Canespace

Fresh Air

The University of Miami Hurricanes football team began preparation for the 2008 football season on Tuesday with the beginning of Spring Practice at Greentree Practice Field.  The players took the field with their names back on their jerseys and desire in their hearts to restore the proud, winning tradition at The U after two well below average seasons in 2006 (7-6 under former coach Larry Coker) and 2007 (5-7).

There is a great deal of anticipation among Canes players, coaches and fans as the team heads into year two under Head Coach Randy "The Boss" Shannon. The Boss added a few new coaches in Defensive Coordinator Bill Young and WR Coach Aubrey Hill and ton of new talent with possibly the best recruiting class in UM history.  The potential is there but now has to be coached and shaped into winners on the field and not just a collection of players with nice little stars next to their names from some recruiting service.

There will be a total of 14 practices leading up to the Spring game.  The Canes will hold two intrasquad scrimmages this Spring which will be open to the public.  The first, , will be held at Traz Powell Stadium located on the north campus of Miami Dade College (11380 NW 27th Avenue) at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 6.  Practice will wrap-up with the BankUnited CanesFest at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale (5201 NW 12th Avenue) on Saturday, March 29.

CanesFest will feature a spring game at 10 a.m., an autograph session, a question and answer period with head coach Randy Shannon as well as an opportunity to renew existing and purchase new season tickets. Gates open at 9 a.m. Parking and admission are free.

There are several questions that need to be answered this Spring.  Primary among these are:

1. Without Kyle or Kirby to kick around anymore who will start at QB for the Canes?

2. Will Sam Shields and Ryan Hill get passed by the the talented pool of newcomers for the starting WR position?

3. Who will the starting linebackers be for the Canes in 2008?

4. Will special teams performance improve (can they get any worse?) with all the new talent and speed on the coverage and return teams?

5. How many freshman will start, play or make major contributions in 2008?

6. Will the OL and DL play improve or will we see several new starters along the Line of Scrimmage?

7. And most importantly, what will the new cheerleaders look like?

Time, and hard work and practice, will eventually give us the answers to these critical questions.  For now, Spring is in the air and hope lives again at the Hecht Athletic Center in Coral Gables. 

HERE IS THE COMPLETE SPRING PRACTICE SCHEDULE:

DATE	TIME
Tues., Feb. 26	3 p.m.
Wed., Feb. 27	3 p.m.
Fri., Feb. 29	3 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 1	10 a.m.
Tues., Mar. 4	3 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 5	3 p.m.
Thurs., Mar. 6	6 p.m. (Traz Powell Stadium)
UM SPRING BREAK MARCH 8-16
Tues., Mar. 18	3 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 19	3 p.m.
Fri., Mar. 21	3 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 22	10 a.m.
Tues., Mar. 25	3 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 26	3 p.m.
Fri., Mar. 28	3 p.m.
Sat., Mar. 29	SPRING GAME (BankUnited CanesFest to follow - Gates open at 9 a.m.)

A Time To Impress

The NFL Combine, the official job fair for prospective NFL players, will be held this year from February 23 through February 26 in the RCA Dome in Indianapolis.  The combine has come a long way from it's original format in 1982 when 163 players attended the first event held in Tampa.  After brief stints in New Orleans and Arizona, the Combine finally moved to its present and permanent home in Indianapolis in 1987.  Over 330 players now attend this "by invitation only" event on an annual basis.

There are 5 UM players invited to attend the NFL Combine this year:  DE Calais Campbell, LB Tavares Gooden, S Kenny Phillips, WR Darnell Jenkins and QB Kyle Wright. 

Among the five, Kenny Phillips is the highest rated player and currently projected to be drafted anywhere from the number 10-18 position in the draft.  Calais Campbell is next and projected somewhere between the number 18-25 spots according to various mock drafts.  Gooden and Jenkins, who both had a solid if not spectacular carreers at Miami, are mid-round projections. 

Kyle Wright is simply hoping to make a good impression by handling QB duties to support various combine drills for running backs, wide recievers and centers.  If drafted, he will be a late round pick or more likely sign on with an NFL team as a free agent.

