Redemption

Despite my sadness over Kenny Watson being released, I am excited for Chris Henry to be activated this week onto the 53 man roster. You might be rolling your eyes and frowning at your computer. I'm okay with that. There are a few reasons I am excited he's back and a few generally exciting things about the entire situation.

I am excited because Chris Henry is an excellent player. If you watched him in the 2005 season, this man was on fire. His height gives him an advantage and he knows how to use it. In the following seasons, I will give you that he was timid. He took a big hit in that playoff game of '05, and sometimes seemed hesitant to allow himself to get into the same situation. That being said, he is a very talented football player. I am also excited for him as a person. I don't know much about his personal life, but I can tell you a few things I learned from my mom having lunch with Nancy. Chris, at a moderately young age, became a highly paid professional athlete. Following Katrina, he welcomed a large amount of family into his Northern Kentucky home. I don't know how many people, how long they stayed, or many details at all to be frank, but I know he took them in. And as a 20 something individual, I can relate that that could be hard and overwhelming. Now, do I think those are good excuses? No. But I think that taken in context, we might better understand him.

Okay, situation in general. Who doesn't love a story of redemption? This kid lost it all. He had his dream, he made mistakes, he kept it, he made mistakes, he kept it, he made mistakes, he lost it. In a way, there could have been a part of him that just expected one more chance. He hadn't really felt the effects of his actions until this point. And all of a sudden, he spends a good period of time with nothing. No phone calls from interested teams, no contract, and no ability to play for that matter. And just as easily and as freely given as the grace we receive, he got the phone call he had only hoped would come. In an interview this year, one that I of course cannot find, Mike Brown talked about the struggles with Chris Henry. (Pre-release) He made the statement that some people just look for the redemptive quality in people, and he couldn't help but be one of those people. Whether that's because of his belief in Christ, or just his innate desire for Christ, I don't know. But I do know that I'm happy he's our owner.

Good, Bad. I'm happy that our owner doesn't give up on people. I'm happy that he desires to see the best in them and wants what is best for them; even when that's not the popular decision. Because who doesn't love a story of redemption?