Hand Up, I Owe Jason Kelce An Apology
Ok so if you are just catching up, yesterday I made a very honest reaction to Jason Kelce's outfit at a press conference. I thought a ceremony of that nature should make a guy (even a football guy / casual dresser like Kelce) to say "I probably should put on sleeves today." Here's the take:
Again ... I stood by it at the time. Philly people reacted as you would expect to my take...
Since the original press conference, news has come out that Kelce was dressed like he walked off the field, or was going to walk on the field for a reason. He did it to honor his long time trainer who missed his last game because he was undergoing chemo treatments. You can read Smitty's blog here on that.
Ok so here we are. A crossroads. Do I double down or admit I was wrong? Before that … I do want to say I was 100% entitled to my opinion about his outfit at that time. I genuinely do believe he should have worn sleeves etc. I was authentic about that …at the time.
Now that the news has come out as to why he did it … I would be a fucking asshole to double down. Absolute moron. The fact he did this to honor a guy who may not always get the glory he deserves, a guy behind the scenes, a guy who shows up early and stays late, and a guy who is going through a horrific time is a beautiful gesture and why sports are so awesome. It's also what made Kelce so likable even from someone who hates Philly. I guess I should have trusted the process that a guy who is literally beloved in Philly had a reason for the outfit. That's on me. Live and learn, should have given him the benefit of the doubt and not jumped on it right away.
Jason … from the bottom of my heart. I fucked up. Wear whatever you want, and thank you for reminding us why sports is such a beautiful thing, and how strong bonds can be between teammates, and players and staff in locker rooms. It's some of my fondest memories, and I know they were yours on a much much much bigger stage. What you did for your friend is a beautiful gesture. To Joe O'Pella … get well soon. #SomeThingsAreBiggerThanSports