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Some NFL dreams never die - The Brian Banks story (1 Viewer)

Faust

MVP
Amazing story. I attempted a few searches to try to make sure that this wasn't posted previously...I think there may have been a thread in the FFA, but I didn't see one in the shark pool.

Some NFL dreams never die

By Rick Reilly | ESPN.com

It's not every day that the Washington Redskins call up a man convicted of rape and ask him if he'd agree to a one-day workout, but it happened Tuesday.

Oh, and the Kansas City Chiefs called Tuesday, too. And the Miami Dolphins. And they were three days behind the Seattle Seahawks, who will work him out on June 7.

Why are all these NFL teams eager to check out a convicted sex offender, a man who served five years in prison and wore a GPS ankle bracelet for another five?

Because Brian Banks didn't do it.

A judge in Long Beach, Calif., threw out his kidnapping and rape conviction last week after looking at a videotape of his accuser admitting she lied. After 10 years, he was suddenly a free and innocent man.

"My mouth hurts from smiling so much," Banks told me Tuesday night. "Unbelievable."

Banks was 16 in 2002, the bluest of blue chips out of Long Beach Poly High School, an NFL feeder if there ever was one. He'd already been offered a full-ride scholarship at USC by then-coach Pete Carroll.

But on a summer day that year, he and a girl named Wanetta Gibson decided to go make out in a stairwell at school. When they came out, she accused him of rape.

No semen traces in the rape kit. No witnesses. And yet Banks' attorney insisted he cop a plea, saying his size, age and race would mean a sure conviction of 40-plus years. He said no, no, a hundred times no and finally, reluctantly, yes.

Banks got six years. He served 62 months.

When he got out, he had to wear a GPS ankle bracelet at all times. He had to register as a convicted sex felon. Couldn't go near schools, parks or zoos. Couldn't get a job. He was lucky to get a few hours a week unloading docks.

What did Gibson get? A $750,000 settlement from the school.

But then, last year, a chunk of luck fell from the stars. Out of the blue, Gibson, then 24, sent Banks a Facebook friend request.

Banks slammed the laptop cover down and jumped out of his chair. Was somebody playing a joke on him?

He looked again. Amazing. Gibson had typed, "Let's let bygones be bygones."

Easy for her to say. She didn't watch 10 years of her life go by.

"She was adamant about meeting me," Banks says. "I asked my brother [Freddy], 'What should I do?' He said, 'Whatever you do, make sure you play chess, not checkers.'"

Banks' first move: To get everything she said on tape. He hired a private investigator and met Gibson in the man's office, where every conversation was secretly videotaped. The tape recorded Gibson saying, clearly, "No, he did not rape me."

Was he nervous she wouldn't say it?

"I didn't have to get her to say anything," Banks said. "She came into the room expressing herself. She even came back the next day. The investigator asked her again, point blank. 'Did Brian rape you?' 'No.' 'Did he kidnap you?' 'No.'"

And why would Gibson meet with Banks in the first place? Was it a trap? Was it guilt? No. Banks thinks Gibson -- are you ready for this? -- was hoping to get back together.

"You read the texts and that's the only conclusion you come to," says a source who worked on the case. "She seems absolutely clue-free about what she did to him."

Getting evidence is one thing, getting your rape conviction flipped is another. Banks called the California Innocence Project in San Diego. They agreed to help. It was the first time they'd taken a case of a man already out of prison.

"As soon as we met him, we had no doubt," says Justin Brooks, the lead attorney. "We could see this was a kid who had a big future ahead of him, one that had been lost."

On Thursday, May 24, in a Long Beach courtroom, Banks got his future back.

What's the first thing he did, besides cry at the courtroom table? Snipped off the stupid ankle bracelet, the scarlet letter of our age. "Oh, man, when that thing came off?" Banks says. "There are no words."

Then he went with Brooks' wife and kids to a place he couldn't have gone the day before -- Sea World.

"It's so crazy to go from being labeled a monster to seeing your phone light up with all this support and offers and love," he said. "It's, really, a little hard to get used to."

And what does Banks want most now? Retribution? Revenge? Gibson's head on a serving platter? No. He's not even demanding Gibson give the money back. While he is suing the state for $100 for each day he was falsely imprisoned, what he wants back most is football.

Thanks to the best Tuesday of his life, he has now got a chance at it.

None of the four teams are offering any guarantees for a spot in training camp, nor is Banks asking for any.

"I'll make 'em happy," says Banks, who's been training non-stop since October. "After all I've been through these last 10 years, I can still do some things that will impress you."

Like … dead-lift 545 pounds, box jump 55 inches flat-footed, broad jump 10-plus feet and run a 4.6 40, all at 6-foot-2 and 245 pounds. NFL trainer Gavin Macmillan, who has volunteered to train Banks for free, says he has a shot. "You see him run and you can see why USC wanted him."

And if the NFL doesn't pan out? Banks already has all kinds of job offers. One of them is to "work in the front office and explore other sports opportunities" for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

"I about fell out of my seat when I read that one," Banks said.

I don't know about you, but I can't remember another story that made me want to alternately punch something and hug something like this one. The way Banks has handled himself, without bitterness or bile, with grace and guts, makes you wish he were running the U.S. Senate. If it were me, I'd be stomping around, waving lawsuits and screaming, "I TOLD you I didn't do it!!!"

"I know my story makes people angry at first," Banks says. "That's where I was, too, at first. But where would it have gotten me to stay mad for 10 years? It's like when you're a little kid and you cry about having to clean your room. You can cry and cry, but it doesn't get your room cleaned."

