Canespace

BREAKING NEWS: Bulls Found Slaughtered In Miami

It has been rumored that the University of South Florida Bulls have lofty aspirations of turning the "Big Three" of college sports teams in the Sunshine State (UF, FSU and UM) into the "Big Four." 

When told of this nasty rumor the response I got from one UM fan (below) who was at the UM-USF football game in 2009 was: "U gotta be kidding me, right?"  He then proceeded to take a swig off both of his beers and LOL at the idea of the Bulls joining this exclusive club.  Clearly this guy not only knew how to get his groove on but also knew what he was talking about!

As I thought of the idea of USF making the big time the first thoughts that came to my mind were "Surely U can't be serious" and "Not so fast my friend!"  The school from the 813 in the same category as the five time National Champion from the 305?  Child please!

It was just last November 28th and then again on Wednesday night April 28th (hmmm, sense some sort of pattern here?) that your Miami Hurricanes clearly and convincingly demonstrated (in two completely different sports and venues) why the USF Bulls have a long way to go to join the ranks of the Big Three.

Last year over in Tampa on a cool and clear November evening Miami embarrassed USF in football at Raymond James Stadium.  The game was never in doubt and the score was never close as the Hurricanes closed out their 2009 regular season in style by grabbing the Bulls by the horns and tossing them to the turf on their home field by the score of 31-10.

It was there that we found this UM fan (below) celebrating in the same typical two-fisted Miami style as his Hurricane brother seen above.

For the complete recap click here:

http://canespace.typepad.com/canespace/2009/11/big-three-child-please.html

If you thought that was a beat down you should have been in lovely Coral Gables on Wednesday evening as the Hurricanes humiliated the helpless Bulls in basball by the football score of 14-7. 

UM RS Freshman RB Lamar "The Truth" Miller returned to opening kickoff 98 yards for the first score and QB Jacory Harris threw a 47 yard TD to #47 LaRon Byrd in the second half for Miami.  USF was held scoreless until the final minute of the game as UM's third string defense surrendered a late 3 yard TD run when the game was already over.

Oops, sorry wrong sport. 

In reality the Hurricanes opened an industrial size can of whoop ass on the Bulls by pounding the ball all around and often completely out of Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.  Even the Miami Maniac (seen below) felt sorry for the Bulls as UM 3B Harold Martinez came to bat and lauched another of his monster HRs well over the new scoreboard in left field.

The Hurricanes scored runs in six of the nine innings played against the overmatched Bulls pitching staff including five runs in the fourth and fifth innings to put the game out of reach and they Bulls out of their misery once and for all.  The 11th-ranked Hurricanes (31-11) hit three home runs on the night on their way to their seventh straight mid-week win and 11th-straight home victory.

Chris Palaez went 4-for-5 with four runs batted in, driving in a single run in each of his first four at-bats.  Michael Broad went 3-for-4 with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored. Hard hitting Harold Martinez went 2-for-5 with his team-leading 14th homer of the season while Miami's Ryan Perry "Mason" extended his home run streak at home to five straight games with a three-run shot in the fourth inning that broke the game wide open.

Miami starter David Guiterrez (5-0, 4.29) gave up four runs and struck out five in five innings while earning his fourth victory in as many starts this season.  UM relievers Echinosa, Grundy and Nazarrio all pitched well in support of Gutierrez.

So any more of this nonsense about the "Big Four" needs to be shelved for a while longer.

See what the Bulls don't have are five NCAA football National Championships.

What they don't have are four NCAA baseball National Championships flags flying over their ballpark.

Or any of these lovely rings (seen below) either.

So until they achieve some of these lofty goals and get some of these lovely rings then we think that USF should keep their mouths shut. 

To us Miami fans all that talk is just BS (pun intended)!

Prayers Go Unanswered For St. Thomas

The Saint Thomas University (STU) baseball team arrived at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field on a wing and a prayer Tuesday night with hopes of knocking off your University of Miami Hurricanes. 

The St. Thomas catcher can clearly be seen here (above) kneeling and asking for a blessing just before the game started.  Someone must have been listening as early on the upstart Bobcats managed to take a four run first inning lead. STU then proceeded to fight the good fight throughout the night before falling to the bigger, stronger bully from the 305.   

 
As the game wore on it became clear that Saint Thomas' prayers for an unlikely victory on this pleasent, balmy and breezy late April night in Coral Gables would go unanswered.  Several unfounded rumors around the ballpark centered around an alleged voodoo spell cast from the left field picnic area near the STU bull pen that eventually would lead to the Bobcats' undoing. 

One unverified and likely unreliable witness mumbled over and over: "I got this, I got this."  And so it would come to pass.

 
As far as Miami's run production is was all about the long ball.  Now you know that chicks dig the long ball and the Hurricanes did not disappoint with Zeke "Beep Beep" DeVoss, Scott "Breakin' The" Lawson, Ryan Perry "Mason" and Michael "I Ain't No" Broad went yard for Miami. 

As Miami's four championship flags flew in the steady breeze over the stadium, UM fans could feel the power of past success fill the air with confidence and the smell of victory.  Or was that the black beans and rice?  Not sure about that one, but either way it worked for the Hurricanes.
UM pitcher Eric "Bob Marley And The" Whaley started the game and picked up his fourth win on the season.  The win was Miami's 30th victory of the season as the Hurricanes improved 30-11 overall.  After struggling in early season with mid-week games Miami picked up their sixth straight such game.

The Road Runner (DeVoss) led the Hurricanes going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and the home run that proved to be the game-winner. Lawson went 2-for-3, scored two runs and added four RBI including his three-run bomb as Canes fans in the stands like Jerry (affectionately known as "The Old Guy") and Kelly (affectionately known as "Kelly") below went crazy!

Whaley (4-1) lasted four innings and allowed six runs on nine hits.  The back-up band was led by Travis "Not Steve" Miller, Sam "Not Smokey" Robinson, Taylor "Howlin" Wulf and closer Iden "Jesus of" Nazarrio on drums.  Wulf and Nazario each played one solo, I mean inning, but it was Nazario's ninth inning masterpiece that earned his first save of the season. 

The Hurricanes would win the game by the final tally of 9-6 and set up Wednesday's match-up with the South Florida Bulls in lovely Coral Gables. 

Please join us for some exciting times as we run with, and then over, the Bulls.

And if that doesn't get you going, maybe a full moon over Miami and little voodoo spell will?

Fifty Fabulous Floridians

Alright sports fans, I'm back with numbers 40 though 35.

 

Let's take a quick recap of the previous Fabulous 10:

 

50  Tim Tebow

49 Willie Galimore

48 Harold Carmichael

47 Rick Casares

46 Vince Coleman

45 Danny Wuerffel

44 Devin Hester

43 Anthony Carter

42 Ray Bellamy

41 Lou Piniella

 

So far so good, which means the next five better bring even more to be legit. 

Let's get to it!

 

#40 Leroy Butler III

LeRoy Butler, III (born July 19, 1968) played his entire career with the Green Bay Packers (1990–2001).   He spent his childhood in Jacksonville, Florida, challenged by physical problems that forced him to wear leg braces and use a wheelchair at times while undergoing therapy.   In 2007, he was named to the Florida High School Association All-Century Team, which selected the "Top 33" players in the 100-year history of Florida high school football.

 

College career

 

Butler attended Robert E. Lee High School in Jacksonville, FL, and played under the direction of the all time wins leader for a high school football coach in the state of Florida's history, Corky Rogers.  Before moving onto Florida State, Butler was an outstanding player for the Robert E. Lee High School Generals football program. At Florida State Butler played under head coach Bobby Bowden. He was a three-year starter, collecting 194 tackles and 9 interceptions.

 

NFL career: Accolades and Accomplishments

 

Butler was selected by the Packers in the second round of the 1990 NFL draft. He played in 181 games, earned a Super Bowl ring, for Super Bowl XXXI, following the 1996 season, was selected as an All-Pro five times and was selected to the Pro Bowl four times (1993, 1996, 1997, and 1998). He was named to the 1990s NFL All Decade Team, by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and was later inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, in 2007.

 

After being selected to his first Pro Bowl, the emphasis of his first name was questioned by sports commentator John Madden, who was told by Packers running back Edgar Bennett that his name is pronounced ("LEE-Roy"); but, after hearing a broadcast, Butler's mother sent an e-mail to Madden describing the emphasis as ("L'ROY"). During his 12 seasons with the Packers, he recorded 953 tackles, 38 interceptions, 553 return yards, 12 fumble recoveries, 3 defensive touchdowns and 20 1/2 sacks. He led or tied for the team lead in interceptions in five different seasons.

