HAND UP: I Think I Might Have Been Wrong About Caleb Williams
"I know that I am intelligent, because I know that I know nothing."
- Socrates
"To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge."
- Confucious
A few months ago I wrote a pretty controversial blog regarding the Chicago Bears #1 draft pick, QB Caleb Williams.
I was confronted and grilled by everybody.
Even my a fucking Uber driver I had in Chicago that week recognized me and told me how wrong I was.
One thing I learned a long time ago, as I became older, is that we are fucking wrong. A LOT. And it's perfectly ok to be, so long as you recognize it, and learn and grow from it. It's being pigheaded, stubborn, stuck in your ways, and refusing to be open-minded enough to hear/see why you're wrong that's the problem.
So credit to me for being mature and wise now in my old age.
In this particular case, I'm really starting to think I was wrong about this kid.
And I'll explain why.
The first thing that really hit me was this report from last month.
Listen, I'm not saying you were raised the wrong way, but if your parents didn't raise you to respect people who work jobs of any nature, no matter how "menial" or basic society makes them out to be, than I feel bad for you. I know people who look down their noses at people who bust their fucking asses serving tables, cleaning bathrooms, or driving buses and those people suck for thinking they're better than somebody who shows up and puts an honest days work in every day to put food on their table.
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The fact that a #1 draft pick making $38.5.million, from school in southern California, comes into blue collar hammer swinging Chicago, and demands his teammates clean up their own shit so they don't make janitors' lives harder is fucking awesome. And very very impressive.
The second thing was Caleb's appearance on Pardon My Take. Which he put on an absolute masterclass on.
He was laid back. Handled having his balls busted well, and also busted balls back. He seemed like a legit down-to-earth guy. Somebody you wouldn't mind strking up a conversation with you if you had to sit next to them on a plane and they weren't a pro-athlete. And I say that as somebody who hates having people talk to me on planes.
The third was talking to a few of the guys who have played on the Bears for a few seasons now absolutely rave to me about Williams and his leadership talent.
According to them, this isn't just some young kid who watched a few Tony Robbins videos on youtube and came into the locker room reguritating motivational speeches. They said yah sure he's "first one in last one out", but lots of guys can do that. Most guys can't speak to and resonate with veterans the same way they can with first and second year guys like he has. They said he's no-bullshit, matter of fact, extremely respectful of the coaching staff, front office, and everybody who works in and around Halas Hall. Something I was shocked to hear, but which fell in line with that ESPN report on the custodians. And aside from having a great head on his shoulders, they also said he can run like a gazelle and has a laser for an arm.
So if that all weren't enough, the fourth and final piece of evidence that has lead me to change my mind was of course his on-the-field play this preseason.
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As if I needed anything else, Carl dropped this absolute heater and knocked all our socks off.
It takes a big man to admit he was wrong. This is me being that big man.
I hope Caleb lives up to the hype, proves the doubters (like me) wrong, and leads the Bears to long sustained success their fans so desperately deserve.
p.s. - what a job by HBO on this season of Hard Knocks. And what a primo ending.