DC Sports Bog: Why Cooley Isn't at "Hell Week"

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2010/07/why_chris_cooleys_not_at_hell.html#more

"I've been working out -- I worked out with the team all offseason," he told the UnWise Mike Show on Tuesday. "You need a couple weeks. I needed three or four weeks to just relax. I'm still working out, I'm doing my own stuff, but it's a long year. We play football all year. I think there's maybe three months out of the year that I'm not doing something with the team at Redskins Park, so it's nice to have a month to relax a little before we get going....Personally, I'm just happy to have a month to kind of chill out before we go to camp."

Cooley on the AH situation:

"Everyone was so worried about Albert," Cooley said, to the inevitable Haynesworth question. "First of all, he's doing what he wants to do, or what he thinks he needs to do. I just though the guy's got to come back in unbelievable shape, because if he comes back out of shape, looks bad, I mean, he's just gonna get murdered. But I felt like if he came back in shape, ready to play football, he'll be there two days and everyone will forget what happened....

"I'll bet that he'll show up and just start working. I don't know if he needs to sit down with guys or not, but if he shows up in shape all he's got to say is look, I was doing what was best for me, I'm here, I'm ready to play. That was a weird situation. The whole thing was a little bit strange, but hopefully he wants to play with us and he's ready to play with us."

I don't really see a problem with him not being there. He's a proven commodity, all the other receivers still have something to prove. Plus, he's coming off of an ankle injury, and doesn't want to risk reinjuring it before he puts pads on, sort of like what happened to Steve Smith. No big deal IMO.

On AH, I'm just going to wait and see. I hope Cooley's attitude about it will spread through the locker room and it won't prove to be a distraction in what has the potential to be a really good year.

I don't really see a problem with him not being there. He's a proven commodity, all the other receivers still have something to prove. Plus, he's coming off of an ankle injury, and doesn't want to risk reinjuring it before he puts pads on, sort of like what happened to Steve Smith. No big deal IMO.

On AH, I'm just going to wait and see. I hope Cooley's attitude about it will spread through the locker room and it won't prove to be a distraction in what has the potential to be a really good year.

Your excuse can also apply to Albert. AH is a proven commodity too. Personally, I think Cooley is right. IF AH comes into training camp in shape and does not whine/complain about what he is being asked to do, then all will be good. I would bet he arrives in shape. The question is whether he can control his mouth.

But frankly, Haslet would have to be an idiot to use AH as a conventional nose tackle or DE. IMHO, you use AH's talent to force double teams by making AH a threat to penetrate on every play which will attract double teams and keep linemen off the linebackers.

Ok, I maybe in the minority here but I am disappointed that Cooley elected not to go with the other players to AZ.

And although he is a very good tightend, he can always get better. And given that we have a new OC, a new HC and he has a new QB throwing to him, I would think that he would want to build that chemistry that is important.

Then there is the matter of him being able to secure the ball, it did have some problems with some fumbles in criticle situations.

I know he said he has been working out, but all that time off while his ankle was healing had to have some negative effects on the body, especially the legs and endurance.

" We play football all year. I think there's maybe three months out of the year that I'm not doing something with the team at Redskins Park"

Wouldnt it be great if we all had a job we loved to do, got paid lots of money, and oh yeah, three months off every year. :pfft:

Now some of what I said may sound alittle harsh, but its not. I do believe Cooley will be a good weapon for us this year, I just wish he had that inner drive to take it to the next level.

Your excuse can also apply to Albert. AH is a proven commodity too. Personally, I think Cooley is right. IF AH comes into training camp in shape and does not whine/complain about what he is being asked to do, then all will be good. I would bet he arrives in shape. The question is whether he can control his mouth.

But frankly, Haslet would have to be an idiot to use AH as a conventional nose tackle or DE. IMHO, you use AH's talent to force double teams by making AH a threat to penetrate on every play which will attract double teams and keep linemen off the linebackers.

AH isn't coming off of a broken ankle though. I do agree with the rest of what you said, but aside from the "every d linemen should be able to play every position on the d line" comment, there has been little to no talk in Redskin Park about AH playing NT. He'll be a DE on Orakpo's side, allowing him to rush free. Him, Kemo, and Carriker on the line should occupy all the Olinemen. AH and Kemo both taking doubles is very attractive.

" We play football all year. I think there's maybe three months out of the year that I'm not doing something with the team at Redskins Park"

Wouldnt it be great if we all had a job we loved to do, got paid lots of money, and oh yeah, three months off every year. :pfft:

Now some of what I said may sound alittle harsh, but its not. I do believe Cooley will be a good weapon for us this year, I just wish he had that inner drive to take it to the next level.

Think though, once training camp starts the players are usually housed in some hotel with curfew and all that. They don't really get their weekends either during the season or preseason or training camp. So aside from a day off here and there, you are looking at a 24/7 schedule starting from the last week of July until the first week of January, or longer if you are lucky. That's 5.5 months at least. After the season is over you do get more of a 9-5 type job, but you may be spending more than just 8 hours at the park. I won't count working out since lots of people work out, but watching film and studying playbooks and whatnot.

While yes, it does sound more ideal having chunks of time off here and there (a month or two for january/february, and another month or so in June/July) it seems like workwise, they have to put in just as much work as anyone else.

Of course their job is more fun to us.

As for Cooley not being able to take it to the next level? I would think being a top 5 TE the alst 4-5 years is next level plenty.

