Quote:
Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan stands firm on Albert Haynesworth
By Tracee Hamilton
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, August 5, 2010; 8:00 PM
If you're waiting for Mike Shanahan to be the first to flinch in his ongoing standoff with Albert Haynesworth, grab a cold drink and make yourself comfortable. We're going to be here awhile.
Thursday morning's latest developments were simple: Haynesworth was unable to take the now-infamous conditioning test, meaning he missed his 13th practice, and the Redskins decided that he needed to undergo an MRI exam to determine the extent of his knee injury.
So if there is a knee injury - and I have no reason to believe there is not - will Shanahan relax his expectations regarding Haynesworth's fitness?
No, he will not.
Shanahan doesn't seem to be a difficult guy to read. In fact, he seems to be the "Goodnight, Moon" of football coaches. You do not have to parse his message, looking for hidden agendas and veiled threats.
Asked if the potential knee problem would change his requirements for Haynesworth, Shanahan said, "You can't practice if the knee's not strong enough. You can't do drills and push off of it. You can't run and if you can't run, you can't play.
"Take a look at last year, how many games he played without practicing. We've got to make sure he can practice so he can stay healthy and play at a very high level."
Note the repetition of one word. How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice. In Ashburn, the question this summer is "How do you earn a spot with the Washington Redskins?" Same answer, but without the chuckles.
"I can't tell you how many - I've got all those stats in there - how many games he played where he didn't practice throughout the whole week," Shanahan continued, gesturing toward the Redskins Park offices. "If you don't practice the whole week. . . if you don't practice, you're not going to play well. You've got to practice well to play well.
"That's what NFL football's all about. Every once in a while you might get a guy in there who practices a little bit and has a good game. But if you don't practice consistently, it's hard to play consistently. That's what I'm after. I'm after him playing well for the whole season.
"If you can't practice you're not going to get the job done. My job is to make sure he can play the best once we start our season. That's to get him in football shape. If he's not ready to go, we'll make sure that when he is ready to go he can go at full speed."
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At first, I wanted Haynesworth to get his a$$ whooped in camp. Then, I thought we should just give it up and let him practice. But now, I completely agree with Shanahan. Rules are rules. Screw the Mofo, let him sit all preseason until he passes the darn test. It proves the point - don't mess with Shanahan. You play hard, or you sit. If you earn your keep, he'll take care of you and treat you well.
If we let AH get away with something just to win, then it sends a signal to everyone. And realistically, are we going to win the SuperBowl if Haynesworth plays all season? So screw it, lay down the law. If you bench the best player on your defense, EVERYONE listens to you. I remember when Singletary yelled at Vernon Davis, benched him and sent him to the locker room. The team saw it, everyone bought in -- and V.Davis is a beast.
Snyder says Shanahan is going to be here a "decade". If that is true (who knows) -- he's certainly going to be here longer than a 30 year old fat man named Al. And he's taking control of the team NOW and planning for the future.