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What Are U Thankful For?

On this Thanksgiving Day I thought I would list some of the things that I am thankful for. So here is my shortlist of things that I appreciate:

I am thankful for my degree from the University of Miami and the fun and exciting time I spent on campus back in the glory days of the 1980s.

I am thankful for Al Golden, who in spite of unforeseen and difficult circumstances, has shown his true grit and leadership as he toughed out a challenging first two years as head coach at Miami.

I am thankful for living in a Country where the election process still works.

I am thankful for UM baseball coach Jim Morris and the two National Championships he has won at The U (1999, 2001).

I am thankful for my loving wife, a supportive family and caring friends.

I am thankful for all of the Miami Hurricane fans that show up at Sun life Stadium on a regular basis and yell their throats sore each and every game.

I am thankful for the great memories that UM athletics has provided me and for all of those still to come.

I am thankful for every day and every sunrise and sunset I get to see.

I am thankful for coaches Jim Larranaga and Katie Meier and the UM men's and women's basketball teams they produce.

I am thankful for role models like Mike James who show that student-athletes can still be both. I wish all Hurricanes could be like Mike.

I am thankful to have a decent job when so many good people are jobless.

I am thankful for players like Duke Johnson who thrill the crowd every time they touch the ball. There is no doubt that Duke is the Truth.

I am thankful for players like Anthony Chickillo,Tyriq McCord, Denzel Perryman, Eddie Johnson, Tracy Howard and Deon Bush who will make Miami's defense feared once again.

Now I want to know: What are U thankful for? 

Every Game Is A Bowl Game

Every game is a bowl game.

When the University of Miami football team crushed the University of South Florida at Sun Life Stadium last Saturday they won their sixth game of the 2012 season and became "bowl eligible".

If Miami beats Duke this coming Saturday in Durham the Hurricanes will finish their second season under Al Golden on a positive note and with a 7-5 record.

Every game is a bowl game.

Assuming that Miami wins this week against Duke they will be the winners of the Coastal Division of the ACC, and had the UM administration not imposed a post-season ban, they would have gone on to face FSU in the ACC title game.

Although some fans may feel that the Hurricanes chances against the Seminoles in that scenario are slim and none, but I tend to like Miami's chances in that game and believe that UM would be a formidable challenger to FSU's attempted power grab atop the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Every Game is a bowl game.

Which brings me back to the title of this blog. Until UM head coach Al Golden has these Hurricanes playing like every game is a bowl game and like every play may be their last, it is my opinion that this team simply does not "Deserve Victory" much less the privilege of playing in a bowl game.

Sure for this year's young, inexperienced team to lose to top 10 teams like #1 Notre Dame, #6 Kansas State and #10 FSU might be understandable if not completely acceptable to the majority of the small but rabid UM fan base. But even these highly-ranked teams have shown some clear signs of weakness with ND almost losing to un-ranked Pitt (4-6), KSU losing last weekend to un-ranked Baylor (5-5) and FSU dropping a home game to NCST (6-5).

Every game is a bowl game.

Each of these big games (as well as every ACC contest), with practically everyone (coaches, players, fans) knowing that UM was facing a likely post-season ban once eligible, were in essence "bowl games" for this Hurricane team.  

Yet, Miami lost all three (and two ACC match-ups to UNC and UVA) even though all three teams were clearly very beatable if things had gone perfectly for the Hurricanes on game day. Unfortunately they did not and the Hurricanes did not "Deserve Victory".

Every game is a bowl game.

And until Miami plays like it every week, they don't deserve to play in real one.

No Soup For U!

As expected by many of the so-called experts, legal wranglers, alleged insiders and average fans, today the University of Miami eagerly and loudly proclaimed "No soup for U" as they self-imposed a post-season ban for the second consecutive year for its football program.

This means that Miami will not be able to compete in the ACC Championship Game even if they win the Coastal Division by beating Duke next Saturday in Durham or go to a bowl game this post-season.  

The only bowling Al Golden's team will likely be doing during the off-season in between the many brutal sessions of Andreu Swasey's "U Tough" conditioning program will be at Bird Bowl for some much needed team building activity.

As all UM fans know this move comes in anticipation of the looming NCAA sanctions in the wake of the now infamous Nelson Shapiro scandal at Miami involving alleged extra benefits to players and potential recruiting violations in the football and basketball programs.

