Canespace

The Birth of A Man And A Miracle

On April 1 and again on November 27 this year in honor of Sean Taylor's birth and death, Canespace will be dedicating a memorial feature blog to recognize his contributions to the University of Miami...

Sean Michael Maurice Taylor was born in Miami on April 1, 1983. 

Perhaps by fate, maybe by coincidence, it was later that same year that the University of Miami, behind a quarterback named Kosar and Coach named Schnellenberger, would win their first college football National Championship by beating heavily favored Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. 

That game, which put the UM program on the big-time college football map, has often been referred to as the "Miracle in Miami".  Sean's Taylor's birth in April of that year could also be seen as a miracle for what this young man would soon bring to this team and its fans in his home town.

Sean would grow up in a tough South Dade neighborhood and later attend Gulliver High School where he would help them win the Class 2A State Title and become the #1 ranked prep player in the County by the Miami Herald.  Sean was so dominant at this level that he played multiple positions including running back, linebacker and defensive back for that team. 

After a spectacular Senior season and a hotly contested recruiting battle for this star athlete, Sean decided to attend the University of Miami.  It would prove to be somewhat ironic that Sean would wind up being one of only four true freshmen to play in 2001 on the Hurricanes fifth National Championship team. 

Even at this early stage, Sean's life had seemingly come full circle.  From being born during the Miracle in Miami season of 1983 to contributing to what was arguably the best UM team ever, the Canes 2001 championship team.  Sean Taylor had already become a hometown hero and would soon become a true legend in the 305.

As Junior at UM in 2003, after beating FSU at Doak Campbell Stadium in the pouring rain seemingly all by himself, Sean would win a slew of college football awards.  After that season, Sean decided it was time to take the next step and would opt for the NFL draft.   

He would be the first of six Canes selected in the first round that year (an NFL record) when he was drafted fifth overall by the Washington Redskins. 

By 2006 there was no doubt that Sean Taylor had become the dominant player at his position and was honored by being selected to the NFL Pro-bowl that year.  Nicknamed "Meast" by teammates for being part man, part beast, Sean would become one of the most feared hitters in the NFL.       

Entering his third year as a Redskin, Sean seemed to be at the top of his game and the NFL talent pool.  By the tenth week of the NFL season he was tied for the league lead in interceptions and was considered an automatic selection for his second straight Pro-Bowl. 

Then came the fateful night of November 26, 2007.

Sean Taylor, while at home asleep with his wife and 18 month-old daughter, awoke to a loud noise in his home.  In an effort to protect his family, Sean confronted the would-be burglars.  He was shot once and would later die from the severe loss of blood as his femoral artery was torn apart by the single bullet. 

That night would end the life of a real Hurricane hero.

Sean Taylor's sudden and tragic death shocked his family, friends, teammates and the Hurricane faithful.  When he died the day following the shooting, we promised to never forget his contributions to the University of Miami. 

This blog article is our simple way of proving that we have not forgotten Sean Taylor, #26, who played at The U and was proud to wear the orange and green. 

Some memories and images never fade.  And even now, if you close your eyes, you can probably still see him, #26 back peddaling into open space, picking off another deep pass, splashing through the rain and the mud at the Doak, weaving down the field behind several blockers, refusing to be denied and diving into the end zone for a pick six. 

That is how we will remember Sean Taylor.

A miracle of a man who at times seemed completely capable of beating the other team all by himself.

Vanilla Please?

The Spring Game is always a hard read for Canes fans. 

Is the Offense really showing what they can do? 

Is the Defense showing their blitzes and coverages? 

Is it that the coaches are serving only one flavor: Vanilla? 

Are the Cheerleaders showing all of what they can do? 

Well, here is the Canespace summary of today's Spring Game according to those who were there:

According to Cane Since 1982:  The Canes were NOT impressive today.  The recievers dropped to many passes, the OL was not dominant enough, the defense was gashed by the run and the play calling was vanilla.

