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Life of a Saint: Derland Moore
Posted on 7/2/23 at 10:07 pm
Posted on 7/2/23 at 10:07 pm
Slow time of the year so I thought some might enjoy some Saints History. He was a relative to an in-law of mine' He died in 2020 and he is in the Saints Hall of Fame so I found it interesting.
LINK
Whether it was playing defensive tackle, defensive end or nose tackle, Derland Moore brought consistency, and one of the quickest first steps in football, to the field throughout his career.
At first glance, he’s a big guy, but unassuming in nature. His mild-mannered temperament and southern accent are comforting to the soul. He’s got a laugh as infectious as they come. If you ran into him wandering his storage facility in Mandeville, Louisiana today, you’d hardly know what a ferocious, punishing defender he was.
A terror to opposing offense and a gentleman to everyone else, that’s Derland Moore.
Life of a Saint: Derland Moore
Today, he’d tell you, “I’m like a used car. All of the parts are there, just some of them don’t work”, but back then he was the stereotypical big, strong farm boy. And growing up on a farm in Poplar Bluff, Missouri not only filled his days with work, but life lessons as well. Moore explained, “You learn work ethic. You have to if you want to eat. There was always something to do. You never had to look around for something to stay busy.” Being up before sunrise and done working after sunset helped Moore learn at a young age that hard work was the only way to accomplish his goals.
Aside from a great mental makeup, the hard work also helped Moore built raw strength by high school. That strength was beneficial both on the football field and in track. “Track was my entry into college football. I was involved in Junior Olympics in Poplar Bluff. A gentleman who was my mentor, Sam Giambelluca, was badgering my dad to have me do shotput. I hadn’t even practiced it that summer. I set the record and won the AAU meet there in Poplar Bluff. It just so happened that the regionals were at the University of Oklahoma”, Moore stated. Oklahoma track head coach J.D. Martin offered Moore a full-ride scholarship on the spot to attend the University of Oklahoma. Although there were other suitors to Moore’s talents, none carried the weight of Oklahoma. Moore exclaimed, “My God, Oklahoma, if you get an opportunity to go there… That was the golden nugget!”
Derland Moore, the Sooner
Prior to Moore signing with the Oklahoma Sooners, he kicked the tires at a few school, including the University of Missouri. Moore shared, “At the University of Missouri, I asked them if I could walk on. They told me it would be a waste of my time and theirs too. So, we played the University of Missouri every year and I made sure that they paid a price. They got the 120% game. I got a game ball every year we played against Missouri. Dan Devine was the head coach at the University of Missouri. It was my sophomore year and I nailed one of the running backs. He went flying underneath their bench. It was on their side of the field and the game was played in Oklahoma. So, I got up and there’s Dan Devine right there and I said, ‘Hey Coach Devine, Derland Moore. Remember? I wasn’t good enough to play for you.’ Then I was jogging on the field and I heard his voice, ‘Would you allow me to reconsider?’”
That comment was followed by about 30 seconds of laughter.
Every player that ultimately achieves the dream of playing in the NFL runs into a series of instrumental people in their life, but there’s always that one person that made the biggest impact. Moore would find that person while playing for Oklahoma in Jimmy Johnson. “Jimmy Johnson was all about technique and taught me to be more than just a one-way player. Jimmy demanded and wouldn’t accept anything but your absolute best. He brought out things that I didn’t even know I had in myself”, Moore recalled. Moore was also surrounded by talented coaches Chuck Fairbanks and Barry Switzer while playing at Oklahoma.
Family Ties in New Orleans
Derland Moore described the University of Oklahoma as a ‘family’. Well, one of his fellow Sooners just happened to be the head coach of the New Orleans Saints when the sought-after Moore entered the draft. J.D. Roberts, an Outland Trophy winner while at Oklahoma, took notice of Moore when he had an impressive game while playing a bitter rival in Texas.
Since the Saints had traded away their first-round pick in 1973, the question was whether Derland Moore would still be available when the Saints picked early in round two. Luckily, Moore was available, and Roberts came through on his promise to draft the 6’4”, 250-pound defensive lineman. While the two seemed like they were destined to work together for years to come, Roberts was fired after the final pre-season game of the 1973 season, making way for interim coach John North.
Moore recalled his first team meeting under Coach North. “It was turmoil in New Orleans when John North took over. What you’d expect the coach to say was, ‘Hey guys. This is not the way I wanted to get this job, but I’m here and we’re gonna make the best of it and win some games.’ That’s what you would expect to hear. But the first words out of his mouth were, ‘I don’t know how long you are gonna be here. I’m gonna be here a long time. I have a long-term contract.’ Those were the first words out of his mouth. We all just kind of looked around at each other like, ‘What the hell? Where did this lunatic come from?’” He then continued, “We proceeded to get beat by Atlanta that week, 62-7. It was almost a revolt. We actually had a meeting about whether we were going to not show up for practice until they changed coaches. He was just looney tunes.”
That 62-7 loss to Atlanta still holds the mark for the most lopsided game in the history of the Saints-Falcons rivalry.