The schedule for the workouts by position is as follows:

Saturday 02/23/08: Offensive linemen, tight ends, specialists
Sunday 02/24/08: QBs, running backs, wide receivers
Monday 02/25/08: Defensive linemen and linebackers
Tuesday 02/26/08: Cornerbacks and safeties

In addition to the official NFL combine In Indy, several select universities host on-site workouts for NFL scouts. This year the Canes once again host one of these events at Greentree Practice Field in Coral Gables. The Pro Day Workout for the University of Miami is scheduled for February 29, 2008.

Here is the link to watch the NFL combine LIVE: http://www.nfl.com/combine/live

When the Ball Bounces Your Way

Don't look now, but the University of Miami baseketball team is starting to do what the UM football team couldn't: make some serious noise in the ACC for the first time.  Who would have thought that the Canes might do better in round ball than with the one with the pointy ends?   

Just last week some Canes fans (me included) were claiming that they had lost their "Faith in Haith". This week those same Canes fans are now annointing him as "The Priest of the Hardwood".  It is amazing how two big, back to back wins against ACC rivals can make all the difference in the world.  At this rate the CNN exit polls are predicting Haith could be Pope by March!

With recent wins over the previously unbeatable and formerly top 5 ranked Duke Blue Devils and again today over the Maryland Terrapins, the Canes are beginning to look like they may have a legitimate shot at the NCAA tournament this year.  In his fourth year as Head Coach Frank Haith may finally have the players and talent to compete in the ACC and reach the NCAA tourney with this team.

Time will tell with several ACC Conference games left at home and on the road still to play.  But the way things look now, it's looking like these Canes just might make a bigger splash than once thought by many earlier this season.  With sharpshooter Jack McMoney McClinton leading the way anything looks possible. 

These three things remain: Faith, Hope and Love.  And, for Canes baskeball fans, the greatest of these is Faith in Haith.

Miami Hurricanes Baseball Season Preview: Part III

This is the final article in a three part series written by blogger Matt in LA exclusively for Canespace...

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Schedule and Prediction

The schedule sets up like it once did when Miami was an independent with most games played in the state of Florida, many at home with few on the road.  Of the 53 games Miami plays this year, only 17 are away from The Light while only 12 of those are out of the state.

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Throw in the ACC Tournament for a year-end road trip and this team will be primed for a run to Omaha.  The schedule makeup should allow for Miami, at the very least, to host a Regional and possibly be one of the top eight seeds which would give them the inside track to host a Super Regional.

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This Hurricanes team has all the components to get to the College World Series: a solid and productive offense; great pitching; experienced players; a chip on their shoulder from the early exit of last year; a favorable schedule; and, a hall of fame coach in Jim Morris. 

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If the Canes do not make the CWS with this team it will be a major disappointment.  But fear not, my prediction is that by year-end, Miami will be one of only eight teams left at the CWS in Omaha trying to earn the program's fifth national championship.

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RIVALS.COM 2008 PRESEASON TOP-25 POLL

Rank	Team	2007 Record
1	Arizona State	33-28
2	Miami	37-24
3	UCLA	33-28
4	Rice	56-14
5	San Diego	43-18
6	Texas	46-17
7	Vanderbilt	54-13
8	Arizona	42-17
9	North Carolina	57-16
10	South Carolina	46-20

Miami Hurricanes 2008 Baseball Preview: Part II

This is the second of a three part series on Hurricane baseball written by blogger Matt in LA exclusively for Canespace...

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Catcher and DH

These two positions will start the season being manned by two young, talented and highly regarded incoming freshmen.

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At C will be Yasmani Grandal, the switch hitter from Miami Springs HS where as a senior had 13 HR’s and 48 RBI’s.  He was drafted in the 27th round by the Boston Red Sox and was considered one of the top HS catchers coming out of HS.  He will manage the pitching staff and be a solid defensive contributor.

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The DH will most likely be Iden Nazario from Miami Southridge.  As a senior he hit .490 with 4 HR’s and 48 RBI’s and led the Canes during fall ball with a team high 14 RBI’s.  He is a versatile player who will be used as a utility IF and counted on for production in the lower third of the batting order.  He is also a good pitcher and will be used out of the bullpen.

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Starting Pitching and Bullpen

The 2008 Miami starting pitching will have a solid 1-2 punch with a freshman that must step up to fill the day three starter.  The ace of the staff will be 2007 all freshman ACC selection Eric Erickson who posted a 10-4 record and a 2.50 ERA in 2007.  He is a preseason all-america selection and will have to win at least 12 games for the Canes to return to Omaha.

