There were two events in the sporting world this past Saturday that have caused quite a stir. Jason Kelce was part of College Game Day at Penn State for the Penn State and Ohio State Game. For those of you who don’t follow college football, this is a very big deal as only the best team rivalries are selected for this ESPN offering. As Jason was walking among the crowd a person cried out with a homeopathic slur about his brother for dating Taylor Swift. He was filming the event. Jason got hold of the person’s phone who had made the comment and smashed it on the ground.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are very public figures. In fact, they may be the most public figures in our nation, so they are used to public criticism about their relationship. The irony is that they are squeaky clean compared to other public figures in music and football. Trump said that he “hated” Swift after she endorsed Kamala Harris.
But all those people wouldn’t say something about Swift and Jason if they had any intelligence. They would not call his brother a homophobic slur if they were within a few feet of him walking in a crowd, badgering him within reach. I love Harris’s response to Trump’s criticisms. “Say it to my face.” I have heard that phrase in the community in which I was raised. Most often the person criticizing the other in demonic terms backed down when he was called out for a close encounter. Trump did this at the debate. He refused any future debates with Harris. She was fearless.
ESPN’s response, since Jason was there for a promotion for the show, indicated that they would investigate the incident. There is video footage! I think ESPN is wrong. Jason should be cheered, and I would tell you why in a bit because of another incident involving Joel Embiid of the Sixers. For those not in the know, he is the star of the team and has suffered many injuries. He represented our nation at the Olympics.
After the Sixers game Saturday night, Embiid struck an Inquirer Sportswriter, Marcus Hayes, during a profanity laced altercation in the locker room. Embiid’s open hand contacted Hayes neck and collarbone area. Embiid was angry that Hayes mentioned his late brother and his son named Arthur in an October 23 column. Hayes removed those references from the column and thanked those who responded to the column with negative feedback. He said, “Sorry about that. Thanks for all the constructive criticism.” Easy for him to just wipe out the mistake. Hayes attempted to apologize to Embiid in the locker room. (bad move) Hayes had made similar comments in previous columns which Hayes denied. I have been in a locker room long ago when I was playing after a loss as well as having members of various teams at EA meet with me on a Monday morning to talk about a loss. This was the worst place for Hayes to be as emotions are high. The incident lasted two minutes.
Teammates and staff broke up the altercation. Afterward the Sixers, the NBA, and the Inquirer took the side of the reporter with comments like “you are free to disagree with what he says but physical assault is unwarranted and untenable, and we are taking this matter seriously.” Embiid said, “Nobody goes after my family!” He was suspended for three games. I believe that Embiid was right. The sportswriter should know that the worst place to deliver an apology is in a locker room after a loss. Context matters in ethics both for Kelce and Embiid.
When I heard Embiid’s response “Nobody goes after my family.” I thought about the fact that even the mafia knows that. It reminded me of a tragedy at EA. One of my student’s fathers was gunned down in a mafia hit because his brother had testified against the mob and was now in prison in protected custody so the mafia couldn’t get to him. My student saw it occur as he was waiting for his dad to take him to school. It was a drive by killing.
This event dominated the Philly press. We planned for the press to meet in one place which was opposite from where I was living, at the entrance on the main drive. They were not allowed on campus to question anyone in our school although some tried. We had the FBI posted on all corners of the campus. My students are not perfect but through chapel and classrooms they know that “we are our brothers or sisters’ keeper.” They gave amazing support to one another. The students wanted to attend the Mass of Christian Burial for my student’s father in a church in South Philly. I said that I would take them with me to the service. Included in that group was my own son.
Parents went crazy when they heard that I would do this, and they expressed their feelings in direct terms. I understood their anger. It didn’t seem to matter that my son would be going along. But they didn’t know one important thing. I knew the lead attorney for the mafia. (That’s a story for another time, but I helped him and his family in nothing related to the mob.) When I told him of my dilemma, I will never forget how he responded, “Rev, that will be the safest place in America. It is mafia code not to go after a person’s family at the burial service.”
When my student exited the service, I will never forget the number of his classmates present and how they wrapped their arms around their broken classmate. They continued to support him throughout his time at EA. The student was a frequent visitor to my office.
If the mafia can have an ethical guideline, “family is off limits at a burial service,” it seems that we should have the same standard in the world of professional sports. Another lawyer friend who knew of the situation paid for my student’s tuition at EA and supported him financially through college.
“Say it to my face!”
It is a lesson that Trump never learned!
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