All Arrington All The Time (Mega Merge Club Mix)

HE needs to be out there, and this makes the most sense.

Say what you want but its crazy under any condition that Lavar isnt on that field PERIOD!!!!! he's the Redskins best player hands down...

I totally agree with you Drew

I'm really torn here.

On one hand you have LaVar's monster contract. If we could get out from under that, it will really help clear up our long term cap situation. Is he really worth his contract? I guess the argument could easily be made that he's not, since we've seen the defense play so well without him.

On the other hand, LaVar is one of my favorite players and it would really stink to see him go elsewhere.

Keeping emotions out of it, I'm in favor of getting rid of his contract, even if it means one of my favorite players playing for someone else next year.

On a related note, if LaVar goes, I'm officially DONE with buying authentic jerseys of current players. I thought LaVar was the safest bet, and a year later my jersey is in danger of being yet another ex-player jersey. Honestly, if it wasn't for that jersey I might not really mind as much if he's outta here!

Funny you mention jerseys. Last night I was taking the Metro home from work and this kid is walking through the aisle selling a brand new, (probably stolen, I might add) Santana Moss authentic NFL jersey for 30 bucks. So the kid runs into this dude wearing a Redskins hat, and the guy goes "Moss"??, he won't even be with the Skins next year"! The kid responds, "Are you crazy, Santana aint goin' nowhere"! The guy then responds, "Yeah that's what they said about Coles (and I have one of his jerseys), but look what happened to him". The kid goes, "Dude, Coles just didn't wanna be here." After a brief pause, the kid continued to snake through the crowded train holding up Moss' jersey....."Moss jersey for 30 bucks".

Our culture is all about what's the next hot thing, while at the same time making guarantees that it's a long-term, sure deal. Professional sports has done a masterful job at marketing the fact that athletes are "locked into long-term deals" and then turning around and capitalizing on their popularity. It's so unfair to the fans. I think these companies should offer some type of rebate or possible discount toward a more recent jersey when this happens. I know they won't though. Look at how Sean Taylor changed his number a couple of times during the off season, basically leaving many fans with a pretty worthless #36 jersey.

Matty, your jersey comments sort of evoked those images that's all. Didn't mean to get on a soap box or anything.

I wonder who's jersey the kid will be holding up in December.....hopefully it won't be Jason Campbell:)

something is definitly going on behind closed doors.the one thing that football coaches are always looking for is playmakers,and regardless of how much anyone thinks #56 freelances,there is no doubt he makes things happen when he is on the field.and besides that,how much does arrington really have to know about coach williams defense if they would just use him on the blitz packages(which is probably roughly about 35-40% of the time)

something is definitly going on behind closed doors.the one thing that football coaches are always looking for is playmakers,and regardless of how much anyone thinks #56 freelances,there is no doubt he makes things happen when he is on the field.and besides that,how much does arrington really have to know about coach williams defense if they would just use him on the blitz packages(which is probably roughly about 35-40% of the time)

No doubt, I think it's probably safe to assume they are prepping him for a monster deal. I read in the WP that most execs think we can only cop a 3rd or 4th rounder for LaVar. I find that crazy.

If we can't get either an immediate starter or a 1st rounder it aint worth it. Unless they can work out one of those exotic deals where the other team basically eats up all of his contract and we assume no or very little cap hit next year.

I'm really torn here.

On one hand you have LaVar's monster contract. If we could get out from under that, it will really help clear up our long term cap situation. Is he really worth his contract? I guess the argument could easily be made that he's not, since we've seen the defense play so well without him.

On the other hand, LaVar is one of my favorite players and it would really stink to see him go elsewhere.

Keeping emotions out of it, I'm in favor of getting rid of his contract, even if it means one of my favorite players playing for someone else next year.

On a related note, if LaVar goes, I'm officially DONE with buying authentic jerseys of current players. I thought LaVar was the safest bet, and a year later my jersey is in danger of being yet another ex-player jersey. Honestly, if it wasn't for that jersey I might not really mind as much if he's outta here!

On the issue of Lavar and money. He like many others is a favorite of mine. However, he is going to cost us in the area of 10M to keep in 2006? Is anybody worth that? When that contract was negotiated, obviously nobody expected it to come to fruition. They are re-negotiated and restructured, blah, blah. With the scuffle over the vanishing 6.5M in the contract, lack of playing time, etc. He will probably not be in a negotiable humor. He may tell us to stick-it with regard to re-structure (if we are so-inclined). At that point, if not before the Skins will be looking to deal, if possible benifit exists by doing so.

Can or will we do it before the trade deadline though??

