Skins DE Holliday: Haslett's Haynesworth remarks on the money

Vonnie Holliday thinks defensive coordinator Jim Haslett has a point about his teammate, Albert Haynesworth.

Speaking on the "LaVar Arrington Show with Chad Dukes," on Washington's 106.7 the Fan Monday, Holliday said Haslett's depiction of Haynesworth's behavior was on the money. But Holliday, a defensive end who started two games for the Redskins last season, also said the team's coaches could have done more to discourage Haynesworth's antics at meetings.

The Washington Redskins have been looking for more from defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth since they signed him to a $100 million contract in 2009. (Evan Vucci/Associated Press)

In an interview with a St. Louis radio station last week, Haslett described Haynesworth as a lazy player who either has trouble listening to -- or just plain ignores -- his coaches .

"He can do almost anything he wants. He doesn’t want to do anything. To me that’s the issue," Haslett said. "He’s one of those guys you walk in a meeting and you tell him, ‘Put down the phone.’ The next day you have to tell him to put down the phone. The next day, you tell him to put down the phone.

"You tell him, 'Don’t read the newspaper in meetings.' The next day you have to tell him the same thing. It doesn’t stick; it’s an every-day thing."

Holliday said Haynesworth's behavior frustrated the Redskins' veterans.

"Short of getting into a fight with Big Al (Haynesworth), you can’t tell him what to do," Holliday said. "As frank as coach Haslett was on the radio station about what transpired throughout the course of last year with Albert I thought there was a missed opportunity there for coaches.

"Maybe this is something that was just instilled in me early in my career -- you just don’t take your phone to a meeting. If a phone rings in a meeting it is an issue. It is a problem. You are going to get cursed out, fussed out and fined. Any number of things are going to happen to you by your coach. I’m terrified.

"These younger guys it is not the same. It’s not looked at as the same. Unfortunately Albert ... some of the stuff that coach Haslett is talking about, having a phone in the meeting, it was just not addressed. Coming up, you’re telling a guy, 'Hey don’t bring your phone to a meeting. You can’t do that.' I mean, the way we get through to these guys is to fine them and that just never happened throughout the year."

Holliday said Haynesworth's ability to dominate on the field, which rarely has manifest itself in Washington since he set an NFL record with $41 million guaranteed as part of a seven-year, $100 contract in 2009, makes his actions even more frustrating.

"First of all, I’m not in it to be an Albert Haynesworth basher," Holliday said. "Yes, some of the on-the-field antics, some of the stuff in the meeting rooms have been disappointing ... (If ) You’ve been a dominating player that we all know that this guy could be. We have no issues.

Holliday said that was not the case with Haynesworth.

"I know that can be frustrating for a new defensive line coach coming in. A new defensive coordinator. Seeing what this guy is capable of doing and then it just not playing out on the field. It was certainly frustrating for me.

"To be honest, this is a guy that if he plays at the level that we know he can play at, will raise the level of play for everybody around him. It’s unfortunate that it has not played out. I don’t know what’s going to happen moving forward but after these comments made by coach (Haslett), you’ve got to think how this guy is going to go back into that locker room and listen to coach and do anything short of what happened last year."

Haynesworth fell out of favor with new coach Mike Shanahan in 2010 and repeatedly clashed over workout routines and playing time. The Redskins suspended Haynesworth for the final four games of the season for "conduct detrimental to the team."

View the original article here

Tomlin: Mendenhall's bin Laden, 9/11 remarks out of line

Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin made it clear that running back Rashard Mendenhall should not have posted controversial remarks on his Twitter account in the aftermath of the death of Osama bin Laden last month. Tomlin made his comments during a wide-ranging interview with Pittsburgh television station KDKA.

Mendenhall's tweets included: "What kind of person celebrates death? It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side..."

Referencing the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, he wrote "We'll never know what really happened. I just have a hard time believing a plane could take a skyscraper down demolition style." That particular tweet was removed the next day.

Tomlin, who is not allowed to have contact with any of his players during the lockout, was direct when the subject was broached.

"He shouldn't have said it," Tomlin said about Mendenhall’s Twitter comments. "Yes, it is a freedom of speech issue. Yes, he is a young man, and he has a right to his opinion. But sometimes these young men got to understand the positions that they hold and the influence that they have and to be highly sensitive to that.

"I think that, more than anything, in those chain of events, he was not sensitive to the power of his words or his positions on that subject or on any subject. I think life is an education. I think these young men are continually educated to what comes along with being them, and that’s just an example of it.

"Here's the thing that I think a lot of people miss, is that that kid was 12 years old on 9/11. He doesn't have an idea of what pre-9/11 adult life was like in America. He doesn't understand the ramifications of how life changed in America on that day (be)cause he was a kid."

Mendenhall apologized for his comments two days later via his personal website, writing, "First, I want people to understand that I am not in support of Bin Laden, or against the USA.

"I understand how devastating 9/11 was to this country and to the people whose families were affected. Not just in the U.S., but families all over the world who had relatives in the World Trade Centers. My heart goes out to the troops who fight for our freedoms everyday, not being certain if they will have the opportunity to return home, and the families who watch their loved ones bravely go off to war. Last year, I was grateful enough to have the opportunity to travel overseas and participate in a football camp put on for the children of U.S. troops stationed in Germany. It was a special experience. These events have had a significant impact in my life."

Mendenhall also specifically pointed out the "celebrates death" tweet.

"This controversial statement was something I said in response to the amount of joy I saw in the event of a murder. I don't believe that this is an issue of politics or American pride; but one of religion, morality, and human ethics."

The Steelers immediately distanced themselves from the remarks, and several of Mendenhall's teammates told him he was out of line.

"He made some comments that he probably shouldn't have made at the sensitive time that it was," linebacker James Farrior told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "You can voice your opinions, but you don't want to try to offend people that have strong feelings about that. You've got to think about everybody that's involved."

In addition, Champion dropped Mendenhall as an endorser, even though the sports apparel company had recently signed him to a four-year contract.

Tomlin also addressed the NFL's crackdown on illegal hits and blows to the head, which some -- including linebackers James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley -- believe was initiated with the Steelers in mind.

"At times, I've struggled to figure out why we are at the forefront of this discussion, to be honest with you," Tomlin said. "We play football just like everyone else. We're trying to win on weekends. We're going to try to play within the rules when there are rule changes. We adjust like everyone else."

Harrison and Woodley accused the NFL of ruining the game with heavy-handed legislation.

Harrison, whom the league fined $100,000 for flagrant hits last season, tweeted "the people making the rules at the NFL are idiots." He further explained his views in his blog, in which he admitted, "I don't disagree with all of the rule changes," but accused the NFL of picking on the notoriously hard-hitting Steelers.

Tomlin also revealed wide receiver Hines Ward's triumph on "Dancing With The Stars" came as no surprise to him, despite the fact the coach had never seen Ward dance before the television show aired.

"I thought that he would," Tomlin said. "I know competitors. I know how that guy's wired. I knew that he would do everything in his power to prepare himself and perform. I knew the stage wouldn't be too big for him. I thought all of those things kind of weighed in his favor."

View the original article here