The owner of the Atlanta Falcons voodoo doll has struck again. After the team cut DT Grady Jackson Tuesday night, several players – including CB DeAngelo Hall – voiced their displeasure on Wednesday. Hall noted that due to head coach Bobby Petrino’s silence on the Jackson issue, he wants to be cut.
When Hall was told Petrino said the move was a football decision, he responded: “If that’s the case they need to cut about 52 [players], they can cut me too, they can cut all 53 of us. Ain’t nobody playing the way they should be playing right now. Obviously. We’re 1-6. To single out Grady is asinine. It’s ridiculous. We got so many players that haven’t made a play around here. It don’t make no sense. We gave a lot of people jobs. To sit there and single Grady out and say that’s the reason why, that’s ludicrous. If you’ve got something else better and more concrete to go off of, I’d love to hear it. I’m not buying that one.”
It’s clear that – like most losing teams – the Falcons are in the midst of a midseason upheaval. Word is that Jackson was playing selfishly and was lazy at practice, so if that was the case, then Petrino did the right thing. Jim Mora was every player’s best friend last year and allowed guys like Hall to get away with everything. Now it’s Petrino’s duty to clean up the mess. The message is clear: If you don’t want to play like a team, then we’ll find players that will. If you want to act like selfish brats instead of professionals that are highly compensated, then you’re gone.
Things look extremely bleak in Atlanta, but maybe Petrino is just getting rid of the weeds so he can have a fresh lawn in due time.
