VolWil
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You always hear that for every Pacman Jones and Chris Henry, there are plenty of NFL players not humiliating themselves. They are using the offseason to become even more productive members of society.
So let's talk about one of those instead.
His name is Omar Gaither.
Gaither, a former University of Tennessee linebacker who started the last seven games of the 2006 season for the Philadelphia Eagles as a rookie, did not rain dollar bills on strippers this offseason. He did not start fights or drive drunk or pull a pistol at a party. Those acts are typically frowned upon at Harvard University.
Yeah, Harvard.
"My mother looked at me sideways when I told her," said Gaither, who recorded 78 tackles during his senior season at Tennessee. "She said, 'I thought you finished school!' "
Hardly. Gaither concluded a pair of three-day sessions at the Harvard Business School last month by conceiving his own apartment complex, studying real estate and making contacts with teachers who operate billion-dollar properties. The workshop is part of the NFL Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program, which strives to help players manage their money and prepare for contractor sketches instead of X's and O's on the chalkboard.
More than 100 NFL players enrolled at four schools in the program this offseason, but as Gaither determined how many parking spaces to include at his fictional apartment complex, he looked around the room and knew he was unique.
St. Louis offensive tackle Todd Steussie, 36 years old and a 14-year NFL veteran, was in the class. So were Jay Foreman, Peter Boulware and Chris Hetherington, also veterans.
Gaither is a 23-year-old rookie who hopes to be recording 14-tackle games -- like he did against Atlanta last year -- for the next decade. But he knows NFL careers are typically short and, as a fifth-round pick, Gaither is still missing a few commas on his contract.
Ex-Vol Gaither studied at Harvard during the offseason - Chattanooga Times Free Press - Breaking News in Chattanooga, TN. Classifieds and Top Stories
So let's talk about one of those instead.
His name is Omar Gaither.
Gaither, a former University of Tennessee linebacker who started the last seven games of the 2006 season for the Philadelphia Eagles as a rookie, did not rain dollar bills on strippers this offseason. He did not start fights or drive drunk or pull a pistol at a party. Those acts are typically frowned upon at Harvard University.
Yeah, Harvard.
"My mother looked at me sideways when I told her," said Gaither, who recorded 78 tackles during his senior season at Tennessee. "She said, 'I thought you finished school!' "
Hardly. Gaither concluded a pair of three-day sessions at the Harvard Business School last month by conceiving his own apartment complex, studying real estate and making contacts with teachers who operate billion-dollar properties. The workshop is part of the NFL Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program, which strives to help players manage their money and prepare for contractor sketches instead of X's and O's on the chalkboard.
More than 100 NFL players enrolled at four schools in the program this offseason, but as Gaither determined how many parking spaces to include at his fictional apartment complex, he looked around the room and knew he was unique.
St. Louis offensive tackle Todd Steussie, 36 years old and a 14-year NFL veteran, was in the class. So were Jay Foreman, Peter Boulware and Chris Hetherington, also veterans.
Gaither is a 23-year-old rookie who hopes to be recording 14-tackle games -- like he did against Atlanta last year -- for the next decade. But he knows NFL careers are typically short and, as a fifth-round pick, Gaither is still missing a few commas on his contract.
Ex-Vol Gaither studied at Harvard during the offseason - Chattanooga Times Free Press - Breaking News in Chattanooga, TN. Classifieds and Top Stories
:good!: :clapping: