2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

I was reading LaVar's column this morning, and listening to his comments on how Portis' injury could be his last as a redskin, got me thinking back to when LaVar was still a skin.

Given his extremely limited playing time in 2005, who benched him and why? Was it due to injuries, attitude, or something else??

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

GW for poor performance/whining if memory serves me correct.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

Like to freelance to much & GW's system required you to play within the system.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

I think NYC has it correct.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

[quote=NYCskinfan82;744225]Like to freelance to much & GW's system required you to play within the system.[/quote]

this...I was so pissed too. Lavar was awesome

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

If memory serves me correctly, based on the various media reports, LaVar began to fall out of favor for a variety of reasons.

He didn't enjoy the best of relationships with then DC Dale Lindsey, questions were often raised about his style of play. There were an assortment of injuries coupled with the grievance he filed against the team over a $6.5 mil dollar bonus excluded from the deal he signed in late 2003. I think it's safe to say injuries, attitude and style of play played a vital role in his demise.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

Is he just retired from him being a jerk in the business? or can he not legitimatley play?

He is only 32. I saw him on Pros vs Joes, and even though he looked out of shape, is an NFL return completely out of the question? Would no team take him even for vet minimum?

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

All of the above most likely. Some coaches have their system and you as a player better conform or sit. Some coaches try to fit their teams talents to their systems. For Gregg Williams, you better do what he sais or you won't play. Lavar is a bit of a freelancer, overpursuer who was immensely talented. He was a get the QB type of player and I don't think that fit too well w/ GW system. JG's let GW run his defense, rightly so, and couldn't do anything about it. Too bad injuries took their toll on LA.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

Didn't he bang heads with the linebacker coach Dale Lindsey?

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

Lavar fell out of any good grace with Dale Lindsey. Before long he was buying his way outta DC.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

What's funny is GW said it was because he didn't play within the system, then they replaced him with Warrick Holdman, who may have been the most useless LB in the history of the Redskins. Seriously, I love how GW said LaVar "wouldn't stay in position" apparently, as long as you stay in position it doesn't matter if you're getting blocked and not making tackles.

I was really upset about LaVar getting benched, he was one of my favorite Redskins at the time, but I was even more pissed when I watched Warrick Holdman get out there and do nothing, but hurt the defense.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

Sorry, the LaVar love always got me. LA was a headcase. Even players were saying things like "LA cost us two TD's for being out of position." I've said before and I'll say it again, the reason LA didn't play was b/c of LA. I was at the first rally when GW and Gibbs arrived someone from the crowd shouted out to Gibbs "How you gonna rush the passer?" GW, standing behind Gibbs, flashed a "5" "6" to the crowd with his hands. Clearly, GW started out impressed by LaVar just like all the couch coaches out there. Once he had to actually [I]coach[/I] the guy, well, he found out what Marvin Lewis found out before him - LA is gonna be LA and sometimes that is a very good thing and sometimes that is a very baaad thing.

The final straw for me was when, in an interview when he was playing for the Giants, he was asked "Who is the worst coach you ever played for?" and his response? No hesitation - "Joe Gibbs". Sorry, you just lost [I]all[/I] credibility.

As for the reason he is no longer playing, he had a couple injuries and just didn't fully recover. Plus, he's a headcase.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

LaVar banched himself. He physically-gifted, could have been one of the best ever, but stopped playing up to his potential and possibly stopped trying altogether. Then, his diva, entitlement attitude surfaced. He felt like he should be playing just because he was LaVar Arrington.

Wasted talent.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

^^ This.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

[quote=Buster;744246]LaVar banched himself. He physically-gifted, could have been one of the best ever, but stopped playing up to his potential and possibly stopped trying altogether. Then, his diva, entitlement attitude surfaced. He felt like he should be playing just because he was LaVar Arrington.

Wasted talent.[/quote]

I second "this."

