“Randy Moss, Rand University.”
During player introductions for the Sunday Night Football game between the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions, the 35-year-old wideout said he graduated from “Rand University.”
As expected, Twitter exploded. “Randy University” wastrending. There were one too many “pay tuition at Randy University with straight cash homie” jokes. Even his Wikipedia page was updated.
Rand University, it turns out, refers to a 7-Eleven in Moss’ hometown of Rand, West Virginia.
In a story from The Boston Globe, members of the Rand community explain the meaning:
“Growing up in a low-income area, the one thing we had was a 7-Eleven,” explained Moss’ business manager and one of his closest friends, Donnie “Blue” Jones. “We’ve had all-state athletes here, but because of the environment in which they grew up, people in the community would say, ‘It doesn’t matter. He isn’t going anywhere but Rand University.’
“I was an all-state football player, but when they said that to me, what they meant was that when I was done with high school, I’d be standing at the 7-Eleven drinking a cold beer. That’s the university. I graduated from there.”
School colors: Green, orange, and white.
“When Randy pays homage to that,” Jones explained, “he’s basically saying, ‘I still have my eye on y’all.”‘
Moss, who entered the NFL in 1998, is playing with his fifth team. He is already making his mark with the 49ers, having reeled in a touchdown pass during the season opener.
While he’s known for some of his off-field antics, he hasn’t lost sight of his upbringing.
“I might be accustomed to big-city living, but I’ve always been a country boy,” Moss said of his roots. “Being from here, it helps me stay grounded, because there weren’t many things to look forward to, not many people to look up to. That’s why I feel lucky and very, very blessed to be successful, and why I’ll never get carried away with that success.”
WRITTEN BY Tim McGarry, USA TODAY & FULL STORY HERE
