This season was looked upon with much anticipation and giddy optimism. Canes fans far and wide were like children on Christmas Eve. We couldn’t sleep a wink, with visions of sugar plums, ACC titles and national championships dancing in our heads.
Half way into the season most of us are more confused than ever. "Hey, is this the same bike I got two years ago, painted a different color? It used to say Schwinn now there is no name on it. This doesn’t really look like the one you were pointing to in the toy store window, now does it Randy?"
It turns out this whole football business relies on your windows. Windows are marvelous devices. Windows let light and warmth in, while keeping rain and cold and bugs out. You can even peek out your window to see who is standing on your doorstep. Windows help keep you safe and dry.
In the late eighties windows took a gigantic leap from mere hardware to Fortune 500 status. Some nerd sitting in his cubicle tossing pencils up into the ceiling tiles coined the catch phrase of the century: "Window of opportunity!" Suddenly your investments, your business, your retirement, your whole life, depended on how you handled your window of opportunity.
The Canes window of opportunity seems to have shrunk from storefront to porthole in a matter of weeks. Losses by the Canes on the road to UNC and at home to Georgia Tech have closed some windows thought to still be open even after the early loss at Oklahoma and the big win over Texas A&M at the Orange Bowl. So let's look at or even through some familiar windows and see what we see.
The Canes QB wearing #3 can literally see the curtain closing on his particular window of opportunity.
The Canes vaunted defense? They certainly appeared to have plenty of potential and opportunity, but they let it run or pass right by them and right out their window of opportunity.
The Canes runnning back wearing #2, now that guy jumps through his window every chance he gets!
Special Teams? It seems their window is fogged over, broken and stuck in the closed postion.
The offensive and defensive coordinators are still looking for their first big windows of opportunity.
Heck, even the head coach appears to be in search of a clear sunny day to peak through his window.
Yes, windows of opportunity can be enormous. Winning your conference games leads to a championship sized opportunity. Yet, the time frame from when the window opens until it bangs shut can be milliseconds. The receiver turns the split second the ball arrives and catches the winning touchdown or turns a step late and drops his chance at glory.
In the old days opportunity was more polite. Opportunity would knock at your door. But opportunity was fickle it would only knock once. With today’s more user friendly window of opportunity, you can see what is coming.
The only question that remains is when will the Canes stop standing around with their window closed, and when will they crank it wide open and bask in the sunlight and feel the breeze of opportunity blowing by once again?
Written by solarcane for Canespace (Copyright 2007).
1st?!?!?!?!
Posted by: YoungChris757 | October 16, 2007 at 06:32 PM
YES, YOUNG CHRIS, YES...
Posted by: SOUP | October 16, 2007 at 06:33 PM
nice work, solar
Posted by: eastlansingcane | October 16, 2007 at 06:36 PM
Solarcane wrote this article for Canespace, I only added the pics.
Nice work 757 by preventing him from being first (again)! Of course I never told him I would post it tonight so we caught him off guard...
Posted by: SOUP | October 16, 2007 at 06:36 PM
i dont think the window was ever open this year...i just think randy cleaned it up enough for it to appear open....ill admit i was fooled pretty good....thats not a knock on Randy though i still think he is the only one capable of righting this ship
Posted by: eastlansingcane | October 16, 2007 at 06:44 PM
All i can say is, alot of people had patience while watching the incompetent one bring us down, if you did that, than you have to have patience now, especially seeing that the program is on it's way back up.
damien berry is coming up the right way to greatness, a special teams monster first, next step, secondary playing time, he'll come up and hit you. With guys like damien berry, jojo nicholas, jared campbell, it's going to get back to the days of when guys were competiting to see who could get the biggest hit every game.
Posted by: Calvin | October 16, 2007 at 06:53 PM
Can someone answer this: how is a wound still fresh and subject to reopening 4 months after surgery?
Posted by: TICAL | October 16, 2007 at 06:53 PM
Go vote on ESPN.com, on the college football homepage, for UM as the team most likely to return to the top!
As of now, Tennessee is leading in the polls with FSU nipping at our butts
Posted by: TICAL | October 16, 2007 at 06:54 PM
depends where the wound is...how big it is... and how careful you are being with it
Posted by: eastlansingcane | October 16, 2007 at 07:01 PM
( I feel like im plugging espn) Right now they're running a story on Northwestern's sex-scandal with Easterling last season
Posted by: TICAL | October 16, 2007 at 07:01 PM
Imagine his life if they actually won a playoff series...
http://www.nypost.com/seven/10162007/gossip/pagesix/pagesix.htm
Posted by: pb | October 16, 2007 at 07:02 PM
GAME 8
MIAMI HURRICANES
at FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES
When: Saturday, October 20, 2007, at 3:30 p.m. ET
Where: Doak Campbell Stadium (natural grass, 82,300) in Tallahassee, Fla.
TV: The game will be televised regionally on ABC, with Terry Gannon (play by play), David Norrie (analyst) and Jeannine Edwards (field reporter).
Tape Delay Telecast: On CSS at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 23, with announcers Jason Solodkin and K.C. Jones.
Local Radio: The Hurricanes Radio Network (WQAM 560 AM) will carry the game live with Joe Zagacki (play by play), Don Bailey Jr. (analysis) and Brian London (sideline reporter).
National Radio: The game will be broadcast live on ISP Radio with Andy Demetra (play by play) and Peter Brock (analyst). It will also be on XM Radio.
Radio En Espanol: The game will broadcast in Spanish on WWWK 105.5 FM and WPIK 102.5 FM with Joe Pujala (play by play) and Joe Martinez (analysis).
Student Radio: WVUM 90.5 FM will broadcast the game live with Alex Kushel and Jay Dryburgh.
Websites: Miami (www.hurricanesports.com) and Florida State (www.seminoles.com)
THIS WEEK'S GAME
A couple of two-game streaks are on the line this weekend when the Miami Hurricanes face the Florida State Seminoles on Saturday afternoon in Tallahassee in a renewal of one of college football's fiercest rivalries.
The Hurricanes are trying to end a two-game losing streak this season, following losses to North Carolina and Georgia Tech, and they are trying to end a two-game losing streak to the Seminoles, after losses the last two seasons.
Posted by: Roscoe | October 16, 2007 at 07:11 PM
tiCal, it's simple man, whenever you have an open flesh wound with nerve damage as well, the nerves are the wires that relay messages that reconstruction needs to take place, so in simple terms, communications have been damaged a lil bit, so it will take that open wound a lil longer to heal than it would without nerve danage, as well as the blood cells going to the same area to repair nerves and wound. The good news is, being in a hot state like ours, heat generate's more healing power.
Posted by: Calvin | October 16, 2007 at 07:16 PM
Anybody watch that piece that was just on E60 on MNW?
Posted by: KLCaneFan | October 16, 2007 at 07:19 PM
yeah...not to defend easterling....but there are two sides to every story...it would have been nice to ask the players why they thought she destroyed or was trying to destroy the program...but that would have been good reporting which is hard to come by these days...
Posted by: eastlansingcane | October 16, 2007 at 07:22 PM
KL,
It was sad to hear the young lady attempted to commit suicide twice. I don't know the full story but, again that's very sad to hear.
Posted by: MWD | October 16, 2007 at 07:23 PM
Tical I voted.
UM a lot of following in the west. I guess they miss good football. We are second by votes, but first in # of states.
Posted by: PLAY THE FRESHMEN!! | October 16, 2007 at 07:24 PM
CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- Randy Shannon discusses this week’s game at FSU, how his team responded after the Georgia Tech loss, the situation at defensive tackle at Miami right now, and more.
Opening Statement
“This week we have Florida State in an inter-state rivalry game that is going to be a great atmosphere and a great time for both teams, even though the records aren’t like the past. It is always going to be a rivalry and it has always been a great game. It has only been two or three times when it was a blowout and one of the times we were at probation going up at Florida State. The other times it has been close and especially in the last couple of games there has always been a goal line stance or a field goal or it goes into overtime. It has always been something good. Both coaching staffs are excited about playing the game and it is an ACC game, so it can help us in the conference and it is a road game and we have to get better on the road. We are excited about it and we have to start the game fast. If we can do those things early in the game to keep the crowd out of it, I think we will be fine. We’ll have our little section up there of diehard Miami fans that live up in Tallahassee, so it is going to be a great time for both teams.”
* Shannon said the morale of the team on Sunday “was probably a little more hurt this week” compared to the other losses Miami has suffered this year. “They were more disappointed in themselves because of what their expectations are…They really bared down and when we came into the meetings Sunday not a sound was made. It was quiet and we showed special teams and everybody was focused and answered questions on what needed to be done on special teams. We went to the offense and defense meetings and then focused on Florida State and then went through the walkthrough.”
* Coming off a loss to Georgia Tech, it helps that the Hurricanes have to stay sharp ane focused this week for Florida State, “It always helps, but I think the disappointment in the way we played when we were up 7-0 and we had a chance defensively to stop them in the last four minutes of the game and also offensively we had some missed opportunities we should have capitalized on,” Shannon said. “I think those are the things that keeps those guys sharp and focused.”
* RB Javarris James will still be the starter this week after rushing for a negative six yards on six carries against Georgia Tech. “He is still the starter. We just have a rotation going and I mean one thing we are not going to do at the University of Miami is we are not going to let a running back carry the ball 40 times and once they leave the University of Miami they will have one or two years left (in the NFL).”
“We rotate all of those guys where they get two or three series at once. It is not a rotation where you go in one play and go out. Those guys go in and get two or three series and whichever one is doing well at the time, we keep going with him.”
* Shannon said James’ struggles have been a result of “misreads” by James and the offensive line “not doing their job. We tell him no matter what, don’t take a negative play. If the line don’t do their job, you are an athlete, you have to make somebody miss and get positive yards.”
* The FSU-Miami game still carries some national meaning according to Shannon. “It is on regional TV, so I guess it didn’t lose its luster.
* Miami-FSU is always a close game. Shannon expects this year to be no different. “It is always going to come down to those type of games. The last couple of years they have been capitalizing on the mistakes we have had. We just got to stay focused. If it comes down to a wide right or wide left, I can accept that and keep moving forward. It may come down to a two-minute drill where you have to stop somebody or you have to end the game that way.”
“It makes it an intriguing game because both teams are trying to get back on track and the standards at Florida State is very high and the coaching staff on both teams feels the same way. It will be a unique situation.”
* Shannon says he may try something new before the game to see if he can spark the team’s first road win. “Probably at the game we will do something different, because practice is practice and you can’t do anything different in practice. The tempo and the speed of the game is always going to be the same way. Maybe the way we will dress and certain things in game-day warm-ups and things like that.”
* Shannon on why his team has struggled on the road this year: “I really don’t know. That is something we have to figure out. That is a thing we have to get corrected. When I was in my first year with Jimmy as a player, we had those type of struggles going on and when I was with Butch coming off probation, we had those types of struggles. We have to fix the problem and all we need is that one and then the snowball effect and it keeps going, but we have to get that one.”
* Shannon on if the game will not be as sloppy this year because it is in the middle of the season: “A score 6-3 can be a great game it is not the quality of play. You can get a 6-3 game and it is great for the defensive side. You can get a game like Boise State and Nevada that is good for the offensive coaches. It is not the quality of play.”
* The Miami-FSU wins have always come in cycles. FSU has currently won the last two meetings between the schools. “It has always been like that. You win two or three and it back and forth. That is the unique thing about this series is that it is always going to go in streaks. Hopefully their two game streak will stop this week and we can start a new one.”
* Shannon on if this game has a big impact on recruiting: “It is kind of ironic because Florida State has got a lot of commitments also and they are on different type of kids than we are on. We are recruiting different type of kids this year, which is unique, but when it all comes down to it, we say the three schools and South Florida and Central Florida, which is the fourth and fifth school now, everybody is going to get their share of kids, but you have to get the one that will best fit you and your scheme because you can go and get the highest rated player in the nation, but if he doesn’t fit what you are doing, he won’t play”
* While at the pre-season ACC media press conferences, Shannon sat and talked with RB Antone Smith for a long time. Miami recruited Smith hard, but he ultimately chose Florida State on signing day. “When I was at the ACC conferences, I saw Antone Smith and me and him sat down and talked for about 20-30 minutes and we just talked about everything. It was good to see him that way and enjoy his company, but now it is not we are friends. We are friends, but now it is game time. I’ll see him before the game and wave at him and speak to him after the game also.”
* Shannon on the FSU defensive line: “They are doing a great job of getting four guys up front of putting pressure and stopping the run game. Their strength is their defensive line and our strength is our offensive line, so it is going to be a great challenge to come out and play. Quarterback wise, Kyle has to do a great job of getting the ball out of his hands and not taking sacks. We has done a great job of not taking sacks, but he has to make the throws that are there.”
* Shannon on Xavier Lee: “There are tremendous things that he can do. He can beat you with his arm and he has scrambling ability to make the plays happen. We have to rattle him up early and make sure that he doesn’t get in a rhythm. If he doesn’t get in a rhythm and gets offbeat, then he may throw a couple of picks or make some bad checks to get us some good plays on defense.”
* FSU runs the same offense whether Lee or Shannon is in the game, according to Shannon. “They are the same offense. It is just that Lee can scramble more than Weatherford can, that is the only difference.”
* Shannon on the play of the UM receivers recently: “They need to catch the ball more if the ball touches their hands. I think Sam had two opportunities to make some plays and he didn’t do it last week. If he comes up with those two plays, then it is a different situation and every body will be saying Kyle has done a great job and Sam is doing a great job, but we didn’t execute on those plays.”
* Robert Marve will redshirt this spring. “He has been on scout team doing some things. We don’t let him snap the football, we let him hold it in his hands and he runs the offense that way. He is not going to play this year, so we can’t take any chances. Same thing with McKenzie, he may go through practice today on scout team, but he is not going to play in a game. He’ll be done for the season also.”
* Charlie Jones, Glenn Cook, Romeo Davis, Dwayne Hendricks are done for the season. Antonio Dixon will miss at least six weeks. For Jones, Cook, and Davis to return, they would have to be granted another year of eligibility. “Some guys will be redshirted, some guys will have the opportunity to be redshirted and some guys won’t. That is up to the NCAA to grant.”
* Miami currently has “three or four” defensive tackles they can use on the roster this week against Florida State. “We got what we got at defensive line. You want me to sit there and make excuses, I can’t. We have bodies and they have come to Miami to play and we are going to play them. The coaching staff will coach them hard and get them into the right position to make plays. We are limited at numbers but I am not the type of guy to worry about that. If you coach a guy like he is a number one draft pick, he may go out there and produce like a number on draft pick. If you coach him like just a guy, he is going to play like just a guy.”
* For the last two weeks Miami has rushed 12 guys on special teams during punt drills to prepare Bosher during the games. Shannon says Bosher needs to do a better job this week. He has averaged 36.5 yards per punt. “Bosher has got to kick the ball better. When we are in practice, it is 50-yard kicks and pre-practice it is 50-yard kicks, but when he gets in the game, he gets nervous. He has got to shake those things off. He is not a freshman anymore. He has had six games underneath his belt and he has to step up and accept the challenge. If he does a great job this week and we win field position alone, we will have a great chance to win this game.”
* Shannon has been impressed by the play of Damien Berry on special teams. “Damien Berry has been like a demon on special teams and we are excited about that,” Shannon said.
Posted by: eastlansingcane | October 16, 2007 at 07:25 PM
The Hurricanes and Seminoles meet for the 52nd time at Doak Campbell Stadium at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in a game that is being televised regionally by ABC. Miami will be looking for its first road victory in a year (not counting a win in last year's bowl game). The Hurricanes have lost their last five regular-season road games.
Both teams are coming off losses. Miami lost 17-14 to Georgia Tech at home last Saturday, and Florida State lost at home to Wake Forest 24-21 two nights earlier.
The last four games in the Miami-Florida State rivalry have been decided by a total of 14 points, with one game going into overtime. In those four games, two won by each team, Miami has scored 43 points to FSU's 47 points. In the entire 51-game series between UM and FSU, there had never been four games in a row decided by six or fewer points. Overall, Miami leads the series 29-22.
