NFL Training Camp: Albert Haynesworth Is Not Out Of Shape

Stop believing everything you hear.

Albert Haynesworth is not out of shape.

On Thursday, Haynewsorth failed a team-imposed conditioning test, forcing him to sit out an afternoon practice. On Friday, he failed the same test again. If that was the entire story, this column wouldn't have to be written.

The problem is, too many people are willing to stop with just one side of the story.

It is very easy to rail on Haynesworth for failing a conditioning test. In Washington D.C., the common thread whenever anyone talks about Haynesworth is adjectives like "fat," "lazy," "out of shape," "spoiled," "pampered."

So, when Haynesworth fails a conditioning test, it's simple to fit that right in with the narrative. When he fails it twice, clearly he is fat, lazy, and let's throw stupid in there too. Hell, is he even a football player, or just John "Bluto" Blutarsky all grown up?

Now, The Rest of the Story

Don't look past the fact that Haynesworth is the only Redskins player running this test. Mike Shanahan says this is because everyone else took part in a "certain percentage" of offseason workouts.

What?

How does it even begin to make sense that a conditioning test is automatically passed because someone took part in offseason workouts? Those ended over a month ago!

Does Mike Shanahan believe that a person can't get out-of-shape in a month?

Has he met a college freshman?

An Improbable Test

The fact is, not many of the Washington Redskins could pass this test, Haynesworth-flunks-conditioning-test-1005065-99604009.html">players have said as much.

Former NFL player Marcellus Wiley railed on the test this morning.

He reminded listeners on Mike and Mike in the Morning on ESPN Radio that he played with Lawrence Taylor. L.T. never ran a lick of conditioning in his later years. He stuck to the StairMaster to protect his knees.

Maybe conditioning tests aren't the only method of measuring talent.

Later, Wiley wrote on twitter: "Hurry up Haynesworth and pass your 5K run so you can practice.....and qualify for the 2012 Olympics!"

It's About Attitude, Not Fitness

Another inconvenient truth for the Haynesworth narrative: by all accounts, he is in the best shape of his career (possibly his life), looking fit, trim and even svelte.

Shanahan acknowledged Haynesworth's weight loss, but then said that he wasn't in good "cardiovascular shape."

Stop the presses! Apparently Haynesworth has found a way to lose weight that doesn't include cardio!

He's either anorexic or very, very sick. Either way, that would be the story here. Why isn't ESPN reporting on the very obvious stomach parasite living in Haynesworth's belly?

Shanahan even went so far to say that Haynesworth must have "never been in shape."

This is an old school coaching gimmick—one not seen too often in today's NFL—the idea that coaches use whatever means necessary to get a mental edge over troubled players and send a message to his entire team.

This isn't high school!

Too often, fans try to fit events in the NFL into their own personal experience. Fans love old school coaches because it is what they remember. It is a romantic view of football—especially when labor negotiations make football seem too seedy, too greedy, and too corporate.

Washington fans want to believe that Shanahan is a "pure," "old school" type of coach and Haynesworth is the lazy but talented player who just needs his butt kicked to reach he true potential.

Sounds more like a Disney movie than real life.

This Isn't the First False Narrative About Haynesworth

The media hype has gotten out of control when it comes to Haynesworth. Most D.C. fans would like to believe that the highly paid defensive tackle was garbage last season.

He wasn't.

In 2008, Albert Haynesworth was one of the best football players in the NFL—top five, if not top two. In 2009, he was still one of the best defensive tackles in football.

The difference was not that he was lazier in 2009 or he otherwise declined. The difference was that the players around him in Washington were not even close to the level of talent he had in Tennessee.

If people look only at stats, yes Haynesworth must have really stunk in 2009.

If people watch football, he played pretty well.

Now, in 2010, the story is, all of a sudden, that he is out of shape—that he can't pass a conditioning test, even on the second try.

The story could be that one of the best players in the NFL is in the best shape of his career. Mike Shanahan, a notorious game player, has made sure the story continues to make Haynesworth look as bad as possible.

Longtime readers or Redskins fans will point out that this isn't my first "pro-Haynesworth" article. Well, not exactly. Haynesworth is a child. He shouldn't have taken the giant bonus if he didn't want to play in Washington. His sin is wanting his cake and eating it too.

Not being fat, lazy, or out-of-shape.

That just isn't true.

Don't Forget Who Mike Shanahan Is

Redskins fans who look past the fact that this is par-for-the-course for Mike Shanahan are forgetting NFL history. They forget the constant stream of Denver Bronco veterans who respect the hell out of Shanahan but hated playing for him.

Weeks ago, the Redskins were united against Haynesworth. Right now, athletes are looking at Haynesworth in a more sympathetic light.

Many of his teammates understand the test is just punishment. Many of them wouldn't want to take the test and know they couldn't pass it.

Winning covers over a multitude of sins.

If the Redskins are 6-2 heading into their early November bye week, Shanahan will be loved by all—fans and players alike.

If that same team is 2-6 heading into the bye, guess what the media will be talking about?

More importantly, players will be wondering what this tough guy approach really accomplished. Players will look at top teams like New Orleans (Sean Payton), Minnesota (Brad Childress), and Indianapolis (Jim Caldwell) with coaches that are considered "players coaches" and wonder why they aren't getting the same treatment.

This Isn't About Conditioning, This Is About Punishment

Mike Shanahan can punish Albert Haynesworth just about any way he wants. The CBA gives a football coach some pretty unilateral ability to act in the way he sees fit.

Coaches can fine players for being on-time to meetings. Coaches can fine players for parking in the wrong place in the team lot.

Right now, Shanahan is punishing Haynesworth by making him run a conditioning test that is completely unrealistic—a test none of his teammates had to run, and one many of them couldn't pass.

More importantly, what is Haynesworth being punished for? If the player (and the players union) feel that he is being punished for missing voluntary offseason work, the Redskins could be in a load of trouble.

Think what you want about Haynesworth .

Is he petulant? Yes.

Is he greedy? Definitely.

Is he a malcontent? Almost certainly.

Haynesworth is a lot of things. But right now, out-of-shape isn't one of them.