Revisiting Travis Henry

by Jimmy on May 28, 2008 8:40 AM CDT in News

We have criticized the Mike Reinfeldt led front office for a lot of non-moves he has made. Yesterday there was news that the Denver Broncos signed Michael Pittman because Travis Henry's injured hamstring is healing slower than they thought it would, and it got me to thinking about the day Travis Henry signed with the Broncos.

There was so much panic that day. We were all ready to run Reinfeldt out of town before he even completed a draft. Turns out he was a lot smarter than we knew. Not only did Henry not live up to expectations last year in Denver, a story came out that he has a bunch of kids that he wasn't current on child support for and had to borrow money from the Titans, and now it appears that he wasn't in shape for the start of OTAs (That is usually what hurting a hamstring this early in the season means. Not always, but usually). Oh, and he is one positive drug test away from being suspended for a year.

Kudos to Reinfeldt for making the right move and taking all the heat.

A couple of notes:

There is no point in arguing with BBS over his views about Vince Young. The only thing that is going to shut him up is VY having a great season and beating the Colts twice. That probably won't shut him up, but it will at least be a start.
I will be looking at the 1999 Tennessee Titans draft later this afternoon. Stop back and weigh in on it.

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I was a fan of letting Henry go.

History shows that signing/keeping an aging RB is almost never smart or necessary. Seems to me like every RB not named “Chris Henry” has produced reasonably well out of college and when behind a decent O-Line… and even Henry had his moments.

DannoE

Go read FRIDAY MAD SCIENCE at www.paperbackreader.com
Go Titans!

by DannoE on May 28, 2008 9:08 AM CDT 0 recs

These assumptions are flawed, however...

Travis Henry’s injury in Denver was the result of a random accident, and may not have happened if he had stayed in Nashville.

The fact that he likes to smoke pot and happens to knock girls up simply by being in the same room as them is a little unsettling, sure, but these are hardly reasons to run a guy out of town. In 2006, he had the most yards rushing a Titans running back has had since Eddie George in 2000. His 4.5 YPC average is the BEST EVER by a Titans running back. He’s a better running back then anyone currently on our roster.

So let’s not kid ourselves – let’s call a spade a spade. Management was too cheap to cough up the 8 million necessary to keep Henry on the roster. It’s not, as you seem to suggest, some wise foresight that allowed them to predict he would get injured or be caught puffing dubs and ruin his 2007 campaign.

by BeansCarter on May 28, 2008 12:07 PM CDT 0 recs

Fair point.

And I agree wholeheartedly with the premise that T. Henry in his prime is better than anyone currently on the roster. Moreover, were he still on the roster, I doubt you’d have seen C. Johnson drafted in the first round. I am a huge Cheese fan.

But I still think letting Henry go was at least reasonable foresight. Because:

1. 8 mil is a lot of money to drop on an aging back, regardless, and
2. With the drug problems, he’s a heck of a risk vs. a new draftee.

I don’t actually care about his kids. I hope he makes an effort to be a good father, but beyond that… we should all be lucky enough to have our own harem.

DannoE

Go read FRIDAY MAD SCIENCE at www.paperbackreader.com
Go Titans!

by DannoE on May 28, 2008 12:30 PM CDT up 0 recs

Him being 1 toke from a year-long suspension was enough not invest, IMO

How he beat that wrap for the failed test in Denver I’ll never understand: nobody ever wins those appeals. Henry helped us a lot the one year he actually stayed on the field, but a team can only have so many players from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and expect to win.

/bitter Vandy fan… just kidding ya UT fans… sort of.

Our best pick-up this off-season has been 'Dinger. Go Titans!

by August West on May 28, 2008 12:32 PM CDT up 0 recs

Vince Young Sucks!

Oh wait, wrong blog.

by gramsey712 on May 28, 2008 12:37 PM CDT up 0 recs

yes, this is the one that doesn't smell like donkeychips

/thanks Al Gore for smell-o-internets!

Our best pick-up this off-season has been 'Dinger. Go Titans!

by August West on May 28, 2008 12:46 PM CDT up 0 recs

I hope that none of us take for granted

that Jimmy runs a blog that doesn’t try to make fans of one team feel better by completely trashing other players. I think they hate VY more than they like the Colts!

by gramsey712 on May 28, 2008 12:48 PM CDT up 0 recs

+1 for Jimmy

Our best pick-up this off-season has been 'Dinger. Go Titans!

by August West on May 28, 2008 12:53 PM CDT up 0 recs

Now they are trashing

McNair. I quit. I don’t know why I keep going over there. No more.

by gramsey712 on May 28, 2008 12:56 PM CDT up 0 recs

Hey Beans

I forget you don’t care about character. One drug test away from being out for a year combined with the fact that he is a deadbeat dad is reason enough to not have him on the team IMO.

Titans Blogger at Music City Miracles

by Jimmy on May 28, 2008 1:01 PM CDT up 0 recs

Nah. nah: A dude who bails on one or two kids is that delightful euphemism 'deadbeat dad'

Travis Henry is a one man sperm bank! Seriously, Shawn Kemp is impressed by his potency and lack of responsibility.

Our best pick-up this off-season has been 'Dinger. Go Titans!

by August West on May 28, 2008 1:25 PM CDT up 0 recs

Character?

Even if it were completely true that I don’t care about character I don’t see any link between smoking pot and character… When we have Harvard educated presidential candidates who admit to doing cocaine, I think it’s time to accept that we live in a world that doesn’t automatically write off someone’s character because they enjoy (or once enjoyed) a little recreational drug use.

I’d imagine that many NFL players enjoy smoking pot – good for them; that’s not “character” to me.