Prior to the last two FSU victories, Miami had won six straight games in the series. There have been 11 combined win streaks in the series, seven by Miami and four by FSU. Prior to Miami's six-game winning streak, FSU had won five straight against Miami (1995-99), which came following UM streaks of three (1990-92), four (1985-88) and two games (1980-81). The largest win streak in the series is FSU's seven-game stretch from 1963-72. UM started the series with consecutive win streaks of five (1951-57) and three games (1959-62).
The Hurricanes are coming off their first home loss of the season. With his team 4-3 and having lost two straight games, head coach Randy Shannon said, "We should be better because I can see the potential. I still think we can win this year. If we keep playing hard, a break is going to come eventually if we keep playing the way we are. People say we're rebuilding, but I won't use that word. We're playing for this year."
Through seven games, Miami ranks 95th in the nation in total offense, 58th in rushing and 97th in passing. Defensively, Miami is 25th overall, 38th against the run and 26th against the pass.
Posted by: Roscoe | October 16, 2007 at 07:33 PM
I love watching Damien Berry on special teams. He plays with a lot of energy and hear, something the rest of the team seems to lack.
Posted by: KLCaneFan | October 16, 2007 at 07:38 PM
*plays with energy & heart*
Posted by: KLCaneFan | October 16, 2007 at 07:39 PM
Reminder our weekly chat is over at Eye On The U this week.
Posted by: Manny | October 16, 2007 at 07:39 PM
Damien Berry needs to get more PT as safety.
Out of Jones, Davis and Cook. I only wish for Cook to stay and teach our youngsters how to read the defense, which I hear he does well.
Posted by: PLAY THE FRESHMEN!! | October 16, 2007 at 07:42 PM
is charlie jones hurt or is he just so out of it that he has been ruled out?
Posted by: eastlansingcane | October 16, 2007 at 07:43 PM
i dvr'ed the 1992 UM-FSU game...i just saw the barrow hit (you all know which one)....what a thing of beauty, and he did it in the 4th quarter
Posted by: eastlansingcane | October 16, 2007 at 07:46 PM
Vanover had a gash under hs chin
Posted by: eastlansingcane | October 16, 2007 at 07:47 PM
It's in damien berry's blood! The most important thing to me that i toook out of that article where shannon was discussing recruits was this. He said "Fsu is recruiting a different kind of player than us".
In other words, shannon is recruiting the very thing that made Miami Footbal;, he's recruiting what made us the envy of all football, and that's mindset. Guys who want to go against the bestto see where they stand. Guys like patchan looking to go against fortson, guys like pj, looking to go up against aldarius johnson. Guys like joe wylie, calling out brandon harris. Guys like micanor regis, who wants to dominate.
Posted by: Calvin | October 16, 2007 at 07:50 PM
CANESPACE CONTENT ALERT UPADTE:
LIVE CHAT AT MANNY'S BLOG AT THE MIAMI HERALD TONIGHT AT 8 PM!
Posted by: Roscoe | October 16, 2007 at 07:50 PM
football can be taught/coached....mindset is very hard to change....so dechockerizing maybe impossible w/o guys leaving the team and new guys coming in
Posted by: eastlansingcane | October 16, 2007 at 07:58 PM
I JUST GOT AN EMAIL ABOUT A COMMIT WHO DID WE LOSE???????????????
Posted by: loucane | October 16, 2007 at 08:21 PM
Just my little two cents on the Ricky Hammond Jr. recruit. I think the kid should fully commit to the hators. He had an offer from the U and got a late offer from the hators, and committed to them (Hators), therefor he wants to be a hator.
Posted by: KillerBeez41 | October 16, 2007 at 08:34 PM
Q: 54,000 at the GT game. Impressive! What about next year at Canespace Stadium? What type of creative marketing strategies do you or your newspaper suggest? Posted by: 86Cane | October 16, 2007 at 08:07 PM
A: Not sure 86. But I like Canespace Stadium. How about Eye On The U Field at Canespace Stadium.
Posted by: Manny | October 16, 2007 at 09:15 PM
heh, heh, heh...
Posted by: 86Cane | October 16, 2007 at 09:25 PM
Guys,
Few new posts over at MSB.
