Canespace

When Smoke Gets In your Eyes

The widely accepted old wise saying is: "Where there is smoke, there is fire."

In the case currently being made against the University of Miami by the NCAA for alleged rule violations Hurricane fans are wondering if this saying really holds true.

To be fair there does appear to be a lot of "smoke" that has been floating around the UM Athletic Department in the last few days based on the statements and supporting details brought forth by former Hurricane booster Nevin Shapiro.

The smoke coming from Shapiro that has been released by Yahoo Sports as part of their investigation implies that it is possible that some violations may have occurred over time and involving several UM student-athletes. Shapiro had access and he had the means and the motives to commit the violations that were alleged to have taken place.

Still, several questions remain: What actual corroborating evidence or witnesses exists? What allegations can factually be proven? How much of this is based on former versus current players at "The U" and how much does that really matter anyway? What if anything did the UM coaches or AD staff know about the alleged violations?

Yet, maybe most importantly of all is this gnawing question: Can Shapiro, a scam artist who is currently serving time in a federal prison as a convicted felon for his role in orchestrating a massive ponzi scheme that netted over $900 Million from unsuspecting investors, be trusted as a valid source of information and can he be believed as a reliable witness by the NCAA?

After spending the last few days with smoke in their eyes Miami Hurricane fans are starting to wipe away the tears caused by the big, burning piles of trash dumped on their front lawns by Shapiro and are beginning to see him for who he is and his allegations a little more clearly now.

The proverbial smoke is clearing ever so slowly as more details are revealed about the man, the allegations and what many are now saying seem to be some glaring inaccuracies that appear to exist in many of his statements.

These issues and apparent factual errors raise serious doubts surrounding the who, when, where and even what NCAA rule violations may have occurred recently or a few years ago if they ever happened at all.

In fact, at a handful of universities where some former UM players have transferred and even some high school recruits who were alleged to have been involved on the name dropping list issued by Yahoo according to information from Shapiro, several players have already been cleared by the NCAA to play this season in spite of their connections to Shapiro.

There is no doubt that there has been a thick cloud of smoke hovering in a low, menacing manner just above the Hecht Athletic Center in Coral Gables the past few days.

But the question that still remains is: "Has anyone seen the fire yet?"

Three Steps Forward, Two Steps Back

When the University of Miami hired Al Golden to coach the Miami Hurricanes football team after the 2010 season many 'Canes fans felt that the football program had taken one positive step forward.

When Golden welcomed back some of the old school players and even former UM offensive line coach Art Kehoe to contribute to the resurrection of the famed Hurricane program most Miami fans thought that this was another big step forward.

When Golden implemented an old school Miami Hurricane strength and conditioning program with the help of Andrew Swasey to build toughness, unity and team strength Hurricane fans unanimously and literally applauded out loud as another huge step forward.

Now, with the recent stunning news of allegations of NCAA violations that could send the program reeling into college football oblivion, the Hurricane Nation has been brought to its collective knees.

Hoping for a positive outcome some Hurricane fans have tucked their tails between their legs and have managed to stop bashing other universities for their recently confirmed NCAA violations and instead are looking inward at their own program's potential consequences if these allegations are proven true.

It is really anyone's guess about where this investigation will go from here but for now we wait, and hope and pray that there are more steps forward rather than back for the UM program.

Below is a statement released by UM President Donna Shalala this afternoon.

"To the University Community:

Since its founding more than 85 years ago, the University of Miami has stood for excellence in higher education in every endeavor, every degree, and every student. Our more than 15,000 students, on three campuses in 11 schools and colleges, and over 150,000 alumni expect our core values to remain steadfast and true in times of extraordinary achievement as well as those rare times when those values are called into question.

As a member of the University family, I am upset, disheartened, and saddened by the recent allegations leveled against some current and past student-athletes and members of our Athletic Department. Make no mistake—I regard these allegations with the utmost of seriousness and understand the concern of so many of you. We will vigorously pursue the truth, wherever that path may lead, and I have insisted upon complete, honest, and transparent cooperation with the NCAA from our staff and students. Our counsel is working jointly with the NCAA Enforcement Division in a thorough and meticulous investigation, which will require our patience.

I am in daily communication with our Board of Trustees, Executive Committee, Director of Athletics, and counsel, and will continue to work closely with the leaders of our University.

