I was ordained as an Episcopal priest just Wednesday, and already I've been asked, "How do you reconcile a priest's calling with the sometimes cutting way the journalist in you goes after certain people in the sports world? Priests, after all, believe in redemption, yes?"

Yes, priests believe in redemption. But a belief in redemption implies the need for something to be redeemed from.

Still, as I believe we all need redeeming (even — gasp — Tim Tebow), in the last few days I've thought about becoming gentler and kinder in my column.

Then I come upon Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison acting like he's a victim after being suspended for his vicious, helmet-to-helmet hit against defenseless Cleveland quarterback Colt McCoy.

And I see the Browns defending putting the concussed McCoy back into the game, claiming that all their trainers were busy elsewhere after McCoy was scraped off the turf and briefly removed from the field.

And I read how two of Bernie Fine's alleged molestation victims — ostensibly upset at being portrayed by Syracuse men's head basketball coach Jim Boeheim as money grubbers — hire the ever-publicity-seeking Gloria Allred to sue Boeheim for, yes, money.

And I think, OK, maybe I'll be gentler and kinder next week. Not this week, not with Todd Graham around.

Graham is ... I mean, was, the football coach for the University of Pittsburgh, a man who talked his way into the job by proclaiming the Panthers' post the position of a lifetime.

"I've spent my whole life working to get this job," Graham told a reporter after his hiring. "This is the best job I've ever had. ... We're extremely motivated."

Motivated to advance his career, he meant.

For after a single so-so season, Graham jumped to take the Arizona State job.

Well, OK, coaches are out for themselves; we pretty much know that. And people in other professions come and go all the time. So what makes Graham's departure any different?

The way he told his players he was leaving.

Via text message.

Hiding behind the hoariest excuse in sports — family.

"I have resigned my position at Pitt in the best interest of my family to pursue the head coaching position at Arizona State," Graham texted. "Coaching there has always been a dream of ours and we have family there. The timing of the circumstances have prohibited me from telling you this directly. I now am on my way to Tempe to continue those discussions. God Bless. Coach Graham."

Oh. So it's ASU that's Graham's dream job. Thought it was Pitt.

And it's the timing that keeps him from telling the Panthers face to face.

This might not be very priestly of me, but may I suggest it's not a timing problem but a fortitude problem, a guts problem, a cojones problem.

Like all football coaches, Graham preached accountability — and then he ran from it.

Said Pitt receiver Devin Street: "He told me he's here to stay. ... It's all a lie. It's been all a lie this whole time. Everything he told us has been a lie."

Other players, including senior offensive tackle Lucas Nix, felt the same way.

"All year we bought into what he was feeding us," he said. "We put our trust in [Graham], and all he could do was send us a text message," Nix said.

Added Street in a tweet: "I'm literally sick. ... He just lied to all those damn recruits too not even 2 days ago." And a final evaluation: "No class, he's a quitter, soft, liar, hypocrite."

Congratulations, Sun Devils: That's the assessment of your new football coach, from those who know him best.

But don't worry; he probably won't bail on you. After all, you're his dream job.