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The middle day starter will be Enrique Garcia.  In 2007 he posted an 8-4 record and a 3.82 ERA.  As Erickson is more of a finesse pitcher, Garcia will be the power pitcher on this team as last season he struck out 80 in 92 innings of work.  He will be a solid second starter for the Canes in 2008 and should ultimately win 10 games.

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The third starter in the rotation is the big question.  As of now it is slated to be freshman Chris Hernandez with John Housey in the number four spot.  Hernandez, from Miami Monsignor Pace HS, was the Miami Herald’s Class 4A-1A player of the year and was drafted 14th by Detroit.  In his senior year, he posted a 7-2 record with 105 strikeouts and a 0.65 ERA and if he can handle the transition to college should be a nice addition to the rotation.  Housey posted a 5.65 ERA while striking out 22 in 28.2 innings in 2007 and should improve on those numbers this year.

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Of all the areas of the Miami Baseball team that has the most questions it’s the bullpen.  Slated to close will be redshirt junior Carlos Gutierrez who had Tommy John Surgery that kept him out all of last season.  He has the experience and mental makeup, as he was the Friday night starter in 2006, to handle the closers role.  If he comes back strong from the yearlong layoff he should have a great year.

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The late inning setup man will be David Gutierrez.  Last year he posted a 3.74 ERA and a 2-0 record in 43.1 innings of work while only allowing opponents to hit .256 against him and will be a solid hold pitcher. 

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The middle relief will include Kyle Bellamy and PJ Fisher with Nazario being the left handed specialist out of the pen who throws in the low to mid 90’s.

Miami Hurricanes 2008 Baseball Preview

This is a first in a three part series written by Canespace blogger and Canes baseball guru Matt in LA.  Today we look at the 2008 season and projected infielders and outfielders:

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If you are looking for a college baseball program that has history, tradition and has won consistently for decades, few teams can match the University of Miami Hurricanes.  The college baseball season is now less than a week away and the Canes come into 2008 with something to prove. 

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UM officially begins the season with a 3 game series against Cincinnati on Friday, February 22 at Alex Rodriquez Park at Mark Light Stadium. 

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In case you weren't aware, current New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez, who was recruited to UM, has donated a boat load of cash to upgrade and refurbish Mark Light Stadium.  "The Light" as it is commonly known was a state of the art facility when it opened in 1973.  It will again become the envy of all college baseball when renovations are completed sometime later this year.

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After an inconsistent 2007 regular season, the canes for the second year in a row missed out on hosting a regional and for the first time in 12 years failed to win their regional.  This has not sat well with Jim Morris and his club during the off-season.

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The expectations last year were high and this year is no different.  The National Collegiate Baseball Writers, Baseball America and Rivals rank’s Miami preseason #’s as 12, 10 and 2 respectively.  Most believe this team is ready to return to Omaha and have the pieces in place to do it.  Here's a look at some projected starters and key contributors for the Canes in 2008:

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Infield

The Hurricanes arguably will have the best infield in the country.  Anchoring the team not only on the field but also in the batting order is Yonder Alonso at 1B.  He will be the 3-hole hitter and focal point of the Miami offense as well as the team in 2008.  Last year he batted .376 with 18 HR’s and 74 RBI’s and is a 2008 preseason All-American.

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Alonso tore up the Cape Cod league this summer and is rated the eigth best college prospect for the upcoming MLB Draft.  So goes Alonso, so goes the Miami offense.

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At 2B will be Jemile Weeks.  Last year he batted .298 with 5 HR’s and 27 RBI’s in an injury riddled season in which he struggled all year with a nagging hamstring problem after an outstanding freshman campaign.  After the graduation of Roger Tomas it’s imperative that the power hitting Weeks, who will be an important cog, stay healthy and on the field.

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The SS will be Ryan Jackson.  Coming out of high school last year the expectations for Jackson were high but he struggled for much of the 2007 season.  Last year he hit .236 and had 10 doubles, 2 triples and 25 RBI’s.  He is a slick fielding SS in which he should breakout in his sophomore year.  His success will be a major factor whether this team returns to Omaha.

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At 3B will be Mark Sobolewski.  Last year he hit .347 and had 7 HR’s with 52 RBI’s and was second on the team with 14 SB’s in his first season at Miami.  He will be one of the main offensive contributors this year and look for him to build on the solid numbers from last season.

