But very few want to look at it that way

You may read the entire piece by clicking this link. So which guy was Chris Henry: the one who was constantly in trouble with the law (drunk driving, illegal possession of firearms, and possession of marijuana, along with a laundry list of other charges), and who suffered multiple team and NFL suspensions dating back to his college career; or the loving and caring man who was admired by those who were closest to him I proffer that he was both. In our rush to classify athletes whether we feel they should be held as role models or not, we tend to hold them to a different standard and always judge them by their virtues (or lack thereof) we as a society often fall prey to “all or nothing” thinking. Either a guy (or gal) is a hero or a bum Either a winner or a loser. Good or bad. Why can’t they just be flawed human beings like the rest of us, expected to have hiccups in their personal lives and still be who and what they are Just because the “what” part is “world class athlete” doesn’t magically make them angelic, nor should we expect that to be the case. Witness Tiger Woods, a man who was set up for a fall of epic proportions. No one could possibly live up to the standards that he was expected to meet, whether it be on or off the golf course. Now, repeated and/or egregious breeches of the public trust (because that’s what it is, whether an athlete likes/expects it or not) take us to a different place, I agree. Henry did not just break the law once or twice; even on the day of his death, he was involved in a domestic disturbance. Tiger Woods did not just cheat on his wife once, nor with only a single person; by the latest “confirmed” count, it was 11 women established, with five more suspects already lining up by the nearest attorney and microphone bank. Sounds like hundreds of cases of infidelity, if you ask me. Could it be, however, that the sport superstars who fall the farthest just might be the ones whom we should sympathize with the most Hear me out before you throw stones, pronounce me an idiot, or otherwise attempt to shoot the messenger of an important communiquSerial wrongdoing, such as exhibited by Henry and Woods, is almost always an indicator of one of two things: deep mental or emotional disturbance, or abject moral bankruptcy. Some of the same people who cheered Henry for his breathtaking touchdown forays, or sat awestruck in front of a television screen as Woods engaged in one of his patented Sunday charges, are now suddenly screaming that these men were clear cases of the latter. I want to tell you that the signs clearly indicate to me that they are victims of the former. But very few want to look at it that way. The vast majority of the media has whipped fair-weather fans into a frenzy, and Woods’ approval ratings are plummeting like a hot rock. Henry was dubbed a thug before he ever set foot in the NFL. The media and the fans decried his repeated chances at making a living, saying he did not deserve to keep getting shots at an NFL roster. And, even now, the groundswell is forming against a deceased Henry, saying that the young man who had seemingly turned his life around had fooled us all; and the domestic disturbance was a mere scratch on tip of the iceberg, that he was not reformed one bit. I look at the two men this way: Eldrick Tont “Tiger” Woods is a man whose duplicitous actions cried out for attention that he claimed he did not want. There is a stark dichotomy between the public persona that he meticulously fabricated, and the acceptance that he so deeply (and obviously, in retrospect) craved. The internal struggle resulting from the need for solitude and control colliding with his silent ache to be understood and approved of created a chasm that engulfed the fabric of his moral being, swallowing it whole. Out of that deep, dark abyss, a serial infidel was born A man who needed therapy more than he needed air to breathe. Blissful ignorance of that fact, and being constantly emboldened by his not being caught, motivated Woods to push the envelope of his depravity until one day he was forced to come to grips with his demons. Which is what I think he secretly wanted all along, to be forced to deal with his strife. That day has finally come. When I consider the life and times of Chris Henry, it is quite plain to me that the young man suffered with a cruel, unrelenting mental (or quite probably emotional) disorder, dissociative in nature, and highly resistant to conformity to societal "norms." Here, in his police blotter and in the very public airing of his misdeeds, was a cry for professional help as clear as the newsprint on the magazines that breathlessly regaled us with column inch after column inch of recitations of his truancy. Why no one thought to persuade him to seek professional help is beyond me. I’m not asking for sympathy for either man, especially not Woods.

2 Texas Longhorns in the 2010 BCS National Championship Game.Both teams are loaded with talent, both teams are well-coached, and both teams are undefeated and have earned the right to play for the championship.This game will likely go to the team whose coach can cultivate a mental edge for his playersan ace in the hole so to speak.Lets examine the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Texas Longhorns to see who may be holding that ace in the hole.Which team has the momentum and which team has the mental edgeOn one hand, Texas did not look like national championship contenders in their last game with Nebraska in the Big-12 Championship.The Cornhuskers held Texas to 13 points and 202 total yards, as Nebraska held the lead with 1:44 left in the game. Had it not been for the Nebraska kickoff going out of bounds and a 15-yard penalty as time was running out, we wouldn't even be having this conversation.Then there was McCoy's infamous throw out of bounds with just one second left on the game clock that almost cost the Longhorns a trip to the BCS Championship.If Texas came out of that game feeling a little disrespected with all of the fallout from the media about their poor performance, they have no one to blame but themselves.Texas also played a close game against their in-state rival, Texas A&M. The highly touted Texas defense gave up 532 yards and 39 points to the 6-6 Aggies.On the other hand, Alabama cemented their spot in the BCS National Championship Game by pummeling the defending national champion Florida Gators 32-13 in the SEC Championship on Dec. 5.Still, Alabama also struggled against their in-state rival, giving up 21 points and 332 yards to the 7-5 Auburn Tigers.If the Crimson Tide has a disadvantage, it might be because they are going into the game as the media favorites.ESPN has been trying to paint Alabama as Goliath and painting poor little Texas as David ever since the BCS pairings were announced on December 6, 2009.That is something that didn't sit well with Alabama coach Nick Saban and he let the folks at ESPN know it during an interview that very evening.Saban questioned why they were being portrayed as a perennial favorite based on one game.Having the media showering Alabama with compliments along with all of the accolades that Alabama's players are receiving this year could serve as a distraction. It could also create a false sense of confidence for the Crimson Tide going into the BCS title game.Alabama did have a record number of players placed on the All-American team for 2009 and Mark Ingram did edge out Texas's McCoy for the Heisman Trophy.Still, is that a reason to declare Alabama the de-facto National ChampionsI can certainly see where this could cause the Texas players to arrive in Pasadena with a gigantic chip on their shoulder, and teams with something to prove are always very dangerous.On the other hand, McCoy did come close to sweeping all the other offensive awards this year including the Maxwell, Walter Camp, Davey O'Brien, and Johnny Unitas Awards.Texas also landed their share of players on the All-American team, including McCoy.

So where's the beefOne would think if Texas and McCoy are feeling overlooked, it must be because McCoy did not add the Heisman Trophy to his long list of awards.Or perhaps it is because Texas came up a couple players short on the All-American team compared to AlabamaI guess if there is something to the notion that Texas is somehow being disrespected by the media, it's based on the smallest of margins and is being completely overblown.Some in the local Texas media are actually calling the Longhorns out in an apparent attempt to inflame the situation. I am not saying this is right or wrong, but it is being done.Most of the disrespect is being driven by the media and not by Alabama or their fans. Mack Brown was actually questioned by ESPN about whether or not he felt Texas really belonged in the BCS title game after barely edging out Nebraska.Coach Brown didn't mince words. "The system put us in the game," Texas coach Mack Brown said. "We were told for the last three weeks if we won, we'd be in the game. We did that."So on the one hand, Nick Saban is faced with everyone in the media telling his team how great they are, while Mack Brown has the luxury of letting the media motivate his team for him.Let me add this: even though Texas may have felt it has been disrespected for the last two weeks, Alabama has every right to feel it has been disrespected for the last 10 years by the media.Everyone, and I mean everyone in the media, has had their fun at Alabama's expense for the past 10 years So if anyone has something to prove in Pasadena on Jan. 7, it would be the Crimson Tide.Texas on the other hand, has been on top of the college football world for almost 10 years. If Texas fans are feeling slighted, they won't be getting any sympathy from Alabama fans who have suffered through one of the worst football slumps in school history.If Alabama needs more motivation, there is plenty to be had. Lest we forget, Alabama has never beaten Texas in eight tries.