The investigation into the NCAA rule violations has dragged on for two years now as University officials and the Hurricane fan base anxiously await the formal NCAA findings and the associated sanctions that are sure to follow. 

Now that UM has announced the post-season ban it is likely that the NCAA report is soon to follow and should be announced by the end of November. The University then has the right to accept the sanctions as is or appeal them. That process could easily drag into January or February of next year.  

At this point I think that all Hurricane fans will be glad when the University of Miami, its athletic department and its student-athletes can turn the page and put the past sins of this ugly situation clearly in their rear view mirror.

That is when UM head coach Al Golden and the 85 players on the current UM roster will be able to move forward with the much more positive pursuit of winning a sixth National Championship at "The U".

Message From The Athletic Director

Email from acting UM Athletic Director Blake James:

Moments ago, I met with our football team, coaches and staff to inform them that the University of Miami will not be accepting a bowl invitation at the conclusion of the season. This unprecedented step of voluntarily withholding our team from a second consecutive postseason came after considerable deliberation and discussion with University leadership, including President Shalala, the Office of the General Counsel and Department of Athletics leaders.

LINK: Miami to Forgo Bowl Game for Second Season

While this is a difficult day for many in our family, I am confident that it will allow our football program and the University to move forward in the most expedited manner possible. I can assure you that the University and Athletic Department are doing everything in our powers to bring the inquiry to a conclusion and I am confident that we will emerge stronger than ever before.

Much of that strength comes from the continued support and partnership of people like you. Thank you for standing with the University of Miami and we look forward to many more successful years together.

Sincerely,


Blake James           
Interim Director of Athletics 

How Deep Is Your Love?

Following his team's convincing 40-9 rout of USF on Senior Day at Sun Life Stadium, head coach Al Golden confirmed to us that he has recently spoken to OGV and CaneRock and has received approval to release the Miami Hurricanes' new, updated depth chart for Duke week.

 

After a career day in which he caught four passes for 130 yards and a score, freshman Herb Waters is listed as one of Miami's No. 1 receivers (Phillip Dorsett the other).  According to several sources  UpNorthCane predicted this and WillieWillInNashville has approved this message.

 

The other change on the offensive side: Redshirt sophomore Malcolm Bunche and freshman Ereck Flowers are now listed as co-starters at left tackle. We have insider knowledge that Canespacers Hassan (Flowers) and The Street (Bunche) are absolutely torn about this decision.

 

Defensively, sophomores Denzel Perryman and Gionni Paul are listed as co-starters at one of the outside linebacker positions. RoachCane and MiamiCane want to ask: "Why are two of the Hurricanes BEST linebackers playing at the same position?" We, the fans, have no idea nor have we been able to get an explanantion.

 

Meanwhile, Freshman Rayshawn Jenkins, who made his career-first start vs. USF, and redshirt junior AJ Highsmith are listed as co-starters at safety. Canespacers CGNC and LB have publicly stated that they are totally cool with this decision and can't wait to see #2 and #29 at safety next year for UM.

 

Saturday's game at Duke will kick at 12:30 p.m. ET on the ACC Network. We, and by "we" I mean the hard charging and heavy drinking crew of RaizeCane, Kenny and Terrance, absolutely hate early games. But in spite of their loyal fandom, "we" apparently have no choice.

 

And I might add that the University of Miami athletic department has been formally notified that OhioCane and NativeCane want to examine any future schedules before thay are released.

 

Also at the current time we are still negotiating CaneZilla's proposed contractual agreement with the UM cheerleaders to ensure certain victory. SolarCane and Old Skool are handling the contractual stipulations.

 

Please stay tuned for many more additional details and other late breaking news!

Post Game Notes: UM 40, USF 9

MIAMI (5-5, 4-3 ACC) 40 vs. USF (3-6, 1-4 BIG EAST) 9

SUN LIFE STADIUM • MIAMI GARDENS, FLA.

NOV. 17, 2012 • ATTENDANCE: 38,869

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES

• Prior to the game, Miami honored its 2012 senior class: P Dalton Botts, LB Ramon Buchanan, P Cameron Dean, DL Chris Dunckel, RB Mike James, WR Davon Johnson, OL Ben Jones, LS Paul Kelly, OL Jeremy Lewis, OL Eduardo Lopez, DB Brandon McGee, WR Shawn O’Dare, DL Darius Smith, DB Andrew Swasey, S Vaughn Telemaque, WR Kendal Thompkins and PK Jake Wieclaw.

