But I don't know why the strong-arm of the NFL Law, Roger Goddell, wants every team in the league to observe a moment of silence on Sunday for Chris Henry. This is a man he suspended for the first 8 games of the 2007 season; a man that was arrested 5 different times and was called a "one-man crime wave" by a municipal court judge. Henry's reputation and image was so tarnished that the only team to bring him in for a pre-draft workout was the team that eventually drafted him, the Cincinnati Bengals.
Yes, it is very sad that Chris Henry died at the age of 26. It is even sadder that he left behind 3 young children. But is Chris Henry worthy of a moment of silence? Is a man that has been arrested for sexual assualt, multiple gun charges and drunk driving, on top of being suspended for multiple unsportsmanlike conduct penalties while in college and being called "an embarrasement to himself and the program" by his then coach Rich Rodriguez the kind of man that deserves a moment of silence across the league?
The word on Henry was the he had finally started to turn his life around. He was going to stay out of trouble and dedicate himself to acting like a non-threatening member of society. There were high hopes amongst his teammates about the road Henry was starting to travel (no pun intended). Carson Palmer said he was "misunderstood" and Chad Ochocinco (one of my favorite NFL players) said he was doing everything right. It seemed anyone connected to him had something good to say about him (even Rich Rodriguez managed to sound empathetic).
There are different reports as to what happened the day Chris Henry died. His neighbor reportedly heard him tell his fiancee that if she drove off he would jump off the truck and kill himself. There is a 911 call that says Henry was shirtless in the bed of the truck banging on the window as his fiancee was driving. Not too long after he was dead on the side of the road.
I'm not going to say that each team in the NFL shouldn't do something in remembrance of Henry; you always hear how the NFL is a brotherhood; a fraternity. If the players want to do something then that is fine. But it would be wrong for the commissioner to force both players and fans to show respect for a man that didn't show respect for anyone, including himself.
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