August 27, 2007, - 9:33 am
Forget Vick: Meet a Fabulous New NFL Role Model for Kids
By
He’s only 28 years old. He has a five-year NFL contract worth $25 million, including $12 million in guaranteed bonuses. And yet, he doesn’t have enough money to support his kids. Why?
Well, it might have something to do with the fact that Denver Broncos Running Back Travis Henry fathered at least NINE children with NINE different women. I nominate him for “BabyDaddy of the Year.” Or perhaps, Sperm Donor of the Year.
Henry has child support orders against him in four different states for at least seven of the kids. And yet, he can’t afford to pay and has no money. Why? Well, when you drop $100,000 on a car and $146,000 on jewelry on a whim, it’s not exactly conducive to saving . . . even when you’re a multi-millionaire.
Henry previously had to borrow $9,800 from the Tennessee Titans to pay one of his child support bills.
But Henry says we are not in a position to judge him. He told The Denver Post:
People can judge me all they want. But only God can judge me. . . . The important thing is I want to take care of my kids really and truly. It’s all good.
Um, not sure about it being “all good” or him wanting to take care of his kids (unless by kids, he means his bling), but he’s definitely right about following G-d’s commandment: Be fruitful and multiply.
More from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Travis Henry just got tackled by a $3,000-a-month child support judgment.
Sure, the Denver Broncos running back has a $25 million contract and a base monthly salary approaching $50,000, but that kind of bill can still crimp your style when you’re accustomed to expensive cars and fancy jewelry – and lots of other child support payments.
Henry, 28, has fathered nine children by nine women in at least four Southern states and has been ordered by various judges to provide child support for seven of them, according to court records involving one child living in DeKalb County.
DeKalb Superior Court Judge Clarence Seeliger this week ordered Henry to provide $3,000 a month for the Lithonia boy he fathered out of wedlock three years ago with Jameshia Beacham, now 29.
Henry isn’t the most thrifty guy, according to court records, so the judge wants to ensure payment by establishing an unusual $250,000 trust that Henry must fund by next spring.
Seeliger wrote that the football player displayed “bad judgment in his spending habits,” dropping $100,000 for a car and $146,000 for jewelry. Meanwhile, Henry fell behind on support payments for his child with Beacham that were mandated by a previous order. Threatened with jail, he borrowed $9,800 from his former team, the Tennessee Titans, to pay the bill, according to court records.
The trust ensures Beacham will get timely payment if the pro player falls behind on his installments again. Yet the trust could be a sticking point for Henry, who could appeal. . . .
Henry rarely made the payments mandated by an earlier order, though they were $800 less a month. . . . There was testimony establishing that Henry received a $1 million bonus earlier this year but quickly spent most of it, buying, among other things, a Mercedes and gold jewelry. . . .
Records show that Henry’s children are scattered across both the American and National Football Conferences – including Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. . . . Henry talked about gathering them together to watch him at training camp. Indeed, part of the custody arrangement Henry reached with Beacham requires two weekend visits when he is playing pro ball.
Edlin said Henry wants to be a good parent. “I know these are a lot of kids, and there might be some questions about it,” he said, “but he’s a really committed father.”
The National Football League . . . Role Models for America’s Kids. “I Love This Game.”
Tags: America, Atlanta Journal, Clarence Seeliger, Debbie Schlussel He, DeKalb County, DeKalb Superior Court, Denver Broncos, Florida, football, football player, Georgia, judge, National Football League, North Carolina, player, running back, Tennessee, Tennessee Titans, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Denver Post, Travis Henry, USD
No stereotype here. Right????
Rich B on August 27, 2007 at 10:33 am