To our students, parents, faculty, alumni, and supporters—I encourage you to have patience as the process progresses; to have confidence in knowing that we are doing everything possible to discover the truth; to have faith in the many outstanding student-athletes and coaches who represent the University; and to have pride in what our University has accomplished and aspires to be."

Hurricanes Hold First Scrimmage

Things are about to get very interesting in Coral Gables.  Today at 1 PM the University of Miami will hold their first scrimmage of the Fall training camp.

The scrimmage on the UM campus is closed to fans and the media but we will try to get you some reports and updates as they filter out to the public.

 
There is some fierce competition at several positions, many of which are still wide open for the taking. Hurricane head coach Al Golden has already publicly stated that the two scrimmages will go along way to settling the battles for starting roles on both offense and defense heading into the 2011 season.

There are many questions still unanswered for the 'Canes going into this season:

Who will start at QB: Jacory Harris or Stephen Morris?

What about at MLB: Jimmy Gaines or Jordan Futch? 

Who will take control at CB opposite JoJo Nicholas: Brandon McGee or Lee Chambers or Mike Williams? 

Can the hard charging Allen Hurns really beat out Travis Benjamin to start opposite LaRon Byrd at WR? 

Which Freshman will make the most significant contribution this season?

Golden and his coaching staff will have to decided the answers to these difficult questions over the next 10 days and after the second scrimmage next week.

 
In addition UM is hosting "Family Day" during the scrimmage and several of the 2012 recruits that are verbal commitments to the Hurricanes are expected to be on hand.  These players include: Randy “Duke” Johnson Angelo Jean-Louis, James Burgess, Ereck Flowers, Jelani Hamilton, AJ Leggett, Keith Brown, Herb Waters, Gray Crow, Dwayne Hoilett, Josh Witt, Nate Dortch, Vernon Davis, David Thompson, Drew Harris and Tyriq McCord.

We will bring you any intial reports from Greentree Field courtesy of www.hurricanesports.com as soon as they are available.  Stay tuned!

NOTE: HERE IS THE UPDATE AS PROMISED.  VIDEO OF UM HEAD COACH AL GOLDEN WITH JOE ZAGACKI AFTER THE SCRIMMAGE: 

LIVE chat: Manny Navarro and Susan Degnan

The Miami Herald provides some of the best coverage of University of Miami athletics that can be found in the print media and on the Internet. 

The Herald's local resources, contacts and in-depth reporting of all UM sports is unparalleled and provides the most accurate, detailed and insightful information available to Hurricane fans.

 
Manny Navarro (seen above at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando) and Susan Miller-Degnan work hard to bring U the news U can use as a Hurricane fan.

Tonight Hurricane fans will have a chance to chat with both of them during a LIVE Q & A session from 7:30 - 8:30 PM. Post your questions on the blog and get real-time responses from the two leading reporters on UM sports.

Ready, set, GO CANES!

Kicking Off A New Era

There have been many areas of concern on the field for the University of Miami football team over the last couple of years.

Yet one area where there wasn’t any concern was on special teams where the dependable and reliable Matt Bosher handled the punting and kicking chores for the Hurricanes.  With Bosher manning both of these positions there was no fear for the Hurricanes.

 
And let's be clear, not only did Bosher hold down these spots, he dominated them.  It was a fact that he was known as much for his big hits on coverage as he was for his clutch kicking.

After winning numerous awards, Bosher's time at the U came to an end after the 2010 season. It was no surprise that his departure has left a huge hole in the kicking game for Miami. 

Enter Dalton Botts. 

Coming out of High school Botts committed to Bakersfield College as a QB. After transferring to Moorpark College, Dalton took over the punting role on the team.  It was there that he excelled.

At the top 12 elite kicking camp in California, Dalton had the longest punt and the best hang time, an accomplishment that earned him a No. 1 national ranking by kicking guru Chris Sailer.  Sailer runs the top rated instructional camps for punters and kickers and has a highly respected rating/recruiting service.

Here is our interviews with Botts:

Q: Explain your decision to attend the University of Miami?

A: “There is no better place than Miami. I loved the place, coaches and I felt welcome here.”

Q. What was your first impression of Coach Golden?

A: “Confidence.  He knew what he was talking about, and seemed like he was talking to ME as a person
    and not just a recruit to play ball.”