 

Lambeau Leap

 

Butler is credited with inventing the Lambeu leap, a touchdown celebration in which the scoring player leaps into the arms of awaiting fans in the stands near the end zone. On December 26, 1993, the Packers were playing the visiting Los Angeles Raiders. On a second-down swing pass to running back Randy Jordan, Butler forced a fumble that was recovered by Reggie White at the Raiders' 35-yard-line. After running with the ball for 10 yards, White lateraled to Butler, who ran the remaining 25 yards into the end zone and then made a spontaneous leap into the arms of fans in the south bleachers.

 

#39 Bob Hayes

 

Robert Lee "Bullet Bob" Hayes (December 20, 1942 – September 18, 2002) 

Hayes is the only man to ever win an Olympic Gold Medal and a Super Bowl ring.  Once considered the world's fastest man by virtue of his multiple world records in the 60-yard, 100-yard, 220-yard, and Olympic 100-meter dashes.

 

Hayes attended Matthew Gilbert High School (now a middle school) in Jacksonville, where he was a backup halfback on the football team. The 1958 Gilbert High Panthers finished 12-0, winning the Florida Interscholastic Athletic Association black school state championship with a 14-7 victory over Dillard High School of Fort Lauderdale before more than 11,000 spectators.

 

He was the AAU 100 yard dash champion three years running, from 1962–1964, and in 1964 was the NCAA champion in the 200 meter dash. He would miss part of his senior year in college because of his 1964 Olympic bid for U.S. Gold.

 

Olympics

 

At the 1964 Summer Olympics, in Tokyo, Hayes had his finest hour as a sprinter. First, he won the 100m and broke the current World Record in the 100 m with a time of 10.06 seconds, even though he was running in lane 1 which had, the day before, been used for the 10 km race-walk and this badly chewed up the cinder track. He also was running in borrowed spikes because one of his shoes had been kicked under the bed when he was playing with some friends and he didn't realize until he got there.  This was followed by a second gold medal in the 4 x 100 meter relay, which also produced a new World Record (39.06 seconds).

 

Professional Football Career

 

The Dallas Cowboys drafted Hayes in the seventh round of the 1964 NFL Draft, taking a chance an Olympic sprinter with unrefined football skills could excel as a wide receiver. The bet paid off, due to his amazing feats in cleats. Hayes has been credited by many with forcing the NFL to develop a zone defense and the bump and run to attempt to contain him

 

Hayes' first two seasons were most successful, during which he led the NFL both times in receiving touchdowns. In 1966 Hayes caught six passes for 195 yards against the New York Giants at the Cotton Bowl. Later, in the Dallas Cowboys-Washington Redskins match-up, Hayes caught nine passes for 246 yards (a franchise record until Miles Austin broke it with a 250 yard-performance on October 11, 2009 against the Kansas City Chiefs). Hayes' speed forced other teams to go to a zone since no single player could keep up with him.

 

Multiple Offensive Threat

 

In addition to receiving, Hayes returned punts for the Cowboys and was the NFL's leading punt returner in 1968 with a 20.8 yards per return average and two touchdowns, including a 90 yarder against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was named to the Pro Bowl three times and First-team All-Pro twice and Second-team All-Pro twice. He helped Dallas win five Eastern Conference titles, two NFC titles, played in two Super Bowls, and was instrumental in Dallas' first ever Super Bowl victory in 1972, making Hayes the only person to win both an Olympic gold medal and a Super Bowl ring.

 

Cowboy Records

 

Hayes was the second player in the history of the Dallas Cowboys franchise to surpass 1000 yards receiving in a single season, and he did that in his rookie year by finishing with 1,003 yards. Also during his rookie year, he led the team with 46 receptions and set franchise records for total touchdowns (13) and total receiving touchdowns (12). He finished his 11-year career with 371 receptions for 7,414 yards and 71 touchdowns, giving him an impressive 20 yards per catch average (both career touchdowns and yards per catch average remain franchise records.) He also rushed for 68 yards, gained 581 yards on 23 kickoff returns, and returned 104 punts for 1,158 yards and three touchdowns. His 7,295 receiving yards are the fourth-most in Dallas Cowboys history.

 

On August 27, 2008 Hayes was named as one of two senior candidates for the 2009 Hall of Fame election On Saturday, Jan. 31, 2009, he was selected as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2009. Roger Staubach, Bob's Dallas Cowboy teammate, along with Bob's son Bob Hayes Jr. unveiled the bust. On hand were six members of Bob's Gilbert High School championship team.

 

#38 Tony La Russa

 

Anthony "Tony" La Russa, Jr. born October 4, 1944 in Tampa, Florida) is a manager in Major League Baseball, currently with the St. Louis Cardinals. In 2004 he became the sixth manager in history to win pennants with both American and National League teams; in 2006 he became the first manager ever to win multiple pennants in both leagues and became one of only two managers to win the World Series in both leagues.

 

With a 2,552–2,217–4 (.535) record as a manager (through Oct. 4, 2009), he is ranked third all-time for total number of Baseball All-time Managerial Wins list, trailing only Connie Mack (3,731) and John McGraw (2,763). He is also second all-time for games managed (4,773), trailing only Mack who is leading at 7,755 (3,731–3,948–76), passing McGraw at 4,769 (2,763–1,948-58), on October 1, 2009. He is one of only four managers to be named Manager of the Year in both of baseball's major leagues.

 

La Russa has 1,232 wins and 1,034 losses (.544) with 1 tie as manager of the Cardinals [1996 through October 4, 2009]. He was 522–510–3 (.506) with the Chicago White Sox 1979–1986, and 798–673 (.542) with the Oakland Athletics 1986–1995. His 2,000th game managing the Cardinals came on May 31, 2008. On October 1, 2009, he passed John McGraw for second-most games managed in baseball with his 4,770th game managed (2,552-2,214-4). La Russa had three more games (October 4) to extend his managed games to 4,773 (2,552-2,217-4) by the end of the 2009 season.

 

#37 Tommie Frazier Jr

 

Tommie James Frazier, Jr. (born on July 16, 1974, in Bradenton, Florida) is a former NCAA football quarterback for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He is considered one of the greatest quarterbacks in NCAA Division I-A history. Frazier led his team to back-to-back consensus national championships in 1994 and 1995, and he remains the only quarterback to have done so since the 1950s. The 1995 Nebraska team is considered to have been one of the most dominant in the history of American college football.

 

In a 2006 ESPN.com poll, the results of which aired on SportsCenter, the 1995 Nebraska team was voted the best college team of all time.  In 1999 Frazier was selected by Sports Illustrated as a back-up quarterback in their "NCAA Football All-Century Team." The starting quarterback was Sammy Baugh and the other back-ups were John Lujack, Roger Staubach and Doug Flutie. Frazier was one of six Nebraska Cornhuskers on this 85 man roster; the others being Johnny Rodgers, Rich Glover, Dave Rimington, Dean Steinkuhler and Aaron Taylor.

 

Big-game quarterback

 

When he arrived in Lincoln from Bradenton, Florida, the Huskers had suffered years of bowl game blowouts. Coach Tom Osborne made a strategic decision to recruit faster players at all positions in the early 1990s to compete with Miami and Florida State in the seemingly annual Orange Bowl matchups. Frazier was the final piece of the puzzle and led the Huskers to four straight New Year's Day bowl games. He started as a true freshman in 1992. In 1993, as a sophomore, Frazier kept pace with Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward of Florida State in the Orange Bowl but fell just short of leading the Huskers to the National Championship because of a last minute drive by Ward and field goal by the Seminoles.

The following year was trying for Frazier as he battled a blood clot in his leg which held him out of the second half of the season. On the legs of Lawrence Phillips, the Huskers got back to the Orange Bowl and played the Miami Hurricanes for a shot at the National Championship. In the game, Coach Osborne started Frazier but then pulled him for backup Brook Berringer. In the fourth quarter Osborne went back to Frazier and he responded with two touchdown drives. The tired Miami defense led by Warren Sapp and Ray Lewis could not keep up with the Nebraska option as the Huskers celebrated their first national title since 1971 and the first of Coach Osborne's career. Frazier was once again named MVP.

 

In 1995, Frazier teamed with Lawrence Phillips and Ahman Green to form one the most punishing rushing attacks in college football history, setting an NCAA record for averaging 7.0 yards per rushing attempt. The Huskers finished the season undefeated and were matched with the also undefeated Florida Gators in the Fiesta Bowl. Nebraska defeated the Gators 62-24 and Frazier garnered his third straight National Title Game MVP Award.  Frazier is the only player ever to win MVP of three national championship games.

 

#36  Sean Taylor

 

Personal information:

  Date of birth: April 1, 1983(1983-04-01)

  Place of birth: Miami, Florida

  Date of death: November 27, 2007 (aged 24)

  Place of death: Miami, Florida

  High School: Gulliver Preparatory School

  Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)Weight: 212 lb (96 kg)

  Career information

  College: Miami (Fla.)

