If the 2010 Redskin season stands any chance at all of even looking liking a NFL football team, then the air will have to be cleared. On so many levels
There's just too much stuff going on (again). Too much speculation, and not enough truth telling.
Case in point.
If there's something medically wrong with one of your players, you don't make light of the situation. You don't make fun of the player. You get the player the best medical attention you can to hopefully get the condition taken care of.
So goes the latest Haynesworth vs. Coach Mike Shanahan saga.
After not practicing because of headaches, or dehydration, or swollen knees, etc., we may be finally finding out why all these ailments have been plaguing Albert Haynesworth.
Rhabdomyolysis, a rapid breakdown (lysis) of skeletal muscle (rhabdomyo) due to injury to muscle tissue.
Bothered by coaching staff downplaying the ailment, Haynesworth spoke out (As he should have. You would have, too, if a untruth was told about you. Just admit it.)
In an after-game interview Haynesworth said, “I guess they'll say I had headaches or whatever and that’s why I couldn’t go out and practice. I think it was a little bit more than that.”
Haynesworth then said that the headaches were a part of what was ailing him, but "that it wasn’t all of it." Adding, "they left out a lot of stuff.”
We're told the interview was cut short by the Skins PR staff, leaving the media still not knowing the entire truth.
We know that Mike Williams is out because of his medical condition. We know that Chris Samuels retired due to his health issue.
Why can't we just find out what's really wrong with Albert - Rhabdomyolysis (or other), fix it and move on. Whether the moving on is with, or without Haynesworth.
Geez already. Because at this point, it's not just about football. It's not just about the $100 million dollars you paid a player. It's not about gaining the upper hand over a player to prove who is right and who is wrong.
This could be about saving a person's life.
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Sometimes You Just Don't Know Why Certain Things Happen To Certain People.
Here's one of those Rosey Perez in White Men Can't Jump moments. Sometimes when you win, you really lose. And sometimes when you lose, you really win. And sometimes when you win or lose, you actually tie and sometimes when you tie, you actually win or lose.
Likewise, at times things you'd expect to happen to people, don't happen. At other times, what we don't expect to happen to people, happen.
Such was the case to Redskins' public relations guy, Zack Bolno who was abruptly fired from his job as the Redskins' Executive Director of Communications.
I'll admit, it wasn't always easy working with Zack, but to his credit I'll say he helped show me the ropes. I'd even go as far as saying he helped me when others didn't. I'd say that he was perhaps the toughest media type I'd ever have to deal with what with having covered hundreds of other events and working with several other media and PR companies.
For whatever reason of your choosing, covering pro sports is a different animal than covering other D.C. events. There's always this blanket-of-protection persona by PR types over pro atheletes like they walk on water or something, when in fact, they're just human beings like you or me. (They're pockets are just fatter).
Anyway.
While we're led to believe public relations is about damage control of a product, brand, or person, at some point the truth does surface.
To that end, we'll eventually find out what's ailing Haynesworth and we'll eventually find out why Bolno was let go of his position as Redskin's PR maven. (Perhaps the two are interrelated).
The phrase repeated so much by Bolno, "Last couple of questions, guys", or "A couple more questions" didn't seem to be heard during last Saturday's postgame interview.
It may never be heard at Redskins Park again. (He'll have to update his LinkedIn status).
Whether the Haynesworth comment cost Zack his job, or not, we wish Zack well in whatever endeavor he undertakes. And on that note, I'd like to tell Zack Bolno, "Thank you."
Related
Bolno wasn't the only one released this week. The Redskins cut linebacker Chris Draft. Add safety Tyrone Carter and fullback Carey Davis to the roster.
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