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WP.com - London Fletcher: Albert Haynesworth is 'selfish' (MET)

authentic

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authentic

authentic

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"Obviously, he's under contract with the Washington Redskins. From a business standpoint, I don't see them giving him $32 million and trading him or giving him away. He has the option to give the money back if he really doesn't want to be here. He could always give the money back. But once he decided to take money from this organization, he's a Washington Redskin. I say, yeah, he can come back if he shows he's willing to buy into what we're doing, if he's going to be on- board with what we're trying to do. One man is not going to stop what we're trying to accomplish this year. One man is not going to stop what we're going to accomplish this year. We've got big goals set for us this year, high aspirations. Football is going to be played with him or without him. We're going to play some good football.

Obviously, we want him to be a part of it, but he has to stop being selfish."

Fletcher said he wasn't surprised by Haynesworth's decision, given his past actions and attitudes.

"He can say what he wants to say about him not wanting to be here, wanting to be traded, things like that. There's ways he can not be a Redskin. Give the money back; I'm sure they'd take it. We'll move on without him. I want teammates who I can depend on, who I can count on, who in the fourth quarter of a situation, I know is going to be there to make a play or to do his job that the defense calls -- whether it's responsibilities holding up a lineman or penetrating a gap... I need guys I can depend on. We need people we can depend on. At the end of the day, right now, he's shown that he can't be depended upon."

Question: Is it going to be a distraction and stunt the team's progress?

Fletcher: "It's not going to stunt our progress. As I mentioned, we're gonna play good football this year. The guys that are on the football field with us, the 11 men that line up, we're gonna play good football. It's up to the coaching staff to determine who the best 11 guys are to put on that field to put us in position to win football games."

Question: If Haynewsorth showed up, what would you tell him?

Fletcher: "Nothing. I haven't spoken to him up to this point. I saw him down at the Super Bowl in Miami; we had a little brief conversation but nothing major. So I would just expect him to come in, work hard, work like everybody else. It's really not much that needs to be said. This conversation has taken place with the coaching staff with management back in February when Coach Shanahan was first brought aboard. He knew what we were gonna be doing from a defensive standpoint, There's a lot of guys that have played in certain systems throughout their careers, whether it be a 4-3 defense, things like that. So it's a lot of guys making adjustments to a new change, 4-3 defense. A lot of guys put in that situation. Yeah, maybe they may not be ideally suited for it but they're making an effort to do that because they understand the big picture. They understand it's not about an individual, it's about a team. And we're trying to have a true team model here. Last year we had a lot of selfishness that took place and you got 4-12 out of that. This year, we can't have that."

Question: How early last year did you see signs that Albert wasn't happy, etc.?

Fletcher: "I think when he came in, he fit in. Off the field, obviously, he's a good guy. You like him, you can talk to him. He's not standoffish in that way, but it's just some of the things that if it doesn't benefit him - from a football standpoint - he just doesn't get the big picture of things. That's the really disappointing part of all this. When you decide to play a team sport, there's everybody else you have to take in consideration with decisions that you make, and right now he's not taking everybody else into consideration. It's all about him, how he's going to benefit, 'I don't wanna be here,' this, that, and that. You're in the wrong sport."

Question: Is it different if a player misses minicamp over a contractual situation than something like this?

Fletcher: "Yeah, it is. This is a situation that's really hasn't been...basically uncharted waters. Where a guy has gotten their money -- it's not about contract, this is about 'I don't fit the scheme.' Well, you don't know if you fit the scheme because you haven't been here, so until you come here and see if you fit the scheme...if they're gonna pay you what they're gonna pay you to be a 3-4 end or 3-4 nose tackle, come, be the best 3-4 end, 3-4 nose tackle that you can be, and at the end of the day we'll be happy with you."

ummm, talk about a mouthful... :munchout:

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authentic

authentic

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I have a sneaking suspicion that it's not so much about the scheme but more about not being in shape and not really wanting to play football if it requires any hard work. This is classic deflection. London rocks.

Exactly!!! I've been saying since the news broke yesterday that i'm convinced that he's not in shape. And this is a way to deflect the attention from the source of the problem. And the real problem with Fat Al (and they are many) is that he is lazy, and not motivated, therefore not in shape.

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addicted

addicted

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After AH sees this I wont at all be surprised if we hear about AH beating the crap out of LF. This is the exact sort of thing this team does not need. Sure it will get the fans all buzzing but this was between AH and the team, not AH and LF but now it's taken on a totally different turn. I actually gave LF way too much credit, he should have kept those thoughts to himself.

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Polo3

Polo3

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i have a sneaking suspicion that it's not so much about the scheme but more about not being in shape and not really wanting to play football if it requires any hard work. This is classic deflection. London rocks.

bingo!!!!!

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Johns Bass

Johns Bass

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I am thinking that the LAST guy you want ticked off at you on the Skins is London.

All AH had to do was show up for three (make that two due to rain delay now) days, keep his mouth shut and let his agent and the FO work out the other stuff.

Unless he could not pass the physical.

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Conn

Conn

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After AH sees this I wont at all be surprised if we hear about AH beating the crap out of LF. This is the exact sort of thing this team does not need. Sure it will get the fans all buzzing but this was between AH and the team, not AH and LF but now it's taken on a totally different turn. I actually gave LF way too much credit, he should have kept those thoughts to himself.

Dude, what are you talking about?

Fletcher is being a team leader here. THE defensive leader, for sure. And do you know what he's saying? We aren't jumping ship with you, Al. We're going all in...with Shanahan. We're a part of the program, we believe, and we're a team. Anyone who isn't...shouldn't be here.

And that's the kind of culture most of us have WISHED we had for years. And Shanahan/Allen are doing it, right before our eyes.

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addicted

addicted

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Dude, what are you talking about?

Fletcher is being a team leader here. THE defensive leader, for sure. And do you know what he's saying? We aren't jumping ship with you, Al. We're going all in...with Shanahan. We're a part of the program, we believe, and we're a team. Anyone who isn't...shouldn't be here.

And that's the kind of culture most of us have WISHED we had for years. And Shanahan/Allen are doing it, right before our eyes.

That's not the way I see it at all.

For the moment we still have AH on the team. Your supporting player bashing on the same team through the media. I don't support that at all. Not in any circumstances.

Did LF have to say what he did? No

Would anyone have thought any lesser of LF if he didn't say this? No

Can anyone actually see AH not reading this and getting mad? No

Is there any good going to come from LF saying this about him? No

Is this clearly team disention? Yes

In almost every single situation with football players you do not see one player bashing another or calling them names or speculating on current teammates status like calling them "selfish" etc like this in the media because:

1. It's not there place

2. It's not there business

3. They aren't privy to all information

4. The futures unknown to them

5. It tears apart team chemistry

6. It makes themselves look bad

And on an on and on. Saying those words was a stupid thing to do regardless of the outcome with AH and the Redskins. LF is not the Redskins and he needs to learn that what he says can and often does have consequences. As message forum posters I doubt this message of mine will get through to you but I know I'm right about this. Not all thoughts should be spoken, and talking about another player on your team to the media this way falls into that category regardless of how great it makes you feel.

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gortiz

gortiz

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Fletcher is my favorite player on the team, period. The way he plays and conducts himself, what more can you ask for.

the best, i love him to death ...

there is no way that after readign this albert did not think twice about his decision ... he is not human if he did not.

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