Arrington's Anger Still on Regular Display
ALBANY, N.Y. -- Some leftovers from the New York Giants' opening day of practices Friday at their training camp at the University at Albany:
Linebacker LaVar Arrington says he no longer is bitter about the circumstances surrounding his departure from the Washington Redskins.
"I'm so over it," he said. "I entertain it because you ask it. But I don't think about it or worry about it."
He doesn't sound like a person who's over it, though, as he continues to assail the Redskins on a regular basis.
"There are a whole lot of vendettas in D.C.," he said.
Arrington became a free agent during the offseason after buying his way out of the remainder of his contract with the Redskins, ending a once-flourishing relationship with the team that had soured because of a bitter contract dispute with owner Daniel Snyder and a diminished role during the tenure of Coach Joe Gibbs and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.
Arrington said it may have been the Redskins' defensive coaches who had no use for him, but he holds Gibbs equally responsible for the deterioration of the relationship that led to Arrington's departure from D.C.
"That's his coaching staff," Arrington said. "Whatever it was, I just really believe everyone was in cahoots. Those are his guys. If he really wanted me to be there and things to work out, he would have told them that and I would be there.... There were so many different coaching staffs [during Arrington's stay with the Redskins]. That faith and belief and trust that was there with the fans wasn't there with the coaches. I just didn't have that.
"There wasn't a [longtime Pittsburgh Steelers coach] Bill Cowher there for me. It was like a game of Russian roulette: You keep shooting, and you finally get to the one with the bullet. I finally got to the coaching staff that didn't want me. I was fine with three coaching staffs and worked well with them, but this one didn't want me."
Arrington said he spoke often to his former Redskins teammates early in the offseason, then stopped once he signed with the Giants in April. "I don't want to dilute my healthy dislike for any team in this league," he said, "so I don't really feel a need to have personal conversations with them."
He said he will "always be grateful" to Giants middle linebacker Antonio Pierce, his former teammate in Washington, for telling Giants officials that Arrington wasn't a bad guy and should be signed.
"Sometimes it comes down to personality conflicts," Pierce said. "They made him Mr. Redskin when they gave him that big deal, then Gibbs and Williams came in and they threw him out the window. I never got to [General Manager Ernie Accorsi's] office. But I made sure to tell Coach [Tom] Coughlin and [defensive coordinator Tim] Lewis, 'He's not a bad person. He's sure not a bad player.' "
The Green Bay Packers finished second in the race to sign Arrington.
"The Giants and the Packers stepped up," Arrington said. "I didn't ask for anything during the whole process. I said, 'You tell me what I'm worth.' Brett Favre called me and said, 'Me and you are going to ride together.' Plus they offered more money. If I was really all about the money, I'd be a Packer. The only thing better than a team with a great owner and front office is a team owned by the fans."
He already knows, he said, that he will have a far more prominent role on this Giants defense than he had on the Redskins defense the past few seasons.
"I'm involved," Arrington said. "I deserve to be involved. I've earned the right to be involved. If I'm not involved, you have to ask yourself why that is and what kind of [stuff] is going on."...
Arrington spoke to Merril Hoge by telephone late last week after the ESPN analyst said that Arrington is an undisciplined player who won't be able to coexist with the demanding Coughlin. Arrington said that he and Hoge usually are friendly and he was hurt that Hoge didn't call him before making the comments.
"I fault him for not communicating with me," Arrington said.
Arrington says he's annoyed with the perpetuation of what he calls a myth that he is an out-of-control player who can't fit into the framework of a team.
"That's not accurate and that's not me," he said. "The depictions of me have always been so distorted. I've always tried to fit in."...
Pierce said he thinks he will benefit from the attention that Arrington and Giants defensive ends Osi Umenyiora and Michael Strahan will receive from opposing blockers this season.
"If people are going to make sure they block those three guys and they don't block me," Pierce said, "that's fine."
Pierce originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Redskins in 2001. He keeps a list of the linebackers who were drafted that year.
"It's understandable that everyone wants to remember you as an undrafted player," he said. "But I've made it to six years in this league. That list is down to 13. It started out at 30. I'm definitely going to be the last guy standing on that list."...
Giants quarterback Eli Manning estimates that he's been asked about 200 times about the season-opening game at Giants Stadium in which he will face his brother Peyton and the Indianapolis Colts.
"It's not just another game for us," he said. "We'll remember it. But it doesn't matter to Strahan or LaVar that I'm playing my brother. To them, it's just the first game of the season and they want to get a win. It's not like we're going head to head. I'm preparing for the Colts' defense. He's preparing for the Giants' defense."
That, said Giants tailback Tiki Barber, makes it a little bit easier for the Mannings. Barber said that facing his brother Ronde, a cornerback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was one of his toughest tasks in football.
"He's lucky they don't have to be on the field at the same time," Barber said. "In essence, he can root for his brother over there on the sideline, although quietly.... He'll be fine. It's really the parents that have it the toughest."
