The Back Alley Archives

My guess is that there were multiple times any of us deserved to be arrested for childish decisions during college.

my guess is the same...my guess is that we also didn't have coaches up in our grill making sure we're being attended to

Agreed, I'm just saying that sometimes folks who are seemingly "model citizens" make mistakes. Coaches can't be with every player 24 hours a day and keep them in line...I'm just saying that good people make bad decisions.

We also weren't celebrities either. Joe Blow texts stupid shit, UF and the program pay no price, Chris Rainey does it and it's on ESPN's ticker.

Wanna be a celeb? Pay the price when you jack it up.

My guess is that there were multiple times any of us deserved to be arrested for childish decisions during college.

my guess is the same...my guess is that we also didn't have coaches up in our grill making sure we're being attended to

Agreed, I'm just saying that sometimes folks who are seemingly "model citizens" make mistakes. Coaches can't be with every player 24 hours a day and keep them in line...I'm just saying that good people make bad decisions.

i really do agree w/you too wes...but EVERYONE knows what we're talking about here...it's all about statistics and probabilities whenever you're assessing risk...one has to come to grips with the reality and understand what your liabilities are when you invest...the University has invested in these high school seniors and have provided them facilities, coaches, and free rides to get to the next level...The University i'm sure have made a cognizant decision to 'roll the dice' with a few of these 'on-the-fence' typed personalities...what has resulted is something the University i'm sure understood could happen...the University i'm sure has 2 lists...one list consists of those they know to be ones considered to be risky and those considered to be model citizens...how many of the 29 do you think came from the list of 'model citizens'? shall we figure it out?

We also weren't celebrities either. Joe Blow texts stupid shit, UF and the program pay no price, Chris Rainey does it and it's on ESPN's ticker.

Wanna be a celeb? Pay the price when you jack it up.

............and i've been saying this from the beginning of time...to the victor goes the spoils...but along with it is the responsibility...one comes with the other....if you don't want the responsibility, exit stage left...if you can't stand being a normal joe blow and you like the focus, man up and take on the total package.

I guess I'm willing to give Chris the benefit of the doubt given his upbringing. He's overcome quite a bit to become a solid kid and, really, up until this incident he's been a quality member of the team, IMO.

had no idea about frankie hammond either.

1:05 p.m. update: Comment from offensive coordinator Steve Addazio: "Chris Rainey is not a part of our team right now. That's really all I have to say on that."

Not surprising. He may be given the chance to earn his spot back in the future. Never know.

Well, I'm like Rad. I think you play hardball with character and conduct, and it'll pay off down the line in any number of ways.

The initial report mentioned a text, "time to die." That's a stupid impulse action. It's regrettable, even punishable. I'm not sure you throw the kid out for it. The other details compound the problem, however. It gets worse.

It's funny how Tebow became the poster kid for UF football even as this supposed spate of arrests and conduct problems happened.

The marginal kids: one causes problems, but the next spends four years there and becomes a model and an inspiration. We LOVE that story -- bad ghetto kid makes good because of UF and UF football. We fucking love it. Plenty of gambles are made there.

I'll wait to hear more before I pop off about what should be done. I would like to see Meyer crack down on this. That was always a thing I loved about Spurrier.

Well, I think it's clear that Meyer has no patience for it given that he's already off the team.

Here's a glass-half-full perspective on the job Urban is doing in regards to these situations. One of his responsibilities as coach is to make sure that no ONE player has the burden of being the end-all-be-all of the team. A player that if lost, would doom our entire year. I really don't think losing Rainey will make a difference this year. Of course, he was a good player and all, but there is a long line of good players behind him and I doubt the team will miss a beat. Granted this year is a building year so my expectations aren't that high to begin with.

I mean I loved having a once-in-a-lifetime player like Tim Tebow, but that shouldn't be the norm. We should have a lot of depth so when injuries or issues occur, we can still compete.

Just a thought.

