People take sports too damn seriously. This is especially true in Philadelphia, but irrefutably true beyond the 215.
This isn’t to say “________________ is more important than sports.” Any number of things could be truthfully written in that blank space. The people who haven’t yet realized that are lost causes.
When looking back at the past couple weeks of Philadelphia sporting history, minds will collectively revert to the knee-jerk anger of the Lesean McCoy and (to a lesser extent) Nick Foles trades, the boomerang civic-emotional bounce back of the DeMarco Murray signing and the irrational fanfic dreams of trading up for quarterback Marcus Mariota.
But consider this a humble request to block all of that out when you think back to the first couple weeks of March 2015, and remember that Chip Kelly showed up at the funeral of slain Philadelphia Police Officer Robert Wilson III with a football to give to Wilson’s son Quahmier. (Back story: Wilson stopped at the Game Stop, where he was fatally shot by scumbag robbers, to purchase his son a video game as a reward for good grades.)
Sports are not bigger than life itself, but sports can most certainly provide a welcomed respite from real world pains and struggles. Kelly reminded us all of that this week. I know not whether he’ll be the coach that finally brings a Super Bowl title to Philly, but I know that he’s a genuinely decent man now.
Football in question for Quahmier pic.twitter.com/tEVMRNyQu1
— Vinny Vella (@Vellastrations) March 13, 2015