zone, no matter how he had played up to that point,we could look in his eyes and you knew, you knew, he wasgoing to win it for us. That was an amazing feeling.Stabler was the fastest to win 100 games as a starting quar-terback, having done so in 150 games, which betteredJohnny Unitas' previous mark of 153 games. Since then,only Terry Bradshaw in 147 games, Joe Montana in 139games and Tom Brady in 131 games have reached 100wins more quickly.[5] Stabler is also the only quarterbackfrom the NFLs All-1970s team not in the Pro FootballHall of Fame. In a recent NFL feature listing the top 10players not in the Hall of Fame, Stabler was listed at num-ber six, partly due to his o-eld scandals,[6] which in the1970s were less prominent, or it could be that he neveremulated the success he achieved in Oakland.In the early part of 1974, Stabler and several NFL starsagreed to join the newly created World Football League.Stabler signed a contract to play for the BirminghamAmericans. I'm as happy as can be. Getting with a super

organization and the nancial benets were key factors,but the biggest thing to me is getting back home. Get-ting to play before the people in the South is where its atfor me. In two years I'll be in Birmingham if I have tohitchhike, he said. If I can do for the WFL what JoeNamath did for the AFL, I will feel that I have really ac-complished something. I was born in the South and raisedin the South and played football in the South. Oaklandcould have oered me as much money as Birminghambut they couldn't have let me play in the South. TheWFLwould end up folding mid-way through the 1975 season,and Stabler remained in the NFL without ever playing inthe WFL.For his successes in the NFL, Stabler was named thetwenty-seventh greatest quarterback of the post-mergerera by Football Nation.[7]

1.4 Broadcasting career

Following his retirement as a player, Stabler worked as acolor commentator, rst on CBS NFL telecasts, and thenon radio with Eli Gold for Alabama football games. Sta-bler left before Alabamas 2008 season and was replacedby Tom Roberts.[8]

1.5 Charitable work

Stabler serves as chairman of the XOXO Stabler Foun-dation, a 501(c)3 nonprot with a mission to raisefunds, build awareness and hope for a variety of charita-ble causes. Stablers celebrity golf tournaments in PointClear, Alabama have raised nearly $600,000 for chari-table partner The Ronald McDonald House of Mobile,which serves families of seriously ill and injured childrenreceiving medical treatment at local hospitals.[9]

1.6 Popular culture Stabler was featured on a SNL skit as the spokesmanfor a ctional product called the Lung Brush.[10]

Professional wrestler Jake The Snake Robertsadapted his nickname The Snake as a tribute toStabler.[11]

While playing for the Oilers, Stabler had his ownsoft drink, known as Snake Venom, sold in the city.In his autobiography, Stabler stated that the drinktasted about like its name.

He made a cameo appearance on Married...WithChildren (The Bud Bowl Episode).

In September 2006, Stabler partnered with chil-drens book publisher Mascot Books to release hisrst kids book, Roll Tide!.

3 Stabler was the grand marshal for the 2009Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Inneon Raceway.

Stabler also appears in the book Gump and Co. Asequel to the book and movie Forrest Gump as theNew Orleans Saints quarterback.

Stabler is featured on the NFL Legends team inthe video game NFL Street.[12]

1.7 PersonalStabler has been married three times. He married IsabelClarke in 1968 and divorced in 1971.[13] He was marriedto Debbie Fitzsimmons from 1974 to 1978.[14] In 1984he married former Miss Alabama Universe (1979) RoseMolly Burch. The couple led for divorce in 2002.[15]

Stabler has three daughters, Kendra, Alexa, andMarissa.[16] He has a cousin who has been mistaken forhim or a twin brother in Camilla, Georgia by the nameof Lazzar (Lance) Stabler, whose father had ties to HankWilliams Sr.

2 See also Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame Mobile Sports Hall of Fame

3 Further reading Sahadi, Lou (1997). Ken Stabler and the OaklandRaiders. Scholastic Book Services.

Stabler, Ken; Berry Stainback (1986). Snake: TheCandid Autobiography of Footballs Most OutrageousRenegade. Doubleday. ISBN 0-385-23450-3.

4 References[1] Ken Stabler. Oakland Raiders. Retrieved 2008-09-03.

[2] University of Alabama ocial team statistics, 1965(PDF). Retrieved 2010-05-02.

[3] Bear Bryant 'simply the best there ever was". ESPN.Retrieved 2008-09-03.