If U asked Cat5 (pictured here): He would say the Canes looked MUCH more impressive than last year's Spring Game when they did absolutely nothing.  He liked the play of Marve, Bailey, and the kickers.  He thinks the kicker will win at least one game and maybe more this year.

HurricaneMitch would say: I came all the way from Nebraska for this!  As far as I'm concerned, the Canes looked GREAT!  They produced big plays on offense, the QBs were accurate, the defense was explosive and cheerleaders were awesome!

1. QB: Cannon Smith is short.  Marve and Harris are ALL of what they are billed to be.  They are accurate passers and looked good, but not great today.  Marve has a rocket for an arm.  On one pass to the sideline, the receiver was well covered.  Marve gunned the ball in there to the only spot it could be completed - the receiver's outside shoulder.

2. RB: JJ will start but Craig Cooper will break more long runs and score more points. Both James and Cooper looked much quicker and faster than last year.  Cooper showed he has an extra gear on both of his touchdown runs.  McNeal (#33) played well also and will see some quality time off the bench.  Unfortunately, Derron Thomas appeared to suffer a major leg injury.

3. WR: Too many drops STILL!  We counted at least fiva balls that easily should have been caught.  Shields, Farqhuarson and Hankerson likely will start.  AJ will will come off the bench according to Solar who was NOT at the game.

4. OL: Run blocking?  A+ with many solid runs and major gains.  Pass blocking?  C-.  Snaps are NOT consistent or good in the shotgun.  This is still a work in progress.

5. DL:  WATCH OUT!  WE got this.  Moncur, Forston, Bailey and the gang will bring it! The D-line played well overall but also got blocked on some of the long runs.  They pressued the QB and recorded several "touch" sacks on the day.  Much better play than last year.

6. LB: Spence and Brown will be the gasoline that ignites this D.  They are dynamic playmakers who will disrupt and destroy plays.  This is gonna be fun to watch.  People may get hurt.  And when we say "people" we mean opposing team's players, and Tim Tebow in particular.

7. DB: Better than expected.  DVD is a stud.  Bruce johnson is very good.  Chavez Grant is excellent.   JoJo at Safety is gonna be great.

8.  The cheerleaders also looked a little rusty during many of their routines.  Their timing was abit off and they had a few drops during some of the more difficult stunts and formations.  However, they worked the game well, had good vocal projection during cheers and showed good spirit, enthusiasm and determination.  Plus, UM cheerleaders just LOVE Canespace. 

At the post scrimmage party we met some really great Canes fans from Lakeland. 

They are die hard Caniacs and will host a Central Florida Game Watch Party on November 1, 2008.  Here they are! 

Spring Forward

Just back from the Spring Game at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.  It was great to see fellow Canespacers Ocala, Cat5, Keoki, Delray, Mitch, 1982, WMD and others at the game and post game party at Bru's Room in Margate. 

We met tons of 'Spacers and fans who are aware of The 'Space.  We even met some Canes Fans of the Month (CFOMs) who want to get involved.  Our only wish was that more of U could have made it.  A good time was had by all!

To satiate your need for info we are going to run TWO blogs tonight.  The first is going to be a photo essay from today.  OcalaCane was working the crowd and game as usual and got some great shots.  I will follow this blog with another at 8 PM with a complete detailed write up on today's action.

The Fans Have Spoken

What's in a name?  Apparently, on this blog, everything! 

Here at Canespace, fans have been both careful and creative in choosing their blog names. These names often serve as a unique trademark to reflect who the blogger is, some aspect of their personality or even where they live.

While some simply use their real names or initials like bloggers Zakkee, Esteban, Calvin, Jake, Mitch, Carlos, Matt, M.H., JC, Mr. Troutman and Manny Navarro, others choose to get much more creative. 

