Raiders' Allen Airs Out Feud With Davis -- Says Team Owner Is Ruining His Career

LOS ANGELES - Marcus Allen has declared war on Los Angeles Raiders owner Al Davis.

In an interview with ABC's Al Michaels, taped last weekend and shown during halftime of last night's game, Allen, the Raiders' all-time leading rusher, accused Davis of having a vendetta against him and trying to ruin his career.

"He told me he was going to get me and he has," Allen said.

The rift between Allen and Davis has been going on for years, but this was the first time Allen has spoken out in such strong terms.

In the locker room afterward, Allen indicated his Raider days were over.

Asked by Michaels why he had not spoken out before, Allen said: "I've always been afraid that perhaps this guy would suspend me for conduct detrimental to the team, so I couldn't say too much. I've tried several different private ways to get my behind thrown out of there, but it hasn't worked."

Allen said Coach Art Shell was not responsible for his situation. "Art is a good friend," he said. "He has been honest with me. He has told me this is out of his hands."

Michaels said he talked to Davis, who refused to go on camera, and Davis said with a laugh that Allen's statements were "totally fraudulent."

Allen described his relationship with Davis as "acrimonious at best."

"What do you think of a guy who has attempted to ruin your career?" Allen said. "When someone messes with your livelihood - this is what I've wanted to do since I was 8 years old, and this very thing has been taken away from me and not, I don't think, for a business reason, but for a personal reason."

Asked if it was a personal vendetta, Allen said, "No question about it."

Owners meet -- NFL owners convened in Dallas today in an attempt to forge a peace treaty with the league's players.

The two sides appear close to an agreement in the NFL's five-year labor war.

`Puppet' answers -- PHILADELPHIA - Eagles Coach Rich Kotite said he will discipline linebacker Seth Joyner for his public description of the coach as a "puppet" of club owner Norman Braman.

"I'll do what I have to do," Kotite said yesterday.

Replay inconclusive -- ASHBURN, Va. - Upon further review, the NFL said yesterday the television replay of Troy Aikman's fumble Sunday was inconclusive.

Jerry Seeman, the NFL director of officials, said he could not tell conclusively whether Aikman's arm was moving forward when Washington Redskins defensive lineman Jason Buck knocked the ball loose.

The officials on the field called it a fumble instead of an incomplete pass and, after Emmitt Smith picked up the ball and tossed it while being tackled, Danny Copeland recovered for the winning touchdown in the Redskins' 20-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys.

Notes

-- Steelers QB Neil O'Donnell has started physical therapy to strengthen his broken right leg and says he could play in the finale against the Browns.

-- San Francisco 49ers Coach George Seifert said he wants to activate QB Joe Montana off injured reserve, perhaps this week, but only after settling questions about his wounded offensive line. To activate Montana, the 49ers must use one of their two remaining IR moves. Seifert wants to make sure the team won't need either of those moves or the roster space to fill a more crucial need.

-- For the fourth time in less than a month, Vikings Coach Dennis Green is making a quarterback change. Sean Salisbury will start Sunday's key game at Pittsburgh; Rich Gannon is back to running the scout team.

Compiled from Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Baltimore Sun, Knight-Ridder Newspapers and Associated Press.