The Kentucky Wildcats ensured their second victory of the season by overshadowing Eastern Kentucky on Saturday, and Ray Davis was a standout in this 11-point win. The Kentucky transfer running back has already garnered heavy praise from fans and analysts alike in his short tenure with the team.
Except for coming to the limelight due to his game-changing performance in the fourth quarter that gave Kentucky a 28-17 lead, the young star became a subject of hot discussion following an announcer’s weird choice of words about the star during the match.
SEC announcer’s remarks on Ray Davis
During Saturday’s Kentucky-Eastern Kentucky game, Ray Davis moonlighted as a hero by scoring a 24-yard receiving touchdown. With him being in the main focus of all cameras, SECN play-by-play commentator Peter Sousa began overviewing the senior transfer from Vanderbilt’s stats. However, the commentator became subject to a series of backlash after referencing the difficult upbringing of the player.
“Nine months ago, when he jumped in the portal, everybody wanted him. Eleven years ago, as a foster kid, really nobody wanted him. And, now, here he is. Found some love, found football, and he has had an amazing journey.”
Social media platforms were ablaze with criticism aimed at Sousa for not being considerate in his choice of words. The personal struggles of a player are a completely irrelevant topic while discussing his on-field performance, and many fans even demanded some sort of apology from the commentator following the incident.
The tailback himself had previously discussed his heart-melting journey from foster care to Kentucky. His Kentucky player bio also highlights the fact stating, “One thing most people don’t know about him is that he grew up in the foster care system. The highlight of his life so far (has) been being a light for children in foster care.”
Hence, some fans also argued that Sousa didn’t make a blunder by mentioning those stories.
Ray Davis’s difficult childhood
Unlike most other athletes, Ray Davis was not blessed with a happy and stable childhood. He spent his childhood in the Hayes Valley area of San Francisco, and his parents used to get embroiled in legal battles every now and then. At eight years old, the footballer was sent to the foster care system, and he had to spend two months in a local homeless shelter at 12.
The fifth-year senior ball carrier, being a sensible big brother, decided to split with his family to ensure fewer hardships for his younger siblings. He had to spend nearly two months in a basement underneath a hospital before getting adopted by one of his youth basketball teammate’s family. The young star got a new life after that, and till now, he regards them as his legal guardians.
Ray Davis headed to his college football career by playing at Temple University for two years and later spent two years at Vanderbilt. He rushed 232 times for 1,042 yards in 2022 while at Vanderbilt before entering the transfer portal during this offseason.
What’s your take on the encouraging story of the tailback? You can share your opinions in the comment section.
