"He came as a refugee, his talent commensurate with his ability to stir controversy, to induce acid reflux in those charged with getting the most out of that big body and those tantalizing skills. The list of Albert Haynesworth's crimes - confirmed and alleged - is long enough to depict a player seemingly worthy of the scorn he receives.

For instance, Haynesworth knew in the immediate aftermath of his 2006 stomping of Cowboys center Andre Gurode's head that it was a despicable act. He made the rounds to apologize, to the many family members who had gotten their first chance to see Haynesworth play professional football in person that day, to the coaches at the Unversity of Tennessee who had whirled him away from his small-town upbringing and, eventually, to Gurode.

Yet the list of bad deeds and bad choices kept growing."