Clinton Portis calls out Lavar Arrington…

This situation is getting way out of control. On an interview this Super Bowl XLIV week, NFL Network interviews Clinton Portis on his role in Washington. Portis explains that when arriving at the Redskins facility he was given the role as “LEADER”. Stating that he was told to bring those player to light that were not performing. Is this even what he was brought there for? Coaches are paid to instruct and analyze, not the Athlete! In all essence this causes players to feel singled out to perform in fear of another colleague scrutinizing his performance. The issue in Washington has sparked a player to player feud.

View Clinton Portis interview in its entirety here:

In this interview Clinton calls out one in particular, retired Redskins linebacker Lavar Arrington, stating that Lavar, “didn’t want to be in D.C. any more. He gave back $15 to 20 million to leave D.C., because he felt like he wasn’t the main money guy, because everybody was getting [paid]….It was like whoever gets the money was the captain.” Was it really about the money or was this about two great players egos getting in the way of playing the game they had grown to love. This has and will tear teams apart if issues like these are not addressed.

Click here to play Lavar Arrington’s rebuttal:

As I assumed, Lavar Arrington responded to these accusations at first with concern but then it escalated to a sense of rage. Lavar explained that he was, “… not sitting there looking at these guys like, ‘Got that job. Yeah, I’m the man. No. 2 pick. I’m this. Look at my car. Look at my jewels. Look at my house.’ I’m not sitting there doing that. I am out there and I’m actually in a situation where I could not even breathe. This is literal. I could not breathe when I was going into the huddle for the plays, because I could not believe that Deion Sanders was tapping me on my shoulders….I could not believe that Darrell Green is standing right there, looking at me, saying my name. Saying my name….” At this point in the interview Arrington seems as if he was just amazed by the experience of just being able to play with the great players around him.

Lavar goes from being humble to trying to defend himself to Portis and anyone else listening. Portis accused him of being all about the money but in my eyes he was just a player wanting to achieve championship status with the Redskins. He stated that he was “…not a part-timer. When I came to play, I played. Understand something, understand something, listen, to question if I played for money, to question that, I’ve gone through numerous surgical procedures to be able to continue to play. Ok. So be it. When I played, I played. There were no hidden agendas. Listen, the love that I brought to the locker room for my teammates was reciprocated back, because they knew that my heart and my passion was for US. U-S. For us to go out there and be the best that we could be. Everyone knew that. Everyone. Everyone….

The aggression proceeds with him explaining that he did not want to have to leave Washington either way. During his time there he went through many reparative surgeries just to be able to play the game. He also states the even with Clinton there he was the highest paid Redskin at the time. It was never about the money to Arrington and to be honest I truly believe him. His passion for the game was just that, he loved the game of football.

This so-called beef between two players, or any other to come, has to STOP! You are there to play the game and the money is just an extra perk for the talent that GOD gave to you. Your lavish life, cars, clothes, and homes can be taken away in the blink of an eye. I.E Mike Vick. Be happy with your position in life and if not you will soon see the consequences of your arrogance.