Why Shanahan must crack the whip on Haynesworth
By: Turner Sports Desk
Jim Turner
Turnersportsdesk.com
July 30, 2010
As I scanned through the daily sports news online this morning
and I came across a well written counter-argument by Washington Post Columnist,
Mike Wise. Wise believes that Redskin Coach, Mike Shanahan is just piling on
Haynesworth right now with the gassers and fitness tests (click
here to read the article). I can certainly understand Mike's point of
view but it is spoken like a person that has very little experience leading men
in team sports or other pressure filled situations.
Once upon a time in what seems like a previous life I was a
combat infantryman. I quickly learned as a newbie (there is another name but this is a family show) that the fire team,
squad, platoon came first. You did not want to be the weak link in the chain
that could not execute your job which caused one of your buddies to get
hurt or worse. Later as a combat leader I learned that I had to set and maintain a
high standard so that my troops were always ready. I also had to come down hard on
troops that did not..alla Haynesworth. It is absolutely critical that Mike
Shanahan validate all the work the rest of the team did all spring and summer
by holding Haynesworth accountable to reach or exceed the same standard his
teammates did.
If Shanahan relents as Mike Wise suggests then everything
these guys did all summer together means nothing. Basically he would be saying
you can skip the team workouts, come in out of shape and it is ok. I said in my
last article that Shanahan will bring accountability back to Redskin Park and
it starts right here with the highest paid player on the roster. The purpose of
the summer workouts was not just fitness but team building. Haynesworth took
his check and snubbed his teammates that he will go to battle with in
September. It is very important that Haynesworth be made to earn his place back
with this team or be sent packing if he cannot reach the standard. Shanahan is doing what any good leader must do to ensure esprit de corps in that lockeroom. Thus far Haynesworth appears to be taking this in stride. My
feeling is we are going to learn a lot about the type of man Haynesworth is
through this process. If Haynesworth is smart he will embrace the challenge and have a career year.