Q: Matt Bosher left some big shoes to fill. What makes you think you are the person to do it?

A: “There is no other person in my eyes that can fill the shoes of Bosher other than me! I say that out of confidence not cockiness.  I have been training my butt off getting to be the best I can be.”

Q: What are your goals this season at the University of Miami?

A: “I want to be one of the best punters in the nation, and whenever I go on the field, do my job right and help the team in the best way possible I can.”

Q: What’s going through your head as camp starts?

A: “I’m just excited! I’m ready to get this thing going and get better!” 

Q: Is there anything you would like to tell the Miami Hurricane fans?

A: “Keep supporting! The U is coming back, it’s going to be a great season!

Get CANED - http://facebook.com/canes.central

Canespace Gets In Focus With Caneshooter

THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN FOR CANESPACE BY SOLARCANE...

When you think of University of Miami sports fans who have “been there and done that”there is probably no other person that fits the bill better than Miami Hurricanes team photographer JC Ridley. 

Ridley has been the Canes' official team photographer since 1995 and as you can imagine he has compiled an enormous archive of incredible Miami Hurricane photos at his “Caneshooter” web site:  http://caneshooter.com/

Just ask yourself: "Where else can U find over 90,0000 Hurricane sports photos?" The answer is as obvious (nowhere) as the photos are incredible (they are).  Below is Ridley's recent work for the UM football team's 2011 schedule which happens to make a great screen saver!

 

Ridely was kind enough to let us include a few of his photos in this article. You will probably recognize some of these now famous photos almost instantly.

Here is a brief interview I recently had the pleasure of doing with Caneshooter JC Ridley... 

Canespace: JC tell us how you got started in sports photography? 

Ridley:It was while I was at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa. One of my professors had shot for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers back in the day. I had intended to transfer to St. Thomas University to major in Sports Administration, but those classes convinced me to pursue a photography career.  The University of Miami was my first choice, I wanted to stay in Florida and they had the only Photo Journalism program in the State.  At Miami I majored in History and Photo Communications. I was also involved with the school paper, The Hurricane, and the Ibis Yearbook. 

 
Canespace: When did you take your first photos of Miami Hurricane athletes in action? 

Ridley: After pestering the photo editor of The Hurricane my first semester he let me shoot a couple of football games in the Fall of 1991. I quickly became the go to sports guy with the student publications. 

Canespace: Over the years what games and events including all Miami sports bring back your fondest memories?

Ridley:Number one is winning the 2001 BCS National Championship at the Rose Bowl. The one thing I’ll take to my grave is the pride in having been associated with the greatest team in college football history. I grew up in Big 10 country and to win it at the Rose Bowl was icing on the cake. 

 
Canespace: What other big events UM sports events do you recall covering? 

Ridley:Of course the College World Series wins in 1999 and 2001, but especially the 1999 win over FSU was really sweet.  There are four individual games that come to mind:

1. The Big East Tournament win over Pittsburgh in 1992, after we won only one game in the conference during the regular season. I can still see SID John Hahn jumping around like a little kid after that win. 

2. The 1992 Women’s Basketball team winning the Women’s Big East Tournament in 1992 against UConn on their home floor in which the highlight wasn’t anything Frances Savage or Vicki Powden did but Sebastian the Ibis (John Routh) making three half court shots in a row behind the back from half-court. 

3. The 1996 game @WVU in which Tremain Mack blocked a punt that Nate Brooks returned for a TD with seconds to play to win the game. It was always nice to get out of Morgantown with a win. The game is also on WVU’s list of unforgettable games, even though they lost. 

4. The 2003 comeback win against the Gators. The Orange Bowl was never louder than after Hester's opening kickoff return for a TD. It was a game of sweet redemption for Brock Berlin. 

Canespace: Who have been the easiest coaches to work with? Which players have been your favorite subjects? 

Ridley:Most of the coaches have been great to work with over the years. Players like Jacory Harris, Jack McClinton and Shenise Johnson have been great in the studio lights. 

 
Canespace: Explain the difference between shooting the Canes in the Orange Bowl compared to anywhere else? 