• Today’s Captains: Mike James and Brandon McGee.

• Weather at Kickoff: 79 degrees. Wind: ENE 12, partly cloudy.

• Head coach Al Golden is now 39-45 overall (7th season), 12-11 at UM (2nd season), 5-3 in nonconference play and 2-0 vs. USF.

• For two straight seasons, the win over USF makes Miami bowl-eligible. UM is bowl-eligible for the fifth consecutive season and for the eighth time since joining the ACC prior to the 2004 season.

• Miami is now 4-1 against USF, 2-2 in nonconference games and 4-2 at home, the fourth winning home mark in five seasons at Sun Life Stadium.

TEAM NOTES

• In three-of-four non-conference games this year, Miami special teams pinned its opponent inside the 15 yard line on the opponent’s opening drive. The other three games were Bethune-Cookman (10 yard line), Notre Dame (12) and USF (15).

• In the Miami-USF all-time series, scoring in four of the five games began with a field goal: UM in 2012, 2011 and 2005, and USF in 2010. In 2009, the first score was a TD by Miami.

• In the first quarter, Miami blocked a USF field goal attempt, the second blocked FG of the season for the Canes. The last time Miami blocked a FG was against Virginia Tech this season.

• Miami defeated USF 40-9, the first time the Canes have won a game by 30 points since the 49-14 victory over Duke in 2011.

• 21 of Miami’s 53 scoring drives this season have needed less than two minutes, including 10 that needed 60 seconds or fewer.

• In each of its six wins this season, Miami has scored at least 30 points, including four wins when scoring 40+ points.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Today’s Offensive Starters: LT Malcolm Bunche, LG Jon Feliciano, C Shane McDermott, RG Brandon Linder, RT Seantrel Henderson, TE Asante Cleveland, TE Clive Walford, QB Stephen Morris, RB Mike James, WR Phillip Dorsett, WR Herb Waters.

• Today’s Defensive Starters: DE Anthony Chickillo, DT Olsen Pierre, DT Curtis Porter, DE Shayon Green, OLB Thurston Armbrister, MLB Jimmy Gaines, OLB Gionni Paul, CB Ladarius Gunter, S Rayshawn Jenkins, S Kacy Rodgers II, CB Brandon McGee.

• With 413 passing yards against USF, Stephen Morris is just the second UM quarterback to record a trio of 400-yard games in his career. Gino Torretta had 400-yard games, in 1989, 1991 and 1992. Morris becomes the first quarterback in Miami history to record multiple 400-yard passing games in a season. His other two were against NC State and Georgia Tech earlier this season. Morris has recorded three of Miami’s 11 (.273) all-time 400-yard games.

• Three Canes recorded 100-yard receiving games: Clive Walford (135), Herb Waters (130) and Phillip Dorsett (111). This is the first time Miami had three 100-yard receivers in a game since at least 1981.

• Phillip Dorsett totaled 111 yards on 12 receptions for his fourth 100-yard receiving game. It’s also the second time this season he’s had back-to-back 100-yard games. The first time was against Georgia Tech and NC State, the second against Virginia and USF.

• Three times this season Miami has had two 100-yard receivers in a game: vs. Georgia Tech, NC State and USF. Dorsett has been one of the 100-yard receivers in each of the games.

• Dorsett’s 12 receptions tie for the most in school history. Willie Smith also had 12 catches for 128 yards vs. Maryland in 1984.

• Clive Walford is the seventh Cane to record 20 catches this season, joining Philip Dorsett, Rashawn Scott, Allen Hurns, Mike James, Duke Johnson and Davon Johnson. Last season only three Canes had 20 catches, while Walford had 18.

• Against USF, Clive Walford reeled in three catches for 135 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown catch. His previous bests were 61 yards on three catches, and a 56-yard long, at Kansas State.

• Herb Waters reeled in an 87-yard TD catch in the third quarter, the sixth-longest reception in UM history. His previous career-long catch was eight yards at Virginia and his most yards were 14 against NC State. The completion was the longest since Kyle Wright hit Darnell Jenkins for a 97-yard completion against UNC in 2007.

• Herb Waters’ 130 receiving yards is the most by a Miami freshman since Reggie Wayne had 137 on 9/18/97.

