Canespace: October 2013

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Hate Week: Friends Don't Let Friends Go To FSU

I should let you know that out of respect to country music legend Willie Nelson I was going to title this blog article: "Mommas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Seminoles".

But that would be disrespectful to Willie and so I just couldn't do it.

But seriously what you may not realize is that if a high school athlete really cared about getting a college education (some obviously don't) and if they all knew what I knew about academics and Florida State University then they would have to admit that the blog title is 100% accurate and factually true.

Friend don't let friends go to Florida State.

In fact it could be argued that the words "academics" and "Florida State University" should never appear in the same sentence unless the word "failure" comes right before or after those words.

Now, all I am asking is for if for you to just give me a few minutes to prove it. I did all the research, I crunched all of the numbers and I have to say that what I found left me a little bit shocked at the actual findings and results.

Last year I looked at the NCAA Academic Progress Report Scores for the three major revenue producing men's college sports: football, basketball and baseball. If you are not familiar with the NCAA's APR it is an annual report that measures the year-to-year and four year aggregate academic performance of a university's athletic teams in all intercollegiate sports.

I went to the NCAA web site to research and compare FSU's APR scores in the three major sports with what are considered the four other major universities in Florida (Miami, Florida, Central Florida and South Florida) and all twelve of the Atlantic Coast Conference teams and what I found was basically this:

It was nearly impossible to find one single example in any sport that favored the Seminoles.

I guess if one thing can be said about FSU is that they are consistent. As in consistently bad. But don't take my word for it, just let the numbers and stats do the trash talking for me.

Football: The Seminoles and Jimbo Fisher, came in dead last in the State of Florida and 10th out of the 12 teams in the ACC.

The ACC average APR score was 957.
FSU missed that low water mark by 25 points with a score of 932
That is just 2 points above the minimal NCAA score of 930.
Duke led the conference in football with a 986 score.
Miami came in second at 979. The 'Noles trailed Miami by 47 points.
Even UF (976), UCF (971) and USF (952) scored higher than FSU.

Basketball: The Seminoles and former UM head coach Leonard Hamilton who apparently moved on to easier pickings should be ashamed. FSU did worse in roundball than in football in the APR rankings:

The ACC average for basketball was 961.
Miami came in well above that at 975.
FSU scored a embarrassing 926,the 2nd lowest in the ACC (GT 915).
Even UF (964), USF (937) and UCF (929) outscored the Seminoles.

Baseball: Finally we get to the Seminoles pride and their celebrated head coach Mike Martin. When you see the final results it is enough to make you choke on your mustard covered hot dog:

The ACC average was 977.
Miami came in third in the ACC and scored 989 (Duke, UVA).
FSU came in at 938 and LAST in the ACC.
UF scored 981 and UCF 980 both below Miami at 989.

These facts beg the question: Why would friends let friends go to FSU?

Posted at 08:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (292)

Hate Week: Bobby Bowden

Dadgumit.

I hate it when this happens.

Isn't it ironic that I hate to say that I find it hard to hate Bobby Bowden?

I mean, I would like to hate him, simply because he coached at FSU, but I just can't seem to find a good enough reason to really hate the man.

This is in spite of the fact that spent all of those years as a head coach patrolling the Florida State sideline and trying to destroy Miami's season and National title hopes each and every year.

It's just that he was so cruelly treated by fate and all of those talented Miami teams that you almost want to feel sorry for him now don't you?

How else can you feel about a guy that once said: "My tombstone will probably read: Yeah, but he had to play Miami."

He always came across as such a down to earth, good 'ol boy that it makes it actually hard to hate the man. And think about all he had to endure: wide right, wide right II, wide left, and then wide right again. I mean is that really fair for one man to have gone through all of that suffering?

I'll never really like Bobby Bowden, but I sure do have a hard time hating him.

Dadgumit.

Posted at 06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (220)

Hate Week: Miami vs FSU

When you really think about it, hate is really a very strong word.

Most long time Miami Hurricane fans hate certain teams based on their history. When ranked in order from most hated it looks something like this:

Florida
Notre Dame
Ohio State
Alabama
LSU

The one team that Miami has the most history with that is surprisingly absent from this list is FSU.

Correct me if I am wrong but even though Miami and Florida State have played in a heated rivalry since the early 1980s it just seems that it is hard to muster the same level of hatred towards the Seminoles as the other teams on the most hated list.

Still, with the biggest game that the Hurricanes have played in in what seems like forever (a decade?) on the schedule this weekend you think that UM fans could manage to generate some serious hate towards FSU, right?

Well according to some fans the answer is yes.

When BCS #3 FSU hosts BCS #7 Miami in Tallahassee at Doak Campbell Stadium on Satruday at 8 PM, the hate meter will probably be off the scale.

