The feel-good story of the 2012 has yet to become anything more than a fairly hollow P.R. stunt.
Cleared in May of serious crimes he didn’t commit -- but for which he wrongfully spent five years in prison -- linebacker Brian Banks has received a handful of tryouts, from Seattle, San Diego, and Kansas City. (Minnesota and Washington remain interested.) Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, who had offered Banks a scholarship to USC before false charges of kidnapping and rape resulted in the implosion of his football career, invited Bank to participate in two days of a mandatory minicamp.
Still, no one has given him a spot on the 90-man roster.
That’s NINETY. As in 10 more than in past years. As in there’s a spot available to give this guy a chance to get back into shape and show what he can do.
Less than a month ago, he was still on probation, nearly a decade after his football days had ended. Of course he’s not going to show much in a one-shot tryout. Or in two days in T-shirts and shorts.
So why not give the guy a roster spot and see what he can do? Carroll, who possibly felt that he owed the kid a glorified trip to fantasy camp, apparently has opted not to give Banks a job, signing a different linebacker who participated in the three-day minicamp on a tryout basis.
Quit humoring the kid. He needs some time to get in shape, and he needs some time to begin reaching his potential. He needs more than a tryout; he needs a real chance over a period of weeks to show what he can do.
Given what he’s been through, why won’t someone give him something more than a passing glance?
