DeAngelo Hall: The $8 Million Failure

Sarah Palin and DeAngelo Hall have a lot in common. Both were added to their respective teams to add value and improve the chance of success.

Both failed miserably.

While Sarah Palin may return to the GOP Presidential race in four years time, Hall has been banished forever from Oakland. His complete inability to play like an NFL cornerback has been apparent to all followers of the Raiders this season and Al Davis finally lost patience this week.

Clearly, DeAngelo must have thought the streets of Oakland were paved with gold after signing his $70 million contract with the Raiders. I doubt his opinion has changed much having accrued the very generous sum of $8 million for 8 games work.

After his debut performance against Denver, the omens were ominous for DeAngelo. His opponent that night was rookie Eddie Royal, making his debut performance in the NFL. Royal caught 9 balls for 146 yards against two-time Pro Bowler DeAngelo. This was a record performance by a Denver rookie wide receiver.

The next seven weeks were not much better for DeAngelo as he failed to fit into Oaklands' man cover scheme. To be honest whether it was man or zone would have made no difference to DeAngelo as I dare say Sarah Palin herself would have been as effective as the former Falcon (and boy Atlanta's defence has improved this year).

So as DeAngelo Hall packs his Gucci suitcase and waves a fond farwell to Oakland many Raider fans are breaking open their umteenth bottle of champagne celebrating the departure of the single most overpaid sports professional in Bay Area history.

Although, I am still looking at you Javon Walker.