Canespace

Hitting The Hardwood

The 19th ranked University of Miami Basketball team was undefeated and sitting pretty at 12-0 and looking at the very real possibility of being 14-0 before entering ACC play in January.  That was before suffering it's first loss of the season yesterday losing to Winthrop 76-70 in the Orange Bowl Holiday Basketball Tournament at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise. 

Winthrop, which entered the game with a 6-5 record, was led by Tourney MVP Chris Gaynor (seen at left with MVP trophy), who tossed in 21 points and made five of six three point shots.  The Eagles shot 57% in the second half and knocked down key three pointers and foul shots when it mattered. 

The Canes had led 32-27 at the half before allowing the Eagles to go on a 14-0 run late in the game and open up the deficit the Canes could not recover from.  Winthrop took the lead 42-40 at the 13 minute mark and never looked back. The Canes shot 42% in the second half, but could only manage 38 points to the Eagles 49.

Jack "McMoney" McClinton, who had seven turnovers including some late in the game, led the way with 30 points, followed by Anthony "I should be" King and James "I've paid my" Dews with 16 and 12 points respectively.   

Surprisingly, it was the strength of the team, the Canes defense, that let them down in this game.  The Canes had been playing "Tenacious D" all season long until they reached the uncharacteristic six minute span from the 17 to 11 minute mark in the second half of yesterday's contest.  That lapse cost the Canes their undefeated record and likely their top 20 ranking.  Coach Haith stated after the game that the Canes "relaxed" and lost the momentum that they could not recapture.

The Canes return to the hardwood on January 2, 2008 at 8 PM against Penn at the BankUnited Center in Coral Gables.  Despite their hot start this season, the Canes are only averaging a disappointing 2,400 in attendance at home so far in this year.

Head Coach Frank Haith finally has the weapons to compete in the tough ACC conference with a solid starting five and excellent role players coming off the bench.  In his fourth year as Head Coach, he has restored Canes fan's "Faith in Haith" with the strong start to the 2007 season and his recent recruiting accomplishments.  The Canes are hot after local five star point guard Kenny Boynton who could give the Canes a top talent going into 2009. 

Haith has the Canes playing solid round ball, at times scoring in the 80's and leading the ACC in three point shots as well as in several defensive categories.  The Canes recently broke the 90 point barrier in last week's game against North Carolina A&T, scoring 95 points against the Aggies.

Team leaders include McClinton, Anthony King, James Dews and freshman sensation Eddie "Ocho" Rios (pictured at left).  Rios, who played his high school ball at Miami High, leads the team in assists and steals.  King, who averages 9 points a game, is recognized for his defensive presence and leads the team in rebounds and blocked shots.  McClinton is a dynamic scorer who leads the team in three point shots and scoring with 16 points a game, follwed by Dews at 12 PPG.

The Canes begin ACC play in January with games at home against Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Clemson, and road games against Boston College, NC State and Wake Forest.  The Canes also have a home and home series with arch rival FSU.  The Seminoles visit the BankUnited Center on February 6 and the Hurricanes travel to Tallahassee on March 8, 2008.

Sitting Down With Henry Hogshead

SolarCane: Hi Henry, I’ve read a lot of good things about you on the recruiting sites.

Henry Hogshead: Hi Mr. Solarcane, some of that stuff is probably exaggerated.

SC: How do you feel your talent compares to the top five national recruits?

HH: I would have to say I’m a little more talented than all five of them combined.

SC:  When did scouts first start coming to your games to watch you play?

HH:  When I was in Pee Wee, Southlake Carol coaches would stop by and ask me for advice on running the Butter offense.

SC: Talk about Southlake Carol (seen at left against MNWHS).

HH: They are mostly an overrated pack of rich white kids that schedule teams with less talent year in and year out.

SC: You sound a little bit racist categorizing them as a pack of rich white kids.

HH: Oh sorry, let me say it another way. They are a wealthy black kid and seventy five rich white kids that schedule teams with less talent.

SC: Florida, Texas and California seem to be hot beds for high school football players. People say it is because kids can play year round, is that the reason?

HH: No man, the reason is kids in Texas, Florida and California PLAY football not a video game about it.

SC: Are you pretty good at X-BOX360 and that stuff Henry?

HH: (rolls his eyes) You are kidding right?

SC: You’re a proud Texan what’s the best thing about Texas?

HH: It’s not Oklahoma.

SC: So I guess you won’t be going to college in Oklahoma?

HH: The kids in Oklahoma don’t even go to Oklahoma if they can avoid it.

SC: Henry your grandfather, Harold "The Wiz" Hogshead Is a legend in Texas football folklore, you are being compared to him, how do you feel about that?

HH: Well..my grandpa died when he was 80 so I really don't see a comparison.

SC: How did your grandfather get the nick The Wiz, was it his running style?

HH: Naw...He was playing El Paso in the State Championship Game.  It was late in the fourth quarter and he had to take a leak, time was running out so he just walked over to the opposing goalpost and let it rip. He got a standing ovation and a 15 yard penalty.

SC: How did your offense become known as “butter”?

HH: We invented the spread offense, we are the only team, high school or college that runs it the way it is most efficient.  All of us will be in the NFL; the fans nicknamed our offense “the expensive spread.”

SC: What offense do you use in the red zone, or down inside the ten yard line?

HH: We aren’t on offense down inside the twenty yard line unless one of my shoes fell off. We would still be lined up in the ”Butter“ even at the one on either end of the field.

SC: So you guys are always optimistic that you will score?