Brian Banks' room is clean again. His heart is spotless. He's holding on to nothing but his dreams. He lost a full decade of his life and now all he wants in exchange is an NFL jersey.

C'mon, Miami Dolphins. Who's had more "Hard Knocks" than Brian Banks?
 
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Props to Pete Carroll for giving him his first tryout. If he competes he may find a home with the hawks. Carroll is a class act. :thumbup:

 
What's sad is to see a theroically educated defense attorney profiling his own client and encouraging a plea bargain for an innocent (and impressionable) young man. I'm continually left shaking my head at the inadequacies of our legal system.

 
Brian Banks to work out with Seahawks June 7

By Brian McIntyre NFL.com

The Washington Redskins, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks have all reached out to Brian Banks, ESPN's Rick Reilly reported.

Banks is a former blue-chip prospect from Long Beach Poly High School who is attempting to pursue an NFL career after a judge threw out his conviction on rape and kidnapping charges once his accuser admitted she lied.

The 6-foot-2, 245-pound Banks has been training for a shot at the NFL since October, according to Reilly and has a workout scheduled with the Seahawks on June 7, the final day of the team's OTAs.

Seattle's interest in Banks is not surprising. Before his 10-year ordeal, which included five years in prison and five years of electronic monitoring, the middle linebacker had been offered and accepted a scholarship by then-USC head coach Pete Carroll. (Ohio State and Michigan were also interested in Banks).

Carroll has frequently used the background he obtained in recruiting players to USC in the Seahawks' efforts to acquire players. Carroll's familiarity with West Virginia defensive end Bruce Irvin, a high school dropout who spent time in a juvenile detention center, played a key role in the team's decision to use the 15th-overall pick on Irvin in April's draft. While there are no guarantees that Banks will earn a contract offer from the Seahawks or any team that brings him for a tryout, he does deserve a chance, and Carroll has consistently given players he's familiar with at least that.

"I'll make 'em happy," Banks says. "After all I've been through these last 10 years, I can still do some things that will impress you."
 
Incredible story. How can you not root for this guy, and I also heard that the Chargers want to take a closer look at him.

 
That story is almost unbelievable... she came back to apologize after that? I wouldn't believe this unless it had been videotaped, absolutely amazing and disgusting at the same time.

I hope he makes a team. Good luck Brian Banks.

 
I still can't find anywhere what position he plays. 6'2 245 doesn't seem like a common size for any position. LB? Or a tall back?

 
Brian Banks 'deserves' NFL shot, Mike Shanahan says

By Dan Hanzus

Writer

We're continuing to follow the story of Brian Banks, the former blue-chip college prospect who's attempting to resurrect his dreams of an NFL career after being exonerated of a crime that put him behind bars for more than five years.

We learned earlier this week that the Washington Redskins were one of several NFL teams interested in giving Banks a tryout. On Thursday, Redskins coach Mike Shanahan explained the decision to take a look at Banks.

"I called Brian Banks up. I talked to him on the phone," Shanahan told reporters. "I think when somebody goes through the situation that he went through, he deserves an opportunity to try out for somebody. Considering what he went through, just reading about -- I don't know him personally -- I called him up and said, 'We'd love to have you out.'

"We're going to have him out sometime next week, and then he'll work out and we'll see what type of shape he's in," Shanahan went on. "This kid deserves a chance."

Banks already has a workout scheduled with the Seattle Seahawks on June 7, the final day of that team's organized team activities. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll heavily recruited Banks when Carroll was coaching at USC and Banks was a star linebacker at Long Beach Poly High School.

The 6-foot-2, 245-pound Banks told ESPN.com's Rick Reilly he has been training since October.
 
Not at all a football related question, but seriously what should happen to that girl? Obviously she needs to fact consequences for her actions, including giving the money back and jail time.

 
Not at all a football related question, but seriously what should happen to that girl? Obviously she needs to fact consequences for her actions, including giving the money back and jail time.
I'm curious about this too... sounds like there's no punishment coming for her.
 
I think this is obviously an incredible story. Talking football now, what do you guys think his chances are of making the roster? I would personally maybe think after 11 years not seeing a field it would be a stretch for him to make a team even given his freak athletic size/ability. One year on the practice squad and I think he'd make a team next year. This is assuming a lot of course... no one really knows how he'll play. But a guy who never even played sr high school or college football straight to nfl?? Carrol has dealt with high school talent obviously a lot, maybe he'll treat this the same way.

 
Brian Banks' Seattle Seahawks tryout still on schedule

By Dan Hanzus

Writer

When the Seattle Seahawks had their final two OTA sessions stripped by the NFL for rules violations, it seemed to have the unintended effect of throwing Brian Banks' tryout into limbo.

But even though there won't be a team activity Thursday, the Seahawks confirmed via the Sports Business Journal that Banks' tryout will go on as scheduled.

Banks, 26, is the former blue-chip prospect now attempting to pursue an NFL career after a judge threw out his conviction on rape and kidnapping charges once his accuser admitted she lied.

Banks has ties to Seahawks coach Pete Carroll going back to Banks' days as a star linebacker for Long Beach Poly High School. Before Banks' arrest, Carroll had recruited him to play at USC.

Banks also has been invited to try out with the Washington Redskins after coach Mike Shanahan said the player "deserves an opportunity."

The Seahawks were forced to give up two scheduled OTAs (Wednesday and Thursday) and an additional offseason workout day (Friday) after the NFL found they engaged in live contact during a recent practice session, which violates the collective bargaining agreement between the league and players.