Ridley:While the Orange Bowl held a boatload of history within its confines, it wasn’t the easiest place to work. The sidelines were nearly impossible with the numerous alumni (who I think had a right to be there) and City of Miami employees (who I think had no right to be there) and other hangers-on types. I spent most games shooting from the end zones. Shooting on the road became a relief, unless it was Morgantown or Blacksburg. 

 
On the positive side I loved the view from the West End Zone shooting back towards the palm trees. I loved the crown of the field on that end, it brought my lens to nearly the ground level. I love shooting low, so the players appear to tower over you. That being said, I’d trade our current stadium for the Orange Bowl in a second. I think we’ve lost a bit of a home field advantage since we left that is obvious but not easy to measure. 

Canespace: What equipment would you suggest budding sports photographers and students purchase to shoot high School athletic events? 

Ridley:Spend the money on good glass (lenses). Bodies are like computers in that you’ll replace them every two years or so. Good glass will last you 10-20 years. And by good glass I mean lenses with wide apertures, like f2.8. You’ll need those wide apertures shooting high school sports, or anything with movement, at night in poorly lit venues. Sports photography is the one segment of photography in which gear does matter. You’re not going to get very good or professional results with an iPhone, or a kit lens, for that matter. 

 
Canespace: How does one go about approaching a school to be the team photographer? 

Ridley: Many major schools don’t credential freelancers anymore. You may have to approach a Division II or lower school. Or you may have to offer to shoot sports that don’t receive much publicity, like track, tennis or rowing. Build and create a portfolio. Have a selection of images in your portfolio that show how you handle a range subjects and scenarios. 

Canespace: JC you do a lot more professional photography than sports teams, tell us a little about your company. Is it true that people in South Florida can use the official Miami Hurricane team photographer to shoot their weddings, special events, and business promotions etc.? 

Ridley: Yes they can! While my ability to shoot weddings and other events is limited by my sports schedule to mainly spring and summer, I can do corporate head shots year-round. And we can always talk Hurricanes sports on the side. 

 
Canespace: JC you do an incredible job. Being able to make a living from your passion is a blessing.  Best of luck to you this season!　

Ridley: Thank you and as always: GO CANES!

You can find "Caneshooter" JC Ridely at the following blogs and social media sites:

Blog: http://caneshooter.wordpress.com/

Twitter: @caneshooter

Facebook: caneshooter.com

THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN FOR CANESPACE BY SOLARCANE.

Golden Delivers A Clear Message

To Al Golden the solution is simple really: "Conditioning and Unity."

If you listened to the first-year Hurricane head coach describe his priorities for ensuring the success of the 2011 University of Miami football team at his pre-camp press conference on Friday, it really seemed that the cure to what is wrong with this team is that clear and that simple. 

 
Golden spoke at length during the presser with the media about how he has spent his first six months in Coral Gables focused primarily on two things: team conditioning and team unity. 

He talked about "staying on message" and made it clear that the message about prioritizing the rebuilding of the once wildly successful and at times even dominant program at "The U" hinges on those two specific principles.

 
Only time will tell if Golden is able to hit his target with what many have labeled an under-achieving group of highly recruited but only moderately productive bunch of football players.  But for now calling them a "bunch of players" seems to fit this group so much more accurately than "team of players".

It appears that the talent is there but what remains to be seen is IF these Hurricanes can take their individual talents and find a way to collectively work together to produce a solid team effort in 2011.  If so, and that is a really big IF, then the sky may be the only limit for this 2011 squad.

Golden made several key comments during his approximately 30 minute Q & A session with reporters in the Edgerrin James media room at UM:

• The highly anticipated QB battle between Jacory Harris and Stephen Morris "Is a dead heat. It really is."  Golden said that he has not only said it publicly to the media but even to his coaches and closest confidants at UM.  Golden said the QB battle "Will be decided in the next 14-15 days."
• Golden said that three players still have clearinghouse issues: LB Antonio Kinard, RB Kevin Grooms and DT Corey King.  Grooms was projected to see time at running back, however due to his delay in getting cleared by the NCAA to play this year at UM, Safety Eduardo Clements (who played running back in high school) has moved back to RB to add depth there at least for now. 
• Golden emphasized that "It is the coaches job to get the best 22 players on the field" and that several players could still be moved around during camp or even later this Fall.
• The UM head coach said that several leaders have emerged on the team.  He singled out: Spence, Forston, Gunn, Byrd, and both QBs engaged in the starting role battle royal as players that have surfaced as real leaders on this team. 
• He reiterated what many UM fans already knew: That the team has to get better at the following positions to be competitive this season: at QB where completion %, limiting turnovers and leadership will be critical; at MLB where Jimmy Gaines, Jordan Futch and even Freshmen Gionni Paul and Eddie Robinson will all compete for playing time; and at DB where several players must still be replaced from last years team and several players are still in the mix.
• Golden also said he is excited about the players at the WR position at Miami this season.  He also stated that Freshmen WRs Phillip Dorsett and Rashawn Scott "have thrown a wrench into the mix" at the position as both have show the talent and maturity to play this season in spite of the depth here with Byrd, Benjamin, Hurns, Thompkins and the Johnsons squared (Davon and Aldarius).
• And if you MUST know, Golden confirmed once and for all that he will wear a shirt and tie on the sidelines this season.  It was rumored that NIKE officials immediately holed up in their luxurious offices and threw a temper tantrum and are right now seriously pouting.

Thanks to Chris Freet, LaTonya Sadler and all of the good folks over at the UM Sports Information Department for their coverage of the Hurricanes and access to the video of the press conference.

 
To watch the entire 30 minute video of the Golden presser click here: 

http://hurricanesports.cstv.com/allaccess/index.html?media=184717

"I Bleed Orange and Green"

About a week ago I interviewed former UM wide receiver Jermaine McKenzie for an article titled: “Former Hurricane Players Bleed Orange & Green”.  In that feature we discussed a little about Jermaine’s time at Miami and the situation around his transferring to the Memphis Tigers.

This week Jermaine was gracious enough to give us a little more of his time for a follow-up interview for Canespace.

After committing to the University of Miami in 2007, McKenzie made an immediate impact on the practice field. During fall practice he continually made plays in practice leading to high expectations for the upcoming season.

On the verge of the coming season, tragedy struck...  

Q: What happened the night of the car crash and how did it affect you?

A: “The night of the car accident, we were coming back from having a great weekend back home and we were trying to make it back for Monday morning workouts at 6 AM. All I remember was driving and crashing in Naples and waking up in the ambulance bleeding from the back of my head and not being able to move my neck. It affected me a lot because I never had been in a car accident in my life and the first one being near fatal. I still have nightmares about the crash and it spooks me from time to time but overall I'm almost over it. Without that accident I probably would have been one of the most talked about wide receivers in the nation. But everything happens for a reason. You’ve got to go through some things to get to where you’re going. The road to success is always under construction.”

Q: What is it like being a star WR and being recruited by major college programs across the country?

A:“Man it’s a blessing. There are so many of us out there and to be mentioned as one of the best athletes in the nation in your class is just awesome. As far as the recruiting experience, it got pretty hectic after my junior year.  I committed to Alabama after the season and took a visit my senior year when they played Auburn that was pretty good. I decided to de-commit on December 13 and committed to Miami on December 16. I took a visit to Miami in January which was only 3 hours from my hometown (Bradenton, FL) and I loved it.”

Q: How important is coaching?  Where did you get the best coaching?

A: “Good coaches bring the best out of all their players and utilize them to the best of their ability. When you look at teams like Boise State and TCU, you wonder how they win a lot of ball games with mediocre talent. Great coaches know what they have and base their schemes and systems around what they have. Coach Shannon had great intangibles as a coach, but I don't think he used all the talent he had. But hey, you learn and you live, I wish nothing but the best for Coach Shannon.”

Q: Where does your motivation come from?

A: “Motivation comes from a lot of things. First, without self-confidence you’re really playing for nothing. That is one of my biggest strengths. When I'm on the field I feel like I can't be stopped and that's how you got to feel because if you don't have faith in yourself who else will??”

Q: Explain your WR techniques: getting off the LOS against press coverage, getting separation from a DB.

A:“My techniques as a WR are very simple and I live by it every play. Most importantly, "winning my personal battle" when I line up across from a DB I already know in my head that the battle is won because first I'm not going to let anyone beat me. Getting off the line is the easiest thing for me because I have some of the quickest feet around. I rely on my foot quickness and speed to get open and get the ball. Off coverage is all about leverage and angles if you can be able to get a DB out of his comfort zone, that's when you know that you have him at your mercy.”

