The organization announced on Sunday night the passing of Jim Otto, the Hall of Fame center dubbed “Mr. Raider” for his resilience in the face of several injuries. It was his 86th birthday.

It took some time to determine the cause of death.

“The Original Raider,” the team declared in a statement shared on the social media site X. Jim’s impact on the American Football League and professional football in general is impossible to overestimate, as he personifies consistency. His leadership and perseverance distinguished the successful Raider teams of the 1960s and 1970s.

Otto continued to be associated with the Raiders following their 2020 relocation to Las Vegas. After the Raiders defeated the Denver Broncos 27-14 in January to close the season, he was one of numerous former players in the locker room.

Jim Otto, ‘Mr. Raider’ And Pro Football Hall Of Famer, Dies At 86

The defense ended with the Las Vegas Raiders. Otto was a “complete legend & incredible person,” according to a post made by Maxx Crosby on X.

In 1960, Jim joined the Raiders during their initial season in the American Football League and remained a regular for the following fifteen years.

He had nine knee surgeries during his playing career, although he never missed a game due to an injury. He participated in 210 straight regular-season games and 308 straight overall. 2007 saw the amputation of his right leg.

Former Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon famously remarked, “He’s a warrior.” “Jim comes to mind when you think of the rugged, vintage Raider.”

Considered one of the AFL’s all-time greats, Jim was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980.

Hall of Fame President Jim Porter said, “Jim personified the aura and mystique of the Raiders.” He was known as “The Original Raider,” guiding a brand-new franchise from its birth through its initial golden age in the late 1960s and early 1970s. His renowned dependability—210 straight starts in the AFL and NFL—and the honors he has received bear witness to his commitment to the team and the sport.

Otto had reportedly undergone more than fifty surgeries, most of them for wounds sustained playing football. Those suffered from crippling neck and back issues, arthritis, and repeated joint replacements. 2007 saw the amputation of his right leg.

After his career, Jim also experienced two significant infections and prostate cancer.

He declared, “I can tolerate any kind of surgery in the world, with the exception of internal procedures.” Correcting your nose, knee, elbows, or anything else is insignificant if it is purely cosmetic.

Otto participated in nine AFL All-Star games and the first three AFC-NFC Pro Bowls while donning his renowned No. 00 jersey, a play on his name, “Aught-oh.” Jim was elected into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

“I always tried to stay one step ahead of everyone else in my career,” Otto once remarked. “I was the best center every day that I trotted onto the field. I desired to be that way. I kept playing at that caliber and according to those standards.

Otto played a crucial role as the Raiders rose to prominence as one of the top teams in the NFL. After losing to Green Bay in the 1967 Super Bowl, the squad finished with seven division victories in his remaining eight seasons.

Jim Otto, ‘Mr. Raider’ And Pro Football Hall Of Famer, Dies At 86

He played offensive line alongside fellow Hall of Famers Gene Upshaw and Art Shell during his last seasons. Those Raiders dominated their opponents on the physical level.

“Some intimidation was present,” he claimed. “The football team and Oakland’s fan base made it difficult for teams to visit.

The Raiders were known for their intense partying and impressive play. Players would reportedly arrive before bed check at 11 p.m. and then leave again.

“They were all at practice the next morning, regardless of what had happened the previous evening,” Otto remarked.

Otto was born in Wausau, Wisconsin, on January 5, 1938. He was raised in extreme poverty and briefly lived with his family in a chicken coop. He departed to play football at the University of Miami, where he excelled as a linebacker and center.

In 1959, he was not selected by the NFL, but instead, he signed with the Raiders of the newly formed AFL the following year. Of the players who participated in the AFL for all ten years, he was one of only twenty.

Otto most recently served as the group’s director of special projects. In addition to making public appearances for the team, he arranged get-togethers for past players and fan gatherings in the luxury boxes.

