You need an education in sports writing. The Globe has a nice 50 plus year of excellent sports writers dating back to Scott Young, Dick Beddoes, Alan Abel, Gare Joyce, Stephen Brunt,etc. Cathal came from the Toronto Star who also has a fine history of sports columnists. I suggest you pick up a copy of Sports Illustrated to get an idea of how Kelly fits it with North American top sports writers. 
By the way all of the writers I listed, none have played professionally. In fact I can't think of a top sports writer who has. The Player's Tribune might be your cup of tea, but the writing is dreadful. All the pieces are written by athletes in the first person.  
Kelly's' style of writing is called " perspective", metaphorically speaking. Look it up.