What a huge difference one year can make.
Last year a very talented but very young Miami Central High School football team made it all the way to the FHSAA State Championship game but came away empty handed as they wound up losing to Armwood High School (who later had to vacate the win and State title due to recruiting violations).
This year a more experienced Central team fought their way back to The Citrus Bowl in Orlando and won the State championship. The Rockets' head coach Telly Lockette had his team prepared and focused and ready to play against Gainesville High School this past Saturday.
An enthusiastic crowd of over 5,800 high school football fans were there to see it. And from my perspective, some of these fans take their high school football just a little too seriously.
But hey, that's just me. If you think 'Canes fans are passionate you should sit next to some of these high school football fans during the playoffs and at the Championship game.
Lockette's Rockets dominated play on both sides of the ball. The game was fun, exciting, interesting and entertaining. Central beat Gainesville from start to finish and by the final score of 37-14 as the dynamic backfield duo of juniors Joseph Yearby and Dalvin Cook ran all over the Gainesville defense.
Teams from the 305 had a great post-season this year and as usual "The Bottom" is loaded with talent this year and next. The Miami Hurricanes and head coach Al Golden will certainly benefit from that fact.
When we first hired coach L I said it was a GREAT hire, he knows his D. Say what you want about Kirby but he made some good hires before he left
Posted by: WWIN | December 18, 2012 at 11:11 PM
Mike,
Maybe we made a trade. Nah change that, I HOPE we made a trade since we giving up Johnson
Posted by: WWIN | December 18, 2012 at 11:27 PM
Fun fact... I competed against, & trained often with, (at MDJC-N), Kurt Thomas, when I was a gymnast at Miami Norland 40 years ago.
Kid was UNBELIEVABLE, (even in high school.) He had absolutely no fear. Wow, haven't heard THAT name in awhile... time flies...
Posted by: roachcane77 | December 18, 2012 at 08:30 PM
NICE!
With football being so big now, you would've never known that gymnastics was big back in the day.
Thanks.
Posted by: CaneRock | December 18, 2012 at 11:28 PM
Eichorst hired Larranaga WWIN.
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | December 19, 2012 at 01:43 AM
Wow nice to see the great basketball support. Even if it is only to take cheap shots at the football team.let them lose a couple games and are fan base
will go into the hurricane" fan as usual fire the coach mode." It's a good thing the basketball team does not have a d cor. to wine about.
Posted by: Mcginns ale house | December 19, 2012 at 02:07 AM
WEDNESDAY BUZZ COLUMN New from NCAA investigation from Barry Jackson
Faced with arm-twisting, at least three former Hurricanes football players recently spoke to the NCAA, which has been threatening ex-UM players in an attempt to pursuade them to be interviewed.
So what was that experience like?
An attorney who was on the conference call when his client was interviewed by the NCAA gave us a detailed account of the 20-minute conversation. The former NFL player played at UM several years ago.
The interview was basically a fishing expedition, said the attorney, who asked that his name and client not be identified. They kept asking the same questions over and over. Did you know Nevin Shapiro or [his former agent partner] Michael Huyghue? He said no.
Then they asked, ‘Did you go to any clubs with Nevin? Did you see Nevin on the sideline during games? Who was he with? Did you receive benefits from agents?’ They couldn’t cite any specific incident, so they asked very general questions.
After 20 minutes, [the former player] said, ‘Bro, you keep asking the same questions over and over. I don’t know anything. He talked to the NCAA only because he was adamant about clearing his name.
On that call were UM outside council Mike Glazier and three NCAA officials, including assistant director of enforcement Molly Richman, who threatened numerous Hurricanes players in a November letter that stated the NCAA would believe Shapiro’s allegations against them if they did not agree to be interviewed. That letter, which I obtained, was printed on this blog last month.
............................................
Three former Hurricanes football players recently spoke to the NCAA...
When was that exactly Barry? And if it was recent like you said can we presume that the final report on allegations is far from being done so that we won't hear from the NCAA before NSD???
