PiPress: Seantrel Henderson dealing with painful past, uncertain future

[BleedGopher]

per the PiPress:

"I'm going to miss college," Henderson said, "but I'm moving on to the next level."

Despite his underwhelming college career, Henderson was invited last week to the Senior Bowl along with other top college players because of his power at 6 feet 8, 340 pounds and the potential that goes with it. He says he's not plagued by problems.

"Yeah, I would say that's in my past," said Henderson, who has uttered versions of that response after previous suspensions. "I made a couple of bad decisions like most guys in college probably do. I feel like that is all in the past. I grew up over the last couple of years. I'm just moving on and moving forward."

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci...nderson-dealing-painful-past-uncertain-future

Go Gophers!!

 

[MadtownGopher]

Who?

 

[AF_Howie_2180]

Several suspensions and other legal issues.... but I notice very little ownership of the mistakes.

 

[hungan1]

Hindsight is 20-20, but would he have been better served staying home and playing for the UoM?

 

[gopherdiehard]

hes a perfect fit for miami... a thug and im glad he didnt represent us as a state.. hes a cancer and im glad he left

 

[highwayman]

per the PiPress:

"I'm going to miss college," Henderson said, "but I'm moving on to the next level."

Despite his underwhelming college career, Henderson was invited last week to the Senior Bowl along with other top college players because of his power at 6 feet 8, 340 pounds and the potential that goes with it. He says he's not plagued by problems.

"Yeah, I would say that's in my past," said Henderson, who has uttered versions of that response after previous suspensions. "I made a couple of bad decisions like most guys in college probably do. I feel like that is all in the past. I grew up over the last couple of years. I'm just moving on and moving forward."

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci...nderson-dealing-painful-past-uncertain-future

Go Gophers!!

Older and fatter is not "growing up".

 

[gopherMD]

Bryant McKinnie II. Scandals, unfulfilled potential.

 

[Mvgopher]

Should have been expected considering his time at Cretin. I wonder if Matt Birk has reached out to try and help? When dad chooses a college based on fulfilling his (dad's) rapping career, tough to overcome.

 

[50PoundHead]

Gee, tough crowd. Just wonder if it would have been different had he stuck around here. Maybe not, but after looking at what Kill and company have done with Hageman, it makes one at least wonder.

He'll get a look at the pro level. Probably a third day guy in the NFL draft, but he's big, strong, and fairly agile and my guess is if he works at it, he may earn a few years of pro paydays.

I wish him no ill.

 

[Ole]

Gee, tough crowd. Just wonder if it would have been different had he stuck around here. Maybe not, but after looking at what Kill and company have done with Hageman, it makes one at least wonder.

He'll get a look at the pro level. Probably a third day guy in the NFL draft, but he's big, strong, and fairly agile and my guess is if he works at it, he may earn a few years of pro paydays.

I wish him no ill.

Say whatever about still getting drafted, still having talent etc etc.

This is ANOTHER in state kid who would have been better in life and football if he had stayed here rather than chase tropical temperatures and unrealistic promises from helmet school programs. His parents and coaches failed him in his recruitment and pushed him towards greener pastures when they probably should have helped him find a place with positive role models and a support structure that would both keep him grounded and help him develop as a human being.

Not every in state kid is guaranteed better off staying here and playing for the U, but I'd argue that for most it's a better decision.

 

[50PoundHead]

Say whatever about still getting drafted, still having talent etc etc.

This is ANOTHER in state kid who would have been better in life and football if he had stayed here rather than chase tropical temperatures and unrealistic promises from helmet school programs. His parents and coaches failed him in his recruitment and pushed him towards greener pastures when they probably should have helped him find a place with positive role models and a support structure that would both keep him grounded and help him develop as a human being.

Not every in state kid is guaranteed better off staying here and playing for the U, but I'd argue that for most it's a better decision.

I agree, but my guess is the negative recruiting that was already going around due to Brewster's presence here probably helped push him elsewhere. I don't have any personal animosity toward Brewster, but the program was getting to be quite a mess and with the revolving set of assistant coaches, Henderson probably only kept us on his list out of courtesy. Of course, Henderson commits to a program where the coach up and leaves under a cloud of violations and then he subsequently changes his commitment to a program where the coach doesn't last his entire career either.

