YS: Redskins’ Haynesworth crossed the wrong guy

[Burgundy Burner]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AgFD37TNRAKYWSY0iQh259A5nYcB?slug=lc-haynesworth072910

Redskins’ Haynesworth crossed the wrong guy

By Les Carpenter

ASHBURN, Va. – If Albert Haynesworth believed he could spend seven months challenging the icy will of Redskins coach Mike Shanahan then expect to be forgiven, he learned the futility of that hope halfway through a fitness test he would not pass on Thursday afternoon.

Few men in the NFL can carry a grudge like Shanahan, who harbors resentment behind a forced smile. Valued assistants and longtime colleagues tell of their relationships with the coach in hushed whispers.

Some have begged not to be interviewed. They value the coach’s knowledge, admire his obsession for detail. But they also fear him. Even long after they have stopped working with him their words quiver when his name is raised. Some say they fear they might say the wrong thing. They don’t want to cross him.

He is a man who does not forget.

And after Haynesworth used the winter, spring and half the summer to defy Shanahan, refusing to attend his minicamps and OTAs and conditioning sessions because he didn’t want to be a part of Shanahan’s new 3-4 defense, he finally came back to the Redskins this week.

Whatever leverage he had was exhausted, his attempts to embarrass his new coach into dealing him had failed. He had no choice but to return to practice.

With one caveat.

“There’s a conditioning test he’ll go through,” Shanahan said on Wednesday, the day before camp started. This was a Shanahan invention, officially administered to Haynesworth because he missed a percentage of the offseason workouts, unofficially because he tried to embarrass Shanahan.

Haynesworth should have understood right then he would not pass the test. Despite Shanahan’s insistence it was a “basic” fitness exam, the test was made to fail.

Shanahan refused to reveal the details of the test but it involved lots and lots of running in temperatures that pushed through the 90s in a sticky, swampy muck. Haynesworth, who supposedly shed 40 pounds in the offseason working out with a personal trainer, had no chance.

So he was banished to a solo workout on a treadmill on Thursday as the rest of the team practiced outside. Later, after practice was over and the fans were heading toward their cars, he was dragged out for a scramble around trash cans on a far-off field. When he was done he was forced to jog a gauntlet of fans, past the media and back into the safety of the locker room.

Predictably, he did not speak to anyone during his walk of shame.

There is a long list of former players and bosses who have endured Shanahan’s wrath, including Raiders owner Al Davis, who fired him, and once-acclaimed receiver Ashley Lelie who never played well for him in Denver. Then there was one-time Broncos guard Montrae Holland, who rewarded Shanahan for a contract extension by showing up 20 pounds overweight at the start of training camp in 2008.

Like Haynesworth, he was quickly banished from practice, forced through a ****tail of punishments including the treadmill, elliptical machine and stairmaster. When he was done, he had to run outside just like Haynesworth. After a few days he was allowed to return to only one of the team’s two daily practices. A starter the previous season, Holland could only play for the scout team during that workout. Later in the day, he was forced to run alone on an empty field.

His exile lasted two weeks. He lost his job and not long after he was traded to the Cowboys.

Late Thursday afternoon, Shanahan seemed to revel in his revenge over Haynesworth. He smiled as he stepped onto an interview stage.

“I bet I can anticipate the first question,” he said.

When that first question was, of course, about Haynesworth, he laughed.

Haynesworth will have to take the test again on Friday, he said. And if he doesn’t pass it – a likely possibility given Thursday’s result – he’ll be shipped off to the treadmill once more.

“It may take two or three days or it might take a week,” Shanahan said.

In the days before he returned to the Redskins, Haynesworth had softened his stance against the team, texting with some of the coaches, trying to catch up on the nuances of a new defense installed in the spring. He expressed a willingness to work and the sense among the assistant coaches was one of optimism.

<Snippage>

Yet when asked to adhere to his new coach’s plan for him, Haynesworth refused, choosing to scorch the earth.

And so on Thursday he ran.

And ran.

And ran.

And became just another man who challenged Mike Shanahan and lost.

More at the above link.

[SKIN4WAHOOZ]

Brake this fat bass terd down.

[Hailskinz1991]

that is awesome...the beautiful irony in this story is that Haynesworth from the onset, said that the reason he was out of shape last year was because he trained in the offseason with the team, and that this year he was going to need to do his own training in order to get in shape. I love what Shanahan is doing. If he were to cave into Haynesworth it would only be the start of a long painful chain of events...

Now everyone on the team knows what the deal is....they know Shanahan is serious, and it doesnt matter who you are...he will treat everyone the same.

[SWFLSkins]

My oh my how the tables have turned. This is not some coach who can be pushed around. If this does not end with Haynesworth making the team it still has set the tone for the new Redskins, a hardworking blue collar team. (sounds familiar)

[authentic]

Some have begged not to be interviewed. They value the coach’s knowledge, admire his obsession for detail. But they also fear him. Even long after they have stopped working with him their words quiver when his name is raised. Some say they fear they might say the wrong thing. They don’t want to cross him.

Shanny don't play!

[Hail_Skins]

I briefly saw a piece on "The Riggins Show" where they were more or less defending Haynesworth, and saying that Shanny was looking "small" due to his attitude towards AH. Seriously? It's about time some of these pre-menstral, douche-bags earned their $$. Finally a coach that demands respect, one way or another. I'm exstatic about Shanny's attitude to this situation. Boot Camp his ***!

