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Home > Terence Moore > Archives > 2008 > November > 05 > Entry
Two strikes for DeAngelo Hall
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Nobody saw this coming. Then again, we are talking about DeAngelo Hall and Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis, both operating from the ozone these days.
To use a sports metaphor, Hall received the second major strike of his NFL career when he was released by the pitiful Raiders. You probably know what happens when you get a third strike.
You’re out.
That’s where Hall is headed in his professional career - out of a job forever - if he doesn’t learn that you can’t keep flapping your tongue as supposedly a shutdown cornerback if you can’t keep from getting torched more often than not.
This is sad, really, because Hall has talent, and he isn’t a bad guy. Not only that, he is a tremendous student of the game, and he works hard.
He just doesn’t get it.
For whatever reason, Hall never understood during his first four years in the league with the Falcons that you have to stay under control during games and keep your mouth shut, at least until you do something. The Falcons finally had enough, and they got rid of him for strike one.
Then Hall got a fresh start when he was dealt by the Falcons to the Raiders before this season. It didn’t matter. He continued his meltdowns on and off the field. There was last Sunday against the Falcons in Oakland, where he played unevenly but nevertheless jawed at his former teammates in the stadium tunnel at halftime.
So, despite the Raiders paying Hall $8 million for the whole season, Davis finally had enough, and he waived Hall after just eight games.
Strike two.
Now Hall can do nothing less than foul off his next couple of pitches in the NFL, just to stay alive.
Permalink | Comments (29) | Post your comment | Categories: Falcons/NFL




DEL.ICIO.US
Comments
By Jimmy Boy
November 5, 2008 11:31 AM | Link to this
Karma! You get what you give. D. Hall, grow up already.
By Jt
November 5, 2008 11:40 AM | Link to this
It doesn’t seem as though he is ever going to “get it”. His may be athletically gifted, but he is a below average talent at cornerback- whether it is technique, attitude, whatever. It is sad! But when he first became a Falcon and was mentored by Deion, it indicated that he was on the wrong road. Because his mentoring was based on “marketing” himself as Deion did, instead of becoming a top line cornerback and allowing his performance to market him. I am glad he is not a Falcon. Hopefully he can get his act together, but I am not so sure he will.
By Steve McQueen
November 5, 2008 11:40 AM | Link to this
Hopefully New Orleans will pick him up and start him this week.
By scot
November 5, 2008 11:44 AM | Link to this
it’s called karma. enjoy meangello.
By SirReal
November 5, 2008 11:47 AM | Link to this
This is a sad case. But honestly “loose lips sink ships” and thats D-Hall. His mouthpiece has been his downfall. I agree Terrance that he isnt a bad guy but he has to realize that the Me-first attitude coupled with inconsistent play is not gonna get you far in the league and the game of Life itself. I really do hope he can salvage his career. He was blessed with a lot of talent….now he just needs to grow up. I wish him the best…just not here in the A.
By Space Mountain
November 5, 2008 11:48 AM | Link to this
Just as long as he does not come back here. He can get his third strike somewhere else.
By Richard
November 5, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this
So to recap: Al Davis sent packing a guy who talks a big game and stinks on the field.
Ladies and Gentlemen, you are traveling to a place not only of sight and sound, but of mind. You’ve entered the Twilight Zone.
By Bob
November 5, 2008 11:54 AM | Link to this
MeAngelo is a total jackass.
By Skydawg
November 5, 2008 11:56 AM | Link to this
I have to call BS on the talent issue. Sure MeAngelo has great speed, but talent? Hmmm, maybe not. At least not the talent measuring stick of an NFL cornerback. Because trust me, if Al Davis…we’re talking Al Davis here…thought for 1 second that MeAngelo had the talent to be a shutdown corner and was earning his paycheck, Davis could give a rats rearend over the peripheral stuff.
And boy Franky B must be proud of most of his “famous” recent players. Virginia Tech should be utterly mortified by the stellar character of the players he’s been recruiting the last decade.
By Tree Rollins
November 5, 2008 12:05 PM | Link to this
Don’t need him - don’t want him. He is exactly the kind of problem child the Atlanta Falcons had that needed to be cleaned up and removed by Dimitroff and to their credit they quickly recognized it and got some value for him. Good luck DeAngelo - may you enter the trash-talking Hall of Fame someday!
By JimC
November 5, 2008 12:11 PM | Link to this
It’s never about your talents. It’s seldom about your gifts. It’s not even about being a “good guy.” Hall seems to have and be all three. It’s always about your heart and willingness to serve an entity (the team) that is higher than self. Hope D. Hall learns a lesson but with the money he has in the bank, he probably doesn’t have too.
By U R Kiddingme
November 5, 2008 12:12 PM | Link to this
Is there any insight in this article? If there is, I missed it.
By theight
November 5, 2008 12:21 PM | Link to this
I would love to have D.Hall back because the corners we have right now are pitiful and we need a punt returner. At least let him do that.
By misawaagent
November 5, 2008 12:32 PM | Link to this
Hall thinks he is the best but he is really the worst. To bad he doesn’t know when to shut his mouth. You have to be good to back up your talk and he can’t back up nothing because his best days are gone.