 

[wait!what?]

I dunno- he sounds like he gets it.

 

[oleboy41]

Some of you guys are just losers pure and simple. Yea he left the state and yea that means for most of us we're done following his career. But labeling him a thug and calling names is just stupid and childish. Any young black athlete that gets in any sort of trouble is easy for some of you lames to call a thug even if there's nothing pointing to that. Kid's never been in legal trouble and is guilty only of not doing what fans want him to do, fans who don't care one lick about him as a person but only about how he can benefit their football team.

 

[50PoundHead]

Some of you guys are just losers pure and simple. Yea he left the state and yea that means for most of us we're done following his career. But labeling him a thug and calling names is just stupid and childish. Any young black athlete that gets in any sort of trouble is easy for some of you lames to call a thug even if there's nothing pointing to that. Kid's never been in legal trouble and is guilty only of not doing what fans want him to do, fans who don't care one lick about him as a person but only about how he can benefit their football team.

Agree. It's a whole different era. The nationalization of sports coverage at all levels really opens up opportunities for kids to head elsewhere and playing for "Hometown U" lacks the luster it did when I was growing up in the 1950s and 1960s. I hope you didn't take any of my comments to insinuate he's a bad egg. I know some teachers at CDH and they've never had a bad thing to say about him. My only point is that I wonder if he would have done better here after all is said and done.

 

[Ole]

Some of you guys are just losers pure and simple. Yea he left the state and yea that means for most of us we're done following his career. But labeling him a thug and calling names is just stupid and childish. Any young black athlete that gets in any sort of trouble is easy for some of you lames to call a thug even if there's nothing pointing to that. Kid's never been in legal trouble and is guilty only of not doing what fans want him to do, fans who don't care one lick about him as a person but only about how he can benefit their football team.

It's tough to give him any sympathy though.
Yes we as fans sure as hell wanted him here because of his football talent, but the pre signing day drama and interviews he and his father gave were beyond idiocy.

He would have been better off in a place that he DID have people who gave a lick about him, and that was here with family, freinds, and HS/youth coaches.

He went to USC, then to Miami, 2 of the most recent NCAA rule violators, clashed with 2 separate coaching staffs at Miami, and now has half heartedly manned up to his mistakes.

IMO He'll struggle in the NFL where even less people will give a crap about him as a person.

 

[BreakTheGopherCurse]

Some of you guys are just losers pure and simple. Yea he left the state and yea that means for most of us we're done following his career. But labeling him a thug and calling names is just stupid and childish. Any young black athlete that gets in any sort of trouble is easy for some of you lames to call a thug even if there's nothing pointing to that. Kid's never been in legal trouble and is guilty only of not doing what fans want him to do, fans who don't care one lick about him as a person but only about how he can benefit their football team.

I agree with you 100%. And the key to being a happy human being in this life is living with compassion, humility, thankfulness, appreciation, empathy and love. If you don't do this or can't understand this, then whether you realize it or not you are not a happy, healthy human being. Instead, you're sick and diseased. You're not adding to the world, you're substracting. You're not making the world a better place, you're making it worse. You're not helping others, you're hurting them.

 

[Maximus]

The "shoulda stayed here" crowd is so predictable and pathetic. The California or Texas kids playing for the Gophers should have stayed home? Maybe Cobb should transfer back home to Texas before the trouble starts. What about that Mayes kid from Texas? He really should stay home before it's too late. Harbison?

 

[oleboy41]

I fully agree that in hindsight he likely would've been better here, at home and with Kill and I honestly thought the same thing when he signed. I also felt for the kid because by all accounts he was a good, humble kid that was in the limelight pretty hesitantly and his father certainly didn't appear to be helping things. My issue is more with the people calling him a 'thug and a cancer', claiming there are legal issues which the article specifically said there weren't, calling him McKinnie 2.0, etc. That's a bunch of crap from 'adults' that are simply mad because he didn't play for their team when clearly you don't give a crap about the kid or even have any empathy for a kid that's had a lot on his plate as a young man that most don't have to deal with. Sure he's responsible for his choices and yes most of us would love to have had his talent and yes he'll still likely make a lot of money in the NFL but man some of you can't muster up an ounce of human empathy for another person

 

[50PoundHead]

The "shoulda stayed here" crowd is so predictable and pathetic. The California or Texas kids playing for the Gophers should have stayed home? Maybe Cobb should transfer back home to Texas before the trouble starts. What about that Mayes kid from Texas? He really should stay home before it's too late. Harbison?

