Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fane unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park.  Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches, and sit-down interviews with team officials. ( Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m./7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fane unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park.  Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches, and sit-down interviews with team officials. ( Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m./7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fane unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park.  Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches, and sit-down interviews with team officials. ( Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m./7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fane unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park.  Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches, and sit-down interviews with team officials. ( Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m./7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fane unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park.  Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches, and sit-down interviews with team officials. ( Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m./7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fane unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park.  Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches, and sit-down interviews with team officials. ( Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m./7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fane unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park.  Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches, and sit-down interviews with team officials. ( Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m./7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fane unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park.  Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches, and sit-down interviews with team officials. ( Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m./7:30 a.m. daily)

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Technically, DeAngelo Hall addressed the media first today, but I’m posting him second, hence the “Too” in the title.  I don’t mean to be confusing. 

Anyhow, Hall seemed enthusiastic, almost emotional, as he fielded questions from the assembled media, and it was clear that he was someone who honestly wants to be part of the Redskins organization. ( The point was made equally clearly during his strangely contentious appearance on the Sports Reporters on ESPN 980, although the audio doesn’t seem to have been posted yet as I type this.) 

Here’s what he had to say. 

On coming to the Redskins:“Wow, this is such an honor.  This is the place that I always wanted to be.  I was telling somebody the story that when I came out of college at Virginia Tech I remember taking a visit here.  It was me, Sean Taylor, and Kellen Winslow on that visit, and ever since that moment I always dreamed about calling this place home .” 

“You know, I got a chance after I left Oakland to come here for a couple of weeks and play football, and I had the best time of my life.  I had the best time.  A lot of people might say that in Oakland I lost a step or I might not have it. 

“And all I’ve gotta say is wait.  Wait and see.  Wait and see.  You know, that whole Oakland experience kinda opened my eyes to life in general.  You know, that it’s more than just running to the bucks.  That’s what I did.  I was so eager to run out of Atlanta that I just kinda ran to the first place that wanted me. 

“I did my due diligence.  This is definitely the place I wanted to be.  I want to thank Mr. Snyder.  I want to thank Vinny Cerrato for making it happen.  Coach Blache, Coach Zorn, Coach Gray.  I’m telling you, just wait and see.  I got nothing but stuff on my chest, stuff on my shoulders I’ve gotta get off, so just wait and see. 

“I can definitely still bring it, I am 25 years old, got a lot of football left in me.  So just wait and see.”  Read more »

Like this:

Two press conferences today at Redskins Park: Derrick Dockery and DeAngelo Hall.  After the Albert Haynesworth presser on Friday, I was struck by how charismatic he was, how genuinely enthused he seemed to be about the upcoming season, and how excited he appeared to be a Redskin. 

Today was more of the same, as both players were impressive in their 2009 Redskin debuts.  Hall, like Haynesworth, has heard some questions about his character and about his likely effort after the big payday; his press conference addressed those questions head on (and convincingly), and I’ll have the transcription of that up shortly. 

Dockery, like Haynesworth, seemed to feel sincerely blessed to be here, and (unlike Haynesworth) was excited to return to the place where his career took off. 

Dockery’s Opening Remarks:“First let me start off by saying I would like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for this opportunity.  Mr. Snyder, Vinny Cerrato, Mr. Eric Schaffer, Coach Bugel, and Coach Zorn for affording me this opportunity to come back.  I’m very elated and thankful to be back.  You don’t know how much I missed playing here. 

“We have our home here, so every time we would come back, I would always run into fans.  They would ask me how am I doing, when you coming back … and everything worked out for me to be back.  So I’m really excited about being here and I’m just ready to get to work, because I know the type of football that we play here at Redskins Park and here in Washington, and I know one thing: we will be physical.  We’ll play with intensity and passion.  My coach will make sure that happens, so … any questions?” 

On when he realized coming back here was a possibility:“When I first got released, it was a possibility.  I guess Vinny found out [I was available], Coach Buges called me about fifty times, you know, ‘Stud, come back, we want you here,’ and just to know that you’re wanted … to know that people still care about you…. 

“You know, being released was … I guess you could say a humbling experience.  That was my first time not being wanted as a player, growing up from high school to college and even in the National Football League.  But you live and you learn.  You learn from the mistakes that you’ve made, and hopefully you can grow from your experiences. 

“So I’m just glad to be back, man.  And I believe that the sky’s the limit for myself and for this team.  Coach Buges knows me as a player, the person that I am, he knows that I’m going to put forth my best effort, and that’s what I’m ready to do. ”Read more »

Like this:

Yesterday, I noted that a lot of people were using the “stimulus plan” metaphor to write about the Albert Haynesworth signing.  Today, Chris Cooley takes a look at how paying exorbitant amounts of money to professional football players actually DOES help to drive the economy.  Go figure. ( On the flipside, Norm Elrod at Jobless and Lessquestions the appropriateness of signing guys to big money deals in this economy.  I doubt Cooley’s explanation will make him feel better, but you never know.) 

Jarrett Bell of USA Today chatted with Daniel Snyder after the Haynesworth press conference, and found an owner who owned up to past mistakes, claimed to have learned from them, and was confident that Haynesworth would not be listed among them.