The Contra Costa Times reported that Banks is scheduled to appear on the "Tonight Show" before he flies to Seattle for his tryout. Banks had turned down other media requests to focus on football but apparently couldn't resist the charms of Jay Leno's chin.

UPDATE: Carroll told Seahawks.com on Wednesday that Banks is "a young man that has an opportunity to get a second chance at his dream." He said the team also would give Banks a legitimate evaluation: "I just think he deserves it, and we're going to give him a really good look and a serious look, and if he does well and we like him, we're going to try to get him to come to minicamp (next week)."
 
Brian Banks invited to Seahawks' minicamp

By Brian McIntyre NFL.com

Following a work out with the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday morning, linebacker Brian Banks has received an invitation to participate in the team's minicamp next week on a tryout basis, Tim Booth of The Associated Press reports.

According to Booth, Banks will discuss the offer with his agent before making a decision. Banks has drawn interest from other teams, including the Washington Redskins and Kansas City Chiefs, who have offered opportunities for Banks to try out.

"Brian Banks is an extraordinary guy & we invited him back to participate in our minicamp next week... We hope to see him then!," Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll announced on Twitter.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound middle linebacker had been a blue-chip prospect with offers from USC, UCLA, Ohio State and Michigan when he wrongfully accused of rape. Banks spent five years in prison after accepting a plea deal on one count of forcible rape. Following his release from prison, Banks had to register as a sex offender and wear an electronic tracking bracelet. Banks' conviction was overturned last month after his accuser had admitted that she had lied.

Banks has been training for an NFL opportunity since last October. That the Seahawks were the first to call did not come as a surprise as Carroll has some background on Banks after recruiting him to USC.
 
Brian Banks getting another shot at his NFL dream

By Dan Hanzus

Writer

It's too soon to say if Brian Banks will achieve his dream of playing in the NFL, but he's at least getting his shot.

On the same day Banks had his workout with Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks, Banks has been invited to try out with the San Diego Chargers, according to UT-San Diego.

After his workout Thursday, Banks received an invitation to participate in the Seahawks' minicamp next week on a tryout basis.

Banks will discuss the offer with his agent before making a decision. In addition to the Seahawks and Chargers, Banks has been offered tryouts with the Washington Redskins and Kansas City Chiefs.

Banks, 26, was a former blue-chip high school prospect who spent five years in prison after accepting a plea deal on one count of forcible rape. Following his release from prison, Banks had to register as a sex offender and wear an electronic tracking bracelet. Banks' conviction was overturned last month after his accuser admitted she lied.
 
Carroll's Facebook a few minutes ago:

Brian Banks is an extraordinary guy & we invited him back to participate in our minicamp next week... We hope to see him then!

 
Brian Banks reportedly set for Chiefs tryout next week

By Marc Sessler

Writer

Now for an update in the unlikely journey of Brian Banks. Wrongly imprisoned for rape for five years, the former high school football star is now free to pursue his NFL dream. More than a few teams have come calling.

Add the Kansas City Chiefs to that list. U-T San Diego reported Banks will stage a workout for coach Romeo Crennel and his staff next week. Banks has already been invited to participate in minicamp with Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound linebacker tried out for the San Diego Chargers on Friday. Banks left without a deal, but his attorney said the Washington Redskins, Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers would like to work him out. Banks told U-T San Diego the recent whirlwind represents a victory once unimagined.

"The biggest thing for me ever has been to obtain and secure my freedom. I've already won. Regardless of what happens, I'm already rich. I'm already here," Banks said.

"... Two weeks ago, I was sitting at home, just being hopeful that I could secure my freedom. Now, I've had a flight to Seattle. I've been out here in San Diego. I had a chance to work out with coach (Norv) Turner. These opportunities are something I'll cherish for the rest of my life."

You might wonder what sort of shape Banks is in after five years in prison, but he hasn't lost his speed. He clocked in at just under 4.7 seconds in the 40-yard dash with the Seahawks.

Banks won't have an easy time making an NFL team, but he's embraced the challenge. We can't help but root for him.
 
After decade lost, Banks relishing second chance to make first impression

By Jason La Canfora | CBS Sports NFL Insider

IRVINE, Calif. -- Bruce and Ryan Tollner had pretty much seen it all, spending their entire lives around football, running an agency with over 65 years of combined experience guiding careers and placing players with NFL teams. But nothing could truly prepare them for the events of the past three weeks.

They're facing one of the more daunting and unprecedented challenges of their careers -- unquestionably one of their more rewarding endeavors -- and enjoying every minute of the task. You see, the Tollners have been charged with directing the football career of Brian Banks, an extraordinary young man who is jetting around the country for tryouts having recently been exonerated of a false rape charge.

The story has international appeal, and the response to Banks -- a once-promising college football prospect who was away from the game for nearly 10 years due to this tragedy of justice -- from the NFL community has been overwhelming. The demands for media (Banks, 26, has appeared on The Jay Leno Show, among others) and the difficulty of juggling so many requests from NFL teams has kept the Tollners, who are cousins, quite busy during what is normally a mostly dormant time in the NFL business calendar.

Through it all they've been relying on instincts and contacts, trying to figure out where the best roster opportunities rest and devising a schedule that continues to maximize training time for a prospect attempting to make up for a stolen decade. The job also includes acting as a resource and sounding board for a young man who has gone from wrongful incarceration to being flown around the country to show his wares for the likes of Pete Carroll, Norv Turner and Scott Pioli.

