I’ve been thinking about who fans like and dislike on various teams. Today I’m writing about the Raiders.

Which is the favorite person in the Raiders organization, and which is the most disliked?

According to my email and voicemail the most disliked person in the Raiders organization is Al Davis, hands down. People who dislike Davis don’t merely dislike him. They despise him.

Readers tell me he is mean, somewhat creepy. They say football passed him by long ago — he’s running a team like he’s locked in a 1970s time warp. They say no coach worth anything wants to work for him because he meddles and the coach does not feel autonomous. Players know Davis dominates his coaches and the players don’t respect the coach. And mostly readers who dislike Davis tell me he has ruined the great franchise he created. He is his own worst enemy.

OK, so according to my email and voicemail, who is the most liked person on the Raiders? Answer: Al Davis, hands down.

Yes, Al Davis. He is both the most liked and the most disliked and that is the truth about the Raiders and that is their paradox. People who like Davis don’t merely like him. They worship him. I use that word worship knowing how serious it is. They believe in him. They see him as a wise leader. Either they believe he can do no wrong, or if they acknowledge he can do wrong, it doesn’t matter to them. They judge him separately from his actions and from how badly the team does. He is above that. And he is above judgment, almost like a god.

No player or coach on the Raiders is as significant as Davis. He towers over the franchise. He dwarfs everyone — JaMarcus Russell and anyone else you want to name. For better and worse Davis IS the Raiders.

— Lowell