 

NFL Draft: 2004 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5

  Debuted in 2004 for the Washington Redskins

  Last played in 2007 for the Washington Redskins

 

Career history:

  

Washington Redskins (2004-2007)

 

Career highlights and awards:

    2 Pro Bowl selection (2006, 2007 )

    All-Pro selection (2007 )

    Washington Redskins Ring of Fame

    Posthumous selections

 

Career NFL statistics as of 2007

  Tackles    299

  Interceptions    12

  Forced fumbles    8

  Quarterback sacks    2.0

  Touchdowns    1

 

Sean Michael Maurice Taylor (April 1, 1983 - November 27, 2007) was an American football free safety who played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League.  Taylor was drafted in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Redskins. He played college football at the University of Miami, where he helped lead the Hurricanes to a national championship in 2001.  Due to his style of hitting, several of his pro teammates nicknamed him "Meast," a reference to "half man, half beast."

 

Early years

 

Taylor was born April 1, 1983 in Miami, Florida to Pedro Taylor, a policeman, and Donna Junor.  He spent his early years growing up with his great-grandmother Aulga Clarke in Homestead, Florida and later moved to his fathers home at the age of 10. He originally began his high school football career at 6A Miami Killian High School, but left to Gulliver Preparatory School 2A, where he could play both offense and defense. He helped Gulliver win the Florida Class 2A State Championship in 2000, with a 14-1 record (he did not play in the first game of the season, the team's only loss).

 

At Gulliver, Taylor was a star on both sides of the ball, playing running back, defensive back and linebacker.  In 2000, Taylor rushed for 1,400 yards and a state-record 44 touchdowns.  He also racked up more than 100 tackles during the 2000 season and accounted for 3 touchdowns (two receiving, one rushing) in the state title game victory over Marianna.

 

Taylor was considered the Number 1 prospect in Miami-Dade County by the Miami Herald. He was also rated the nation's number 1 skill athlete and an All-American by super prep.   In 2007 he was named to the Florida High School Association All-Century Team which selected the Top 33 players in the 100 year history of high school football in the state of Florida.

 

College career

 

2001 season

Taylor was recruited by the University of Miami Hurricanes. Taylor enrolled there in 2001 and, that year, he was one of just four true freshmen to play for Miami in the 2001 national championship season. He carved a niche for himself in Miami's secondary in nickel and dime defensive schemes. In 2001, Taylor was named "Big East Special Teams Player" of the Week for his performance against the University of Pittsburgh.  The 2001 season also proved a hugely successful one for the Hurricanes, with the team winning its fifth national championship since 1983, making them the most successful college football team of the past three decades with more national championships than any other Division I program

during this period.

 

2002 season

In 2002, Taylor was a second-team All-Big East selection by the league's head coaches in his first season as a starter. He finished third on the team in tackles with 85 (53 solo), broke up 15 passes, intercepted 4 passes, forced 1 fumble, blocked 1 kick, and returned a punt for a touchdown. He led all defensive backs in tackles, interceptions, and passes broken up, and had a career-high 11 tackles (2 solo) and intercepted 2 passes in the Fiesta Bowl loss to Ohio State University. One interception occurred on an infamous play where he was stripped by Maurice Clarett on the return, allowing Ohio State to retain possession.

 

2003 season

During his final year at Miami, Taylor produced a historic season that culminated with a plethora of honors and awards. He was named a consensus first-team All-American, the "Big East Conference Defensive Player of the Year" and a finalist for the "Jim Thorpe Award" given to the nation's best defensive back.  He led the Big East Conference and ranked first nationally in interceptions with 10, tying the record for interceptions in a season with former Hurricane standout Bennie Blades. He intercepted two passes in Miami's impressive 28-14 win over the University of Pittsburgh, playing a key role as the Hurricanes limited All-American receiver Larry Fitzgerald to two receptions for 13 yards.

 

Professional career

 

2004 NFL draft

Following Taylor's 2003 season, in what was his junior year, Taylor announced that he was entering the NFL draft, held in April 2004. Taylor was a first-round draft selection, taken by the Washington Redskins with the fifth overall selection. He also was the first University of Miami player drafted in 2004, which was somewhat surprising since there was a broad perception that Hurricanes' tight end Kellen Winslow II would be the first selection. Winslow, however, was taken with the next selection, the sixth overall, by the Cleveland Browns.

 

The drafting of Taylor by the Redskins in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft began an NFL Draft record of six players from the University of Miami being drafted in the first round, which is the record for the most players from one school being drafted in the first round of an NFL Draft (the other five players were Kellen Winslow II, Jonathan Vilma, D.J. Williams, Vernon Carey, and Vince Wilfork).

 

2004 rookie season

On the field during the 2004 season, Taylor was successful, emerging as the Redskins' starting free safety by the third game of his rookie season. For the season, he had the team's second most interceptions, with four. In addition to his four interceptions, Taylor had 89 tackles, two forced fumbles and one sack.   He started for the Redskins in 13 of the season's 16 games. Taylor was nicknamed "Meast" by his fellow teammates, an abbreviation for half man half beast because of his vicious hits on opposing players.

 

2005 season

Taylor continued his effective play in the 2005 season, finishing with 70 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble returned for a touchdown. In this year he became recognized as one of the hardest hitters in the NFL.

 

2006 season

The 2006 season was arguably the most inconsistent of Taylor's career. He finished the year leading the Redskins' defense with 129 tackles, 1 interception and 3 forced fumbles.  Even while playing on a struggling Redskins defensive unit, Taylor's impact on the field was recognized when he was named a first alternate to the NFC's 2007 Pro Bowl team. A hard hit by Taylor on Buffalo Bills punter Brian Moorman in the Pro Bowl created much fan and media discussion.

 

2007 season

Prior to the start of the 2007 season, Sports Illustrated named Taylor the hardest hitting player in the entire NFL.  The 2007 season seemed to represent a personal turnaround for Taylor. Before the season, in a rare interview, he was quoted as saying "...you play a kid's game for a king's ransom. And if you don't take it serious enough, eventually one day you're going to say, 'Oh, I could have done this, I could have done that.'"

 

His teammates said that he had finally gotten his life straightened out because of his daughter.  At the time of Taylor's death on November 27, 2007, he was tied for the most interceptions in the National Football Conference and second in the league with five despite having missed weeks 11 and 12 with a knee injury. Taylor also had 42 tackles and one forced fumble.

 

On December 18, 2007, Taylor was posthumously voted to his second Pro Bowl, becoming the first player in NFL history to be elected to the Pro Bowl after his death.

 

The players are getting more well known, the statistics more impressive and the differences of opinion of who belongs where heats up.

 

Be back next week for 35-31…

Analyzing The 2010 NFL Draft

WARNING: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS A LARGE AMOUNT OF FACTS AND STATS SO MANY OF YOU MAY WANT TO AVOID READING AS THIS INFORMATION MAY CONFLICT WITH YOUR PERSONAL OPINION WHICH COULD CAUSE SERIOUS COGNITIVE DISSONANCE, AND IN RARE CASES, YOUR HEAD TO EXPLODE. 

Your University of Miami Hurricanes had a total of four players drafted during the three days of the 2010 NFL Draft. The players moving on the next level in the NFLU are:

• TE Jimmy Graham, Third Round, #95 overall was selected by the New Orleans Saints.
• LB Daryl Sharpton, Fourth Round, #102 overall was selected by the Houston Texans.
• OL Jason Fox, Fourth Round, #128 overall was selected by the Detroit Lions.
• TE Dedrick Epps, Seventh Round, #235 overall was selected by the San Diego Chargers.

UM players RB Javaris James and CB Sam Shields were not drafted and will seek to join the drafted players in the NFLU as unrestricted free agents.

As far as other Florida schools and their selections here is how they fared in the 2010 draft:

• The Florida Gators led the way with 9 players selected overall including 3 players in the first round, 3 in the second round and one in the third round.  Surprisingly and contrary to many NFL draft experts, UF QB Tim Tebow was selected 25th overall in the first round by the Denver Broncos.  This selection will be closely watched by many on both sides of the decision.
• The Florida State Seminoles had 5 players selected including one first round pick in CB Patrick Robinson at #32 overall by the New Orleans Saints.
• The University of South Florida also surprised some experienced draftniks by producing five NFL draft picks including first rounder and #15 overall pick DE and NCAA back-flip champion Jason Pierre-Paul.  The Bulls also produced the #37 and #65 overall picks several spots ahead of the Hurricanes highest ranked player Jimmy Graham at #95.
• The UCF Golden Knights had one player selected in the second round at #41 overall.