Names like SolarCane, Cavaleer, Aqua, The Truth, Old Skool, RaizeCane, TrueCane, ColdCane, RT6, OrangeandGreenintheVein, Loco, ReggaeBob, AVACane96, Cat Five, AngryCane, Canechic, CanesGirlNC, MaryLouAlumni, OcalaCane, MiamiMike01, MontrealCane, SuperCooper, BG1906, 86Cane, Canesince1982, AlpharettaCane, SarasotaCane, pbCSHOF09, Canez1, Canesluvr, CoCane, and others have gone this route.

Recently, one Canespace blogger agreed to undergo a complete blog name re-construction.  Blogger Canesranus, a recent transplant from the Sun Sentinel blog hosted by Shandel the Saluki, agreed to go with the will of the people and allow Canespacers to vote and choose his new name for the blog. 

After careful consideration of suggested names and an official poll vote here on the blog that Fans have spoken!  The name that was selected in a runaway vote to replace Canesranus is: CaneSawMassacre.  This name, which is effective immediately, was originally suggested by Canespaceballer SolarCane.

Which brings us to another critical issue.  Was the vote a fair one?  There were allegations made by a few bloggers here that the vote itself was "rigged" by SolarCane.  I mean if the guy can create images like this one at left is there really anything he can't do?

As many of you know, Solar is no stranger to controversy, and has faced previous allegations of illegal blog "juicing".   Some have even claimed that he recently used a secret identity to testify before Congress as an expert witness on the seemingly rampant use of illegal blog "enhancements" by bloggers in the U.S. 

In response to numerous complaints and requests from bloggers here, Canespace has launched a formal investigation into these allegations, rumors and claims.  Only time will tell if they are true. 

Either way the fans have spoken. Congratulations...CaneSawMassacre it is! 

An Act of God

Insurance companies often refer to natural disasters, such as mammoth hurricanes like Hurricane Andrew pictured at left, as “acts of God” when explaining liability. Those who live in South Florida can attest to how devastating these events are.

As Canes fans we’ve been privileged to see many of God’s finest acts, among them the 2001 national champion Hurricanes football team being perhaps the most devastating of them all.

But slowly and surely, we’re witnessing the birth of another cataclysm, one defined not by the sounds of bodies crunching but by the deafening *tink* of an aluminum bat connecting on a 450 foot home run. 

Ironically it seems to take acts of God to beat this particular team.  Most recently torrential rain forced a rainout, negating a win. Before that the rotation of the earth caused time to elapse and forced the Canes to board a plane and suffer a loss after only 8 innings.  And, back when the season was young, the head coach of the Gators sold his soul to buy a single win against the behemoth that is the 2008 Hurricanes baseball team.

So perhaps the last item was more an act of the devil, but you get the idea. These Canes are seemingly unbeatable, with superior pitching featuring young lefty aces Eric Erickson and Chris Hernandez and an absolutely breath-taking lineup highlighted by Yonder Alonso and Jemile Weeks hitting above .400 and really not a weakness at the plate from positions 1 through 9.

The competition has hardly been weak, with strong ACC opponents and a ranked Florida team already among the vanquished. They’ve scored over 10 runs in 7 of their last 9 games, and average over 9.5 per outing. Only a 2-1 win vs. NC State qualifies as a pitchers duel, but it at least shows the Canes are up to the task.

In the months ahead the Canes play top 5 ranked teams FSU on the road and UNC at home while playing a largely challenging schedule. We’ll even see our good friends from St. Mary’s (Ca) on the diamond after eliminating them on the hardwood in the first round of the NCAA tourney.   

At the end of all this is the ACC tournament in Jacksonville, and the long road to Omaha. If they can maintain this clip, we will be able to say we saw the baseball equivalent of that monster 2001 UM football team.

This feature was written for Canespace by guest blogger JC.

One And Done

The Miami Hurricanes run in the 2008 NCAA basketball tournament was a sweet yet short one.  Unfortunately, the Canes tourney experience was limited to "one and done". 

After beating the Gaels of St. Mary's in the first round, the Canes fell to the Texas Longhorns in their second round game 75-72 today at the Alltel Arena in Little Rock, Arkansas. 