Here's a glass-half-full perspective on the job Urban is doing in regards to these situations. One of his responsibilities as coach is to make sure that no ONE player has the burden of being the end-all-be-all of the team. A player that if lost, would doom our entire year. I really don't think losing Rainey will make a difference this year. Of course, he was a good player and all, but there is a long line of good players behind him and I doubt the team will miss a beat. Granted this year is a building year so my expectations aren't that high to begin with.

I mean I loved having a once-in-a-lifetime player like Tim Tebow, but that shouldn't be the norm. We should have a lot of depth so when injuries or issues occur, we can still compete.

Just a thought.

reputational risk is/should be very much a concern to the university, the administration, and to all the fans....losing rainey (or dunlap, or newton, or joiner, or doe, or hernandez, or marcus thomas, or whoever) has much more of an impact than wins and losses....wins and losses are subordinate to reputation imho...some universities don't care about their reputation (ie F$U, thugU, the oakland raiders) and would sacrifice that for national championships...perfectly fine if that's what your organization has decided...perfectly fine....the whole "its not if you win or lose but how you play the game" means bollocks and that's fine...

i believe the whole back and forth of this discussion is about how UFs perception has been dramatically changing and how some don't like it...i surely don't...wins and losses are secondary...it's an after thought...to me it is...i would think to all as well.

The G8rMatt thing is really beginning to creep me out. I could dig up some stories about parents murdering their children if you really want to make it authentic.

So Rad, are you saying that you either have to be a winning program OR you have to get good quality guys that may not win, but will all graduate? There is no way to do both? I sort of agree with you if that is the case you are making.

It's a fine line these AD's are walking I guess. If they have winning seasons every year, they make money...they make money for the school which includes the academic programs. If the team doesn't win, they don't make as much money. They may have a better academic image in the nation but that doesn't help when you need to make money to pay the best teachers and have the best programs.

I dunno...I'm not all that knowledgable about the "business" of running a university, but it seems like that aspect comes in to play at some point. I don't know how one would balance the pros and cons of each.

Rad, what do you think from a business perspective for the university is the best route to go, knowing that you cannot be totally sure of any kid. What risks would you be willing to take to have the program that will make the most for your school.

I really don't know and I'm just honestly asking those of you have much more business savvy than I do.

Y'all can listen to the sister's "911 call" here: http://www.onlygators.com/09/16/2010/911-call-released-in-arrest-of-gators-wr-rainey/

She's calm as fuck and says straight up at the beginning that it's not an emergency. Seems to me to be a case of yet another pig arresting/charging a black kid with the most heinous offense the pig could come up with.

Whatever. Chris is a good kid and it seems clear that the woman wasn't afraid of him at all. Her sister stepped in and took it on herself to call the cops merely as a way to diffuse the situation. She even asks in the call, "They aren't going to come with the lights blaring or anything right?" If these were just normal college chicks I might give the wimmins the benefit of the doubt but the chick is a serial Gator Dater (TM) at this point and her sister just seemed to be tired of the drama. Nothing but bullshit, IMO.

Stupid thing for Chris to get involved with? Absolutely. A crime? Meh, I dunno. Does he deserve to lose his scholly and spot on the team? I just don't see it.

Hate on me all you want. This thing is 1000% overblown, IMO.

I'm kind of leaning that way too.

"it's not an emergency.....but there's someone outside threatening us"




guys...with all due respect - i listened to just that lil portion and shut it down from there...didn't have to listen to the rest...maybe i should but it's crystal clear to me based on that.

first point - i don't know about y'all but i've used 911 once in my whole life...that was to report a 3 car accident that i was not involved in but the woman involved appeared to be very, very upset....there'd been other times i probably could've used 911 but never did...why? because it really wasn't an emergency...TO ME, an emergency is a life threatening situation...an explosion...a gun toting crazy man...an accident...AS I SEE IT, i think 911 is abused and should only be used in those emergency type situations.

