Jim Kelley

Jim Kelley writes regularly on the NHL for Sportsnet.ca and can be heard on Primetime Sports on the FAN590.

I was thinking of filling this space with one of those teams, players, organizations or whatever stories of the decade, but colleague Mike Brophy handled that in superb fashion.

I toyed with the idea of waxing poetic on the junior championships, now a longstanding and thrilling tradition during the holiday season, but that's pretty much been blanketed as well.

Maybe an every-team Santa wish list? There are at least 100 to be found out there.

Toronto Maple Leafs fortunes in the New Year? Give me a break! (Or better yet, give you a break.)

So the more time I spent thinking about a topic the more I came to understand that this really did need to be personal, a column directed to you, the readers who faithfully read and faithfully post your comments, sometimes a tad on the harsh side, dutifully below.

So here goes:

I have cancer. It's a very serious kind of cancer, and one that has put me in what is easily the toughest fight of my life.

I thought that would be a relatively private thing. Something between me and my family, me and my doctors and, because I knew I would need their love and support, I shared that information with a few close friends in and outside of the hockey community.

I never intended or wanted to get that message beyond that point. I asked anyone I told to not lie about it if asked, but I didn't need it being broadcast to the world. I felt it was strictly a personal matter; a matter to be shared with the people who I either wanted or needed to know. There are reasons for that and I'll get to them in a moment, but here's what happened:

A blogger, a person who used to write a regular column for one of Canada's national newspapers, got hold of the information and posted it under the guise of wishing me all the best. That was a sham; the obvious intent of the mention was to point out that he was the first to write that I wouldn't be appearing on the Fan 590 for awhile and that he had it first.

It would have been much appreciated had that person contacted me for a comment, others, including Fan 590 reporter Howard Berger had done that and respected my wishes and I thank them for that. This person did not.

Why does this matter? Well in terms of respecting one's privacy, it doesn't, not any more. It's a whole new world out there and I know that. I knew it when I moved from newspaper work to the internet. Times change and so do standards, and while I'm not here to whine Ottawa Senators management style about something that didn't go my way, I do want to make this point:

It has always been important to me that you people, the people who give a writer the ultimate compliment of reading his work, approach that task unencumbered by needless distractions, distractions that include my health. No writer ever wants to be a part of the story let alone the story. That's especially true in the world of column writing. An opinion is put forth on a subject or a person. It should stand alone rather than be mired in matters that don't add to the issue and may very well subtract from it.

My health is an issue to me, but it shouldn't be one to you. I appreciate all the comments wishing me well, but the issue should never be about me, how I feel, or how the battle is going, it should be about you, you getting a chance to read a piece on a topic we both love (the greatest game in the world) and being able to respond to it unencumbered by personal considerations.

For all the years I've been doing this, you've been doing that and I respect you all for the effort. You file your comments to this site and they are posted. I don't agree with all of them just like you don't agree with all my mine, but I treasure your right to do so and I treasure your passion. Many of you have strong feelings about what I write, so strong that you are moved, oft-times with passion, to give your point of view.

I love that, that's the way it's supposed to work. It's not supposed to be about me, it's supposed to be about an issue, a personality, a fine point in the debate over head hits or a broader view regarding the need -or lack of same-of fighting in the game.

I'm not so naïve to think that personality doesn't enter into the equation, but in the larger scheme most of you, even the ones that reject my opinions with a vengeance, keep the focus on the issues and carry your thoughts and passions, unencumbered, into the debate.

That someone injected my personal circumstances into that relationship, well, to me, that's just wrong. It needlessly clouds the issue.

So here is my Christmas and year end pledge to you: I will write what I think, what I see, what I know. I will do it to the best of my ability for as long as I am able and for as long as sportsnet.ca provides me the opportunity.

You, I hope, will respond in kind.

I'll give it my best shot and, in turn, I expect your best shots. If I make a mistake, say so, it's how they get corrected. If you disagree, say so and give your best argument in rebuttal and we'll let the chips fall where they may.

In my mind, you deserve nothing less and the fact that someone outed me as being sick simply doesn't matter.

I for one will not speak of the matter again. You'll get my best and we'll move on from there.

Thanks for reading this far, and Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season to you all.