If LaVar is so overrated, how do you explain 3 straight pro-bowls? The man is a competitor that bring 100% every play, every series, every quarter! He is loyal and is a good man. Isn't that the kind of person you want on your team? He is a class act. The man has never had to opportunity to be on the field with this coaching staff. A few preseason games last year. Remember the Atlanta game, when he played, he was all over the field, in Vicks face, caused a fumble, caused and INT, and forced Vick to throw a couple more out of bounds. LaVar was the reason Vick was taken out of the game. They can not possible have a "true read" on LaVar on how he would play in this system. If they are looking at film from Spurriers last year, when the D was bottom 5 in the league, he was trying to do too much, and make something happen. But when you are that bad who could fault him for trying to make a play. In this D, the plays come to the players, thats why Pierce, Marshall and Clark are all stepping up. Put these players(for the exception of Pierce,maybe) on other teams and they are average players. LaVar deserves to be playing for all he has done and agreed to do for this organization. This would be a good time for Danny to express his opinion, you know he wants LaVar on the field. I mean, LaVar was the face of the Redskins for the 5 years, Darrell Green annointed him the next "TRUE REDSKINS"

12th Man/FRPLG:

I don't know why Arrington is not on the field; only Gibbs and Willliams know that.

Last year, the Redskins defense was really, really good, LaVar Arrington contributed next to nothing to their being really, really good. So, the coaching staff has some reason to suspect that they can have a really, really good defense on the field with LaVar Arrington on the sidelines or in the owners' box or at Redskins' Park or in Lower Slobbovia. They already did that last year.

Now it is 2005. Warrick Holdman played well in the exhibition games and LaVar Arrington's knee required him to ease on through some of the workouts. So, it's time to name a starting unit and Gibbs and Williams sit down to make up the first string. Remember, Gibbs wears the hat of Coach Gibbs and also the hat of President of Football Operations Gibbs.

IF Williams tells Gibbs that Williams believes that the defense will be just fine with Holdman at starting LB, let's IMAGINE what Joe Gibbs does. Remember, this is IMAGINATION because we cannot read minds. And remember, the premise here is that Williams believes that the defense is perfectly OK with Holdman in the starting line-up and Arrington playing only a little bit.

Gibbs has two choices; he can tell Williams that he wants Arrington on the field or he can go along with Williams.

Choice #1 - Overrule Willliams and put LaVar on the starting unit:

Pro: You get a physically gifted football player out there on the field.
You "get your money's worth" from your highest plaid player.

Con: You will have a less than fully happy Defensive Coordinator if you overrule him.
You will have to pay Arrington even more money if he achieves the incentive levels in his contract.
You may put Arrington a year closer to leaving the team as a free agent if he plays and plays really well.


Choice #2 - Go along with the recommendation of Defensive Coordinator

Pro: Happier coaching staff
You have one hell of a guy on the bench to provide a "shot in the arm" for the defense if they ever falter.
You can sit back and see how the season unfolds. If the defense is strong, you just let things keep on keeping on; if they hit a rough spot, you can be the guy who "makes the tough call" and insert Arrington into the lineup.

Con: You have to listen to media gurus like Doc Walker and Al Koken wonder why all this is happening.


So, if you were Joe Gibbs and you got that recommendation from Gregg Williams, what would you have done?




Reply #56 fanatic -
Joe is the head coach, Williams is the "assistant head coach" This is what Joe get paid to do, make those kinds of decisions. When Greg Williams said they didn't need Trotter, albeit Pierce stepped in and played very well, what did Joe say about Trotter, "well we were wrong there, Trotter is a very good player!" If Joe feels LaVar should be on the field, then Joe has the right to make that decision and if it fails, then it fails. LaVar is a superior athlete to any LB we have on the roster, and would make a really really good defense that much better. A true playmaker in every sense of the word!!

For me this goes back to trusting the coaches- Like Matty I am torn as LaVar is one of my favorite Skins, but there must be something else going on.

This is the way I see it:

Lavar has to know the defense by now, but he is not forcing the coaches to play him.

This means to me one of two things-

1. There is a petty personal grude here and the coaches are hamstringing LaVar on purpose.

2. LaVar is not executing with in the system to the point where we are better with him on the field.

I have to believe # 2, I just can't see Williams/Gibbs/Lindsay all agreeing to put an their agenda above the team- above all Gibbs wants to win and he has worked through strong personalities before. There is no rumbleing from teammates, no disention in the lockerroom, that says the players either see "it" as well or trust the coaches more than LaVar. I dont know what is going on but with an athlete of LaVar's caliber there has to be something.

I would rather he stays (meaning plays and produces) but we can't pay that kind of cash for a guy who dosent see the field- for what ever reason.

The only thing good out of this whole mess is both side are keeping it in house. What a change that is.