The problems with Coach North weren’t just in the locker room. To give an understanding of his time under Coach North on the field, Moore then offered, “We had three running plays and two passing plays, and we didn’t have a 2-minute offense. And this was 1973. They’d ask poor Archie Manning and he’s doing the best he can. It was near the end of a game and we needed a touchdown to win the game. Reporters would ask, ‘Why didn’t you go into the 2-minute offense to speed things up?’ He said, ‘Well, we don’t have a 2-minute offense.’” Whether it was embarrassment or pressure from the media, Coach North then started incorporating a 2-minute offense into the Saints playbook.
Part:1
LINK
Whether it was playing defensive tackle, defensive end or nose tackle, Derland Moore brought consistency, and one of the quickest first steps in football, to the field throughout his career.
At first glance, he’s a big guy, but unassuming in nature. His mild-mannered temperament and southern accent are comforting to the soul. He’s got a laugh as infectious as they come. If you ran into him wandering his storage facility in Mandeville, Louisiana today, you’d hardly know what a ferocious, punishing defender he was.
A terror to opposing offense and a gentleman to everyone else, that’s Derland Moore.
Life of a Saint: Derland Moore
Today, he’d tell you, “I’m like a used car. All of the parts are there, just some of them don’t work”, but back then he was the stereotypical big, strong farm boy. And growing up on a farm in Poplar Bluff, Missouri not only filled his days with work, but life lessons as well. Moore explained, “You learn work ethic. You have to if you want to eat. There was always something to do. You never had to look around for something to stay busy.” Being up before sunrise and done working after sunset helped Moore learn at a young age that hard work was the only way to accomplish his goals.
Aside from a great mental makeup, the hard work also helped Moore built raw strength by high school. That strength was beneficial both on the football field and in track. “Track was my entry into college football. I was involved in Junior Olympics in Poplar Bluff. A gentleman who was my mentor, Sam Giambelluca, was badgering my dad to have me do shotput. I hadn’t even practiced it that summer. I set the record and won the AAU meet there in Poplar Bluff. It just so happened that the regionals were at the University of Oklahoma”, Moore stated. Oklahoma track head coach J.D. Martin offered Moore a full-ride scholarship on the spot to attend the University of Oklahoma. Although there were other suitors to Moore’s talents, none carried the weight of Oklahoma. Moore exclaimed, “My God, Oklahoma, if you get an opportunity to go there… That was the golden nugget!”
Derland Moore, the Sooner
Prior to Moore signing with the Oklahoma Sooners, he kicked the tires at a few school, including the University of Missouri. Moore shared, “At the University of Missouri, I asked them if I could walk on. They told me it would be a waste of my time and theirs too. So, we played the University of Missouri every year and I made sure that they paid a price. They got the 120% game. I got a game ball every year we played against Missouri. Dan Devine was the head coach at the University of Missouri. It was my sophomore year and I nailed one of the running backs. He went flying underneath their bench. It was on their side of the field and the game was played in Oklahoma. So, I got up and there’s Dan Devine right there and I said, ‘Hey Coach Devine, Derland Moore. Remember? I wasn’t good enough to play for you.’ Then I was jogging on the field and I heard his voice, ‘Would you allow me to reconsider?’”
That comment was followed by about 30 seconds of laughter.
Every player that ultimately achieves the dream of playing in the NFL runs into a series of instrumental people in their life, but there’s always that one person that made the biggest impact. Moore would find that person while playing for Oklahoma in Jimmy Johnson. “Jimmy Johnson was all about technique and taught me to be more than just a one-way player. Jimmy demanded and wouldn’t accept anything but your absolute best. He brought out things that I didn’t even know I had in myself”, Moore recalled. Moore was also surrounded by talented coaches Chuck Fairbanks and Barry Switzer while playing at Oklahoma.
Family Ties in New Orleans
Derland Moore described the University of Oklahoma as a ‘family’. Well, one of his fellow Sooners just happened to be the head coach of the New Orleans Saints when the sought-after Moore entered the draft. J.D. Roberts, an Outland Trophy winner while at Oklahoma, took notice of Moore when he had an impressive game while playing a bitter rival in Texas.
Since the Saints had traded away their first-round pick in 1973, the question was whether Derland Moore would still be available when the Saints picked early in round two. Luckily, Moore was available, and Roberts came through on his promise to draft the 6’4”, 250-pound defensive lineman. While the two seemed like they were destined to work together for years to come, Roberts was fired after the final pre-season game of the 1973 season, making way for interim coach John North.
Moore recalled his first team meeting under Coach North. “It was turmoil in New Orleans when John North took over. What you’d expect the coach to say was, ‘Hey guys. This is not the way I wanted to get this job, but I’m here and we’re gonna make the best of it and win some games.’ That’s what you would expect to hear. But the first words out of his mouth were, ‘I don’t know how long you are gonna be here. I’m gonna be here a long time. I have a long-term contract.’ Those were the first words out of his mouth. We all just kind of looked around at each other like, ‘What the hell? Where did this lunatic come from?’” He then continued, “We proceeded to get beat by Atlanta that week, 62-7. It was almost a revolt. We actually had a meeting about whether we were going to not show up for practice until they changed coaches. He was just looney tunes.”