"There is absolutely no template for this," Bruce Tollner said from the Rep1 Sports offices in Orange County, where calls from interested teams continue to come in. "This is something that's never been done before in the history of the NFL, and the timing is a real challenge."

Trusted with this possibility of getting Banks a contract, every decision is critical.

"It's a long shot," Ryan Tollner said. "But this is a very special person."

Sorting through which teams may have the greatest need at middle linebacker and on special teams, where teams believe Banks best projects at this level, is just part of the equation. Coaches and executives are heading for vacation and teams have different OTA and minicamp schedules. Which are just kicking the tires, and which would be more serious about truly bringing Banks to camp?

How do you maximize every second, every opportunity to work out for an NFL decision maker for someone who has already been deprived of years of freedom, fun, family, football? Serving Banks, whose spirit, humanity, forgiveness and maturity have unanimously overwhelmed those in contact with him since his release, is paramount for the Tollners, who feel blessed and privileged for the chance to work with him and get to know him.

"If you spend any time with him, you wouldn't have any idea what he's been through," Bruce Tollner said. "He is so happy to have this second chance. He is such a positive person. He's one of the most articulate, accountable, hard-working people we've ever worked with. He's just a great young man and we want to help in any way we possibly can."

The Tollners, whose office is not very far from Banks' hometown of Long Beach, reached out to Justin Brooks, a lawyer and professor who represented Banks in his quest to prove his innocence, shortly after Banks was exonerated on May 24. They also happened to be friends with one of the trainers working with Banks, who invited them down to one workout to meet him.

That meeting went well, and then shortly thereafter Banks and Brooks came into their offices here for a sit-down, after which he decided to make them his agents. Brooks is also still intimately involved in the non-football part of the process, and has accompanied Banks on some trips to work out for teams. ("The next step is he has to look at all options and decide the best tryouts for him," Brooks said via email while on the road with Banks.)

The focus now is purely on football, with Banks conducting no media interviews outside of the group sessions that are a part of a team's minicamps. The Seahawks were the first team to show real interest -- Carroll was very familiar with Banks' story and football career from the coach's time running Southern California -- so Banks had his first tryout there last week, then went on to San Diego, the team closest to his home.

He spent Monday and Tuesday in Kansas City, and, though invited to stay all three days of the Seahawks minicamp, Banks is leaving early to be in Minnesota on Friday. He had to cancel an opportunity with the Redskins.

"We hated to make that call, but there was only so much we could fit in his schedule," Bruce Tollner said, "and work around [team's coaches and scouts] vacations."

Banks will head to San Francisco on Saturday and participate in the 49ers' minicamp next week, with other visits after that still possible depending on how this first wave of teams responds.

"It's a very fluid process," said Bruce Tollner, whose father, Ted, was a coach for more than 40 years, including stints as head coach at USC and a long run as an NFL assistant.

The Tollners decided to double back with Seattle over the weekend, when Carroll called to express a desire to see Banks in a more team atmosphere running around with other prospects at minicamp.

"Normally, the biggest factor with an undrafted free agent would be the opportunity on the roster," Bruce Tollner said. "But the biggest factor with Brian is, how much do they believe in him? Do they really want to give him a chance? Do they have a vision for what he could be?"

Banks is measuring in at a little over 6-feet and 246 pounds. He is running his 40s between 4.7 and 4.9, and benching 225 pounds 14 times. His vertical is approaching 36 and his metrics keep improving as he throws himself into workouts (the Tollners have an extensive plan set up to get him ramped up from the time these visits conclude and training camps begin at the end of July).

"He's not nearly ready to play now," said one football man who was blown away by Banks' personality during a visit. "But you can tell at some point he was a damn good football player, and he's a great kid and you want to see how he can continue to progress as he gets in better football shape. There's no question he has physical tools to work with."

The Seahawks fell in love with Banks, and all that he represents during his first visit. His first impression was stellar.

"He's an extremely impressive individual," said Seahawks GM John Schneider. "He gives you hope for our society in that he is an extremely well-spoken, heartfelt person, he looks you in the eye directly and he does not have an ounce of bitterness towards the girl [who falsely accused him].

"He is very much enjoying his freedom and he's just so excited to get going. He was so excited just to get on the plane and come out to see us and he was extremely thankful for the opportunity. I couldn't imagine being in that situation at that age, and with the way he's come out of it, it gives you a lot of hope for our society."

This week, Schneider and Carroll relish the opportunity to learn more about the gains Banks made in the past week and where he stands from a football standpoint.

"This will be a good gauge for us," Schneider said. "We were the first ones able to put hands on him a little bit. Now we get to bring him back for minicamp and gauge to see what kind of progress he made in a week in terms of conditioning and working with coaches on a limited yet consistent basis."

While football is the here and now, Banks, and all he represents, goes far beyond the gridiron. Whether or not he ends up on a training camp roster (I wouldn't bet against it), or ends up on a practice squad, or ever plays a down in the NFL, is in some ways irrelevant.

Where once he was shackled wrongly, forced to register as a sex offender and required to wear a monitoring device and stay away from schools, now, he can be a tremendous teacher to us all, with lessons of compassion and a positive outlook we would all do well to adopt.

He has varied interests and a moving story to tell. I cannot urge you strongly enough to view this trailer for a potential documentary on him, The Brian Banks Story. The project is seeking funding at Kickstarter.org, a website that provides a forum for public funding of creative projects. The Banks documentary needs to hit $40,000 in funding by June 28; as of Tuesday afternoon 222 backers had pledged $11,400.

