This week, our nation saw two shifts of power occur. In Washington D C, with the defection of Vermont Senator James Jeffords from the Republican Party to Independent status, the balance of power in the United States Senate shifted to the Democrats.

While this was progressing in Capitol City, on the Left Coast, that rich and arrogant cartel better known as the National Football League finally defeated Oakland Raider owner, and perpetual thorn in the side, Al Davis in a courtroom decision.

At long last, the NFL finally won one! The Raiders lost their argument about being denied control of the Los Angeles market. With the ruling, now Commissioner and NFL Management poster boy Paul Tagliabue can now start auctioning off rights to the nation's number two television market.

Memo to you owners in Minneapolis, San Diego, New York (Jets), and New Orleans: you are now on notice to start saving your nickels and dimes to compile a trust fund/ransom in order for Commissioner Tabliabue to provide his blessing for your franchise to relocate to LA.

The rich and arrogant cartel better known as the National Football League is flat out scared of Al Davis. Many league insiders consider him Darth Raider. This was never clearer than in the spring of 1995. When the Rams were trying to escape from L A., Tagliabue and his henchmen, obviously looking for a method to dip into Georgia Frontierre's new found riches, would only approve the St. Louis transfer if a "fee" was paid to the league. Meanwhile, Los Angeles' other team, Davis' Raiders, was not ordered to stiffen up. It's still unclear whether or not Tagliabue or members of his staff actually helped the Raiders pack for their relocation to Oakland.

Despite the boastful and demeaning talk that comes from the country club owners meetings, the League will not cross the eccentric Davis. No one knows that better than the Raider owner himself. He has the Alfred E. Newman ("what me worry") attitude toward of his fraternity brother NFL owners. Why not? With the exception of possible the Major League Baseball Players' Association, no one is more successful in constantly defeating a major sports league in the courts than Al Davis.

According to the Associated Press, check out "Darth Raider's" success rate:
1980 -- Team owner Al Davis and the Raiders join Los Angeles Coliseum antitrust suit against the NFL in Los Angeles.
1981 -- Hung jury declared in antitrust trial.
1982 -- Raiders and Los Angeles Coliseum win retrial of antitrust suit against NFL in Los Angeles.
1982 -- Raiders move from Oakland to Los Angeles.
1983 -- Raiders awarded $35 million from NFL in damages portion of antitrust suit. NFL later paid Raiders $18 million in settlement.
1986 -- Davis testifies for United States Football League in its antitrust suit against the NFL. A New York jury voted for USFL on one of nine counts and awarded it $1 from NFL.
1995 -- NFL sues the Raiders in Los Angeles over their alleged refusal to share Oakland revenues.
1995 -- Raiders return to Oakland.
1996 -- Raiders sue NFL over alleged mismanagement of its merchandise sales. The suit is pending in San Jose, Calif.
1997 -- Oakland Coliseum sues Raiders over alleged refusal to sign a stadium-naming rights deal. Suit also asks that team's lease with Coliseum be declared valid.
1998 -- Raiders countersue Oakland and Alameda County over Oakland Coliseum lease, claiming breach of contract. Both suits are pending in Sacramento.
1999 -- Judge dismisses NFL's suit against the Raiders over revenue sharing.
1999 -- Raiders file suit in Santa Clara County, Calif., claiming NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue and another league official deceptively set up an executive compensation fund for league officials. A judge dismisses the suit.
1999 -- Raiders file $1.2 billion suit against the NFL, claiming the league sabotaged its plans for a new stadium at Hollywood Park, and that the Raiders still "own" the Los Angeles market.
2001 -- A Los Angeles jury rules against the Raiders in the $1.2 billion suit on May 21, following six-week trial

Finally defeating Davis in court brought resolve to the owner members of that rich and arrogant cartel better known as the National Football League. Some owners made a point in toasting the verdict with California champagne while others heralded the verdict as "a Major Victory" and "Great News".

Even Commissioner Tagliabue got into the act. " The whole lawsuit was uncalled for in the first place," Tagliabue said. "For Al Davis to file a lawsuit in circumstances where he was treated more generously and more effectively than any other team in the history of the league was uncalled for. The verdict is what we expected"."People are going to be looking at the question down the road," he said. "It was a real insult to the owners, who put together a financial package in 1995. For an owner to turn around and sue the other owners, I think, is outrageous."

Then the Commissioner went one step too far: by implying that the NFL Owner fraternity might take a vote to either suspend Davis or place him on double-secret probation. Tagliabue said no immediate action was likely, but the issue was discussed at the league meetings this week and remains under consideration.
"It's a future matter," he said.

Tagliabue's implied threat was similar to waving a red cape in the face of a bull. Al Davis will take the Commissioner's comments as a dare. His response was immediate and direct. According to Raider counsel Joseph M. Alioto: "THIS IS NOT an issue between the NFL and the Raiders, but the NFL and the judicial system. (The NFL) is playing with fire, and if they continue to do it they're going to get burned."

Alioto told the Los Angeles Times that any punishment against Davis would violate teams' rights to seek legal action. "It's also getting dangerously close to obstruction of justice, in order to prohibit courts and juries from deciding legal and civil issues between parties," he said. Alioto said the NFL can't impinge on the legal rights of a citizen to "seek resolution of your disputes in the courts rather than on the streets." He said he would seek to have the trial judge bar the league from punishing Davis if it tries.

So far, no response from the League office on Mr. Alioto's comments. Apparently the owners and Commissioner of that rich and arrogant cartel better known as the National Football League just doesn't get it. Gloating and issuing idle threats will only incite Al Davis. I won't bet against Darth Raider in the courts.

Only time will tell whether or not Senator Jefford's defection will lead to others or whether he will be voted out in 2002. In politics, you are constantly up for re-election.

Owning a professional sports team is different. It's your team to do as you wish. (No matter how many stupid decisions you make, right Mr. Bidwill?)

It will be fun to watch the maneuvering between Al Davis and the NFL. Truth be told, Davis undoubtedly thrives on the thrill on constantly beating the League in the courtrooms.

Tuesday's court decision is simply one setback.

Darth Raider still holds a big lead on the overall scoreboard.