BURNEY EAGER FOR 2ND CHANCE.Byline: GERRY GITTELSON Community Sports VALENCIA - As a prep, Danny Burney never had problems running away from linebackers and defensive backs as he developed into one of California's elite football prospects at Sylmar High two years ago. Now, Burney is running from the black cloud hanging over his head. Perhaps that's more difficult than scoring touchdowns. Convicted of felony felony (fĕl`ənē), any grave crime, in contrast to a misdemeanor, that is so declared in statute or was so considered in common law. gun possession late in his junior year, Burney hasn't touched a ball since 2001. He's hoping to make a comeback at College of the Canyons College of the Canyons is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the state. According to the National Junior College Research Association, College of the Canyons consistently ranks in the top 50 community colleges in the nation. this year, and he swears he's turned his life around and hasn't lost faith in his football skills. ``It's been hell. It's really been hard for me ... and my family was so hurt,'' Burney said. ``But I do have faith, and faith is the strongest thing you can have. I love playing football.'' Burney said no one in his family had ever been in trouble before. He got the gun, he said, for protection because his life had been threatened by gang members. ``I didn't tell anyone. I got the gun, and that was my downfall,'' he said. After rushing for more than 1,700 yards and scoring 24 touchdowns as a junior, Burney said he was being recruited by USC An abbreviation for U.S. Code. , Washington and Oregon. ``These were big universities,'' he said. He spent a month behind bars, then temporarily transferred to Palmdale High because he was expelled from the Los Angeles Unified School District The Los Angeles Unified School District (the "LAUSD") is the largest (in terms of number of students) public school system in California and the second-largest in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population. . He practiced with the team last summer. But after learning he wouldn't be eligible to play in the fall, Burney left school and enrolled in night classes. Now he's hoping to earn a starting spot at cornerback cor·ner·back also corner back n. Football Either of two defensive halfbacks stationed a short distance behind the linebackers and relatively near the sidelines. Noun 1. for College of the Canyons, which finished No. 2 in California last year. He said the felony has been reduced to a misdemeanor misdemeanor, in law, a minor crime, in contrast to a felony. At common law a misdemeanor was a crime other than treason or a felony. Although it might be a grave offense, it did not affect the feudal bond or take away the offender's property. By the 19th cent. , an important hurdle HURDLE, Eng. law. A species of sledge, used to draw traitors to execution. for athletes hoping for major-college scholarships. College of the Canyons coach Chuck Lyon has been involved with JC football for 20 years, so he's seen a lot of second-chancers. He's hoping Burney will be one of the success stories. ``I've had a quite a few talks with his father and with Danny about getting his life back on track - how he presents himself, how he carries himself - and he's responding really well,'' Lyon said. ``I'm pleased with the way he's come along. I have no doubt he's one of the fastest players on our team, and he's definitely going to play for us this year. ``But more important, I'm hoping I've found a guy who I can maybe make a difference in his life. It's a challenge, it's never full-proof, but it's what I do.'' College of the Canyons teammate Ramon Perry can relate. He said he had problems with gang members at nearby San Fernando San Fernando, city, Argentina San Fernando (săn fərnăn`dō), city (1991 pop. 144,761), Buenos Aires prov., E Argentina. It is a district administrative center in the Greater Buenos Aires area. High and eventually was suspended sus·pend v. sus·pend·ed, sus·pend·ing, sus·pends v.tr. 1. To bar for a period from a privilege, office, or position, usually as a punishment: suspend a student from school. for fighting. The suspension cost him a chance to win a second consecutive City Section wrestling title and qualify once more for the CIF (1) (Common Intermediate Format) A standard video format used in videoconferencing. CIF formats are defined by their resolution, and standards both above and below the original resolution have been established. The original CIF is also known as Full CIF (FCIF). State Championships in Stockton. ``The key is to just stay focused on football and not be on the streets,'' Perry said. ``I had to pull myself up from the bottom, and now I'm doing well. Danny can make it. He is a good person, and he's going to be a good football player.'' Burney wants to be a good person, too. ``I missed out on a lot. I don't want to be in trouble again,'' he said. ``I want to go to school, get my AA degree. What happened to me was so unexpected, and it shocked everybody. Maybe it would have been easy to just give up, but I'm not going to give up. I'm going to stay around.'' |
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