…And We’re Back!
I apologize to the few followers of this blog for my extended absence. A lot has gone on in the sports world, but not much has gone on in this sports blog. I have been debating whether or not to continue since I felt like there was no point due to lack of readership. But I’ve decided to try to include one post a week. So among the many many topics, what to talk about first? The Tiger Woods scandal has been ravaged repeatedly and despite the numerous stories, there really isn’t much to say. There have been many changes to the NFL regarding free agency, trades, and rule changes - but not many stories that would befit a comeback post. The same can be said for MLB spring training. The Winter Olympics were eventful and great to watch (especially Olympic Hockey), but not many controversial topics. The NBA regular season has been a bore (as always). So what is there to discuss that can generate some heated discourse?
How about a disgruntled NFL Defensive Tackle named Albert Haynesworth? Haynesworth was a Pro-Bowl player with the Tennessee Titans, but after signing with the Washington Redskins to a massive contract, his effectiveness slid greatly. Haynesworth blamed the play-calling and the schemes, saying that he could not “survive another season in this system if it stays the way it is.” the Redskins reported tried to add him to the trade for former Philadephia Eagles QB Donovan McNabb, but the Eagles did not seem to be interested in taking on his massive contract.
So who is to blame here? Is it Haynesworth for his lack of productivity? Is it the Redskins coaching staff for their inability to build a scheme around him? Or is it the management’s fault for bringing in a player that did not work well with their system?
I would say much of the blame belongs to the Vinny Cerrato, Dan Snyder, and anyone else involved in the Redskins decision making. The Redskins should have known the risk when acquiring Haynesworth. When you bring in big name players, you need to surround him with talent. The reason for his success was not only his ability, but also the ability of those around him. To give too much credit for the Titans’ defense’s success is to take away from all the other players that surrounded Haynesworth. It is unreasonable and unfair to expect him to replicate his success without surrounding him with similar talent.
They should have also looked to acquire a player that fits their system well rather than hope to build a system around a player or hope that this player can thrive in your current system. If you have a Honda Civic, you can’t just upgrade the engine by putting in a Ferrari engine in there. It just doesn’t fit and it will not work out. You need to figure out what type of players will work well together rather than amassing a bunch of talent and hoping it will work out. That only works well in video games.
Haynesworth should also shoulder much of the blame as well. If you remember, he signed a discounted contract to play for the Redskins. He should have known that the talent around him in Washington was not equivalent to that of Tennessee. The schemes were going to be different. When you go from one team to another, you can’t expect the whole team to just change their whole culture because of you. You’re not a franchise Quarterback or a future hall of fame running back. The defense requires so many moving parts to be successful and the changing of one gear should not force all the other gears to change. Of course, if you were planning on changing your defense and schemes anyway, that is a different story.
But regardless of the schemes around you, the talent level around you, and everything else - the team must come first. You can’t feel that you are bigger than the team and blast the coordinators or coaches. You can’t blame anyone but yourself for your shortcomings. If you don’t meet expectations, man up to your failures and work harder. You make sure that you understand what the coaches and coordinators expect of you and you work hard to succeed in that role. That’s the difference between an elite player and a great player. You can look at Brett Favre (as much as I hate to admit this) and Kurt Warner. These two players were able to improve the teams that they were on (if you discount the final half of the Jets season). Albert Haynesworth is NOT an elite player unless he can succeed with the Redskins.
