It’s Father’s Day, and I want to talk about a specific father this year: LB’s father.
I don’t know LB (I don’t even know what the L or the B stand for), I just know his as @BanGronkNandez. I know that he’s a Patriots fan and he says his dad is the reason why.
Unfortunately, his dad just passed.
It’s sad.
It’s sad because, knowing so little about LB’s dad, I feel like he did a good job (and not all dads do). The proof is in the proverbial pudding.
There are a /ton/ of things LB and I don’t agree on. However, he’s the the kind of fan that can totally disagree with you, have a long discussion where ideas and perspectives are exchanged, and still be a respectful human being (of course if you just start being a d!ck, he will also totally – and rightfully – roast you, which is how it should be).
Being able to share different perspectives without resorting to name-calling and insults is such a rare thing in the world today – to act like a man behind the anonymity of the internet.
If his father is the one who made him like that, then he did a good job. From all LB’s tweets, that’s the case.
It’s way too easy for a football conversation to devolve to name-calling and all-caps nonsense, especially across fan bases. But there is so much perspective to be gained and appreciation for the game to be shared when things don’t get like that.
Of all the people from all the other fan bases I’ve connected with on the internet, LB is one of the rare few that I can have a real conversation with, even if it’s only 280 characters at a time. He understands the game and appreciates the history and stories of all the franchises. He realizes that that there’s a lot to enjoy in the gut-wrenching losses that are guaranteed to happen. He embraces the good and the bad with a healthy outlook and extends conversation across team lines.
LB, if your dad set this example for you, he did a great a job. I’m sorry he had to leave too early and sorry you have to go through this.
Everyone, if you have a good father, let them know you appreciate them.
If you are a father, be a good one – it’s an important job; lead by example.
No matter who you are, don’t be a d!ck.
Happy Father’s Day, everyone.