As for being a deadbeat dad, I don’t see why anybody here cares. He obviously kept it fairly discreet for a long time, since the news didn’t come out publicly until he had about 8 kids. Just as I never thought that ejaculating on interns made Clinton a bad president, I don’t think that smoking a little pot and impregnating every girl in sight made Henry a bad Titan.

by BeansCarter on May 28, 2008 4:58 PM CDT up 0 recs

I dont care of dude smokes pot

Our best pick-up this off-season has been 'Dinger. Go Titans!

by August West on May 28, 2008 5:12 PM CDT up 0 recs

I just care about staying on the field

if smoking pot gets in the the way of that then it’s a problem

Our best pick-up this off-season has been 'Dinger. Go Titans!

by August West on May 28, 2008 5:13 PM CDT up 0 recs

The point about pot

is that it could keep him off the field.

The point about being a deadbeat dad is just something that is disgusting to me. He was paid all that money and still didn’t pay child support. You don’t have to care about that, but I will.

Titans Blogger at Music City Miracles

by Jimmy on May 28, 2008 10:01 PM CDT up 0 recs

That is what really drives me crazy

I could spend everyday writing about how dumb every media member is, or how every player that doesn’t play for the Titans is overrated and not player on the Titans can do any wrong, and this blog would probably get a lot more hits than it does now. I just don’t want to do it that way.

Titans Blogger at Music City Miracles

by Jimmy on May 28, 2008 1:34 PM CDT up 0 recs

The blog gets decent traffic. It's very easy to find on Google.

DannoE

Go read FRIDAY MAD SCIENCE at www.paperbackreader.com
Go Titans!

by DannoE on May 28, 2008 1:41 PM CDT up 0 recs

that line of thinking is so overrated

just kidding ya. I know I love how there’s debate here but not hyperbole, personal attacks and web-screaming on MCM. Great cast of characters frequenting this site as well.

If I wanted mean-spirited Titans coverage I’d read Climer’s columns on game day.

Our best pick-up this off-season has been 'Dinger. Go Titans!

by August West on May 28, 2008 1:44 PM CDT up 0 recs

Climer's terrible.

Actually, the whole staff, minus Kuharsky, comes across as strictly bush-league to me. They take it so personally when one of the players or coaches give them either “no comment” or the standard party line. I mean, it’s fine to want access, but getting pissy about it is sad.

And BTW, there are a bunch of other good SB Nation Blogs. The Ravens blog is good, and of course the Mile High blog is excellent (though overly homerish at times).

DannoE

Go read FRIDAY MAD SCIENCE at www.paperbackreader.com
Go Titans!

by DannoE on May 28, 2008 1:48 PM CDT up 0 recs

99% of the SB Nation Blogs are excellent

Titans Blogger at Music City Miracles

by Jimmy on May 28, 2008 2:04 PM CDT up 1 recs

You are 100% correct my friend! :)

If God is not a Bronco fan, then WHY are sunsets Blue and Orange? - Jon Tollerud 5/22/08
The Quest ~ TSG 5/19/08

by Zappa on Jun 1, 2008 11:49 AM CDT up 0 recs

are there 100 SB bloggers?

cus I can think of one who is definitely a blathering midnight on the AM radio station style hack.

by August West on Jun 2, 2008 8:55 AM CDT up 0 recs

and Kuharsky is going to ESPN.com soon...

I didn’t hear if he’s still going to be working for the Tennessean, but Paul signed on as a regional NFL reporter with ESPN.com

Our best pick-up this off-season has been 'Dinger. Go Titans!

by August West on May 28, 2008 2:07 PM CDT up 0 recs

You guys want Travis Henry back?

We’ll pay you to take him back! The guy just can’t stay healthy…

If God is not a Bronco fan, then WHY are sunsets Blue and Orange? - Jon Tollerud 5/22/08
The Quest ~ TSG 5/19/08

by Zappa on Jun 1, 2008 11:48 AM CDT 0 recs

All I can say is

I thought Vince Young was over-rated in college and he is living up to MY expectations in the NFL, but I am glad you guys didn’t draft Lienart. I look forward to many fruitful games between the Broncos and Titans. Now if you could just stop drafting running backs and focus on the rest of team you could really threaten the Colts!

Until Terrell Davis makes it into the Hall of Fame, I refuse to acknowledge the existence of such a place other than the Ring of Fame at Mile High!

Davis to the Hall!

by Jon Tollerud on Jun 2, 2008 1:29 AM CDT 0 recs

And there we go...

Let’s start a “Bring Travis back thread”, since he’s no longer a Bronco.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3422418&campaign=rss&source=NFLHeadlines

by BeansCarter on Jun 2, 2008 12:08 PM CDT 0 recs

Vince

If Vince Young has a great season and his team beats the Colts once (not even twice, just once), I will be one of the first to declare he has finally arrived and I will admit my opinion of him was dead wrong.

SB Nation's Indianapolis Colts blogger at Stampede Blue. Please make an account and post a diary, add some comments, and make some noise. Accounts are free, and only require an email address.

by BigBlueShoe on Jun 3, 2008 12:09 PM CDT 0 recs

Well thank you for that...

a fair shot is all anyone can ask.

Also, no Titan will never have a year that is considered ‘great’ without beating the Colts at least once. It’s State Law that you couldn’t call it great without that!

by August West on Jun 3, 2008 12:31 PM CDT up 0 recs

LOL

I know my opinion of Vince isn’t popular here, but I stress it is not based on any bad feelings I have about him personally. I’m not a closet USC fan holding a grudge. I just don’t think he has what it takes, mentally, to be a great pro. If I’m wrong, I will freely admit it.

SB Nation's Indianapolis Colts blogger at Stampede Blue. Please make an account and post a diary, add some comments, and make some noise. Accounts are free, and only require an email address.

by BigBlueShoe on Jun 4, 2008 2:14 PM CDT up 0 recs