Your Organization Name Here
Craig Allen Long
March 24, 1970 - February 10, 2007
March 24, 1970 - February 10, 2007
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Letter written by Hannah Gordon (former intern and dear friend)
| "Craig Long, A Difference Maker" As quoted by Rich Gannon, 2002 NFL MVP |
Dear Allison,
Last Sunday after receiving your touching and beautifully written regarding Craig’s passing, I wrote you
a somewhat incoherent email, but I would like to write you a bit more now that this has all soaked in.
When the minister said at the service that you will be making a book of the hundreds of emails you have
received for the girls, I thought that was a wonderful idea. I want to share with them my memories of
Craig. But first, I want to again say that I am so sorry for your loss. The image of you laying your
petite yet pregnant frame over his casket with the note from Ava in it is indelibly burned in my mind.
My heart aches for you.
Craig hired me to be a public relations intern for the summer of 2002. I had sent a letter the summer
before to someone else at the organization that a family friend had recommended I contact and I got no
response. My junior year at UCLA, I took my own initiative and looked up names on the internet and
sent Craig a cover letter and resume. I was so excited when he called me to tell me I could come in for
an interview. I was the football writer at the Daily Bruin at that point and it was my dream to either be
a sportswriter or a PR person in the NFL. I will always be grateful for the opportunity that Craig gave
me, both in hiring me, and when I arrived that summer.
Before the summer started, Craig had been offered a job at the Houston Texans and he called me to tell
me that he might be leaving the Raiders, but he would make sure that I still had an internship. A lot of
people wouldn’t worry about some unpaid interns, but that was the kind of person he was.
I remember a picture of you, Allison, behind his desk. Everything in those offices was gray and black
and really drab, so your sweet, smiling face really jumped out. And I remember that ridiculous
wrestling champion belt he had hanging in there. At least, I thought it was ridiculous. Craig was
different that most people I knew. I was a native of Oakland and I had never met anyone from Iowa, I
knew nor cared nothing about wrestling, and I had never heard of Tennessee Martin. But Craig could
get along with anyone and pretty soon I was howling laughing over some story from his days running a
liquor store. Unfortunately, I was never able to convince him or Janell of what a great place Oakland
is. I felt really guilty when he told me about you Allison hearing gunshots at your house by the
Oakland Zoo when you were in the tub and when Janell’s apartment got broken into.
I believe it was Matt Stinchcomb who said at the service that Craig was the same to all of us, and he
was. He loved people and we all loved him back. That summer was so much fun, especially on the
days that I got to work up at training camp. Despite the fact that much of the organization was not
female-friendly, Craig and Mike allowed me to do my best work and work on the same things as the
male interns as much as they could without themselves getting in trouble. Their confidence in me and
their willingness to treat people equally even in an environment that discouraged it meant so much to
me. I still have the Raiders duffel bag and hat that he had shipped to all the interns after the summer.
That was all his doing. The internships were unpaid but Craig was the kind of person who would go
out of his way (I know he had to harass someone in equipment) to make people feel appreciated.
I remember at the end of the summer we all went out to a Mexican restaurant and you were there
Allison and you were so nice to me. And I remember you at the Super Bowl in January of 2002.
Janell, Mike, and Craig had called to tell me to drive down from UCLA to help out, offering me yet
another amazing opportunity. After I had left the internship, and then after Craig had left the Raiders, I
would get the emails announcing Ava’s birth, and then new pictures of Ava, and just three weeks ago,
the email announcing that your new baby would be a girl. I have enjoyed the last five years of trash-
talking with Craig. Every time the Bruins lost a big game, I would wait to get that mocking email from
Craig. And when Okalahoma lost, I headed straight for the computer. Just a couple weeks ago, I was
watching Fred Thomas – the only player out of Tennessee Martin in the league – getting burned in the
playoffs. I thought, “I gotta email Craig and tell him his boy is not representing Tennessee Martin too
well!” But I let other things get in the way and now I am sorry I didn’t send that last email. I have
interviewed a lot of retired football players over the years and they all say that what they miss most is
the camaraderie in the locker room and the friendships they had with their teammates. I think it is the
same for those people in the front office and really in any job: life comes down to the people around
you. All the jokes about our football teams are really a way of connecting with other people and I think
Craig did that better than just about anyone.
I know they are trivial, but I wanted to share some of the old emails Craig wrote with the girls so they
can “hear” his voice. Craig had great nicknames for everyone, and I was Flash Gordon and Hannah
Cabana – which I have to admit was much more creative than the “Hannah Banana” that most people
come up with.