Regardless of whether it's football-related or not, the Tollners have been touched by the outpouring of support for Banks. Since they have been working with him, offers of services, facilities, people just wanting to help in some way or another, have been pouring forth. Though less than a month in, the process is one they will never forget, and they are better already for having had the chance to play a role in the next chapter of Brian Banks' life.

"Just being involved in this, it's given us a great feeling about our country," Bruce Tollner said. "People just want to help. For me, it's been great just to be able to see. This is a great American story."
 
Brian Banks makes good impression on Seahawks

By Gregg Rosenthal

Around The League editor

Exonerated 26-year-old linebacker Brian Banks' whirlwind NFL tour has reached its most important stop. Banks is in Seattle for the Seahawks' three-day minicamp.

It remains a long shot that Banks will wind up going to training camp with a team after a decade away from the game, including five years spent in jail. If it's going to happen, however, this is his best shot.

"Obviously there's a little rust out there," Seahawks linebackers coach Ken Norton said. "But the idea is can he line up and can he chase the ball? So far, it's about making a first impression, and I like the first impression he left."

So ... you're saying there's a chance?

"Does he look like a ballplayer? Yes," Norton said. "Does he move well? Yes. Is there a chance? Absolutely."

Sometimes it's all about what quotes you choose. We read those quotes in the Seattle Times and felt optimistic about Banks. Then we read more quotes from Norton on the Seahawks' official website.

"This is the NFL -- the best of the best -- so its going to be really tough for (Banks). Just the fact that he came out here and gave it a shot and didnt shy away from it, youve got to give him a plus for that," he said. "But again, this is the best of the best, the highest level of athlete, and hes been out of it for 10 years. So its going to be really, really tough. … Right now, he has a chance. But its going to be really, really tough."

That's a little more realistic. If nothing else, Banks already is used to beating the odds. Nothing about his story is realistic, yet it's all true.
Carroll: No decision yet on LB Banks

8 minutes ago - by Curtis Crabtree

LB Brian Banks concluded his two-day tryout on Thursday and coach Pete Carroll said there has been no decision to offer him a contract. Banks worked at MLB both days. Carroll said while Banks is not in great shape yet, he did exceed expectations. “He looked much more comfortable than I thought he would,” Carroll said. “…I was really surprised he fit in as well as he did.”
 
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Why didn't he have to go through the NFL draft process? Is it based on how long ago you left high school or something?

 
Why didn't he have to go through the NFL draft process? Is it based on how long ago you left high school or something?
He was never part of the NCAA.
So the best high school player in the country can theoretically sit around hitting the bong and playing X-Box after he graduates, then sign with the NFL team of his choosing two years later?
What is upsetting is to think that is all you got out of that story.It takes all kinds.
 
Why didn't he have to go through the NFL draft process? Is it based on how long ago you left high school or something?
He was never part of the NCAA.
So the best high school player in the country can theoretically sit around hitting the bong and playing X-Box after he graduates, then sign with the NFL team of his choosing two years later?
Sure. The NFL is full of guys who sat on their ### for 2 years playing X-Box and doing bong hits. They scout for that kind of stuff.
 
Brian Banks doesn't get signed by Seattle Seahawks

By Brian Mcintyre NFL.com

The Seattle Seahawks announced the signing Friday of a linebacker who participated in this week's minicamp on a tryout basis. Unfortunately, it was not the name some fans had hoped to hear.

Many wanted the Seahawks to sign Brian Banks, a former blue-chip prospect who spent five years in prison and five years wearing an electronic tracking bracelet after accepting a plea deal on one count of forcible rape. That conviction was overturned when his accuser admitted that she had lied.

Instead, the Seahawks announced that Kyle Knox, an undrafted rookie free agent from Fresno State, was signed to an undisclosed contract.

Rookie defensive end Monte Taylor was released to add Knox to the 90-man offseason roster.

Of course, Banks' NFL dream is far from over -- he's scheduled to participate in the San Francisco 49ers' minicamp on a tryout basis next week. Even if Banks doesn't receive an offer from the 49ers, he will be working with renowned trainer Travelle Gaines in Los Angeles later this month. Gaines is one of the top trainers in the industry and should get Banks back into football shape, enabling him to give it another go once teams open training camp in late July.

Considering how much time Banks has lost, and the training he's missed by not playing in a top college program, if he isn't with an NFL team in training camp, it would not be a surprise if a team, such as the Seahawks, carried him on their practice squad when the regular season begins.
 
Why didn't he have to go through the NFL draft process? Is it based on how long ago you left high school or something?
He was never part of the NCAA.
So the best high school player in the country can theoretically sit around hitting the bong and playing X-Box after he graduates, then sign with the NFL team of his choosing two years later?
Sure. The NFL is full of guys who sat on their ### for 2 years playing X-Box and doing bong hits. They scout for that kind of stuff.
So glad everyone is missing the point. Keep up the great work!
 
Brian Banks begins tryout with San Francisco 49ers

By Dan Hanzus

Writer

Brian Banks' national tour in search of an NFL job continued Monday when he began a workout with the San Francisco 49ers.

Banks will take part in a three-day rookie minicamp with the 49ers, likely working with the team as an inside linebacker, according to The Sacramento Bee.

Banks, 26, took part in a two-day minicamp with the Seattle Seahawks last week. He's also had workouts with the San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs.

Around the League spoke with Seahawks coach Pete Carroll about Banks' journey following a five-year prison sentence for a crime he didn't commit. Carroll said Banks has a "chance" to make it to Seahawks camp.