The game was not as close as the final score sounds as again the Canes came out cold, started slowly and never really matched the Horns talent and tenacity.

Truth be told Texas dominated throughout and led the game by as many as 12 points with five minutes to go.  Their eight point lead with 2 minutes left was cut into by two late three pointers by UM Senior Dwight Hicks.

Canes leading scorer Jack "McMoney" McClinton was short-changed with only 18 points against a tough Texas defense.  The Jack Attack never got his momentum going and simply couldn't carry the load for the team on this day.

The Canes were exposed again for having too few scoring options, no dominant inside presence and no real point guard to control the game.

Still, Canes fans maintained their "Faith in Haith" until the very end of the game when Miami trailed by three and actually had a final possession with just under two seconds to go.  But, the long inbounds pass was intercepted by Texas and that was that. 

However, Haith and his team earned some major respect and some degree of redemption for even getting the team tournament eligible this year.  Now he is hoping for BIG dividends when roundball recruiting season roles around.

Now that basketball season has dawn to a close, Canes fans will shift their focus to the absolutely dominant baseball team, who in case you haven't heard, is just beating the jorts (thanks to M.H.) off of their opponents. 

Today the UM Diamond Dogs unleashed 23 runs on Wake Forest in the first of a two game doubleheader.  That's right, it's not a typo, TWENTY THREE runs! 

The Canes football team, now deep into Spring practice, would be happy to average that many points when the season starts in this Fall.  Jim Morris has his team on an early roll and this team appears to be set for yet another trip the the CWS in Omaha.  Now that sounds sweet!

Deep In The Heart

Of Texas!  Here is what the Canes hope to do: put a dagger deep into the heart of the Longhorns on their way to the Sweet Sixteen.  The Canes rounders have already exceeded all expectations this year and are looking to add a little icing on the cake by beating Texas in their second round match-up.

The Canes "Jack Attack" offense (courtesy of SuperCooper) is locked and loaded and ready to shoot down the Horns.  If they can get Lance "over the" Hurdle and Jimmy "Graham Cracker Crust" to throw in there is no reason they can't win and advance to the round of 16.

And if U had any doubts, Randall Hill, AKA as The Texas Killer, called Canespace tonight and said: "Score six and take it into the tunnel!"  If anyone knows how to score on Texas it would be Randal "Thrill" Hill.  The former Miami Killian Cougar and Hurricanes star is remembered for his run into the tunnel against the 'Horns.

As we like to say here on The 'Space: Score here, Score often!

Then, all of a sudden, out of the blue, Kristi Yamaguchi showed up and also threw her two cents into the mix.  Some Canespacers asked what the heck was she thinking? 

But, as you all know Kristi is already Dancing with the Stars and hopes the Canes can do the same with a victory over Texas.  Kristi shows up, predicts a UM victory and the Canes win.  It's just that simple, right?

GO CANES, BEAT TEXAS!!!

Introduction to Dance: 101

So now U think U can dance after all?  You had the courage to sign up for the class and were obviously nervous on your first day, especially when you saw the competition could dance also.  Well, well, well after the first dance you got your groove on and look at U now!

The Canes started S   L   O  W and finished FAST in winning their first game of the NCAA tourney by beating St. Mary's 78-64 in what ended up being a convincing win.  According to what is their standard MO, the Canes came out lethargic in the first half with too many turn overs and missed layups. 

McMoney couldn't seem to get the ball or get shots to fall and had only 6 points in the first half.  And, his supporting cast was only adequate at best at keeping the Canes in the game.

But the second half was a different story.  The Canes went on a 25-5 run behind the "Jack Attack" offense and the Canes dominated play and outscored their opponents in the final 20 minutes.  The Jackster scored 32 of his 38 points in the second stanza to lift the Canes into the second round. 

Can U say stud?  Can U say NBA?  I thought U could! 

