Ron Kantowski updates us on former UNLV basketball star Bobby Florence, whose own success in school is celebrated in song for others

Thursday, Feb. 16, 2006 | 12:33 p.m.

By now you've probably heard all the stories about all those old Rebels who didn't go to class, didn't graduate, didn't play by the rules, didn't call their moms on Mother's Day and didn't turn out to be productive members of society.

But for every one of those guys - or at least for every two or three of those guys - there is a Bobby Florence, whose story you may not know.

Florence was one of the stars of Jerry Tarkanian's very first UNLV team in 1973-74. Tark had inherited him from predecessor John Bayer, but knew enough to keep him in the lineup.

Tark's first UNLV recruiting class featured stalwarts such as Ricky Sobers, Eddie Owens, Glen Gondrezick, Jackie Robinson and Lewis Brown, players who would literally run the Rebels into college basketball prominence. But it was Florence, a 6-foot-4 native of Des Moines, Iowa, who led them in scoring with an 18.1 average.

The year before, Florence had averaged 24.6 points to finish among the top 15 in the nation. He tallied double digits in every game, dropping 44 points on Guy Lewis and the Houston Cougars and 43 on St. Mary's.

He also got his degree at a time when going to class was more optional than shooting free throws after practice.

"I came (to UNLV) with the attitude that I was going to go to class and do the work," said Florence, who has a good job dealing blackjack at the Palms and has used his education as an insurance policy.

"A good majority of my teammates were not very good students."

But Florence said you don't have to be a good student - just a committed one - to succeed. That's the message he wants to spread, using a novel approach he has tried before to stress the importance of staying in school.

He uses words that rhyme. With a funky, hip-hop beat.

In 1987 Florence wrote a rap song called "Stayin' in School," that, in addition to that message, also touches on seminal issues such as saying "no" to drugs, getting along with others, respecting your elders, eating well, getting a good night's sleep and even how to use the library.

When you go to the library, just don't look

Do yourself a favor, check out a book.

Now if you're looking around, and you're starting to guess

Ask the librarian at the ref-e-rence desk.

The lyrics and message smack of one of those old "Sesame Street" ditties or a Cosby Kids song, but the beat and cadence are remindful of "The Super Bowl Shuffle." That's probably not too surprising, given Florence wrote it two years after the Bears destroyed the Patriots in Super Bowl XX.

Florence released the song on a cassette, and it received an endorsement from the Clark County School District. He began making the rounds at classrooms and school assemblies and soon had students of all ages clapping to the beat of "Stayin' in School."

He even became a featured spokesmen for the San Diego Padres' Student Pennant Race Program. Florence often would be joined on stage by The Famous Chicken, who would break dance to the music.

A youthful-looking 54, Florence said his musical interests are more geared toward Sly and the Family Stone and the Stylistics than Jay-Z and 50 Cent. Based on how little he charged for the cassettes, he could have been called 49 Cent - after production costs, that's about all the profit he made.

But it was never about the money. It was about getting the message out. And given that graduation rates are still low and dropout rates are still high, he's wondering if it's not time to update the song. Or at least re-release it on CD.

Florence performed "Stayin' in School" at halftime of a recent UNLV game and said he's still available for classroom, assembly or study-hall gigs.

"I've always tried to keep in touch with the kids, but every year it seems to be the same thing all over again, with kids not being able to read and write," Florence said. "I was reading the other day where Nevada is still No. 2 in the national dropout rate.

"What I am trying to do is reach kids, especially at-risk kids, and this rap format is something they understand."

Whereas many old Rebels get a bad rap, it's good to know there is at least one old Rebel trying to make a difference with a good rap.

Ron Kantowski can be reached at 259-4088 or at ron@lasvegassun.com.