Forgive me if I take a little bit more time with this Half Smoke. It's going to feel so good, and I just want to make it last. Four the last four months, I'd estimate the percentage of stories I've written for this site being about Albert Haynesworth somewhere in the range of most.
Most of them were so, so negative. Mostly just hate coming from all the parties involved. Writing with that much anger has caused significant damage to my keyboard. Writing something good about the Big Man will be a very cathartic experience I believe. So I'm milking the comments made by Mike Shanahan about Albert Haynesworth's play in Sunday's game against the Eagles for all their worth.
On Sunday Albert Haynesworth played by far his best game of the season. His four tackles may not get your attention right away, but he played on a season high 30 snaps, and spent a lot of that time in the Eagles' backfield. His presence there was a very important part of the Redskins' defensive effort.
According to Jason Reid, even Mike Shanahan, the man who has seemed to have an uncommonly strong disdain for Haynesworth from the moment he walked into his new office, had nice things to say bout him.
"I thought it was, by far, Albert's best game since I've been here," Shanahan said. "I thought he played very good. Played practically 30 plays, had a couple of holding calls against him, which were difference makers in the game. Just had a lot of effort. I was pleased with his performance ...
"Well," Shanahan said, "let me say this: The more he plays like that, the more he's going to play."
Albert Haynesworth played with great effort and vigor, was a force in the game, and was acknowledged by his coach for doing something positive.
If I didn't know any better, I'd say that sounds like a functional relationship between player and organization. Like everybody is happy and doing what they're supposed to do.
Let that sink in for a second.