Hey, Hey, Hey Where's Fat Albert?

The Redskins had a "voluntary" mini-camp this weekend where 99% of the players were in attendance.  The lone absentee just happened to be the team's highest paid player Albert Haynesworth or better known as in DC now as Fat Albert.  The irony to me is the cartoon character Bill Cosby created was the best friend a guy could have.  He was always there for his buddies, meanwhile, the Skins Fat Albert can't even muster up the strength to show up to these "voluntary" workouts to support his teammates and meet his new coaching staff.  Ok while we are on a cartoon kick here remember the great scene in "Spiderman" when Peter Parker's Uncle Ben tells him, "with great powers comes great responsibility."  Well in pro sports with great talent and BIG contracts comes great responsibility, but someone forgot to let Fat Albert in on it maybe he did not have an Uncle Ben. 

So where's the beef ...besides on the Fat Albert's breakfast/lunch/dinner/and second dinner plate you might ask?  It appears Fat Albert does not want to play in the new 3-4 defense of new Defensive Coordinator Jim Haslett.  His peeps contends this is not what Fat Albert signed up for last off-season where he broke the bank for over $100(m).  So he is only going to show up when the workouts are mandatory.  I just hope for his sake he's in shape (unlike last year) when he does show or Mike Shanahan's face might get even redder than its normal shade. Most everyone that has ever had a real job has had to deal with some sort of change at work and sometimes it really sucks.  However, most of us just suck it up and deal with it b/c we understand that is what employees do or you get fired.  It is not that simple in pro sports especially when you are the highest paid employee.  Fat Albert has the hammer, but that doesn't make it right and it certainly is not going to win you any popularity contests among the fans. 

Meanwhile, Fat Albert's teammates really are not defending him.  They just say things like, when he gets here he will fit in.  I had a chance to talk to a couple of his defensive teammates this past weekend on 1067 The Fan, Chris Wilson and HB Blades both would not rip their absent teammate, but in the next breath both talked about the importance of these voluntary sessions for learning the new system and bonding with their teammates.  Mike Wise in his column in Monday's Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/09/AR2010050903014.html has some juicy stuff from teammates like Phillip Daniels. "It says this is voluntary, but for us, what we went through last season after a 4-12 season, it's mandatory," Daniels said. "He should definitely be here. And it's a shame he's not." So it's not some crazy fan/media frenzy getting on Fat Albert's case here.  Did I mention the new guy, you know #5 Donovan McNabb is already getting real high marks for his leadership skills as he not just fits in with a new team but makes it his. In only a months time McNabb has clearly earned the respect of the locker room something Fat Albert may never be able to do. 

Notes: The latest Clinton Portis v. Lavar Arrington war of words got me to thinking, who hasn't this guy gotten into a verbal war of words with?  Remember the great battles with Brian Mitchell, "my pockets are straight!"  I believe there was a battle with Riggo too and of course he dogged Jason Campbell this off-season.  I mean, Who's next Mark Mosley?  How about one of the Zendejas brothers or how about a dead legend like Sammy Baugh?  I mean enough already Clinton.  Just run the damn football like you did in Denver and you can rip franchise favorites like Art Monk and Darrell Green or even Sonny and Sam.  Just produce again and it's all good.