That 62-7 loss to Atlanta still holds the mark for the most lopsided game in the history of the Saints-Falcons rivalry.
The problems with Coach North weren’t just in the locker room. To give an understanding of his time under Coach North on the field, Moore then offered, “We had three running plays and two passing plays, and we didn’t have a 2-minute offense. And this was 1973. They’d ask poor Archie Manning and he’s doing the best he can. It was near the end of a game and we needed a touchdown to win the game. Reporters would ask, ‘Why didn’t you go into the 2-minute offense to speed things up?’ He said, ‘Well, we don’t have a 2-minute offense.’” Whether it was embarrassment or pressure from the media, Coach North then started incorporating a 2-minute offense into the Saints playbook.
Part:1
This post was edited on 7/2/23 at 10:18 pm
3
Posted on 7/2/23 at 10:09 pm to hellsu
Part 2:
The Unpayable Debt
Aside from a single game playing for the New York Jets in 1986, Derland Moore played his entire career as a New Orleans Saint. With 13 seasons in the Big Easy, Moore took away his share of experiences while in the black and gold. While the coaching situation wasn’t ideal from the start, Moore shared that a veteran would pay him a debt he admittedly could never return.
“Jake Kupp, our offensive guard, was about a 10 or 12-year veteran at the time I arrived. Every day after practice, he’d say, ‘Derland, let’s go do some pass rushes.’ I was a little bit behind in my pass rushing technique because we didn’t rush the passer that much in the Big 8. It was mostly ‘crunch a bunch’. You just didn’t throw the ball that much. Jake, and I don’t even know why he did this because he had to be tired being in the league that long, but every day after practice he would get my arse over there and we would do about 10 to 15 pass rushes. He just did that on his own, just to teach me. I will never forget that guy as long as I live. He was a great player and is a great person, great family man. I could never thank the man enough for helping me”, an appreciative Moore shared. Moore also mentioned that if you could beat Kupp, you could beat anyone in the league.
Stability in an Unstable Environment
Whether it was playing defensive tackle, defensive end or nose tackle, Derland Moore brought consistency, and one of the quickest first steps in football, to the field throughout his career. He did all this through a very volatile time in Saints history. During his career, Moore saw the head coach change seven times in New Orleans, the opposite of today’s model of consistency with the Saints and Sean Payton. When asked about playing through the constant changes, Moore offered, “That was the hardest part. It was turmoil.
Turmoil, perhaps, but the Saints finally found a great combination of talent and coaching in the 80’s under Bum Phillips. “The 3-4 is designed to let the linebackers make the tackle. The defensive linemen scoop the trash. When we went to that under Bum, we were the number one defense for a couple years in the NFC. I played with some great guys. Bruce Clark, ‘Dirt’ Winston, Rickey Jackson, Frank Warren, Jim Wilks and the rest of us made up a pretty damn salty defense.” The group put the New Orleans defense on the map in 1982-84, finishing in the top five in the league in yards allowed all three years. Finally, the Saints had some consistency.
NFLPA Arm Wrestling Championship
Looking back at his career, Derland Moore admittedly jested, “It seems like my whole career goes into one big beating.” But when asked to pick his favorite memory, Moore went off the field, saying, “I would say that my greatest and fondest memories from the NFL was winning the NFL arm wrestling championship. Winning the NFL arm wrestling championship was the highlight of my career because we were looked down upon in the rest of the league. We were the doormat. On the other side of the coin, that gave me pleasure, just beating the s—t out of those guys. It’s weird that my favorite memory isn’t even playing football.”
Moore explained that this was something he really wanted and was willing to put in the work to achieve. He shared, “I didn’t exactly just show up and stick my arm out like an old country farm boy. I worked at that. I was getting second and third place. Russell Paternostro, our strength coach under Bum Phillips, asked me, ‘Do you want to win it?’ I would work out for two hours for football and then for another hour just on arm wrestling stuff. Also, a friend of mine had a milk farm and he’d save me a couple cows to milk to get my hand strength up. I would do that twice a week. It started out he’d save me one cow, then save me two cows from the milking machine. So, this wasn’t exactly a fluke. I actually worked and earned that. In the championship rounds, I beat Fred Dean the first year and Steve McMichael the second year.”
An Unforgettable Walk
The combination of genetics, a hard-nosed upbringing, being around the right people and pure luck allowed Derland Moore to put forth an outstanding 14-year NFL career. And with the incredible play came a host of honors. While every honor received is very special to Moore, there is one that stands out to him. “It was damn nice to be selected on the 50th team in New Orleans as the best of the best. That was a damn nice feeling. There are some good guys involved in that. John Hill was part of that. John passed away a year ago. John and I actually lived together for three years, so we were close friends. To be a part of it with him and Archie Manning, Stan Brock, Tommy Myers, Rickey Jackson and the rest of those guys was special”, Moore shared. He then continued, saying, “I’m fixing to get my knees chopped on finally in September. I’m getting some new wheels put in. My knees were bad at the time of that 50th team celebration and they said, ‘Derland, we’re going to take you out there in a golf cart’, and I said, ‘You’ll play hell too.’ I said, ‘All you have to do is get me to the ramp and I’m gonna walk on that field.’ And I did, but I gotta tell you, it was close. It came to the point where we had to get off the field and I didn’t know if I was gonna get off in time for them to start the game. The only option was that I was gonna walk out there and I was gonna walk off. Then I fell on that golf cart as soon as I got out of everybody’s view.” Moore finished that statement with another big laugh. He finished with, “All those awards are very special. But the 50th team with New Orleans, that was super special.”
As time has passed, Moore still holds those football memories dear to his heart. Not so much for the X’s and O’s, but rather for the people he had the privilege to meet along the way. He reflected, “We’re reaching the age where some of them are passing away. Hokie Gajan and I were roommates in training camp for three or four years. Seeing him pass away at 58 years old, man that hurt. Hokie was a guy that gave it up. He left it all on the field. He was beat up pretty bad and when he got to be 58 years old, I took a good look at him and said, ‘Damn Hokie. Do you have any good joints left in your body?’ He said, ‘I don’t know, Derland. I can’t bend down to find out.’ Another was Brad Edelman, who’s impact on Moore was so great that Moore named his youngest son after the former Saints offensive lineman. All in all, the game of football has given Derland Moore memories that will last a lifetime.
So, if you’re in the neighborhood of Mandeville, Louisiana, go find out for yourself. Maybe you’ll get to hear some of his memories about Steve and Tinker Owens and the impact they made in Oklahoma during his college years. Or maybe it’ll be about Fred Dean and how he was shot one morning and then set a 1.5 mile run record that same afternoon. If you’re lucky, it could be one of his ‘not fit for print’ stories.
Whichever story you get, you can bank on being greeted with hospitality, hearing that comfortable southern accent and enjoying whole lot of those Derland Moore laughs.
The Unpayable Debt
Aside from a single game playing for the New York Jets in 1986, Derland Moore played his entire career as a New Orleans Saint. With 13 seasons in the Big Easy, Moore took away his share of experiences while in the black and gold. While the coaching situation wasn’t ideal from the start, Moore shared that a veteran would pay him a debt he admittedly could never return.
“Jake Kupp, our offensive guard, was about a 10 or 12-year veteran at the time I arrived. Every day after practice, he’d say, ‘Derland, let’s go do some pass rushes.’ I was a little bit behind in my pass rushing technique because we didn’t rush the passer that much in the Big 8. It was mostly ‘crunch a bunch’. You just didn’t throw the ball that much. Jake, and I don’t even know why he did this because he had to be tired being in the league that long, but every day after practice he would get my arse over there and we would do about 10 to 15 pass rushes. He just did that on his own, just to teach me. I will never forget that guy as long as I live. He was a great player and is a great person, great family man. I could never thank the man enough for helping me”, an appreciative Moore shared. Moore also mentioned that if you could beat Kupp, you could beat anyone in the league.
Stability in an Unstable Environment
Whether it was playing defensive tackle, defensive end or nose tackle, Derland Moore brought consistency, and one of the quickest first steps in football, to the field throughout his career. He did all this through a very volatile time in Saints history. During his career, Moore saw the head coach change seven times in New Orleans, the opposite of today’s model of consistency with the Saints and Sean Payton. When asked about playing through the constant changes, Moore offered, “That was the hardest part. It was turmoil.
Turmoil, perhaps, but the Saints finally found a great combination of talent and coaching in the 80’s under Bum Phillips. “The 3-4 is designed to let the linebackers make the tackle. The defensive linemen scoop the trash. When we went to that under Bum, we were the number one defense for a couple years in the NFC. I played with some great guys. Bruce Clark, ‘Dirt’ Winston, Rickey Jackson, Frank Warren, Jim Wilks and the rest of us made up a pretty damn salty defense.” The group put the New Orleans defense on the map in 1982-84, finishing in the top five in the league in yards allowed all three years. Finally, the Saints had some consistency.
NFLPA Arm Wrestling Championship
Looking back at his career, Derland Moore admittedly jested, “It seems like my whole career goes into one big beating.” But when asked to pick his favorite memory, Moore went off the field, saying, “I would say that my greatest and fondest memories from the NFL was winning the NFL arm wrestling championship. Winning the NFL arm wrestling championship was the highlight of my career because we were looked down upon in the rest of the league. We were the doormat. On the other side of the coin, that gave me pleasure, just beating the s—t out of those guys. It’s weird that my favorite memory isn’t even playing football.”
Moore explained that this was something he really wanted and was willing to put in the work to achieve. He shared, “I didn’t exactly just show up and stick my arm out like an old country farm boy. I worked at that. I was getting second and third place. Russell Paternostro, our strength coach under Bum Phillips, asked me, ‘Do you want to win it?’ I would work out for two hours for football and then for another hour just on arm wrestling stuff. Also, a friend of mine had a milk farm and he’d save me a couple cows to milk to get my hand strength up. I would do that twice a week. It started out he’d save me one cow, then save me two cows from the milking machine. So, this wasn’t exactly a fluke. I actually worked and earned that. In the championship rounds, I beat Fred Dean the first year and Steve McMichael the second year.”
An Unforgettable Walk
The combination of genetics, a hard-nosed upbringing, being around the right people and pure luck allowed Derland Moore to put forth an outstanding 14-year NFL career. And with the incredible play came a host of honors. While every honor received is very special to Moore, there is one that stands out to him. “It was damn nice to be selected on the 50th team in New Orleans as the best of the best. That was a damn nice feeling. There are some good guys involved in that. John Hill was part of that. John passed away a year ago. John and I actually lived together for three years, so we were close friends. To be a part of it with him and Archie Manning, Stan Brock, Tommy Myers, Rickey Jackson and the rest of those guys was special”, Moore shared. He then continued, saying, “I’m fixing to get my knees chopped on finally in September. I’m getting some new wheels put in. My knees were bad at the time of that 50th team celebration and they said, ‘Derland, we’re going to take you out there in a golf cart’, and I said, ‘You’ll play hell too.’ I said, ‘All you have to do is get me to the ramp and I’m gonna walk on that field.’ And I did, but I gotta tell you, it was close. It came to the point where we had to get off the field and I didn’t know if I was gonna get off in time for them to start the game. The only option was that I was gonna walk out there and I was gonna walk off. Then I fell on that golf cart as soon as I got out of everybody’s view.” Moore finished that statement with another big laugh. He finished with, “All those awards are very special. But the 50th team with New Orleans, that was super special.”
As time has passed, Moore still holds those football memories dear to his heart. Not so much for the X’s and O’s, but rather for the people he had the privilege to meet along the way. He reflected, “We’re reaching the age where some of them are passing away. Hokie Gajan and I were roommates in training camp for three or four years. Seeing him pass away at 58 years old, man that hurt. Hokie was a guy that gave it up. He left it all on the field. He was beat up pretty bad and when he got to be 58 years old, I took a good look at him and said, ‘Damn Hokie. Do you have any good joints left in your body?’ He said, ‘I don’t know, Derland. I can’t bend down to find out.’ Another was Brad Edelman, who’s impact on Moore was so great that Moore named his youngest son after the former Saints offensive lineman. All in all, the game of football has given Derland Moore memories that will last a lifetime.
So, if you’re in the neighborhood of Mandeville, Louisiana, go find out for yourself. Maybe you’ll get to hear some of his memories about Steve and Tinker Owens and the impact they made in Oklahoma during his college years. Or maybe it’ll be about Fred Dean and how he was shot one morning and then set a 1.5 mile run record that same afternoon. If you’re lucky, it could be one of his ‘not fit for print’ stories.
Whichever story you get, you can bank on being greeted with hospitality, hearing that comfortable southern accent and enjoying whole lot of those Derland Moore laughs.
Posted on 7/3/23 at 1:17 am to hellsu
Went hunting with Mr. Derland growing up. Great man and funny as hell. RIP
Posted on 7/3/23 at 9:03 am to hellsu
Outstanding post.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Posted on 7/3/23 at 10:02 am to subdude
Who the frick downvoted this? It’s a great read and Mr. Derland was a hell of a guy. Seriously doubt you can find anyone to say a bad thing about him at all
Posted on 7/3/23 at 10:17 am to Sweep Da Leg
All my favorite Saints are from when i was a kid growing up in the late 70’s and 80’s- Archie Manning, Hokie Gajan, Tommy Myers, Rickey Jackson, etc.
Derland was definitely one of them.
Derland was definitely one of them.
Posted on 7/3/23 at 10:39 am to hellsu
My Friend and coworker shared this with me. I don’t get on here often unless a friend sends me a funny story about my Father-in-law, Arthur Cantrelle from back in his LSU football days. Lol
Thanks for thIs post and helping to keep my Dad’s name alive. He is missed dearly but left a great legacy.
- Chip Moore
Thanks for thIs post and helping to keep my Dad’s name alive. He is missed dearly but left a great legacy.
- Chip Moore
This post was edited on 7/3/23 at 12:16 pm
Posted on 7/3/23 at 11:22 am to Qbmoore07
glad you posted. welcome and TY to your dad for his time with the Club.
Posted on 7/3/23 at 11:51 am to Qbmoore07
Your Dad was quite a Guy. I met him once I believe at a Baby Shower or something like that. All the guys went into the living room while the females were in another room. I was just a Jr. High School kid in a room full of older guys but your Dad made a point of asking me about sports and other interests I had and it really put me at ease. Your Dad always seemed to me to be the type of guy that worked hard for and truly earned any of his honors. Highest respect to him.