Q: What is your best quality you bring to your team and WR position?

A:“The best quality that I bring to a team and the WR position is my work ethic and my ability to make others around me better. Despite barely playing in Miami, I always tried to show guys like Travis Benjamin, Aldarius Johnson, Davon Johnson, and Kendall Thompkins the ropes. I saw something special in each and every last one of them. I'm just a team player, I've always been that way.”

Q: Who is the toughest DB you have gone up against in college?

A: “The best DB’s I've seen in college hands down are the ones that I went up against every single day at The U. I haven't seen any DB with the heart and tenacity as the ones down there.”

Q: QB Ryan Williams recently transferred from Memphis to the University of Miami. You played with Ryan and have first-hand knowledge of what he is all about. Describe what he brings to the game?

A: “Ryan Williams is awesome. He reminds me of Tom Brady, no lie. He's very confident and poised in the pocket. He’s the type of quarterback that WRs like myself would love to have. He's one of those QBs that lead by his actions. ‘Canes nation should be very excited about that young guy. He's one of the best QBs in the nation hands down.”

Q: How would you describe last year at Memphis and what are your expectations at Murray State?

A: “I feel I did really good in an offense that ran the ball 80% of the time. I had 25 catches for 509 yards and 4 touchdowns. At Murray State, it’s not even about my expectations; it’s the expectations that they have for me. Being that this is my last go around for the collegiate level, I just wanted to go out with a bang and put up almost impossible numbers which is going to happen. Just stay tuned in. We kick off the 2011 season with Louisville on September 1st. Last year I had 3 catches 78 yards last year but they stomped us so I’ve got to get my payback this year.”

Q: Do you have anything you want to tell Hurricane Nation?

A: “I want to say thank you for ALL your support and for keeping up with me and making sure I still had my eyes on the prize. Man I really appreciate the love. Just let everybody know that I still bleed Orange and Green.”

This article was written exclusively for Canespace by blogger “CANED”.

Get CANED at: http://facebook.com/canes.central

Tuning In To WVUM

As the student voice of the University of Miami, WVUM radio fills an important role in keeping UM students and Hurricane fans alike informed about what's happening on and off campus and inside the world of UM athletics.  Here is a brief summary of the station from the WVUM web site:

"WVUM is the non-commercial and fully student-run radio station broadcasting out of the University of Miami. Since its inception in 1967, as a pirate radio station hidden in the Mahoney dormitory, "The Voice” has evolved into a nationally recognized leader in college radio, broadcasting eclectic music programming, public affairs/news content and excellent sports programs."

 
Over the last four years Canespace and WVUM have developed a very positive relationship that has proven to be mutually beneficial to Hurricane fans not only in South Florida but literally all across the United States and around the world.

Justin Antweil, the previous Sports Director at WVUM, was a good friend of Canespace and a solid partner in providing sports coverage for Hurricane fans.  With Justin's recent graduation WVUM conducted an extensive search for someone to fill this position and eventually selected UM Sophomore Chris Wittyngham for that role. 

Almost immediately we looked to form a new relationship with Chris to continue our excellent partnership and to ensure that we keep bringing you the news you can use when it come to UM athletics from our exclusive on campus connection at WVUM.

I recently had a chance to catch up with Chris for one of our now famous Canespace Q&A sessions.  Here is what he had to say in response to some of the questions posted on the blog about the UM football team as the Hurricanes head into the 2011 season:

86Cane: How did you first get interested in becoming a sports director and producer at WVUM and what led you to want to be an on-air media sports reporter instead of just another student (or fan) in the stands drinking cold beverages and yelling loudly like the rest of us?

Wittyngham: I was born and raised in Miami and I love everything about what it represents, both the city and the university. I love all of the sports team in South Florida, but for some reason, I never took a big interest in the Hurricanes early on. However, as I got closer to college age and as I've become a part of the University of Miami, I've definitely grown to love “The U”. 

As far as how I got into broadcasting, I decided this rather early. I just put together how I could combine my love of sports with my overwhelming lack of athleticism and so I studied to be an announcer. I would watch Chris Berman's NFL Primetime and study his delivery and style and I would do play by play for my own Madden NFL video games with the sound down. 