HH: Optimists HOPE the best thing is going to happen, we MAKE the best thing happen.

SC: Jim Thorpe High School was accused of being arrogant for naming their athletic teams The Champions, talk about that.

HH: Well it’s just jealousy really. I mean all the Tigers, Bulldogs and Eagles around are just upset because they didn’t think of it first.

SC: So when other schools play We Are The Champions?

HH: They Are The Liars.

SC:  Do you follow the ESPN top ten high school teams?

HH: I just watch film on the team we are getting ready to play, and a couple hours of one of my high light reels, to see if there is something I can improve on.

SC: How do you feel about Jacory Harris from Miami Northwestern?

HH: Anyone that beat South Lake got a Christmas card from me.

SC: Jacory may be the next great quarterback at Miami, are there things you like about Miami?

HH: Miami is cool, I like that duck and The Rock, Go Cyclones!

SC: They are The Hurricanes.

HH: Whatever...

SC: What about Miami’s offense?

HH: Yea What about it?

SC: If you were there what would you do different?

HH: I’d score more points than the team we were playing.

SC: Have you been contacted by The University of Miami about visiting?

HH: If they are a school with a football team I have been contacted.

SC: Is it true you will be the first player to have “THE” over the number one on your uniform in college?

HH: I might,the Heisman people are asking me to do it. They want me to be the first unanimous winner.

SC: What about the Heisman Award, will you win it?

HH: I’m pretty sure I will win it. If they give it to me is a different thing though.

SC: What are your thoughts on Tebow?

HH: I guess if you can’t be there to watch your favorite programs it would come in handy.

SC: From your Grandfather, to your dad, and now you, the Hogshead name IS football in Texas, how good is your little brother Howard?

HH:  Howie is about ten times better than I was at his age.  I doubt he will play college ball. I think he just finishes high school, makes a couple movies then goes into the NFL.

SC: What do you think about all the steroid use in sports?

HH: I don’t think about it. When you start thinking about cheating your half way there. If you have to cheat your in over your head at what you are pretending to be, I don’t pretend.

SC:  Who are some of your heroes, who is the greatest to have ever put on a helmet and pads?

HH: I would say Travis Pastrana or maybe Tony Hawk.

SC: That’s an X-Game biker and a skateboarder, isn’t it?

HH: They got helmets and pads don’t they?

SC: Do you read the football blogs?

HH: I get a grin out of most of it.

SC: How accurate do you think most of the information is on sports blogs?

HH: No offense but you write on a blog don’t you?

SC: Oh yeah…I see your point.

SC: What about the pay sites that offer “inside” information about recruits?

HH: Those sites serve three purposes.  One, They give fans a place to visit and obtain opinions or best guesses by other fans that know just about the same thing they do.  Two, They give kids a chance to lead adults around by the nose and make the adults look like little girls chasing after rock stars.  Three, they give site owners a chance to make some cash, and inflate their egos by thinking a high school kid is going to care about them after signing day.

SC: So you feel the number of stars has nothing to do with a player’s real ability?

HH: If that were true they would have like a complete solar system posted next to my picture wouldn’t they?

SC: Henry are you the best player in the country right now?

HH: I’m the best player I can possibly be when ever I step on the field.  I owe that to my parents, coaches and team mates. I won’t allow myself to give less than I am able. When every other kid ommits to doing that I will be just an average player, but that isn’t going to happen.

SC: Why do you feel that way?

HH: Parent’s today don’t make their children obtain their maximum potential.  American sports will be a bunch of fat kids playing Madden on ESPN in another ten years. Actually playing a sport will be too much effort for most kids.

SC: OK Henry it’s been great talking to you and we all wish you the best next season!

HH: OK Mr. Solarcane I got to go sign a few boxes of jerseys I’ll catch you later…Go Tornados!

SC: Hurricanes.

HH: Whatever...

This concludes part one of Sitting down with Henry Hogshead.  This interview is unedited and is posted word for word.

After The Holidays

I hope everyone had a great Christmas Holiday.  I want to start out this upcoming New Year trying to get everyone into a positive mood.  This may be a difficult task, but let me try.  Here are my reasons:

1. Coach Shannon’s recruiting ability puts me in a positive mood. 

2. The firing of Defensive Coordinator Tim Walton also helps set the mood. 

3. Arthur Brown committing starts to make me smile a little. 

Anyone else starting to smile?

Let’s look back at the 2007 season win/loss record.  I know what some of you are thinking.  This is not a positive thing.  Please allow me to try to put a positive spin on it for you.  If our Hurricanes score a minimum of 7 points more in these three games, they come out winners:

10/06/07 at North Carolina.   

10/13/07 at home against Georgia Tech. 

11/03/07 at home against North Carolina State.

Would it be easier to stomach an 8–4 season than an 5–7 one?  I thought so! 

Eight wins would have made our Canes bowl eligible as well.  One big play on offense or defense could have decided these games.  With the talent Coach Shannon is bringing in this year, I have to think a few will turn into playmakers.

Other reasons to be optimistic and positive?  Our new defensive coordinator will be the second coming of Randy Shannon.  Coach Nix will have several new talented quarterbacks to work with.  I have barely scratched the surface of the aura of positivity surrounding the Shannon Effect. 

I would like to read your positive thoughts and comments.  Fire away with those bullets 86 has brought back.

P.S.  As most of you know I don’t live in the Florida area.  I am envious of you that do.  I’ve tried to take quite a few pictures for my friends and family here in Nebraska.  If anyone is interested I’ve posted a few photo galleries at my website:  www.hurricanemitch.net.

