I Get It...Brady Quinn Is Attractive, but Does It Win Us Football Games?

When the 2009 Cleveland Browns' quarterback competition began, I suspected that the Cleveland media would attempt to use its influence and attempt to sway public opinion in favor of Brady Quinn.

Why? Because Quinn is the "golden boy", and he's more appealing and interesting of a character than Derek Anderson.

Quinn was groomed in Charlie Weis' pro-style offense, put up impressive numbers in his four seasons in South Bend, and was hailed as "the next Joe Montana". He was anointed the redeemer of Irish football, and became a Heisman trophy candidate.

However, there's a whole other aspect to Quinn's appeal, and it has nothing to do with his skills on the football field.

The attractive, mature, confident Quinn is adored by many "fans" who seem to be more drawn to his appearance than his ability. These "fans" lose themselves in his long brown locks, cut body, and bright smile. They've been told the stories of the good Catholic boy, who attends mass every Sunday and heavily relies on his faith.

When the Browns drafted Quinn, I was very excited that they had taken such a popular player who would really raise interest in the team. However, I failed to realize that the interest that he drew would result less from his talent, and more from his appearance.

Don't tell me you haven't seen it. Don't tell me you haven't seen the many attractive girls, who know nothing about football, but walk around wearing a No. 10 jersey. Don't tell me that you haven't talked to one of the die-hard Notre Dame fans, who have followed him since college and claim the guy can walk on water. Don't tell me you haven't heard the biased reports from the media, who have claimed Quinn's been ahead since before this competition even began...

I will admit that after watching three meaningless football games, this quarterback competition is essentially even. I truly believe that neither guy has done much better than the other. But after reading various articles, it seems that the media is acting as if Quinn has already "unofficially" won the job.

Where does this idea come from?

Of course, I know that many Browns fans will claim that appearance has nothing to do with their choice of Quinn. They claim that talent alone is the only reason that they favor him, and they truly believe that he is the best quarterback for the Browns. I certainly do respect that opinion and believe that they are entitled to it, just as I am entitled to believe that Derek Anderson is the better quarterback.

However, Brady Quinn's appearance has been a subconscious factor in the media's evaluation of this competition, and certainly won't be part of Eric Mangini's criteria for determining which quarterback gives the Cleveland Browns the best chance to win football games.