By johndawg
November 5, 2008 12:47 PM | Link to this
I agree with Skydawg… Hall is mediocre at best. Al Davis realized this and sent him packing because he knew his talents weren’t worth his mouth!
By Gunner
November 5, 2008 12:49 PM | Link to this
I still think Hall got a bum rap in the Carolina game. He was penalized for what looked to me like a legit stuff on the line and basically shut dow Steve Smith. anybody that can do that is worthy of my respect.
By Joe
November 5, 2008 1:00 PM | Link to this
Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. Maybe the Lions need a CB.
By Vince
November 5, 2008 1:00 PM | Link to this
Maybe he can go to Seattle and hang with his buddy Jim Mora!
By Gregory M Smith
November 5, 2008 1:22 PM | Link to this
I would bring him back at the league minimum, playing special teams, returning punts. If he’s willing to do that and prove himself you go from there. We have a coaching staff strong enough to deal with the Meangelo’s of the world and if he’s not getting the job done they will deal with it.
By UR Right
November 5, 2008 1:25 PM | Link to this
Gunner, You are 100% correct. I could not believe nobody every said anything about the penalty on Sports Center. He just gave Smith a good hard jam at the line, a perfectly legal hit.
It just goes to show, MeAngelo runs his mouth entirely too much, he gets on the Refs last nerve and they flag him just to flag him, and nobody will take up his case, bucause he is such an easy guy to hate.
Dimtroff would never in a million years bring him back, this ain’t your fathers Falcons.
By Mike
November 5, 2008 1:37 PM | Link to this
You are right Gunnar, it was a perfectly legal hit within 5 yards. Funny that nobody took up his case, not the AJC, not Sport Center, not even his coach.
Just goes to show, when you talk smack, nobody cares if you are unjustly penalized, it could not happen to a nicer guy.
The only way Dimtroff would take him back is if he was able to trade him again. He will never step foot in a Falcon locker room again.
By Whopper Dawg
November 5, 2008 1:57 PM | Link to this
Terence,
Are you kidding? Let me get this right, D’Hall is a talented, good guy who works hard and is a tremendous student of the time???????????????
No Terence, that is Peyton Manning.
D’Hall is an egotistical jerk that is a mediocre corner and a worse teammate who is out of control on game day and in between. He just got cut by possibly the worse team in the league that has a reputation as being the last stop for the “bad boys” in the league. Hopefully this is good bye and good riddance. I just wish he could take Pacman, TO and the receiver once known as Johnson with him.
The Whopper
By Mark
November 5, 2008 2:01 PM | Link to this
We must assume Al Davis isnt that crazy. How bad do you have to be to be cut by the Raiders? Dimitrof is much smarter anyway. I wouldnt have him if Al Davis gave me 8 million. Nice to see, we suckered them. Is Ken Herroc still there, that would make sense.LOL Oh by the way Terrence you stink too.By Paddy
November 5, 2008 2:11 PM | Link to this
Some guys never get it… Hall does not get it; Jeff George didn’t get it; JR Rider didn’t get it; Mike Tyson didn’t get it; Mike Ivy didn’t get it (maybe thats going to far back). You all could add to the list. Some guys are always at the airport when their ship comes in. Then they blame everyone else for giving them the wrong directions. Strike 3 is just around the corner.
By McRly?
November 5, 2008 2:58 PM | Link to this
DHall is the poster child for ALL TALK AND NO ACTION. He puts on those embarrasing displays every time he gets a pick like he just won the SuperBowl single-handedly when his team is getting beat by 20. It’s just nonsensical. Classic “Me First” player who has no idea what a team is. Just glad we milked the 2nd/5th rounders outta ol’ Davis before everyone else learned the skinny. DHall your a joke bro. Wanna get your cred back? Stop talking, start working, put the team first and you’ll find your place in this league. G’luck dude.
By T
November 5, 2008 3:18 PM | Link to this
I defer to Mike Singeltary:
“I would rather play with 10 people and get penalized all the way until we do something else rather than play with 11 when I know that right now that person is not sold out to be a part of this team. It is more about them than it is about the team. Can not play with them. Can not win with them. Can not coach with them, Can’t do it. I want winners. I want people who want to win.”
Nuff Said.
By bfred
November 5, 2008 3:20 PM | Link to this
People too often mistake pure natural athletic ability for competitive talent. Hall seems to have the tools, but has never been able to use them effectively. Pro sports are littered with great athletes that for whatever reason never fulfilled their potential, and this guy is Exhibit A.
By bfred
November 5, 2008 3:37 PM | Link to this
Hall’s poor play is also frequently a direct result of his me-first attitude. He wants picks, not defended passes, and so often goes for the ball instead of playing the receiver. Problem is, in that situation if you don’t get the pick, your guy is gone. So Halls winds up with decent interception numbers (and a Pro Bowl bid) despite getting torched on a regular basis.
By bali
November 5, 2008 3:45 PM | Link to this
what a waste of talent.Seems sometimes people would learn from their mistakes. Then again seems like some people think having alot of money makes them smarter .That theory sure has been laid to rest. What an idiot.