London Fletcher has some choice words about Haslett

[Primus Porcus]

I'm not talking about that kind of character. I really don't care how he interacts with fans, in fact I pretty much expect that type of behavior from most athletes during fan interactions.

I'm saying from what I've read/heard, Fletcher is pretty highly regarded by teammates as a good teammate and leader. Have you seen many other instances where Fletcher has gone off on a former coach like this? He eviscerated both Haslett's skills and his character in that clip. That is not Fletcher's normal MO. He's not someone known to fly off the handle and give crazy interviews or commentary. It is based on his historically anti-drama queen and anti-loose cannon behavior that makes me take note of what he's saying. Further, it's not like he was just throwing accusations out there; he broke down multiple plays explaining each inept call Haslett made in those scenarios. To me he was just expressing his honest opinion very likely out of similar frustration that so many of us feel.

No doubt...


Sorry if I seemed to go off kilter there, wasn't my goal. I do agree that if there is smoke, then there's USUALLY fire. Even if I don't like hearing Fletcher or a player of his reputation go off on anyone (I just think it sounds unprofessional), I don't think he's going to come out with ZERO warrant. There has to be some validity to his statements.

 

[Special K]

Sorry if I seemed to go off kilter there, wasn't my goal. I do agree that if there is smoke, then there's USUALLY fire. Even if I don't like hearing Fletcher or a player of his reputation go off on anyone (I just think it sounds unprofessional), I don't think he's going to come out with ZERO warrant. There has to be some validity to his statements.

Oh, no worries at all.

I'll agree with you that it's pretty disconcerting to see someone like Fletcher go off on a former coach. I don't know if he's privy to something specific, or he's sick of seeing his former teammates and friends continue to be blamed for the defense's lack of production, or Haslett ran over his dog 15 minutes before he went on air??? There are many players who could give a scathing commentary such as Fletcher's and I wouldn't bat an eye, but this is different.

 

[Ax]

Sorry K.

I didn't need Fletch to say Haslett is clueless to know it. And after watching the clip, to me, it's a completely obvious career move on his part. Someone speaking his heart/mind wouldn't stumble on his words as horribly as he did. He's Emmit Smith bad. And his film breakdowns were laughable. He actually tried to say Haslett CALLED triple coverage on someone in the colts game. Lost any semblance of honesty right there.

Great player for us. Turrrrible mediot.

 

[CounterTrey]

He seemed very emotional to me Ax which would explain his stumbling. He's also brand new to this gig so I can see a few growing pains. Emmit? Come on man, LF can string a sentence of actual words together and not have to resort to ebonics. That was a low blow.

 

[ntotoro]

Yes... it's that time again...

 

[Ax]

He seemed very emotional to me Ax which would explain his stumbling. He's also brand new to this gig so I can see a few growing pains. Emmit? Come on man, LF can string a sentence of actual words together and not have to resort to ebonics. That was a low blow.

Maybe emotional. Maybe just stumbling trying to pull eloquence out of his ass, so as not to sound like just another dumb jock. And saying something, reluctantly, after all this time, to get him on "The Big Show". It's standard MO for the guys who can't cut it on talent.

 

[Boone]

Why are you hating on London Fletcher? Of all the guys you choose to hate on, you pick one of the hardest working, toughest playing Redskins of the last 10 years? So he lost his **** on a TV program and said some things he shouldn't have - so what? You've already acknowledged what he's saying probably 100% factual. Lumping him in with all the other mediots is convenient, but not very accurate. He knows of what he speaks. He spoke it. Big frigging deal.

 

[Ax]

Not hating at all. Just commenting to his motivation. Which is self serving. And unbecoming.

 

[Boone]

No - our defense is unbecoming! Screw Jim Haslett.

 

[CounterTrey]

Pelaties...Hah!

 

[Gulf Coast Redskin]

Maybe emotional. Maybe just stumbling trying to pull eloquence out of his ass, so as not to sound like just another dumb jock. And saying something, reluctantly, after all this time, to get him on "The Big Show". It's standard MO for the guys who can't cut it on talent.

Wow, that's harsh considering his tenure here. His first appearance to a Pro bowl was with the Redskins, but because he makes comments that every last one of us has said here, he's a no talent hack who used an easy target to find his way on the big screen? C'mon man. You're better than that. If that's true, it'll find him out as he will have little to nothing left for people to care about & he will go away quietly.

Of course, it could be that there isn't enough blame going his direction in the media & he still loves the team he used to play for & wants to see things done right. Either way, everything he said was spot on. Stop hatin' on someone who actually worked with the man & knows his ineptitude first hand.

