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Happy 60th birthday to former University of Oklahoma running back and receiver George “Buster” Rhymes. Rhymes is pictured below in action during Oklahoma’s 18-17 victory over Florida State in the 1981 Orange Bowl. A 1980 graduate of Miami Northwestern High School, Rhymes was one of the most gifted athletes to come out of Miami-Dade County. Rhymes was a local legend. Former Miami News sportswriter Leo Suarez gave him the nickname “Buster The Man with the Luster.” The 6’3, 200 pound Rhymes was a long-striding, graceful runner who often seemed to glide effortlessly past tacklers. He excelled at every sport he played. He was a Prep All American in football, leading Dade County with 19 touchdowns as a senior. Rhymes also led Dade County in scoring as a basketball player, averaging nearly 29 points per game and he was a standout in track. But it was his football talents that had every college program in the country seeking his services.
Rhymes chose the University of Oklahoma for two reasons. He wanted to leave Miami due to the racial riots at the time and his favorite player at the time was former Sooner running back and Miami Central High grad Elvis Peacock. It didn’t take long for Rhymes to make an impact. He set a then Oklahoma freshman rushing record and returned home to help the Sooners beat Florida State in the 1981 Orange Bowl. But the remainder of Rhymes college career was filled with flashes of brilliance and underachievement. He was suspended his entire junior year with disciplinary issues. Rhymes was then moved from running back to receiver to make room for then prized recruit Marcus Dupree. He finished his college career in a loss to the University of Washington in the 1985 Orange Bowl.
Rhymes went on to play 2 seasons in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings. His biggest claim to fame is his nickname “Buster”. Chuck D. of the rap group Public Enemy once saw Rhymes playing football on TV. He gave his friend and aspiring rapper Trevor Smith the name Busta Rhymes, who later became a huge hip hop star in the 1990s.
