Boston College football hosted its annual NFL Pro Day last Wednesday, in which 14 former Eagles took part in a variety of workouts in front of professional scouts and members of the media. As a whole, the day was a success-scouts from 11 NFL teams were present last year, but this year’s Pro Day saw 29 teams send representatives to Alumni Stadium.
Worthy of note and concern, however, is the message that the t-shirts sported by the competitors conveyed. Every BC player competing wore a maroon shirt emblazoned with “EXCELLED”-implying that these players have already fulfilled the University’s motto, “Ever to Excel.”
While the t-shirts looked impressive on the field, the message they sent was counterintuitive to the Jesuit ideals of humility and continually striving to improve. Substance should not have been sacrificed for style, and the shirts’ meaning beyond a surface level should have been considered during the design process.