[authentic]

Later, after practice was over and the fans were heading toward their cars, he was dragged out for a scramble around trash cans on a far-off field.

good, at least he was in a familiar element. :pfft:

[aussieskin]

This mike the dictator laying down the law and letting Albert know who the boss is, and its not the man who got 21 million on the 1st of April, Albert will learn to toe the line and will be a great player for us this season but he has a penitence to serve first.

[paloosa]

Shanahan will put him through this treatment but I believe Haynesworth is going to be motivated to prove everyone wrong especially Shanahan. I don't know Haynesworth but I bet you he will be a wrecking ball this year because of what Shanahan and the rest of the Redskins are doing to him. Haynesworth will earn his respect back from the team and everything will be fine on the team.

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

I'm all for proving a point but Shanahan better know when to back off.

[DiscoBob]

Sure - Shanny is probably laying down the law to make sure AH knows who is in charge....

But maybe he realized from watching game tape that AH hasn't been in good shape for 3 or 4 years....and he is determined to make sure that it isn't the case here?

[authentic]

I'm all for proving a point but Shanahan better know when to back off.

After 10 years of being an organization who gave preferential treatment to lazy, overpriced, divas, then he needs to break Al all the way down and build him back up... Shanahan is sending a message here. Not only to Fat Al, but to the rest of the team.

[Dblock804]

Here's the message; Don't start none, won't be none.

[brianm23]

I ****ing LOVE it!!! :applause::applause::applause::applause:

Yet when asked to adhere to his new coach’s plan for him, Haynesworth refused, choosing to scorch the earth.

And so on Thursday he ran.

And ran.

And ran.

And became just another man who challenged Mike Shanahan and lost.

Best part of this article.

[tshile]

I can't decide if Shanahan secretely hopes Haynesworth gets in line and becomes one of those stories about a player who was finally tamed by his coach and made a cornerstone of the team.

Or if he's trying to run Haynesworth out of town.

Either way, it's going to be interesting to see the results. The good news is we don't need Haynesworth. He'd be a great addition if he buys in, but if he doesn't then the only thing lost is the money.

[SlinginSammy HOF '63]

Good to see a coach finally trying to break someone here. Haynesworth will get a lesson in humility, join the team and do what he's been told to do and when he succeeds and we start winning he'll be happy and motivated. If not he is completely hopeless. Shanahan means business. Haven't seen Portis whining on the radio lately have we? Portis knows not to cross this boss.

[RWJ]

Love having Mike "Drill Sargeant" Shanahan in charge.

[ATLredskin]

I just don't understand how he is teaching Haynesworth a lesson. Haynesworth is out here getting paid regardless. The only players that sit on the bench and it left to rot are the players looking for new contracts. Haynesworth already got the big contract so I don't understand all this "bench him and let him rot" talk.

[B&G808]

Good for Al's fat @$$!

[ntotoro]

My oh my how the tables have turned. This is not some coach who can be pushed around. If this does not end with Haynesworth making the team it still has set the tone for the new Redskins, a hardworking blue collar team. (sounds familiar)

I think that's the biggest thing right there and few people are picking up on it. This is more than about Turdsworth. This is a clear sign that Shanny is the alpha male and there's no room for anyone else. No questioning who's in charge. It takes out all the mystery and he pretty much laid down the gauntlet.

[SlinginSammy HOF '63]

I just don't understand how he is teaching Haynesworth a lesson. Haynesworth is out here getting paid regardless. The only players that sit on the bench and it left to rot are the players looking for new contracts. Haynesworth already got the big contract so I don't understand all this "bench him and let him rot" talk.

The problem is before Shanahan got here the players did what they wanted, no one taught them a lesson and we saw the results. Losing. A culture of failure. Haynesworth is an employee and Shanahan is his boss. Sure, he got his payday, but he still wants to play and succeed and he'll do neither if he's not in shape and not participating in team functions. How many times did we see Haynesworth hauled off the field on a golfcart last year? Seemed like every other game. He was out of shape. He's not getting paid $100 million to take 8-10 golf cart rides a year.

[Hail_Skins]

I just don't understand how he is teaching Haynesworth a lesson. Haynesworth is out here getting paid regardless. The only players that sit on the bench and it left to rot are the players looking for new contracts. Haynesworth already got the big contract so I don't understand all this "bench him and let him rot" talk.

100 mil or 1 mil, AH has too much ego to sit the bench. He will either play with the "team" or go away. Shanny is putting him to the test to see where he wants to be.

I don't get this pity for AH. Backoff? Hopefully Shanny won't "backoff" until he is part of the "team". Which will require him to leave his ego at home. When he figures that out, then great. Until then **** him.

[SlinginSammy HOF '63]

This is a clear sign that Shanny is the alpha male and there's no room for anyone else.

This is what the team needs. Snyder probably knows it's wise to back off and let the coach do his thing.

[ATLredskin]

Haynesworth lost 40 pounds this summer. Is there a player on the team that worked harder than Haynesworth this summer???

[RWJ]

I just don't understand how he is teaching Haynesworth a lesson. Haynesworth is out here getting paid regardless. The only players that sit on the bench and it left to rot are the players looking for new contracts. Haynesworth already got the big contract so I don't understand all this "bench him and let him rot" talk.

Two things come to mind. I'm starting to think MS is making Fat Al think about paying back some of the money and they trade him putting him through these tests but more likely is he stating to Fat Al that I'm in charge and you will earn my respect and understand that playing football for the Redskins is a privilege.