Times are tough for just about everyone, so when a couple of successful NFL players stepped up to help out a Baltimore area high school, it seemed like a great way to save the day. But in a stunning turn of events, school leaders stopped the donation at the goal line.
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.
The Baltimore Sun also reports the local board of education also talked about a prior decision to not name the field after a former captain of the football team, Marine Lance Cpl. Patrick Ryan Adle, who was killed in battle in Iraq.
Both Ripken brothers -- Billy and Cal, Jr. -- also went to Aberdeen.
Erin Henderson has 42 tackles and a sack this season in 9 games for the Vikings, while his more famous brother E.J. Henderson has 46 tackles and a sack.
The Henderson brothers are now attempting to get their already-donated money back and they're not happy.
"It's like a slap in the face, honestly," Erin Henderson told WJZ. "Here we are thinking we can try to do something big, trying to give back to the community. Trying to do something positive to help out the people who helped us out in different ways when we were growing up and coming up. And we saw this opportunity."
Erin Henderson says the the scoreboard was going to be the first step in a multi-layer plan that included redoing the entire field. Thanks to a silly rule, the Hendersons have scrapped that plan.
Popular Stories On ThePostGame:
-- Report: Alleged Sandusky Victims From As Far Back As The 1970s Contact Lawyers
-- The Cost Of Extreme Sports
-- Rift Over Tim Tebow Custom 'Jesus' Jerseys
-- 12 Marathons For 2012
