Travis Henry’s National Championship Ring

[WoodsmanVol]

Reading the thread, it certainly seemed to me like you were targeting BowlBrother85, because you were commenting on a post that quoted his post. Additionally, your statement about his "(dis)honor" is telling. I think you're being a bit coy here.

Selective reading will do that to you. Plus it's always interesting to see the straw men come after their buddies when they get disagreed with. Fun?

 

[Titan&Volfan4life]

He was a great player and worked hard to make himself great.

He also made many very dumb decisions in his life that ended up destroying him and that's really sad.

I hate to see anyone selling their Championship ring.

VFL...GBO!!!

 

[C-south]

We don't all start out in the same place in life or have the same people involved in them. I'm no bleeding heart liberal, quite the opposite, but as a fan who lived through that season, it's still sad. He had all the talent in the world. It's a tragedy, regardless of whose making it is.

It just goes to show it doesn’t matter where you start. Success can slap some people in the face and their too stupid to grasp it. Some people doom themselves regardless of where they start and it is a tragedy.

 

[Dudleys87]

Such a sad sight to see honestly.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

Yeah we dont all start out at the same place. Some people are born with natural talent and waste it away being stupid.

I don't disagree that Travis has been stupid, I just think his environment really handicapped him from early on, it doesn't excuse it, but it's tragic. On the broader subject, I'll tell you what though, we haven't seen anything yet. There are kids being raised right now, or rather not being raised that are going to be so crazy and irresponsible when they grow up I don't know what we as a society are going to do with them, the only choices are going to be to shoot them or lock them up. They never had a chance their parents were so screwed up to start with.

 

[Willie Hutch]

There is nothing "holier-than-thou" about pointing out the irresponsible and blatantly foolish behavior of Travis Henry. His story is one of wasted potential, self inflicted problems and felonious actions. ...Travis Henry's story is just pathetic.

You're right, this isn't a holier than thou response either

 

[05_never_again]

Both holier than thou people and people who are quick to criticize people for being holier than thou are annoying.

Accidentally spilling a glass of water on someone is a mistake. Having 11 kids with 10 different women and trafficking cocaine, all the while having the means to legitimately make a ton of money is, well...

 

[SpecialKVolfan20]

I still remember when he went over the top against Vanderbilt and landed squarely on his head in the endzone. He laid there for several minutes. His mom was even on the field. I thought for sure his neck was broken. Thankfully, he finally got up and hobbled off the field.

I wished he could have received some good counsel/advice before he left UT. He needed a mentor/"big-brother" type of guy to help him stay clear of the mine-field that is big-money-made from humble origins.

We were there sitting in that end zone. I’ll never forget how quiet it got....

 

[Neyland Law Vol]

It's be cool if some one with the cash like Fulmer would buy it and hold on to it for a while. Then give it back to him years down the road when he gets his life fixed and in order.

 

[DaddyChad]

I don't disagree that Travis has been stupid, I just think his environment really handicapped him from early on, it doesn't excuse it, but it's tragic. On the broader subject, I'll tell you what though, we haven't seen anything yet. There are kids being raised right now, or rather not being raised that are going to be so crazy and irresponsible when they grow up I don't know what we as a society are going to do with them, the only choices are going to be to shoot them or lock them up. They never had a chance their parents were so screwed up to start with.

There's plenty of people that come from terrible family situations and still succeed. I'm not pointing this directly at you but it seems there is a lot of effort put into rationalizing the repeated idiotic actions of some people. Some people aren't victims.

I feel terrible for his kids.

 

[DaddyChad]

It's be cool if some one with the cash like Fulmer would buy it and hold on to it for a while. Then give it back to him years down the road when he gets his life fixed and in order.

I've got some cash laying around; what's a vasectomy run these days?

 

[a vol n tears]

I think the fact several of these rings have been sold shows that fans can be more invested in a program than the actual players. Thousands of fans would love to have one of these rings yet players that were / are part of the program don’t have the same feelings. Life for these players move on. Fans come back every year for their entire lives.
The same is true for coaches. Dabo probably never leaves Clemson for Bama. If Pruitt is successful here he probably never goes back to Bama. I don’t know if it is because fans don’t play, only support, but they take their long term loyalty much more seriously than most players.