Posted by: Montreal-Cane | December 19, 2012 at 02:29 AM
Keith Bryant says the NCAA issues with Miami does not worry him. It shouldn't.
Posted by: Montreal-Cane | December 19, 2012 at 02:40 AM
I am very confident that there won't be another bowl ban...UM has done more to punish itself than they needed...Bowl bans...ACC ship...Suspensions...Plus the NCAA needs to consider that due to their very lenghty investigation they have hurt Miami very very much. UM is left in the dark and only the innoncents are paying for this. The NCAA will have to go after the real guilty people who are now at other schools or elsewhere.
Posted by: Montreal-Cane | December 19, 2012 at 02:51 AM
Posted by: Mcginns ale house | December 19, 2012 at 02:07 AM
Actually they do. His name's Jim Larranaga and he's a pimp when it comes to getting defensive efforts out of his team on par with Leonard Hamilton.
You can't cheap shot a bottom of the barrel performance anyway. All criticisms are justified.
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | December 19, 2012 at 03:40 AM
The NCAA has hurt both UM and the ACC. I am sure that they both want to put this behind them so UM can recruit and continue to build under Golden.
UM can restore the ACC football to its BCS championship level it has enjoyed in the past. with the sanctions behind him, Golden has a legitimate shot at a great recruiting class and an ACC champtionship next year.
Speaking of potential ACC Champtionships, Congrats to the Canes BB team once again for looking good in a win against a decent team.
Posted by: BigWindyCane1 | December 19, 2012 at 07:02 AM
Sandland will be a Cane today
Posted by: UMike | December 19, 2012 at 07:22 AM
Let's wait for the announcement. This recruiting season is way too nutty to pin down.
At this point, Foster to UM wouldn't surprise me at all.
Also, ladies and gents... use common sense when it comes to recruits and associations. Don't screw your team and don't screw the Space.
Cheers.
Posted by: LB | December 19, 2012 at 08:22 AM
Quotes from Bryant from Canesinsight:
“It’s not really different at all. As a matter of fact, I de-committed from a school that I’m like .1% unsure about. I’m feeling Miami, but I want to make sure it’s 100% what I wanna do.”
“I’m a baller and I’m gonna ball.”
Posted by: LB | December 19, 2012 at 08:55 AM
LB...sandlands cousins sister is friends with someones sister that i dated and her babysitter said it was a lock.. Now thats insider info lol
Posted by: UMike | December 19, 2012 at 09:03 AM
LB...sandlands cousins sister is friends with someones sister that i dated and her babysitter said it was a lock.. Now thats insider info lol
Posted by: UMike | December 19, 2012 at 09:03 AM
---------------------------------------
LOL, nice UMike!!
I almost just wrote that down, but I figured, "Nah, I'll just carve that kinda insider info into the piece of stone I've got laying around!" ;-)
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | December 19, 2012 at 09:13 AM
"LB...sandlands cousins sister is friends with someones sister that i dated and her babysitter said it was a lock.. Now thats insider info lol"
Nice! Actually, my friend's next door neighbor's cat said that Robert Nkemdiche had a "come to Jesus" moment last night with the Ray Lewis commercial where he mounts a raven and that big boy blows up a planet in space.
Therefore, he's committing to UM on NSD.
Posted by: LB | December 19, 2012 at 09:21 AM
LB...sandlands cousins sister is friends with someones sister that i dated and her babysitter said it was a lock.. Now thats insider info lol
Posted by: UMike | December 19, 2012 at 09:03 AM
LMAO!
Posted by: 86Cane | December 19, 2012 at 09:31 AM
NEW BLOG IS UP!
Posted by: 86Cane | December 19, 2012 at 09:45 AM
Matt Hayes - 1st and 10: They keep calling, Al Golden keeps saying no. If Canes can get through NCAA mess, Golden will win big. http://bit.ly/WoHEpm
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | December 19, 2012 at 09:47 AM
Ogv----
Cheap shot > to speak about someone or something negatively
under the guise of giving a unrelated third party praise or a compliment.
Posted by: Mcginns ale house | December 19, 2012 at 09:49 AM