We apologize, CMU. We’re sorry for the editorial we ran on Friday that praised Brian Kelly for the “commendable character” he showed in his decision to stay at CMU. We’re sorry for the editorial we ran on Nov. 15 that recommended the university give Kelly more money because of the “remarkable” job he had done as CMU’s football coach. And we’re sorry for Friday’s front page of Central Michigan Life, which showed Kelly happily singing the school song with his players after CMU won the Mid-American Conference Championship. The headline shouldn’t have read “CHAMPS!” It should have said “CHUMP.” The only thing remarkable about that image in Friday’s paper is how phony it looks now. Kelly’s decision to abandon his team — a mere three days removed from winning CMU’s first conference title in 12 years — and take the head coaching job at Cincinnati is far from commendable. It’s shameful. No, it’s not because Kelly is greedy. If a school dangles a contract worth much more than what Kelly was making at CMU, it’s common sense to grab it. And we don’t blame Kelly for leaving after only three years at CMU. If coaches are good, they don’t spend their careers at a mid-major university. They go on to the more lucrative contracts and BCS opportunities.

But what Kelly should be ashamed of is the way he left. Because he left in a cowardly way.

An abrupt ending Kelly and Athletics Director Dave Heeke called a team meeting at 5 p.m. Sunday in the Indoor Athletic Complex to announce Kelly was leaving. He then took about 15 minutes to address the team and then spent 15 minutes more in his office where players could come say their good-byes — some of whom he had coached for three seasons. He thanked the team for those three seasons. Then he was gone, leaving Heeke and now interim coach Jeff Quinn to face the 103 student athletes who were left figuring out how to swallow the incredible information they had just heard. Less than three days before that meeting, they were celebrating with their coach at Ford Field in Detroit, taking turns raising the MAC Championship trophy. But Sunday evening many of them sat in shock. Suddenly, last Thursday seemed like a distant memory. Many of those players probably went to sleep Sunday night wondering — wondering if the coaching staff would stay intact. Wondering if any of their teammates were thinking about transferring. Wondering how drastically things might change after the Motor City Bowl. Meanwhile, Kelly was wondering what he would say to impress the Southern Ohio media at the 4 p.m. press conference Monday. At that same time Monday, Heeke introduced Quinn as interim coach. Quinn spoke highly of Kelly, calling him a “master speaker” and a “master motivator.” Well, Kelly can add something else to his list of accolades. He’s a master escape artist, too.

A cover of lies Once the Michigan State and Iowa State rumors faded, it seemed Kelly was here to stay. He was in ongoing talks with Heeke and University President Michael Rao on a contract extension, making Kelly one of the highest — if not the highest — paid coaches in the MAC. We reported last Wednesday that Kelly “absolutely” planned to stay with Central. “It’s very important these kids have the leadership to go in and get the ultimate goal,” Kelly said. “They’ve sacrificed and bought in, and if their coach was leaving before the (MAC title game), it is just not the time and place.” But the Motor City Bowl, apparently, doesn’t matter to Kelly. “When you hear negotiations it’s not about, ‘Hey, I want more money,’” Kelly said in the same story. “The money is what it is. I’m not in the Big Ten, Big IX or SEC — I know that. But there are other things that we are working through, and that is continuing to develop and grow this program.” But apparently the money Kelly will make at Cincinnati is enough to ditch that growth and development.

“Clearly, I’m sure (other schools) had an interest in me,” Kelly said in the same article. “… They were like anything else — I’m going to listen but it has to be the right situation for me. “The right fit right now is here at Central Michigan.” What a difference a few days make. It’s obvious Kelly made those remarks to make himself look good for the MAC title game. But the biggest farce came at the press conference after the game. Freshman quarterback Dan LeFevour was responding to a question about CMU’s future. LeFevour said it looked bright, considering how many players were returning. Then he paused for a second, then said, “and coach too.” Kelly responded with a tip of his water bottle. “Cheers,” he said. Tip another one back, coach Kelly. You’re off to bigger and better things in Southern Ohio. Well, at least for the next three years, anyway.