Texas school’s football title rings bring high school bling to a new level

Wearing large rings is not exactly rare for high school students. When they reach their senior year, its often traditional to purchase and wear a class ring. The adornments can be large and clunky, but they are also matters of pride, serving as mementos of what is often among the more proud achievements of a young adult's life.

Then there are the rings that Southlake (Texas) Carroll High recently unveiled. Designed by and issued up to members of the school's state title-winning football team to commemorate the achievement, they look more fitting for a Super Bowl champion than a teenager.

The rings, which were first revealed on the school's official Twitter account, are absolutely blinged out, covered in what appear to be diamonds and other gems (though, to be fair, they could be facsimiles of the precious stones). With a central design that incorporates the school's USC-like logo, it also includes a whopping 40 white stones (diamonds or otherwise) in the central motif and eight, emerald-like green stones around the ring's border.

In a more traditional touch, the rings also showcase the school's Dragon mascot on its side panel. So at least the football players' jewelry will look a bit like their classmates' in that respect.

Of course, as the Dallas Morning News pointed out, this isn't the first time Southlake Carroll's football program has proudly displayed excess in adornment. The school also auctioned off a Swarovski crystal-encrusted helmet just before Christmas. To call the helmet an extreme item would be an understatement; the charity auction-sold item might be better suited for a spot in a Rodeo Drive display case than on someone's mantelpiece.

The bigger question may be who decided it was a good idea for teenagers to be given jewelry with dozens of precious or semi-precious stones involved. Anyone who has seen a high school student wear their class rings knows that they often don't take them off, for anything.

Here's hoping that isn't the case for the Southlake Carroll players, at least if those gems are the stones that they appear to be.

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