Once again the Vikes show their class.........

http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/dis...isingly-turns-down-nfl-players-large-donation

Aberdeen High School's football scoreboard stinks, its lights are missing and the paint is dull and drab. So Minnesota Vikings (and brothers) E.J. and Erin Henderson forked over $20,000 of the $50,000 needed to make the repairs. The Henderson boys played for Aberdeen and feel a sense of loyalty to their alma mater.
But Aberdeen punted.
The Vikings players wanted the family name on the new scoreboard -- that's it, that's all -- and the school said no. So now the players are trying to get their money back.
School leaders issued a prepared statement to WJZ in Baltimore explaining their decision. "The Harford County Board of Education rejected the scoreboard installation proposal based on the current advertising policy parameters," school spokeswoman Teri Kranefeld wrote.
In layman's terms, that means no family names on public school property.

If they truly wanted to just give back to the community then why does it matter to them that their name would not be on the scoreboard? Also, now they are trying to say that they were going to rehab "the whole field beginning with the scoreboard," but if that is the case, why were they only donating $20,000 of the $50,000?
I say, if they want their money back, give them their money back and you are absolutely right SDCheese, Classless, totally and absolutely classless.

Here you are a big shot million dollar athletes, (supposedly) wanting to help out your old high school. But, will only do it if your name is added to the scoreboard. Really??!!! You are in a position to help out less fortunate, you came from the same area, I'm sure you weren't rich your entire life. You will help, but ONLY if your name can be shown???!!! School says no, Now you want to take your money back. WOW!!!!

Takes them from head-of-the class, to completely lacking class.

I used to play catch with E.J., he lived not far from my girlfriend in high school. There is a long standing policy of not naming buildings or facilities after people. My JV coach died and we wanted to dedicate the weight room to him, and were not allowed. Cal Ripken has tried to get his name on the baseball fields in Aberdeen, no luck.

Having a past connection with E.J., I had been following him, and have been sad to see him struggle with injuries (as well as having the misfortune of playing for one of my all time least favorite teams in all of sports). It's pathetic that he wants the money back because they won't put his name on the scoreboard.

Sorry, Eric, but if Cal can't make it happen, and he's brought a lot more back to the area including a minor league team, stadium, and little league complex, then why should you? I could maybe be a little sympathetic if they had allowed it before, and turned him down specifically, but it's on the books and across the board.

I don't have a problem with him wanting to help. Or even being upset with with them not wanting to name there scoreboard after them. But, why take the money back? That's just wrong, this actions shows their true colors they want to help out, but ONLY if you add the Henderson name. C'MON!!!!

I think it's cool that the board won't accept advertising.

I remember at the high school pool they would list all the big contributors, and when I was on the swim team, the parents that contributed the most would almost act like if they owned you. I had a mom whose family donated like $2000 yell at me one time for leaving practice early to fix my car before sundown so I wouldn't have to worry about making it to school and work the next day. It makes people feel entitled and a lot of entitled people suck. I don't blame the high school for not putting their names up, it opens a can of worms that they just don't want to deal with.

Shows the true motive of the donation. A class act would be to donate the money anonymously.

Isn't Vikings and class an oxymoron?

So is brains.
If they had any, they should have asked first or known seeing how all those other suggested names were rejected before.

Well if brains were dynamite, Bears fans couldn't blow their noses.

Why did they want their names on the scoreboard? Why did that even matter? If they wanted to do something nice by forking out all that money to repair it, they shouldn't have went that far "we want our names on it" that's like donating money to someone in the hospital and then saying "I want you to put my name somewhere". I'm sure the school would have honored them for it, had they not demanded it.