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Haynesworth and Shanahan share blame
When Albert Haynesworth played for the Tennessee Titans, running out of a 4-3 defense, he was one of the most dominant defensive players in the NFL -- well, when he wasn't stomping the faces of opposing offensive linemen, but I digress. Haynesworth was so impressive, especially in 2008 (a contract year) that Washington Redskins owner Dan Synder, an NFL owner noted for being incredibly frugal -- *cough-cough* -- surprised everybody when he dropped a $100 million contract in Haynesworth's lap.
After a decent-but-not-dominant 2009, Synder again jettisoned his then-coaching staff and replaced with the man who perhaps owes his career to the arm of John Elway, Mike Shanahan. The new regime brought about a change in the defensive philosophy of the Redskins, that is, switching it from a 4-3 to a 3-4, which reduces the effectiveness of defensive tackles, and is an obvious departure from the style in which Haynesworth previously thrived.
During contract years, especially.
The inevitable backlash from Synder's prized signing appeared, manifesting in an unwillingness to play (shameless plug) by the new coach's rules, which led directly the Haynesworth-versus-Shanahan circus we've all been enjoying for that past month or so.
The question that's been bugging me is why go 3-4 with Haynesworth? His effectiveness as a defensive tackle is pretty apparent, so the decision to potentially -- and very likely -- limit the effectiveness of the Redskins' best defensive player is puzzling. I'm guessing Brian Orakpo at linebacker has a lot to do with that.
That isn't to say Haynesworth isn't without blame, but then again, some say his tactics of stalling-by-failing Shanahan's conditioning tests are genius. He clearly didn't want to practice during training camp, and the do-si-do with the conditioning test enabled him to get what he wanted.
Running his mouth to the media, however, has a way of ruining chemistry around the locker room.
So what now? Haynesworth's talent is too tantalizing to leave him on the bench -- why else would he even be playing if a repeat of the Jon Gruden/Keyshawn Johnson amicable split were coming? Further, when London Fletcher vouches for you, especially after calling you a selfish teammate, you probably have something to offer the team other than drama.
Of course, the more obvious explanation is Fletcher wants all this junk to go away so he and his team can focus on football, an apparent novel idea in Redskins land.
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100 million dollar baby
Hey, Haynesworth, stop whining. If anyone has a right to complain right now it's the Redskins organization. They didn't sign you to a $100 million contract last year in order to play you with the second string. You are six and a half feet of pure power, and I'm sure they would love nothing better than to start you and watch you knock the snot out of people.
The only problem is you missed too many practices. I'm guessing defensive coordinator Jim Haslett would like you to understand the game plan a bit better before actually starting, hence putting you in the game with the second string during the preseason. Instead of publicly complaining about it, get back to work and start earning the ridiculous amount of money you are paid.
Your constant griping creates tension and takes the focus from the team. Maybe I shouldn't blame it all on you, though. The Redskins knew who they were getting when they signed you, so did pretty much anyone with access to YouTube. The 2006 "Haynesworth Stomp" incident involved you stomping on Andre Gurode's head, leaving a wound that required dozens of stitches around his right eye.
This super-sized temper tantrum is evidence of what the Redskins signed last year, a 325-pound baby. Shanahan has been trying to pacify you, but he isn't the type of coach to let you get away with this for long, or at least I hope he isn't. If I were you, I would stop crying and start playing.
Danny does it again
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.
During the third quarter of a game against the Cowboys in 2006, Haynesworth removed center Andre Gurode's helmet and then thought it was appropriate to stomp on the man's head. Only he missed, so of course Haynesworth had to try again and this time, his foot connected with Gurode's forehead, narrowly missing his eye.
That of course, wasn't the first time Haynesworth tried to imprint the bottom of his shoe on someone's body. During the Titans' training camp in 2003, he also kicked former teammate Justin Hartwig (another center) in the chest and had to be restrained by his teammates.
And this is just what he has done on the field. He also has gotten into trouble with the law, which includes arrest warrants and two misdemeanor traffic charges. Given that he has avoided suspensions, there's probably no sense in rehashing the details but clearly the man has some behavioral problems.
Despite his talent, these infractions coupled with his price tag would have scared most owners and general managers away last offseason when Haynesworth was a free agent. But not Snyder.