[4] Continental Football League (1965 - 1969)

[5] Pats put away Chargers for fourth Super Bowl berth inseven years. ESPN. 2008-01-20. Retrieved 2008-09-02.

[6] Top Ten Not in HOF: Ken Stabler. National FootballLeague. 2008-07-31. Retrieved 2008-09-02.

[7] Top 100 Modern Quarterbacks 40-21. Football Nation.2012-07-26. Retrieved 2012-10-13.

[8] Williamson, Bill (2008-07-11). Ex-Raiders star Stablerleaves radio gig. ESPN. Retrieved 2008-09-03.

[9] Inabinett, Mark (2013-03-04). Ken Stabler 'just tryingto pay the rent' with golf tournament. al.com. Retrieved2013-03-31.

[10] Lung Brush. Retrieved 2008-09-03.

[11] LegendsL Jake The Snake Roberts!". Pro WrestlingDaily. 2008-03-10. Retrieved 2008-09-03.

[12] NFL Street Legend: Kenny Stabler. IGN Sports. 2003-11-18. Retrieved 2012-07-14.

[13] Ken Stabler sued. Spokane Daily Chronicle. Dec 5,1980.

[14] The Super Bowl Was 'a Meat Market'No, Not theGame, the Women After Ken Stabler. People Magazine.November 14, 1977.

[15] Stabler to marry; hints at retirement. Times Daily. June10, 1984.

[16] Dickey, Glenn (2005-06-05). Catching up with KennyStabler: Avoiding Snake eyes. San Francisco Chronicle.Retrieved 2008-09-03.

5 External links Career statistics and player information fromNFL.com Pro-Football-Reference

Ken Stabler Facebook KenStabler.com XOXO Stabler Foundation

4 6 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

6 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses6.1 Text

Ken Stabler Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Stabler?oldid=660581420 Contributors: Smith03, Huangdi, Altenmann, DavidGerard, Obli, Niteowlneils, Klemen Kocjancic, D6, Bender235, TMC1982, Bobo192, Dystopos, Ommnomnomgulp, Xpendersx, ArthurWarrington Thomas, SteinbDJ, Fingers-of-Pyrex, Kbdank71, Dpv, Coemgenus, Jweiss11, Jeman52001, Phatcat68, NawlinWiki, MoeEpsilon, Djdaedalus, Mitchell k dwyer, Mike Selinker, Alakazam, Jaranda, Crystallina, SmackBot, Masonpatriot, Marc Kupper, Schmiteye,Bluebot, Uncle Bubba, Holle012, Badbilltucker, Dreadstar, Gujuguy, Jcurtis, JKBrooks85, BillFlis, Phbasketball6, Big Phoenix, Levineps,Jetman, Jwalte04, Genidealingwithfairuse, Courcelles, Billy Hathorn, Fma12, Xanderer, ShelfSkewed, Cydebot, Fnlayson, Burgwerworldz,Scooter2536, SchaiDog, asil, JodyB, DavidSteinle, Thijs!bot, TonyTheTiger, Bobblehead, JustAGal, RobotG, Jayron32, XyBot, Doc-tat3, Magioladitis, Bongwarrior, Badesha24, BLethat, Waltke, TimHowardII, Patriarca12, CommonsDelinker, Mdumas43073, Bumnote,Num1dgen, GrahamHardy, Gypaetus, Mynameisphil, DBR96A, Atlantabravz, Star QB, Yankees10, Arbor to SJ, Latics, Mr. Granger,Smashville, Martarius, EoGuy, Gamecockbo, Jimpatnmatt, Stylteralmaldo, Easeltine, DumZiBoT, JakePlummerFan, WikHead, Jd027,MystBot, Addbot, Jud1105, SpBot, Mikemor92, Tide rolls, Danman87, Legobot, Luckas-bot, Yobot, Mikelewis94, Bigmaninthebox,Hushpuckena, Tobby72, InspectorSands, En200hunter, Eagles247, Sydtrolls, Jrobertrobinson, Tbhotch, RjwilmsiBot, Bt8257, ZroBot,Pun, Jack Greenmaven, Razorbackstate, Helpful Pixie Bot, Haloljkimgood, Ottawarene, Spparky, Slimshady87, BattyBot, ZappaOMati,Bergeronp, NFLisAwesome, VIAFbot, CynicJRH, Monkbot, KasparBot and Anonymous: 127

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