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Monday Love: Hall Returns Home For XFL

Former Gator Coach Now In Orlando

By Matt Mochow
NewsChannel2000.com staff writer

ORLANDO, Updated 12:50 a.m. EDT September 25, 2000 --Every Monday, NewsChannel2000.com staff writer Matt Mochow will start the week off with a column entitled Monday Love. The column will include his views on the week in sports. Mochow will interview a local sports figure each week with hopes of bringing you closer to the sports scene in Central Florida. Some interviews will examine prominent athletes in the area, others will cover athletes that are not as well-known. If you enjoy what you read, or if you hate what you read, send an email. Either way we hope you'll check out the site every Monday for Matt Mochow's Monday Love.

Professional football has arrived in Orlando in the form of the XFL -- a new league set to kickoff in February containing eight teams from around the country.

The Orlando Rage will be led by head coach Galen Hall. Yes, the same Galen Hall that coached the former World League team here in town back from 1991-1992 the Orlando Thunder. Hall has also coached in college for West Virginia, Oklahoma and the Florida Gators. Since 1995 he has been the head coach of the NFL-Europe’s Rhein Fire where he has won two championships in the last three years.

So why leave such a successful team behind?

"This gives me a chance to coach in my home town of Orlando." Hall said. "I think this league has a place and I am starting a new adventure coaching the Rage."

With the league beginning in early February and running until late April it will not be in competition with the NFL. Coach Hall and his staff are currently evaluating talent and put them into a draft pool. The Rage are looking at players that were cut from NFL rosters as well as players competing in the Arena League and Canada as they prepare for the October 28th draft.

"There are a lot of good football players out there. A lot of good players who haven’t made NFL teams because they are in the wrong place at the wrong time or the salary cap has sent these players into a non-active role for the NFL," Hall said.

Even without a team yet Hall believes the Rage will be competitive. Hall typically runs a one-back system that runs the ball early on to open up the passing game.

"I have a system that I have run for over 10 years that has been successful," commented Hall.

The 2001 XFL season will mark coach Hall's 36th season as a football coach.

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