And now he has a problem, doesn't he? He has a defensive tackle that he overpaid for that is butting heads with the man he trusts to turn his franchise around. Considering Haynesworth is only in year two of the ridiculous contract that Snyder gave him, the only thing the owner can do is hope the situation corrects itself.
This issue certainly isn't irreconcilable either. Haynesworth and Shanahan can still come to an understanding and work together to help the Redskins win, although that will require Haynesworth shutting his mouth and coming to the realization that the team will come first in Washington.
But to barrow a line from Bill Parcells, the proof is in the pudding. What has Snyder won? Since he has bought the Redskins, the team has had a losing record. Times have changed in the NFL -- teams have to build through the draft, yet Snyder continues to believe that overspending on high-priced veterans like Haynesworth is still the answer.
If you want to pin blame on someone for this Haynesworth fiasco, start at the top.
It’s Fat Albert!
What a fickle town. Washington seems to easily tolerate diva-like behavior from White House officials, members of Congress, and even cable show talking heads. But we can't stomach the childish behavior of a 6-foot-6, 350-pound human being who had 8.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in 2008.
I'm not excusing Haynesworth's behavior. Showing up to camp unfit and complaining about having to play with the second string is unacceptable. Thankfully head coach Mike Shanahan has made it clear who's in charge.
In training camp, Shanahan had an excellent teachable moment for Fat Albert and any future big personalities the Skins bring into the fold. This is Mike's team and the standards are high. Full participation is the minimum that's expected and no one is more important than the team.
But back to Albert, let's place blame where it's due.
Haynesworth could almost ...almost be forgiven for his absurd behavior. He was more than accommodated under the previous head coach.
Under Zorn, Haynesworth was late for practices and team meetings, disrespectful of Zorn and assistant coaches, and vocal about his unhappiness with those around him. There was an animated outburst at Zorn in front of the team, and Haynesworth was openly critical of defensive coordinator Greg Blache after a bad loss to the New York Giants on Monday Night in 2009. Who knows if there was a quiet penalty for either matter but, after the Blache incident, Albert was allowed to start the Skins' next game against the Cowboys.
Redskins fans can't be shocked that they have players who think they are bigger than the team when the team was so dysfunctional for so long. You can't be puzzled your house is full of rats when you leave garbage in the kitchen for a year.
Shanahan knows how to make an example of someone and I love the fact that Haynesworth's fat contract is no disincentive for Shanahan to take swipe at Albert's fat rear end. Good for you, Mike!
Is the situation irreconcilable? No. As Sally Jenkins cited in her column Monday, difficult players under Shanahan have turned things around and become productive. With or without Haynesworth, as long as the Skins improve on 2009's 4-12 season, Shanahan will be given the latitude he needs. Who can argue with someone who sets clear expectations for his players?
With all of the questions in the air there are two things that are certain. Next season, there will be an uptick in OTA participation and the Skins will likely come into camp in great shape.
Let’s be professional
Albert Haynesworth is arguably the best athlete of his size on the planet. Some would argue on behalf of "The Big Aristotle", Shaquille O'Neal, but if we pitted them against each other in one of those 1970's Superstars competitions I have no doubt that Haynesworth would win...if he was in shape. Therein lies the problem. After refusing to participate in the Redskins formal off-season workout program, the former All-Pro defensive tackle obviously spent his time away from football without the aid of a personal trainer. In the unlikely event he did acquire the services of a strength coach and they happen to be reading this blog, please promptly return all monies to Mr. Haynseworth care of the Washington Redskins. Your program DOES NOT WORK.
When Haynesworth worked out for NFL teams the artificial turf had to be cleaned due to the scouts' excessive drool pooling on the ground creating a health hazard. At 6'6" and 320 pounds this amazing athlete ran a 4.8 forty, had a 39" vertical jump and an 8'7" broad jump. All ridiculous numbers for a defensive lineman. He gave offensive lineman fits from the start, improving every season eventually earning All-Pro honors following the 2007 and 2008 seasons. He then signed a seven-year contract with the Redskins for 100 million dollars of which 41 million was guaranteed. He showed flashes of brilliance last year but certainly not the consistency expected of a man capable of winning defensive player of the year honors.