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Outfield

A trio of juniors will man the Miami OF.  The roamer in CF will be Blake Tekotte.  The Miami leadoff hitter batted .333 with 3 HR’s and 25 RBI’s and stole a team high 15 bases in 2007.  He is a solid defensive outfielder, the catalyst of the Miami offense and will be a team leader for the Canes in 2008.

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In LF will be Dave DiNatale.  In a platoon role last year he batted .233 with 3 HR’s and 23 RBI’s but this year will be a full time starter.  This position will be one where DiNatale will have to step up and provide more production both offensively and defensively for the Canes to solidify the LF spot.

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In RF will be the big power hitting Dennis Raben.  Raben at 6’3, 220 lbs will be the Miami cleanup hitter and batting behind Alonso.  The attention that opposing pitchers will give Alonso should allow Raben to see good pitches and have a big year.  Last year he hit .280 and had 12 HR’s and 48 RBI’s.  He had a good summer in the Cape Cod league and that run should give Raben momentum to build off of his 2007 campaign. 

The Turnaround

Miami Hurricanes football has flourished through five national championships, two Heisman Trophy winners and a period spanning more than seven decades, which began in 1926.

Through the years, events surrounding the University, the city, and the area have had a tremendous impact on the program.  The most recent event being the hiring of former player Randy Shannon as head coach. 

We have all heard the phrase that history repeats itself.  With that in mind, I went through Miami’s football history and tried to find a coach to compare Randy Shannon to.

SABAN LAUNCHES THE TURNAROUND (1977-78)

On December 27, 1976, Lou Saban began his two-year tenure as head coach, and in that span laid the foundation for the program's rise to national prominence in the 1980s.  His team performed well in the opener, a 10-0 loss at Ohio State. However, UM went on to lose the last six games of the year for a 3-8 record.

Realizing that quality players were the key to success at Miami, Saban and his coaching staff went on a recruiting blitz of the East Coast, Midwest and the state of Florida in the winter of 1977-78. UM signed the maximum 30 players that year, including 19 from Florida, in what was perhaps the school's first great recruiting class. A total of six first-team Class AAAA all-state Floridians were in that group, and 11 players went on to professional football.  In 1978, Miami closed out Saban's UM career with a win over rival Florida and fashioned a 6-5 record, only the second winning season in over a decade.

Out of the turmoil of the mid-1970s emerged the most prolific running back in the school's history, Ottis (O.J.) Anderson. The West Palm Beach native led UM in rushing three years (1977-78-79). He still stands as the career rushing leader and was the first back at Miami to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season.

Anderson, a tough, durable player, would go on to remarkably successful NFL career.  Traded to the New York Giants mid-way through the 1986 season, he helped the Giants win the Lombardi Trophy that year over the Denver Broncos.  In 1990 he was selected as the Super Bowl MVP when the Giants again won the NFL Championship by beating the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXV. 

The parallels I saw here were the losing streak at the end of his first season, the great recruiting class, and in the next year (my prediction) a win over the Florida Gators at The Swamp in Gainesville. 

Of course I hope Coach Shannon is at UM for more than two seasons.  The new AD will be a variable in this, however.  Some guys want to come in and make a statement early in their tenure.  This is sometimes done by bringing in a signature hire, thus making a mark or stamping a program with their fingerprint. 

I believe this recruiting class, with the additions of Bill Young and Aubrey Hill to the staff, is the first step in “The Turnaround.”

Note: Special thanks to the University of Miami for the information regarding Lou (not Nick) Saban.

This feature was written by HurricaneMitch for Canespace...

What Pisses U Off?

This feature article was written for Canespace by CanesGirlNC (CGNC)...

Bad days?  Everyone’s got ‘em.  Things that make us angry?  Yeah, we got plenty of those too.

We find ourselves in a dead period.  Football recruits are signed and waiting for Spring practice; the basketball team has been struggling in ACC competition; baseball season is still on the horizon; and well, U get the picture. 

Awhile back I wrote an article called “Pins and Needles” based on the title of a CD written by rock musician, Chris Caffery which seemed to encompass the basic feeling of Canes fans waiting for NSD. 

