Oakland Fired Its P.R. Man Because Mark Davis Is His Father's Son

The Oakland Raiders fired their P.R. director, Zak Gilbert, Saturday because team owner Mark Davis did not like an article in Sports Illustrated that recapped Oakland's fourth 4-12 finish in the past 10 years. Davis felt the article reflected poorly on the way he and his late father ran the team and presumably Gilbert should have prevented it from being published.

Davis placed Gilbert on leave and Gilbert had not been seen at Oakland's facility since the article was published in April. The move was made official yesterday. Even though he was fired because someone else wrote something not-so-great about the Davis boys—it's a minor miracle there is anyone left to staff the organization when you think about it—Gilbert has decided to kill 'em with kindness.

“I’d like to thank Mark Davis for the honor of serving the Raiders, and Reggie McKenzie for hiring me. I leave holding my chin up, knowing I dedicated every waking hour to promoting a positive image for our team. The co-workers in my Raiders family are extraordinary; the camaraderie we built was really special. Talking to Raiders fans on a weekly basis, I learned first-hand that their passion and loyalty is unmatched. I have great respect for the team’s rich history and took seriously the role of preserving it. Although disappointed that I can’t remain on the ride, I wish Reggie and Dennis Allen absolutely nothing but success in a bright future.”

Photo Credit: Getty

Raiders fire P.R. director Gilbert (updated) [SF gate]