Tag: Mike Shanahan (Page 8 of 13)

      Haynesworth’s conditioning tests less about running, more about respect

      July 30, 2010 /
      ASHBURN, VA - JULY 29: New Head Coach Mike Shanahan of the Washington Redskins watches practice on the first day of training camp July 29, 2010 in Ashburn, Virginia. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

      Far be it for me to write about another man’s intentions, but it sure looks to me that Mike Shanahan’s conditioning test for Albert Haynesworth is less about cardio and more about respect.

      According to several media outlets, Haynesworth has failed two conditioning tests over the past two days. He passed the first leg of Shanahan’s test (which consisted of two 300-yard shuttle runs) on Thursday, only to fail the second because he needed to take a bathroom break. (No word yet on if it was a No. 1 or a No. 2 for Haynesworth.)

      When Shanahan asked Haynesworth to run a third leg of the test, the massive defensive tackle told his head coach that he has never had to run three such sprints during even his best of seasons (including the years he went to the Pro Bowl). Considering defensive linemen never have to run further than 5-10 yards on a given play, it would seem a little absurd that Shanahan would make Haynesworth run this much (especially while the DT is reportedly in great shape as it is).

      But that’s not the point now is it? The point is that Haynesworth spent virtually the entire offseason complaining about this situation in Washington and Shanahan wasn’t going to allow the defender to waltz into camp on Day 1 and act like everything is just gravy. Shanahan has been around long enough to know how to handle these types of situations and he has decided to test Haynesworth’s resolve right off the bat. Again, I can’t speak for Shanahan’s intentions, but it appears as though he’s making a point that one player doesn’t come above the team. And if you want to be a part of this team, you’re going to have to bust your hump. If you don’t, well, then there’s the door.

      If these are indeed Shanahan’s intentions when it comes to Haynesworth’s conditioning tests, then how could you not appreciate this if you’re a Redskins fan? Coming off of Jim Zorn, this has to be a welcoming sight in D.C.

      External Sports, NFL

      There’s still time for Albert Haynesworth to turn things around in D.C.

      July 28, 2010 /
      CHARLOTTE, NC - OCTOBER 11: Albert Haynesworth #92 of Washington Redskins looks at the scoreboard against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on October 11, 2009 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

      Chris Russell of 980 ESPN reports via his Twitter page that Redskins’ defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth will arrive early for training camp on Wednesday in an effort to reach out to head coach Mike Shanahan.

      That’s good news, but it’s only a start.

      Although they were few and far between, some believed that Haynesworth was within his rights to complain about his situation in Washington. They said that because the Redskins switched their defense from a 4-3 to a 3-4 and wanted Haynesworth to play defensive end that he should have begged his way out of Washington.

      But while that argument made sense on the surface, it completely ignored the fact that Haynesworth questioned the Redskins’ scheme last year as well – when he was playing in a 4-3. Following a 45-12 loss to the Giants on MNF, Haynesworth stated that he couldn’t survive another season in Greg Blache’s system.

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      External Sports, NFL

      Playing devil’s advocate with the Albert Haynesworth situation

      June 18, 2010 /

      While the rest of us fans and media members are playing the bongos with Albert Haynesworth’s vital organs this week, ESPN.com columnist Patrick Hruby decided to play devil’s advocate with the defensive end’s situation. Hruby even goes as far as to write that he’s sympathetic to Haynesworth.

      Here’s the crux of Hruby’s argument:

      Haynesworth’s argument essentially goes like this:

      I signed with the Redskins expecting to be a havoc-creating, quarterback-attacking playmaker in a 4-3 defense. That’s the role in which I excel; that’s the style of play I enjoy; that’s what was promised during my free-agent courtship. Only now, the team has shifted to a new coaching staff and a new 3-4 scheme, which basically asks me to eat double-team blocks. Thanks, but no thanks. I’d like a little more excitement. A lot more glory. Please send me somewhere else.

      Is that really so awful? So craven?