Written by Hurricane Mitch for Canespace.com.

All I Want For Christmas Is U, And U, And U...

We wish U a Merry Christmas, We wish U a Merry Christmas, We wish U a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  This blog is dedicated to the lovely ladies that wear the orange and green.  They hail from the 305 and beyond and bring beauty and joy to Canes fans everywhere out there in Canespace.  We had the pleasure of meeting many friendly female Canes fans during our tailgate parties and at games this year.  In fact, at some games, like Georgia Tech and Virginia, it was the best part of the whole day!

Our official tailgate photographer OcalaCane along with our many Fans In The Stands reporters sent in these photos. Now, at Christmas time we thought we would share them with all of the bloggers at Canespace.  Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  There are many things to be thankful for!

   

Gimme Back My Bullets

"Gimme back my bullets, put 'em back where they belong", Ain't foolin' around cause I done had my fun, Ain't gonna see no more damage done, Gimme back my bullets!" 

The Legendary Southern rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd, who also wrote rock classics such as Sweet Home Alabama and Freebird, wrote those lyrics back in the mid-70's. 

And if you listen closely, on a clear day with the wind blowing in the right direction across Greentree Practice Field in Coral Gables, you can hear Randy Shannon singing "Gimme Back My Bullets" as he plans his next recruiting trip to uncover another hidden gem of a player on a football field somewhere in Pahokee, Palatka or Pensacola. 

It was glaringly obvious to most observers that the Miami Hurricanes simply lacked enough weapons (read: talent) on the field last year to compete at a high level.  Coach Shannon knows that to turn this program around and get back to the winning ways the Canes are accustomed to, he has to reload on the arms and the ammo by stockpiling as much talent as possible, and soon. 

So, Coach Shannon and his merry band of recruiting gurus took off as soon as the uncharacteristic 5-7 2007 season ended and began stomping all across this great Country of ours in search of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).  And it appears that the WMD were never in Iraq in the first place.  No, no, no, all the time they were right here in the 305 and scattered across the U.S. wearing high school football uniforms!

With 28 verbal commitments so far it is safe to say that Shannon and and his marauding gang of recruiters have left some rather large footprints in the recruiting landscape where ever they have gone. 

You can also begin to understand why the boys up in Gainesville and Tallahassee are starting to get nervous, very nervous.  The Canes are on the prowl and picking players out from right in their own backyards.  This was evidenced once again when C.J. Holton, a previous FSU committ, recently switched his verbal to the Canes. 

And, let's not forget that with the 305 under complete and total lock-down, Randy casually strolled right into Kansas last week and plucked ESPN #1 LB Aurthur Brown right out from under the noses of the football elite. Then, The Boss fired UM Defensive coordinator Tim Walton on the same day. 

Our guess is that Walton may have left too many "bullets" in the chamber last year by not playing aggressive enough defense for The Boss's taste.  As documented here in a previous blog (Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics) the Canes D gave up too many yards, first downs and points in 2007 to compete with the better teams on their schedule.

With the WR, LB and QB position in good hands with Robert Marve, Jacory Harris and Taylor Cook already secured, next up for Shannon and company are five remaining BIG names still undecided about which college to attend: OL Matt Patchan, OL Ben Jones, CB Brandon Harris, CB Patrick Johnson (soft verbal commit) and WR Tommy Streeter. 

It is widely known that if the Canes land three out of those five they will likely have the number one ranked recruiting class in the Country for 2008. Not too shabby for the first full year of recruiting under Coach Shannon.  As many Canes fans here like to say: "In Randy we trust!"

So Canes fans as hard as it may be, we encourage you to just sit back in your easy chair, have a cold beverage and count down the days to National Signing Day in early February.  Then, and only then, it will be time to "put on your boogie shoes" and "dance to the music" of an entirely new sound for 2008. 

Based on this recruiting class so far it looks like the Canes will definitely get their bullets back and have several weapons to choose from on the field in 2008. Canes fans just can't wait for the fun to return to the team from the 305 that wears the orange and green and the familiar U on it's helmet.  And this is bound to happen as soon as the collection of WMD Shannon is assembling takes the field in 2008 and beyond.

Pop, Pop, POP!  What's that sound you hear?  No, that's not gunfire.  That's the sweet sound of Victory!

Having The Horses

This article was written for Canespace by one of the "Original Ten" Canespacers, CanesgirlNC...

In any sport, there are many ingredients necessary to build a true champion. Talent, competition, hard work, commitment, physical ability, practice, dedication, and learned skills are some of the essential ingredients. This is true with both humans and animals and translates to any sport, from football to horse racing.

But, what is it that takes any average competitor and turns them into a true champion?

One factor is the mentality to understand what it takes to become a champion and what is needed to achieve that goal. But there is an intangible factor also – what is inside and cannot be seen – heart; the will of a person to be their very best. The true champion gives 110% when 100% just isn’t enough.

Somehow these rare athletes have an inate ability to know what is required of them and have the desire to exceed the normal limits of performance and endurance. They are able to excel while other competitors fade or fail. It has often been said that true champions not only have the will to win, but that simply they refuse to lose.

Horses have partnered with humans in competitive events since early times.  One classic example of a true champion, one with heart and the refuse to lose mentality, is Seabiscuit.  Recently of Hollywood movie fame, 'Biscuit was an undersized horse with knobby legs, a reputation of being difficult to train and never expected to do much.

But the right person bought him, the right trainer trained him, and the right jockey rode him right into the history books.  Under the right circumstances this average competitor had become a true champion.  He was unstoppable, and the rest, as they say, is history.

