RI: Shanahan: Haynesworth has swelling in his knee

[Chris]

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/re...nesworth-has-swell.html?wprss=redskinsinsider

Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth did not take his conditioning test on Saturday morning due to swelling in his knee, Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan said.

Haynesworth arrived at Redskins Park "quite early," Shanahan said, but was experiencing irritation in his knee. The "recommendation from the doctors [was] to have him not run," Shanahan said. Haynesworth rode a stationary bike and received treatment on his knee.

Shanahan said he did not know when Haynesworth would next attempt the conditioning test. The All-Pro defensive tackle will not be allowed to practice with the team until he passes the test, which consists of two timed 300-yard shuttle runs.

"I don't know; it all depends on how the knee is, how he's feeling," Shanahan said. "I never said he had to take the test every day. We want to get you in football shape and when you feel like you can pass the test, we'll let you take it and if you pass it, we'll let you practice with the team."

more at the link

 

[Boone]

Hmmm. So Haynesworth achieved such a high level of fitness working out on his own that a couple of drills spread out over two days has incapacitated him? That sound about right?

His personal approach to off-season preparation has now been totally vindicated!

I'm sure any minute now we'll hear about how this 'injury' is totally on Shanahan, the result of his arrogance and ego. Couldn't be that Al really is coming into camp out of shape and woefully prepared to start the rigors of NFL training camp.

 

[Chris]

I don't know. Maybe it's not workout related. I've heard the accelerators on the Rolls Royce can be difficult to depress.

 

[Burgundy Burner]

Maybe he has gout. Eating the wrong food and working out very little can cause knees and feet to swell.

 

[EatSleepRedskin]

Here's what DMV dude Darnell Dockett, a DT with the Cardinals, had to say about his conditioning test on his Twitter feed:

"Our test was 3x 300yds, I ran them in 57secs w/ 2min break between each one,!! I could have eating popcorn while running them!! #INSHAPE"

Important to keep in mind that Dockett also weighs just 290ish. Which is like 40-50 pounds less than Haynesworth.

 

[stevenaa]

Hmmm. So Haynesworth achieved such a high level of fitness working out on his own that a couple of drills spread out over two days has incapacitated him? That sound about right?

His personal approach to off-season preparation has now been totally vindicated!

I'm sure any minute now we'll hear about how this 'injury' is totally on Shanahan, the result of his arrogance and ego. Couldn't be that Al really is coming into camp out of shape and woefully prepared to start the rigors of NFL training camp.

You're enjoying this too much.

 

[Sarge]

It appears Butterworths trainer works for the Cowboys

 

[Sarge]

Hmmm. So Haynesworth achieved such a high level of fitness working out on his own that a couple of drills spread out over two days has incapacitated him? That sound about right?

His personal approach to off-season preparation has now been totally vindicated!

I'm sure any minute now we'll hear about how this 'injury' is totally on Shanahan, the result of his arrogance and ego. Couldn't be that Al really is coming into camp out of shape and woefully prepared to start the rigors of NFL training camp.

Mybe you can get a job as his trainer next year and P90X his ass through it

In the meantime, I'm sure his mangina will start bothering him next

 

[fansince62]

Hmmm. So Haynesworth achieved such a high level of fitness working out on his own that a couple of drills spread out over two days has incapacitated him? That sound about right?

His personal approach to off-season preparation has now been totally vindicated!

I'm sure any minute now we'll hear about how this 'injury' is totally on Shanahan, the result of his arrogance and ego. Couldn't be that Al really is coming into camp out of shape and woefully prepared to start the rigors of NFL training camp.

you know...I was listening to NFL Radio today out of the Patriots camp and several of their players missed OTAs. no dramas there.

AH is a pinhead. but the whole thing is contrived and will eventually backfire on Shanahan.

 

[Boone]

Al, believe it or not, I mostly agree with you. Time/focus/energy spent on AH is time/focus/energy that would be better spent elsewhere. Guy is a zero between the ears. I wish someone in the Redskins organization would just say that and move on.

 

[TomE]

Important to keep in mind that Dockett also weighs just 290ish. Which is like 40-50 pounds less than Haynesworth.

So does that mean that AH gets an extra .3 something seconds per pound?

 

[Lanky Livingston]

you know...I was listening to NFL Radio today out of the Patriots camp and several of their players missed OTAs. no dramas there.

AH is a pinhead. but the whole thing is contrived and will eventually backfire on Shanahan.

Did the players on the Patriots that missed OTAs bitch and moan about how they were going to be used on defense, demand to be released or traded, and then collect a $21M bonus check from them?

I don't think so.

Players miss OTAs. This is a fact. It is also a fact that missing OTAs by itself is not a punishable offense. Things happen, players do other things. I don't think any NFL team has 100% attendance.

HOWEVAH - Haynesworth went so much further. I can't believe people are still justifying his actions this offseason...its completely mind-bottling to me.

 

[fansince62]

Did the players on the Patriots that missed OTAs bitch and moan about how they were going to be used on defense, demand to be released or traded, and then collect a $21M bonus check from them?

I don't think so.

Players miss OTAs. This is a fact. It is also a fact that missing OTAs by itself is not a punishable offense. Things happen, players do other things. I don't think any NFL team has 100% attendance.

