How Kansas City Chiefs and NFL Can Help Following Jovan Belcher Tragedy

We’ll never know the torment and demons that ran rampant through former Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher. We’ll never understand what could possibly have caused him to take the life of his three-month-old daughter’s mother, then his own.

We shouldn’t try.

We should instead focus our energies on that little innocent baby. The one who no longer has a mother or a father.

I don’t know anything about Jovan Belcher beyond what I’ve learned in the past few hours. I’d never heard of him before. I’m tremendously saddened by the thought that this troubled young man wasn’t able to get the help he so obviously and desperately needed.

I’m sure that those close to him are, and will continue to be, burdened with guilt over not seeing signs that could have led them to intercede. But those signs might not have been there. Even if they were and had been recognized, he might not have accepted any help.

To say that many people take sports too seriously and place an out of whack priority on them is a serious understatement. The elevated place in society that sports occupies has led to a sense of entitlement and disregard for rules and laws that disgusts me.

Here’s a chance for sports to redeem itself for fans like me that struggle with this issue.

Take care of that baby.

She should have a whole lot of Chiefs’ “uncles” who will love her, help take care of her and do the best they can to help her have a good life.

Put some money aside from the bountiful gate for the Panthers game tomorrow for the baby.

My thoughts and prayers go out to all involved in this horrible tragedy. My hopes are that everyone involved now steps up to help as best they can.

Follow me on Twitter @sprtsramblngman.