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Report: Andre Reed hits back over field renaming flap

NFL Hall of Famer Andre Reed has responded to the tabling of a proposal to rename his old high school field in his honor.

NFL Hall of Famer Andre Reed has responded to the tabling of a proposal to rename his old high school field in his honor.

The Allentown School Board delayed voting Thursday on renaming the field at Dieruff High School's J. Birney Crum Stadium over concerns about a profanity-laced message Reed allegedly sent via Facebook to an alumnus who criticized the plan.

"I do not deny nor will I retract the strong words I used in that argument," Reed said Friday in a statement released to The Morning Call. "There will always be unpleasant situations and antagonistic people you have to deal with in life; that is just a reality."

The details of the argument were not disclosed.

In the statement, Reed reportedly defended his actions, characterizing himself as a "damn good" football player, not a diplomat.

"I never sat at the dinner table and said, 'Please pass the tea and crumpets,' or, 'I beg to differ with your point of view, sir,' and I am not going to do that now," he said.

A dedication ceremony was initially scheduled to be held during a Nov. 1 football game between Dieruff and William Allen high schools.

The school board will resume the debate over whether to move forward with the proceedings at a special meeting set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, The Morning Call reported.

Reed reportedly told the paper he no longer plans to attend the renaming festivities.

"In some ways it is ironic that you chose to pause the naming of the field for me because I chose to defend my good name," Reed said. "I am from Allentown, my family lives in Allentown and I am proud of them and my roots. Allentown folks are fighters, working-class people, real people. Yeah I drop the F bomb, but who doesn't?"

Reed, who graduated from Dieruff in 1981, enjoyed a storied career as wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August.

Kutztown University, where Reed attended college, renamed its football stadium in his honor during a ceremony earlier this month.