It's been over four years since Ken Stabler passed away due to complications with colon cancer, but Stabler's legacy as one of the greatest quarterbacks the NFL has ever seen will live on forever. During his occupancy in the NFL, Stabler was known for his cool demeanor but his autobiography, Snake (1986), later revealed how he and the Raiders were the only team to travel with their very own bail bondsman. Not only was Stabler a badass off the field, he was one hell of a football player on the field as well. Stabler attended the University of Alabama from 1964 to 1967 where he wouldn't receive starting quarterback honors until his junior year. That same season, Stabler led the Crimson Tide to an undefeated 11-0 record and defeated Nebraska 34-7 in the 1967 Sugar Bowl. In his senior year, Stabler would make history with his 'Run in the Mud' scramble that helped solidify a Crimson Tide 7-3 victory over Auburn in the 1967 Iron Bowl.
Ken Stabler was selected 52nd overall in the second round of the 1968 NFL Draft by the defending AFL Champion Oakland Raiders. That same year, Stabler was drafted by the Houston Astros as well as the New York Mets and Yankees in previous years for his talent on the baseball field. However, Stabler would go on to play ten years out his fifteen-year NFL career with the Oakland Raiders. Ken who earned the nickname 'Snake' for being an elusive scrambler would lead the Raiders to victory in Super Bowl XI against the Minnesota Vikings. The shifty quarterback would also gain recognition for leading the NFL touchdown passes twice (1974, 1976), getting invited to the Pro Bowl a total of four times, and becoming NFL MVP in 1974. Stabler became a cultural icon in Oakland before closing out his NFL career with short stints with the Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints after the 1984 season.
When you fly by private jet charter, you experience travel comfort known only to those who know private jets. And nothing illustrates this luxury better than celebrity private jets. Stars with their own private aircraft fly fancy.
John Travolta, the star of 70s cult movies like “Grease” and “Saturday Night Fever”, is not only one of the most famous Hollywood actors, but also one of the best celebrity pilots. John Travolta is a bonafide aviation enthusiast with five private planes total, which he parks on his front lawn. His most impressive aircraft is a customized Boeing 707-138 (as pictured above), a beast of a plane that he acquired in 1998 upon his promotion to an honorary pilot of Qantas, the Australian airline.
Oprah Winfrey’s production company HARPO bought her custom-built Global Express XRS VIP business jet to provide the media mogul and her associates with maximum aviation comfort. Oprah’s private jet features designer fixtures in the bathroom and galley, along with an exquisite all-leather interior. The aircraft was designed by Bombardier Aerospace to perform as a premier long-range business jet. Custom design allowed for an enhanced cabin layout with nine cushy leather seats, aesthetically-placed lighting, and additional luxury amenities. The jet cruises through the air at high speeds, made possible by two Rolls-Royce BR710 turbofan engines, which produce enough power to send HARPO clear across the map with only one refuel stop
Tom Cruise played an elite naval fighter jet pilot in the blockbuster movie “Top Gun”, and he now indulges his real love for flying in his own Gulfstream IV, one of the finest celebrity private jets around. Cruise’s beautiful business jet accommodates up to 19 passengers, providing comfort and class with state-of-the-art furnishings and aircraft technology. The jet even automatically refreshes the air inside the cabin every two minutes. Designed by Gulfstream Aerospace, Cruise’s jet is powered by two Rolls-Royce Tay 611-8 engines, propelling the aircraft to a maximum altitude of 45,000 feet over a maximum range of 7,820 km, zipping through the air at speeds up to Mach 0.80.
Mark Cuban, business mogul and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, landed himself in the Guinness Book of World Records for purchasing his Boeing 767-277 online in 1999, making “the largest single e-commerce transaction”. Cuban modified the jet with large, custom seats to give his team’s lengthy players plenty of room while flying.