 

[servumtuum]

Not hating at all. Just commenting to his motivation. Which is self serving. And unbecoming.

It must be a wonderful gift to be able to telepathically get into the depths of someone's psyche and dredge out their true motives as opposed to evaluating their statements by comparing them to the subject at hand.


Wow.

 

[Special K]

Not hating at all. Just commenting to his motivation. Which is self serving. And unbecoming.

Yet...you have absolutely no idea what his motivation was.

 

[Om]

Bottom line? Wherever Haslett lands next he already has his next excuse built in.

"It was the Washington Redskins."

 

[Ax]

Wow, that's harsh considering his tenure here. His first appearance to a Pro bowl was with the Redskins, but because he makes comments that every last one of us has said here, he's a no talent hack who used an easy target to find his way on the big screen? C'mon man. You're better than that. If that's true, it'll find him out as he will have little to nothing left for people to care about & he will go away quietly.

I've stated more than once here, that his claiming Haslett is clueless is not new to those of us who've had to watch him. I said he lacked talent, as a color commentator, which is as painfully obvious to me, as Haslett's DC abilities, which makes such attention seeking displays necessary to prolong his fledgling media career in hopes of getting better at it. he has quite ways to go, IMHO.

Of course, it could be that there isn't enough blame going his direction in the media & he still loves the team he used to play for & wants to see things done right. Either way, everything he said was spot on. Stop hatin' on someone who actually worked with the man & knows his ineptitude first hand.

Fletcher deserves to be in the HOF, in my opinion. I hope he goes in as a Redskin. I don't think wanting the team he used played for to do things right has anything to do with this. If that were the case, it's a piss poor way to go about it.

It must be a wonderful gift to be able to telepathically get into the depths of someone's psyche and dredge out their true motives as opposed to evaluating their statements by comparing them to the subject at hand.

Yes, it is quite a wonderful gift.

 

[Ax]

Yet...you have absolutely no idea what his motivation was.

None of us do. Yet...we all are allowed to have an opinion.

I guess.

 

[thesubmittedone]

This is true Dixie, but why get into a war of words with his son in first place. Fletcher is supposed to be the adult. He should have stated his case and kept it between him and Jim Haslett.

I have to agree with Doc Walker on all this. Why didn't Fletcher come out and say this back last spring or in training camp? What is the reason or gain to say it when there are so many problems which everyone sees.

I think Morris is to much to blame as Haslett with secondary issues.

Maybe he wanted to wait and see if Haslett's excuse this time (Shanny handcuffed me, I will unleash my brilliance now) was legitimate and he could actually improve the defense. When it was clear he couldn't, and then said something like "High Schoolers could execute the schemes we called" after the Colts game... Fletcher probably flipped.

That's much more likely than a scenario where a consummate professional and someone who has shown he cares about this team with actual work and production (more than any other player or even coach, arguably) just wanted to create a scene and/or boost his media career.

As for Haslett's son, that was unfortunate, honestly. But Russel retweeted it to Fletcher which is what generated a response from him. Russel didn't need to do that and it would've been best for Fletcher not to reply, but it's not like he's a child, either. I think he's in his early 20s or something. So, yeah... I'm really appreciative of what Fletcher did here. I feel like he's the only guy who cares enough.

 

[stevenaa]

Self serving is ok unless the action is dishonest or wrong. In this case it's neither. Now as a prospective media member, he could have worded it better. No reason he has to hide his opinion though.

 

[Rymanofthenorth]

Haslett is clueless, and has overseen the complete destruction of this defence. Not only is he one of the worst DC's but somehow he has managed to keep his job despite his crapulence. dont even get me started on the RG3 trade, just looking at potential building block players we could have had is making me crazy. But honest to God, despite having just watched my first live redskins game in santa clara against the niners, I am on the verge of saying screw it and just not watching football ever again, thats how tired I am of a team that has broken my heart repeatedly since 1992

 

[Ax]

Months after tirade, London Fletcher issues apology to former Redskins coach | Comcast SportsNet Washington

The timing of the apology seems odd. Haslett and the Redskins mutually agreed to part ways after the 2014 season, and the former defensive coordinator has been off the radar since early this year. Meanwhile, Fletcher's comments made big headlines for his work as an NFL analyst. It's also curious why Fletcher waited more than a year to let his "personal frustrations" boil to the point of calling out Haslett on television.

The whole episode seemed bizarre, at the time and now. Best hope is Fletcher's apology is sincere, and both men move on from the ugliness.