Eventually I got into TV production and the student newspaper at my high school and really enjoyed it. I got my first gig with a guy named Bruce Silverman, who happened to be starting up a sports radio show on AM 1470 in Palm Beach. He asked me to be a correspondent for my high school and eventually I became a contributor and then the producer of the show which we still do every week (sofloradio.com). 

I then started at WVUM in the fall of my freshman semester and I knew Justin Antweil was graduating so when he announced that he was going to open the Sports Director (SD) position to the entire staff I said "What the hell?" and applied. I was able to make an impression by starting our station's twitter account as well as continuing to develop my skills announcing UM baseball games (eventually doing about a dozen games) and I finally got the job as SD at WVUM. 

I really am excited to get going with covering football and doing everything there is to be done as a Sports Director, including increasing our listenership among several other things. I thoroughly enjoy broadcasting games and talking sports and would like to do this for the rest of my life.

Canechic: How many players do you suspect will be suspended for the Maryland game?  I fear The Turtle and have heard that the Terrapins may be pretty good this year (even with a new head coach) and that they have a real shot at beating the Hurricanes in the season opener.  What say U?

Wittyngham: I think there is a difficult tension between wanting to keep your best players on the field and not tolerating bad behavior. There definitely will be some players suspended as several media members have reported, but I can't imagine too many impact players miss that first game. I agree in saying that although Maryland was a good but not great team, they will certainly be ready to play considering how big that Labor Day stage is for them. They too have a new coach with a bigger pedigree (A BCS bowl game) than Coach Golden and everybody involved is looking at that game and placing a huge amount of emphasis. The game will not be taken lightly so I wouldn't worry too much about impact players missing the game for suspension. 

TLuv: I assume that you are NOT going into Al Golden’s first season at Miami and predicting an undefeated season like a few of our bloggers at Canespace have done every year since 2006.  What are your W-L predictions for the season, or in other words, how many games will the Canes lose in 2011, which ones and why?

Wittyngham: I'm consistently surprised at how optimistic Canes fans are every year. A big part of life, especially as a sports fan, is managing expectations. I don't think they'll win the national title, but I think realistic expectations are contending for or even winning the coastal division. It is something that has yet to be done since the Canes joined the ACC and this may be the year. With the amount of upperclassmen on the roster and starters returning it seems feasible. The experience at the quarterback position is lacking throughout the conference and that usually means things will be wide open. This team still has holes that Coach Golden is trying to take care of both through recruiting and coaching, but I don't know how many things can be fixed in one year. Inaccuracy from the quarterbacks, dropped balls, poor route running, uncreative offense, poor tackling, allowing big plays, and poor special teams all plagued the team at some point last year so we'll see how many of those things are fixed in year 1. I will say 10-2 with losses to Virginia Tech and Florida State. That is a safe prediction, because generally not everything goes as it is supposed to, but those are the two games I look at and say they have the biggest chance of losing.

TLuv: We all know that Sean Spence is a stud and will have over 100 tackles this year.  But aside from Spence is there anybody on this team that can tackle and who is going to play at the other LB spots next to Spence for the Hurricanes this season?

Wittyngham: I would say Ramon Buchanan (Off-field problems willing) will probably start at the other outside linebacker position. I like him, but don't love him. He's a solid guy who has the potential to make some big plays. However, the guy I really like is Jordan Futch. I haven't gotten a chance to talk to too many of the guys and I can honestly say I'm looking forward to doing so, but Jordan Futch really impressed me when I talked to him. He introduced himself as "Jordan" as if nobody knew who he was and shook everyone's hand. He also really impressed with the way he listened to and answered our questions carefully. He was very outspoken against Randy Shannon in December when he was let go and clearly outlined the differences between Coach Golden and Coach Shannon when I spoke to him during the spring. I think above all else he understands and embraces what "The U" attitude is about and what it was built on. However, I think some players of the last ten years had that attitude, but haven't been able to translate that onto the field. A lot of the talking matters to some, but his output on the field in spring was equally impressive. He had close to double digit or double digit tackles in each of those scrimmages. I think he will start in that 3rd linebacker position and will emerge as a solid to great player in that linebacking core.

