What ever happened to Gabe Watson?

Submitted by James Burrill Angell on
So I feel like we usually hear about the post-NFL careers of most of the reasonably big-name players who played for Michigan. I see that Gabe Watson finished his NFL career after a knee injury in an offseason treadmill accident and subsequent training camp cut by the Giants. But what happened after that? Usually we hear about the former players popping up as coaches, businessmen or of some kind of visit to campus. Gabe seems to fallen off the planet. Anyone know what happened to Gabe Watson or where he is now.

Perkis-Size Me

June 22nd, 2013 at 10:44 PM ^

There's this website called Google you can look into for finding out stuff like this. Its a little new so I'm not sure of all the specifics, but I've heard good things.

LSAClassOf2000

June 22nd, 2013 at 11:43 PM ^

A search of Twitter yields a result or two. It isn't much of an answer to the OP's question sadly (at least not a complete story), but Gabe Watson apparently did make an appearance as a guest speaker recently at the Center For Entrepreneurial Innovation in Tempe, Arizona (LINK). In the short summary given here, he essentially was there to give a motivational speech to high school students in this group's "Ready Set Launch" program for encouraging young entrepreneurs. 

"Have tunnel vision, know what you want and know what it takes to get there,” he told the group. "People are going to tell you that you can't do it, but you have to burn that..."

Bando Calrissian

June 23rd, 2013 at 12:21 AM ^

Gabe Watson was known as one of the nicest players on those late-era Carr teams. Knew a lot of people who knew him from a few different things on campus, and he had a pretty sterling reputation all around. There was also that well-publicized story about the terminally ill young man Gabe befriended at Mott during (I think) the 2005 season, onto whose finger Gabe slipped his Outback Bowl championship ring just hours before he died. That's the kind of guy he is.

Gabe also used to come to MMB rehearsal from time to time. I remember one such day when he showed up in a powder blue veloor track suit. I've never seen so much fabric in one place in my life.

I wish him well, wherever he is now. He seems like a stand-up guy, to say the least.

Geaux_Blue

June 23rd, 2013 at 1:34 AM ^

This sort of smarmy bullshit from people is why many of us don't come on here. Effective reading would've shown he knew what the pro career was. Same guys who crawl through glass for insider info on 17 yr old kids begrudge a question on the career of an adult.



Reality check: being the most clever asshole still makes you an asshole.

michgoblue

June 23rd, 2013 at 8:40 AM ^

So sick of all of the smart-ass "have you heard of google" posts. Unoriginal, not funny and unnecessarily dick-ish. To me, this may be the beat topic of all of those listed currently on the MGoBoard.



I loved big Gabe when he was here and would like to know the answer to the op's question.

TrppWlbrnID

June 23rd, 2013 at 9:28 AM ^

I think last years felt more fun and shorter, maybe because there was a colossal Alabama pounding waiting that took the edge off or something. But everyone round here is very touchy, trying to make something out of nothing.

1974

June 23rd, 2013 at 10:57 AM ^

Among other things, I'll remember Watson as the first big-time (that is, someone with clear NFL potential) interior D-line player since ... Josh Williams? Maybe Rob Renes? That (series, which included Alan Branch) was an underrated contribution to the program by Lloyd.

Hail-Storm

June 23rd, 2013 at 11:00 AM ^

To have a show on wolv access (does that still exist?) where they do a "where are they now?" Segment on past wolverines. It'd be cool to see how they were successful outside of football or basketball. I know there was an article a little while back on where all the 97/98 championship team was. It was great to see how most were successful outside of football.

DISCUSS Man

June 23rd, 2013 at 12:18 PM ^

The real question is, what ever became of the Alaskan Dream, CB Jermace Jackson from Anchorage?

uminks

June 23rd, 2013 at 3:46 PM ^

When is this kid going to gel!  He finally did during his senior season. Wow, hard to believe it was 7 years ago. I wish him all the best in whatever career he decided to peruse!

Champeen

June 23rd, 2013 at 8:22 PM ^

too many arrogant smart ass pricks that need to be punched in the face a few times.

Its the main reason UM fans in general get the reputation they do - ruin it for the majority.

Posting on here is like walking on egg shells.  Have to re-read your post content and grammar a billion times before hitting submit afraid that the jerkoffs that have nothing better to do than slam other people will rip into you.

saveferris

June 24th, 2013 at 12:08 PM ^

My comment was merely an observation, not a directive; so for you to infer that I was trying to install myself as some level of higher authority calls into question your reading comprehension skills.

I also find it a little presumptuous that you think you have some kind of insight as to the true reasoning behind why the internet was developed in the first place.  Who made you God Almighty?

saveferris

June 24th, 2013 at 12:53 PM ^

Frankly, if I was consistently misusing homophones such as "their, there, and they're" and the like and making myself sound stupid; I'd appreciate the assistance, even if it came with a healthy dose of snark.  At least in the end I would be communicating more intelligently and effectively.  Punching somebody in the face would be my least likely reaction.