"The baseline of his conditioning right now, he's big enough, he's got the body to have a chance, he moves OK, we can see all that," Carroll said at an event publicizing the NFL's "Play 60" initiative. "Now we have to see if he can get stronger, and quicker and faster in the next month and a half, which is a very difficult challenge for him.

"But we'll take a look at him just before we go to camp and make a decision (on) whether we will bring him in."

Banks will begin working out with well-known trainer Travelle Gaines at the end of this week. If he can prove himself to be in NFL shape by this time next month, don't be surprised if a team takes a training-camp flier on him.
 
Peter King MMQB Excerpts:

The Brian Banks Story: Coming to a stadium near you?

On Friday, I spent an hour on the phone with Brian Banks, who, as one of the best high school football prospects in the country in 2002, at age 16, was convicted of raping a girl in a stairwell at their high school in Long Beach, Calif. Though there was never any physical DNA evidence connecting Banks to the crime, his attorney convinced him he could go to jail for decades, not years, if he pleaded not guilty and went to trial. Banks took a plea deal and went to prison for five years and two months, then served almost five more years under a form of near-house arrest before the girl recanted her story. On May 24, a judge set Banks free.

Today, Banks is in Santa Clara, Calif., trying out for the San Francisco 49ers in a three-day rookie minicamp as an inside linebacker and special teams player. This comes on the heels of tryouts with the Chiefs and Chargers, and a two-day minicamp trial with the Seahawks last week. It's truly an amazing story, and will be even more amazing if one of the teams offers him an invitation to training camp as a member of the 90-man roster. Making a team, or even a practice squad? Hollywood stuff. Beyond Hollywood.

"I went from going to sleep with a GPS tracking device on my ankle one day, to flying around to NFL facilities just days later,'' he said. "It's a lot to take in. Amazing. Huge. HUGE. It's like winning the Super Bowl and going to Disney World -- times 10. That's what's happened to my life.''

What impressed me so much about Banks is how bright and engaging he is despite spending 10 formative years of his life away from formal education, and how he's not bitter. How can someone who spent five years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, and then five more as a registered sex offender with a GPS ankle bracelet that he couldn't take off, not be bitter?

"I like to tell the story of a little kid who has a dirty room,'' Banks told me. "His mother tells him to clean the room. He says no, and he throws a tantrum. When he stops screaming, the room's still dirty, and he's still got to clean it. When I got to prison, of course I was mad. I didn't understand why the police didn't do a better job investigating the case, and why someone who clearly was not guilty could be put away like that. But I realized the more I thought that way, it kept me stagnant. I was becoming the label they tried to put on me. I made a vow to myself: No matter what happened, no matter what label they put on me, I knew who I was, and I wasn't going to let them turn me into something I wasn't.''

A teacher at one of his juvenile centers before prison, Jerome Johnson, stood in front of a class of kids in trouble and challenged them to funnel their anger into positive energy. "Maybe I was the only one who listened,'' Banks said. "I don't know. But I developed a thirst for understanding life and culture and the wider world. I wanted to improve myself. Mr. Johnson helped me challenge my brain and ask myself: 'What is my purpose?' ''

I asked Banks: "Isn't prison tough on sex offenders? How'd you survive?''

"I am a very honest person,'' he said. "Ask those who know me. But I lied about why I was in there. That's the way I survived. Three things that there's zero tolerance for in prison -- child molesters, rapists, thieves. So I just told everybody I was in prison for a home invasion. I took the rap for a guy because I wouldn't snitch on him, and through the grace of God, I never got found out.''

Though Banks played a season of junior college football in Long Beach in 2007 when he got out of jail, provisions of his parole soon changed. He had to stay closer to his home in Los Angeles, and he had to wear the ankle bracelet. He stopped thinking about playing football. And then, three days after he was declared innocent in May, his cell phone rang. The phone had been ringing steadily, and Banks didn't answer. A minute later, the same 213 area code number came up on his caller ID. Banks answered it.

"I'm looking for a linebacker,'' said a voice he didn't recognize. "Know where I can find one?''

"Who is this?'' Banks said.

"Coach Carroll,'' Pete Carroll, who'd once recruited Banks to go to USC, said.

Banks almost melted. Couldn't believe it. Carroll said he remembered him well, offered him a tryout in Seattle, and said he'd get no special favors. Within days, the Chiefs called. And San Diego. And San Francisco, and Minnesota and Washington.

"I know how long I've been away,'' Banks said. "I know the odds. I'm going to give this 150 percent, and if it doesn't happen, I will walk away with a huge smile on my face. The way I look at it, I've already won by securing my freedom.''

At Seahawks camp last week, linebackers coach Ken Norton got all over Banks a couple of times. "Which I so appreciated,'' said Banks, laughing. "I appreciate not being carried. I don't want to be a special case. Practicing with the Seahawks is something I'll cherish for the rest of my life.''

For Banks to have a chance, he has to learn to turn and run and cover better; when he was in high school, his size and athleticism made up for any technical deficiencies. But there are a lot of good 6-2 ½, 239-pound inside 'backers who can cover tight ends and running backs. Carroll is giving Banks a month -- and another team or two may do the same -- to get in better shape to see if he might be able to be better than one of the inside linebacker candidates Seattle already has. That is, unless San Francisco beats Seattle to the punch and signs him this week. It's more likely Banks will work tirelessly over the next month to give his best shot in a final pre-training-camp trial to earn one of 90 roster spots on some team.

