He's staying home so that he can finish is degree from Texas A&M University in agriculture leadership and development.
One of the reasons Warren wants the degree?
"I try to put the kids in the best educational system possible and I think there is something to be said for their father, who has been blessed to play in the NFL and do something he's loved to do, going back and finishing what he started," Warren said from the campus of Texas A&M. "In the big picture, I think it's important for me to do what I'm doing. I can sacrifice that bonus for that."
Yep. He feels it is important to be a role model for his kids, and it is important to him to have his degree and finish what he started.
I found it refreshing. It's a great story, and he is scheduled to walk this spring. Congratulations to Mr. Warren.
What happened, though, is that I clicked on the comments for this story. I normally don't read comments on articles because usually they add absolutely nothing to the debate.
But for a heartwarming story such as this, I figured why not? I assumed that people would respond positively to this story.
Boy, was I wrong.
Sure, there were people who were encouraging to Warren for going back to school and working towards bettering himself and getting ready for life after his playing days are over.
However, I was stunned by the negative comments I read as well.
The very first comment that was posted:
You have a job and a commitment to the team to be there. Get to work.
Um, it's the voluntary offseason program. That's V-O-L-U-N-T-A-R-Y. It means not required. Which is why Warren would have gotten the bonus if he had decided to show up. It was incentive to go, but he declined the financial incentive to focus on his degree.
Other negative comments, to me:
he should workout, collect his 250,000 and then go back to school if there actually is a lockout.
Haha..maybe he can take a class in finance and know that this is a bad financial decision. You can always take classes online or structure them around the offseason program. He could have his degree and get the bonus.
Maybe someone needs to tell this mental midget that its no longer 1990 and degrees aren't worth the paper they are written on. MBA's are barely worth anything these days b/c of the scores and score of people with them that are out of work. This is a fact.
Life after football requires money, not a Bachelor's degree. he can wait on his degree, and if he gets cut, then he has an additional $250,000 to take care of bills while he gets his degree.
If he wanted to teach his kids the value of education, that is fine and extremely important, but he should also teach his kids about reality, the economy, and the value of good and logical decision making.
Passing up $250,000, regardless of how big your signing bonus is, to put working on your degree off a year is ridiculous and the furthest thing from a smart choice.
Sad that we live in a world like this, but it is what it is. Just look at how many athletes are bankrupt within 10 years of their last professional play. Look at how many lose their fortunes on failed investments or chasing the rush of being an athlete through business. The story has been written countless times.
I would say the guy who is giving up $250,000 and who is one hit away from not being able to spell 'degree' let alone earning one is probably the mental midget.
I think that's enough.
When did we become this cynical?
How can anyone view an education as something that should be scoffed at?
How can anyone say that there is no value in better oneself and fulfilling a personal goal?
That he should take the $250,000 bonus (which will be eviscerated by taxes anyway) instead of pursuing his degree so that he can do community work?
Ty Warren received a healthy signing bonus with his last contract, and I have a feeling that he's not the type that is blowing it on parties and buying liquor for the entire club on a regular basis. Not if he's living in Bryan, Texas in the offseason.
From the quotes in Reiss's story, Warren seems to have a plan for his life after football, and he thinks a degree is the best route to get him there.
Kudos to him.
And shame on those cynical observers who think that this is a dumb move.
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