Posted on 7/3/23 at 12:29 pm to hellsu
Thanks for sharing this. That was him. Genuinely nice to everyone he met..unless it was on the field. Lol. Great father, grandfather, man, and player.
This post was edited on 7/3/23 at 12:32 pm
Posted on 7/3/23 at 7:06 pm to hellsu
I watched the Saints from the beginning, and Derland Moore was a big part of my young fanhood.
Posted on 7/4/23 at 8:25 am to Qbmoore07
Derland Moore always struck me as a gentle giant and I never knew the man, but everything you say about your father is just how I imagined him to be. A kind and gentle soul off the field, and justa terror on the football field. 
God bless, you and your Pops! He'll always be one of my favorite Saints! May he RIP!
God bless, you and your Pops! He'll always be one of my favorite Saints! May he RIP!Posted on 7/4/23 at 8:59 am to Qbmoore07
Didn’t your pops have a construction company in Metairie at one time?
Posted on 7/4/23 at 9:41 am to LSUBALLER
I believe he had Gridiron Const. for several years.
Posted on 7/4/23 at 9:57 am to hellsu
There’s a few ex players that have stayed in NewOrleans and opened construction companies . Right now Tyrone Leggete has Legette Construction. He was originally from South Carolina played at Nebraska. Guess I am saying as much as we love these players they love the city back.
Posted on 7/4/23 at 11:45 am to Qbmoore07
I met your dad briefly as a patient. He was a nice man and we talked football for a few minutes. Great man!
Posted on 7/5/23 at 6:21 pm to WylieTiger
I fondly remember him as an early Saint. He was a favorite.
Posted on 7/6/23 at 1:35 pm to LSUBALLER
He did. Gridiron Construction.
Posted on 7/6/23 at 1:39 pm to hellsu
Yes, he ran it for about 15 yrs bf he semi-retired info the storage business.
Posted on 7/6/23 at 2:10 pm to Qbmoore07
Here is another great article on your Dad unfortunately it begins with the announcement of his passing. I hope you don't mind. This is just a great read.
LINK
Derland Moore, who played for Saints and Sooners, dead at 68
Derland Moore, who played 14 seasons in the NFL and was an All-American defensive lineman at the University of Oklahoma, died Thursday night.
The Poplar Bluff native was 68.
Moore was a walk-on at Oklahoma after earning a track scholarship based on one meet that his father didn’t want him to attend because he had to work on the family farm.
Later, when Paul Moore was told by his son he wanted to quit after a few days of practice with the Sooners football team he gave Derland two choices.
“I could go back out and do my fighting on the football team or I’d have to fight him the next time I got home,” Derland once recalled.
“I chose the football team.”
Oklahoma won 29 of 35 games over Moore’s three years as a starter, but over 13 seasons in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints, he endured more than his fair share of losses.
“It started out like a Disney movie, then I got drafted by the New Orleans Saints and it turned into hell,” Moore once joked.
A 1969 graduate of Poplar Bluff High School, Moore played on the Mules undefeated team his sophomore year and was named second-team all-conference as a senior offensive lineman.
At the start of his senior year Moore was a 6-foot-4, 215-pound 16-year-old that, as he put it, “wasn’t very coordinated.”
But he could throw the shot and Sam Giambelluca wanted Moore to compete in an AAU track meet in Norman, Oklahoma.
Moore’s school record in the event of 59-feet, 11.75-inches set in 1968 still stands and he finished second at the state high school championships as a senior.
After some convincing by Giambelluca, Paul Moore allowed his son to go on the trip. Derland set a meet record and caught the attention of Sooners track coach J.D. Martin.
Moore agreed to a scholarship on the condition he could try out for the football team.
“If it hadn’t been for Sam, there wouldn’t have been Derland Moore the football player,” Moore said in 2008.
After an initial setback, and his father’s ultimatum, Moore found a fight, actually 13, but one stood out.
“The way we all noticed Derland Moore was when he got into a fight with our All-American senior tight end Steve Zabel,” said Larry Lacewell, the defensive coordinator at Oklahoma in a 1987 interview.
“Most freshmen are scared to death of seniors, much less one that’s an All-American. When he got in that fight with Zabel, that got our attention.”
Jimmy Johnson, the Hall of Famer who was Oklahoma’s defensive line coach, said at the time of Moore’s retirement he was a hard worker.
“He was dedicated and had a burning desire to do well,” Johnson said in 1987. “He was very intent and listened to everything you said.
“He’s the kind of player you always remember.”
Wearing No. 97, Moore started every game in three years for the Sooners, who won three bowl games and finished second in the nation twice with 11-1 records. He earned All-Big Eight honors twice and was an All-American as a senior after a dominating performance against No. 10 Texas.
Moore blocked a punt that a teammate returned for a touchdown, returned a fumble for another score and had 10 tackles as the second-ranked Sooners shut out the Longhorns 27-0.
The Associated Press named Moore the national lineman of the week and he won the “Gomer Jones Award” as outstanding college lineman in Oklahoma.