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

Lavar was just another guy with a high talent level but no football IQ. If the guy had Ray Lewis' football IQ he would've been one of the best ever. But as others have said Lavar just wanted to wander outside of the scheme and do his own thing and that's why Warrick Holdman was playing in front of him....even though Holdman couldn't tackle my mother. I specifically remember Lindsey and Shawn Springs poking fun of Lavar cause he didn't remember any of the plays. Pile on all the other drama and he just fell out of favor. You can tell he's still bitter by the way he talks on his show.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

With out looking at previous comments and watching and reading everything going on at the time....

To me I believed it was Greg Williams benching Arrington because Arrington didn't fit the scheme well or performed well in it. Lavar was an awsome LB but he was the type that should have been in a system where he's free lances chasing the ball. In GW's defense all the players had to maintain their assignment which Lavar failed to do on many occassions. Many of times he would chase the ball down the line of scrimmage only to have the RB cut back against the grain and Lavar was out of position.

Because Lavar failed to do his job, GW benched him. Then all the animosity through the media started and it led to Lavar buying back his time and leaving.

Did I win a prize?

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

[quote=SolidSnake84;744223]I was reading LaVar's column this morning, and listening to his comments on how Portis' injury could be his last as a redskin, got me thinking back to when LaVar was still a skin.

Given his extremely limited playing time in 2005, who benched him and why? Was it due to injuries, attitude, or something else??[/quote]

Now that I think about it and have looked back at you comment ...

I think I was still correct but Lavar had a knee injury and whoever filled in for him was actually doing a better job simply by staying in his position guarding his part of the field.

I think Lavar's one knee was shot if you ask me though. He went to the Giants and really didn't perform well there, or so I believe. Then the motor cycle accident messed up his other knee which put him out of fooball.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

[quote=JoeRedskin;744241]

As for the reason he is no longer playing, he had a couple injuries and just didn't fully recover. Plus, he's a headcase.[/quote]

I think his motorcycle accident sealed the deal. And he was driving without a license.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

It seems like in the end LaVar was more sizzle than steak.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

how would it be a "LaVar" thread and not have a response by me. Unfortunately, most of what is being said is probably true, and some a little stretched thin of factual and gossip or hear say. I thought the guy could have been an absolute beast. lets not forget when they drafted the guy they dubbed him the next LT, which is why LA came about. He was given this distinction by our (at the time) boy wonder..Danny! Coming into a situation of high expectations, given the keys to the car and told to be LT, i think kind of got into his head. Plus the relationship that he and Danny had, plus the love fest from the fans, all the 56 jerseys, he just thought he could do no wrong. He made some crunching hits, and obviously some mistakes and usually the mistakes stood out more than the hits as the years went on. I personally think we didn't use him to his talents, of being aggressive and letting him chase down the passer and make plays in the back field. We tried to cage him, which to him was worthless.

Regarding the injury, from what i recall on the Jon Thompson show, he tried to come back to early and slipped on the wet turf and basically ended his season and ultimately his time in DC. There was a whole big story of why he left DC. Basically, other guys on the team came to him and said if he didn't restructure his deal then they would be cut and didn't want to leave DC. So he went to the powers that be and said he would rework his contract if these guys had guarantees worked into theirs. They wouldn't do it, so to save them from getting cut (and save him from playing under Joe) he decided to give back the money, leave and allow those other guys to continue their careers in DC.

LaVar loved DC, the fans, and was probably bitter when he left. Once the face of franchise, beloved by many was getting benched and told he couldn't play anymore. He still speaks of the Redskins as "we". I think it hurt him emotionally to leave, given how he was designated the next DC legend before stepping on the field. I loved the dude, think he was a really good player, that could have been a great player but it just didn't work out.

I think I am done. LOL!!

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

So i propose we re-sign him for vet minimum, and let him get a chance to make amends and end his career on a positive note.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

[quote=SolidSnake84;744297]So i propose we re-sign him for vet minimum, and let him get a chance to make amends and end his career on a positive note.[/quote]


LOL - wondering when the vet minimum would come out!

i think he is done with football whether he wants to admit it or not.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

[quote=SolidSnake84;744297]So i propose we re-sign him for vet minimum, and let him get a chance to make amends and end his career on a positive note.[/quote]

I doubt that's going to happen. I think he's burned his bridges over at Redskin Park.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

[quote=skinsfan69;744301]I doubt that's going to happen. I think he's burned his bridges over at Redskin Park.[/quote]

Not necessarily. Gibbs is gone, that piece of shit Dale Lindsey isnt here anymore, GW is in NO, etc...

