---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If it weren't for a new rule that came…"
description: "\"If it weren't for a new rule that came into being, we'd have played three years in a row in the championship game.\" — Al Davis"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cc/al-davis-21934_championship_if-it-weren-t-for-a-new-rule-that-came-i_2975573.jpg"
---

#  If it weren't for a new rule that came into being, we'd…

![“If it weren't for a new rule that came into being, we'd have played three years in a row in the championship game.” quote by Al Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cc/al-davis-21934_championship_if-it-weren-t-for-a-new-rule-that-came-i_2975573.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cc/al-davis-21934_championship_if-it-weren-t-for-a-new-rule-that-came-i_2975573.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cc/al-davis-21934_championship_if-it-weren-t-for-a-new-rule-that-came-i_2975573.jpg)

> “If it weren't for a new rule that came into being, we'd have played three years in a row in the championship game.”

[Al Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-davis/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Without a new rule, the team would have continued a three‑year championship streak, highlighting how rule changes can alter competitive dynamics.

**In simple terms:** Rules can break or extend dominance in sports.

Key Takeaway

Consider how regulations affect fairness and competition.

Themes

rules competition sports dynamics

Mood

analytical critical

Type

sports policy

When to use this quote

- league governance
- policy making
- team management

Key Concepts

regulation impact team strategy league parity

Questions to Reflect On

- What rule changes could improve competitive balance?
- How do rules shape team behavior?

A Different Perspective

Rules may unintentionally favor certain teams.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Championship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/championship/) [Championship games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/championship-games/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Oakland raiders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oakland-raiders/)

## Related quotes

> [I've got a Championship game to play and I'm excited about the opportunity of my damn strong football team to play in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-miles/i-ve-got-a-championship-game-to-play-and-i-m-excited-about-the/)

[Les Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-miles/)

> [I'm the head coach at LSU. I will be the head coach at LSU. I have no interest in talking to anybody else. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-miles/i-m-the-head-coach-at-lsu-i-will-be-the-head-coach-at-lsu-i-have-no/)

[Les Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-miles/)

> [My biggest frustration with the Heisman is it's become the MVP of the national champion, or a team going to the National Championship game.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-flutie/my-biggest-frustration-with-the-heisman-is-it-s-become-the-mvp-of-the/)

[Doug Flutie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-flutie/)

> [When Paul Brown talked contract, the championship game was part of it. We took the championship game for granted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-graham/when-paul-brown-talked-contract-the-championship-game-was-part-of-it/)

[Otto Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-graham/)

> [Everybody was ready to put Denver and Indianapolis in the championship game. We're the same team that went 15-1 last year and made it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hines-ward/everybody-was-ready-to-put-denver-and-indianapolis-in-the/)

[Hines Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hines-ward/)

> [Every game's a championship game. When we focus that way, get prepared that way-that this is it, you know, this is the last one,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-wilson/every-game-s-a-championship-game-when-we-focus-that-way-get-prepared/)

[Russell Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-wilson/)

> [Anyone who doesn't win their conference has no business playing in the national championship game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/anyone-who-doesn-t-win-their-conference-has-no-business-playing-in/)

[Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/)

> [We're not going to do anything different for this game since we're not treating this game any different than another game. Every game is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-carroll/we-re-not-going-to-do-anything-different-for-this-game-since-we-re/)

[Pete Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-carroll/)

> [When my father bid $5,000 for the 1962 Championship Game, that was a huge amount. It was double the bid the year before. Pete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-sabol/when-my-father-bid-5-000-for-the-1962-championship-game-that-was-a/)

[Steve Sabol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-sabol/)

> [Any team that does not win it's conference championship game should not play in the BCS title game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/any-team-that-does-not-win-it-s-conference-championship-game-should/)

[Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/)

> [“Ultimately, said Lucas, adopting the tones of the radical hippie many supposed him to be, “we learned one rule that came out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jay-jones/ultimately-said-lucas-adopting-the-tones-of-the-radical-hippie-many/)