 

[USF grad in TN]

I'm thankful that when I was young there were wise adults who pointed out the consequences of bad decisions. Maybe someone you know will listen and learn.

 

[YankeeVol]

@DOCTORLOOMIS you plan on bidding? Asking for a friend

 

[82_VOL_83]

It's be cool if some one with the cash like Fulmer would buy it and hold on to it for a while. Then give it back to him years down the road when he gets his life fixed and in order.

Nothing stopping someone on VN from doing the same.

 

[1TheCoach1]

It's be cool if some one with the cash like Fulmer would buy it and hold on to it for a while. Then give it back to him years down the road when he gets his life fixed and in order.

So someone should fork over the money to give him a ring back because of the poor choices he made himself? It isn't as if he had a gambling problem and blew his money. He brought a bunch of lives into this world without thinking for one second how it would impact their lives. He shouldn't be rewarded at the end for his stupidity.

 

[Stownterry]

We don't all start out in the same place in life or have the same people involved in them. I'm no bleeding heart liberal, quite the opposite, but as a fan who lived through that season, it's still sad. He had all the talent in the world. It's a tragedy, regardless of whose making it is.

 

[Stownterry]

I agree ....I lived every play that season also and this just takes your breath a minute to know that something you worked so hard for has a price......

 

[wmcovol]

I don't disagree that Travis has been stupid, I just think his environment really handicapped him from early on, it doesn't excuse it, but it's tragic. On the broader subject, I'll tell you what though, we haven't seen anything yet. There are kids being raised right now, or rather not being raised that are going to be so crazy and irresponsible when they grow up I don't know what we as a society are going to do with them, the only choices are going to be to shoot them or lock them up. They never had a chance their parents were so screwed up to start with.

Sadly, I’ve witnessed several children where they basically raise themselves cause their parents are so worthless

 

[Rudy123]

I started off in a bad place in life. One day, I would love to sit down and share my life story with you. It is a very bad one
However, I took advantage of every opportunity that was afforded to,me. I started out behind the 8 ball and can't afford to make stupid mistakes.
No drug, alcohol or incarceration issues
These guys have free tuition, free housing, free medical, free tutors. They should take advantage of their situation. They made bad decisions along the way

 

[DOCTORLOOMIS]

@DOCTORLOOMIS you plan on bidding? Asking for a friend

Yes I will be a strong bidder for it.

 

[BenGrimm]

I cant imagine working hard enough at a sport to reach the top of the pack in College Football, win the Championship and then later in life place no more value on the ring than to let it go for a couple thousand dollars..I don't know all the circumstances that led to them being put up for auction but I think I would have exhausted all other options...

Well I can see why Henry sold his considering the financial decisions of his own makings.

Although, I can also see getting to a point in your life where material things just aren’t as important to you anymore. Possession of a ring/trophy doesn’t alter the history books. You will always have memories and friendships from that era of life that are far more valuable.

 

[YankeeVol]

Yes I will be a strong bidder for it.

Well s***. I mean, my friend will be disappointed

 

[Zues1]

Several of these '98 championship rings have been sold over the years on e-bay. Ron Green comes to mind... they never fetch more than about $1K. The Travis Henry story is too stupid to be sad. He just doesn't deserve much sympathy. 11 kids by 10 different women? His lawyer once estimated that he was paying as much as $170,000 a year in child support payments... he used $80,000 of his signing bonus with the Titans to purchase jewelry for himself including a Rolex and gold chains - even though he was already behind on child support at the time. And he derailed his career with a cocaine trafficking ring arrest. In 2009, he was sentenced to 3 years in prison and ordered to pay $4 million in fines when he was already broke.

But ya gotta have those chains

 

[MWAVolfan]

I'm grateful that Tennessee got all his best years. That's about all you can say aboyut that.