I think If Lavar wanted it, Dan would let it happen. probably not even for vet minimum, but close.

It would be awesome to have him back here. The fans love him still. Could you imagine Arrington, Orakpo, and Haynesworth all on the same team? They would be near unstoppable.

How do we go about this? Anybody here with "connections" so to speak, that could send a feeler out to LaVar? He said as recently as ST's funeral that he loved the Redskins and would be willing to work for them again...

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

[quote=#56fanatic;744295]There was a whole big story of why he left DC. Basically, other guys on the team came to him and said if he didn't restructure his deal then they would be cut and didn't want to leave DC. So he went to the powers that be and said he would rework his contract if these guys had guarantees worked into theirs. They wouldn't do it, so to save them from getting cut (and save him from playing under Joe) he decided to give back the money, leave and allow those other guys to continue their careers in DC.[/quote]

That's the first I have ever heard that other players came to LaVar and asked him to restructure to save their jobs. Is this backed up by any players? It has a very LaVarian sound to it ("Look at me, I am such a martyr for the fans, my teammates"). Is there anyone other than LA that ever said this?

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

Don't forget that LA's agents, the Poston brothers, had a very bad relationship w/the Danny. I always thought that might've been at the heart of LA's falling out over the $6.5 mil he claimed was shorted - he sided w/his agents after they admitted they hadn't read his contract before signing. I think that meant war w/the Danny.

I almost started a thread w/Lavar's latest blog posts ("Hard Hits") in wash post. He has one about Snyder, where he tries to bury the hatchet. Admirable, but for the most part Lavar's blog reads like a high school newspaper. In his "analysis" of offensive strategy for the GB game this week, he came up w/the brilliant insight that the Skins need to run the ball & convert on 3rd down to win the time of possession!

I mean really Lavar, can't you do some homework and actually give us some insight into GB's 3-4?! Do they leave Woodson alone w/no safety help? Do the linebackers bite on play action like you used to?

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

[quote=JoeRedskin;744313]That's the first I have ever heard that other players came to LaVar and asked him to restructure to save their jobs. Is this backed up by any players? It has a very LaVarian sound to it ("Look at me, I am such a martyr for the fans, my teammates"). Is there anyone other than LA that ever said this?[/quote]

likewise, good point Joe & on the previous post as well. I loved Lavar when he was in his prime, but I think like many of us I saw him as a symbol of big games & winning seasons to come, which never happened. Ironically, the only winning season he was a part of was 2005, when things really went south for him.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

I wasn't there when the whole Gibbs-Williams-LaVar-thing went down, but having been there covering the Skins on a daily basis for five seasons from the late 90s to the early 00s I spent a lot of time around and with LaVar and I would say this:

LA is a very engaging person and was a superbly dynamic player. But he's also (or at least was) somewhat thin-skinned and not really appreciative of/used to being told he's wrong and needs to do things a certain way. I also got the feeling from talking to other players and coaches, well they basically flat out said it, that Arrington's flashy numbers were often at the expense of the team's success. That Arrington, would for example, make some devastating hit on a tight end over the middle after an 8 yard pass and everyone would hoot and holler, but had he followed his assignment maybe that pass isn't even able to thrown by the QB in the first place.

Some thought LaVar just wasn't really able to grasp the different defenses that were thrown at him. Like Campbell, he had a different coordinator just about every year. Others thought he was too stubborn to change.

Either way, the "perfect storm" of an injury with coaches who weren't going to cater to him anymore is probably what led to his departure.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

With Grilliams it's his way or the highway. LaVar just didn't buy into what GW was selling.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

[quote=SmootSmack;744322]I wasn't there when the whole Gibbs-Williams-LaVar-thing went down, but having been there covering the Skins on a daily basis for five seasons from the late 90s to the early 00s I spent a lot of time around and with LaVar and I would say this:

LA is a very engaging person and was a superbly dynamic player. But he's also (or at least was) somewhat thin-skinned and not really appreciative of/used to being told he's wrong and needs to do things a certain way. I also got the feeling from talking to other players and coaches, well they basically flat out said it, that Arrington's flashy numbers were often at the expense of the team's success. That Arrington, would for example, make some devastating hit on a tight end over the middle after an 8 yard pass and everyone would hoot and holler, but had he followed his assignment maybe that pass isn't even able to thrown by the QB in the first place.