'Biscuit's owner, when asked why he bought the undersized colt, said "It was just a look he had." There was that intangible, that feeling that maybe, just maybe, this horse could be a champion. And a champion he was as he became the equivalent of an equine rock star by beating out the more physically “gifted” War Admiral in a highly touted match race with his will and heart.

This excerpt is from Wikipedia on the "Match of the Century":

On November 1, 1938, Seabiscuit met War Admiral in what was dubbed the "Match of the Century". The event itself, run over 1 and 3/16 miles (1.91 km), was one of the most anticipated sporting events in U.S. history. The Pimlico Race Course, from the grandstands to the infield, was jammed solid with fans. Trains were run from all over the country to bring fans to the race, and the estimated 40,000 at the track were joined by some 40 million listening on the radio. War Admiral was the prohibitive favorite (1-4 with most bookmakers) and a near unanimous selection of the writers and tipsters, excluding the California faithful.

Head-to-head races favor fast starters, and War Admiral's speed from the gate was the stuff of legend. Seabiscuit, on the other hand, was a pace stalker, skilled at holding with the pack before destroying the field with late acceleration. From the scheduled walk up start, few gave him a chance to head War Admiral into the first turn. Smith knew these things, and had been secretly training the Biscuit to run against type, using a starting bell and a whip to give the horse a Pavlovian burst of speed from the start

When the bell rang, Seabiscuit ran away from the Triple Crown champion. Despite being drawn on outside, Woolf led by over a length after just 20 seconds. Halfway down the backstretch, War Admiral started to cut into the lead, gradually pulling level with Seabiscuit, and then slightly ahead. Following advice he had received from Pollard, Woolf allowed his horse to see his rival, and then asked for more effort. Two hundred yards from the wire, Seabiscuit pulled away again and continued to extend his lead over the closing stretch, finally winning by four clear lengths.

In the heat of recruiting, coaches are looking at and evaluating potential recruits and high school football players are doing the same thing of prospective universities. Both coaches and players alike (at left UM coaches talking to BTW's Brandon Haris at the FHSAA championship game in Orlando) are sizing everything up and seeing where the best fit for them will be and who shares the same mentality.

They are in search of those with the mentality necessary to become a champion and trying to determine who has the heart and desire to achieve those goals.

These young athletes will have to be able to rise above adversarial conditions and distractions, get in the zone and focus. Personal issues, school work, traveling on the road, curfews, lack of sleep, playing in the heat or cold, and playing with injuries all have to be tucked away and dealt with later.

Time doesn't wait for true champions. 

The bottom line for players is that when the ball is kicked off, it is time to focus, concentrate, execute and play the game. The bottom line for any coach, as good as he may be at x's and o's, is that to be successful, he has to recruit the right players. 

He's simply gotta have the horses.

I have ridden horses at the competive level for many years all across the South.  Recently, I won a championship on my horse in show hack competition.  Horse competitions deal with some of the same issues as any other athletic competition. At Clemson, South Carolina in November we were running late, I was cold, tired because of sleeping in a hotel, and didn’t get the warm-up time I would have liked.

But, when we hit the in-gate, I could tell immediately that my horse was ON. Everything else just faded away and I just relied on training and rode. I was in The Zone and my horse was simply spectacular.

I won the class and show hack championship the next day, but remember being so cold I couldn’t really feel my feet.

True champions understand what it takes to win.  Sure, talent, ability, dedication, practice and hard work are all key ingredients in the making of a champion.  But it's heart and desire that allow an athlete to suffer through adversity and reach down to find that extra 10% when necessary to develop the mentality that simply says: I refuse to lose.

On that cold November day in Clemson, South Carolina, my horse displayed the heart of a champion.  That day, my horse had "IT" and simply refused to lose. 

Canes fans everywhere are keeping their faith that the UM football team gets "IT" in 2008.  Either way, it will be this recruiting class (MNW LB Sean "Superman" Spence pictured at left) that will help shape the team for years to come. 

Coach Shannon knows what it is to be a true champion and has the rings to prove it.  He also knows that to get it done next year and beyond, he will have to "have the horses"  The Four Horsemen pictured here surely will help!

The New Place

As the University of Miami Hurricanes move from the historic old Orange Bowl to their shiny new home across town, Canes fans are left to wonder how things are going to be in their new environment.  One thing is for sure: they will NOT be the same.  But, like it or not, change happens and many changes are coming for UM football next year.

The Stadium once upon a time called the Joe (Robbie), The Pro (Player) and then Dolphin Stadium awaits a new name and the Canes in 2008.  For now, we will simply call it "The New Place" or TNP Stadium for lack of a better term.  Most of the fans here at Canespace are following the Billy Joel school of philosophy on this one.  In one of his songs, Joel sings the lyrics: "The good old days weren't always good, and tomorrow not as bad as it seems".  Let's hope Billy got that right.

In the New Place, the West end zone rowdies are still in the West end zone, except now moved into the upper deck and about as far, far away from the field as you can get.  Their antics that intimidated opponents for decades at field level in the Orange Bowl will be hard to duplicate from the upper deck. 

It's hard for an opponent to be intimidated by a group of fans you can't hear much less see as they stomp and yell in futility to be recognized. But, that's just how it is in The New Place.

Sure we've heard how Canes fans will now have on-site parking (for a fee of course), nice tasty concessions, giant jumbotron screens for replays and the all important sparkling clean and tidy bathrooms which some have promoted as though they will become the highlight of your visit to The New Place. 

