Okay, a year ago, when Redman first came to the 'Burgh, his skills on full display in two Youtube clips, some were ready to proclaim him "the next great undrafted free agent in Steelers history". I said wait.

Then, without missing a beat, he was "the next bruising back in a long line of Steelers big backs". Yawn. How many times have we heard that? I can think of one every year for a few years now. Cedric Humes, Justin Vincent, Frank Summers... hey, we've even got a new one (maybe) in Dwyer.

Maybe the next Bus? ... Ugh.

Now he's on the roster. A well deserved roster spot for a guy who worked hard for a year on the practice squad and proved he was worth keeping. But if you looked around BTSC, you might be surprised at how much of a joke he has become, in name alone.

This was taken from an excellent post that was very funny, and got even funnier as the comments were added. I get the joke, I understand the joke, I like to laugh myself... but at a certain point, the joke loses it's meaning, and becomes just a running punchline... slapped on all sorts of topics, with no real sense of why... just because.

I think we're at that point now with "Redman". The joke, which originally made light of an unimaginable amount of praise and attention to a player with no real track record for which to deserve such credit, has turned into a joke which in reality has become more about saying "Redman" than really joking about Redman love.

In essence, we've lost our way BTSC.

Isaac Redman is now an active member of the Steelers 53 man game day roster. As such, we need to look at him more objectively. Not because he's Redman, but because he's a football player who's actual abilities are going to effect this team, one way or another, and those abilities are being lost in the lore of a mythical creature, a God amongst men, "Redman".

I'm not saying the joke doesn't have it's time and place, like any good joke, it is still funny. But we're beginning to see it used in the place of actual topical discussion, in the place of counterpoint, and in the place of any actual debate in some cases.

So, for the love of Redman, please, let's begin to get back to where we should be for a football season. A group of fans, discussing the pro's and con's of each player, each squad, each game. Remember with the start of the season, we open our doors to new fans, some just seeing this site for the first time (think of the little Redman-ites out there) who more often than not have no idea what the joke is, and will either take it all wrong, or take it further away from it's meaning.

So let's reel it in a little. Get a little perspective on the whole situation and think... What Would Redman do?