This offseason Dan Snyder brought in Bruce Allen and Mike Shanahan to take over football operations. Shanahan then hired Jim Haslett to run his defense. Much to the dismay of Haynesworth, Haslett promptly switched the defensive scheme to the 3-4 forcing an unwanted position change and the rest is history. So who's to blame and is there a way out of this mess?
Shanahan entered the scene with the goal of winning a championship. To that end he picked the best man available to run his defense and correctly allowed him to choose the scheme he believed most likely to succeed. The talent in place was thoroughly evaluated while making this decision. Shanahan is not the kind of coach who would fret about the feelings of his players in this setting. He would expect them to be "Pros", strap on the pads, and function within the new system to the best of their abilities. When the Redskins' new head coach received push-back from his star defensive tackle I believe he wanted to trade him. Due to Haynesworth's subpar 2009 performance and exorbitant price tag no serious suitors were identified. Rather than coddle the defensive star, Shanahan has taken the "you have to play to see your pay" approach. Haynesworth knows that if he sits out the Redskins will sue to recoup some of the guaranteed money. In order to keep collecting a pay check Albert has dutifully attended training camp.
In a thinly veiled passive aggressive strategy Haynesworth arrived in such poor shape that he is of little use to anyone. He began camp by failing to pass a conditioning test on multiple tries. Once he finally passed the test he hurt his knee and most recently has borrowed a page from Brian Cushing's playbook in that his rhabdomyolysis could be caused by too much training. Between Shanahan and Haynesworth it is clear which one of these men is behaving as a professional.
How a man can collect roughly 15 million dollars each year and not make a sincere effort is beyond comprehension. Haynesworth seems content to produce little and distract much as the season progresses. If that attitude persists I would certainly get rid of him no matter the cost and lack of compensation. That said, a healthy motivated Albert Haynesworth could still become the NFL defensive player of the year. The Redskins' management team needs to come up with a comprehensive plan to hire counselors, lawyers, doctors and trainers to bring Haynesworth back into the fold and fire him up to compete. There has to be somebody out there who can motivate this mammoth defensive tackle to perform up to his potential. Who makes the most sense to fill this crucial role and end this impasse? Tony Robbins is a good speaker but unlikely to provide anything substantive. Joel Osteen could help with his self esteem but neglect his on-field performance. Thankfully there is a good motivational speaker residing in DC who needs a good speech to take the focus off the economy. Does anyone have the number for the White House?
Time to cut bait
Of all the situations Mike Shanahan inherited, none was more toxic -- and more permanent -- than what has been created by Albert Haynesworth.
Shanahan was able to take control of personnel, switch to the offensive and defensive schemes he prefers, bring in a veteran quarterback he feels will provide the best chance of winning, and put his stamp on an organization that has underperformed to an almost comical degree over the past decade. But bad teams don't become bad teams without onerous, team-killing contracts, and that's what Shanahan also got with Haynesworth. He and new GM Bruce Allen had to plunk down $21 million in roster bonus money for a guy who has displayed nothing but contempt for the team that is paying him more guaranteed money than any player in league history, and that was just to start.
In the end, I think Shanahan has handled this Haynesworth issue about as well as he can. He knows that he will win in the court of public opinion -- Haynesworth is the very definition of an unsympathetic character -- but that's not the point. The point is to get your best 53 on the field and win games. And in the end, I'm not sure that Haynesworth's talent is worth all the ancillary drama. And I don't believe this situation will get any better. Haynesworth stroked me as a guy who isn't happy unless he's unhappy; he's a guy who will create problems just to have them in the atmosphere.
We all know that Shanahan will outlast Haynesworth on this team. There is no way the player will live out the years on his contract, and I'm not sure this situation can even be solved to anyone's satisfaction this season. Perhaps it's best for the team to get whatever it can out of Haynesworth on the field in the short term, and then, when a contending team (preferably with a 4-man front) suffers an injury at the defensive tackle position, simply unload Haynesworth for whatever draft pick they can get.
Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett has already proven that his defense is versatile and interesting enough to succeed without Haynesworth on the field, and going through the season without Haynesworth could be just the cure for any bad feelings that hang over a Redskins team that doesn't need any more drama.
Hardly a surprise
I have no ill will against Albert Haynesworth.
