LITTLE ROCK — Veterans’ advice on the nose
Washington defensive end Albert Haynesworth, who skipped mini-camp in defiance after he learned of his pending switch from defensive tackle to nose tackle in the Redskins’ new 4-3 defense, isn’t getting a lot of sympathy.
Coach Mike Shanahan has stated emphatically that Haynesworth won’t be traded, but told ESPNews’ Ed Werder on Sunday that, “We know how talented he is, we know what he’s done in the past, and I’m looking from the positive side that he comes in and does what he’s supposed to do. If not, we’ll go ahead without him.”
Fred Smerlas, Bob Baumhower and Ted Washington - all former NFL Pro Bowl nose tackles - spoke with Amy Shipley of The Washington Post, and agreed that Haynesworth’s tantrum is definitely over the top.
“Should I get a napkin to wipe his fat tears?” Smerlas said. “The public does not sympathize with someone making $100 million.”
None of the four came out of college as a nose tackle and none of them wanted the job initially.
They also believed they didn’t have a choice. Their advice to Haynesworth? Stop whining and give it a chance.
“There are several things you have to realize,” Washington said. “No. 1, you’re not going to be getting all the glory. No. 2, you’re going to be double- and triple teamed at least 85 percent of the time.
“But it’s fun. When you get good at it, you can make it fun.”
What does it take to be good?
“You got to be a ballerina dancer, a boxer, an MMA fighter and a weightlifter all in one,” Smerlas said.
“I’ve always been told being double-teamed was the highest form of flattery,” said Rubin Carter, a star nose tackle with the University of Miami and Denver Broncos (1975-1986) who is also the father of Redskins defensive lineman Andre Carter. “I was probably brain-washed.”
According to Shipley, Washington, who retired in 2007, offered to tutor Haynesworth personally if Redskins owner Daniel Snyder were to ask.
Baumhower, 54, said he’d come out of retirement if Haynesworth wouldn’t line up where he was told.
He may get a chance. Redskins training camp opens Thursday.
Don’t eat that
Albert Haynesworth’s attitude isn’t the only foul thing in Washington.
After a little legwork, ESPN put together a list of 2009 health inspection reports from every major professional sports venue (major league baseball, NFL, NHL and NBA) in North America and found some less-than-palatable information.
Health inspectors found rodent droppings, improper hand washing, bacterial growth, poor refrigeration, expired meat and the presence of toxic material - and those were just the “critical violations.” More than half of the vendors were cited for such violations at one-third of the venues. And at two stadiums, Tropicana Field in Tampa and the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., inspectors cited all of the vendors for critical violations. At the Staples Center in Los Angeles, one stand dumped 9.5 pounds of sushi after inspectors found that it had become too warm.
“One could argue that if you’re ordering sushi at a basketball game, you’re playing with fire,” said Yahoo.com’s Chris Chase.
Quote of the day
“That ninth inning, I kept telling myself, ‘Just finish it, just finish it, just battle, battle. If it’s meant
to happen, it’s going to happen.’ ” Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Matt Garza on his nohitter Monday against the Detroit Tigers
Sports, Pages 14 on 07/27/2010