Your Miami Hurricanes finished the 2008 football season with a thud, losing 38-28 to North Carolina State on a cold, gloomy day in Raleigh. Not even the presence of CanesgirlNC (seen here with her daughter and friends) could bring home a much needed victory over the Wolfpack.
The Canes, who at one point this season won five straight games and were ranked for the first time in three seasons, finished the year at 7-5 after dropping their last two ACC match-ups against Georgia Tech and NC State.
After finishing at 5-7 in 2007, Miami improved by just two games in 2008. The Canes finished 4-4 in the ACC with wins over Duke, Wake Forest, Virginia and Virginia Tech and losses to the Seminoles, Tar Heels, Yellow Jackets and Wolf Pack. The Canes late season decline saved Sun-Sentinel writer Shandel "Saluki" Richardson the ultimate embarassment of having to wear a Canespace T-shirt (seen above) to work. But there is always next year Shandel, next year!
And, while the Canes did improve their W-L record and their play in general this season, they also showed that there is much work to be done and room for improvement before this team can compete for an ACC title, much less a national championship.
With a young team and a tough road schedule in 2009 it is likely going to be 2010 before your Canes are once again knocking on heaven's door. The lesson learned from 2008? Be patient Canes fans; improvement may be slow, but better days will be here again. The cutie pictured above told me so and I believe her, don't U!
In the meantime, U may want to go out and cheer on Frank Haith's 21st ranked UM basketball team at the BUC. In case you missed it, they won again yesterday, beating Stetson 79-65.
The bowl eligible Hurricanes will now wait to hear where they will play their next game. The choices appear to be limited to the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl in Nashville, The Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte or most likely the Emerald Bowl in San Francisco. However it works out, it will be a disappointment after the Canes had a potential shot at the ACC championship and a possible date in the Orange Bowl game.
Speaking of the ACC championship game, Virginia Tech and Boston College will face off in Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on Saturday, December 6 to represent the ACC in the Orange Bowl.
The pictures above and below from the NCST game are from world renowned Canespacer Keoki who is famous for two things: (1) The awesome Canespace tailgate parties at TNP stadium; and (2) For creating the "Keoki Mystery Punch" that he served at these events.
The red-colored punch, whose recipe remains a trade secret but is rumored to be a combination of cherry Kool Aid and several types of flavored rums and liquors, not only put the giddy up back in MaryLou's step but is the only known substance to temporarily quite Carlos' criticism of UM Offensive Coordinator Patrick Nix. Yes, that is how powerful "The Punch" really is!