I wonder if Al Davis was watching the NBA draft yesterday. If so, the Raiders boss may have been sickened by the Warriors' pick. I can picture him shaking his head and complaining, "Is there no one else in the East Bay who knows how to spot talent?"

Bad enough that Davis has to share suite space at the Oakland Coliseum with Billy Beane and the A's.

Beane has built a bestseller-worthy (if not film-worthy) reputation for casting aside physical appearance in favor of production. The whole Moneyball saga is a repudiation of "the scouting eye." The poster child of Michael Lewis' book was Jeremy Brown, a pudgy, unintimidating catcher who hit well in the minor leagues and knew how to draw walks.

This approach couldn't contrast more with Davis'. He dominates the Raiders' draft preparation and commands their decisions, and he goes weak-kneed over speed, size and power. Look no further into the past than April, when he made Darrius Heyward-Bey the No. 7 pick in the NFL draft. Heyward-Bey was not particuarly productive at Maryland, but was tall, muscular and sprinter-fast. It was a classic Al Davis pick.

Now the Warriors, also drafting at No. 7, have opted for Stephen Curry, a shooting marksman who happens to look like a skinny 17-year-old and doesn't really stand out as a runner or leaper.

Davis must be wondering what the world is coming to.

Then again, the rumor du jour is that the Warriors will trade Curry and three other players to Phoenix for power forward Amare Stoudemire. Now, Stoudemire is tall. And fast. And uses his world-class jets to throw down monstrous dunks.

If that trade goes through, Big Al might allow himself a grin and a silent fist-pump.