As we have already learned, Al Davis hated how it came about. He thinks the AFL would have buried the NFL and had the upper hand in negotiations. But gave it all away when the AFL was absorbed into the NFL.
Even though that was not the objective the original owners had. The reason the AFL even came about was the NFL was not interested in expansion and the eventual AFL owners wanted pro teams. So those owners got what they really wanted back in the beginning by the deal.
But Davis was different. He wanted to compete and win. And I believe the AFL would have, because it seems the AFL owners were smarter than the NFL owners. At least according to this historical count.
If Davis had had his way, I believe football history would have been much more interesting.
And I think the Super Bowl might have become even bigger if there were still an NFL and an AFL. Especially if the teams rarely, if ever, played each other during the season. Would have been much more intriguing.
I also think one of the worst things the MLB ever did was start interleague play. The mystique of the leagues disappeared. I wish the World Series was the only way we decided which league was better.
Anyway, here's the end of the AFL, ironically after their triumph in Super Bowl IV.
This was a fun series.
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