After playing in the Coaches All-American Game and College All-Star Game, Moore was drafted in the second round by the New Orleans Saints as the 29th overall pick in 1973.
At the time he was the highest walk-on selected in the NFL Draft.
Moore made his professional debut in the second week of the season at Dallas, a 40-3 loss.
He started 146 of 170 career games for the Saints, which still ranks eighth most in franchise history. He was selected as a Pro Bowl alternate twice and led the Saints in sacks at a time when it was not a statistic that was kept.
Moore won the NFL Arm Wrestling Championship in 1983 and in ’84.
“That’s probably going to go on my tombstone,” Moore once joked.
He was also the Miller Lite Saints Man of the Year in ’83 and on Nov. 4, 1984 he was honored with Derland Moore Day in New Orleans.
The Saints never had a winning season when Moore wore No. 97. Twice they finished 8-8, missing the playoffs in 1983 with a 26-24 loss to the Rams in the final game of the regular season.
Moore signed his first contract for a $21,000 and a $32,000 bonus while his final contract with the Saints paid $1.5 million over three years.
Moore was released by the Saints after minor knee surgery in 1986 and was picked up by the New York Jets.
Moore appeared in two playoff games with the Jets, who lost to the Cleveland Browns 23-20 in overtime of the Divisional Playoff, after the Jets led by 10 in the fourth quarter.
Moore retired prior to the 1987 season.
“It was the thrill of my NFL career,” Moore said in 2008. “It was everything I thought it would be and more. The thing about it is, I wanted it to be in New Orleans but that option didn’t exist. It would’ve meant a whole lot on the Saints but I am grateful to the Jets organization for giving me an opportunity.”
Born Oct. 7, 1951, in Malden, Missouri, to the late Paul and Charlene Moore, Derland Paul Moore was inducted into three halls of fame, had awards named in his honor, as well as the football field he played on in high school.
Moore, who wore No. 77 for the Mules, was a sophomore in 1966 when Poplar Bluff went 9-0 with four shutouts.
“That was a good group of guys, those juniors and seniors, that ’66 group,” Moore said in 2010. “I guess I really wanted them to be proud of me.”
Moore was inducted into the Poplar Bluff Sports Hall of Fame in 1987.
The Saints Hall of Fame added Moore in 1991 and he was named a member of the 40th and 50th anniversary teams.
In 2004, Moore was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
Since 2011, the best defensive high school player in the SEMO Conference is given the Derland Moore Award. The Poplar Bluff High School football team also has a Derland Moore Award presented to a player exemplifying a dedication to the game through perseverance, personal sacrifice and hard work.
The field at Morrow Stadium in Poplar Bluff was dedicated as Derland Moore Field in 2010. The Mules went 20-9 at home after that, winning their last game in 2015 before moving into their new home across town. It is currently home to the Junior High football team, which won Thursday night at Sikeston, and the youth football league.
“I thought about the things you dream of as a little kid,” Moore said of the ceremony. “Right now, tonight, I actually lived a little kid’s dreams. They actually came true.”
Moore is survived by his wife, Frannie Moore, his children, Kimberly Moore, Michelle Moore Wells, Derland Moore II and Bradford Moore; grandchildren, Alexander and Zachary Waite, Bailor and Derland Wells, Caralyne and Camdyn Mooore; a sister, Teri Dicks, brothers, Sean Moore and Andrew Moore.
A private family Mass will be held at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Mandeville, Louisiana.
Your Dad was the best kind of hero. Actions speak louder than words.
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Derland Moore, who played for Saints and Sooners, dead at 68
Derland Moore, who played 14 seasons in the NFL and was an All-American defensive lineman at the University of Oklahoma, died Thursday night.
The Poplar Bluff native was 68.
Moore was a walk-on at Oklahoma after earning a track scholarship based on one meet that his father didn’t want him to attend because he had to work on the family farm.
Later, when Paul Moore was told by his son he wanted to quit after a few days of practice with the Sooners football team he gave Derland two choices.
“I could go back out and do my fighting on the football team or I’d have to fight him the next time I got home,” Derland once recalled.
“I chose the football team.”
Oklahoma won 29 of 35 games over Moore’s three years as a starter, but over 13 seasons in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints, he endured more than his fair share of losses.
“It started out like a Disney movie, then I got drafted by the New Orleans Saints and it turned into hell,” Moore once joked.
A 1969 graduate of Poplar Bluff High School, Moore played on the Mules undefeated team his sophomore year and was named second-team all-conference as a senior offensive lineman.
At the start of his senior year Moore was a 6-foot-4, 215-pound 16-year-old that, as he put it, “wasn’t very coordinated.”
But he could throw the shot and Sam Giambelluca wanted Moore to compete in an AAU track meet in Norman, Oklahoma.
Moore’s school record in the event of 59-feet, 11.75-inches set in 1968 still stands and he finished second at the state high school championships as a senior.
