Everything you need to know about D.C. sports in one place.
I was with a group of friends last night talking about the Redskins game against the Bears, particularly the inspired play of Albert Haynesworth. He finished with two tackles for a loss and a sack in what might have been his best performance as a Redskin; at least according to Coach Shanahan. There was a disagreement among us about how we should react to Haynesworth's effort. There are two schools of thought.
The first is that this is that with his $100 million contract this is what Haynesworth should be doing every week. Playing this well only reminds us that he hasn't been playing this well over the course of his contract so far, and has only been a huge headache. Watching a good performance only makes me wonder why I've had to wait so long to see it.
Then there's the glass-half-full approach, which is the argument I chose to side on. Nobody can live up to a $100 million dollar contract, especially someone who plays on the defensive line where it's hard to draw attention to yourself. I can forgive Haynesworth for all his transgressions in the past as long as he shows up ready to give full effort from here on out. It's an enormous leap of faith, but the game against the Bears showed that he was capable of it. He doesn't have to prove that he was worth that contract every time he takes the field, just that he is worth the playing time he is receiving.
There's no taking back the contract the Redskins gave Albert Haynesworth. That's in the past, the mistake of another regime. There is no reason to continue to harp on it and hold Haynesworth to nearly impossible standards. After everything that the Skins have gone through with him I consider whatever he can add on the field gravy. I guess it's just more fun to root for someone then it is to be mad at them for playing well. But that's just me, and it's not my $100 million dollars being spent on him. What do you think?
Today's must-reads from around the SB Nation network:
- Bullets Forever has an interview with new Wizards big man Kevin Seraphin.
- Federal Baseball updates you on the goings on at the Arizona Fall League.
- Japers' Rink has their weekly evaluations of everyone on the roster.
On SB Nation D.C. today: Brian Murphy on the Redskins' struggles on the offensive side of the ball.