Hassan: With all the NCAA investigations there may be only 10 or fewer eligible teams left to compete for the BCS Title by the end of the 2011 season.  It seems pretty clear that many of the top 25 teams commit major infractions annually.  What is the status of the NCAA as you see it and where do we go from here?  Do you agree with paying the players?

Wittyngham: I think that the way the system is set up rewards cheating. We'll discuss this more on WVUM as we get closer to the Ohio State game as they were probably the focal point of the NCAA investigations, but in my opinion Jim Tressel chose the best option to save his job. If he reported everything Terrelle Pryor was doing, he loses his best player, his star quarterback, and arguably his biggest recruiting 'get' ever and he probably doesn't do anything in the way of winning with the team and quarterback he had. So the alternative was to risk nobody finding out, which to that point nobody had about any violation prior, and see if he could reap the rewards of Pryor, his best player. He did, but eventually was caught. This is what happened with Bruce Pearl and quite a few others. So the way you fix it is by making reporting the violation the better option, either by rewarding honesty or by eliminating the idea that it is a violation. I do think paying players is the best option, although I'm not sure of the best way to do that. You can do it equally across sports, but that doesn't make sense based on the fact that Jacory Harris' jersey is the one selling in the UM book store, not those of the diving team. The players of the money sports have an argument that they bring the most revenue therefore they should get the most money. I don't think the difficulties of how to do it should persuade people against doing it, but it's definitely hard to decide paying equally across the board or by value, but I think it should be done.

DrewZ2: Last week Head Coach Al Golden singled out a few players like WR Phillip (no relation to Tony) Dorsett, OL Malcolme “don’t get your panties all in a” Bunche and TE Clive “I’ve got a really cool first name” Walford as surprise players for 2011.  I’m sure U agree with Coach Golden but what other three surprise players would you add to this list? 

Wittyngham: First off, I agree with coach Golden on Clive Walford. One of the cool things about covering this team and going to UM is the connections you are fortunate to have with members of the team. Clive was in my English 105 class this past semester and I got a chance to know him a little bit and he truly is a humble kid from the Belle Glade area famous for chasing rabbits. I actually showed him the video of the story ESPN did on my laptop and he was smiling from ear to ear because he had done it too. He's physically intimidating to stand next to and in watching him in practice he'll definitely be a pass catching tight end option that the Hurricanes did not have last year. As far as guys I'm looking for, I'd definitely keep my eye out for Darion Hall. Coach Golden talked about the need for a 3rd running back to step up and join Mike James and Lamar Miller in stable of running backs with the departure of Storm Johnson. I think Darion will be that guy to get 6 to 9 carries a game and make an impact by spelling Lamar and Mike. Also, I know we've discussed it every year since he's been here, but I think this is the time for Tommy Streeter. It's only a matter of time before his athleticism is tapped in to for on-field results and I think this is the year. And I think one of the area of the team where guys can step up and surprise people is in the secondary, because when you lose guys like Brandon Harris, Demarcus Van Dyke, and Ryan Hill there are plenty of opportunities to step up. Don't be surprised if true freshman Thomas Finnie steps in immediately and gets some playing time in the nickel and maybe even in the starting lineup.

86Cane: Chris thanks for taking your time to answer some of our questions from the bloggers here at Canespace.  What else can you tell us about what are in the plans for the WVUM sports department under your new leadership this year?

Wittyngham: I appreciate the questions and I look forward to discussing these things further on WVUM. I appreciate Canespace coming to me with the opportunity to do an interview and I look forward to being in touch with you guys all year. 

 
WVUM will be covering all 7 home games and the two Florida road games against USF and FSU. However, depending on our budget and our underwriting (the non-commercial version of advertising) revenues, we may be able to cover the Maryland, Virginia Tech, and North Carolina Games. We will keep you posted on that and will cover the ACC title game in the event Miami makes it and any bowl game they reach. 

As far as our sports talk shows, they begin August 26th on our signature talk show Ibis Sports Weekly, which again will be back every Friday from 6-7 PM. We will also debut the all new "WVUM Sports Saturday" on August 27th, airing Saturdays from 11 AM to Noon. And we will also return with Beyond The Scope, Sundays from Noon to 1 PM.

We will be having plenty of guests and giveaways all year long to be sure to tune in to all things WVUM on 90.5 FM or http://www.wvum.org. 

GO CANES!