As far as the competition between conferences to win the coveted "Most Players Drafted" title the SEC dominated the race to the top of the draft board.  The SEC had 49 players drafted which blew away the competition from the Big 10 at 34 selections, the ACC at 31 picks and the Big 12 at 30 selections. 

The Pac 10 conference had 29 selections of which over half (15) came on defense.  I thought they didn't play defense in the Pac 10?  I guess the 32 NFL teams, to some degree, disagree.

The Big East was the Big Least when it came to the 2010 NFL draft.  The conference produced a paltry 18 picks overall or 31 less than the SEC and about 20 less selections than the average (38) of the other four major conferences.

Let's go back to the Atlantic Coast Conference for a minute.  The three ACC teams that beat Miami in 2009 were VT, UNC and Clemson.  Among these teams both VT and Clemson had 5 players selected in the 2010 draft.

Former UM Head Coach Butch Davis at UNC had only 2 players picked, one player each in the fourth and fifth rounds.  Since Miami had four players selected overall and two (almost three) players selected higher than the Tar Heels highest ranked player (@ 127) that means Miami lost to a team with LESS talent on the field. 

Coaching may be over-rated, but turnovers are definitely not.

The highest ranked player selected from all of these ACC teams was Clemson RB and Hurricane killer CJ Spiller who was the only first round pick at #9 overall to the Buffalo Bills.  The Hurricanes may be done facing Spiller but now Miami Dolphin fans get to endure the same torture twice a year.  Great.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot about the Wisconsin Badgers who beat Miami in the Champs Sports Bowl Game in Orlando.  They only had two players selected (DE Schofield and TE Garrett), both in the fourth round. 

Hmmmmmmmm...maybe coaching isn't over-rated after all?

Miami Rallies to Take Game One in Tallahassee

Your University of Miami baseball team rolled North up the Florida Turnpike and then West across I-10 on Friday to take on the Florida State Seminoles in Trailernasty, oops I mean Tallahassee, in an Atlantic Coast Conference weekend series showdown for State bragging rights.

With UM Head Coach Jim Morris at the wheel the Hurricanes would not be denied an opening night victory at Dick Howser Stadium even if if meant bringing in seven, count them seven, pitchers to seal the victory for Miami.  Whatever it takes to get the job done Miami will most certainly do.

As the Seminoles warmed up they looked nervous before facing their ACC rival from South Florida.  Their players tried to relieve their tension with a simple game of toss (hot potato) but it was to no avail.  FSU appeared fearful from the start.  You could see it in their eyes and sense it in their body language.  

Maybe it was the fact that many Miami fans had found their way to Tallahasse like these lovely young ladies below that we found in the stands. They would make any man nervous, don't you think?

 
Yet still it would take starter Chris Hernandez and six UM relievers to combine to win the game and allow the ninth ranked Hurricanes to earn a come-from-behind, 6-5 victory over the sixth ranked Seminoles on Friday night in front of over 5,000 fans in the State Capitol.

The Hurricanes trailed 4-1 after four innings, but would go on to score two runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth to take a lead that Miami's bullpen would hold on to.  UM reliever Jerad Grundy got the win while Killian Cougar Danny Miranda got the save, his fourth of the season.

Miami improved their season record to 29-9 overall and 15-4 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.  The Hurricanes are on a big winning streak and have won 14th of their last 16 games. The dreaded 'Noles dropped to 29-10 and 12-7 in the ACC with the loss.

UM starter Chris Hernandez allowed four runs on four hits while walking three and striking out six in 3 1/3 innings. He was followed by UM reliever EJ Echinosa before Grundy, Whaley, Robinson and "The Wulf Man" turned in scoreless relief innings before Miranda came in and read the Seminoles their rights to start the ninth inning.

Early in the game FSU took the lead in the third on a solo shot to left by McGee before adding two more runs on a pair of bases-loaded wild pitches by Encinosa in the fourth to go up 4-1.  But UM's Perez quickly brought Miami back to within one run in the top of the fifth with his two-run shot to left-center.

After Miami gained the lead in the sixth, FSU loaded the bases in the sixth and seventh innings but was unable to plate any runs. In the seventh, a line shot in the right-center gap was run down and caught against the wall by Zeke "Beep-Beep" DeVoss. 

The Road Runner saved the lead and kept all three FSU runners from scoring. 

Game two of the three game set will be played Saturday at 1 p.m. and will be televised live on FS Florida. Lefty Eric "Easy E" Erickson (4-1, 2.51 ERA) will start for Miami while FSU will throw southpaw Brian Busch (4-0, 2.55 ERA).

Do U Feel A Draft In Here?

The 2010 NFL Draft was held in prime time (no Deion Sanders reference here) for the first time ever and for the second consecutive year Miami did not have a player selected in the first round of the NFL draft. 

The Florida Gators had three players selected and the FSU Seminoles had one player picked in the first round.  Surprisingly even the USF Bulls had a first rounder in DE Jason Pierre-Paul. 

But the biggest surprise of the night had to be UF QB Tim Tebow being drafted at #25 to the Denver Broncos.  This has to be a clear case of Rocky Mountain high, in Colorado.  Seriously, what were they smokin'?

Last year the Hurricanes did not have a player selected in the first round for the first time in fourteen years as their record setting streak was broken.  Miami did have one player chosen in the first round in 2008 and three players chosen on the first round of the 2007.  Now quick, name them?

Since the Hurricanes' Warren Sapp was chosen in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft, Miami has seen 32 players selected in the first round including six players chosen in 2004 (NFL record) and 15 players chosen in the first round in a three-year period from 2002 through 2004 (NFL record).

From the 1987 Draft through 2009, Miami had at least one player chosen in the top three rounds of the NFL Draft including 44 first-round selections.

Miami has had at least one player in every NFL Draft since 1974, a string of 33 consecutive years, the current longest streak in the ACC. The next longest streak belongs jointly to Virginia and Florida State, who each have had at least one player chosen in every NFL Draft since 1983, a span of 24 straight years.

Miami (Vinny Testaverde, 1987, Tampa Bay; and Russell Maryland, 1991, Dallas) and Virginia Tech (Bruce Smith, 1985, Buffalo and Michael Vick, 2001, Atlanta) had two top selections each while Virginia (Bill Dudley, 1942, Steelers) had one. Also, NC State's Roman Gabriel, the No. 2 overall selection in the 1962 draft was chosen No. 1 in the AFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders.

Miami has had 11 players taken as the 7th overall pick or higher in the NFL Draft. Florida State is second with 9, followed by Maryland (7), North Carolina and NC State with five each and Virginia with four players tabbed 7th or better.

Miami has actually had seven (7) players taken as the first, second or third overall pick.  Since 1982, Miami has had 50 players drafted in the first round of the NFL draft. Prior to 1982, only 11 UM players had ever been selected in the first round.

Here are the Miami first-round draft selections all-time:

Player-Position	Year	No.	Team
Kenny Phillips-FS	2008	31	N.Y. Giants
Brandon Meriweather-FS	2007	24	New England
Jon Beason-LB	2007	25	Carolina
Greg Olsen-TE	2007	31	Chicago
Jennings, Kelly-CB	2006	31	Seattle
Rolle, Antrel-CB	2005	8	Arizona
Taylor, Sean-FS	2004	5	Washington
Winslow, Kellen-TE	2004	6	Cleveland
Vilma, Jonathan	2004	12	N.Y. Jets
Williams, D.J.-LB	2004	17	Denver
Carey, Vernon-OL	2004	19	Miami
Wilfork, Vince-DT	2004	21	New England
Johnson, Andre-WR	2003	3	Houston Texans
McDougle, Jerome-DL	2003	15	Philadelphia
McGahee, Willis-RB	2003	23	Buffalo
Joseph, William-DT	2003	25	N.Y. Giants
McKinnie, Bryant-OL	2002	7	Minnesota
Shockey, Jeremy-TE	2002	14	N.Y. Giants
Buchanon, Phillip-CB	2002	17	Oakland
Reed, Edward-S	2002	24	Baltimore
Rumph, Mike-CB	2002	27	San Francisco
Morgan, Dan-LB	2001	11	Carolina
Lewis, Damione-DT	2001	12	St. Louis Rams
Moss, Santana-WR	2001	16	New York
Wayne, Reggie-WR	2001	30	Indianapolis
Franks, Bubba-TE	2000	14	Green Bay
James, Edgerrin-RB	1999	4	Indianapolis
Starks, Duane-CB	1998	10	Baltimore
Green, Yatil-WR	1997	15	Miami
Lang, Kenard-DE	1997	17	Washington
Holmes, Kenny-DE	1997	18	Tennessee
Lewis, Ray-LB	1996	26	Baltimore
Sapp, Warren-DT	1995	12	Tampa Bay
Searcy, Leon-OL	1992	11	Pittsburgh
Williams, Darryl-DB	1992	28	Cincinnati
Maryland, Russell-DT	1991	1	Dallas
Hill, Randal-WR	1991	23	Miami
Kennedy, Cortez-DT	1990	3	Seattle
Hawkins, Bill-DE	1989	21	L.A. Rams
Gary, Cleveland-RB	1989	26	L.A. Rams
Walsh, Steve-QB	1989	1*	Dallas
Blades, Bennie-DB	1988	3	Detroit
Irvin, Michael-WR	1988	11	Dallas
Testaverde, Vinny-QB	1987	1	Tampa Bay
Highsmith, Alonzo-RB	1987	3	Houston
Brown, Jerome-DT	1987	9	Philadelphia
Brown, Eddie-WR	1985	13	Cincinnati
Kosar, Bernie-QB	1984	1*	Cleveland
Kelly, Jim-QB	1983	14	Buffalo
Williams, Lester-DT	1982	27	New England
Anderson, Ottis-RB	1979	8	St. Louis
Smith, Don-DE	1979	17	Atlanta
Latimer, Don-DT	1978	27	Denver
Edwards, Eddie-DT	1977	3	Cincinnati
Harrah, Dennis-OL	1975	11	L.A. Rams
Foreman, Chuck-RB	1973	12	Minnesota
Owens, Burgess-DB	1973	13	N.Y. Jets
Trosch, Gene-DT	1967	24	Kansas City
Bosseler, Don-B	1957	1	Washington
Losch, Jack-B	1956	1	Green Bay
Dooley, Jim-B	1952	1	Chicago

