First, I think you get the split in opinion because some of these “experts”, usually the ones that haven’t played the game, look purely at talent. Hall is talented. The other side, many times former players, look at attitude and effort. What a guy does in the locker room, etc. In that case, Hall is a mess.

When Atlanta was good, Hall played at a high level and looked like he was going to be a great player. When things went south last season, so did Hall and so did his attitude. Think of Randy Moss, there is no doubting his talent, when things are going well, when things start to go sour, well….

Hall has all the tools, but if the Raiders start to play poorly, his bad attitude will get the best of him.

It’s especially enlightening to get the opinion from the Oakland point of view. I hope he works out for you, Raider 76. Just not those two times a year. I hope you understand.

The one issue with Hall is attitude, I think with a strong coach he does fine, but he has some prima-dona in him, and I think the Falcons probably could of kept him they would have been a better team but it may have been a bigger risk with a new coach and somewhat of a “fresh” begining in Atlanta to keep someone like him on their team. As for the Raiders, he fits the mold of a good man to man corner, but it remains to be seen how he will react if the teams plays poorly, and without much structure in Oakland as far as who really calls the shots, then there could be some bigger issues down the line.

I agree with TSG when he compared Hall to Moss. While there are measurables that can be seen on the field: speed, quickness, strength, etc; there are many things that cannot be seen that happen in the locker room and sideline.

Think of it in terms of a video game: in Madden 09, Hall is probably a god; but in real life his ego gets in the way.

I think it was a great move for the Falcons as it does get in the way of a rebuilding franchise. It can also get in the way of a new head coach – many times they want to start their tenure with as little baggage as possible from the previous season.

This is where I disagree with Raider76; I think it was a horrible move for the Raiders. Granted, Hall excels at playing man-to-man which is the Raiders’ M.O. However, I think that they had a pretty solid secondary already with Washington and Asomough and while Hall is definately better than Washington, Washington is no scrub. There are many other things that the corpse could have done such as trying to pick up a quality F.A DT (there were a few available), or putting their sights on Glen Dorsey instead of McFadden.

I predict that Hall will be like Moss for the Raiders. No one is denying his play ability but his ego will compromise his ability when the Raiders struggle for a couple years which they will.

I remember when he claimed TO spat on in in 06, before that game he was talking mad smack, and got abused by TO. Sure a lot of CB’s do. But he writes checks his talent cant cash. He is not as good as he thinks he is. Plus he has an attitude and lets too many WR’s get into his kitchen. Ask Steve Smith last year, when the Falcons were gonna win he gets back to back unsportsman like penalties and that puts the Panthers into range to win it, and they do with a David Carr TD pass, yes David Carr. I would rather have Bly over Hall. Thats saying something on my part. Becuase most of you know how I feel about Bly.

I think Hall is at once both a supreme CB and a lousy player.

When he plays to his level of talent he is easily a top five CB. In fact, I’ll even go so far as to say his admirers undervalue him! But his attitude can be a drag on his team, which overshadows his worth greatly. His play doesn’t always measure up to his ability either.

All in all, I think the raiders made the right move. Character and team work issues have been a long time problem in oakland, and Hall’s issues won’t contribute anything more there. He is a net gain for oakland, and I expect him to help the raiders secondary a lot.

Atlanta is building from the ground floor up (from a weaker position than even an expansion team), and needs all the funds and youth they can garner. The vets they need have to have good leadership skills, and lead by example. While an excellent CB, Hall doesn’t fit the picture for ATL. This was a great move for both teams.

And I think I’m going to be watching the match-ups more closely. But I still think this is going to come down to how well our TE’s and RB’s do against their LB’s.

are the raiders going to figure out that a bunch of me-first high draft-picks and flashy numbers-guys doesn’t equate to wins? when? character, i don’t think al likes the trait. intangibles, never heard of them. super bowl mvp? gotta have that guy, he’s the best! al, it’s not the coaches, you’ve been thru a bunch. let the hc pick the players, ass. coaches, and systems, and the wins will increase automatically. build something. who doesn’t know this? it’s like trying to explain simple math to an infant. long live al!

deangelo hall is a gifted cb, that already knows how to lose and will continue to contribute to that end. i wouldn’t take him for free. seriously, he is a cancer. yes, the raiders are full of them, but adding another is not helping the cause(see dallas cowboys-pacman jones). the bottom line is winning, and he just doesn’t get it. they need team leaders more than anything right now, including a pro-bowl cb with an attitude. he’ll play well, but the team is still going nowhere. is that the desired impact?

Seriously. He could bring some function to this team if they let him – you’ve got some good guys over there.

I know, I’m a Broncos fan. But, I’m a football guy.

Look, I have read all the press, the reviews, the scouting reports….I think Hall is an above average CB with way too much hype. Can he play? Sure. Is he in the class of a Champ Bailey or Asomoghu? Not a chance.
I am going to laugh when he tries to get in Eddie Royal’s head and Fast Eddie continues to burn him. Deangelo Hall bites on a lot of stuff, and this may play into Jay Cutler and Eddie Royal’s hands.
Great post by the Raiders fans on here….much appreciated….and I love hearing from knowledgable fans from other teams.
I wsih the Raiders luck this year, but my biggest worry with their team is the cameraderie and team spirit. It seems to be sorely lacking, and, unfortunately, they have some guys on that roster who attitudes go south in a hurry if things go bad.
This is a big game for the Raiders. If they win, they are set up for a good season, but if they lose to their arch enemy the Broncos, then there will be some big grumblings from fans, organization people and players.
The Broncos can almost put the final nail in the Raiders coffin with a decisive win.
I know it is only week 1, but this is HUGE for both clubs….but a season setter for the Raiders.
A Champion Team always beats a team of Champions, and I am betting that the Broncos have a Champion Team in the making.
Looking forward to it.
Werd!

they’re reading from a tele-prompter—and they hate us.