Chris Henry

Like many of you, I found out that Chris Henry died yesterday through reports from ESPN. Henry, a gifted and talented wide receiver, was perhaps known more for getting into trouble than playing football. After redshirting as a freshman at West Virginia, Henry burst on the scene in his first year of play in 2003 by catching 41 passes for 1,006y. He was named Big East freshman of the year and made second team all conference.

Due to many off-field transgressions, Henry's career really peaked that magical first year. In year two he was tossed from the Rutgers game for multiple unsportsmanlike penalties and suspended for the Pittsburgh game. He finished that season with 52 catches for 872y and then turned pro. Once in the NFL the arrests really began to pile up. You name the misdeed and chances are Henry was accused of it. With the troubles of Pacman Jones, a teammate at West Virginia, also making news, the program in Morgantown was starting to feel the heat. Was then-coach Rich Rodriguez bringing in any type of athlete in a pursuit of wins? Rodriguez later claimed that both athletes, each who turned pro early, would not have been welcomed back at West Virginia for the 2005 season. While it is hard to believe that Rodriguez, coming off of a four-loss season in 2004, really would not have taken back two talented players, we do not have evidence to the contrary.

Many of the football people closest to Henry mentioned that his death was particularly tragic as he had finally matured and started to turn his life around. That seems to be the case and yes his death is indeed sad. But as I watched the ridiculous documentary on the rise of Miami football in the '80s yesterday, I could not help but think of Henry. The filmmaker could not stop fawning over players that were an embarrassment to college football (it only took the NCAA 25 years to finally begin cracking down on the on-field celebrations that the Hurricanes took for granted in their day) and allowed virtually any wrongdoing to be excused away by their troubled pasts and that the school was giving an opportunity to underprivileged kids. But that opportunity comes with responsibility to get an education and represent your school in the best way possible. Many of these players do stay out of trouble and remain focused on becoming proper student-athletes. But those who do not should not be coddled and their crimes should not be tolerated. Nor should they be celebrated in a film years later as members of some wonderful dynasty that greatly changed football.

There is no excuse for Henry's past bad behavior and the multiple chances he was given were harmful to his victims--especially those who were allegedly hurt by Henry years after he got away with his first crimes. We should feel sad that he has died, especially in light of the three kids he leaves behind, but let's also learn that slaps on the wrist, by both football teams and law enforcement, are in no way the proper treatment for athletes like Henry as much for him as the community at large. And please ESPN, no more films that celebrate childish and sometimes criminal behavior by athletes. I guess that is my Christmas wish.