      Because this column is about the 6-foot-6, 350-pound Haynesworth — and not, say, the 5-6, 185-pound Darren Sproles — let’s try a food analogy. Imagine you’re a pastry chef. The top pastry chef in New York. A bunch of restaurants want you. One restaurant offers you more money than the others, plus the opportunity to run the dessert menu. You take it. A year later, the same restaurant switches to an all-fondue format and demands that you become a sous chef, chopping chocolate-dippable fruit wedges in the back room.

      Technically, you’re still preparing dessert. And you’re still working with sugar. Woo-hoo! But otherwise, it’s not exactly the gig you signed up for. Would you be annoyed? Feeling jerked around? Would you maybe call in sick and check the restaurant want ads, even though you’re perfectly healthy? Would you try to prepare apple tarts somewhere else, perhaps move to a soufflé-friendly city like Boston or Philadelphia?

      You would? Good. ‘Cause all of the above is pretty much Haynesworth’s situation. A situation that makes his reaction both understandably human and adult, as opposed to that of the world’s largest pouting toddler.

      It’s a fair point, but it only works if the Redskins promised Haynesworth that he wouldn’t have to play in the 3-4. He and his agent claim that’s what the Redskins told him, but there is no proof of that to my knowledge. (Side Note: If anyone has record of the Redskins telling Haynesworth he didn’t have to play in the 3-4, feel free to share it.)

      Hruby goes on…

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      External Sports, NFL

      Quick – everybody pile on!

      June 17, 2010 /

      Many of Albert Haynesworth’s Redskins teammates have expressed their displeasure over the last two days in the defensive tackle’s decision not to report to a mandatory mini-camp because he wants to be traded.

      Actually, let me start this post over. In 3…2…1…

      Many of Albert Haynesworth’s Redskins teammates think he’s a bum. And this post is in dedication to all the things that they’ve said about him since he’s decided that he can dictate where he plays and in what system he plays in.

      London Fletcher:

      “He can say what he wants to say about being traded, but there are ways he can’t be a Redskin — give the money back. I’m sure they’ll take it, and we’ll move on without him. I want teammates I can count on, depend on and know in the fourth quarter, will make a play and do the job that’s called of him. We need people we can depend on. Right now, he’s showed he can’t be depended on.”

      “It’s no different than his attitude and approach to last year’s defense, about wanting everything to revolve around him and him making plays. And if it didn’t benefit him, he wasn’t really willing to do it.”

      “There’s ways he cannot be a Redskin: Give the money back. We’ll move on without him. I want teammates who I can depend on, who I can count on, who in the fourth quarter I know is going to be there to make a play or do his job that the defense calls [for]. We need people that we can depend on. And at the end of the day, right now, he’s showing that he can’t be depended upon. … Last year we had a lot of selfishness that took place, and we got 4-12 out of that. This year, we can’t have that.”

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      External Sports, NFL

      Mike Shanahan needs talking about Albert Haynesworth like he needs another hole in his…

      May 20, 2010 /

      Mike Shanahan seems to be at his wits end talking about defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, who continues to be a ghost while the rest of his teammates work out at the Redskins’ OTAs.

      From the Washington Post:

      Shanahan took questions from the audience and was asked this question about his plans for defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth: “With all the money we gave Albert Haynesworth, what do you plan on doing with him?”

      Shanahan replied: “I really believe this: You’re either in or you’re out. I don’t like to give people any attention that’s not with us. As far as I’m concerned if you want to talk about the people that work every day, that do the little things the right way, I’ll talk forever. I’m not going to talk about people that aren’t with us.”

      I know it’s the media’s job to keep probing Shanahan about his feelings towards Haynesworth, but what do they want him to say at this point? He hasn’t shown up, so there’s nothing Shanahan can do or say about it.

      “Hey, Mike. I know we’ve asked you this every day for the past three weeks, but what are your feelings about Albert Haynesworth?”

      “Wait here – I’m going to go blow my brains out and when I come back, I’ll tell you.”


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL

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