I don’t envy NFL GMs and head coaches their task to talk to the media. In a highly competitive, yet very public business, they have to talk to their fans through the media without tipping their hand to rivals. Coach speak is the art of hiding your real meaning behind bland platitudes. Joe Gibbs was a master at it. Mike Shanahan needs some practice.
Washington Redskins GM Bruce Allen had the unenviable task of coach speaking to the media this afternoon. Here’s how I excerpted Joseph White’s Associated Press story about the interview.
“Blah blah blah there’s virtually no expectation that [Donovan] McNabb will be with the team next season. Blah blah blah.
“Blah blah blah we remain hopeful that [Albert Haynesworth] can help the team win. Blah blah blah”
That reference to Haynesworth is the point that everyone is seizing on, judging by the number of tweets going around already.
As we point out here at Redskins Hog Heaven, you can always trust what a GM coach speaks about a player.
We are not sure how Allen meant either comment. Perhaps he is boosting Haynesworth’s market value by conveying the sense that Washington isn’t open to trade offers for him. It that’s the intent, it would be more credible coming from Shanahan. More playing time for Haynesworth in spite of everything would have helped, too.
Haynesworth isn’t on speaking terms with the coach. He doesn’t want to play the 3-4 defense that will stick with the Redskins longer than he will. Big Al has said he will not participate in OTAs this offseason. Can you blah blah hope springs eternal?
McNabb contradicted his agent to say that he wants to remain with the Redskins and that decisions about his playing time were Shanahan’s to make, though he preferred to be told in a less disrespectful way. McNabb preferred to keep his talks with the coaches private. Haynesworth did not shrink from drama.
So the guy who wants to stay is outta here and the guy who wants out is welcome to stay. What kind of blah blah is that?
Maybe Allen already has a deal cooked up for McNabb, say a swap with Tennessee for Vince Young. Speculative for sure, but it would explain the certainty of Allen’s comment.
Trades cannot happen until a new CBA is in place. And when might that be? Allen would not blah blah about that.
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