Mike Shanahan & Albert Haynesworth

I thought today I’d write about the Shanahan/Haynesworth drama in the NFL. If you are one of the lucky people who are not into sports, you should not visit my blog on Tuesdays, for Tuesday is Jeff’s sports reflection.

Anyway, for those that are unaware, Mike Shanahan is the head coach if The Washington Redskins and Albert Haynesworth is the highest paid defensive tackle in football. Albert plays football for Mike, or would if he could. Right now the two are having a war of words and other nonsense.

I'm sure you know the details but if you don't, I will not bore you with the details of the situation, you can check out ESPN for that.

There are two sides to this, and I don’t mean Mike and Albert.

SIDE 1:
These are two professionals who are part of a highly competitive sport in which the amount or pressure to win a championship is almost unthinkable. As celebrities in the public eye, every detail of there lives are magnified and scrutinized by the public and the media. This pressure can lead to outburst of frustration and anxiety.

SIDE 2:
These are two men who are getting paid millions of dollars to play a game. They are both on the same side. Each one can help the other succeed. Yet, with the amount of money and fame involved, perspective and reason is lost and both men are reduced to the acting like 8 years-old children.

And not a seen that expresses the way I understand the conflict

Mike
Albert's lazy

Albert
No, I am hurt.

Mike
He won't practice.

Albert
Because I’m hurt.

Mike
You won’t play till you practice.

Albert
Mike is just singling me out.

Mike
And that is not going to change.

Albert
Mike's a liar.

Mike
My dad can beat up yours.

And then they end up at the playground after school to fight. They are surrounded by a bunch of kids with microphones and video cameras.

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Update 8-25-10:
I don't want to pat myself on the back, and maybe my blog had nothing to do with it, but I have read that Shanahan and Haynesworth are meeting to talk about things. Hummm... Good luck gentlemen!