I remember the good ole days! When anytime the University of Miami was playing, I couldn’t wait to get home and see it. No matter what I was doing, I’d drop everything and run to the television. I could tell you who they were playing and what time. I could even name pretty much the starting line-up and some other string. I’d even watch the draft and see what round our players were going in. The 2002 NFL Draft was so memorable to me! I watched Bryant McKinnie, Jeremy Shockey, Phillip Buchanon, Ed Reed, and Mike Rumph all go in the 1st round. When the first few rounds were done, I still waited around for Clinton Portis, Martin Bibla, Najeh Davenport, and others to get picked up. I just knew that my team would be strongly represented. Times have sure changed.
The days of the Miami Dynasty feels so long ago. Yes, it was plagued with stigmas (i.e. "Thug U") and a lot of negative connotations dealing with the off-campus activities of some athletes. I mean, the first thing said to me when I told relatives that I was coming here was, “Stay away from those football players! They’re bad news.” Through it all, when it was game time, those boys showed up. I mean, we have 5 Championship rings to show for it. Now, I’m just praying to see one before I leave.
The University athletes have kept up with their illicit activities (i.e. The FIU Brawl, 7th Floor Crew, and the W. Cooper and B. Merriweather related shooting). I'm not one to bring it up to smash down our school or anything, but we’re not doing anything else. At least back then, they had something else to take the attention off of all the negatives, like victories. Coker leaving wasn’t big enough, it was bound to happen. I mean how long could he have hid behind the fact that he used another coach’s team to advance his career? Being here for going on three years, I’ve seen a horrible Peach Bowl, up-close and personal. Also, the worst game in U.M. history at the worst time possible. How am I suppose to be saying goodbye when the score is so devastating, and all I see is fans leaving during the 3rd quarter. Last but not least, the 1st losing record in over 20 years. I had faith the whole Boston College game, but I wonder if they did. When I see facial expressions telling me that the game was over, before the game was actually over, AGAIN, how am I supposed to be excited?
Don’t get me wrong, I will FOREVER be a Canes fan. I root for us, win or lose. When the odds are set against us, I’m rallying everyone to watch the games with me. But if the players don’t care, why should we? After I loss a game, I didn’t go out and club hop. I didn’t chill out in front of the dorms and try to talk to anyone who passed by. And I sure did care if we lost! Nowadays, the focus is individual. I hear the players say, it doesn’t matter, I’ll go to the league anyway. Which some are clearly delusional on that issue, but I shall not digress. It's starting to make me feel like I’m dragging myself to watch and support. It shouldn't be this way at all.
If Randy Shannon wants people to take that long ride on buses to get to and fro’ our new stadium, then he needs to recruit players with heart and make them learn the value of being a team. Because I’m tired of people quitting before it’s over and quarterbacks showing favoritism and ignoring those who are wide open. I know Randy is doing the best he can do with the cards that he was dealt, but I really can't wait until the team is made up of predominately his recruits. Randy has already received promises from a few boys that play for Miami Northwestern, which is the #1 high school team right now. He has an eye for the boys who truly love the game, and the boys want to play for him. It's a lot of the upperclassmen that need to leave. If even the recruits who came for a visit feel that our team is lacking heart, that shows that a change needs to occur.
By the way, this doesn’t go for the whole entire team. There are those that you can tell are fighting. It’s for those who are obviously not.
2 comments:
I couldn't agree more. We have a team that seemed to lose interest in the season as it progressed and the performance got worse. However, Shannon is doing a very good job recruiting and is bringing players from Northwestern that grew watching the U of old. The teams that had swagger and players that played 110% till the last second. These kids cannot wait to be apart of the tradition and be apart of the legacy not just a D-I football program. They understand the prestige behind the school logo and have called out players on the team now for not caring. I hope they can bring some passion back to the locker room.
Bring back the mentality of what "The U" really stands for. I compare the recent lack of intensity and integrity to the Canes Football program to the difference in the way "The USA" is perceived around the world compared to the 1970's and 80's. There was a day when a U.S. Citizen holding a U.S. passport could go anywhere in the world knowing the safety that their country supplies would follow them worldwide. If a US citizen was taken hostage or injured or taken advantage of in those days it was not tolerated. Whether it was as secret as the CIA or as evident in major wars we would not be pushed around.
The same goes for "The U" the pride, integrity, heart, and the desire of what was then great Miami Football teams and National Champions has also faded with the new millennium. The question should no longer be why for it has now been too long to ask why but yet now how can this country and this "U" returns to the glory days. As for this country we can only wait and see, as for this "U" waiting is over and Randy Shannon you are the new Commander and Chief, one year now under your belt you have only proved that things usually get a lot worse before they get better! As a Graduating senior I look forward to the days of reminiscing about the games won in the trenches of the Orange Bowl but now I await the day I reminisce about how "The U" battle years of various trials and tribulations to once again under the tutelage of a great defensive coordinator turned soon (hopefully) to be an historic coach, Coach Randy Shannon, "Commander and Chief" of "The U" of M Hurricanes"!
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