If using the restroom becomes the focal point of any football game then I'd just as soon most of us would not want to be part of that event anyway.  You can be sure that Sani-wipes and antibacterial hand gel will never be too far away in The New Place.

If you happened to see the UM Athletic Department's mailing to season ticket holders then you realized that The New Place has all the potential to become a Chardonnay sipping, swiss cheese and fresh fruit eating, loafer wearing collection of posers who's interest in football extends to knowing that the ball is made of leather.  Oh yeah, that and saying "Hey Bob, they even throw it in the air sometimes!" 

UM football games may turn into events similar to most Miami Heat Basketball games where it is more important to see the who's who of who is seated courtside than it is about the score of the game.  A conversation I actually overheard once at a Heat game went something like this: "Hey is that Madonna?  Look, there's Jimmy Buffet!  Who are the Heat playing?  Are we going to South Beach after the game?" 

Air conditioned luxury boxes?  Check.  Private elevators to your suite?  Check.  A place to park your Mercedes right next to the Stadium?  Check.  Ushers to make sure everone only sits in the correct seat?  Check.  College football atmoshphere against FSU on a October Saturday?  Maybe not so much.

In spite of all this, I'm renewing my season tickets.  Just out of curiosity, I can't wait to see how things shake out in The New Place.  How will it sound during a noon game against Duke with 38,000 on hand?  How will the tailgating improve now that the fans will all be able to park on site?  Will people be afraid to use the bathrooms because they may actually get them dirty? 

Plus, I want to see how many get fans will get tased at The New Place in 2008 when someone complains to one of the stadium attendants that the person next to them yelled "Whoosh, WHOOSH", just a little too loud. 

But most of all, as a UM alumni and long time fan, I want to support the UM football team and Coach Shannon as they return for another season in search of glory and resume their journey on the long, hard road back to the top of college football.  Coach Shannon will have his hands full trying to get used to The New Place and improving on a 5-7 record in 2007. 

I plan to be there for every game, with my hands full too (see picture at left), and yelling DE-Fense, DE-Fense as usual, all they way through the 2008 season.  And I promise not to boo, not even once (if I can help it).  But I am warning you now, if I hear even one smug, wealthy, Rolex wearing poser dressed in a navy blazer while sipping on a glass of wine say: "Could you please pass the Grey Poupon" or "Which team is Miami" just once, I will not be responsible for my actions. 

Or for that matter the actions of any other respectable face painting, beer drinking, tailgating Canes fan out there dressed in orange and green from head to toe who might accidentally bump into one of the posers from the club level seats and spill a drop of their precious Cabernet Sauvignon on their $100 leather loafers.

Can't you just see it now: Cops all around, tasers drawn and threatening Aqua:

"Put down the $12 beer and step back from the sushi bar." 

The last thing you hear before he goes down is Aqua yelling:

"Don't tase me bro, don't tase me!" 

Let's Make One Thing Perfectly Clear

Total dominance.  Complete control.  Superior talent.  Crisp execution.  Dynamic playmakers everywhere you looked all over the field.  That's what the fans, players, coaches and media representatives who attended the Florida State High School Championship games saw on Saturday at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando. 

If there was ever any doubt, Miami-Dade County reigns supreme again in high school football in Florida.  Everything is just as it should be.  Case closed.  Slam dunk.  Spike the ball.  See ya'.  Who got next?

The boys from the 305 came, saw and conquered their opponents from Jacksonville and Orlando in resounding fashion.  They left Tinker Field as champions after thoroughly dominating the competition (if you can call it that) and setting new standards by which all future teams will be measured. 

And in a nice gesture of sportsmanship, the BTW players (pictured at left wearing their FHSAA championship medals) and coaches stuck around to see the MNW wrecking crew destroy Boone later that night. If there were any questions about where the best high school football players in Florida and maybe the entire Country were playing this year, those questions were also answered on the field on this Saturday in December.

Before we get to the games let me say that winning was only half the fun.  Being there was even better! Canespacers AngryCane, Canechic, Keoki, Six and I all met up at some point during the day (Aqua was MIA).  Several of us sat in the heart of the MNW crowd at the 50 yard line at let me tell you something: what a party that was! 

White, black, old, young, male, female, none of that mattered on a night where the 305 all came together to cheer for their hometown Bulls.  The spirits were flowing (gin to be precise) and the night air occasionally had that, how shall we say this, familiar Orange Bowl smell to it, if you get my drift.  High fives and hugs were generously distributed to friends, family and complete strangers alike in the festive atmosphere.

We had the opportunity to sit with and meet some really great people including former Canes DL William Joseph and WR Brett Perriman.  Perriman not only took time to take photos (see picture at left) with Canespacers Angry and CC (and son and daughter) but also chatted with us for about 15 minutes on Canes past and present. 

Brett talked about Coach Randy Shannon, The 1986 Fiesta Bowl Game, the 1987 National Championship team and other interesting topics but we are saving that for another blog feature later this month.

Better yet, we just happened to be sitting next to MNW Head Coach Billy Rolle's lovely wife and daughters.  Talk about your down to earth and just great people, well these are them.  She also took pictures with Canespacers and was given the 411 on the website and blog (or blob as Shannon likes to call it). 

The funniest thing was that whenever they would show Coach Rolle on the jumbotron screen they would all yell as loud as they could for as long they could while he was on the screen.  Sometimes this went on for 10-15 seconds.  You really had to be there to get it, but suffice it to say it was special!

Now back to the games...

