Wedlock: Easy To Be A Phantom

The last 18 months of Jonathan Wedlock's life have brought many changes and challenges. Since the fall of 2006, Wedlock has gone from starting in Winston- Salem State's backfield, to being viewed as a pariah by administrators, and fulfilling his dreams of playing professional football.

Despite finishing his time at WSSU with a career-best season, Wedlock is perhaps best known for his "So Hard To Be A Ram," a clip he posted on youtube.com to promote a film he was hoping to release.

The clip, which he produced as a student at WSSU, shows football players before a game, in their WSSU jerseys, using profanity as well as mixing large quantities of alcohol in a trashcan.

WSSU athletics director Chico Caldwell told the Winston-Salem Journal the language was "deplorable and disappointing for college-level students."

According to Wedlock, a film company in Atlanta wanted to distribute the film. However, the university refused to give the company the rights, and the full video was never released.

Ironically, another one of Wedlock's youtube.com clips helped him land a spot in professional football. Tavares Bowens, head coach of the American Indoor Football Association's Florence (S.C.) Phantom saw a highlight tape Wedlock posted on the site and contacted him last December.

While the AIFA isn't the NFL, Wedlock says that playing professional football is a dream-come-true. Through four games, Wedlock was leading the team in rushing with 98 yards on 5 attempts and a touchdown.

"It's great," he said. "We live in a hotel, food is free, and we get paid every week. It's like being in college without going to classes."

Bowens said that Wedlock has caught on to the pro rather quickly.

"He's a rookie, but he's catching on fine," he said. "He picking it up pretty fast.

Wedlock also said that he has found that players on the professional level are more team-oriented and he likes the fact that players on his team are used to being successful.

One of his teammates, quarterback Omar Jacobs, was an honorable mention All-American in 2005 and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the '06 draft.

"In college, everyone was more worried about themselves getting to the next level; it's more team oriented here," Wedlock said.

Another of his Phantom teamates is Jermaine Brantley, a lineman from North Carolina A&T. Wedlock said he never fails to mention WSSU's 41-14 win over A&T during his senior year to the lineman.

"Every week, I let him know," said Wedlock.

So what do his teammates think about his now-infamous youtube.com video?

"Everyone on the team has a copy," he said. "They love it."

Wedlock said that although he doesn't know what the future holds for his football career, he doesn't plan on putting up his cleats anytime soon.

"I'll stop playing," he said, "when God tells me to stop."