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Prep RB ruled ineligble after comments to reporter

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Big_Space, Dec 6, 2006.

  1. Riddick

    Riddick Active Member

    a very dumb kid
     
  2. novelist_wannabe

    novelist_wannabe Well-Known Member

    What's Albert Means up to these days?
     
  3. hondo

    hondo Well-Known Member

    Here's some help with your geography. Lakeland is about four hours from Miami. The story was done because, obviously, they are playing a south Florida team in the state championship.

    This has nothing to do with any perceived notions about life in South Florida.
     
  4. Breakyoself

    Breakyoself Member

    i believe the state finals are in miami as well, or at least i thought they were. plus, this kid is a very high recruit and his name is known throughout the state as being one of the best players. so it's newsworthy anyway in that regard.
     
  5. greenthumb

    greenthumb Member

    Lakeland isn't anywhere close to being a 'small town.' Hasn't been for about 30 years now, thanks to being on I-4 a reasonable driving distance from both Tampa and Disneyopolis. LHS plays in 5A in a six classification system. There's lots of money down there, and the 'Naughts have been dogged by rumors of kids plucking fruit from the improper benefits tree for years.

    Big school, the preferred program in a town with four (soon to be five) big high schools. They've been cranking out D-I kids for years. I think they have something like a dozen D-I commits on the team this year.

    However, I have to say that article shows a high level of naivete and a poor research effort. LHS is far from the only game in town. One of the other schools just came off a run of 2-3 state title game appearances, and a third has landed several players in the NFL (more than LHS) including 'God's linebacker' (insert tasteless joke here).

    Is it a surprise that one of the kids is getting paid to play? Shouldn't be to most of you on this message board.
     
  6. Columbo

    Columbo Active Member

    Who wrote that he or she was surprised?
     
  7. Lollygaggers

    Lollygaggers Member

    And he's not getting paid to play, greenthumb. He accepted a t-shirt worth less than $10 dollars and may or may not have received some cash from an old lady. That's a lot different than boosters paying for his education, buying him a car, getting his groceries, etc. Just a really dumb statement by a kid who was enjoying the publicity and "being Chris Rainey." He's been cleared to play in the title game by the high school after its two-day investigation, by the way, though the state high school association will keep investigating. Can't believe the school would let him play if they thought he would later be ruled ineligible.
     
  8. The author of the original story is the fall intern -- probably why he didn't know that receiving jerseys, jewelry and a wad of cash violate amateur status.
     
  9. Starman

    Starman Well-Known Member

    I knew that in junior high school. They're certainly turning out some savvy interns these days.
     
  10. Twoback

    Twoback Active Member

    Yes, and I'm sure said intern never has heard of the NCAA, either.
     
  11. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    Maybe the intern thought the player meant by "receiving" these "gifts" he really meant he shoplifted the clothes and mugged the old lady.

    That may be against the law but wouldn't affect your amateur status and would allow you to play in the big game -- as we have seen many times.

    So don't be too hard on the intern.
     
  12. The athlete in question is the younger brother of He Hate Me!

    http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/16192118.htm
     
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