Ok, I maybe in the minority here but I am disappointed that Cooley elected not to go with the other players to AZ.

And although he is a very good tightend, he can always get better. And given that we have a new OC, a new HC and he has a new QB throwing to him, I would think that he would want to build that chemistry that is important.

Then there is the matter of him being able to secure the ball, it did have some problems with some fumbles in criticle situations.

I know he said he has been working out, but all that time off while his ankle was healing had to have some negative effects on the body, especially the legs and endurance.

" We play football all year. I think there's maybe three months out of the year that I'm not doing something with the team at Redskins Park"

Wouldnt it be great if we all had a job we loved to do, got paid lots of money, and oh yeah, three months off every year. :pfft:

Now some of what I said may sound alittle harsh, but its not. I do believe Cooley will be a good weapon for us this year, I just wish he had that inner drive to take it to the next level.

I'm pretty sure a lot of the all time greats didn't need to train hard 12 months out of the year to be great. Cooley's always at practice, always in shape, and you don't fix fumbling by killing yourself in Arizona for two weeks. You have to remember that these players aren't robots. And yeah, they get 3 months "off", but they still have to stay in shape and let their bodies recover at the same time.

P.S. More work doesn't necessarily mean better results.

Didn't see it posted but does anyone know if Davis went down there?

Didn't see it posted but does anyone know if Davis went down there?

Yes:logo:

I wouldn't expect Cooley to show up at something like that and I don't care.

He doesn't seem to be that type. His body is kinda soft looking but then again McNabb's is too...

I wouldn't expect Cooley to show up at something like that and I don't care.

He doesn't seem to be that type. His body is kinda soft looking but then again McNabb's is too...

He has some extra padding (like London Fletcher too), but he's proven that he's in incredible shape during the season. How often do you see him not gain yards after the catch? If they kept track of catches with YAC I'd bet he'd be have one of the highest ratios.

" We play football all year. I think there's maybe three months out of the year that I'm not doing something with the team at Redskins Park"

Wouldnt it be great if we all had a job we loved to do, got paid lots of money, and oh yeah, three months off every year. :pfft:

It's called teaching (well, minus the "paid lots of money" bit). Still, two out of three isn't bad.

" We play football all year. I think there's maybe three months out of the year that I'm not doing something with the team at Redskins Park"

Wouldnt it be great if we all had a job we loved to do, got paid lots of money, and oh yeah, three months off every year. :pfft:

Now some of what I said may sound alittle harsh, but its not. I do believe Cooley will be a good weapon for us this year, I just wish he had that inner drive to take it to the next level.

Just because he isnt working with the team those 3 months doesnt mean he is sitting around not working at all. Even during the month he is relaxing, he is more then likely doing light training to keep fresh.

I don't see CC not being in AZ a problem either. As for AH, it's like D Hall said a month or so ago, a lot of guys speaking out because he's not there won't say that same stuff to him when he shows. When a guy has the attention of the media who is going to print ungodly amounts of stories on the topic, he may say plenty of things that he'll never say when the person in question is before him!

I really think he should be there. Every minute spent training with the guy that is going to feed you the ball, is only going to make you better.

I also think it wont be the end of the world if he doesn't.

I'm pretty sure a lot of the all time greats didn't need to train hard 12 months out of the year to be great. Cooley's always at practice, always in shape, and you don't fix fumbling by killing yourself in Arizona for two weeks. You have to remember that these players aren't robots. And yeah, they get 3 months "off", but they still have to stay in shape and let their bodies recover at the same time.

P.S. More work doesn't necessarily mean better results.

Exactly, Cooley works on the weekends as well, so the nine months he is working it is pretty much straight...

Perhaps a week of doing what he's always done will work more for him. Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly are the ones that need to change whatever it is they were doing before.

Cooley will be fine.

I don't have a problem with Cooley not being there. It would be nice if he was there, but I agree with him that its got to be nice to get away before everyday for the next 5 months where you have no life outside of football. Plus I'd rather make sure his ankle is 100% going into the season. I'm sure he and McNabb have put in some time during workouts and mini-camp to build some sort of rapport.

I asked this question on his blog but tongue in cheek . I think Cooley will be fine .

I also think it is time well served by the other guys to get to the next level .

I also happen to think Cooley is bang on with his comments about Big Al .

Nothing to worry about with Cooley, as August will roll around and he'll be in top shape for the season. As others have stated he does have that inner drive to be great but to have 3 months off when you work 9 months of a complete 24/7 schedule is not a bad thing at all

im pretty sure we all already know why he isnt there.....

Much like the majority here, I don't think Cooley being absent is a problem. I feel like it's much more important for our WRs to get that timing down with McNabb, and Fred Davis will likely be lined up at WR when Cooley is also on the field. Plus I feel like there just wouldn't be enough time to get good chemistry with all five guys being there vying for time.

Furthermore, Cooley is the most dependable skill player on our offense (save for Portis, when his heart is in it). McNabb can trust that he'll be where he needs to, when he needs to be there. Not so much for the other guys, even Moss.

Sounds like the wifey-pooh laid down the law on this one... I dunno, jussayin'

Cooley is a fan favorite. He'd have to do coke with the upper management of BP and drive an H2 hummer into a pile of baby seals to have people bat an eye at him.

Which I'm fine with, just saying that he's as untouchable as one gets on this team.

im pretty sure we all already know why he isnt there.....

Well played Renegade:drooley: