Haynesworth fails conditioning test

Big Al took a bathroom break because he was tired. He sensed that (unlike in a regular season game last season) if he laid on the field like a beached whale this time, a couple of trainers weren't going to come and help him off the field to a nice seat on the bench and give him some refreshing oxygen. So he had to think of something to do and the bathroom break idea came to him.

The only problem with Al's attempt to, once again, make a half-hearted effort and then quit is that the powerless nice guy, Jim Zorn, isn't the coach here anymore. Now the coach is the all-powerful prick, Mike Shanahan. So Big Al had to try again to do it the right way before he was allowed to quit for today. But, of course, that meant that he failed the test. So he'll have to take it over again and, if necessary, again and again until he learns to not quit.

Since there is no way that Mike Shanahan is ever going to give him a free pass, the next logical step for Big Al is to give up his lazy ways, work hard and pass the test, and then start practicing with the team.

The only problem here is that Big Al failed to pull a slick one on Shanahan. If and when Big Al decides to pay the price, he can be great. Some day, he may even thank Mike Shanahan for getting him started in the right direction.

EXACTLY!!! And like stated below, it's doesn't matter how you "look", that doesn't mean you're in shape.

This wasn't a personal attack on Haynesworth via Shanahan. I think Albert is a quitter, but he got excited and wanted to show off. If you think about what Jason Reid said versus the failed 2nd leg of the test. To me it's as simple as he really wanted to show everyone that he had been working out, so he went too hard on the first leg. Albert's not a runner, let's not kid ourselves. He has never had to learn the concept of holding a little in reserve.

I was an NCAA Division 1 cross country runner. I know that when i got to practice in the later summer, that first day i always ran way too hard in the first part of the workout. I was just excited to be there, and wanted to show off.

HE WILL PASS TODAY. The trainer would have told him to drink lots of water, and get a ton of sleep yesterday. And then this morning, eat some light carbs(bread), water again. And then don't try so hard on the first leg of the workout.

Ever since watergate, this town has been too quick to adopt conspiracy theories.

I'm just tired of hearing about Fatal Bert :D

Damnit man! You just jinxed us. The only way to get rid of that unspeakable name is by never posting it again. Now someone's gonna come along and inevitably start using it again.

It wasn't about crossing the coach it was about AH not being in good enough condition to pass the test. OTA's are not mandatory however if your under contract and the teams highest paid player you should be their for most of the OTA's. AH should have not taken the 21 million if he did not want to play here in the 3-4 defense. Ok so now he took the money and after his teammates, other NFL players and alum roasted him for not showing up to OTA's I think he see's the error in his ways. AH will be fine I think he will be a better player and teammate after this is all said and done.

Sorry to disagree, but it was absolutely about crossing the coach. MS was going to push AH, see if he was going to tow the line or simply come in and sluff. This is one of those situations, where everybody knows how the game is played, and MS simply was putting an exclamation point on his position.

More importantly though, I am confident AH will pass today, and a new standard of discipline and expectations will have begun in earnest. (Is this really that different than when Marty came in and told DG he WILL be coached differently?) The point is when a new coach comes in, and he believes in a disciplinarian style, he is going to get his point across to all the players by picking certain battles. It seems to me like the team has bought in, and that we will see a far far better on field product because of it.

Damnit man! You just jinxed us. The only way to get rid of that unspeakable name is by never posting it again. Now someone's gonna come along and inevitably start using it again.

Ha ha, I know. It's just that it's so bad it's hilarious, at least to me.

CindyBoren

RT @RickMaese: Did he visit restroom beforehand?? RT @Mitch_Tischler: Haynesworth taking conditioning test now #Redskins 29 minutes ago via UberTwitter

touche!

Sorry to disagree, but it was absolutely about crossing the coach. MS was going to push AH, see if he was going to tow the line or simply come in and sluff. This is one of those situations, where everybody knows how the game is played, and MS simply was putting an exclamation point on his position.

More importantly though, I am confident AH will pass today, and a new standard of discipline and expectations will have begun in earnest. (Is this really that different than when Marty came in and told DG he WILL be coached differently?) The point is when a new coach comes in, and he believes in a disciplinarian style, he is going to get his point across to all the players by picking certain battles. It seems to me like the team has bought in, and that we will see a far far better on field product because of it.

Absolutely agree, MS is in his first year as the Redskins coach and he absolutely has to not only instill but enforce a new brand of discipline into the team as a whole. This particular line he has taken with Haynesworth is a battle he won't shy away from and shouldn't.

Bottom line, CRedskins said it best, he has to pick and choose his battles and this is one he absolutely should put his foot down on.

Yes, it is an opportunity to set the parameters of discipline for the entire team. I still think that Haynesworth just overperformed on the 1st leg, and it cost him the 2nd leg. I don't think they would have failed him regardless, as so many people keep putting forth. It works in discipline's favor that he screwed up. I still think he's in good shape, and he will be minor distraction this year.

At the very least, he's still a quitter. He never finds a 2nd wind. We will me aggravated as he continues to blow up O-linemen 2 plays, and take 2 plays off. That's just who he is. I'm resigned to it.

I guess I'm not buying the Shanahan would have failed him no matter what either. BUT, nor was he going to pass him just because he got 21Mill in Apr. Shanahan laid out a standard. Was it nit picky on purpose, yes. But the point is made, both to AH, and to the rest of the team, that there is a stated standard of execution and excellence that everybody must meet to be considered a Washington Redskin.
For the players that showed up all off-season, they see that it paid off, both physically and in terms of team esprit de corps; and for AH, it should get him acclimated to Shanahan's bottomline.

I tend to believe that AH felt he did so well on the first that he proved himself, but the rules of the breaks were just guidelines. I am guessing he sees that slightly differently now.

I applaud Shanny. AH is not special until he plays better than everyone else on the field, every play. He will either abide or be gone.

The Redskins can win without him, he would just be a distraction otherwise.