Booker T Washington beat Jacksonville Nease 23-15 in the 4A warm up game behind Brandon Harris, Thearon Collier and Davon Johnson and sophmore running back Eduardo Clements.  Collier (pictured at left talking to UM coaches Stoudtland, Hurtt, Mosely, Walton, Nix and Barrow) and Johnson are verbal commits to the University of Miami and it is now rumored that Brandon Harris could be a silent commit as well. 

After the game, Harris spent quite a bit of time talking to several UM coaches who were in the South end zone right above the entrance to the locker room. He also took a phone call from Head Coach Randy Shannon immediately after the victory.  Harris (pictured at left on phone talking to Shannon) is a key recruit for the Canes to help rebuild the defense and add talent, speed and toughness to the UM team in 2008 and beyond. 

Harris played mutiple positions on Saturday and was simply the best athlete on the field during the game against Nease, former high school of Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow.  Harris looked like a Heisman candidate himself after playing offense and defense in the Tornado's victory and looking like a man playing against boys. 

Message to Harris:  The U needs U.  Sign here please!

In the much anticipated heavyweight match later in the day between Miami Northwestern HS and Boone HS in the Class 6A championship game, the Bulls dominated from start to finish to wrap up an undefeated season and ensure their #1 national ranking with a 41-0 victory over their opponents from Orlando.  Boone's offense was completely helpless against the superior speed and talent on the Bull defense and their only weapon appeared to be their punter who hit several punts of over 50 yards to keep them in the game and prevent the game from becoming a blowout in the first half.

Leading the Bulls on Defense was none other than the BIG man in the middle, Marcus Forston, who also happens to be another Hurricane verbal commit.  Forston (pictured at left flashing the U after the game) had three sacks and easily controlled the line of scrimmage and the game by playing most of it in the Boone backfield.  He repeatedly slammed running backs and the courageous yet hopeless Boone QB into the Tinker field turf.  The Bulls held the Boone offense to 16 yards passing.  Yeah, you read that right, sixteen!

It is safe to say that there are going to be some very sore players from Boone this morning.  They left the game battered and bruised thanks to Forston, who had three sacks, and company.  Forston may be the most dominating HS player in Florida, or anywhere for that matter, in a very, very long time.  His aggressive, attacking, up-field style of play is exactly the dose of medicine the Canes defensive line needs in 2008 to regain control of the line of scrimmage where it is said most games are won or lost.

But wait, it gets better.  Even with Forston's dominating presence in the middle, the most impressive player on the field this night in Orlando may have been MNW linebacker Sean "Superman" Spence (our new nickname for him).  If we didn't know better we would swear that former UM LB Jonathan Vilma had gone back to high school and was playing under the name "Spence".  Spence, who wears #31, not #51, is a smart player, fierce competitor and vicious hitter.  When Superman hits you you know it, and you often wind up going the opposite direction of where you were headed, and that's backwards! 

Spence (or was it Vilma?) was everyhwere laying the lumber to Boone runners and receivers who dared to venture over the middle of the field.  He caused at least two fumbles, returned a blocked punt for a TD and had several "Barrowesque" hits during the game, including a few behind the LOS.  UM linebacker coach Michael Barrow can't wait to have this stud wearing the U on his helmet next year.  Just in case you haven't heard, Spence, like Forston, and several other Bulls, is Coral Gables bound in 2008.

And that brings us to the Bulls offense where QB Jacory Harris and wide receivers Aldarius Johnson and Kendall Thompkins (seen celebrating in the end zone following the first TD of the game at left) are also headed to the U to wear the orange and green next year.  Johnson had seven catches for 84 yards and one TD to lead the Bulls offense. Thompkins pulled in three passes including one for a touchdown on a beautiful grab and then added a 69 yard punt return just for fun.  And trust me, this game was FUN! 

In a bit of bad news for Canes fans, Harris, who went 17-32 with two TDs and one interception, left the game in the fourth quarter with a knee injury that was first reported to be a mild sprain.  So, in came his back-up, Wayne Times, who proceeded to go about his business like he had been there before.  He was 2-2 for 45 yards and one touchdown.  Not too shabby for mop up duty in the fourth quarter. 

Later, Miami Herald reporter Manny Navarro was on the field and spoke to Jacory.  He reported that the injury may be slightly more serious than first thought and could be a an MCL injury that will await an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of the damage.  All of the MNW players came over to the sideline to encourage Jacory after he went down with the injury. Johnson and Streeter even took a knee and prayed.

Harris had a good and efficient if not great game against Boone.  He missed a few easy passes and appeared to be slightly out of sync in terms of his timing and delivery but also completed several deep balls to a variety of recievers that left Canes fans full of hope for next year and drooling for more.  Jacory manages the game, leads his team, moves around the pocket and throws a better ball than any QB to wear the U in the last 5 years. 

Having Robert Marve and Jacory Harris on the same team?  Pure gluttony.  And, exactly the kind of hard choices Canes coaches want oh so bad!  The "Culture of Competion" will be alive and well at the Isadore Hecth Athletic Center once again.  Spring will actually seem like Spring again with fresh new faces everywhere you look and as many as 33 new players on the team.  Out with the old and in with the new! 

With the 305 under complete and total lock down under Coach Shannon and his top notch crew of recruiters (Nix, Hurtt, Walton and Mosely seen at left in the stands at the game) the glory days are certainly just around the corner! 

Especially when the best players, from the best teams, in the best area, of the best State for football are seemingly all coming to the U. 

