BC’s Dick Kelley an unsung hero in our line of work

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – In our work, we deal with many people. Anyone who reads our stories knows we deal with players and coaches, and at times game officials. There are also athletic directors, commissioners, other school and conference administrators, players’ parents and other family members at times as well. But they are far from alone.

Tying it all together are those who work in media relations, the people that you very rarely hear about. But they are hugely important to our line of work. Known to many as “SIDs” (Sports Information Directors, as titles tend to vary but the work is the same), they rarely get any pub – and Boston College’s Dick Kelley was fine with that. On Sunday, however, he got just that in a ceremony that had so many dimensions to it before Eagles’ game against Virginia. And it was clear he was overwhelmed by it all.

Kelley was honored with the U.S. Basketball Writers Association’s Most Courageous Award on Sunday prior to the tip of the game. He has never sought any kind of recognition for his work, but he loved his job and worked every day for as long as humanly possible. It’s fair to say that he got more than he might ever want on Sunday.

The long-time assistant athletic director of media relations was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, back in 2011. You could see the signs early last season, when he had restricted use of his hands, then had a limp that became more noticeable as the season went along. Now he is unable to speak and confined to a wheelchair. It was a well-kept secret at first; many of us who cover Boston College knew it by the first month of last season but never “went public” with it out of respect for him. He didn’t want that. Many of us wanted to do something for him, but didn’t know what would make sense.

For over 21 years, the Boston College alum has simply done his job. Few people bleed Eagle maroon and gold the way Kelley does, but that drove him as much as anything to do what he has done. He has helped many players as well as media members, making everyone’s life easier. At times, he also went on the air as part of radio broadcasts, and long-time play-by-play announcer Ted Sarandis said he thinks the world of Kelley and wished he could have been at Conte Forum on Sunday.

Media relations, like many lines of work, is a fraternity of sorts, and many in the community were naturally saddened by this development. So, too, were many writers. Over a year ago, I first learned of Kelley’s condition from a colleague while at a game. At one of the next games, a number of us on press row before a game were talking about it, even though it was a well-kept secret. No one took it well. A few were at Conte Forum on Sunday for the ceremony.

Those in media relations do many things, far more than I ever realized before I got into the media business. In college, I knew one traveled with the team, as I was a manager and remember one traveling with us. They are the people that we contact for media credentials and interviews outside of games, but they also put together game notes, which often contain many of the great statistics and notes that you see in our stories. Kelley had one that stands out in that regard, as during Troy Bell’s career he kept track of the many times Bell was fouled shooting a three-pointer. They lead the way with media guides, which help us in regular stories and features and have an amazing amount of information. When a game ends, their life is beyond hectic: they do post-game releases with the box scores, notes and sometimes quotes, they contact media outlets to get them the final score and box score, they facilitate press conferences, and much, much more.

You hear of people getting this or another debilitating disease often, but seeing someone deal with it gives a whole new perspective. It’s been nothing short of gut-wrenching for those at BC to watch Kelley, who is in his 40s, decline from a guy full of life and with an unparalleled love for his job into a guy who first couldn’t move well enough to travel with the team to one confined to a wheelchair and whose speech gradually went away. But they aren’t alone. I’m sure I speak for many who cover Boston College in saying that it’s been similarly gut-wrenching to see a man who can’t express his thoughts now, and not because he doesn’t have them, but because a dreaded disease won’t allow his body to do it.

The scene on Sunday was amazing. Numerous people, from former BC coaches to writers and other media relations directors, came by to offer their thoughts to him prior to the ceremony. When he was honored, surrounded by the team and several others, there was a big round of applause that included everyone on press row. We are always advised that press row is a working area and that cheering is unacceptable; we are professional enough to understand, and the reality is that once you get into the media, you become a fan of the game and the people in it more than any teams. But on this occasion, everyone on press row was standing and cheering, and that was great. This wasn’t about a game; it was about something much bigger.

Kelley was clearly overwhelmed by it all, and I know I was both happy for him and sad at the same time because I know of his condition. I’m sure he had a lot he would say if his body would allow him to. The basketball team, all of them touched by this, spoke loud and clear with a dramatic victory before they walked over to share a moment with him. Head coach Steve Donahue fought back tears in the post-game press conference, thinking back to when he first got the job and how Kelley helped him.

Dick Kelley is one of many people that we who cover college basketball have dealt with. He has helped many of us, some in more ways than others, and I’m happy to say I believe I’m among those he has helped a great deal. He has helped me cover the team and the Big East and ACC as well, has encouraged me with what I do and more recently has provided an added inspiration. He has helped countless Eagles past and present more than he has helped me. That all helped make Sunday’s presentation a wonderful scene.