Sport Psychology Institute Northwest

Blinding Rage

Titans D Tackle Albert Haynesworth shocked the sports world on October 1st with his now-infamous head-stomp on Cowboys center Andre Gurode. The sports media world was instantly ablaze with reports of "out of control athletes", as we all remember.
What were the mental events which took place to lead to such a horrific act? What were Haynesworth's psychological reactions to the event? This month's ESPN the Magazine delves further into the issue. Haynesworth claims it was an attempted cheap shot by Gurode on his surgically repaired knee that spurred the incident. The rage and anger built up inside after the play to the extent that the plays preceding the stomp were a blur - and the Titan didn't at first remember why he was in the locker room by himself after being ejected. He was truly blinded by rage.
Since the fight, Haynesworth has been seeing a counselor weekly to discuss his feelings and mindset. It has been nothing too formal or academic - simply chatting about how he's feeling, which eventually leads to a deeper discussion about his family troubles or the pressure he's felt since signing a huge contract.
Given the violence exhibited by the Knicks-Nuggets brawl, the Haynesworth stomp, and the TO spitting controversy, clearly the need in professional athletics for sports counseling is more pressing than ever. Keep checking with SPINw for further updates on the topic.

Read Seth Wickersham's article from ESPN the Magazine's Jan. 15 issue here.