Rough Script Can't Stop Yeremiah Bell

He's a maaaaaniac! Maaaaniac! on the field! (At least we hope so; the Jets are up next.)

By JANIE CAMPBELL

Updated 4:30 PM EDT, Thu, Oct 29, 2009

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Forget the Hurricanes' Antonio Dixon, who overcame homelessness, one parent in prison and one on drugs, a learning disability, and a stutter to make the Redskins' squad (or that almost anyone could make the Redskins this year).

Forget the Ravens' Michael Oher, who was homeless and alone before becoming successful enough to see his story ruined by Sandra Bullock with a Southern accent.

Forget Kurt Warner, whose road to NFL stardom ran through the European and Arena leagues, a venomous spider, a $5.50 an hour job bagging groceries in Iowa, a special needs child, and a really harsh buzz cut.

Nope, the Sun-Sentinel has "a hard time believing there's anyone who has had a harder road to NFL stardom than Yeremiah Bell."

Why? Here's a look at the facts:

Bell spent his younger days in presumably dead-end Winchester, Kentucky.
He worked long hours doing dangerous work at a steel mill.
He faced an uphill battle at Eastern Kentucky trying to make the team as a walk-on.
He never let go of his dream.

And he did make it -- all the way to the Dolphins -- which is truly impressive. Toiling in a steel mill can't be very fun, and minimum wage probably doesn't cover much tuition when you're not on a football scholarship. Good for Bell.

But you know what'd be even more impressive? If we hadn't seen this arc already accomplished by an 18-year-old girl in "Flashdance."

Which might be the point: people overcome homelessness sometimes, but a guy who's gotta live down living out Jennifer Beals in leg warmers?

That's tough enough to earn that "forged...with a will of steel" headline.

Janie Campbell doesn't actually suggest anyone douse Bell with a bucket of water anytime soon; those muscles were made in a steel mill! Her work has appeared in irreverent sports sites around the Internet.