Yea, somehow we never hear that when we land a kid from somewhere else.

 

[oleboy41]

It's tough to give him any sympathy though.
Yes we as fans sure as hell wanted him here because of his football talent, but the pre signing day drama and interviews he and his father gave were beyond idiocy.

He would have been better off in a place that he DID have people who gave a lick about him, and that was here with family, freinds, and HS/youth coaches.

He went to USC, then to Miami, 2 of the most recent NCAA rule violators, clashed with 2 separate coaching staffs at Miami, and now has half heartedly manned up to his mistakes.

IMO He'll struggle in the NFL where even less people will give a crap about him as a person.

The reason I have some for him is because there were very real rumblings that he wanted to go to MN and would've likely stayed home if it weren't for his money chasing father who came into the picture late and pushed him to the 'name' schools to better his own life. Now should the kid have made his own choice? Sounds good but when I was 17 it was hard for me to even tell my father I disagreed with him, much less tell him I didn't care what he wanted regarding school.

 

[BreakTheGopherCurse]

I fully agree that in hindsight he likely would've been better here, at home and with Kill and I honestly thought the same thing when he signed. I also felt for the kid because by all accounts he was a good, humble kid that was in the limelight pretty hesitantly and his father certainly didn't appear to be helping things. My issue is more with the people calling him a 'thug and a cancer', claiming there are legal issues which the article specifically said there weren't, calling him McKinnie 2.0, etc. That's a bunch of crap from 'adults' that are simply mad because he didn't play for their team when clearly you don't give a crap about the kid or even have any empathy for a kid that's had a lot on his plate as a young man that most don't have to deal with. Sure he's responsible for his choices and yes most of us would love to have had his talent and yes he'll still likely make a lot of money in the NFL but man some of you can't muster up an ounce of human empathy for another person

I don't know you man, but I love the way you think and express yourself. I'll bet you're a very good man!!!

 

[BreakTheGopherCurse]

The reason I have some for him is because there were very real rumblings that he wanted to go to MN and would've likely stayed home if it weren't for his money chasing father who came into the picture late and pushed him to the 'name' schools to better his own life. Now should the kid have made his own choice? Sounds good but when I was 17 it was hard for me to even tell my father I disagreed with him, much less tell him I didn't care what he wanted regarding school.

You don't need to explain why you have sympathy for your fellow man. I hope you sympathize with him simply because you care about other people.

 

[bemidjigopher]

The reason I have some for him is because there were very real rumblings that he wanted to go to MN and would've likely stayed home if it weren't for his money chasing father who came into the picture late and pushed him to the 'name' schools to better his own life. Now should the kid have made his own choice? Sounds good but when I was 17 it was hard for me to even tell my father I disagreed with him, much less tell him I didn't care what he wanted regarding school.

In his case if I hadn't known my father for 17 years old, I would've told him to kick rocks, seems pretty obvious he doesn't care about his son, by the way how his rap career going, is he wrapping burritos at Taco bell, little old to be launching a career lol. I would also say growing with a lawyer for a dad, the fact that we argued so much when I was in high school gave us a better relationship now. He also let me play hockey where I wanted to play, high school and college

 

[wait!what?]

In his case if I hadn't known my father for 17 years old, I would've told him to kick rocks, seems pretty obvious he doesn't care about his son, by the way how his rap career going, is he wrapping burritos at Taco bell, little old to be launching a career lol. I would also say growing with a lawyer for a dad, the fact that we argued so much when I was in high school gave us a better relationship now. He also let me play hockey where I wanted to play, high school and college

ya know yer not helping...right?

