Chris Rainey will not play in the high school championship game this weekend. His principal had decided to hold him out of the game.
I have some further information and apparently he will be able to play. Here's what I've heard, the local school board hired someone to look into this and the've determined that he did not get gifts or money to play. The clothing mentioned in one article amounted to about $10. I know several of you will be skeptical of this but here's some other information. The FHSAA which is the governing body for high school athletics in Florida is apparently in town and will make the final decision based on the information gathered. But it looks favorable that he will be allowed to play. I found out something else about this kid. He was living on the street until he moved in with a family that has twins who play on this team. Their mother is now his legal guardian. I am completely dumbfounded when I hear things like this, how can a 17 year old kid just be abandoned to live on the street? And it does make me more sympathetic to him. I hope he has learned a lesson. He will be attending the University of Florida as will the two twins whose family he lives with. They are the Pouncey brothers. In all the Gators are getting about 6-7 players from this team fyi and 3 or 4 of them are going to be early entries. I'm passing this along, and it is not final as the FHSAA will have the final say.
He lawyered up.... I have no doubt that even if he did take a few things that it's any big deal, if he was from a homeless background that explains a lot of things. Those peoples whole lives is taking charity from people. I imagine it's hard to change that just because you are a football star. But he will have to learn.
I agree Terry, the good news is that he will be going to college with about 6 or 7 of his team mates including the two brothers whose house he is living in now, and I think that Urban Meyer is the kind of person who will lead him down the right path. I hope he has learned a big lesson here and moves in the right direction after this incident is in the past.
Sounds like he was just shootin' his mouth off. Hopefully he's a good kid who just needs some guidance... Trying to straighten out kids with a shaky history and show them the way did not work for Randy Ayers at Ohio State.
Rainey did play last night, all he did was gain 270+ yards rushing and scored 3 touchdowns. His team lead 35-0 in the fourth quarter and the other team scored 35 points to tie the game. That included three touchdowns in the last minute and a half with them converting two onside kicks in a row. But Lakeland won in over time 45-42 stopping St. Thomas on the 6 in line on 4th and one. Lakeland is the team Rainey plays for. Apparently it was one exciting game and without Rainey Lakeland would have likely lost. In his last two playoff games Rainey rushed for over three hundred yards and the two hundred seventy last night. Anyway I hope the kid learned his lesson and has a great career at Florida.