Brian Dawkins Chokes Up Over Philly Exit

You hear it all the time -- sports is a business. And, yeah, that is certainly true. But sports also involves human beings, and human beings are saturated in emotion. It's only natural that there's sometimes a dissonance between those two polarities.

Take Brian Dawkins, for example. Dawkins has never been the type who seemed like he was in it for the money, and in Philadelphia he found a kindred spirit in that city and its team; their mission statements -- which emphasize passion, aggressiveness, and work ethic -- mirrored his own. But the damn business side of things got in the way this offseason, and now Dawkins is a Bronco. After 13 years, it's a tough separation for him, as this exit interview with a local television station makes clear.

Dawkins is obviously emotional throughout the entire interview, but finally can't go on when asked about the legacy he built in Philadelphia and whether his stature would automatically come with him to Denver. It was a fair question, for sure, but you can almost hear the wheels turning in Dawkins head as he realizes that everything he's known as "home" over the last decade-plus is no longer a reality. As a fan of a team who also just lost its team, locker room, and community leader, I feel for the guy.

Some might question the sincerity of Dawkins' emotion, given that he could have decided that it was Philly or no one, believing that choosing another team over retirement is sacrilege. Yet that's soapbox talk; we're in no position to tell a man what to do with his life. In situations like this, a player is forced to choose between a city/team he loves and a game that is, in most cases, the only way of life he's ever known. You can't judge a man for the choice he makes in that circumstance.

Dawkins' body will be in a Broncos jersey this year, but something tells me his soul will always live in Philadelphia. I also think he'll be welcomed pretty warmly by Broncos fans -- the passion Dawkins displays here is an asset to any team, on or off the field.

HT: Sports Radio Interviews

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