You know why?
Because in the immortal words of Dennis Green:
"THEY ARE WHAT WE THOUGHT THEY WERE!"
Haynesworth is the same as he's always been and it is the Redskins' fault for giving a player who has a reputation for being lazy, playing when he wants to, having a volatile personality and never turning down a free buffet 30 million dollars in guaranteed money.
I don't even think Haynesworth is lying when he says he is being singled out and mistreated by the Mike Shanahan.
I think the Redskins are screwing with him a bit, but when a relationship deteriorates to this degree it becomes like a virus spreading throughout the locker room.
Players start taking sides and trust me, there are members of the Redskins who are on Haynesworth's side.
No matter how good of a player Haynesworth is (that is debatable as well), he is bringing a negative cloud over a team that needs to be thinking positive right now considering they were garbage last year.
This isn't going to get better, it's just going to get worse.
There will become a breaking point and at that point even Gregory House won't be able to cure their sickness and the Redskins' season will put in a coffin.
My roly poly model
I get paid $100 million to write this column, but I am not writing about Albert Haynesworth or the Redskins.
It's insulting to ask me to write about a third-string subject.
Next time, I'm just sitting out.
I've seen news reports about my failing a spelling test and a grammar exam, but I am undaunted.
My editor thinks others have let me not write about Albert Haynesworth before but he added, "the days of him not writing about knuckleheads are over. And that about says it all."
No, this says it all: Oh wait, I can't use that in a family newspaper.
And another thing. Don't call my malady a headache. That's insulting. It's a hangover.
So yeah, I am on Albert Haynesworth's side.
A rocky marriage
Who's to blame for the Albert Haynesworth debacle?
Let us count the ways.
As with anything in the NFL, it all starts at the top, so let's point the first finger at team owner Daniel Snyder. Perhaps now he's finally learned that Big Money doesn't always produce Big Effort for Big Boy football players, especially with multi-millions already paid out in guaranteed money that doesn't always guarantee commitment and dedication.
You'd like to think that Haynesworth had a little pride and passion for the game, but it's clearly obvious by his performance on and off the field that he may not even like to play football. That's something Snyder and his former Yes Man, Vinny Cerrato, should have known when they threw all that cash at a player who had the potential to dominate, but not the will or the way.
But blaming Snyder and Cerrato is old news. Vinny is gone, and Snyder finally seems to have figured out that you need competent people in your front office to do the due diligence and make the proper decisions based on fact-based research, not knee jerk emotion. That's why lifer football man Bruce Allen now occupies a big office at Redskins Park and will stay there as long as Snyder keeps his finger out of the football pie.
Both Allen and no nonsense head coach Mike Shanahan came to Washington with the understanding that Snyder would stay hands off on the football decisions, save for breaking a tie every now and then just the way Jack Kent Cooke used to do when Bobby Beathard and Joe Gibbs agreed to disagree.
He also has told both men he will do whatever it takes to produce a winner, even if that means simply signing the checks, allowing them to borrow the plane during free agency and providing anything else they need to get the job done, including a little patience for what really is a massive rebuilding project of a broken franchise.
As for Haynesworth, all he needs to do is look into the mirror in the morning to understand what has gone terribly wrong here. Along with a moron agent who has done his client no favors, Haynesworth can only blame himself for the current sad state of affairs. One would think that with all that money in the bank, it would not be unreasonable for the team to expect him to take part in its offseason program, to show up for mini-camps and OTAs, to arrive at training camp in some semblance of football shape and to work like hell to fulfill what many always thought was Hall of Fame potential.
At this point, he's simply pathetic, a first ballot Hall of Shame selection.
And now the bigger question. Can or should this rocky marriage be saved?
At the moment, two weeks before the regular season opener, the Redskins don't have much choice. The only glimmer of light at the end of this tunnel is that at least Haynesworth seems to have a decent relationship with defensive coordinator Jim Haslett. Countless players in NFL history despised their head coaches, but still performed at high level.
Ask Sonny Jurgensen how he felt about George Allen.
Or Sam Huff about Allie Sherman.
They had hate-hate relationships, to put it plainly, but still played like the Hall of Famers they eventually became. Can Albert Haynesworth do the same? His recent history says probably not, but it's only August. Stay tuned.