Canes fans " Faith in Haith" remained alive after the Canes came out STRONG in the second half and put the St. Mary's Gaels to bed for the last time. 

The way we see it from here is: Sweet 16 here we come! 

So U Think U Can Dance?

The Miami Hurricanes basketball team did what their in-State rivals Florida Gators and Florida State Seminoles couldn't: they got invited by the hottest lady in the room (see photo, upper left) to the BIG dance.  SWEET!

Tomorrow at 12:30 pm on CBS, the seventh seeded Canes face tenth seeded St. Mary's in a first round game at Alltel Arena in Little Rock Arkansas.  The Gaels come into the game with a 25-6 record (12-2 in the WCC) and are led by WCC Coach of the Year Randy Bennett and All-WCC selection Patrick Mills who averages 14.5 ppg.

The Canes and their "Jack Attack" offense come into the NCAA tourney with a 22-10 record overall and 8-8 in the tough ACC conference.  Making their sixth appearence in the big dance the Canes are looking for some respect as most of the national media are predicting a St. Mary's victory. 

Say what?  The Canes are out to prove they belong in this mess and make a statement in this year's tourney.  We think they will make some noise. Some major noise!

The Canes players have been preaching "Faith in Haith" all year long.  To be honest, there have been some tough times and tough losses and some Canes fans have been, shall we say, "unfaithful". 

However, now that we are all out there on the dance floor, Canes fans are all about the roundballers on the hardwood.  Coach Faith, I mean Haith, has been to the big dance five times before with other teams.  This time, he's the boss. 

Can he get it done?  We think so.  Our Faith is STRONG!  So, now U the fans have to make the call.  Do the Canes win?  If so by how much? 

That Smell

This blog feature was written by Original Ten (OT) Canespacer SolarCane as part of "SolarWeek" here at Canespace.  A special tribute to the OT is scheduled for our one year anniversary on June 16, 2008.

Skynyrd sang about it.

The Rock cooked it up.

Kilgore may have said it best in Apocalypse Now: “The smell…you know that gasoline smell, the whole hill. Smelled like...victory.”

For many, many years and through 58 straight victories at the Orange Bowl, teams would lineup against the Canes and inhale that smell.  What it smelled like was fear. The Canes wore it like fine cologne. During warm-ups you could see the resigned look in opponents eyes as the pungent odor of impending doom swept over them.

The swagger, the confidence, the cockiness, and the in your face Cane attitude was intimidating enough. Then you had that smell hanging over the opponents huddle. Sometimes the smell was apprehension, sometimes it was just soiled underwear.

More than one quarterback lost their lunch on the Orange Bowl turf.  They may have tried to blame it on the flu, butterflies, bad burritos, whatever, but we all knew that it was really just that smell.

In a blindfold test on game day Gators, Noles, and Irish couldn’t tell the difference between their team's huddle and a portable toilet.

When you think of what stimulates your senses at a game, the action and the sounds would surly be at the top of your list. All the while you are hardly aware you are being bombarded with aromas from invigorating to sublime.

That tropical Miami air, that distinctive smell of smeared sun block, the intoxicating perfume of lady Canes, the refreshing aroma of ice cold beer, the sweat of shirtless fans in the September heat, the odor of arepas, pinchos and hot dogs, that pungent whiff every once in a while of nature's finest, all are part of the game day experience.

After two consecutive sub-par seasons some Canes fans are wondering out loud: "Have the cleaner, more politically correct Canes lost the ability to cast that smell over opponents?"

Well, after the recently landing the 2008 recruiting class dominated by the ballers from the 305, many fans feel that Canes head coach Randy Shannon has taken the first big step forward to restoring the proud Canes tradition of instilling fear into their opponents.  Fearing The U is "in" again.

In fact, the way the future is looking, as far as opposing teams are concerned, well they can just spin a little Lynyrd Skynyrd tune that once again will fit the exact moment they step onto the field:

Ooh, ooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell?
Ooh, ooh that smell
The smell of death surrounds you.