I read all of the comments that are written about the articles that I write for my website and for those that have been run in other places.  I always want to know what people think about my writing and the subject matter in general.  I have noticed lately that many have commented that I am just piling on Jake Heaps and that I just need to leave him alone.

As an aspiring journalist, there are two reasons that I cannot and will not do that.

The first is because I never say anything disparaging about Heaps.  I watch the games and report on them in a way I feel is most accurate.  It wasn’t my decision to play Montell Cozart the last number of games or to start him this week.  I just report on it.  I have a strong opinion on how the quarterback situation and the offense in general have been handled this season, but I have done my best to keep that opinion to myself.  It wouldn’t be good for me to call out coaches and players when I am trying to be as focused as possible on giving my readers the best information possible.  That is very important to me.

The second reason is because I am a fan of Jake Heaps and just about every other player who has played basketball or football at BYU.  It is the same reason why I cover Jimmer Fredette and Brandon Davies on a game-by-game basis.  I have no ill will towards him for leaving BYU or his choice to go to Kansas.  It was my hope that he would have a long and successful career in Lawrence, and then a solid pro career.  Although I never thought he had the skills necessary to be a top-notch NFL quarterback, I did feel like he could be a successful backup or a really good CFL signal caller.

The fact that he hasn’t found success with the Jayhawks actually pains me.  The QB rotation didn’t make sense to me at all, the huge penalties on key plays made me crazy and the never-ending amount of dropped balls nearly gave me an ulcer.

I still hope and always will that Heaps can find the ultimate success on the football field and in his personal life.  I would not invest the kind of time that I have in him as a player if I felt otherwise.

The sports writer I want to be is someone who can make a positive difference to people without having to take shots or tearing down others. I feel that I can be totally respectful to the teams and athletes that I choose to cover and still do a fantastic job.

At the heart of this whole thing I am a true sports fan who just wants to see athletes have fun and play well.  I watch sports so I can see greatness.  Greatness inspires me every day of my life.  It shows me that I can be more than I am today and I will never fault any player for trying to do that no matter where he goes.