So much wiser, and no regrets.
It could only be considered great news for Al Golden and Miami Hurricane fans everywhere that three prominent University of Miami football players announced on Monday that they would forgo the opportunity to enter the 2013 NFL(U) draft and return for their final seasons at "The U".
Offensive linemen Brandon Linder and Seantrel Henderson and defensive tackle Curtis Porter all announced that the would be back in a Hurricane uniform for the 2013 season at a press conference specifically held at UM to announce their decision.
UM Head coach Al Golden had this to say about each of the three players:
Golden on Henderson..."I'm really proud of Seantrel. He exhibited patience and self-restraint and approached this business decision with transparency and maturity. Instant gratification and leaving would have been easy for Seantrel; instead, he's accepted the challenge to become the best person and player he can be. Coach Art Kehoe, (Head Strength) Coach Andrew Swasey, Coach Jedd Fisch and I are anxious to assist him and his family achieve all of their goals and develop him into the type of player we all know he can be."
Golden on Linder..."We're blessed to have Brandon returning to our football team. He has clearly grown over the last year and has been a beacon of consistency for our student-athletes during an extraordinarily turbulent time. He's not only the most experienced Miami Hurricane having started 29 games in his career, possessing at 24 consecutive games started streak, but he is a tremendous student and one of our finest leaders. You can see in his demeanor that he has
unfinished business on his mind and is excited about returning to Coral Gables for the 2013 season. Brandon will be considered among the best at his position in the ACC, if not the country."
Golden on Porter..."We're excited to have the opportunity to work with Curtis for an entire year. He's had some unfortunate injuries which have encumbered his development over the last couple of years; however, he really came on strong during the last half of the year for us. He exhibited to everyone associated with our program a glimpse of what he can become. Curtis is talented - he's smart, strong, powerful and explosive yet has room for development on and off the field. If he continues to trust his coaches, cultivates his position skills and develops consistency in his daily approach to football, he will undoubtedly develop into the type of player he wants to become."
The decision to return was not considered a surprise to most as it was widely accepted by those in-the-know that if the players made good decisions based on the their current draft status that they would return for their Senior seasons. Apparently each of the players realized that they have the ability and opportunity to improve their draft stock with another year of strength conditioning, player development and technique polishing at Miami.
Yet, some fans still openly asked: "Why hold a presser just to announce that they would return?" It is my opinion that the UM Sports Information office wants to establish consistency in the process for this and coming years. The process and format will look and feel the same regardless whether players decide to stay or leave early. We think that is a very smart idea.
If you only hold a press conference when players are leaving then it becomes pretty obvious about the intent and outcome of the presser don't you think? Also we believe that it is just as important to announce that players are getting good and accurate info on their current draft status and decide to return when it is in their best interests to do so for them individually and their team collectively.
This year's announcements were in stark contrast to last year when several UM players decided to leave early in spite of what appeared to be inaccurate and/or misleading information about their potential draft position based on the alleged promises of an particular local sports agent.
One source indicated to us that a few of the players that left early last year already had at least one foot out the door before they met with UM head coach Al Golden to discuss the issue, gather information from impartial and unbiased NFL draft experts and make a wise decision.
Simply put, that is not very wise. And here is a little fact to prove it: Of the 69 underclassmen that declared early for the NFL draft last year, 25 went un-drafted. But it is not only about the players that go un-drafted it is about those who never reach their maximum draft potential and wind up being selected much lower than some agent in their ear may have projected.
The lower initial signing bonus, less guaranteed money and a shorter term contract is often the result of dropping from a projected first-rounder to a third round pick, or from a third rounder to a sixth round selection. That money is in most cases lost forever and never recouped by the typical NFL player who's average playing career is around 3-5 years.
Which brings us back to the title of our article. It is very refreshing and encouraging to see that many of the players now at UM under Golden's leadership are not only another year older, but much, much wiser as a result of following "The Process".
With that being said, we all want to send our best wishes and a ultra-loud Canespace shout-out of respect to UM student-athletes Brandon Linder, Seantrel Henderson and Curtis Porter for their faith in Al Golden and their commitment to the University of Miami football program.
Another year older, so much wiser, and no regrets.
Manti Te'O's dead girlfriend is/was a fake! What a freaking fraud. College Gameday even ran a feature on this pretend relationsip.
http://deadspin.com/5976517/manti-teos-dead-girlfriend-the-most-heartbreaking-and-inspirational-story-of-the-college-football-season-is-a-hoax
Posted by: j.w. | January 16, 2013 at 04:51 PM
Damn, taht teaches me for not hitting referesh- sorry ,Ohio, my bad!
Posted by: j.w. | January 16, 2013 at 04:52 PM
Damn, taht teaches me for not hitting referesh- sorry ,Ohio, my bad!
Posted by: j.w. | January 16, 2013 at 04:52 PM
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All good, bro. I don't care about being first. Just sharing what I read/hear.
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | January 16, 2013 at 04:53 PM
CGNC,
It's the rain capital of the U.S., at least Gastonia is. What part you from?
Posted by: herbieibis | January 16, 2013 at 05:24 PM
"Offensive Waterbreak" copyrighted by WWIN inc.
Posted by: WWIN | January 16, 2013 at 05:54 PM
I heard a Miami BTW administrator say that Nic Saban has visited his school several times this year, and that Alabama took out a full billboard right across the street for all the students to see. I guess they really want to make an impression.