Some thought LaVar just wasn't really able to grasp the different defenses that were thrown at him. Like Campbell, he had a different coordinator just about every year. Others thought he was too stubborn to change.

Either way, the "perfect storm" of an injury with coaches who weren't going to cater to him anymore is probably what led to his departure.[/quote]

I saw LA play a lot in high school and a good bit in college and he was amazing but I think that he was so good in HS & college that he never really needed coaching because his talent was so great. Once he hit the NFL he was playing with a lot of other great talents and needed coaching and a system to make him greater but having not ever been in that position was unable to let himself be coached.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

Could be true, he was so much bigger and stronger than his opponents...never had to push himself.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

All of the out of position stuff is true .. HOWEVER the dude was a beast and he was fun to watch .. i loved #56 running around like a mad man .. your telling me when he was peaking, running through and over blockers for sacks and running ints back for 90yd touchdowns to spark a 5 game winning streak under Marty Ball you didn't like him ? Child please, the dude was a beast .. miss ya LA ... now STFU and stay off of pros vs joes
:hitfan::hitfan:

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

[quote=irish;744327]I saw LA play a lot in high school and a good bit in college and he was amazing but I think that he was so good in HS & college that he never really needed coaching because his talent was so great. Once he hit the NFL he was playing with a lot of other great talents and needed coaching and a system to make him greater but having not ever been in that position was unable to let himself be coached.[/quote]

The reality that you're not a man among boys anymore is something a lot of players have to face in the NFL, and some handle it better than others.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

[quote=SolidSnake84;744223]I was reading LaVar's column this morning, and listening to his comments on how Portis' injury could be his last as a redskin, got me thinking back to when LaVar was still a skin.

Given his extremely limited playing time in 2005, who benched him and why? Was it due to injuries, attitude, or something else??[/quote]

SolidSnake, I see you joined in 09, you must not've been on this site in the Lavar megathread era. There were so many, that I'm actually shocked no one has mentioned it. There for a while any time his name was brought up, someone reacted 'do we really need to talk about Lavar anymore!'

Calling his blog a "column" is a compliment. His post about Portis' injury & his last play in the nfl was actually worth reading, otherwise he seems to be living on his name as a former player. Other than one somewhat decent overview of the 3-4 prior to the season starting, his posts only state what any somewhat educated fan could. There are at least 5-6 people on the warpath that post more insightful material than he does.

On a side note, I still like the dude & wish him success, I just don't think he's as smart as he does.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

I wish that Lavar could have done more here, because of the great natural talent that he had. I'm glad he's still a fixture in this town with his radio show and all. IMO I love the realness he brings to the fans about the Skins players/coaches, former or current and what goes on. I wouldn't say he was an angel or anything but I believe some Skins fans may dislike him because he discusses alot of things about this team that many don't want to believe. I hope he continues to keep bringing that realness... It's much more refreshing than that kool-aid BS thats spewed on Redskins Nation everyday.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

[quote=SmootSmack;744339]The reality that you're not a man among boys anymore is something a lot of players have to face in the NFL, and some handle it better than others.[/quote]

Very well put.

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

Is it October 2010? Because I can't believe I'm actually reading a "let's sign Lavar" thread. Really? Seriously? Come on now...

About his knees...
[url]http://www.thewarpath.net/715417-post15.html[/url]
[url]http://www.thewarpath.net/402972-post54.html[/url]

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

Just wait until 2015 when we get "2010 Question. Why didn't we keep Jason Campbell?"

Re: 2005 Question: Who benched Lavar Arrington and Why?
 

speaking of former Redskin LBs that have faded into obscurity... what ever happened to Marcus Washington?