In the words of Andre 3000 from Outkast: “glitter, glisten, floss, floss I catch a beat running like like Randy Moss.”
On the evening of Veterans Day, ESPN will premiere “Rand University,” directed by Marquis Daisy and narrated by Michael Kenneth Williams (The Wire). It explores the development of Randy Moss from literally out of nowhere.
Rand, West Virginia is about as nowhere as it gets and when you watch the first half of this ESPN 30 for 30, you’ll absorb that message.
Randy Moss has long been known for his transcendent excellence on the football field, and all of his legal issues off of it. And by going back to where he came from – Rand, West Virginia (premieres on Tuesday, November 11, at 8 p.m. ET) the movie explores what almost kept Moss from even having a career to begin with.
After dealing with legal issues, getting opportunities to play at Notre Dame and Florida State and revoked, Moss had a legendary career at Marshall University. All the complexities of Moss were manifested on 1998 NFL Draft day. Twenty picks were made before the Minnesota Vikings selected him in the first round.
Based on what unfolded throughout his NFL career (remember the NFL receiving records that he set in 2007 with New England?), the teams that passed on him certainly have to think twice (or thrice) about it. “Rand University” (when you watch the movie, you’ll learn the powerful and poignant meaning behind that metaphor. It’s a bit depressing actually) will take viewers into Moss’s often turbulent past and showcase all the nuances of the former NFL star who now works as an analyst for Fox Sports.
Wen you watch this you’ll see Randy Moss as a more of a sympathetic figure. Marijuana offenses? Hey, it’s legal in three states now!
The fight in high school that landed him in jail? It was sparked by bigotry. From watching this film, you’ll see that Randy Moss is not good or evil, but all sorts of complicated.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and very often writes The Sports Bank.net ,which is partners with Fox Sports. Read his features stories in the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. Listen to him on 1620 The Zone. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks). His work has been featured in hundreds of media outlets including The Washington Post and ESPN 2