First, Devin Hester from this weekend: http://miamisportsblog.com/2007/10/16/devin-hester-did-it-again/
seriously, can we start getting a cut-away to every one of his returns? I don't care what crappy game Fox is forcing on me (probably the cowboys or giants) I want to see every Hester return... and even every time he's lined up at flanker
And for this weekend's game...
The FSU Kicking Chronicles: http://miamisportsblog.com/2007/10/16/hate-week-miami-vs-florida-state-kick-chronicles/
I think this video was made by a Seminole, and it would be depressing as hell for them... it just gets me pumped. I revel in their misery. GO CANES!!!
Posted by: Brody | October 16, 2007 at 10:07 PM
86, have you talked to the CEO of canepsace.com? I hear he's a real kick in the pants.
If it's gonna be canespace.com Stadium, I guess the CEO of canespace is independently wealthy!!
Posted by: miamimike01 | October 16, 2007 at 10:09 PM
is the CEO Cane Huizenga?
Posted by: Brody | October 16, 2007 at 10:09 PM
still have a huge question mark floating over my head after reading the new blog entry 3 times.....
Posted by: Blowfly | October 16, 2007 at 10:16 PM
You have insider info, Brody? tell us what you know
Posted by: miamimike01 | October 16, 2007 at 10:16 PM
I'm just saying... I saw those pics of 86 from last week's tailgate... and I see a striking resemblance to this man: http://www.itsalreadysigned4u.com/shop/media/images/product_detail/FRT-08PHHUI955.jpg
btw, who the hell has signed Wayne Huizenga memorabilia? People obsessed with Blockbuster? Maybe there's some dude who collects items signed by various Fortune 500 CEOS
"And over here is my tie signed by Paul Allen... ooh! and here is the pen Warren Buffet used to sign the original tax papers for Berkshire Hathaway. You can get close to the glass, but don't touch..."
Posted by: Brody | October 16, 2007 at 10:21 PM
"We has done a great job of not taking sacks, but he has to make the throws that are there.”
Translation: dump the f-ing ball off like every college/pro QB does half the time. Not only does it result in plus yards but it also keeps the defense honest.
We has done??
Posted by: Blowfly | October 16, 2007 at 10:23 PM
MM01...I have called him several times but with no response by the CEO of Canespace. He won't even answer my emails!
When he did respond, he did say he was a friend of Huizenga, but a lot wealthier, so the naming of the stadium should not be a problem.
Posted by: Roscoe | October 16, 2007 at 10:23 PM
Roscoe,
Like the blog name, btw. Tell that guy I need a loan!
On a serious note, thank "your friend" for making a good decision on the corporate sponsorship! It'll be a good partnership, I'm sure. Ask "your friend" if I can be the Vice President. I'll send my resume to you after we exchange email addresses.
Posted by: miamimike01 | October 16, 2007 at 10:30 PM
aren't these shannon's players now? wasn't he in charge of recruiting when coker was here?
Posted by: Willie Will in Nashville | October 16, 2007 at 10:35 PM
Good article Solar, just needs a pic of you in your banjo shirt :-D
Posted by: CanesgirlNC | October 16, 2007 at 10:38 PM
I thought Shannon didnt promise kids spots? Why does Bailey get to decide that he wants to play linebacker? I thought that was a COker thing.
Posted by: HOfs94 | October 16, 2007 at 10:43 PM
felt like a plate glass window to me when i slammed into it...
Posted by: DallasTX Cane | October 16, 2007 at 10:44 PM
but otherwise nice writing job solar.
Posted by: DallasTX Cane | October 16, 2007 at 10:46 PM
Roscoe..get off the blog! Who do you think you are? I will ban you if U keep this up!
Posted by: 86Cane | October 16, 2007 at 10:47 PM
CanesgirlNC -
What was informative about that article to U? It was well written but it gave me confused brain. Is it a reflection piece or information we need or.....
strug-gl-ling
Posted by: Blowfly | October 16, 2007 at 10:48 PM
Its introspective reflection Blowfly. Not necessarily informative, but interesting...
Posted by: DallasTX Cane | October 16, 2007 at 10:53 PM
http://msn.foxsports.com/other/wcStory?contentId=7317160&storyNumber=3&MSNHPHMA
Great news!
Posted by: DallasTX Cane | October 16, 2007 at 10:56 PM