ACC Baseball Showdown: Canes vs Noles

An impressive series sweep over the Hurricanes’ recent nemesis UNC sets up a clash of the big boys in the ACC this weekend in Tally against the Noles.  Miami carries the better conference record into the game, but records mean little in rivalry games, and this rivalry is as fierce as any sports rivalry in the NCAA.  With both team residing in the top 14, and playing in the premier conference in NCAA baseball, this weekend series will have a playoff atmosphere.

For the uninitiated, much like in college football UM and FSU have been the most consistently strong baseball programs in the last 30 years. Miami and FSU have sent 33 teams to Omaha for the College World Series since 1980, far and away the most of any rivalry in the country. Although LSU has more titles during that stretch than the Canes, Miami has 20 appearances in the College World Series, easily outpacing Texas in second at 15.  Miami holds the ever-increasing record of 37 straight appearances in the NCAA tournament, and has won 4 National Titles including an especially satisfying 6-5 victory over the Noles in the 1999 Championship game. Miami also has won 47 games in Omaha since 1974, more than any other program during that period.

FSU has competed in 13 World Series since 1980 trailing only the Horns, LSU, and Cal State Fullerton.  Although their performance in Omaha has been somewhat disappointing, (0 National Titles and an overall losing record) they nonetheless trail only Miami with 32 consecutive trips to the NCAA tournament. In addition to losing to Miami in ’99, they also lost the title game to Arizona in 1986.

FSU’s fans have also gained a certain level of notoriety over the years by establishing 2 goofy but well-known traditions: Singing O’ Canada in the fifth inning to commemorate a come-from-behind victory over the Canadian National Team, and the “Animals of Section B,” a noisy group of miscreants so named for tossing free donuts back onto the field. Two years ago FSU nearly erased an 8 run Miami lead but fell short in a controversial time-shortened game, giving the Canes a series win. Miami went on to win the ACC and earn its 23rd World Series birth.    

This weekend begins with the 178thmeeting (Miami leads 92-82-3) between the 2 teams. I’d love to thrill you with my acumen by giving you the clear match-up advantages and challenges that will prove to be the difference in the series. However, Miami and FSU are almost mirror images of each other, being essentially even statistically when it comes to pitching, hitting and defense. They have nearly the same record, both are well-coached and both programs consistently recruit nationally ranked classes.

The differences this season are subtle. In general, Miami is the more aggressive team while FSU is the more patient. FSU works more walks, has a higher on-base percentage and scores more runs. Miami slugs for a higher percentage with more HR’s and extra-base hits than the Noles, and the Canes have a speed advantage illustrated by more stolen bases, legging out more triples, and doing a better job of going first to third or scoring from second on a single. Miami has also hit into only 14 double-plays this year, as opposed to FSU with 25.

Pitching is the strength for both clubs, as they are both ranked in the top 20 nationally in ERA, with UM’s staff yielding just 3.49 runs per 9 innings and holding opponents to a .238 batting average. Those numbers are exceptional for a college pitching staff considering the best high school hurlers go pro, and the use of the aluminum bat. FSU is not far behind Miami in pitching stats, but their approach is slightly different. Nole coach Mike Martin has been criticized in the past for overusing his starters, allowing them to throw 130 or more pitches in a game. Coach Morris on the other hand generally keeps his starters on a much lower pitch count, and relies on his bull pen more.

This season, FSU has had two reliable starters this season with Gilmartin and Gast, but has struggled of late on Sunday. Parker had earned that role coming off a strong sophomore season but his recent struggles, and relatively high ERA (6.31 is high for a starter) have led to some competition for the third starting slot. Their relievers have been solid nearly all season, much like the Canes, with the teams losing but a single game each all season when leading after 6 innings.

However, unlike Miami who follows the bull pen by committee strategy, FSU has a defined closer in Mike McGee, a hard throwing right-hander averaging more than a strikeout per inning as well as being FSU’s most productive hitter. His 0.59 ERA and .082 opponent’s batting average mean the Canes do not want to find themselves trailing late in the game.  

While FSU’s starters have been sound, Miami’s starters have been down-right strong. Erickson and Hernandez combined are below 3.00 ERA, have a strikeout/walk ratio of nearly 4.6, and hold opposing hitters below a .240 average. Those are outstanding numbers at this point in the season, and are substantially better than the Noles’ top 2. As a result, FSU has relied more on their pen this season than in years past, and those players have risen to the challenge so far.    

In addition to the long tradition of success by both programs, and the in-state acrimony present in most great rivalries, this series has the benefit of conference affiliation and old-fashioned bad blood. The ACC is annually the top conference in the sport, and this year the Canes are joined in the Coastal Division by two other consensus top 10 teams in GT (#3) and UVA (#4). FSU slots in at #8 in the composite poll, and with all 3 of these teams remaining on UM’s schedule, there should be no want for intensity this weekend.

The bad blood seems to have abated somewhat following Coach Martin’s decision to overcome his petulance and show some sportsmanship following last year’s match-up. What started with allegations of sign stealing snowballed into downright hatred and nearly boiled over into a brawl when the Noles’ skipper instructed his team to avoid the traditional hand-shake following yet another Miami victory. Fortunately Coach Morris, a former assistant under Martin at FSU, maintained his composure throughout the ordeal, but under that calm exterior simmers a desire to beat this team more than any other. That desire is matched by the players as FSU is clearly UM’s top rival.  

I won’t belabor the obvious about the import of this series, but given the balance of the regular season UM faces, and the NCAA tourney looming, the Canes would love to take this road series. Defense is often a deciding factor in a series such as this, and neither team has distinguished itself defensively, so errors (much like turnovers in football)may be the deciding factor.

One key match-up to look for in the first 2 games especially,will be if Miami can get its running game going against 2 left-handed starters and FSU’s catching tandem of Brunelle and Lopez who have done well throwing out base-stealers this season. Another will be whether UM’s starters (particularly Erickson and Hernandez) can work ahead in the count to pressure the patient Nole hitters. The ball carries well at Howser Stadium so it will be key for Miami pitchers to keep the bases clean, in spite of the relative lack of power shown so far this season by the Noles. Hopefully the ballpark will work to Miami’s advantage this weekend since the Canes rely heavily on the long ball to get the O going this season.

It should be a fun series, especially for Cane fans making the north by northwest trek. I’ve only been to that stadium once, but it was memorable. It gets no easier from now on so its time for UM to get it rolling and peak at the end of the season, instead of the middle as in 2008. GO CANES!  

The Good, The Bad And The Ugly: Part II

This article was written by DrewZ2 for Canespace...

In Part II we will take a look at an overview of all "The Good" we can expect from this season. In my opinion, there is so much good that is going to happen this season that it would be impossible for me to include it all in this article, so I’ll limit it to what I consider most important.

Mark Whipple- You all saw what he did last year with a new system. Just imagine what he will do in his 2nd year. More Miracle Whip please!

What to expect- Expect more variation and a stronger run game to develop. Last year we also saw a lot to the tight end. I think the tight end will get less passes this year but the RBs will pick up the slack. Overall expect an improvement in efficiency of the offense.

