DeAngelo Hall and “Crossing the Line” in the NFL

What the hell happened last night? It was as if there was a tear in the time-space continuum and the sporting world in the U.S. entered the Bizarro Universe – or worse, a black hole, figuratively and literally. While the Dallas Cowboys’ Terrell Owens is spitting in Atlanta Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall’s face, there’s was a brawl of sorts between New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets players at Madison Square Garden. For purposes of this piece, I’ll deal here with the T.O. DeAngelo incident and deal with the MSG fight separately.

After Tony Romo was sacked during the opening drive of the Atlanta Falcons-Dallas Cowboys game last night, Dallas WR Terrell Owens spat at, or in the face of DB DeAngelo Hall near the Falcons’ sideline.

I have a serious problem with certain participants and peripheral figures in this event. However, they’re not the people you might think, or the people all of the media will vent their venom towards. The easy target is Terrell Owens.

There’s something much deeper to each of these incidents – let me explain.

Owens spit at Hall. Owens admitted as much in his live post game interview with Rich Eisen, Deion Sanders, and Steve Mariucci of the NFL Network (NFLN): Marshall Faulk recused himself from the set for the interview. Eisen asked Owens if he felt he’d crossed the line by spitting at Hall. Sanders asked Owens what his thoughts were, if any as he “crossed the line,” when the incident occurred. “Spitting in a man’s face is the most degrading thing a man can do,” Sanders said.

Spitting in another person’s face? Not good. Not a good thing at all. Is it the worst thing in the world? No. But, according to all football players it’s a “respect thing.” Now, no one would have know this incident took place if, after the game, DeAngelo Hall hadn’t volunteered the information about Owens’ act.

Hall was asked – I’m paraphrasing – about how he felt about being torched for two touchdown receptions by Owens. His response? “He’s a great player but I lost all respect for him when he spit in my face…. Hopefully the NFL can watch the film. Right before they punted on third down we were walking back to the huddle he hauled off and spit in my face. I mean, he had a great game and he’s a great player, but he spit in my face, I lost all respect for him.”

This is the same DeAngelo Hall accused of quitting on his Virginia Tech team on numerous occasions. He’s the same dude who was accused by his teammates of thinking of his potential status as a pro and therefore failing to play all-out at Va. Tech. Hall’s the same dude who, on the Va. Tech campus, was said to be more concerned with “looking pretty” than with playing his position and sticking his head in on tackles.

Tonight, Hall can add “punk” to the litany of negatives attached to his character. If anyone noticed, no Falcons’ players came to Hall’s aid after the incident – and I’m sure some of his teammates saw what happened, since the incident occurred at the Atlanta sidelines. Also, later no Falcons’ player gave the incident prominent mention. What does that say about your status on your team, DeAngelo? It says your teammates know you’re the kind of guy who would use T.O. spitting in your face as an excuse for looking like you just popped out of a toaster, courtesy of Owens.

And all that “crossing the lines” junk – I don’t want to hear it, not when it comes to NFL football. I don’t want to hear it when I see Denver Broncos’ guard Tom Nalen, on a play blown dead before it begins, purposely dive out and cut block the surgically-repaired knee of San Diego’s Igor Olshansky. The crossing the line thing rings hollow in the face of quotes like this:

“I’m pretty sure there have been a couple of eye pokes or throat snaps (in a pileup),” says University of Tennessee defensive tackle Justin Harrell. “Football is a dirty sport. You’ve got to be a grown man to play it.”

Can you feel that, DeAngelo? Your sport is dirty and only grown men are supposed to play it. Grown men don’t let dirty play affect them to the point where they get abused by the receiver they’re supposed to put on lock down status. Grown men don’t run to the press and use an opposing player’s dirty tactics as an excuse for getting torched. Grown men use Terrell Owen’s dirty, uncalled for, unconscionable tactics as motivation to have the game of their lives, instead of being a primary reason your team lost a game that may have cost it a chance at the playoffs.

There’s another negative I bet your teammates use to describe you: it starts with a “b” and rhymes with “itch.”

And of course this morning the ESPN “NFL Countdown” collection of Mike Ditka, Uncle Tom Jackson, Michael Irvin, and Ron Jaworski had to add fuel to the Owens-Hall fire. It’s becoming increasingly difficult for me to comment on the group-think, hive-mind mentality in which these four people engage. The worldwide leader provided film of Bill Romanowski’s famous spit incident, followed by Sean Taylor’s swept-under-the-rug incident. Within those two events the “more-bang-for-the-buck” bias that ESPN is known for is laid bare. Romanowski’s spitting incident was cause celebre at the worldwide leader. For at least a week Romanowski’s life was hashed, rehashed, and over-hashed. The Taylor spitting scene was played off as an unfortunate event in the life troubled young man who needs psychological help. ESPN thought, because of his past made sordid by the worldwide leader, it could get more money out of Romanowski than it could Taylor. So Romo is bashed and Taylor is given a pass.

Each day until Owens” fine is meted out, just listen to ESPN’s radio affiliates and their repeated Owens mentions. Watch the same occur on ESPN’s news and NFL-related televised programs. They’ll milk this one for all its worth.

Finally, to Terrell Owens: look man, give silence a try. Over ninety-nine percent of these people in the press are sycophants who just want to suck your character dry and have a reason to indulge in their prejudices. So, please stop talking to the press. Try “no comment.” Try, “Look you’ll have to go elsewhere for sound bites from now on. I have no more to say.” And try to think first. No, don’t try, just think.