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Blame lies at Snyder’s feet for Albert Haynesworth fiasco

Daniel Snyder, owner of the Washington Redskins NFL team, smiles on the field before their pre-season game against the Baltimore Ravens in Landover, Maryland, August 21, 2010. REUTERS/Jason Reed  (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)

If Daniel Snyder were looking for someone to blame for the way things have unraveled in Washington with the Albert Haynesworth situation, then all he has to do is plant himself in front of a mirror.

I get that this may be an oversimplified way of looking at the situation, but considering this could have all been avoided had Snyder not fallen victim to the same losing methods that he has embraced over the years, the situation is rather simple to grasp.

Haynesworth is who he is and the same goes for Mike Shanahan. As Shanahan has alluded to, Haynesworth is used to getting his way but that’s not going to fly with his new head coach, who has proven in his short stint with the Redskins that his players will fall in line. If you play for him, you’re going to do things his way, which includes practicing if you want to suit up on Sundays.

If Snyder wanted to avoid this situation, all he had to do was pass on cutting (figuratively, of course) Haynesworth a $100 million check last offseason. But because he had to have Haynesworth’s talent, it didn’t matter what the defensive tackle’s track record looked like.

And let’s look at that track record for a moment.

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Fantasy impact of the Sidney Rice news

In case you haven’t heard, Sidney Rice will be out until midseason after undergoing hip surgery. Obviously, this is a big loss for the Vikings, but what about the fantasy implications?

Let’s start with Rice himself. He’s going to miss the first half of the season and that assumes his recovery goes to plan. Rice is no more than a late-round pick. Stash him on your roster if you have the space and hope that he makes it back for the stretch run.

This news theoretically bumps up Harvin’s stock a bit, but with his migraine issues, there’s no guarantee he’s going to play 16 games either. He’s been going 6.10 over the last week, and while I’d rather have Santana Moss at this point, Harvin is not a bad pick in the 6th or the 7th. But don’t draft him unless you have a high tolerance for week-to-week uncertainty. That’s just how it’s going to be with Harvin, at least for this year.

Bernard Berrian seemingly gets the biggest bump of all the Viking players, and a 29 years old, he has plenty of football left to play. But Berrian is not Rice, so don’t expect anything more than fantasy WR3-type numbers. He’s currently going in the 14th, but I’d start to think about him in the 10th. And remember, he could be pushed back to the bench midseason if Rice comes back.

I’d also bump up Visanthe Shiancoe a bit more. I already liked him as a mid- to late-round sleeper after he posted TE5-type numbers over the last half of the ’09 season. Favre loves to throw to his tight end, especially around the goal line, and with Rice out, he’ll lean on Shiancoe even more.

As for Favre himself, this will probably hurt his numbers. He has a tendency to throw the ball up for grabs, and Rice excelled at using his length and leaping ability to go up and snag the ball out of the air. I’d expect fewer yards, fewer TDs and more picks. That’s just the nature of the beast.

The last guy to consider is Adrian Peterson. With Rice out, the defense will be able to crowd the box a bit more, but he’ll likely get more carries with the Vikings taking a more conservative approach offensively. His ypc will probably dip a bit, but more carries could offset this. I would still draft him in the top 4.

Sidney Rice out until midseason – are the Vikings in store for a fall?

NEW ORLEANS - JANUARY 24: Sidney Rice #18 of the Minnesota Vikings makes a reception against Randall Gay #20 of the New Orleans Saints during the NFC Championship Game at the Louisiana Superdome on January 24, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Saints won 31-28 in overtime. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

It’s only one player – a receiver, mind you. And even though this particular receiver caught 83 passes for 1,312 yards and eight touchdowns last season, he’s still only a receiver.

The Vikings can get by without Sidney Rice, who has elected to undergo hip surgery and is expected to miss half of the regular season. They still have Adrian Peterson, a solid offensive line, an excellent defense and an above average linebacker corps. And even though Rice was a huge part of their offense last season, Brett Favre has a habit of turning previously no-named receivers into Pro Bowlers.

Just look at Rice himself.

But even though the Vikings made it to the NFC Championship Game last season with practically the same roster, does anyone else get the sense that this team is in store for a freefall this year?

Favre is another year older and is coming off ankle surgery. Rice is out until midseason. Percy Harvin’s migraines are already holding him back. Peterson presumably still has fumbling issues. Versatile backup Chester Taylor is in Chicago. The secondary still has question marks. Etc.

Oh yeah, and Brad Childress is still in charge.

Even before Rice was hurt, I liked the Packers’ chances more than I did the Vikings. Assuming their offensive line holds up, they seem to be a more complete football team right now than the Vikings, whom everyone will be gunning for this season after they ripped apart the competition last year. That’s not to say that Minnesota isn’t a playoff contender because it is. I just don’t get the sense that this team is built to hold up for an entire 16-game season.

Again, Rice is only one player and I’m certainly not suggesting that because he’s out that the Vikings will crumble. But does anyone have more confidence in them right now than the Saints, Cowboys or Packers? I could see the Vikes racing out to a decent start but fading down the stretch. And I have zero faith in Childress to keep everything together.

Clippers in the running for Carmelo?

DALLAS - FEBRUARY 12: TV personality LaLa Vazquez (L) and NBA player Carmelo Anthony attend the Exclusive FABULOUS 23 Dinner hosted by Jordan Brand during All-Star Weekend on February 12, 2010 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Jordan Brand)

Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post thinks so:

Meanwhile, if the Nuggets cannot convince Carmelo Anthony to sign an extension with the team and they decide to trade him at some point, could it be to the Los Angeles Clippers? I’m hearing it could be a possibility. It would get both he and his wife, La La, out to where entertainment opportunities are plentiful, which is key factor in their decision to want to move on. The Nuggets might be able to get a good young player or two or draft picks, and Anthony would be able to play on a team with some good up-and-coming talent.

“I’m hearing it could be a possibility.”

I love statements like that. He’s not saying that it’s a possibility, he’s saying that it could be possible. In other words, it’s possible that it’s possible.

Great.

Clipper fans are a loyal, downtrodden bunch. Let them be. They just missed out on LeBron James even though they were never really in the running. Owner Donald Sterling vastly underestimates how bad his image is around the league, and the Clippers aren’t likely to have sustained success until he sells the team.

Strikeforce Houston: 10 Things Learned

E. Spencer Kyte breaks down 10 things that HeavyMMA.com learned from Strikeforce Houston.

Down with the King
Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante ended “King Mo” Lawal’s reign, delivering on the promise that was seemingly washed away when he failed to prepare and lost to Mike Kyle last year.

Always viewed as a dangerous striker, “Feijao” backed up the description, catching Lawal with power early in the third round. He credited the loss to Kyle with helping him refocuses and take his preparation more seriously, and it showed, as he handed the previously unbeaten champion the first loss of his career.

Increased Possibilities
The changing of the guard at the top of the 205-pound division will actually allow Strikeforce greater movement in matchmaking. Unlike Lawal who had expressed no interest in fighting friend and occasional training partner Renato “Babalu” Sobral, “Feijao” has no such allegiances.

As much as Mike Kyle wouldn’t be a title contender anywhere else, he holds a win over the new champ and a rematch is an easy pairing. Others like Dan Henderson and Gegard Mousasi could be considered as well.
Lawal is still a charismatic option on any future event, and being bumped back in the pecking order makes it easier to utilize him against the middle tier talent the division holds. While no one will probably officially agree, this result works out well for the San Jose-based outfit.

Read the full article here.

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