Come on, you know the words, sing it with me: Santa Claus is coming, to town.  We will see you in December (and then again on National Signing Day) Santa!  We can't wait to unwrap our new presents, especially the ones from BTW, MNW and Pahokee.

Every Little Thing, Is Gonna Be Alright...

After one last and long hard look at the cold facts and ugly stats from the 2007 football season, Canes fans all across Canespace are now free to look forward to what could be, might be or will be for 2008. 

With the early enrollment period just around the corner the first signs of hope will soon return again to the Hecht Center in Coral Gables.  And before you know it, February and National Signing Day will be here to breath new life into a program that so desperately needs it. 

With as many as 33 scholarships open and waiting to be filled by new, talented and hungry high school recruits, it is realistic to think that an entirely new team could emerge in 2008.  Over 1/3 of the team will be replaced with new players and that is good news for a team that went 7-6 and then 5-7 the last two seasons.

Among those recruits are players from two teams competing in this Saturday's FHSAA State Championship games for divisions 4A and 6A in Orlando.  Booker T. Washington HS plays at 1 PM in the Citrus Bowl and boasts at least three of the States top 100 players.  The best part for Canes fans is that each has verbally declared for the U or is expected to.  The Canes need for speed will be satisfied by these three from BTW.   

The top ranked team in the nation, the Bulls of Miami Northwestern HS, plays at 7 PM against Boone HS from the local Orlando area.  As many as 6 Bulls have verbally committed to the Canes and more could be on the way from this semi-pro team that could beat the Miami Dolphins two out of three if given the chance.

Head Coach Randy Shannon and his staff have done a magnificent job of recruiting so far.  They have efficiently and effectively identified and recruited those players that fit their style of play and their goal to get back to the national championship caliber of play that the team and its fans are accustomed to. 

The 2008 team will no doubt be young but they will also be committed to the University of Miami, to wearing the orange and green proudly and to turning the program back into a football powerhouse atop the world of college football.  Marcus Forston (pictured at left), Jacory Harris, Sean Spence, Aldarius Johnson and gang will be a much needed and refreshing burst of energy and enthusiasm.

So yes, Canes fans, you can breathe a sigh of relief.  Because as the song goes and as you know:

"Every little thing, is gonna be alright"!

 

Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics

There is a certain school of thought that believes you can make statistics say whatever you want them to say to prove a point.  Some even go as far as to say that there are lies, damn lies, and then there are statistics.  Others are just as certain that all truth lies in statistics and are fond of saying that "the stats never lie".  Which statement about statistics is really true we aren't so sure, but we will attempt to use them anyway in this feature article to prove a point, even though we are not quite sure what it is. 

What we do know is that from a big picture point of view, the 2007 University of Miami football season was by all accounts disappointing to say the least.  While the majority of Canes fans here had predicted a reasonably successful season such as 9-3 or 10-2 before it all started, there were still those few who believed that new Head Coach Randy Shannon would have a major, immediate impact on the team. 

They believed that the change at the top would result in an instant change in attitude, motivation, and performance for the 2007 squad when compared to the 2006 team.  Surely, these players would respond to The Boss and he would get things turned around and fast! Unfortunately, many of these fans failed to take into account that the same players that went 7-6 in 2006 would be back for more fun and games in 2007 and that most of these players would not improve.

In a pre-season poll conducted here at Canespace 12% of the fans actually predicted that the Canes would go undefeated in 2007!  They became known in Canespace legend and lore as the 12% Club or the 12%ers.  Needless to say, their membership dwindled significantly after the big loss to the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman.  Other hopeful predictions soon faded as well as the year wore on and the losses, all seven of them, piled up. 

Only one fan here at Canespace, AlpharettaCane, would go out on a limb, suffer ridicule from other "fans", and predict a season as bad as 8-4.  Even that proved to be too optimistic.   

To compound the problem, the Canes lost at least four games, three of them at home including the final home game in the historic Orange Bowl, to teams most fans feel they should have beaten: UNC, NCST, GT and UVA.  UVA stomped on UM fans' dream of one last win in the final game at the OB 48-0, the first shutout at home since 1974 when the Canes lost 3-0 to Auburn. 

Even before that debacle, the Canes were on the road and down 27-0 against old coach Butch Davis and his Tar Heels before the Hurricane players looked like they even knew there was game being played. In all of these games the Canes appeared to be out coached, outplayed and out hustled by teams with supposedly less talent but significantly more motivation and better execution.   

Many of the same problems that plagued the 2006 team returned for an encore performance in 2007: Poor and inconsistent QB play, poor special teams play and a lack of play makers at WR.  Neither Kirby, who somehow managed to find a way to play hero for one game against FSU and pull out a last minute win over the Noles, nor Kyle, who struggled with turnovers and inconsistency through the season (again), proved to be the answer to new Offensive Coordinator Patrick Nix's new offense. 

And, as if things on offense and special teams weren't bad enough, a new problem surfaced in 2007 under first year Defensive Coordinator Tim Walton: a porous defense that gave up too many points and too many third down conversions along the way.  The Canes D came to be known here on Canespace as the "Power of Cheese" defense.  That would be cheese as in Swiss cheese, as in full of holes. 

The once proud and stoudt Canes defense was seriously and repeatedly gashed by the run, gave up way too many big pass plays and was even embarassed at times (can you say 48-0?).  They couldn't get off the field often enough to give the Canes more opportunities to score, and God knows with the K&K boys at QB, the Canes needed every chance they could possibly get!

Pre-season All-American Calais Campbell (pictured at left) had one good game against Texas A&M and then disappeared for several games.  All-Everything Safety Kenny Phillips was left to make too many tackles due to an undersized defensive line and an equallly underperforming linebacking crew. 