Eli Manning recalled the first time he ever beat his brother in an athletic competition--a back-yard basketball game when he was 17 or 18 and Peyton was home on a break from college.
"It had probably been a few years since he played basketball and I was playing high school basketball, so I had a little bit of an advantage there," he said. "It was a pretty boring game, each guy backing the other guy in and shooting a hook shot."
But that didn't mean that Peyton took his loss in stride.
"He wasn't very happy," Eli said....
Barber, at 31, is coming off his best NFL season. He keeps busy off the field with a variety of broadcasting and other business ventures, and he said he could see himself walking away from football within the next few years if the right opportunity comes along.
He said he didn't give any consideration to that this past offseason, however.
"I honestly feel we can compete for a Super Bowl this season," Barber said.
By Mark Maske |
July 31, 2006; 10:15 AM ET
| Category:
Giants
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Posted by: Josh | July 31, 2006 12:33 PM
Fortunately Gibbs and his staff ran Arrington out of town. The Redskins won nothing during his years here and I doubt anyone will miss him. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Posted by: NJ | July 31, 2006 1:00 PM
LeVar is typical of "stars" in that he blames everyone but himself. LeVar was the one who did not read the contract to see if the add'l millions was in place. LeVar was the one who came back from injury too soon (yeah, the Skins wanted him to come back soon but he could not said no). It was LeVar who played out of position and did not follow instructions. LeVar just needs to shut up.
Posted by: Kevin | July 31, 2006 1:35 PM
Just wondering Mark--if such similar circumstances would happen to you at work, would you be angry or upset? It is silly for you to somehow openly suggest that Arrington doesn't have a reason or cause to still hold a grudge. It's although you wish to treat him like a water faucet to be turn on or off at will at your own perverse pleasure. The facts as you lay them out--are that these guys are expected to show unlimited emotional and physical powers on the field but are to somehow bottle up their frustrations off of it? Get real.
Arrington is a gifted athlete, but nonetheless he is human being.
Mark, go find something else to grip about--to plow your mudane living. Worry about your own problems or better yet try writing about a real sports story.
Posted by: Vince | July 31, 2006 2:17 PM
I think both sides handled a tough situation as well as possible. Gibbs did what he had to do, and so did LaVar. Considering the circumstances, I don't think either side has taken a cheap shot at the other in public.
Its time to settle it on the field this fall!!
Posted by: Greg | July 31, 2006 3:07 PM
Wow Vince, you need a cocktail or something. Relax, dude
Go Giants!
Posted by: JD | July 31, 2006 3:12 PM
Its clear that the coaching staff in Washington wasn't happy with Arrington and yet, despite that, they never said anything bad about him publicly. I think that type of behavior is about as professional as you can get. Arrington can be frustrated with his lack of playing time, and their treatment of him in private, but ultimately he just sounds bitter that they didn't think he was valuable. Also, it is untrue that he got along with the other coaching staffs. Marvin Lewis had problems with his erratic play.
Posted by: Joe Markson | July 31, 2006 3:22 PM
Wow, Turn the page Lavar, because we sure did. If it was ANYONE other than Joe Jackson Gibbs, whom Lavar was talking about, I might give it some merit. But its not, so its all just a bunch of poppy-cock, coming out of Lavar's mouth.
Posted by: Greg | July 31, 2006 3:59 PM
I find it hard to believe that everyone can turn on LaVar so quickly. The fact is, the man is one of the biggest playmakers in the league. He was the original Sean Taylor. If someone took a big hit, you knew it was LaVar who delivered it (just ask Troy Aikman). Sure he made mistakes but so does Taylor (i.e. the Chargers loss last year). But the amount of good plays they make outweighs the amount of bad plays. To say LaVar couldn't fit into the defensive scheme is ludacris. He was our best player the entire time before Sean Taylor got here, and it was a big mistake to kick him to the curb so quickly. He will flourish in NY and Skins fans will be wondering why we didn't keep him.
Posted by: Casey | July 31, 2006 4:09 PM
The NFL is so hyper-competitive--does anyone really think that G. Williams and crew would have kept Arrington off the field if they thought he could have made them better?
Posted by: ChrisO | July 31, 2006 4:10 PM
LaVar ended Aikman's career. I was happy. Now its Sean Taylor's time to knock the feces out of T.O. ....I can't wait!!
Go Skins!!! Cowgirls suck sausages!!!
Posted by: Melvin | July 31, 2006 4:32 PM
In addition to LeVar not getting along with Marvin Lewis, he complained long and loud about Ray Rhoads as a defensive coach. I think the only staff he didn't open critisize was Schottenheimer's. There are 2 plays that I remember Levar for, the first being an interception return for a touchdown against Carolina that ended the Schottenheimer losing streak, and a blown assignment against the Giants where he didn't attempt to cover his man, the fullback, and the Giants scored the winning touchdown.