"Football is a passion for me, and I love it dearly,'' he said. "But it does not define me. If I don't make it, I'm still free. I'm free. I've got my freedom back.''
Stat of the Week

When the Chiefs worked out Brian Banks this month, they put him through a scouting combine type of workout, designed to see exactly what kind of athlete he was and potential he had. Banks measured at 6-2 ½ and 239 pounds. He ran a 4.77-second 40-yard dash.

There were 33 linebackers at the Scouting Combine in February; 29 ran the 40-yard dash. Banks, who hadn't worked out seriously before being exonerated May 24 because he never thought he'd ever have a chance to play pro football after 10 years away from the game, ran a faster 40 than eight of the 29 prospects, including running faster than five of the inside linebackers running for their NFL lives in Indianapolis.

Factoid of the Week That May Interest Only Me I

So I waited for Banks to call Friday. He was supposed to call early in the afternoon, but he didn't, and I wondered if he'd forgotten. Finally, at 6:40 p.m. Eastern time, 3:40 in southern California, where he lives, Banks rang from his car. He sounded a little out of breath.

Turns out he'd been working out with Jay Glazer, the FOX analyst and mixed martial arts trainer, trying to make up for lost time in strength, speed and conditioning work.

It's a sign of the respect so many players have for Glazer that, with this being the best long-shot chance he'd have at a football career, Banks turned to Glazer to get him ready as quickly as possible for his tryout this week with the 49ers.
 
Why didn't he have to go through the NFL draft process? Is it based on how long ago you left high school or something?
He was never part of the NCAA.
So the best high school player in the country can theoretically sit around hitting the bong and playing X-Box after he graduates, then sign with the NFL team of his choosing two years later?
What is upsetting is to think that is all you got out of that story.It takes all kinds.
Geez, sensitive much? It sounds like he was just asking a theoretical question that was sparked from this situation. I hardly think it is a safe assumption that the question he asked was all he got out of the story...
 
Why didn't he have to go through the NFL draft process? Is it based on how long ago you left high school or something?
He was never part of the NCAA.
So the best high school player in the country can theoretically sit around hitting the bong and playing X-Box after he graduates, then sign with the NFL team of his choosing two years later?
What is upsetting is to think that is all you got out of that story.It takes all kinds.
Geez, sensitive much? It sounds like he was just asking a theoretical question that was sparked from this situation. I hardly think it is a safe assumption that the question he asked was all he got out of the story...
:goodposting: It takes all kinds.
 
Why didn't he have to go through the NFL draft process? Is it based on how long ago you left high school or something?
He was never part of the NCAA.
So the best high school player in the country can theoretically sit around hitting the bong and playing X-Box after he graduates, then sign with the NFL team of his choosing two years later?
What is upsetting is to think that is all you got out of that story.It takes all kinds.
Geez, sensitive much? It sounds like he was just asking a theoretical question that was sparked from this situation. I hardly think it is a safe assumption that the question he asked was all he got out of the story...
:goodposting: It takes all kinds.
Sensitive much?
 
What ever happened with this guy?
Brian Banks leaves Seahawks tryout without contract
Linebacker Brian Banks was among the players who tried out for the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday, but left the team's practice facility without a contact offer, his agent Bruce Tollner confirmed to Tim Booth of The Associated Press.

"Had a tryout in Seattle yesterday. Me, Antonio Bryant, Braylon Edwards and a few others. Only 1 roster spot to be filled to complete the 90," Banks said of his workout on Twitter. "Congrats to Antonio Bryant...An amazing athlete! Great seeing him and Edwards fly around the field."

Bryant, who missed the past two seasons with knee injuries, was signed on Thursday to fill out the Seahawks' roster. According to Booth, Banks has returned to Los Angeles to continue training (with Travelle Gaines at Performance Gaines) and does not have any workouts with other NFL teams scheduled at this time.

Banks, 26, spent more than spent five years in prison on a rape conviction before being cleared in May after his accuser admitted that she had lied. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll had recruited Banks to USC, and Seattle was the first NFL team to reach out to Banks about a tryout. Banks also has worked out for the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers. The Washington Redskins have expressed interest, as well.
 
Update:

Exonerated player Brian Banks to sign with UFL’s Las Vegas Locomotives

By Associated Press, Published: September 19

LAS VEGAS — Brian Banks, a one-time high school football star who was recently exonerated in a California rape case in which he was falsely accused, is finally getting a chance to play professional football.

The 26-year-old Banks, a linebacker, is signing with the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League, a move the team confirmed in a statement on Wednesday.

Banks served more than five years in prison following a conviction a decade ago on rape and kidnapping charges. The woman later recanted her claim and offered to help Banks clear his name.

Banks and the Locomotives will announce the signing at a news conference Thursday.

“We’re very pleased to be able to welcome this young man to the UFL and give him an opportunity in football that was denied him years ago,” Locomotives coach Jim Fassel said in a statement.

Banks was trying to land a spot in the NFL and got his first tryout with the Seattle Seahawks. He also received tryouts with the San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs, and eventually took part in Seattle’s minicamp in June. Banks was grateful to Seattle coach Pete Carroll for the opportunity to see where he stacked up against NFL players. Banks had verbally committed to playing for Carroll at USC before Banks’ arrest and conviction.
 
Update:

Exonerated player Brian Banks to sign with UFL’s Las Vegas Locomotives

By Associated Press, Published: September 19

LAS VEGAS — Brian Banks, a one-time high school football star who was recently exonerated in a California rape case in which he was falsely accused, is finally getting a chance to play professional football.

