Things must be getting ugly out at Redskin Park these days. Star running back Clinton Portis pretty much called out head coach Jim Zorn this afternoon during his appearance on The John Thompson Show on ESPN 980.

Portis was upset about being benched in the second half of the Redskins loss to Baltimore Sunday night. He was particularly upset when Zorn said the reason he played Ladell Betts more instead of Portis is because Betts had been healthy enough to practice and was better equipped to handle the game plan than Portis, who didn't practice all week because of a variety of injuries.

Portis questioned why Zorn had not addressed this with him directly, instead of offering the reason in response to a question from reporters after the game why Betts played more than Portis in the second half. He also said he felt he was being singled out as being "the problem."

Portis went as far as saying that "maybe I should be in IR."

It appears the bloom is way off the Zorn rose these days. The rookie head coach is facing a crisis situation right now in keeping his team together while their season is falling apart, going 1-4 in their last five games.

Here some bizarre irony in all this: Portis lit this firestorm on the radio station owned by Redskins owner Daniel Snyder. Portis, of course, is paid by Snyder a ton of money to play football. And Snyder's radio station pays Portis to come on the Thompson show every Tuesday. And he hired the coach that Portis was calling out on the show.

I guess that is synergy.

Radio

I will be on The Sports Reporters on ESPN 980 AM on Tuesday, Dec. 9, from 5 to 7 p.m., and Friday, Dec. 12, from 5 to 7 p.m.

To learn more about Thom Loverro, go to www.thomloverro.com

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