We are very excited to announce our newest feature for the summer. Robert Henson, the second-year linebacker out of TCU, will be sharing his thoughts and experiences with us as he makes his way through mini-camp and training camp. We think this is going to provide the Hogs Haven community with a very unique perspective on the Redskins from a point of view we seldom get to hear. Subsequent entries will be posted by Robert himself under his own flag, but since he is rocking it on the practice field this week, I am helping get the initial word out.
Please show #58 the respect he deserves not only for giving up his body on special teams on Sundays, but also as a member of this community. With that, here is Robert's first introductory Camp Report...
The day was April 26th, 2009, the time was about 1:30pm. I sat quietly in the theater room with a few family members who were as anxious and nervous as I was. I was about to lose it...my mind wanted answers and my heart wanted to fall in love again with the very thing that kept it beating. A fire began to grow inside of me-the same fire that I had felt when I was the only Junior still on the Junior Varsity football team in high school and only played one year of Varsity; the same fire that I felt when despite being a top defensive player in the Mountain West Conference for three years I was only a starter for one year on my college team. I reached for the TV remote, in hopes of ridding myself of this frustration. No sooner than I had picked up the remote my cell phone rang-a 7-0-3 number appeared! I quickly answered, and it was Vinny Cerrato and Mr. Snyder. They asked if I was ready to be a Washington Redskin-of course I answered YES! I was not even sure he heard my response over all the excitement from my new wife and family. Tears of joy quickly filled the room (Sarah was pregnant) as I saw my name flash on to the screen. With the 186th pick of the 2009 NFL Draft I had become the newest member of one the most prestigious organizations in the National Football League. This was it, everything I prayed for had come to fruition: great football venue being in the nation's capital, passionate fans that make teams fear playing in Fed Ex, and a great owner who wants to win as badly as the players.
For the fans who do not me my name is Robert Henson and I am heading into my second year in the NFL with the Redskins. I play inside linebacker and whatever else is needed for this team to be successful. Many people already recognize the name from the TWITTER situation last year, which was not the kind of press I wanted but was picked up by every major media outlet big and small. What a way to start my NFL career right? But my great effort on special teams and hard work in the community has made that negative press nothing more than a joke from many fans and earned a crazy nickname from my teammates: "Tweeter"!! I have to admit the nickname is hilarious now. I want to thank the fans who forgave me for the incident and continued to have my back-if you're still mad that is of course fine also since it's your right. Anyway, let's get down to business: we opened the first day of Mini Camp with a few surprises. The first had to be that one of my teammates decided not to be there. I have nothing bad to say about it because that really does not have anything to do with me. Albert Haynesworth is a great player and everyone knows what he can do-he has proven it. The second surprise was the rain, which canceled the first Mini Camp practice. We will be out there tomorrow looking to get better and create more chemistry! Feel free to ask me questions and respond to these posts. I look forward to updating you all from the inside!