• Duke Johnson entered the game with 705 rushing yards, looking in on the UM freshman record of 839 set by Clinton Portis in 1999. Johnson rumbled for 66 yards against USF.

• With an 8-yard rushing TD in the third quarter, Duke Johnson now has 11 touchdowns in his young career at Miami, including seven rushing, one receiving, two returns and one passing. He is responsible for 66 points, which leads all ACC freshmen in scoring.

• With his all-purpose total of 1,783 this season, Johnson now ranks second on Miami’s single-season all-purpose yards list, passing Ottis Anderson (1,703) with 95 yards against USF. He trails only Willis McGahee (2,108).

• With four FG in the game, Jake Wieclaw has hit 10-straight FGs dating back to the game against Florida State. The last time he missed a FG was in the second quarter at Notre Dame.

• Kendal Thompkins scored Miami’s first TD of the game and the first TD against USF since Storm Johnson on Nov. 27, 2010. The receiving TD was Thompkins’ first of the season and second of his career. Thompkins had three catches for 80 yards, including a 37-yard catch and a TD in the game. Entering the game, Thompkins had three receiving yards from two receptions.

• In the second quarter, freshman Rayshawn Jenkins recorded his first-career interception. Jenkins led all Canes with seven tackles, including four solo.

• Anthony Chickillo had a blocked field goal in the first half against USF. He also had three tackles.

• James Gaines had an INT in the first half and three total tackles against USF.

• Garrett Kidd recorded a two-yard reception in the fourth quarter, the first catch of his career.

Game Day Blog: UM vs USF

The Miami Hurricanes will beat the USF Bulls today at Sun Life Stadium by the score of 34-17.

That is all.  Please discuss...

The Short List To South Beach: Week 12

The Shortlist to South Beach has hit the home stretch in the race to the finish line and is reconfigured to rank the 10 teams left by order of worthiness as follows:

Notre Dame, Kansas State, Oregon, Ohio State, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, FSU, Clemson and Louisville.

Just a single team lost a game last week to fall out of Shortlist contention as the Oregon State Beavers get pounded into submission by the Stanford Cardinal 27-23.  Mike Riley's team watches a lot of potential conference payday dissipate into thin air thanks to this final but the year still has the potential to be one to remember if they can somehow triumph in their rivalry game to end the season and really shake the BCS standings to their core before it's all over.

For another week I predict that no teams will find themselves eliminated from the Shortlist to South Beach, as a lot of the remaining squads once again see a low level of on field competition before rivalry finales are on deck for many.  A few upsets in the last week of play could cause absolute havoc with the best laid projections as always seems to be the case when the stone engravings of the postseason get too settled in college football.

Enjoy the games this week and join me back here next week as the Shortlist to South Beach draws to the doorstep of its conclusion in 2012.

Copyright 2012 by Christopher Whelpton for Canespace.com.

Come On Down, Come On In

You are invited to the 2012 Miami Hurricanes Football Banquet

Sunday, December 9, 2012
Jungle Island Treetop Ballroom
1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami, FL 33132

Cost is $60 per person. There is a NOON check-in & reception in addition to the luncheon & awards program which begins at 1 PM. UM business attire recommended. Tickets will not be available the day of the banquet.

To purchase tickets, visit http://www.uhurricaneclub.com/ to register online or call the Hurricane Club at (305) 284-6699. Advance registration & payment is required by Monday, December 3rd, 2012.

Vote for Duke: Vote Early, Vote Often

Can a true freshman ever be an All-American?

Well if there is one player at the University of Miami that can be, then this is who he is: Duke Johnson, RB/KR (5-9, 188, Miami, Fla.):

• Four-time ACC Rookie of the Week
• 1,688 all-purpose yards (2nd nationally among freshmen, 9th nationally)
• Ranks third all-time in UM history in single-season all-purpose yards
• 779 kick return yards (1st among freshmen, 4th nationally)
• Owns single-season school record for KR yards, ranks 10th in career KR yards
• Tied for school record with 2 KR for TD
• Leads nation with 5 50+ yard kick returns
• Leads UM with 705 rushing yards
• Amassed UM-record 368 all-purpose yards at Virginia – fourth-most in ACC history.

So we encourage the local media to vote for Duke and do it early and often.

Who knows what might happen?