Jim Otto, ‘Mr. Raider’ And Pro Football Hall Of Famer, Dies At 86

He also significantly impacted the negotiations to return the franchise to Oakland from Los Angeles prior to the 1995 campaign. In 2020, the Raiders moved from the Bay Area to Las Vegas.

My wife Sally, son Jim Jr., daughter-in-law Leah, and fourteen grandchildren (Alice, Sarah, Amy, Amanda, Josiah, Hannah, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Jennifer, Avery, Noah, Aiden, Roman, and Ellie) survive Otto.

SOURCE – (AP)

IMOLA, ITALY  Max – Verstappen defeated McLaren’s Lando Norris to win the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday, extending his Formula One championship lead.

Verstappen began on pole and led Norris from the start but was pushed by the McLaren driver near the end, winning by less than a second.

“I lost grip, especially in the closing 10 to 15 laps. I slid a lot. “I saw Lando closing in,” Verstappen explained. “It’s quite difficult when the tires are no longer working, and you have to run flat out, so I couldn’t afford to make too many mistakes. Thankfully, we didn’t, and we’re overjoyed to have won here today.”

Max Verstappen Holds Off Lando Norris To Win Emilia Romagna Grand Prix And Extend F1 Lead

It was the defending champion’s fifth victory in seven Grand Prix races this year, following Verstappen’s defeat by Norris in Miami two weeks ago.

Norris’ Second Place Sunday demonstrated the McLaren team’s credentials as the closest contender to Verstappen and Red Bull this season. “It hurts me to say it, but one or two more laps, I think I would have had him,” stated Norris. “It would have been beautiful, but just not today.”

Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari, the Italian team’s first podium finish in Imola since 2006.

Overtaking is always challenging on the narrow Imola track, and this year, asphalt run-off zones on key corners were replaced with gravel traps, discouraging risk-taking even more.

Max Verstappen Holds Off Lando Norris To Win Emilia Romagna Grand Prix And Extend F1 Lead

Leclerc got in on Norris midway through the race but made a mistake and ran across the grass, costing him time.

Oscar Piastri qualified second for McLaren but was relegated to fifth after a penalty for impeding Kevin Magnussen in a Haas. He got ahead of Sainz during the pit stops and finished fourth, ahead of the Spanish driver.

Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time champion, and his teammate George Russell finished sixth and seventh following a challenging weekend for Mercedes.

Sergio Perez, Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate, began 11th following a mistake in qualifying and finished ninth. His major impact on the race came when he briefly held up Norris and Leclerc following their pit stops, thereby assisting Verstappen.

Max Verstappen Holds Off Lando Norris To Win Emilia Romagna Grand Prix And Extend F1 Lead

Yuki Tsunoda took ninth place for RB, while Lance Stroll finished tenth for Aston Martin.

Verstappen has a 48-point advantage over Leclerc, who has surged ahead of Perez to second place.

SOURCE – (AP)

Seize The Gray has won the Preakness 2024. Favorite and Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan finished second, halting his pursuit for the first Triple Crown since Justify in 2018, NBC Sports Reports.

Seize the Grey won the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, on Saturday, defeating Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan and six other horses. Seize the Grey led from start to finish, with Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan in second place. Catching Freedom placed third.

D. Wayne Lukas, 88, becomes the oldest trainer in history to win a Triple Crown event. It marks his eighth Preakness victory in his career, tying Bob Baffert for second all-time. Lukas has won 15 Triple Crown races in his career.

Jaime Torres made a memorable Triple Crown debut with his triumph in Seize the Grey.

MyRacehorse owns Seize the Grey, and it sells thoroughbred “micro-shares” to the general public. There are 2,570 shareholders in Seize the Grey, representing 42 of the 50 states.

Seize the Grey is the Preakness’ 18th victory from the seventh post since 1909. No other post has resulted in more than 14 winners.

If Seize the Grey competes, his next race will be the 156th Belmont Stakes on June 8 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Preakness 2024 Full Race