QB Jacory Harris - There is no substitution for experience. Now he’s got 2 years playing time under his belt and it’s time to take that next step.

What to expect- Expect less interceptions. As a year older and a year wiser Jacory will not make some of the same mistakes as he did last year. He’ll take his shots but he’ll also know when it’s a good time to take shots. This year he doesn’t always have to be the playmaker, sometimes he can just sit back and manage the game.

RBs + WRs - We didn’t lose anything talent wise from the graduating class at either of these positions. Yeah, JJ was a solid player, but these next guys will be better.

What to expect- WRs will have a lot of competition. Expect to see A. Johnson return to form after an injury year. There will be no drop off in production at the WR position. Expect RBs to share carries again this year as each brings a different style. I think Storm should redshirt because of numbers but I’m sure they would like to use him on Sp Teams and most likely will. With a lack of consistency at TE expect the RBs to pick up the slack on short passes. I think Whipple will want some short outlet passes to RBs to help Jacory out. Coop and Miller are too fast to not get them a good amount of carries + short passes but expect the heavy loads to be carried by Berry and James.

FB Pat Hill- Hill is an unsung hero and James did a fantastic job filling in for him last year. Hill will walk right back in and start where he left off.

What to expect- Expect RBs to get more short passes because Hill will be in pass blocking. We’ll see more running with a FB lead and the whole offense will benefit from Hill’s return.

Defensive Line- This is arguably the strongest and deepest position on the team. Look at it this way – they can only get better with Petri coaching them. I think this group will make the biggest impact on the 2010 team.

What to expect- The success of this group will be huge. Expect this D-line to return Miami to its old form. Full of swagger and depth there is no way they disappoint. Expect more pressure on QBs, more interceptions, and a defense that just took that next step. Here is where these guys impact the entire team. The offensive line goes up against them every day in practice so the O-line only will get better. The DTs with improved technique and being a year stronger will keep OL off of our inexperienced MLB and allow our Linebackers to “fly around” and make big plays. Also the pressure put on by these guys will result in more interceptions. “You win the game in the trenches”, well then we really shouldn’t lose a game.

OLB- Spence, #44, Futch, Buchanan… the list goes on but these are the most notable. OLB will once again be solid and as stated earlier I think #44 moves inside and Futch/Buchanan takes the outside.

What to expect- With an improvement on the defensive line expect LBs to make more plays. These guys will be able to sit and read without an OL in their face because the DTs will do their job. #44 will fill in very nicely at the MLB spot and the OLBs will see no drop-off.

Cornerbacks- Returning a Thorpe candidate in Harris and a senior DVD the starters for this unit should be solid. McGee has some experience and could fill in when necessary.

What to expect- Expect production from 2 shut down corners. Teams will most likely avoid throwing to Harris when they can and DVD will get a lot of action. The depth here is solid with Ryan Hill and McGee.

Season Prediction

Florida A &M – Win … by a lot

Ohio State – Win…Here the DL will make the statement as possibly the best in the nation

Pittsburgh – Win… We play very well on Thursday’s and I hope the hype bug doesn’t bite them

Clemson – Win… I don’t remember losing to Clemson last year… I remember losing to Spiller.

FSU – Win… It’s always close but we’re at home and have a better team

Duke – Win… should be a cake walk

UNC – Loss. They have our number lately and their DL is very, very good.

Virginia – Win… yep

Maryland – Win … yep

GT – Win, we destroyed them this year and I don’t even think they’ll be ranked when we play.

VT – Win, it’s at home and every year they are ranked so high and they fail miserably.

USF – Win, less talent + new coach + road game = big loss

Expect the first ACC championship game at the least. This could very well be the season we return to a BCS bowl.

I hope you liked the two part series.  Now go comment and tell me where I’m wrong.

Fifty Fabulous Floridians: Numbers 45-41

This article was written for Canespace by SolarCane...

 

First, thanks for all the kind words to Six and me on the first installment.  We don’t claim to be experts and your criticism, advice, disbelief, and head shaking is most welcome.  It is fun to see your responses and it proves that you have been taking time to read the bios and learn more about these Florida born stars.  Like last time Six will unveil his 45 through 41 on Wednesday so I don’t catch hell alone all week.

 

Here we go with the second group of Fab Floridians.  The stakes are getting higher and the athletes are getting better known.  Enjoy!

 

#45 Danny Wuerffel: Daniel Carl "Danny" Wuerffel (born May 27, 1974) is a former American football player. Wuerffel won the 1996 Heisman Trophy and 1996 national football consensus championship while playing quarterback at the University of Florida. He later played for several National Football League teams, and retired from professional football in 2002. Since then, Wuerffel has engaged in charitable work in New Orleans, Louisiana and Atlanta, Georgia.

 

Early life

Danny Wuerffel was born in Pensacola, Florida, the son of a Lutheran minister and chaplain in the United States Air Force. While he was growing up, he lived in South Carolina, Spain, Nebraska, and Colorado before attending Fort Walton Beach High School in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, where he was a standout football and basketball player.

 

College career

Wuerffel attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played quarterback for head coach Steve Spurrier's Florida Gators football team from 1993 to 1996. One of the most decorated players in Florida's football history, Wuerffel won the 1996 Heisman Trophy while quarterbacking the Gators to the consensus national championship.

 

He led the Florida Gators to four consecutive Southeastern Conference titles between 1993 and 1996, and the 1996 national championship, won in decisive fashion (52–20) over archrival Florida State University at the 1997 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is the only Heisman Trophy recipient to also receive the Draddy Trophy, which is presented by the National Football Foundation and the College Football Hall of Fame to the nation's top football scholar-athlete.

 

He finished his Gator career by completing 708 of 1,170 passes for 10,875 yards with 114 touchdown passes, the best in SEC history and second-most in major college history. His career pass efficiency rating of 163.56 was the best in major college history and his percentage of passes which went for a

touchdown (9.74) ranked first in collegiate history.

 

Professional career

His National Football League career started with being drafted in the fourth round of the 1997 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints. After playing six seasons in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, and Washington Redskins, Wuerffel retired. One highlight of his professional career was winning the MVP award in World Bowl 2000 while playing for Rhein Fire in NFL Europa (the game was won by Fire 13-10 over the Scottish Claymores).  On September 30, 2006, Wuerffel was inducted into the Gator Football Ring of Honor alongside his former coach Steve Spurrier and two other Gator legends, Jack Youngblood and Emmitt Smith. 

 

#44 Devin Hester:  Devin Hester (born November 4, 1982) is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He is an alumnus of the University of Miami, where he became the first person in the university’s recent history to play on all three teams of American football (offense, defense, special teams). Hester began his professional career with the Bears in 2006, and quickly made an impact as a kick returner. Dubbed the "Windy City Flyer" and "Anytime", Hester holds the league's all-time record for most kicks returned for a touchdown in a single season.

 

Early years

Devin Hester was born to Juanita Brown and Lenorris Hester Sr. in Riviera Beach, Florida. His parents separated when he was a toddler. Before he became a teenager, his mother was severely injured in car accident, while his father died of cancer two years later. His step-father, Derrick Brown, and brother, Lenorris Jr., helped Hester escape his depression, and rebuild his life by introducing him to football. He soon returned to his normal life, and began to excel in sports and academics

 

Hester attended Suncoast High School, where he played football as a cornerback, wide receiver, return specialist, and running back. He earned recognition from SuperPrep.com as the top high school prospect in Florida, and Parade, who named Hester onto their All-American team. Hester also participated in the 2002 CaliFlorida Bowl, where he returned a kick for an 80-yard touchdown. His success prompted his teammates to nickname him "Sugar Foot".

 

Collegiate career

After completing high school, Hester enrolled into the University of Miami. As a sophomore, he earned national recognition after being named onto the "Walter Camp All-America Team" and “The Sporting News' All-America team”. Hester’s recognition was influenced by his prodigious success as a kick returner. His ability to thrust laterally and breakaway from pursuers made him one of the nation’s most dangerous return specialists.

 

During his freshman year, Hester returned an opening kick for a 97-yard touchdown against the University of Florida. In a game against Duke University in 2005, Hester broke six tackles while returning an 81-yard punt.

 

Ultimately, Hester completed his college career with a total of six touchdowns from kick returns, including one blocked field goal return. He also scored one rushing and receiving touchdown, and recorded five interceptions as a defensive back.

 

Professional career

 

2006

Hester began his professional career in the National Football League with the Chicago Bears, who selected him in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. The team originally drafted Hester as a cornerback, but they intended to play him as a return specialist, following the retirement of Jerry Azumah, and departure of Bobby Wade.  In thirteen weeks as a professional football player, Hester recorded six return touchdowns, including a punt return in his NFL debut, and a then-record tying 108-yard touchdown from a missed field goal against the New York Giants.  He also returned a punt for a clutch 83-yard game-winning touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals, and two kickoff returns in one game against the St. Louis Rams.

