Champ Bailey is probably one of the top-10 Washington Redskins players of all-time. He only played five seasons in Washington, but earned Pro Bowl nods his final four seasons before being traded to the Denver Broncos for Clinton Portis.
So when Bailey, now a member of the New Orleans Saints, speaks out on the Redskins’ name controversy, we might want to listen. After all, he did wear that helmet and represent that organization for five seasons.
Bailey had this to say about the Redskins name (via USA Today).
I don’t know where the name came from or how it came about, but the bottom line is that it’s still here in this day and age, and it makes no sense to have it,” Bailey said. “I love that organization, but when it starts peeling off old scabs and people are pitching a fit about it because it’s degrading to them, then you’ve got to make a change.
“Peeling off old scabs.” That’s an interesting phrase to use in a situation like this. If nothing else, and no matter where you stand on the issue, do we really want to be reminded of how the indigenous North American population was treated during European settlement and westward expansion? That is indeed peeling off old scabs.
Bailey then took it a step further.
They don’t represent anything that name stands for,” Bailey said, referring to the Washington franchise. “It’s a bad reflection of what they really stand for. It’s a bad name.
No matter where you stand on this debate, Bailey did bring up some valid points. It remains to be seen whether his former boss, Daniel Snyder, will pay attention to what ex-Redskins players have to say, even if they disagree with him on the topic.
Photo: USA Today