Posted by: David | July 31, 2006 4:43 PM
Every diehard Skins fan was geeked when LaVar was drafted. He was the next Lawerence Taylor, a game changer. Injuries a dysfunctional front office, contract squabbles, are all to blame.
LaVar had no continuity. Five defensive coordinators in six years, is a joke. With a stellar front four in New York, he may remind us just how good he is.
If he is deployed properly, and with push from the edges (something he never had here), we better hope he doesn't drop an Aikman blow to Brunell, Portis, or Moss, he surely will be motivated to do so. I love LaVar, but the Skins more.
By the way, Vince, they offer medication to control the anger problem you obviously have.
Posted by: Kevin | July 31, 2006 5:00 PM
It's funny how the Skins never made it to the playoffs when the coaches loved him. As soon as a staff came in that did not want him, were in and were a good team.
Posted by: Rob (DC) | July 31, 2006 5:16 PM
Too bad Arrington doesn't have the 'class' that Coach Gibbs has.
Posted by: Gene | July 31, 2006 5:20 PM
LaVar is right..Gibbs does have final say. He chose to trust Gregg Williams' decision. Although I don't like that LaVar is with the Giants, I think the Skins will be okay without him. The thing is LaVar doesn't have to do much with the Giants. Other players, like Pierce, will do all the grunt work while the LaVar runs loose. We'll see who's right. I hope Gibbs and Williams were right in their decision to let LaVar go.
Posted by: SkinsFanBigTime | July 31, 2006 6:48 PM
Lavar needs to shut up. He should learn from his teammate Antonio Pierce. Pierce was undrafted and doesnt have half of Arrington's talent, but through hard work and using his brain he has made himself into a solid and well respected player. When the Skins didn't pay him, Pierce went to the Giants and he let his game do the talking. He didn't run his mouth like Arrington.
Posted by: Anonymous | July 31, 2006 9:11 PM
There is no way the Skins would have gone to the playoffs last year without Lavar in the lineup. W. Holdman was terrible. The coaching staff was reluctant to start LaVar but had no choice with the way Holdman was playing. LaVar playing at 80% of his former self helped solidify the defense in the 2nd half. Virtually every big running play against our defense was given up when Lavar was on the sideline. LaVar energized the defense. The defense won't be the same without him Lavar is a HOF talent. None of the defensive coaches especially Lindsey will ever make it to the Hall. In time LaVar will be vindicated and the real prima donnas will be revealed.
Posted by: bob - CT | July 31, 2006 9:39 PM
Somebody please tell Lavar its a game of eleven, Not I, me, etc
Posted by: Pat | July 31, 2006 9:52 PM
WOW. I did not remember that so many Skins fans drink the Kool Aid. I go back to George Allen, Billy Kilmer, Sonny Jurgenson, Larry Brown, etc. when we moved here in 1970. We always rooted for our team, but Allen always said he just needed his kind of men. Arrington may not have fit Gibbs scheme, but he is still a good ballplayer. I wish he was in the AFC West so I could wish him luck.
Posted by: CR | July 31, 2006 10:43 PM
When they first released LaVar, I wasn't too happy about it - I was an Arrington fan. However, the more I listen to him now, the more I understand why they got rid of him. He's the guy that basically wrote a $4 million dollar check to the Redskins so he could leave, and now he's mad about it? Give me a break...GO SKINS!
Posted by: wayne | August 1, 2006 1:26 PM
Feelings hurt? Fine, now act like the professional you claim you are and move on.
You are not out of football, make millions, and have adoring fans. The NFL is a business. People in the private sector who make minimum wage are sent packing everyday for not being able to "fit in" so you are no different.
Posted by: Don't really care | August 1, 2006 3:57 PM
I have to agree with some of the comments posted here, LaVar needs to to put the past behind him and accept what happened, happened. Yes, the Daniel Snyder era has not been an easy one. With all due respect to Mr. Gibbs, he never gave Norv Turner a chance to mold a team full of stars when Snyder stockpiled them during his first year as the team's owner. Terry Robeiske would have made an excellent head coach, but Snyder had to hire the "Old Ball Coach" and we ALL know what happened when Spurrier was coach of the Skins. In other words LaVar has a point that he never had a solid (stable) coaching staff during his years with the Skins.
Now LeVar is one hell of a player and I for one was stoked when he was drafted. Remember his first preseason game against Cleveland? When he exploded into the Browns backfield?
I am worried with his signing with the Giants, LeVar is going to be like T.O. in Dallas...he will face the Redskins twice and you had better believe he will send Greg Williams a message that he should never had been released.
You can slam me all you want, but I call 'em like a see 'em.
Posted by: Mike | August 4, 2006 1:58 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
I would much rather have Gibbs here than Arrington. He spends so much time attacking the coaching staff. Just shut up and move on man. No one will miss your undiscplined play.