By the way, I saw Miami BTW play, and they are very, very talented. Thomas and Kirkland are just a few of the very talented kids on that team. I think this is another reason why getting #6 is so important.
Posted by: BigWindyCane1 | January 16, 2013 at 05:56 PM
Ohio and jw,
Te'o story. WELL DAMN!!!!!!! LMFAO
Posted by: WWIN | January 16, 2013 at 05:56 PM
haha, manti is lying his ass off
Posted by: laquinton | January 16, 2013 at 06:30 PM
Story from Gary Shelton of the Tampa Bay Times ...
Five years ago, an offensive lineman at Fernley High in Nevada named Kevin Hart called a news conference to announce his college choice. Like a lot of athletes, he had two caps in front of him, one from Cal and one from Oregon. In the end, Hart picked up the Cal hat and said that's where he was going.
Except Cal had never heard of him.
Also, Oregon had never heard of him.
Hart made the whole thing up. The truth was, he didn't have a college offer. He did, however, have the whole spirit of recruiting down pat.
He lied,
Posted by: Old Skool | January 16, 2013 at 06:38 PM
ND says manti & family came to them on 12/26 and explained manti was a victim of a hoax. If true then why didn't ND hold a presser? They would have had an obligation to with all the Publicity that surrounded the GF death..ND is lying its ass off. They covered up a student rape..they swept under the carpet the GA getting killed when he was told to video the practice from a tower in 50mph winds. bunch of lyin ass catholics ooops or should I say convicts?
Posted by: TJL | January 16, 2013 at 06:56 PM
Here's a new game we could play over and over again several times a year ... a Gator jail pool. Players bet how long it takes the FU attorneys to spring each Gator. Here's the latest...
Campus police say redshirt freshman Jessamen Dunker was arrested Wednesday morning and charged with vehicle theft, a third-degree felony, and driving with a suspended license, a misdemeanor.
Dunker, a 6-foot-6, 315-pound lineman from Boynton Beach, was being held in the Alachua County Jail with no bail set. It wasn't clear if Dunker had an attorney.
Posted by: Old Skool | January 16, 2013 at 07:12 PM
I'm a victim of a hoax too, the hoax of manti te'o being a good football player and actually having a real life gf. Being a Nosuch Dame football player must suck, since they have to settle for online dating. SMH
#Nosuch Dame
Posted by: WWIN | January 16, 2013 at 07:47 PM
In Teo's defense... he is mormon, believe me, I know first hand, these are very naive people. My wifes fam is mormon. They attend BYU and some have played football there. I live right next to the temple in IF Idaho. BYU Idaho is a 30 minute drive from here. It wouldn't shock me at all if he had a "gf" that he has never met before, and they were in "love." This would be VERY easy to do to many of the LDS ilk. Just saying.
Posted by: The Dude | January 16, 2013 at 08:35 PM
Long day. Over in Sarasota. What did I miss?
Posted by: SOUP | January 16, 2013 at 08:47 PM
canes in a tight battle with BC... down two wit the ball
Posted by: mi@mic@ne | January 16, 2013 at 08:48 PM
canes go up by one with a minute and a half left
Posted by: mi@mic@ne | January 16, 2013 at 08:56 PM
Its like...I seen it all before lol..its nothing bad..just funny..kinda an inside joke with Ohio and 86 lol
Posted by: UMike | January 16, 2013 at 07:32 AM
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Right? But Cornbread/insider is fake, right? LOL
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | January 16, 2013 at 09:20 AM
Is that not the most incredible coincidence or what? LMAO!
Posted by: SOUP | January 16, 2013 at 09:02 PM
Mante Teo lied about his girlfriend dieing. UM hoops would be very good of we had dominant guards. Durand Scott is a disappointment .
Posted by: canesteeler | January 16, 2013 at 09:04 PM
I'll be manning as much as possible, including updates here (First), then twitter, with the live feeds running in the background from my command center that I manufacture every year.
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | January 16, 2013 at 12:46 PM
U DA MAN! IMMA DOUBLE YOUR SALARY!!!
Posted by: SOUP | January 16, 2013 at 09:04 PM
canes up by one ..last chance for bc
Posted by: mi@mic@ne | January 16, 2013 at 09:05 PM
scott draws an offensive foul
Posted by: mi@mic@ne | January 16, 2013 at 09:07 PM
canes up by 3
Posted by: mi@mic@ne | January 16, 2013 at 09:09 PM
So Teo never saw this girl he loved so much all that time she was in the hospital, or at a wake, or funeral? GTFOH!!!!! lol I cant believe ND is trying to spin in this way..how does Miami have the bad rep? lol
Posted by: UMike | January 16, 2013 at 09:09 PM
canes win
Posted by: mi@mic@ne | January 16, 2013 at 09:12 PM
Hassan, OGV and co. great to have you back.
Posted by: Montreal_Cane | January 15, 2013 at 11:43 PM
They never left, just took a well deserved break. We talk via email all the time.
Posted by: SOUP | January 16, 2013 at 09:20 PM
I can't believe we are really being that critical of the B-Ball team that has just won it's 4th ACC game, has 3 total losses and needs every bit of our support! Not to mention doing it without one of their best...
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE U! BALL OUT 'CANES.
Posted by: HawaiiCane | January 16, 2013 at 09:32 PM
NEW BLOG IS UP!
Posted by: SOUP | January 16, 2013 at 09:43 PM