In this intense conference rivalry known for it's close games, the wide rights and even a wide left for good measure, and some serious beat downs by both sides in different years, there will be some vicious vitriol between those wearing orange and green and those in garnet and gold.

When it is over the winner will claim both bragging rights and recruiting superiority over their defeated in-State rival.

But until the kickoff it is officially "Hate Week" between Miami and FSU.

We wouldn't have it any other way.

Posted at 06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (142)

Better To Be Lucky Than Good

Fifth ranked Missouri was pretty good, but they lost to #21 South Carolina on an unlucky bounce off the crossbar in double overtime at home.

Tenth ranked Texas Tech was undefeated and looking pretty good going into their game against Oklahoma before they lost to Big Game Bob and his 15th ranked Sooners. So then another one had bitten the dust.

Virginia Tech was ranked 14th and playing at home in beautiful Blacksburg against the basketball school known as Duke and Beamer's boys lost by an unlucky 13 points. So VT is clearly not lucky or good.

Miami was playing at Sun Life Stadium on a picture perfect day when lowly Wake Forest showed up and tried to ruin it for the Hurricanes. Luckily for Miami they would get lucky even when they were not good.

Miami certainly did not play well but apparently it is better to be lucky than good and on this Saturday in October the luck was on Miami's side and the Hurricanes pulled off another last minute win to be Wake 24-21.

Now with a little more luck, the Hurricanes could move as high as #5 or #6 in the BCS standings come Sunday or Monday. Better to be lucky than good?

Unfortunately, Miami's luck may run out when they have to travel to Tallahassee to take on the really good and really lucky second ranked Florida State Seminoles next Saturday at Doak Campbell Stadium.

Until then we will ride this nice little wave of luck that has surged Miami by UNC last week on the road and Wake this week at home right into next week's game against the Hurricane's most intense ACC rival.

As you already know, in rivalry game anything can, and likely will, happen.

Posted at 12:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (190)

Game Day: Miami vs Wake Forest

GO CANES, BEAT WAKE FOREST!

That is all.

Posted at 07:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (466)

Hurricane Hoopsters Have Hops

The University of Miami men’s basketball team is getting bigger, faster and stronger in time to start the 2013-14 season, according to strength coach Steve Felde.

“Based on what I’ve seen from these guys this off-season, they are strong and they are fast and they are ready to play,” said Felde.

Junior transfer James Kelly and freshman Davon Reed each improved their bench press max by 80 pounds from June to October, as Kelly started at 235 and is up to 315 while Reed improved from 170 to 250.

Senior Erik Swoope pressed a team-best 365, up 35 pounds since June, followed by Kelly’s 315, senior Raphael Akpejiori at 310 and senior Donnavan Kirk at 300. Of the guards, senior Rion Brown leads the way at 275, closely followed by classmate Garrius Adams (265).

Junior transfer Sheldon McClellan touts the highest standing vertical, with his 41-inch leap. Kirk boasts a 35.5 jump while Swoope is at 35 inches and freshman Deandre Burnett jumps 34 inches with no step. Over the summer, Swoope improved his standing vertical from 27 to 35 inches, the best on the team, followed by a five-inch increase by Kirk and a 4.5-inch improvement from sophomore Steve
Sorenson.

McClellan also has the highest approach vertical with 45 inches, followed by Burnett’s 42.5 inches, which he improved from 37 inches in June. Reed is third with 40.5 inches, a 4.5-inch improvement) and Swoope rounds out the top four with a 40-inch approach vertical.

In the pro agility test, McClellan topped out at 3.9 seconds, while freshman Manu Lecomte turned in a time of 3.97 seconds.

Miami opens the season on Oct. 30 with an exhibition game against Florida Tech, then the regular season begins Nov. 8 against St. Francis (N.Y.) at 10 p.m.

Posted at 04:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (128)

Note To 'Noles, Gators: Be Afraid, Be VERY Afraid

The handcuffs have been removed. The gloves are officially off.

Now, after two and a half years of waiting for the NCAA investigation to conclude and for the penalties and sanctions to be announced, UM head coach Al Golden can finally recruit on equal footing as his two biggest rivals for high school talent in Florida: FSU's Jimbo Fisher and UF's Will Muschamp.

All of the damage caused by the relentless and ruthless negative recruiting used by Fisher and Muschamp over the past few seasons to hold Golden and Miami back from being successful on the field and in recruiting is done.

The long wait for the NCAA ruling to come down ended yesterday.

It is finally, mercifully, thankfully, over.

And now it is someone else's turn to be afraid, VERY afraid.

Even with the impending sanctions hanging over his head Golden and his Hurricanes stand undefeated this season at 6-0 and have risen to #7 in the BCS standings. Golden currently has the top ranked recruiting class in the ACC and #4 overall for 2014, and that is before the NCAA let Miami skate away with incredibly light sanctions yesterday.