 

[MNVCGUY]

I agree, but my guess is the negative recruiting that was already going around due to Brewster's presence here probably helped push him elsewhere. I don't have any personal animosity toward Brewster, but the program was getting to be quite a mess and with the revolving set of assistant coaches, Henderson probably only kept us on his list out of courtesy. Of course, Henderson commits to a program where the coach up and leaves under a cloud of violations and then he subsequently changes his commitment to a program where the coach doesn't last his entire career either.

If you really think that he didn't come here because of Brewster you were not paying attention during his recruitment. It was very clear from day 1 that his dad was pulling the strings and he had his sights set elsewhere very early in the process. The staff did everything they could to get the kid here but it wasn't going to happen.

 

[50PoundHead]

If you really think that he didn't come here because of Brewster you were not paying attention during his recruitment. It was very clear from day 1 that his dad was pulling the strings and he had his sights set elsewhere very early in the process. The staff did everything they could to get the kid here but it wasn't going to happen.

I paid very close attention during his recruitment. I am only positing a theory, hence the use of the word "probably" in the first sentence. I know his dad wanted him to go elsewhere, but given where the U was at and the negative recruiting that was obviously going on surrounding Brewster surely didn't help our chances. I figured from the get-go it was going to be difficult for us to land someone that a lot of helmet schools were also going to be recruiting. Brewster put a whole chicken farm worth of eggs into the Henderson basket and it didn't happen for a lot of reasons. Nowhere in this am I blaming Brewster for being Brewster.

For the record, I don't hold any personal animosity toward Brewster. He did his best and came up wanting. Isn't the first and won't be the last guy to have that happen in college football.

 

[GameDay]

The reason I have some for him is because there were very real rumblings that he wanted to go to MN and would've likely stayed home if it weren't for his money chasing father who came into the picture late and pushed him to the 'name' schools to better his own life. Now should the kid have made his own choice? Sounds good but when I was 17 it was hard for me to even tell my father I disagreed with him, much less tell him I didn't care what he wanted regarding school.

+1
That's my train of thought as well.

 

[GophersInIowa]

The "shoulda stayed here" crowd is so predictable and pathetic. The California or Texas kids playing for the Gophers should have stayed home? Maybe Cobb should transfer back home to Texas before the trouble starts. What about that Mayes kid from Texas? He really should stay home before it's too late. Harbison?

I think the point isn't that they shouldn't go anywhere else. It is just that staying home is a good option as well. There seems to be a perception by some that for high profile recruits, the grass is always greener on the other side. Leaving the state for a better program doesn't guarantee success.

I'm not saying anyone has said that or anything. It's just that sometimes you get the feeling that is what some are thinking. I could be way off though, just my opinion.

 

[Ole]

I think the point isn't that they shouldn't go anywhere else. It is just that staying home is a good option as well. There seems to be a perception by some that for high profile recruits, the grass is always greener on the other side. Leaving the state for a better program doesn't guarantee success.

I'm not saying anyone has said that or anything. It's just that sometimes you get the feeling that is what some are thinking. I could be way off though, just my opinion.

I never really feel bad about a kid staying near home. It's more likely IMO that a kid will make a successful transition somewhere if he's got people around him for support with his best in mind.
Some kids are fine away from home, can handle life on their own, and make good decisions on their own right out of the gate at 18.

That said, Clearly, CLEARLY, SH didn't have the right people in his camp, if his father indeed was manipulating things to the extent that the kid had no other choice then other people in his life should have stepped in and helped him out.

I also would love to see a comparison of MN football players going out of the midwest and staying in the midwest.
I would wager the % receiving playing time and overall life/educational success is higher for those who stay home(or who stay within driving distance of home, not necessarily just to the U)

The grass is not always greener away from MN, in fact I'd bet it's often not.

 

[Spoofin]

The "shoulda stayed here" crowd is so predictable and pathetic. The California or Texas kids playing for the Gophers should have stayed home? Maybe Cobb should transfer back home to Texas before the trouble starts. What about that Mayes kid from Texas? He really should stay home before it's too late. Harbison?

I agree. Maybe it isn't WHERE you go as much as WHO goes. Odds are very good SH would have had issues no matter where he went - including MN. Then folks would be posting about how he would have been better off getting away from the local influences and starting over. Kids will be kids no matter if they stay home or not. Ask Sam Meresh.