Wilbon: To Succeed, Two Faces Need to Become One (Merged)

[TK]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38225-2003Oct29.html

To Succeed, Two Faces Need to Become One

By Michael Wilbon

Thursday, October 30, 2003; Page D01

If the news that the Washington Redskins have signed Darrell Russell, suspended by the NFL for the past 18 months and tossed out by the notoriously tolerant Oakland Raiders, leads you to the conclusion that the Redskins are desperate, guess what? They are desperate.

The Redskins are 21st in total defense, 21st in rushing defense. They can't rush the passer, can't stop anybody much of late. And they travel south this week to play the team they hate the most, the Dallas Cowboys -- a team Coach Bill Parcells has playing fabulously. So the Redskins have done what they've become famous for doing the last few seasons: Dan Snyder went out, courted the biggest available star at a position of need, and got him.

Never mind that this particular approach hasn't worked much at all the past three years around here; Snyder got the man with the big name and the big talent. Russell is still young at 27, he's been to two Pro Bowls, he's a havoc-wreaker, sometimes even on the opposing team.

And all over the NFL, folks are looking at the Redskins once again and wondering if they know what they're doing, if they're screwing up by taking on a guy who has been suspended for violating the NFL's drug policy. He hasn't just messed up a time or two, he's messed up a lot. Everybody in football is wondering if the Redskins know who and what they're getting, and if Russell is desperate enough to appreciate being trusted again after the Raiders let him go. In other words, is this a smart move?

I don't know Russell, never met him. All I know is that he's one convincing dude if you just listen to him.

"Everything that I've learned during the period that I was waiting for my opportunity to come back, I'm ready to apply that," Russell said yesterday.

The first thing anyone would have to look for in assessing the matter is whether Russell is simply in denial, or whether he can deal, substantively, with his screw ups, whether he realizes the risk involved. And Russell's answers suggest he's aware.

"Actually, I think Snyder is taking a big gamble with me because, I mean, look at my past and look at the way everyone views me at this point," he said. "Whether they need a [defensive] tackle or not, I think people are on his back as it is. All I can do is be thankful to him and [Coach Steve] Spurrier for giving me this opportunity. I want to take advantage of it as much as possible. The last thing I want to do is let a man like that down because I was able to meet with him last night and I admire his drive and his push.

"I played with Mr. [Al] Davis up to this point, and I don't have a bad word about him. Honestly, I see a lot of similarities in terms of treatment toward the players and love for the players. I think that he loves the game and is truly a fan of this team, and that right there makes me want to be a part of this team."

Here's part of who Russell is: He graduated from Southern California in 3½ years, went to the Raiders as the No. 2 overall draft pick and lit it up from Day One. Almost everybody who met him found him to be bright, not just smart but literate, well-rounded, engaging. It appeared early on that he was a player who in short time would slide into the role of team leader.

So what happened? Well, here's also part of who Russell is: He wanted to be a baller in the New Jack culture of sports that sucks up so many talented bright athletes. It was enough for him to "represent" the flash that symbolizes that culture, and in the process hide or even deny his intellect and quick wit.

It's a near epidemic in Black America that bright and educated young men feel somewhere between uncomfortable and ashamed of their academic and intellectual talents.

Russell is one of the masses who get caught up in this foolishness, and he wound up paying dire consequences. He put himself in bad situation after bad situation, thinking it would somehow validate his hipness or perhaps give him street cred.

Russell has one thing working against him: a sordid past.

He has two things working for him: smarts and a great deal of talent when it comes to playing football.

If Russell comes in and plays as he did his first few seasons with the Raiders, before he got into trouble, he's almost certainly going to help the Redskins.

If he screws up again, it only cost the Redskins $800,000, which believe it or not in this day and age in the world of sports, is tip money.

As Spurrier said: "We don't have a lot to lose. We may take a bad hit P.R.-wise. But he's not been convicted of the charges made against him. There are a lot of players in this league who had a lot more serious charges against them than what he had. It's pretty serious [but] he's not in jail, is he? The NFL says he can play. When the NFL says he's eligible to play, he's eligible to play, and they're pretty thorough on who can play and who can't."

Of course, the thing is, it's easier to give a guy a second chance when he can cave in the middle of an offensive line, something the Redskins don't have in a defensive tackle at the moment. "We think he's a big, strong guy inside who can get a little push," Spurrier said. "That should certainly help us against the run and help us in the pass rush, also. That's where we are. We signed him to a one-year deal, and we'll see what happens."

Usually, it's the Raiders' coach speaking that sentence, gearing up for that second chance. But now, it's the Redskins'. Football teams aren't Boy Scout troops, not in Oakland, not in Washington. If Russell can get himself together here and contribute, apparently as early as Sunday, Snyder will have made a smart, well-informed decision based on a lot of due diligence. If Russell can't resist being acting like a big baller and burns the men who have given him another chance, Snyder will have made a spectacularly bad decision that hand plenty of ammunition to those still looking suspiciously at him and the Redskins.

© 2003 The Washington Post Company

[OaktonSkins/BushFan]

Gee, so is the "rest of the league" also questioning the reasoning of Tampa Bay, Dallas, and Philadelphia who also pursued Russell? And what exactly do we have to lose? Not much. So stupid for Wilbon to even introduce that angle. And just when you thought that Wilbon was on a roll divorcing politics from sports, in the end he couldn't resist with another racial/political tirade. So, I guess young white athletes today aren't faced with similar problems. :doh:

[TennesseeCarl]

I represent young black men in juvenile court every week and I can sure relate to what Wilbon's saying. The cultural pressure to not achieve in school...to not get a job...to hang out and drug with the losers is fierce. Why it's so appealing is sort of a mystery to me, but I can't deny it's power.

[SS-Skin]

"It's a near epidemic in Black America that bright and educated young men feel somewhere between uncomfortable and ashamed of their academic and intellectual talents."

I actually saw an acedemic study validating this statement. I've also seen the same anti-book smarts phenomenon in "Redneck" culture.

Maybe if this guy has come to see that his punk cohorts like Sapp are just that - punks, then he will end up being a good find. If not, well, it's only $800,000.

Hail

:coach:

[Morning Wood]

I've been going back and forth on this whole Russell issue for the past few days. Ya know, character guy vs straight up baller. I think where I stand right now, is that I am really thankful we got the guy. If he is able to come in and disrupt the game ON THE FIELD, then I have to praise the move. We sorely need someone with the ability he had. I just hope he can get it back, quickly.

I'm not fond of his past either, but frankly, I don't care about it. I just want someone who can tear a hole through the pocket. It would make the entire defense so much better if opposing teams have to account for him.