The Charlotte Observer
October 23, 1975
By Pat Borden

HORNETS WIVES DISAPPOINTED, SHOCKED

Dressing Room Left In Disarray After Hornets Players Get News ...practice facility is at Purcell's Football Camp

Wednesday afternoon, Missy Rhino was taking advantage of an Indian summer day bye cleaning out her car. When she started the car, the radio came alive - to announce the end of the World Football League. And the end of a job with the Charlotte Hornets for Randy Rhino, Missy's husband of 10 months.

"I didn't know what to think at first," she said later that afternoon. "I decided to wait till I had a chance to talk to Randy."

Most of the shock, by the time, had been absorbed by the Rhinos, Randy, a 21-year-old athlete who grew up in Charlotte, was answering the telephone by saying, "Unemployment office."

"We're mentally upset," said Mrs. Rhino, who is 23. "It's a disappointment for anybody but we're young and we'll get over it, I'm sure. We don't have any children and we can move."

The demise of the WFL won't greatly affect the Rhinos, who plan to stay here if Randy can find a job for two months. Then they plan to move in Atlanta, where he hopes to finish a remaining quarter at George Tech, where he was an All-American defensive back.

"We're on our way over to the Hearns' (Drew Hearn, an alumnus of Georgia Tech and longtime Rhino friend)," Randy said. "They called and said it looked like we could use a free meal."

Janet Reynolds, the 24-year-old wife of Robby, was shaken. "To make a long story short," she said, "we're staying here."

But first, the Reynolds are going to take a short vacation, just a couple days, she said, to try to get themselves together.

"It was as a shock to the other wives we talked to," Mrs. Reynolds said. "I guess it was a disappointment, really. The pay wasn't all that great - but it will be a check that won't be coming in the each week."

The Reynolds, both Shelby natives, have a 15-month-old daughter, Kimberly. They won't need to move, actually, because Robby just finished moving his business - General Business Services - here from Raleigh. "He has the franchise here for it, and it's pretty well established. He's been working all along, just going to practice every day."

Missy, Randy Rhino Ponder Future After WFL Folds. Randy plans to return to college at George Tech.

After learning the news, Martha Huff, 25, took her frustration out on the racquetball court at Raintree Country Club while Marty headed to the golf course.

"What are we going to do?" she echoed, reached at the club late Wednesday afternoon. "That's what I've been sitting here, trying to figure out. All it is is just feeling of uncertainty."

The Huffs, who are renting a house in Raintree, had waited until July to get their furniture out of storage and move it here from Ohio, Marty's home state.

"We waited until we thought we'd he here for good," Mrs. Huff said, "Now it looks like we'll be packing it up again."

Mrs. Huff said she felt confident that her husband would be hired by some NFL, team, but regardless, a move to another part of the country is in the offing for them once again.

"It's hard on me," she said, "because Marty will probably take off to wherever he's hired and I'll probably end up staying here. We have three kids; they're 5, 2 and 7 months. And I'll have to pack up the whole house by myself, with the kids."

But, she added, she's been through all this before. "People ask me how I stand it. But I knew when I married Marty that this is how it would be. So I just roll with the punches."

They have a little money in the bank, Mrs. Huff said. "But if we did move, we'd probably have to pay for it ourselves, and that will be a little rough."

Perhaps the worst part for them, above and beyond the shock of suddenly begin jobless and have to face another move, is the parting with good friends made during the struggles of the World Football League, closer possibly because of the numerous ups and downs.

"It's been a long haul for everybody, she said. "We've made some real good friends on the team. And it's hard to say goodbye."