that all said...TO ME, i hear the caller saying "it's not an emergency...someone outside is threatening us"...it's a bit of a mixed message if i'm receiving the call...TO ME, my initial thought and response to "it's not an emergency" was, no one is imminent danger...this is not life threatening situation...this is not an emergency....BUT THEN - its followed up with a "someone outside is threatening us"...TO ME, that means that it can BECOME a life threatening situation...an accident CAN occur...it might escalate INTO an emergency...after all - she IS calling into 911...911 is to be used for emergency reasons only...it's not an emergency at this current second in time...but it could very well be one in 2 seconds.

second point - i have daughters...some of us have daughters too...some of us who DON'T have daughters have nieces, have wives, have mothers...guys threatening girls is a fucked up thing to do...'nuff said cause i think y'all know what we're talking about

third point - chris rainey could very well be a good kid...could very well have been when you knew him as a HS senior way back in 2007...he's been on campus 3yrs now...lots and lots can change...attitudes can change....points of view can change....company you keep can change...simply - people do change...being a starter on a DIV 1 football team can change things for a lot of people...he may not be the same kid y'all knew coming out of lakeland

fourth point - most women in abusive situations ARE calm as fuck...in fact, most don't even think they ARE being abused...most live with the abuse as if it were commonplace...most live with it because they've got no choice...or most believe in their own minds that they HAVE made their decision...the decision to withstand the abuse and mistreatment...sad really.

fifth point - it does not surprise me that the caller was calm as fuck...after all - if you're calling the cops to want to diffuse a potential threatening situation, would you be speaking in a tone which would be distressed, or bothered, or agitated?? of course you wouldn't...you'd be calm..you'd be controlled...you'd be composed....last thing you want to do is act excited or worked up...you'll either agitate your attacker or you'll lose credibility with the mediator involved




ultimately - there's no place for violence and there's certainly no place for that sort of stuff against women..."time to die" is so, so stupid...i question this kids decision making process...i mean - it's not the kind of thing that was just spontaneously brought about...not something reactionary in nature....HAVE SOME FUCKING PRIDE IN YOURSELF YOUNG MAN...woman is denying you a booty call, move on...it's because you suck in the sack...find someone else who finds value in your ineptness...seriously - is there no other GATOR DATER available? better yet - can't you find someone decent? is your ego that huge that you'll not know when to extricate yourself from a potentially harmful P.R. disaster?? At least the pot smokers have the 'luxury' of impaired decision making process ya know....wait a minute "i tell people i'm going to kill them all the time...i don't really mean it"...REALLY? let's hope he musters up all the lil pride he has left so as not to use that lame-o excuse.

and i've met the anderson sisters...they're total vaginas...josh knows what i'm talking about...we turned the table on them one night when they came out with the whole "you know who i am" bullcrap...and we're not DIV I football studs...we knew better than to chase that tail.




rainey gets everything he deserves and should embrace this sort of speed bump on the road as a blessing in disguise...let this serve as a wakeup call to him that violence against women can not and should not be tolerated...let him learn this valuable lesson...the gator nation is not doing this young man any favors by siding with him...he did not get jobbed...he was not a victim...he was not wronged...he should be thankful he was made an example of because his experience might save another player from getting kicked off the team or better yet, save another player/student/human being from getting arrested...OR, and more importantly, he should look at his experience as being one that has helped aid battered women all across the campus/region...him getting kicked off the team has brought to light that violence against women is intolerable and should not be thought of as overblown...thinking otherwise is caveman-like

So Rad, are you saying that you either have to be a winning program OR you have to get good quality guys that may not win, but will all graduate? There is no way to do both? I sort of agree with you if that is the case you are making.

It's a fine line these AD's are walking I guess. If they have winning seasons every year, they make money...they make money for the school which includes the academic programs. If the team doesn't win, they don't make as much money. They may have a better academic image in the nation but that doesn't help when you need to make money to pay the best teachers and have the best programs.

I dunno...I'm not all that knowledgable about the "business" of running a university, but it seems like that aspect comes in to play at some point. I don't know how one would balance the pros and cons of each.