To make the pot even sweeter, earlier this season Golden's hurricanes convincingly beat Muchamp's Gators at Sun Life Stadium. In what could be the final meeting ever between the two schools Miami walked away the victor over the big bad SEC team from the big bad State school in Gainesville.

On November 2 Golden and his road warriors will travel to Tallahassee to take on Fisher and his Seminoles at Doak Campbell stadium. The Hurricanes have a chance to win the mythical "State Championship" and put an end to any and all speculation that Miami is indeed back.

If (when?) Miami beats FSU in their house in front of a National audience and moves into the top 3 in the BCS chase it will be the end of times as we know it in Tallahassee and Gainesville.

And for that matter, for the entire college football world.

With the NCAA out of the way, it is time for Fisher and Muschamp and the rest of college football to be afraid of the Al Golden led Phoenix that is rising once again at the small, private school in Coral Gables.

Yes, college football, be afraid.

Be VERY afraid.

Posted at 06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (211)

Now I'm Free, Free Falling

Today, the University of Miami, held hostage under cruel and unusal conditions by the NCAA for the last two and a half years, is free at last.

Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, "The U" is free at last!

And for Hurricane fans, freedom has never felt so good. Swagger is back!

Finally, after a long, drawn out, extremely messy and completely botched investigation by the NCAA, Miami Hurricane coaches, players and fans can celebrate a little freedom from severe penalties and sanctions that loomed overhead like a black cloud in Coral Gables for years.

By all accounts, UM got off lightly after enduring over two years of self imposed misery. Basically, the NCAA imposed a reduction of three scholarships over three years and three years of probation.

So now all that is left to ask is: "All that drama and nonsense, for this?"

UM head football coach Al Golden will soon get his five year extension at around $2.25 million a year.

UM head basketball coach Jim Larranaga already re-upped his contract after an ACC title last season, leaving UM baseball (2008) and UM basketball (2012-13) as the only major sports to have captured conference crowns.

After Golden gets his ACC title (and more?) this season, he will get his contract done this Summer. Then the NCAA can choke on it and the entire college football world will surrender in fear once again as the Miami Hurricanes rise to the top of college athletics and stay there for a long time.

Now all U have to do is just sit back and watch...

Posted at 10:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (220)

Miami Has Nothing To Fear, But Fear Itself

Tomorrow, when the NCAA finally releases their findings on the long running investigation into alleged transgressions by a certain rogue athletic booster and several former athletes at the University of Miami, many college football fans may be surprised to know that there will be no fear in Coral Gables.

The University of Miami administration, athletic department and current coaching staff has done everything exactly as dictated by the NCAA play book when it comes to coming clean, being cooperative and reporting what they know to be true in terms of the reported allegations.

In fact, it could be argued that Miami, above all other NCAA athletic institutions, has set the standard by which all others will be judged in terms of cooperation with an NCAA investigation.

UM not only opened their athletic doors, but their financial books. They allowed access to coaches and athletes to answer all questions from NCAA investigators in what can only be described as an unprecedented manner.

Then Miami took decisive action well before the NCAA hammer could drop on the Hurricanes:

Miami self-imposed two consecutive bowl bans.
Miami chose not to compete in their own conference championship.
Miami reduced recruiting visits
Miami reduced scholarship players in two sports.
Miami even went so far as to suspended players in football and basketball until they payed back "illegal benefits" or were cleared to participate in athletic events by the NCAA authorities.

When all combined, these actions are something that has never been done by any other NCAA institution anywhere, at anytime, by any school. That will certainly be respected by the powers that be.

So as the official announcement comes out tomorrow around 10 AM, and the blogs and Twitter start swirling, Miami Hurricane fans will have absolutely nothing to fear but fear itself.

And everyone knows that Miami has no reason to be afraid of the NCAA.

Posted at 11:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (106)

Swing, Batter-Batter, SWING!

The Miami Hurricanes baseball team officially opens its 2013-14 season schedule Monday, when the Canes take the diamond at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field for the first day of fall practice.

Under the direction of head coach Jim Morris, now in his 21st year at the helm of the program, the baseball team has high expectations for 2014 after recording its 41st-straight postseason appearance this past spring. The stretch marks the longest active streak for any collegiate team in any sport.

All practices at Alex Rodriguez Park, held every Monday through Saturday until Nov. 22, are open to the public. Practices are set to begin each weekday at 2:30 p.m., while Saturday practices will commence at 10 a.m. Scout Day will be held Friday, Nov. 22., and is tentatively slated to begin at 3 p.m.

Coach Morris released the team’s 2014 regular season schedule one week before the fall practice opener. To view the team’s full 2014 spring slate, click HERE.