As the World Turns: Haynesworth Soap Opera Keeps Hitting New Highs

Since Haynesworth did not come to Redskins Park to get training in the 3-4 defense, he is in many respect a rookie. He knows the techniques for shedding blockers, but he has not learned the finesse of the 3-4 defense nor has he learned how to be coordinated with his team mates.

Chad Ochocinco is a funny dude. I’m glad we didn’t burn 2 1st’s on him, but he is an interesting personality.

Albert ought to consider that they let him play after not practicing. I think Albert just got this idea that they were picking on him, and it went downhill from there.

Remember – he is an employee, not management. He followed all the rules (except missing the one camp, for which he was fined the maximum), and has not ever said he wouldn’t play. He should not be punished, and I don’t think he has been punished. Shanahan has not done anything wrong, but I think he would be well advised to somehow (through Haslett?) reach out to Albert and assure him that he is a valued member of the team and is not being punished. They should just be trying to motivate the guy to play. It makes no sense to punish or humiliate the guy. Mike Wise of the Washington Post said as much in his column today.
     By the way, in the interview AH was talking about other symptoms. He was referring to dizziness and vomiting, along with the dehydration. Some doctors came up with a name for a real illness for the symptoms. I still think it wasn’t serious, but he was undoubtedly somewhat sick, and with the kind of illness that requires a couple of days rest. It seems a little strange that they let him play at all, considering the sickness and that he didn’t practice at all. I thought – no practice, no play. It could be that they really want him to get game experience to learn the system – they should tell him that, too.

The fact is Kemoeatu is playing great at NT so far, and is getting absolutely no publicity. He’s really problem is that he “thinks” he’s being punished by playing with the second team. Frankly Kemoeatu is just playing tremendously better than him at this point. If he wants respect and wants to play with the first team, then he needs to focus all his energy on beating out Kemoeatu for that starting spot. Damn, I mean there are no entitlements here. The best man plays. Haynesworth needs to study game film of Kemoeatu and then watch himself, then he’ll realize why he’s playing in the 3rd quarter of pre-season games. Frankly the story here to me is how well kemoeatu is playing without getting any recognition.

What a load of nonsense. Since when does someone have to be told they have a headache.

I’m glad we have a real coach again.

I’m getting a little worried about Shanahan’s honesty. He doesn’t lie, but cleverly and slyly spins things in questionable ways, like a sleazy politician. Examples: implying that taking the $21 million meant AH agreed to play NT (not true, could not be a condition), and also saying that he could have been traded if he didn’t take the money – also not a real option, because the Skins could not necessarily do it, and Albert had no way to choose the trade option. Now subtly suggesting (without actually saying so) that AH wasn’t sick, when he was. Also, that he couldn’t play if he didn’t practice, right after making him play after not practicing. I had thought that they played him to help him learn the system, but later statements suggest it may well have been to punish and humiliate him. Throughout the off-season I noticed that you couldn’t believe a word they said, like all the travelling studying draftable QBs, then not taking any QBs. None of this makes Shanahan a liar, and some is downright clever, but even so, I wouldn’t much like to deal with him, and don’t trust him much. Also, he is playing games to the extent of hurting the team – by alienating one of his best players.