Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 1079 of 1503)

      Raiders waive DeAngelo Hall – is Javon Walker next?

      November 5, 2008 /

      DeAngelo HallThe Oakland Raiders officially parted ways with cornerback DeAngelo Hall on Wednesday.

      Hall admittedly struggled to adapt to the Raiders’ style of man-coverage defense, enough so that Raiders owner Al Davis decided he’d seen enough. Hall is due $16.5 million next season in injury-guaranteed bonuses. Davis would rather take that money and load up a long-term contract offer for cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, according to a league source familiar with the situation.

      The Raiders could have let Hall play out the season, but if he gets hurt, they could be on the hook for the injury-proof portion of his deal.

      Will wide receiver Javon Walker be the next high-priced player to be waived?

      Hall isn’t the only Raider under consideration for release. Wide receiver Javon Walker received an $11 million signing bonus and a $1 million base salary this year, but he has only 13 catches in his first seven games with the Raiders. The other players on Davis’ list are unknown.

      This is shocking to say the least. Kind of ironic how Hall was considered by many to be one of the only true “cover corners” left in the league and he couldn’t hack it in man coverage.

      Regardless, Al Davis has officially lost his mind. You don’t revive a sinking franchise by paying free agents gobs of money only to release them half way through the season in efforts to hit the reset button and start over. This is Madden 09.

      The Raiders are going to be in cap hell for a long time and things only get worse when they have to add another top 5 pick to the roster.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Raiders to release DeAngelo Hall?

      November 4, 2008 /

      In a surprising development, Adam Schefter of NFL Network is reporting that the Oakland Raiders could release cornerback DeAngelo Hall as early as Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.

      If they do — and the team was planning on doing it Tuesday before it held off — Oakland will have paid Hall $8 million for eight games and Atlanta a second-round pick for the cornerback’s services.

      Oakland is planning to waive him now so as to avoid paying Hall the $16 million worth of injury-guaranteed bonuses in his contract. It is too much of a risk for a Raiders team that still needs to do more rebuilding.

      If Oakland follows through, Hall would be placed on waivers, leaving playoff contenders with the question of whether they should put in a claim for him. If Hall goes unclaimed, he would be free to sign with any team.

      This is absolutely shocking. Schefter doesn’t say why Oakland would be parting with Hall, but one has to wonder if he’s become a distraction not worthy of his play and price tag. Word has it that he was running his mouth off on his former Atlanta teammates in the tunnel at halftime last Sunday, but he would have to have done more than that to deserve a release.

      Hall was absolutely abused by Eddie Royal on Monday Night Football in Week 1 and rookie QB Matt Ryan and former teammate Michael Jenkins made him look silly on Sunday, too. But still, Hall is coming off his best year as a pro and it cost the Raiders millions of dollars and multiple draft picks to acquire him from Atlanta. Strange.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      NFL midseason honors with a political twist

      November 4, 2008 /

      Matt RyanWith Tuesday being election day, YAHOO! Sports decided to hand out some NFL midseason awards, but with a political twist.

      Field Delegate (MVP)
      Robinson: Nobody cares about running backs anymore, right? Well, Clinton Portis has been as consistent as gravity this season, averaging 110.6 yards per game and blowing people up blocking, too. Part of the reason quarterback Jason Campbell has just one interception is because defenses are creeping up to stop Portis rather than sitting back in passing lanes. Remove Portis from the equation and the Redskins aren’t winning all these close games (six wins all by eight points or less).

      Absentee performer (Most disappointing team/unit)
      Silver: Last January, the Jacksonville Jaguars looked like the league’s up-and-coming power. Led by their cool and efficient quarterback, David Garrard, and a roster of underappreciated hard workers, the Jags went up to Pittsburgh and pulled out a tight playoff victory, then gamely battled the undefeated Patriots before losing in the Foxborough chill. This season, head coach Jack Del Rio has many of the same players, but the formula isn’t working. It’s not like Jacksonville (3-5) is getting blown out – all eight of its games have been decided by a touchdown or less – but after Sunday’s 21-19 loss to the previously winless Bengals, another trip to the postseason is highly unlikely.

      Chris JohnsonFirst-time voter (Rookie of the Year)
      Cole: It isn’t simply that Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan’s first pass went for a touchdown or even that he’s kept the previously hapless Falcons in contention through half the season. It’s that Ryan stepped into a pressurized situation and is thriving. Ryan indirectly followed the talented Michael Vick, thrived in the racially divisive situation Vick’s case created in Atlanta and has had to live up to the richest rookie contract ever. So far, so good.

      Chris Johnson of the Titans has been extraordinary and really has been Tennessee’s offensive MVP to this point. But Matt Ryan has been so good that he makes you forget that he’s still a rookie. I watch the Falcons on Sunday expecting Ryan to make plays and assume that he’s going to keep Atlanta in ballgames. It’s absolutely amazing what he’s been able to accomplish in his first year.

      And my vote is definitely for the Jags as most disappointing team. They were supposed to compete with the Pats, Colts and Chargers in the AFC for the right to go to the Super Bowl and instead they’re losing to the Browns and Bengals in consecutive weeks.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Good thing Pam Ward doesn’t coach college football

      November 4, 2008 /

      ESPN play-by-play announcer Pam Ward isn’t a fan favorite when she does college football games and it’s not hard to see why when she gaffs like she did last Saturday during the end of the Michigan State-Wisconsin game.

      Announcers deserve a break from time to time for saying the wrong things. Announce enough games throughout the season and you’re bound to stumble of words, mispronounce names and flat out say the wrong thing. But Ward continuously struggles with the easiest things. She gets so excited to get her words out that she doesn’t stop to think what she’s saying sometimes.

      College Football, Video

      Next coach has tough task at Tennessee

      November 4, 2008 /

      Phillip FulmerPhillip Fulmer said Monday that he would step down as head coach at Tennessee following the 2008 season. And as Geoff Calkins at the Tennessean writes, the next head coach will have his hands full turning around that program.

      Should Tennessee really have a better program than Florida or Alabama? Should it have a better program than Georgia or LSU?

      Three of those schools (Florida, Georgia and LSU) have a much richer recruiting base than Tennessee. The other school (Alabama) may have the best college coach in the universe.

      Potential coaching candidates understand all this. So stop the talk about bringing in Butch Davis or Bob Stoops, OK? The Tennessee job isn’t as appealing as some fans seem to think. It may not even be as appealing as some of the other jobs that are open this year.

      Clemson might not have the stadium that Tennessee has, but it’s in a much softer league. So is Washington, for that matter. Would you rather succeed Fulmer or Tyrone Willingham?
      So this is going to be tricky. This is going to be difficult for Hamilton to get right.

      Fulmer is gone. The next guy could be better.

      Unless, of course, he’s not.

      Besides the tough SEC slate that he will face on a yearly the basis, the next head coach will have issues putting talent on the field, too. Anyone who has watched the Vols play this year with any regularity has seen a team that has struggled mightily with offensive cohesion and an overall lack of talent on the roster. Even when UT has moved the ball this year, they’ve often capped the drive off by turning the ball over or failing to reach the end zone. That program is a mess right now and the firing of Fulmer is only the beginning.

      College Football

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