After some convincing by Giambelluca, Paul Moore allowed his son to go on the trip. Derland set a meet record and caught the attention of Sooners track coach J.D. Martin.
Moore agreed to a scholarship on the condition he could try out for the football team.
“If it hadn’t been for Sam, there wouldn’t have been Derland Moore the football player,” Moore said in 2008.
After an initial setback, and his father’s ultimatum, Moore found a fight, actually 13, but one stood out.
“The way we all noticed Derland Moore was when he got into a fight with our All-American senior tight end Steve Zabel,” said Larry Lacewell, the defensive coordinator at Oklahoma in a 1987 interview.
“Most freshmen are scared to death of seniors, much less one that’s an All-American. When he got in that fight with Zabel, that got our attention.”
Jimmy Johnson, the Hall of Famer who was Oklahoma’s defensive line coach, said at the time of Moore’s retirement he was a hard worker.
“He was dedicated and had a burning desire to do well,” Johnson said in 1987. “He was very intent and listened to everything you said.
“He’s the kind of player you always remember.”
Wearing No. 97, Moore started every game in three years for the Sooners, who won three bowl games and finished second in the nation twice with 11-1 records. He earned All-Big Eight honors twice and was an All-American as a senior after a dominating performance against No. 10 Texas.
Moore blocked a punt that a teammate returned for a touchdown, returned a fumble for another score and had 10 tackles as the second-ranked Sooners shut out the Longhorns 27-0.
The Associated Press named Moore the national lineman of the week and he won the “Gomer Jones Award” as outstanding college lineman in Oklahoma.
After playing in the Coaches All-American Game and College All-Star Game, Moore was drafted in the second round by the New Orleans Saints as the 29th overall pick in 1973.
At the time he was the highest walk-on selected in the NFL Draft.
Moore made his professional debut in the second week of the season at Dallas, a 40-3 loss.
He started 146 of 170 career games for the Saints, which still ranks eighth most in franchise history. He was selected as a Pro Bowl alternate twice and led the Saints in sacks at a time when it was not a statistic that was kept.
Moore won the NFL Arm Wrestling Championship in 1983 and in ’84.
“That’s probably going to go on my tombstone,” Moore once joked.
He was also the Miller Lite Saints Man of the Year in ’83 and on Nov. 4, 1984 he was honored with Derland Moore Day in New Orleans.
The Saints never had a winning season when Moore wore No. 97. Twice they finished 8-8, missing the playoffs in 1983 with a 26-24 loss to the Rams in the final game of the regular season.
Moore signed his first contract for a $21,000 and a $32,000 bonus while his final contract with the Saints paid $1.5 million over three years.
Moore was released by the Saints after minor knee surgery in 1986 and was picked up by the New York Jets.
Moore appeared in two playoff games with the Jets, who lost to the Cleveland Browns 23-20 in overtime of the Divisional Playoff, after the Jets led by 10 in the fourth quarter.
Moore retired prior to the 1987 season.
“It was the thrill of my NFL career,” Moore said in 2008. “It was everything I thought it would be and more. The thing about it is, I wanted it to be in New Orleans but that option didn’t exist. It would’ve meant a whole lot on the Saints but I am grateful to the Jets organization for giving me an opportunity.”
Born Oct. 7, 1951, in Malden, Missouri, to the late Paul and Charlene Moore, Derland Paul Moore was inducted into three halls of fame, had awards named in his honor, as well as the football field he played on in high school.
Moore, who wore No. 77 for the Mules, was a sophomore in 1966 when Poplar Bluff went 9-0 with four shutouts.
“That was a good group of guys, those juniors and seniors, that ’66 group,” Moore said in 2010. “I guess I really wanted them to be proud of me.”
Moore was inducted into the Poplar Bluff Sports Hall of Fame in 1987.
The Saints Hall of Fame added Moore in 1991 and he was named a member of the 40th and 50th anniversary teams.
In 2004, Moore was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
Since 2011, the best defensive high school player in the SEMO Conference is given the Derland Moore Award. The Poplar Bluff High School football team also has a Derland Moore Award presented to a player exemplifying a dedication to the game through perseverance, personal sacrifice and hard work.
The field at Morrow Stadium in Poplar Bluff was dedicated as Derland Moore Field in 2010. The Mules went 20-9 at home after that, winning their last game in 2015 before moving into their new home across town. It is currently home to the Junior High football team, which won Thursday night at Sikeston, and the youth football league.
“I thought about the things you dream of as a little kid,” Moore said of the ceremony. “Right now, tonight, I actually lived a little kid’s dreams. They actually came true.”
Moore is survived by his wife, Frannie Moore, his children, Kimberly Moore, Michelle Moore Wells, Derland Moore II and Bradford Moore; grandchildren, Alexander and Zachary Waite, Bailor and Derland Wells, Caralyne and Camdyn Mooore; a sister, Teri Dicks, brothers, Sean Moore and Andrew Moore.
A private family Mass will be held at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Mandeville, Louisiana.
Your Dad was the best kind of hero. Actions speak louder than words.
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