Sure, new starter Colin McCarthy had his moments like the big fumble return against FSU to seal the deal and Tavares Gooden turned out to be a solid and consistent if not spectacular player who may have played himself into the first or second round of the NFL draft.  But these guys were not going to make Canes fan forget about the Bermuda Triangle or other great Cane linebackers of the past that went on to play on Sundays in the NFLU.   

Often playing shorthanded due to injuries didn't help their cause any either, but still did not offer a total excuse for their consistently poor play. Coach Walton's defense often looked dazed and confused (cue the Zeppelin tune) and blew coverages on a regular basis.  Opposing wide recievers appeared to run unmolested and unattended through the secondary that Timmy formerly coached under then Defensive Coordinator Randy Shannon.  Canes fans soon came to realize that crying wouldn't help and praying didn't do any good.

Nothing seemed to make sense in 2007.  So we decided to take a closer look at the statistics and compare the 2006 and 2007 teams to see if we could determine where, how or why things went so wrong for the Canes this year. 

To our surprise, here is what we found:

Scoring: 2007 UM 247, OPP 312 / 2006 UM 255, OPP 201. 

Result: Canes scored 8 fewer points in 2007 but gave up 111 more points than in 2006. The point differential for UM versus all opponents went from a +54 in 2006 to a -65 in 2007.

Scoring:  In 2006 Jon Peattie led the team in scoring with 65 points.  In 2007 Francisco Zamponga led the team in scoring with 50 points, 15 fewer than the year before.  The Canes scored only one fewer touchdowns in 2007 but gave up 13 more than in 2006.

Result: UM easily left at least 15 points on the filed from missed field goals which then led to playing musical chairs at kicker.  Suddenly, wide right applied to UM kickers, not FSU.

Fourth Quarter Scoring: 2007 UM 61, OPP 112 / 2006 UM 47, OPP 63.

Result: Even though the Canes scored 14 more points in the fourth quater in 2007 than they did in 2006, they gave up 49 more points (-35) to opponents in the fouth quarter in 2007 than they did in 2006. Four fingers anyone?

First Downs: 2007 UM 190, OPP 213 / 2006 UM 207, OPP 185.

Result: UM gained 17 fewer first downs in 2007 and gave up 28 more first downs than in 2006.

Rushing: 2007 UM 1747, OPP 1605 / 2006 1508, OPP 882.

Result: UM gained 239 more rushing yards in 2007 but gave up TWICE as many as they did in 2006.

Passing: 2007 UM 2034, OPP 2546 / 2006 UM 2567, OPP 2440.

Result: UM gained 533 fewer yards through the air and gave up 106 more than in 2006.  Passing yards per game dropped from 197 to 169 for UM and went up from 187 to 212 for opponents.

Total Yards: 2007 UM 315 YPG, OPP 345 / 2006 UM 313 YPG, OPP 255 YPG.

Result: UM gained 2 more YPG and gave up 90 more YPG to opponents in 2007 versus 2006.

Punting/Field goals: In 2007 declined by 2.6 yards/punt and net yardage also decline by 2.6 yards/punt. UM made only 13 of 21 FG attempts while opponents went 23 of 28.

Result: UM lost field position with each exchange of punts.  Special teams did not score a single touchdown in 2007 and UM's field goal percentage was among the lowest in the ACC and the NCAA.

Tight Ends: In 2006 TE Greg Olsen, who now plays for the Chicago Bears on Sundays along with some guy named Hester, led the team in receptions with 40 and other TE's added 11 more receptions for a total of 51.  In 2007, all UM TE's combined for 28 receptions (-23) with Chris Zellner leading the way with 13.  Yardge dropped from 536 in 2006 to 292 (-244) in 2007 for all TE's.   

Wide Recievers: In 2007 Darnell Jenkins led the team with 31 receptions followed by Sam Shields with 27 and Lance Leggett with 15.  Shields and Leggett caught 10 and 23 FEWER passes respectively in 2007 when compared to 2006. 

Defensive Line: In one of the most inexplicable statistical declines of all, in 2006 Calais Campbell had 84 tackles, including 20 for a loss and 10 sacks.  In 2007 while playing his junior year and vying for NFL draft position, he had only 50 tackles (-34) and only 12 for a loss (-8) and 6 sacks (-4).

Defensive Backs: In 2006 Kenny Phillips had 71 tackles  to finish fourth on the team.  In 2007 he increased his tackles to 82 in 2007 to finish second on the team.  However, in 2006 he led the team with 4 interceptions and had only 2 in 2007.  Randy Phillips led the team in INT's with 3, 2 of which came in the FSU game.  The Canes managed only 13 INTs while their opponents had 20 picks.

Linebackers: In 2006 UM LB Jon Beason (pictured at left), who now plays on Sunday for the Carolina Panthers, led the team in 92 tackles.  In 2007, Tavares Gooden had 100 (+8) tackles to lead the team. 

So to end this negative and depressing statistical summary on a positive note, we will see you on Sundays next year Mr. Gooden, along with your good friends Kenny Phillips and Calais Campbell! 

The streak of having at least one UM player selected in the first round every year seems safe for yet another year between those three players (assuming CC also declares for the NFLU draft later this month as KP did this past week). 

Other than that, the only other good thing to say about this year is that Canespace was developed and led the way for Canes fans to get the news they could use.  Oh yeah, that and the 2007 Hurricanes cheerleaders were hot, really hot.  But more on that on the next blog...