The 26-year-old Banks, a linebacker, is signing with the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League, a move the team confirmed in a statement on Wednesday.

Banks served more than five years in prison following a conviction a decade ago on rape and kidnapping charges. The woman later recanted her claim and offered to help Banks clear his name.

Banks and the Locomotives will announce the signing at a news conference Thursday.

“We’re very pleased to be able to welcome this young man to the UFL and give him an opportunity in football that was denied him years ago,” Locomotives coach Jim Fassel said in a statement.

Banks was trying to land a spot in the NFL and got his first tryout with the Seattle Seahawks. He also received tryouts with the San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs, and eventually took part in Seattle’s minicamp in June. Banks was grateful to Seattle coach Pete Carroll for the opportunity to see where he stacked up against NFL players. Banks had verbally committed to playing for Carroll at USC before Banks’ arrest and conviction.
:thumbup: Should really help him develop the skills he'll need to try and play in the NFL. Tough without college experience to get the mental part of the game. A year or two in the UFL should show if he's ever going to be NFL caliber.

 
Brian Banks nearly gave up on pursuing his NFL dream

By Kareem Copeland

Around the League Writer

Brian Banks forced himself to forget about the sport he loved.

He had verbally committed to USC as junior at Long Beach Poly in 2002 before he pleaded no contest to a charge of rape and kidnap. Banks then spent the next five years and two months in prison. He risked a 41-year sentence if he was found guilty.

"In order for me to exit prison with sane mind and be able to just function as the same person, I had to let go of certain dreams and goals," Banks said during a teleconference Wednesday. "Football being one of them. ... For me, I had to let that go. I had to let those dreams go in order for me to just focus on what was in front of me -- and that was five years in prison that was a completely different life of violence and just being away from your family and all the different elements that go with prison.

"Football was the last thing on my mind."

Banks signed a contract with the Atlanta Falcons on Wednesday, and would consider making the 53-man roster the next step in fulfilling his dream of playing in the NFL.

After spending five years behind bars, Banks spent another five years on probation. He ouldn't live within 2,000 feet of a school or park, had to register as a sex offender, wore a GPS ankle bracelet and couldn't travel without permission. He was exonerated on May 24, 2012, after a private investigator taped his accuser, Wanetta Gibson, admitting she lied about Banks raping and kidnapping her.

Banks said the first thing he did was take a trip to Sea World.

"It's impossible to explain the feeling of not having freedom," Banks said, "to be stripped away of your freedom, of your dignity, the respect that you once had. To lose it all and watch the world pass you by as you sit inside of a prison cell, knowing that you shouldn't be there, knowing that you're there for another person's lies. ... To wake up one day and get it all back, it's a very humbling, spiritual feeling that you just don't want to take anything for granted. Stepping outside of your house when you want to. Being able to sit on the porch. Being able to open a refrigerator when you're hungry."

"It's a trip," Banks added. "I've had the opportunity of seeing both sides of the human spirit. Those who put you down and degrade you and judge you and wrongfully accuse you and brand you something that you're not. I've met those people. I've met people that only have a one-track mind of violence and destruction and negativity.

"But I've also met people who uplift you and want to support you and want to see you be a better person that's successful in life. My journey has been crazy, but my journey has been a learning experience that has been unlike any other."

Banks spoke for more than 30 minutes about being tested in prison, but holding no grudges. His story is incredibly sad, but Banks' positive attitude is inspiring. He's been working on a documentary and a book, and movie deals have been discussed.

Banks will be hard-pressed to make the Falcons' roster, but this is an opportunity he didn't dare dream of for 10 years.

Follow Kareem Copeland on Twitter @kareemcopeland.
 
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http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap10...an-banks-ill-eventually-become-an-nfl-starter

Brian Banks: I'll eventually become an NFL starter

By Dan Hanzus

Around the League Writer

Brian Banks got his dream of an NFL career back when he was signed by the Atlanta Falcons last week.

Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff insists signing Banks wasn't an act of charity or some publicity stunt. Banks lost 10 years of his football career over a crime he didn't commit, but the Falcons believe he can contribute.

Banks is a longshot, no doubt. It only adds to his drive.

"I'm well aware of what people think about this," Banks told SI.com's Peter King in a Tuesday story. "That's not something I can control. All I know is I have been given a chance. As coach (Mike) Smith and Mr. Dimitroff told me, 'We didn't bring you here for nothing. There's no reason for us to bring you in, unless we think you have a chance to help us.'

"But when people say I really don't have a chance, it fuels me. I do have to cover some ground, but what I'm happy about right now is that even though I am 27, I'm a young 27."

After he was exonerated on rape and kidnap charges last year, Banks worked out for five teams without receiving a contract offer. He needed to get into football shape, which he did by working out with Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Rey Maualuga and other players.

"When you've been through 10 years of hell, and you get a chance to fulfill your dream, you're not going to take that lightly," Banks said. "After working out with these guys this offseason, I believe in myself as a player even more. I truly believe I will make a 53-man roster. I believe I will play. And I believe eventually I will start."

If Banks plays even one regular-season down for an NFL team next season, he should get every vote for the Comeback Player of the Year Award. Hell, they should name the damn thing after him.

Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.
 
He's been working on a documentary and a book, and movie deals have been discussed.
He's got a lot riding on making the team and seeing the field. I think it's boom or bust, because he's likely to make more from a book / movie deal than his player salary, but the story won't be complete unless he plays.

Personally, I hope he makes it.

 

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