[Brian Jay Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jay-jones/)

> [“All of her life, she’d had one rule when it came to dating. If you can do it, then I can do it, too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-davenport/all-of-her-life-she-d-had-one-rule-when-it-came-to-dating-if-you-can/)

Hannah Davenport

> [The fire that burns brightest in the Raiders organization is the will to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-davis/the-fire-that-burns-brightest-in-the-raiders-organization-is-the-will/)

[Al Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-davis/)

> [I'm in pro football to win, to have the Raiders dominate, to have the Raiders global, and we're not going to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-davis/i-m-in-pro-football-to-win-to-have-the-raiders-dominate-to-have-the/)

[Al Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-davis/)

> [I saw greatness in John and he lived up to it. I also saw a tremendous competitor who loved to win. John is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-davis/i-saw-greatness-in-john-and-he-lived-up-to-it-i-also-saw-a-tremendous/)

[Al Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-davis/)

## More by Al Davis

> [It’s not important to be consistent, it’s important to be right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-davis/it-s-not-important-to-be-consistent-it-s-important-to-be-right/)

[Al Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-davis/)

> [I saw greatness in John and he lived up to it. I also saw a tremendous competitor who loved to win. John is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-davis/i-saw-greatness-in-john-and-he-lived-up-to-it-i-also-saw-a-tremendous/)

[Al Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-davis/)

> [You don't adjust. You just dominate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-davis/you-don-t-adjust-you-just-dominate/)

[Al Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-davis/)

> [I can control most things, but I don't seem to be able to control death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-davis/i-can-control-most-things-but-i-don-t-seem-to-be-able-to-control-death/)

[Al Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-davis/)

> [They say...the stopwatch never lies. Speed kills but absolute speed kills absolutely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-davis/they-say-the-stopwatch-never-lies-speed-kills-but-absolute-speed/)

[Al Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-davis/)

> [I'm in pro football to win, to have the Raiders dominate, to have the Raiders global, and we're not going to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-davis/i-m-in-pro-football-to-win-to-have-the-raiders-dominate-to-have-the/)

[Al Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-davis/)

> [The fire that burns brightest in the Raiders organization is the will to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-davis/the-fire-that-burns-brightest-in-the-raiders-organization-is-the-will/)

[Al Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-davis/)

> [Why should I talk to you? I don't know where you're from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-davis/why-should-i-talk-to-you-i-don-t-know-where-you-re-from/)

[Al Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-davis/)

> [I love my country and I love my league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-davis/i-love-my-country-and-i-love-my-league/)

[Al Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-davis/)

> [No one could have brought in more personnel than we have to build a football team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-davis/no-one-could-have-brought-in-more-personnel-than-we-have-to-build-a/)

[Al Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-davis/)

> [Time never stops for the great ones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-davis/time-never-stops-for-the-great-ones/)

[Al Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-davis/)

> [I have never forgiven myself…that I might have made a mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-davis/i-have-never-forgiven-myself-that-i-might-have-made-a-mistake/)

[Al Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-davis/)

> [They said you had to take what the defense gave you. No, we are going to take what we want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-davis/they-said-you-had-to-take-what-the-defense-gave-you-no-we-are-going/)

[Al Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-davis/)

> [Jerry Rice made the decision and we honestly tried to accommodate him the best way we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-davis/jerry-rice-made-the-decision-and-we-honestly-tried-to-accommodate-him/)

[Al Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-davis/)

> [Just shred baby, shred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-davis/just-shred-baby-shred/)

[Al Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-davis/)

[Explore all 28 Al Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-davis/)

## More Championship quotes

> [ I failed, I think, seven \[or\] eight times before I finally got my first \[championship\]. It was just, you know, just about me growing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-before-i-finally-got-my-first/)

[Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/)

> [I have wrestled in almost every tournament in the world. I've won the Olympics, NCAAs, and World Championships, but none of those can truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/i-have-wrestled-in-almost-every-tournament-in-the-world-i-ve-won-the/)

[Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/)

> [The reason I went to an all-boys Catholic school was because they had the best football team. We won the state championship my junior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-rossi/the-reason-i-went-to-an-all-boys-catholic-school-was-because-they-had/)

[Theo Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-rossi/)

> [Generally speaking, ROH championship matches are hard fought and grueling, and the fans are really into it. The ROH Championship means a lot to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cole/generally-speaking-roh-championship-matches-are-hard-fought-and/)

[Adam Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cole/)

> [My whole thing when I got in the NBA was I want to win a championship. The mindset hasn't changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bam-adebayo/my-whole-thing-when-i-got-in-the-nba-was-i-want-to-win-a-championship/)

[Bam Adebayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bam-adebayo/)

> [In over 160 years of recorded baseball history, no team had ever won a championship this way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-thorn/in-over-160-years-of-recorded-baseball-history-no-team-had-ever-won-a/)

[John Thorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-thorn/)

> [I probably should've listened to Michael a year ago when he said that Charles will never win a championship because he doesn't show any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-pippen/i-probably-should-ve-listened-to-michael-a-year-ago-when-he-said-that/)

[Scottie Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-pippen/)

> [One day we'll have championship boxing in Cleveland and people will support it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-porter/one-day-we-ll-have-championship-boxing-in-cleveland-and-people-will/)

[Shawn Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-porter/)

> [My biggest regret is that I wasn't able to help give our fans a championship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/my-biggest-regret-is-that-i-wasn-t-able-to-help-give-our-fans-a/)

[Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/)

> [Two beautiful women crashing and burning for the sake of the Women's Championship!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-ross/two-beautiful-women-crashing-and-burning-for-the-sake-of-the-women-s/)

[Jim Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-ross/)

> [I got everything I wanted out of Texas. Obviously, you'd love to win more. You'd love to win a national championship and compete at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-bamba/i-got-everything-i-wanted-out-of-texas-obviously-you-d-love-to-win/)

[Mohamed Bamba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-bamba/)

> [When I wrestled Randy Orton, that was probably the biggest match of my career at that point, because that was when I had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hardy/when-i-wrestled-randy-orton-that-was-probably-the-biggest-match-of-my/)

[Jeff Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hardy/)

> [The Russians have held my title for ten years and they're going to be in for it when I win the Championship. They're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-fischer/the-russians-have-held-my-title-for-ten-years-and-they-re-going-to-be/)

[Bobby Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-fischer/)

> [As you get older, every chance to win a championship is more crucial, because you are going to have less and less of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-west/as-you-get-older-every-chance-to-win-a-championship-is-more-crucial/)

[Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/)

> [It will be a hard game if you think about winning a championship. We need to think about our own game at the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-bergkamp/it-will-be-a-hard-game-if-you-think-about-winning-a-championship-we/)

[Dennis Bergkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-bergkamp/)

[Browse all 1,448 Championship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/championship/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If it weren't for a new rule that came into being, we'd have played three years in a row in the championship game.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Al Davis"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-davis/if-it-weren-t-for-a-new-rule-that-came-into-being-we-d-have-played/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Championship"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-davis/if-it-weren-t-for-a-new-rule-that-came-into-being-we-d-have-played/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cc/al-davis-21934_championship_if-it-weren-t-for-a-new-rule-that-came-i_2975573.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cc/al-davis-21934_championship_if-it-weren-t-for-a-new-rule-that-came-i_2975573.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cc/al-davis-21934_championship_if-it-weren-t-for-a-new-rule-that-came-i_2975573.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If it weren't for a new rule that came into being, we'd have played three years in a row in the championship…” — Al Davis",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Al Davis",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-davis/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If it weren't for a new...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-davis/if-it-weren-t-for-a-new-rule-that-came-into-being-we-d-have-played/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-davis/if-it-weren-t-for-a-new-rule-that-came-into-being-we-d-have-played/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