Rad, what do you think from a business perspective for the university is the best route to go, knowing that you cannot be totally sure of any kid. What risks would you be willing to take to have the program that will make the most for your school.

I really don't know and I'm just honestly asking those of you have much more business savvy than I do.

i really don't know either...i just try and relate on a way i know how.

we're hiring right now...we're one of a few firms who are right now...so we've got the pick of the litter...sort of like how UF was getting the pick of the litter as it relates to the 5 star athletes in the southeast....the street knows we're hiring and we're getting interest no only from those who've been out of work for a while now but we're getting inquiry from guys at top shops looking to move because they feel that they're not being compensated properly for their services.

anyways - we get all sorts to interview....some are more experienced than others...some have more of a proven track record in terms of profitability...some come with great references...some interview real well...point is - we will ultimately go with whomever fits our organization the best in terms of workability, reliability, and conducts himself with integrity and has good work ethic....we had guys come in who are proven money-makers but we passed because they were dodgy in terms of their intentions here...we had guys come with great references and sponsorship but we passed because they seemed unreliable....we had guys come in who were experienced and knew EVERYONE personally on the street and we passed...we passed because he didn't look like he could mesh with our group....now we can go with all those people i'd mentioned that we passed on and we would've made a TON of money but we chose not to...we chose to forgo the allure of being a million times more profitable as a unit in favor of maintaining our good name in the marketplace and disassociate ourselves with the unsavorys...goldman will hire these guys when the time is right...so will bank of america...so will royal bank of canada...those firms are way more profitable and have way more the amount of market share than we do....they've decided long ago that they will hire guys PURELY on what they provide to the bottom-line...at all costs...but us, we like our business model and are proud to punch above or weight with integrity, honor and good moral character...we believe we can pick and choose our battles with the big boys and compete...but we believe we can do it with dignity and not under-handedly...call us stupid but we believe reputational risk is worth more to lose than dollars and cents.

long-windedly, what i'm saying is we can dominate or compete in more arenas than we're currently competing in at current but it will come at the expense of things we hold dear to our hearts...as it relates to UF, what are the facts? the facts are, the players that represent the university are getting in trouble moreso than kids were in years past...we agree. the facts are, coach meyer is a father figure to his players and is a disciplinarian...we know this to be fact because tebow has says so....the facts are, F$U and ThugU and UGA and UTenn are deteriorating programs...we agree. the facts are, we are in the catbird seat in that we have first pick of all the talent as a result of our competition falling by the wayside...maybe we agree but we know that recruiting class ratings indicate we are dominating the region.

QUESTION - as a result of the competing schools degenerating, is UF compromising on their beliefs to make way for championships? only coach meyer can know for sure. as a non-insider who couldn't possibly know, all i see is that we're getting in way more trouble than we have in the past and we're getting the creme of the crop talent in the region....meyer is a disciplinarian and don't take shit...what then is there left to say?

sidebar - as for the money aspect and needing it to pay for teachers and facilities and what not...i concede that that might be the case but UF has a strong, supportive alumni...i'm lead to believe that pockets are deep and plentiful...i'm sure the university can come up with funds to help pay for the best education in the state...i'm sure they wouldn't have to rely on the athletics alone at all....but good point though nonetheless.

I don't think Urban is taking guys that have questionable backgrounds to win, considering you haven't heard about these guys having issues when they were in HS. I do believe Urban when he says he is tired of this and, whether you believe he deserves it or not, Chris is about to become made an example of.

i know there are some here who are more knowledgeable on the whole noel devine process as it related to us.

did we even offer?

^^^I don't think he qualified with his grades for UF.

Regarding UF being as strong academically without the athletic program? I don't think there is any way that they would be at the level they are without a winning football program. All you have to do is look at the other state schools to see the difference. The strongest schools that have the best acadmics are the ones with big athletic programs (at least here in Florida...maybe not in Ivy Leagues). Yes, they have a large and strong alumni but MANY of them only give so it gets them better seats for the games, or what not.

