Albert Haynesworth.
I don’t want him.
I wasn’t a fan of the trade when I learned of it last Thursday because he slouched for two years in Washington after banking $41 million from the Redskins. The second year as Haynesworth warred with ‘Skins head coach Mike Shanahan really turned me off.
A player that became so hated that his teammates wouldn’t support him isn’t a player I want polluting the noble Patriots locker room.
But if head coach Bill Belichick is willing to take a chance on Haynesworth, I figured I should give Albert the benefit of the doubt.
That chance is off the table now. The baggage as a player was concerning enough. Learning about Haynesworth’s legal past pushed me over the edge.
Haynesworth is a walking crime wave. The only thing missing is Haynesworth hangin’ out with wide receiver Plaxico Burress the night Burress shot himself, and Haynesworth being was strapped as well.
That didn’t happen, but these did: a case of road rage in Virginia; sideswiping a car at 103 miles per hour, partially paralyzing the victim; caught driving 100 miles per hour four days later.
The icing on the cake is Haynesworth is accuse of sexual assault for swiping his credit card down a woman’s cleavage and groping her breasts afterwards. The trial is scheduled for later this month.
This is the kind of guy I want nowhere near me, my family, my friends, my pets, or the ghosts of loved ones that watch over me. And I don’t even have a pet.
I don’t have concern about Haynesworth infecting the Patriots locker room. There are too many high character players and strong leaders that any bad attitude won’t seep into the team. More so, Belichick ain’t havin’ that. He will cut Haynesworth like a surgeon does cancer.
But I don’t even have the patience to wait for Haynesworth to slip up to show him the door. Zero tolerance? Hell no! I’m talkin’ minus 17 tolerance. Look at Belichick the wrong way? Cut him. Sigh for being told to take another rep? Cut him. Doesn’t wash his hands after going to the bathroom? Cut him.
That standard should extend to being a model citizen. Just wait for Haynesworth to not use a turn signal while driving or forget to hold the door for anyone. Yeah, you know the refrain by now.
If anyone can get Haynesworth to play like the two-time All Pro he was with Tennessee in 2007 and 2008, it’s Belichick. I don’t care. Anyone responsible for an increase in Massachusetts State Police surveillance isn’t the kind of player I want on the Patriots.
If I’m lucky, Haynesworth does something stupid and Belichick drops the ax on Albert. I can see that happening before the season starts. I could be wrong. But the day Haynesworth is no longer on the Patriots can’t come soon enough for me.
Question? Comments? Send to talktome@randolphc.com.
