Clinton Portis is the Model of Offseason Conditioning

Why was it so necessary for Jason Taylor to agree to the Redskins' offseason conditioning demands? Well, because Clinton Portis does it. Yes, Clinton Portis, whose entire career has been defined by his by-the-books insistence on showing up for voluntary offseason workout sessions. Clinton Portis, whose 2008 campaign was marked primarily by his demands that all teammates practice regularly, regardless of their various injury concerns. Clinton Portis, who ended that season by promising not to think about football until July.

So, Sarge, why exactly was it necessary for Taylor to commit?

"It's not fair to Clinton," Sarge Cerrato said to Comcast SportsNet yesterday. "Because Clinton's got the same 75 percent [clause], and Clinton lives in Florida too in the offseason, and he comes up [to Ashburn] and makes his 75 percent. So I don't think it's fair to the rest of the team, to Albert Haynesworth--who has it in his contract--to DeAngelo who has it. Dock's got it in his contract, all these guys have it in their contracts, when he's just gonna stay home and not work out. And to me, as you get older, you need to work out and be in a structured environment where you have strength coaches, you have people pushing to get the best."

"People pushing to get the best." Pretty sure that's gonna be the name of Portis's autobiography.

(washigtonpost.com)