Dick Harmon: John Beck waging loud campaign in Washington

There may be an NFL lockout, but John Beck is locked in.

The former BYU quarterback, who made stops in Miami and Baltimore before landing in Washington, D.C., has been on a media tear the past two weeks — drifting from his familiar, self-effacing approach.

This is a Beck we haven't seen before. He's been so company-line, such a pleaser, not much of a salty pirate in him. Until now.

But no, this is Beck, The Reborn, Beck the Round Table Builder. He's King Arthur on a crusade for a cause — his cause.

Beck is drawing attention. His quotes are bold and so are his actions: Calling Redskins draft picks, giving them playbooks, organizing player-only practices, telling the media and Redskins fans he can't worry about the feelings of other QBs, that he's the guy. It's his turn.

He's grabbed the keys and jumped into the driver's seat. He's Beck the Usurper — sort of.

He flew in from San Diego to be front and center at three sessions this week. To get everyone there, it took some work on Facebook, texting, phone calls and email.

"I contacted everybody on offense," Beck told me after Tuesday's practice, which he helped organize without management.

Beck is actively seeking, politicking and campaigning for the starting job with the Redskins. He's acting like the starter right now, and reports out of D.C. say players like it.

Well, the job hasn't officially been bestowed upon him, but Beck isn't waiting for the lockout to end to make his case.

In a radio interview with Rich Gannon on NFL Sirus Radio XM and 106.7 The Fan in D.C., Beck spared no feelings in saying he simply doesn't care about stepping on toes. He wants to start and believes it is his job.

That the Redskins benched and seemed on the outs with Donovan McNabb, Beck said it was great, a good thing.

"I have to say I'm glad it happened," Beck told the radio audience. "If I want my opportunity, I have to have stuff like this happen so I can get an opportunity.

"If McNabb stays as starter of the Washington Redskins, I remain a backup and I want to be a starter," he said "So, I have to hope for things like this to happen."

I like it.

And Beck added, "I'll call whoever, try to set whatever up. If you don't think like a starter and act like a starter, your teammates probably aren't gonna believe you're the starter. So I'm thinking I'm the starter."

Even on the phone Tuesday, a continent away from his wife Barb and three sons, one of them an infant, he sounded like Huck Finn looking for a fishing pole. Beck's determination to start is intrepid and his demeanor feisty. He was confident the job is his.

Now, will we see him act more like Jim McMahon in the huddle?

I like the "talking Beck." It's about time we see this out of the 29-year-old vet whose words are obviously carefully placed to do his bidding in a town built on campaigns, lofty speeches and loquacious politics, even if he has little playing time to warrant such talk.

There are doubters. There always have been in his career. His NFL resume is light, even if some of it isn't his fault. The Miami thing turned bad because the Dolphins were terrible and he didn't have a chance once management changed and drafted their own favorites.

But one thing about Beck, he shut up, stood with a clipboard, bided his time and learned.

He's tired of drawing a paycheck without getting bruised.

Beck told me all this really started last March when he came to the Redskins. He said he wanted to be No. 1.