If there is ever anything I can do for you or the girls, I will jump at the opportunity.
With love,
Hannah
Last Sunday after receiving your touching and beautifully written regarding Craig’s passing, I wrote you
a somewhat incoherent email, but I would like to write you a bit more now that this has all soaked in.
When the minister said at the service that you will be making a book of the hundreds of emails you have
received for the girls, I thought that was a wonderful idea. I want to share with them my memories of
Craig. But first, I want to again say that I am so sorry for your loss. The image of you laying your
petite yet pregnant frame over his casket with the note from Ava in it is indelibly burned in my mind.
My heart aches for you.
Craig hired me to be a public relations intern for the summer of 2002. I had sent a letter the summer
before to someone else at the organization that a family friend had recommended I contact and I got no
response. My junior year at UCLA, I took my own initiative and looked up names on the internet and
sent Craig a cover letter and resume. I was so excited when he called me to tell me I could come in for
an interview. I was the football writer at the Daily Bruin at that point and it was my dream to either be
a sportswriter or a PR person in the NFL. I will always be grateful for the opportunity that Craig gave
me, both in hiring me, and when I arrived that summer.
Before the summer started, Craig had been offered a job at the Houston Texans and he called me to tell
me that he might be leaving the Raiders, but he would make sure that I still had an internship. A lot of
people wouldn’t worry about some unpaid interns, but that was the kind of person he was.
I remember a picture of you, Allison, behind his desk. Everything in those offices was gray and black
and really drab, so your sweet, smiling face really jumped out. And I remember that ridiculous
wrestling champion belt he had hanging in there. At least, I thought it was ridiculous. Craig was
different that most people I knew. I was a native of Oakland and I had never met anyone from Iowa, I
knew nor cared nothing about wrestling, and I had never heard of Tennessee Martin. But Craig could
get along with anyone and pretty soon I was howling laughing over some story from his days running a
liquor store. Unfortunately, I was never able to convince him or Janell of what a great place Oakland
is. I felt really guilty when he told me about you Allison hearing gunshots at your house by the
Oakland Zoo when you were in the tub and when Janell’s apartment got broken into.
I believe it was Matt Stinchcomb who said at the service that Craig was the same to all of us, and he
was. He loved people and we all loved him back. That summer was so much fun, especially on the
days that I got to work up at training camp. Despite the fact that much of the organization was not
female-friendly, Craig and Mike allowed me to do my best work and work on the same things as the
male interns as much as they could without themselves getting in trouble. Their confidence in me and
their willingness to treat people equally even in an environment that discouraged it meant so much to
me. I still have the Raiders duffel bag and hat that he had shipped to all the interns after the summer.
That was all his doing. The internships were unpaid but Craig was the kind of person who would go
out of his way (I know he had to harass someone in equipment) to make people feel appreciated.
I remember at the end of the summer we all went out to a Mexican restaurant and you were there
Allison and you were so nice to me. And I remember you at the Super Bowl in January of 2002.
Janell, Mike, and Craig had called to tell me to drive down from UCLA to help out, offering me yet
another amazing opportunity. After I had left the internship, and then after Craig had left the Raiders, I
would get the emails announcing Ava’s birth, and then new pictures of Ava, and just three weeks ago,
the email announcing that your new baby would be a girl. I have enjoyed the last five years of trash-
talking with Craig. Every time the Bruins lost a big game, I would wait to get that mocking email from
Craig. And when Okalahoma lost, I headed straight for the computer. Just a couple weeks ago, I was
watching Fred Thomas – the only player out of Tennessee Martin in the league – getting burned in the
playoffs. I thought, “I gotta email Craig and tell him his boy is not representing Tennessee Martin too
well!” But I let other things get in the way and now I am sorry I didn’t send that last email. I have
interviewed a lot of retired football players over the years and they all say that what they miss most is
the camaraderie in the locker room and the friendships they had with their teammates. I think it is the
same for those people in the front office and really in any job: life comes down to the people around
you. All the jokes about our football teams are really a way of connecting with other people and I think
Craig did that better than just about anyone.
I know they are trivial, but I wanted to share some of the old emails Craig wrote with the girls so they
can “hear” his voice. Craig had great nicknames for everyone, and I was Flash Gordon and Hannah
Cabana – which I have to admit was much more creative than the “Hannah Banana” that most people
come up with.
If there is ever anything I can do for you or the girls, I will jump at the opportunity.
With love,
Hannah