Bears' Kyle Long Is the Best Dude

Chicago Tribune- A nine-year-old bullying victim from Huntley can take comfort knowing Bears guard Kyle Long supports him. Long spent Saturday with Andrew Oyston after Oyston’s father, Frank, connected with Long via Twitter. Long and Andrew spent the afternoon playing games at Chuck E. Cheese at the birthday party of his 8-year-old sister Riley. They then returned to the Oystons’ house to throw the football. “I don’t know if I made a difference, but I know he had a hell of a time on Saturday,” Long said. “I know he made a new friend and I did, as well. I think if anything is to happen, I think he knows who he can talk to. I just wanted him to understand he just needs to be himself.” Frank Oyston messaged Long because Andrew was being bullied on the bus. Long empathized, having overcome his share of adversity. As a middle schooler in Virginia, Long was ridiculed on the bus by high schoolers. Long also underwent treatment for substance abuse during his college years. He moved on from that to be the Bears’ first-round pick last year and make the Pro Bowl. On Saturday, Andrew doubted Long’s ability to eat an entire pizza, to which Long answered the challenge. “I’m glad I could put a smile on his face,” Long said. “I just wanted him to understand -- just have some fun. Don’t worry about what people say.”

I know this story is a day old but, whatever. It's such a good story it deserves to be written about. How about, Kyle Long? The dude just put the team on his back with this one. These days in media there's so much negativity about athletes and how they're such awful people. All you read about for weeks is how an athlete made a simple mistake. How come this incredible story isn't all over national news right now? Everyone knows those assholes in elementary school that would make fun of kids for being overweight. Well boom, Andrew Oyston just told those bullies to suck it. Kyle Long did not have to spend his saturday with this kid, nobody made him do it, he chose to. That's incredible, this famous athlete spent his day with a kid that was being bullied and needed help. That's awesome. I'm sure it's unlikely but I hope more athletes can follow suite. This kid just had the best day of his life and I absolutely love it. It's not often you get to go to Chuck E. Cheese with a professional athlete. I'm  honestly really jealous of Andrew. You think Chara will take me to Chuck E. Cheese?