Even rock musicians that tour the US and Europe have bad days too, I guess, as he wrote a track called “Pisses Me Off”.  Some select lyrics from that song include:

My cell phone pisses me off,
Even at home, The thing’s on roam

Starbucks pisses me off
5 bucks or 10, Getting effed again

Canespace is in possession of autographed CD’s from Chris for distribution.  So, let’s hear it in the key of PG-13 Legion, what "Pisses U Off?"  Here is one example:

The 07' Offense pisses me off
Even inside the 10
Getting stuffed again!

To hear the hard rocking song by Chris go to http://canespace.com/_wsn/page4.html and click on the link to his page.

Winning the Heisman

Each year, the Heisman trophy is warded to the best college football player in the nation.  In 2007, those priviledge few who actually had a vote in the selection process picked Tim Tebow for that prestigious honor.  Tebow, who scored over 20 touchdowns both through the air and on the ground in the Gators "spread offense", shocked the sports world as he became the first Sophomore to win the coveted award.  Pictured at left is the actual Tebow Heisman wearing the traditional Gator gear: JORTS!

However, in a poll conducted among fans here on Canespace, Tebow did not win the heisman.  In fact, one of our own bloggers, CanesgirlNC from Charlotte won the Heisman award in a runaway.  Of course fellow bloggers such as SolarCane, Aqua, Keoki, DTX and most of all ardent supporter "pb", each voted several hundred times each to ensure her victory.  But that was allowed within our liberal voting rules.

Now, here is her story on winning this incredible honor...

This year's Heisman competition was - Tim Tebow the Gator, Run DMC from Arkansas, Chase Daniels from Mizzou and my favorite, Colt Brennan from Hawaii (who gave big ups to our Sean Taylor).   

I logged in to the blog awhile back and found a poll for the Heisman voting which surprisingly included my name.  Even more amazing was the outpouring of support I received as all of you out there in Canespace voted for me early and often! 

I received so many votes here in the Canespace balloting that I did what Brennan, Daniels and McFadden, could not: beat Tim Tebow.  Take that all you out there in the Gator Nation.  I can only imagine how many jort wearing Gator fans will be upset with this outcome.  Tough luck you Gainesville Geeks!

Canespace is the bomb!  I have had so much fun on here, at the games, at the game watches with the Charlotte UM Alumni Chapter this year.  I know the best is yet to come as the site and our friends grow. 

MaryLouAlumni said it best: "This is my family."

We are The U, and The U is FAMILY!

Let's Go (Pro) Bowling!

This feature article written by CanesGirlNC for Canespace...

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The University of Miami has the most former players currently playing in the NFL and the longest streak of consecutive years of first round draft picks.  On any given Sunday it is not hard to find former U players suiting up in NFL uniforms - 50 of them to be exact.  It is no wonder why UM is commonly referred to as “NFLU”.

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But making it into the NFL is only the first step for many UM players.  Being selected for the NFL Pro Bowl is often step two.  The Canes had 7 former players in the 2007 Pro Bowl. Former Canes that went to Hawaii last year included: Ed Reed, Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne, Frank Gore, Devin Hester, Jeremy Shockey and Sean Taylor.

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“It’s an honor to be considered with such an elite group of guys.  It’s great to be mentioned with those guys.  I was really rooting for Reggie [Wayne] to make it. It’s good to hang over there with your former teammates”, Andre Johnson told 790 The Sports Animal in an interview before the 2007 Pro Bowl. 

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Johnson, who along with Ken Dorsey, Clinton Portis and Jeremy Shockey helped lead the University of Miami to a National Championship in 2001, has become one of the premier receivers in the NFL.  All four of these players just happen to be currently playing on Sundays.

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This year, the 2008 Pro Bowl boasts 8 former Canes: Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Willis McGahee from the Baltimore Ravens; Vince Wilfork from the New England Patriots; Reggie Wayne - Indianapolis Colts; Devin Hester - Chicago Bears; Kellen Winslow II - Cleveland Browns; and posthumously, Sean Taylor formerly of the Washington Redskins.

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Yes, Sean may be gone, but he has certainly not been forgotten by his NFL peers, coaches and fans.

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To be selected to play in the NFL alone is an incredible achievement.  To be selected as one of the best of the best in the League is an honor that few get to experience.  This is unless of course you happened to attend the small, private school in Coral Gables affectionately known as “The U”.