 

The Bears won both NFC playoffs rounds, and advanced to Super Bowl XLI to play the Indianapolis Colts. He started the game on a high note for the Bears by returning the game’s opening kick for a touchdown.

The feat was the first touchdown return of an opening kickoff in Super Bowl history. It also marked the quickest lead ever taken by any team. Following the kick, the Colts did not kick the ball directly to Hester, significantly limiting the Bears’ return efforts.  Hester's feats in 2006 earned him three NFC Special Teams Player of the week Awards, and a trip to the 2007 Pro Bowl. After the 2006 season ended, he was named as the "NFC’s Player of the Month" for December, and was a finalist in the 2006 Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year voting

 

2007

Shortly after losing Super Bowl XLI, Hester and special teams coach Dave Toub spent a significant amount of time working on new return strategies and formations. Ultimately, Lovie Smith converted Hester into a wide receiver in order to increase the number of opportunities he would receive during a game.  The Bears’ coaching staff eventually persuaded Hester to make the transition over the summer. During the 2007 off-season, Hester won the Best Breakthrough Athlete ESPY Award.  Hester returned his first touchdown of the season, a 73-yard punt return, against the Kansas City Chiefs during week two.

 

Hester established himself as a threat on offense, when he caught an 81-yard touchdown pass from Brian Griese against the Minnesota Vikings.  He also returned a punt for a 89-yard touchdown, though the Bears lost the game. In the weeks to come, many opposing special teams began to kick the ball away from Hester, contributing to a 132% increase in kickoffs that went out-of-bounds.

 

Before the Bears’ week twelve match-up against the Denver Broncos, Todd Sauerbrun infamously stated that he would kick the ball to Hester.  Hester, who had not returned a kick for a touchdown in almost a month, responded by returning a punt and kick-off for touchdowns. Keith Olbermann, a commentator for NBC Sunday Night Football, awarded Sauerbrun with the dubious “Worst Person in the NFL Award” for kicking the ball to Hester, and failing to tackle him. The two touchdowns gave Hester the most kick returns for touchdowns in the Bears’ franchise history. Hester concluded the season with 64-yard punt return for a touchdown and a 55-yard touchdown reception against the New Orleans Saints.

 

Hester finished the season with six kicks returned for touchdowns, which set a league record.  He finished the season ranking fourth on the League’s all-time combined kick return list, behind Brian Mitchell (13), Eric Metcalf (12), and Dante Hall (12).  Additionally, he amassed 299 yards on twenty receptions as a receiver, though he was often used as a decoy. Nevertheless, Hester concluded the season with four Player of the Week Awards, giving him a franchise high total of seven in his career, and an invitation to the 2008 Pro Bowl.

 

2008

Prior to the beginning of the 2008 season, Hester stated that he would not attend the Bears' summer camp unless the team offered him a new contract. He further voiced his displeasure in a phone interview with the Chicago Tribune, with his current contract, commenting, "I can’t go out and play this year making $445,000. Come on, man." The team later offered him a new four-year contract extension, which is reportedly worth up to $40-million dollars.

 

After a week eight bye week, Hester caught 4 passes for 42 yards and had an 11-yard run against the Detroit Lions. He eventually lost his kick return duties to Danieal Manning, but began receiving more playtime as a wide receiver. Between weeks 12 and 15, Hester caught 17 passes for 250 yards, and one touchdown. He concluded the season by catching 51 passes for a team high 665 yards.  Hester was also selected to play in the 2009 Pro Bowl as a third alternate.

 

2009

After the acquisition of Jay Cutler, Hester took on the role as the de-facto number one wide receiver. In the first game of the season, Hester caught seven passes from Cutler for 90 yards, including a 36-yard touchdown reception. In the following weeks Hester began to develop a rapport with Cutler, and amassed 634 receiving yards and three touchdowns though the first twelve weeks of the season. He played the best game of the season on October 25, 2009 against the Cincinnati Bengals, catching eight passes for 101 yards and a touchdown.

 

Despite missing the three starts, Hester lead the team with 757 receiving yards, and finished behind Greg Olsen in receptions. Hester built his reputation around his kick returning abilities, but his kickoff-returning duties decreased significantly following the 2007 season-finale.

 

NFL records

• Most touchdowns returns in a season (6) - (2006, 2007)
• Most touchdowns kick and punt returns in a season - (6) (2007)
• Most touchdown returns as a rookie (6) - (2006)
• Most touchdown returns in one game (2)**  

#43 Anthony Carter: Anthony Carter (born September 17, 1960 in Riviera Beach, Florida) is a former American football wide receiver. He finished his college career as the University of Michigan's all-time leading receiver, and played professionally for thirteen years in the United States Football League and the National Football League. He was also known as 'AC'.

 

College career

Anthony "the Darter" Carter played for Michigan from 1979-1982. Although the Wolverines employed an offense that relied mostly on its running backs, he was one of the most productive receivers in the school's history. Standing five feet, eleven inches tall and weighing only 160 lbs., Carter relied on his speed to make plays, and provided an effective counterpoint to coach Bo Schembechler's slow-and-steady game plan.

 

By his sophomore year, Carter was the Wolverines primary option at receiver. That season he became the first second-year player to be voted Michigan team Most Valuable Player. A three-time All-American, he was named Big Ten Conference MVP his senior season, and finished fourth in voting for the Heisman Trophy.  In 2001 Carter was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

 

Professional career

Upon graduating from college, Anthony Carter chose to play in the upstart USFL, rather than in the NFL. The league employed a territorial draft, aimed at sending players to teams whose fans were already familiar with them. Because of this unique system, the Michigan Panthers were allowed to select Carter prior to the league's traditional draft.

 

1983 was Carter's first season with the Panthers and one of his most successful as a professional. Although the team started 1-4, they finished the regular season 12-6 and went on to defeat the Philadelphia Stars to win the first USFL championship.

 

When the USFL folded after the 1985 season, Carter signed with the NFL's Miami Dolphins, who drafted Carter back in 1983 in order to secure his NFL rights. However, he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings before playing a game with the team. He led the Vikings in receptions five of his first six seasons with the team, and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1987 and 1988. In the 1987 season, Carter helped his team reach the NFC championship game by recording 10 receptions for a then NFL playoff record 227 yards, along with 1 carry for 30 yards in the Vikings 36-24 upset win over the 13-2 San Francisco 49ers in the divisional playoff round. The 642 all purpose yards he gained in the 1987 playoffs remain a single postseason record.

 

Carter finished his 11 NFL seasons with 486 receptions for 7,733 yards and 55 touchdowns. He also rushed for 289 yards and 2 touchdowns, returned 15 punts for 165 yards, and returned 4 kickoffs for 65 yards.

 

#42 Ray Bellamy:  A Sports Illustrated writer who's given a vast swath of real estate to tell a story can still find himself frustrated at not having enough space. That's especially so if the subject is rich enough, and the subject of my report in this week's magazine -- on the black pioneers who integrated college football in the Deep South during the '60s-- proved to be rich as Croesus.

 

One of my breakfast companions that day was Dr. Henry King Stanford, the 89-year-old former president of the University of Miami. Not long after arriving in Coral Gables in 1962, Stanford received a courtesy call from football coach Andy Gustafson. The two chatted until Gustafson, his hand on the doorknob as he prepared to leave the president's office, asked if there was anything in particular he might do to please the new boss. In fact, there was, Stanford said: Recruit a black football player.

 

"That doorknob turned to molten metal," Stanford says today, recalling the moment.

 

Gustafson pointed out that LSU would cancel its scheduled game with the Hurricanes. "Who's making policy at the University of Miami?" Stanford snapped back. "We or LSU?" "Other parts of the university had been desegregated," Stanford told me matter-of-factly. "I just decided we should be doing this."

 

Joining Dr. Stanford at breakfast was the remarkable man who ultimately desegregated Miami football -- and indeed, if you don't consider Maryland part of the Southeast, was the first black football player to sign with a big-time college in that part of the country.

 

Today, Ray Bellamy is 57, still lean and rangy enough that he looks as if he could still line up and catch passes, as he did in his trailblazing days. Bellamy grew up in a family of nine children, with migrant-worker parents who kept their kids busy during the summer picking vegetables.  "The plan was, join the Army and stay in the Army, because anything was better than the life I was living," he says, with a nod to the Vietnam War. "It would have been fine if I'd been killed in the line of duty."

