A SONG OF REDEMPTION: TWO VERSES, ONE ENDING!!

It was years ago, a man from Jamaica recorded a track call the Redemption Song. The sound of his voice moves me to this day. Bob Marley was a great musician from my family’s native country of Jamaica. The song wasn’t in your face, it was smooth and soothing. Almost as if he knew something others didn’t. I could hear that song playing in my head Sunday as I watched two Black NFL Quarterbacks guide their teams to victory in such a smooth and calm manner. Almost as if, they knew that they were going to win. Jason Campbell and Michael Vick are two examples of what can happen when you feel as though you have support when you are backed into a wall. I want to say to both of them, "Keep playing the music my Brotha’s. Keep playing the music." Everyone may not want to listen to it, but they do hear it.

Jason Campbell was casted off by my hometown team Washington Redskins. To a man, I didn’t like it. I figured why not fix the issues around him and then let’s see what’s good. Well everyone thought the problem was Campbell so off to Oakland he went, almost for next to nothing. I think Oakland made out in this deal. Watching the game Sunday was great for me. Jason Campbell look as poised and as smooth as ever. He never looked like he doubted the outcome of the game at all. The signature play came in overtime as Campbell completed a pretty floater to Jacoby Ford for a 47 yard gain which set up the game winning Field Goal in Overtime. I can remember a time when Campbell would have driven all the way down the field only to throw an Interception to end the game. It doesn’t make him a bad QB, because the great Brett Favre has thrown more Interceptions than anyone in NFL history. It just says to me it wasn’t his time to make those plays. The fact that Campbell could move his team in the clutch spoke volumes to me. But who am I? I will tell you who I am not. I am not an idiot. The average fan is smarter than management/ownership gives them credit for. We know when smoke is being blown up our asses. And the fact that Jason Campbell was blamed for the Redskins’ issues was a bunch of crap. Don’t believe me? Ask Donovan McNabb what he thinks right now.

Jason Campbell has the fans in Black Hole going crazy. And I, being a Redskins fan, am very excited for Campbell. Oakland is in the thick of the AFC West Division race and Jason Campbell had to fight back from injury to win back his starting job. As it stands Oakland is 5-4 and Campbell is poised for playoff run. Good luck Jason. We here in Washington are secretly pulling for you.

Another guy that I can’t wait to see how things shape up for is Michael Vick. As much as I’d hate to admit it, I want Michael Vick and the Eagles to make the NFL Playoffs, only because Vick is starting. I remember days in Atlanta when Michael Vick was all that Atlanta had to offer. By his own admission, Vick never took playing QB seriously. What didn’t help was hearing his highly touted WR Roddy White say that he too didn’t take playing WR in the NFL seriously. That bothered me considering that the ultimate pro, Warrick Dunn, was on that team as well. Although Vick made the NFC Championship Game one year, people didn’t respect his game. And after the drastic fall of Vick, which included him going to jail in a maximum security prisoin like he was a serial killer, he was given another opportunity to play football… in Philadelphia. I was happy and mad at the same time. We all knew that Michael Vick was the blueprint of what the QB’s of the future were going to be like. But, what if Vick learned how to play from the pocket and use his athletic abilities only when needed? Well we have been getting the answer to that question this season. And you know what, it is scary.

Vick went head to head with Peyton Manning this past Sunday. Guess who won? What is surprising is Vick didn’t stop running. Vick has learned when and how to use his athletic ability. Vick is undefeated so far this season and has yet to throw an INT. What is scary is Vick has young WRs who are very mature beyond their years. DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Macklin are a great 1-2 punch. And when Brent Celek and Cornelius Ingram get on the field at the same time with LeSean McKoy, Vick will be surrounded by the most talent he has ever had. Philadelphia is in position to win the NFC East this season, but it will not be easy. But watching Vick Sunday made me think, “Wow, it can happen!”

Michael Vick is making throws from the pocket. Vick is moving around in the pocket to avoid sacks and is still looking downfield to make throws. For all of you Mike Vick haters, Vick’s accuracy is deadly now. Vick can avoid sacks by making moves only seen by RB’s such as Barry Sanders. And when all else fails, Vick is still one of the fastest players on the field. I remember some geniuses saying Vick should be converted to a Running Back? Why? Because of his athletic ability? Do you still think that people? Do you still think that Michael Vick is not an NFL QB? Because his stats tell another story. Take a look for yourself:



7- Michael Vick (QB) Philadelphia Eagles
Passer Rating - 105.3 (Leads NFL), that's right... Michael Vick leads the NFL in Passer Rating.
Completions – 76
Attempts – 125
Completion % - 60.8% (Career High)
Yards – 1,017
Average Yards – 8.1 (Career High)
Touchdowns – 7
Interceptions – 0

Jason Campbell and Michael Vick both have a long way to go to gain mass appeal because everyone wants them to be the next Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. But Brady and Manning can’t do what they can do either. Black QB’s just have a different flavor that they bring to the game. The NFL is not really ready for it. Can you imagine if Michael Vick was the face of the NFL? Donovan McNabb was about as close to crossover appeal as Black QB’s were going to get in this era, but when McNabb was poised to take over… SOMETHING ALWAYS HAPPENED. I just hope Vick and Campbell take that much needed step forward in appealing to the masses. Just keep in mind that their appeal has nothing to do with their abilities. And then maybe on day, we can hear the great Bob Marley off in the distance strumming his guitar singing his song with such warmth. Almost as if he were trying to say, “Everything will be o.k.” Everything will be o.k. people, because regardless of ethnicity/color/race/creed, these are still football players. As long as they can play the game, everything else shouldn’t matter. But secretly I’ll be playing Bob Marley’s song over and over in my head. I can hear him singing that song now for Vick and Campbell.

REDEMPTION SOOOOONG!!! REDEMPTION SOOOOONG!!!