Haynesworth, sadly, the norm
September 7th 2010 17:32
The on-going saga and war of wills between coach Mike Shanahan and defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth is sadly more of the norm that we expect from the NFL. It shows in gritty detail why some players should never, ever be given front-loaded contracts.
There really seems to be three types of football players. The first group would pay money in exchange for the right to play the game. They would play football 24/7/365 if you gave them the chance. All that is right and good in the world occurs within the team. The friendships and teamwork, the banter and the life-long attachments. Those are what a small group of players play for.
I would say the vast majority of players strive to balance the pleasure of the game with the allure of earning a lot of money. There are a lot of guys who come to the team's field to work out, and they enjoy their time and enjoy the work, yet go home and enjoy what their salaries bring them. They are in it for all - the wins, the love of the game, the love of money and what money can buy. More often than not, these guys are top-level players, often veterans, who have learned how to balance their lives.
Sadly, the last group of people are really only about the money. They are the ones that consistently have great (career) years in the final year of their contract. They hold out for more money when the justification for it is weaker. But more importantly, the moment they have their money they suddenly become a liability. On the field, off the field, to the coaches, to the owners - these characters are suddenly different people. They got theirs. They're done. There's no longer any urgency. The drive had always been to secure that big, fat, life-altering and future-securing contract; once it's been signed, what else is there to play for? Wins? Championships? Those pall when compared to tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars, especially when the guaranteed coin is well up there.
And that, in a paragraph, is how I think Albert Haynesworth is summed up. There's no need for him to agree to switch to being a nose tackle. It's an inglorious position, forcing him to truly work and toil, and in complete anonymity. You're pounded every play; your job is to hold up offensive lineman allowing linebackers to flow to the play and get the love. You are not a sack master. You are not an impact player (that the fans see). You won't appear on SportsCenter highlights. Haynesworth liked all of those things. He liked being in the spotlight in Tennessee. He wanted, needed, to be the big man. He got his money from the 'Skins after "proving" his talents in Tennessee; what else does he have to prove now? Oh, and Mister Mike Shanahan is going to come in and change my defense and my position? Oh, HELL no; I don't think so. Can't you see it? Can't you just envision his line of thinking on this?
What it comes down to is "want to." Or, in this instance, the lack of it. Great players "want to." It doesn't matter what it is, so long as its positive and the end result is a title. Ray Lewis wants to win every single game he plays. He wants to make every tackle. He wants to hurt every quarterback he faces. He wants to make sure his team plays at the same level he does. He leads by example, and the Ravens defense has long been a "want to" unit. Lewis is one of those guys who would show up just because there was a game to be played; money has never really seemed to be his primary motivator. Is Lewis selfish? Yes, in some ways, wanting to be recognized as the "best linebacker ever." That's a personal desire that has nothing to do with the team. And yet, in his desire to be the best he knows that his level of play can only help the Ravens. So selfish yes, but in a way that aids the entire team. Haynesworth's selfishness was in getting paid. Now that he has it, he could care less. Why else would he put on such a public show against Shanahan?
Shanahan is no saint. But he's the boss. Like him or not, he's the man calling the shots. Haynesworth has no choices here. It really seems like a personal battle of wills between Shanny and Haynesworth. Ultimately, the only loser is the team, franchise and its fans; there is no "winner" in this war. Any time I see this happen, even on teams I don't like, I feel bad for the team. It makes me royally dislike the player. I was never a fan of Haynesworth before, and I'm even less of him now. I'd love to see him ride the pine, maybe be deactivated for games. It wouldn't surprise me, especially with how petulant he's proving to be.
In the end, Haynesworth will be moving on. He'll take his "talents" and his contract elsewhere. We'll see what happens then.
There really seems to be three types of football players. The first group would pay money in exchange for the right to play the game. They would play football 24/7/365 if you gave them the chance. All that is right and good in the world occurs within the team. The friendships and teamwork, the banter and the life-long attachments. Those are what a small group of players play for.
I would say the vast majority of players strive to balance the pleasure of the game with the allure of earning a lot of money. There are a lot of guys who come to the team's field to work out, and they enjoy their time and enjoy the work, yet go home and enjoy what their salaries bring them. They are in it for all - the wins, the love of the game, the love of money and what money can buy. More often than not, these guys are top-level players, often veterans, who have learned how to balance their lives.
Sadly, the last group of people are really only about the money. They are the ones that consistently have great (career) years in the final year of their contract. They hold out for more money when the justification for it is weaker. But more importantly, the moment they have their money they suddenly become a liability. On the field, off the field, to the coaches, to the owners - these characters are suddenly different people. They got theirs. They're done. There's no longer any urgency. The drive had always been to secure that big, fat, life-altering and future-securing contract; once it's been signed, what else is there to play for? Wins? Championships? Those pall when compared to tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars, especially when the guaranteed coin is well up there.
And that, in a paragraph, is how I think Albert Haynesworth is summed up. There's no need for him to agree to switch to being a nose tackle. It's an inglorious position, forcing him to truly work and toil, and in complete anonymity. You're pounded every play; your job is to hold up offensive lineman allowing linebackers to flow to the play and get the love. You are not a sack master. You are not an impact player (that the fans see). You won't appear on SportsCenter highlights. Haynesworth liked all of those things. He liked being in the spotlight in Tennessee. He wanted, needed, to be the big man. He got his money from the 'Skins after "proving" his talents in Tennessee; what else does he have to prove now? Oh, and Mister Mike Shanahan is going to come in and change my defense and my position? Oh, HELL no; I don't think so. Can't you see it? Can't you just envision his line of thinking on this?
What it comes down to is "want to." Or, in this instance, the lack of it. Great players "want to." It doesn't matter what it is, so long as its positive and the end result is a title. Ray Lewis wants to win every single game he plays. He wants to make every tackle. He wants to hurt every quarterback he faces. He wants to make sure his team plays at the same level he does. He leads by example, and the Ravens defense has long been a "want to" unit. Lewis is one of those guys who would show up just because there was a game to be played; money has never really seemed to be his primary motivator. Is Lewis selfish? Yes, in some ways, wanting to be recognized as the "best linebacker ever." That's a personal desire that has nothing to do with the team. And yet, in his desire to be the best he knows that his level of play can only help the Ravens. So selfish yes, but in a way that aids the entire team. Haynesworth's selfishness was in getting paid. Now that he has it, he could care less. Why else would he put on such a public show against Shanahan?
Shanahan is no saint. But he's the boss. Like him or not, he's the man calling the shots. Haynesworth has no choices here. It really seems like a personal battle of wills between Shanny and Haynesworth. Ultimately, the only loser is the team, franchise and its fans; there is no "winner" in this war. Any time I see this happen, even on teams I don't like, I feel bad for the team. It makes me royally dislike the player. I was never a fan of Haynesworth before, and I'm even less of him now. I'd love to see him ride the pine, maybe be deactivated for games. It wouldn't surprise me, especially with how petulant he's proving to be.
In the end, Haynesworth will be moving on. He'll take his "talents" and his contract elsewhere. We'll see what happens then.
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