 

But thanks to Stanford's leadership, a new Miami coach named Charlie Tate followed up on a tip from a bird dog, signing Bellamy to a grant-in-aid. Before the end of his senior year in high school he began receiving the "Dear Nigger" letters. "I call 'em my love letters," Bellamy says. Once he had arrived on campus, a car swerved and nearly hit him. "I didn't know what I was getting into," he says.

 

The night before the Miami freshman played Florida in 1967, Bellamy dreamed of getting loose on a long touchdown run. "[Florida coach] Ray Graves had said he'd never play any blacks, so I was the original Gator hater," Bellamy says. A 67-yard run on a pass play the next day almost perfectly duplicated that run of his dreams.

 

Today, Bellamy is an assistant football coach at Fort Valley State, a lazy hour's drive from the retirement community in Americus, Ga., that houses his old patron. The two speak constantly and visit often, and the warmth and respect they share is palpable.  "It hasn't always been a smooth ride," Bellamy says of his life. "It hasn't always been a rough ride. But I'm ridin'."

 

#41 Lou Piniella: Louis Victor Piniella (pronounced /pɨˈnɛlə/) (born August 28, 1943 in Tampa, Florida, United States) is the current manager of the Chicago Cubs and a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He has been nicknamed "Sweet Lou," both for his swing as a major league hitter and, facetiously, to describe his demeanor as a player and manager. He presently ranks 14th all-time on the list of Managerial Wins.

 

Early life

Piniella grew up in West Tampa, Florida. He attended Jesuit High School of Tampa where he was an All-American in basketball. After graduation, he attended the University of Tampa where he was an All-American in baseball.

 

Playing career

Piniella, at the age of 21, played in his first major league game in 1964 with the Baltimore Orioles. At 24, his second major league season was with the Cleveland Indians. He joined the Seattle Pilots during their 1969 preseason, but was traded at the end of spring training.He was prominently mentioned in Jim Bouton's classic book about the Seattle Pilots, Ball Four.

 

Piniella played for the Kansas City Royals from 1969-73, and was the American League's AL Rookie of the Year in 1969. He was the first player to come to bat in Royals history. That was followed by 11 years as a member of the New York Yankees, which won five AL East titles (1976–78, 1980 and 1981), four AL pennants (1976–78 and 1981), and two World Series championships (1977–78). After center fielder Mickey Rivers was traded, during the 1979 season, Piniella became the Yankees leadoff hitter. One of the more underrated players of the 1970s (he made just one all-star team), he compiled 1705 lifetime hits despite not playing full time for just under half of his career.

 

Managerial career

Known for his often aggressive and sometimes explosive behavior, Piniella has been ejected 61 times in his managerial career. Among active managers, only Joe Torre, Tony LaRussa and all-time leader Bobby Cox have received more ejections. He often sends his pitching coach to remove a pitcher from the game. He once got into a clubhouse scuffle with pitcher Rob Dibble while with the Reds, which was caught on video, ending with the two being pulled apart and Lou screaming, "You don't want to be treated like a man!"

 

New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds

After retiring as a player, Piniella joined the Yankees coaching staff as batting coach. He managed the Yankees from 1986 to 1987. Piniella was promoted to GM to start the 1988 season and took over as manager after the firing of Billy Martin on June 23. Piniella managed the Cincinnati Reds between 1990 and 1992, a tenure that included winning the 1990 World Series against the heavily-favored Oakland Athletics.

 

On August 21, 1990, in a home game against the Chicago Cubs, Piniella argued with umpire Dutch Rennert after Barry Larkin was called out at first at the end of the fifth inning. After throwing his hat down, Piniella was ejected. Afterwards, Piniella ripped first base out of the ground and threw it twice toward right field. The Reds went on to win the game 8–1.

 

Seattle Mariners

From 1993–2002, he managed the Seattle Mariners, winning the AL Manager of the Year Award in 1995, and again in 2001 when he led the Mariners to a record-tying 116 wins. After winning the 2001 AL Division Series, the Mariners dropped the first two games of the AL Championship Series, and

Piniella and Don Wakamatsu are the only managers in Mariners history to have a winning record in his tenure with the team, while serving at least one season.

 

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

In his first two seasons with the Devil Rays, Piniella was able to improve the team somewhat, and they won a franchise-record 70 games in 2004, which was also their first season in which they did not finish last in their division, which he also guaranteed (he also jokingly said, after saying it several times, "If I say it any more times I might have us winning the World Series!") During the 2005 season, Piniella was very critical of the Rays front office for focusing too much on the future and not enough on immediate results, and for not increasing payroll quickly enough to field a competitive team (they started the season with a $30 million payroll, which was the lowest in the major leagues; the Yankees payroll in 2005 was over $208 million).

 

Tensions eventually made Piniella step down as the Devil Rays' manager on September 21, 2005. Sweet Lou had one more season remaining on his contract from October 2002, but agreed to a $2.2 million buyout, in lieu of $4.4 million that he was due, had he decided to manage the team for one more season. He would have also received $1.25 million in deferred salary from 2003.

 

Chicago Cubs

On October 16, 2006, Piniella agreed to a three-year contract to manage the Chicago Cubs. The contract is for $10 million over three seasons with a $5 million option for a fourth year. Famous for his anger and meltdowns, he showed it during a press conference after a Cubs-Reds game on April 13, 2007, when Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano blew a five run lead in the 5th inning in which the Reds scored 6 runs, winning the game 6–5. A reporter asked him what was not working for the Cubs. He responded in a loud, angry voice, "What the hell do you think isn't working?! You saw the damn game!

 

Despite Pinella's Cubs dominating the National League for most of 2008, clinching the Central Division with the best record in the NL, the tide turned when the Cubs went up against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2008 NLDS. Pinella could only watch as the Cubs' offense suddenly sputtered, scoring only 6 runs in all three games, and his defense committed 4 errors in Game 2 to pick up talk of the Curse of the Billy Goat once again.

Tar Heels Swept Out To Sea By Powerful Hurricanes

Your University of Miami Hurricanes swept the three game weekend baseball series from the University of North Carolina Tar Heels at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.

Miami is sitting pretty in the ACC and gaining momentum as the season heads into the second half and the Hurricanes focus on conference competition.

On Friday your 13th-ranked University of Miami baseball team hit three home runs in Friday night's series-opening 7-5 win over the Tar Heels.  UM (25-9, 12-4 ACC) scored four runs in the first inning and added more runs in four of the first five innings to stretch their lead. The Tar Heels (22-14, 6-10 ACC) tried to mount a come back, but Miami kept their foot on the gas to maintain their lead and wrap up the series-opening win.

Hurricanes' starter Chris Hernandez improved to 5-2 after throwing five innings and three earned runs. Hernandez scattered eight hits and surrendered five runs on the night while on his way to victory.

On Saturday the Hurricanes continued to pour on the power, getting home runs from Perry and Martinez on their way to an 11-1 win over No. 21 North Carolina. The win guaranteed Miami their first series win against the Tar Heels since 2005 and their fifth ACC series win in their first six this season.

Speedy CF Zeke DeVoss went 3-for-4, scored three runs and stole three bases to lead Miami at the plate. Perry' hit his homer, a two-run shot to RF in the bottom of the second.  Martinez has been on a hot hitting streak and his three run homer in the fifth inning was a team-leading 11th this season and his fifth in UM's last 10 games.

UM Ace Eric "Big E" Erickson got his fourth win of the season or Miami, allowing just one unearned run on five hits while striking out six in five innings. Um relievers Sam "I Am" Robinson and Taylor "Howlin" Wulf each threw two scoreless in relief of Erickson.

On Sunday The Hurricane hardballers won a thriller over UNC by scoring three runs in the bottom of the eighth in a curfew-shortened game to pick up an 8-7 win at Alex Rodriguez Park. The win sealed Miami's first ever series sweep over the Tar Heels since joining the ACC.

Trailing 7-5 heading into the bottom of the eighth, the Hurricanes knew it was now or never as the ACC curfew rule would not allow another inning to start.

So UM CF Zeke De Voss quickly made it 7-6 with a solo homer to lead off the inning. Back-to-back walks by Ratcliff and Lawson put runners on first and second, with still no outs in the inning. Miami Catcher Yasmani Grandal singled up the middle to center to load the bases.

Miami 3b Martinez grounded into a double play, but moved Lawson to third and scored Ratcliff to tie it up at 7-7.  With pinch hitter Michael Broad  at the plate and with Lawson on third the first pitch by UNC reliever Nate Striz was thrown in the dirt and got away from the Tar Heel catcher allowing Lawson to score easily to give the Hurricanes the win on a walk-off wild pitch.

Miami sent the Tar Heels packing with nothing to show for their weekend in the 305.  All Hurricanes fans had to say when it was over was: See ya!