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Sat. Feb 23, 2008

MeAngelo Drops An Ego Bomb On His New Bosses

If you’re a regular reader here, you may recall my opinions (1, 2) about current Atlanta Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall. But Mr. Hall has a couple of new bosses in GM Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Mike Smith, who may not be as familiar with Mr. Hall’s methods. So he gave them an introduction:

Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall said Friday his chances of ever playing for the team again are “slim to none.”The loquacious, two-time Pro Bowl player capped an 11-minute, impromptu news conference in a hallway of the Indianapolis Convention Center with those three words; a signoff to what could signal an end to his four-year tenure with the Falcons.

“I don’t want to stay there,” said Hall, one of several current players attending the NFL combine. “I would go anywhere who wants me. That’s the thing. It’s hard to play for or be part of an organization that doesn’t want you. I just want to go somewhere where I’m wanted.”

Hall said he felt “betrayed” and that “these guys kind of stabbed me in the back,” by saying they wanted to retain him while engaging in trade conversations.

Nevermind that just a few days ago Dimitroff said Hall made the team better, and coach Smith said he wanted him to remain with the team. Nevermind that they are indeed playing their cards close to the vest, have likely not made final decisions in all areas, but may well use every resource available to blow the place up and start over. Which might well include garnering a Number 1 draft pick in exchange for Hall’s services.

It’s an option, and it is their right, by the contract DeAngelo signed. But they have so far publicly said nice things about the man and his skills. DeAngelo … not so much:

“Maybe that’s a sign that they don’t want to be good, if they’re saying I make the team better when I’m on it, and they’re trying to move me and trade me,” Hall said.

And maybe you just made up their mind for them.

If I’m trying to create a new team environment, as much “my guys” as possible, if I was on the fence undecided about DeAngelo, I just got shoved off the fence, and kicked in the balls when I hit the dirt. When building a new team, you want as few distractions and problems as possible, as you are going to generate enough enmity by losing a lot at first.

If you can trade one of those distractions and problems for a Number 1 draft pick, I say you do it, based on the above repetition of previous behavior.

I think it’s time to wonder of MeAngelo is capable of playing for an NFL coach other than Jim Mora.