That's my opinion, but I dunno for sure.

ultimately - there's no place for violence and there's certainly no place for that sort of stuff against women..."time to die" is so, so stupid...i question this kids decision making process...i mean - it's not the kind of thing that was just spontaneously brought about...not something reactionary in nature....HAVE SOME FUCKING PRIDE IN YOURSELF YOUNG MAN...woman is denying you a booty call, move on...it's because you suck in the sack...find someone else who finds value in your ineptness...seriously - is there no other GATOR DATER available? better yet - can't you find someone decent? is your ego that huge that you'll not know when to extricate yourself from a potentially harmful P.R. disaster?? At least the pot smokers have the 'luxury' of impaired decision making process ya know....wait a minute "i tell people i'm going to kill them all the time...i don't really mean it"...REALLY? let's hope he musters up all the lil pride he has left so as not to use that lame-o excuse.

and i've met the anderson sisters...they're total vaginas...josh knows what i'm talking about...we turned the table on them one night when they came out with the whole "you know who i am" bullcrap...and we're not DIV I football studs...we knew better than to chase that tail.




rainey gets everything he deserves and should embrace this sort of speed bump on the road as a blessing in disguise...let this serve as a wakeup call to him that violence against women can not and should not be tolerated...let him learn this valuable lesson...the gator nation is not doing this young man any favors by siding with him...he did not get jobbed...he was not a victim...he was not wronged...he should be thankful he was made an example of because his experience might save another player from getting kicked off the team or better yet, save another player/student/human being from getting arrested...OR, and more importantly, he should look at his experience as being one that has helped aid battered women all across the campus/region...him getting kicked off the team has brought to light that violence against women is intolerable and should not be thought of as overblown...thinking otherwise is caveman-like

Knowing Rainey's background, I'm willing to give him a second chance to see if he can learn from his mistake and grow up a bit more. You can't expect a kid who grew up without either of his parents to have the same level of decision-making skill as kids from an actual family.

Knowing that Rainey grew up the way he did, do you think we shouldn't give kids like that a shot? Rainey's never been in trouble before so far as I know. We've always known he runs his mouth. But he's never been a trouble maker.

I'd rather our program continue to give opportunities to kids who came up hard but have potential and aren't complete thugs.

I don't care how he grew up, but I'd be willing to give him a second chance if he shows a little maturity.

The charge has predictably been dropped to a misdemeanor stalking charge. Deferred prosecution with 6 months probation, a small fine/contribution to some women's abuse center, 10 hours community service, counseling, and no hostile contact with the woman.

State Attorney Bill Cervone said:

“Although I believe that probable cause existed for a felony charge because the facts involve an at least arguable threat, which is within the legal definition of felony stalking, the Defendant was never in a position to have acted on that threat and there is little if anything in his actions that night or in his background to suggest that he would have done so.

“Misdemeanor stalking is legally the more appropriate charge when no imminent danger was perceived or can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, and the harassing contact, not done in person, occurred in a short, compressed time period. The Victim has in fact essentially stated that she was more annoyed than threatened, and that she did not want an arrest or prosecution, only the resolution of an immediate problem.” […]

“As a result, the case is being re-cast as a misdemeanor stalking offense, which as a matter of law more closely reflects the facts involved. Since the Defendant has no prior criminal history other than an unrelated drivers license charge that was resolved with no conviction, he will be treated as any first offender would in similar circumstances and offered a deferral agreement. The terms of that agreement have been crafted to address the concerns of my office and, if complied with, will allow the Defendant and everyone else involved to move on.”

Read more: http://www.onlygators.com/09/27/2010/wr-rainey-agrees-to-deferral-to-misdemeanor/#ixzz10lMzMc4U
ONLY GATORS Get Out Alive

^^ Not surprising. Rainey should've used better judgment, but I'd hate to see his life ruined over something so stupid.