Business woes force ex-NFL player to give up his Super Bowl ring

[matcom]

<snip>

Former NFL linebacker Lee Woodall was on top of the world when his team, the San Francisco 49ers, won Super Bowl XXIX in 1995.

A decade later, Woodall, of Carlisle, is retired from football, beset by business problems and court judgments, and has forfeited his diamond-studded Super Bowl ring to a former business partner who is selling it on eBay.

Eric A. Garonzik of Boiling Springs, who has a $78,750 judgment against Woodall in Cumberland County Court, listed the ring on the Internet auction site late Tuesday.

"Everybody is interested in this ring. This doesn't happen often," Garonzik said. "I wouldn't take under $60,000 for it."

Bids had climbed into the thousands of dollars by last night. The ring was posted for a seven-day auction.

Garonzik's lawyer, Joseph L. Hitchings of Harrisburg, said Woodall offered the ring as collateral for the court judgment, then did not make a payment to retrieve it. He said it became Garonzik's property Dec. 9.

Woodall, 34, said he could not comment on the situation, but planned to call a press conference in two weeks. He said he is taking steps to remedy any financial problems.

http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/110319241958230.xml

[Beware the Beast Man]

1. This is what happens to athletes who get a free pass in college

I'm not sure what Mr. Woodall's situation is, but if an athlete has nothing to fall back on, then this sort of thing is not surprising.

[underpants]

2. Woodall looks remarkably like Evander Holyfield

http://espn.go.com/page2/s/looking/archive.html

I looked him up on Google because I thought he was the 49'er who got sued by his parents because he wasn't giving them enough money. Not the same guy-the one who was sued was a lineman.