Cincinnati's Mardy Gilyard Apologizes to Notre Dame's Brian Kelly

Cincinatti's Mardy Gilyard, the most critical of all Bearcats players, has apologized to former coach Brian Kelly for things he said upon learning of Kelly's departure for Notre Dame.

Gilyard, the brilliant All-American wide receiver, who said Kelly "went for the money" and, "I feel there was a little lying in the thing. I feel like he'd known this whole time," reacted with anger and stormed out of the team banquet when Kelly broke the news.

Gilyard said, "I kind of had a gut feeling he was going to stay, because he told me he was going to be here."

It was this statement that led players, fans, and reporters to speculate that Kelly had lied to his team.

But Mardy Gilyard, who plays with as much passion as he speaks, told Terence Moore of FanHouse, "I overreacted and want to apologize to Coach Kelly for my message that got a little sideways, because I felt like I kicked him in the stomach."

Gilyard explained that when he watched himself being interviewed on television, he said, "I was kicking myself." He continued saying, "How could you do Boss Man like that?" Boss Man is the affectionate way he referred to his former coach.

"I know I was so disrespectful to him. I neglected to give Boss Man credit. He springboarded us to where we needed to be," said Gilyard.

Gilyard even went on to say he knew Notre Dame was a dream job for most coaches. He said, "There's no grudges back here. I'm planning to get in touch with him because I love Boss Man, and I respect his decision."

I think we've all been there. We've all reacted the way Gilyard initially did when he heard someone he cared for was moving on and interpreted it as abandonment.

It's natural to, as Gilyard said, "overreact."  We're all human and eventually we realize our behavior was wrong.

I'm happy for Mardy Gilyard. Carrying around hate can ruin a person. I'm glad that no matter what Kelly did or what Gilyard imagined him doing, he realized he is still responsible for his behavior and what he said to the press.

If Brian Kelly comes to the realization that he was wrong and let down an undefeated Bearcats football team that heads to the Sugar Bowl to play Florida, I hope he can admit it—it will do the soul good!

Cincinnati's Athletic Director Mike Thomas told FanHouse that Notre Dame officials had contacted Cincinnati officials through a third person, the week of the Pitt game.  He said, "I truly don't think Brian was having discussions with them at that point."

Thomas explained that the university's position was not to get into discussions until the regular season was over.  He said, "I do think, at least I hope and I believe, that those conditions were met, and it didn't happen until after the Pitt game was complete."

Brian Kelly has recently told ESPN, "Who knows what would have happened if Nebraska had won that game."  He was referring to the possibility of Cincinnati playing for the national championship if Texas lost to Nebraska.

Kelly continued, "I might not be here at ND because we don't know if they would have waited for me, because I was going to play in the national championship game."  He went on to say, "I was not looking for a job. I was coaching my football team. We were working hard trying to develop our kids and win football games."

Kelly's statements are a far cry from referring to Notre Dame as a "dream" job.

Something else bothers me about the way Kelly spoke about coaching in the national championship;  He leaves me with a cherry-picking taste when he speaks of staying to coach in this game—but not coaching in the Sugar Bowl.

He leaves me with the feeling that his "dream" job is only a dream if it's decided he won't be trying to win a national championship.  I'm getting a conflicting feeling when I read his statements.

The Bearcats have started practice for the biggest game in school history.  Interim coach Jeff Quinn said, "It was kind of therapy for all of us."

Cincinnati will finish in the top 10 regardless of the outcome of the Sugar Bowl.  If they win, they'll finish No. 2 in the country—pretty good for a team without a coach!