We Shouldn’t Blame Kolb for Choosing Family Over Football….Much

Sept. 23, 2012; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb (4) drops back to pass during the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-US PRESSWIRE

I’m a family man.  I love my wife and five-year old son more than anything in this world.  I was at my son’s birth.  Saw the whole process.  I wanted to be there.  I don’t understand any father that wouldn’t want to be.  So, why the fuss over Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb wanting to choose to be at the birth of his newborn sometime in the next week instead of being with his football team?  Well, I’ll tell you why.  Planning.

Many people who are upset at Kolb for the decision to miss maybe one of the next two Cards games are upset maybe for the wrong reasons.  They are upset he’d want to be there in the first place.  Um…no, I commend him for that decision period.  Nothing is more important than your family.  Not even football.

However, I do offer this point of view.  What if Kolb had done some better planning.  Do some math.  Want a kid?  Do you earn millions?  Does your employer suffer without you?  Do the math son.  Plan to have a child sometime in the off season.  Sure you can never plan exactly when your child is going to be born.  Well, in some ways you can, but for purposes of this argument, well say Kolb couldn’t exactly plan this.  He can plan a time frame though.  The off-season is SIX months long.  That’s a pretty wide open window to get your business done nine months prior.

Even Arizona Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson felt this way, well sort of, last season when he had several players who wives were having babies during the season.  Get your business done at the right time.  These athletes have many other people counting on them.  Forget the fans…I could care less if we are taken into account, because really, we shouldn’t be and anyone else who thinks so is a complete moron.  Trust me, some actually think they should be.  I’ve read the comments.

Just plan.  At a time when the Cards could use him most, Kolb most likely will be in a delivery room instead of a football field for either the Miami Dolphins or St. Louis Rams game.  God bless him and his family.  The Cards can survive against this gauntlet of teams with John Skelton at the helm, assuming he is healthy enough.  If he isn’t, then the Cards could have a real issue on their hands.  Ryan Lindley is not ready.  Period.  The fact is, Kolb shouldn’t be having to put his team in this position, especially at an unprecedented time in their franchise history and a chance to carry this team to a possible 5-0 or 6-0 record.  Bottom line though, he needs to be there for his family.  I wish, we all wish, he would have had a little better planning.  Too much is on the line now with the best record in the NFL.