HOWEVAH - Haynesworth went so much further. I can't believe people are still justifying his actions this offseason...its completely mind-bottling to me.

you're getting out of control in your...dare we say it...hatred grasshoppa. AH was fairly low key in terms of visibility during the OTAs. can't have it both ways - the whole PRETEXT for what is going on right now is that OTAs were necessary for conditioning. if you accept that - the size of his bonus has nothing to do with it and neither does his ardor to play NT. why.....you don't think if there is subsequent legal action that the Skins will admit that the tests - which only AH took - were administered because of the size of his bonus or a desire not to play NT? do you?

"people are still justifying his actions this offseason" - who might that be? not I grasshoppa. pardon et moi Pater Lanky......but I'm looking at both sides of the issue. I don't like what AH has done. I also am focused on drawing value out of the situation and not as preoccupied as you are with retribution/punishment.

It's a silly test of wills that is escalating in a comical way that can nevertheless damage all sides. think about it: whether Albert Haynesworth is able to run two sets of god *amn shuttles has been headline news on every sports channel, NFL Radio, etc., etc., for three days now. It's low drama reaching for the media heights precisely because a lot of folks want to see it explode.

nothing AH did really reached to the level of high crimes and misdemeanors. and...just think...as out of shape as fat albert was last season - the players around him all had better seasons. he can make a difference. this was a rescuable situation with potential long-run benefits for all parties. instead, we now have a player who can't control his emotions in reaction mode and a coach who might be allowing his ego to overtake the long-run interests of the team.

money envy...like xxxis envy...is just not something I have ever been into. the Skins signed the contract. the money issue doesn't bother me one iota. that he is violating the spirit of his contract does bother me. whether he is paid 10 cents or 1o billion dollars doesn't matter - the money is exchanged for services rendered. and it ticks me off that AH isn't honoring his contract by playing. both parties are at fault here in one regard - AH hasn't rendered services and the Skins are now intentionally keeping him from doing so.

but we all know this is about money.........keeping the Skins from taking it back versus getting it back/not handing over more.

 

[servumtuum]

Well, I can't say I take either fansince62's or Lanky's position-both seem a bit extreme.

Lanky, I would like to point out that explaining a situation is not the same as justifying it.

fansince62-I don't mean to sound "preachy" but I think you were a mite hard on Lanky in your assessment. Attributing motives is a very tricky game to play in my experience because we filter such things through our own preferences and preconceptions.


Just sayin'.

 

[Boone]

I also am focused on drawing value out of the situation and not as preoccupied as you are with retribution/punishment.

I really think this is the where most of the bulk of disagreement lies. Where I think you may be wrong is that it may be Shanahan's assessment that his current strategy is the best way to demonstrate to Haynesworth that there is structure on this team and that Haynesworth has a very well-defined place within that. You see retribution/punishment, and yes that is likely part of what we're seeing. But it may also be Shanahan trying to get a crucial player's attention in order that he might eventually be able to effectively use him.

 

[Chris]

It's Groundhog Day.

Again.

 

[Neophyte]

Regarding the knee...

I have a trick left knee from an old stage combat injury. 92% of the time it is just fine and everything is hunky dory. The other 8% of the time, it swells up, gets stiff, offers a bit of pain and is, in general, a nuisance to live with.

No amount of conditioning work I have done over the 10 years or so since I got hurt has made a difference. It is what it is, regardless.

The oddest things will set it off too. A slight twist while turning to pick something up while grilling is just as likely as to cause me issues for a week as running 4 miles or weight lifting. The thing that set it off now may well never set it off again either or it might set it off the next 6 times I do it.

My point here is that Al's physical condition might not have a thing to do with his knee and for those blaming the conditioning test for causing this issue, it is just as possible that he torqued it turning away from his locker to head for the shower as it is he did this on the field trying to do a 300 yard shuttle run.

There is no way for us to tell so this is a non-issue for me in the bigger scheme of things, both as it relates to Al's state of conditioning or what Shanahan is requiring of him before he can practice.

 

[Boone]

Maybe Bob...but I think there's also a valid argument that can be made that one is less likely to tweak or exacerbate an injury when a solid program of stepped difficulty has been followed over an extended period - the exact kind of work-up that the rest of AH's teammate's have participated in. None of that would guarantee anyone stays injury-free. If his 'swollen knee' proved to be something more serious or was a prolonged issue, we'll never know whether participating in all of the team training prior to now would've prevented it. We do know that his personal workout regimen didn't. Not to make a mountain out of a mole hill

 

[fansince62]

I really think this is the where most of the bulk of disagreement lies. Where I think you may be wrong is that it may be Shanahan's assessment that his current strategy is the best way to demonstrate to Haynesworth that there is structure on this team and that Haynesworth has a very well-defined place within that. You see retribution/punishment, and yes that is likely part of what we're seeing. But it may also be Shanahan trying to get a crucial player's attention in order that he might eventually be able to effectively use him.

but what's the best way to do that? running sprints or putting him in positions on the field where he can't perform - in front of all of his teammates to see?

I'm tired of the whole thing. again...this is mostly about money.

 

[Boone]

It's obviously not *just* about physical performance. I'm thinking Shanahan believes that if the guy is going to do his own thing, with no regard for what his coaches think or desire, that it'll be detrimental to the overall effort. If AH can't swallow hard, suppress his ego and get over this little hurdle they've placed before him, maybe they figure that's all they need to know.